I had a break through when I joined a band. Like JClark I am a mature age player. I came to the piano 4 years ago with 35 years as a professional jazz guitarist behind me. I had a crisis in my life and I just couldn’t look at another guitar.
Anyway, my progress was quick because I already knew and understood the music, but after countless hours practise it still wasn’t ‘there’ yet.
Then I got an offer to jam and rehearse with a band. Right away my timing tightened up. I had to learn how to keep out of the guitarist’s way – and the bass player. Not as easy as it sounds. Things I thought I had down I found I didn’t.
One day I was sitting at the piano and I realised I had changed, completely. Even my sight reading had sharpened because we read from charts at rehearsal. Reading in real time is harder than reading in your lounge room.
I’m not in that band now but I’m looking for the next challenge to push me out of my comfort zone. I’m jamming with a sax player, a duet.

Hi. My name is Harry. I’ve been a pro guitarist/saxophonist for 35 years. Most of my life has been dedicated to playing blues and jazz and mainstream rock like the Stones and Santana.

I could never quite cut it with the really modern rock, but each to their own I guess.

2 years ago I quit gigging so I could look after my sick wife. With time on my hands I took up the piano.

My biggest frustration is that I know the music but don’t have the chops yet.
And that’s me. I’m looking forward to getting right into this site.
Cheers

I find the most important things are repetition and limiting the number of things to practise.

If I am trying to learn 10 songs, a couple of technical exercises, a few licks, I don’t have time to really give each a thorough workout.

Bill Evans once said ‘It is better to spend 12 hours on 1 song than an hour each on 12 songs.

Repetition is the mother of learning. This is important for improvisers and non improvisers alike. I play it again and again until it is a part of me. I play it in different keys, change the timing, every trick I know. Then when I perform it I have the freedom to change it however the mood takes me.

And of course, there isn’t time for repetition if I am learning too many things.

There are time when you have to learn 25 new songs – when you join an established band – but most of the time you won’t have to.