Welcome to The Latter-day Saint Organist's Resource Blog

The purpose of this blog is to help pianists learn to become true organists. Many individuals believe that if you play the piano you can play the organ, but the instruments differ greatly. While this blog is specifically geared towards members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, much of the information shared can be utilized by all. I hope that the information I share here will help you become an effective organist in your ward, stake, or other congregation.

Feel free to browse and search this blog. It was started in January 2010 and while new posts aren't added very often, this blog contains a wealth of information and is a wonderful resource for all organists. If you're a new reader, you can find the first lesson here: Before We Begin: Acquiring the Essentials. Also, please "like" the corresponding facebook page, which is updated more often. A link is provided on the right sidebar, or you can click here.

Thanks for visiting!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Practice Tip: The Metronome

Metronome
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Have you ever found yourself practicing a piece, but feeling like you were just treading water and not making any progress? Don't forget the metronome! If the piece is long, you can segment it into smaller pieces. Use the metronome to help you make measured progress.

First, set the metronome at a speed that is comfortable for you to play with no mistakes. You can set the click to the quarter note, eighth note, or even sixteenth note. Play the section or piece, then gradually increase the speed, making sure you play perfectly every time. When you are done with your practice session, write the tempo at the top of your piece so you know where to come back to it.

Before you know it, you'll have made great progress, and you will have practiced the piece perfectly so many times that when it's time to perform, playing it well will be second nature to you!

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