What are the important piano lesson basics to remember?

***1.  Practicing piano slowly- Most accurate work is created at slow speeds in "slow motion".  This is

           when the brain can process notes, rhythms, tone, relaxation, good posture, counting, and

           accuracy with all simultaneously. 

                Slow practicing creates a "focused" picture of exactly what you are doing for your brain.

           Fast runs create a "blurry" version of your song.  When you try to retrieve it from memory

           and play you get a blurry version back that is usually filled with all kinds of errors and mistakes.

***2.  Create a "big" sound-  Music is 50% tone and 50% rhythm.  You must create enough power at

           at the piano on each note for a rich, full tone.  This is the most beautiful tone the piano can create.

           This is where musical expression is clearly heard, not with a weak "half tone".  When attempting

           this full tone, remember to keep your fingers curved.  They will want to collapse.

***3.  Create your own internal "clock"-  Rhythmic precision is 50% of the music.  Not all of us are born

           with a precise sense of timing, but we have a brain that is more than capable of creating this precision.

           Take an extra step to create this "clock".  The mind is a very precise instrument.

***4.  Curve your fingers-  If you collapse your knuckles when playing, you must try to push the knuckles out

           to a curved position.  This is the starting "power" position in playing, and you will want to keep your

           hand position in a consistently proper playing position.  Do not let random habits of different finger shapes

           creep into your precise technique.

                Remember these helpful sayings:

           "Push your knuckles out when playing"

           "Play on the tips of your fingers"

           There are times when a flat finger approach is needed, but at the beginner level the curved position is the

            best starting place for success.

***5.  Don't stop at each barline-  See #1 Practice slowly... If you are stopping at each barline in playing, this is

           a message to yourself that your brain is not processing all the information on the page in time, and you

           are absolutely practicing too fast. 

                 Think of your mind being always on "record".  If you constantly record each stop at a barline, then       continue,

           these "stops" and "starts" are recorded to memory, so you are simply memorizing rhythmic mistakes.  Your

           habit will be to create these uneven rhythms each time you play your piece, and your listeners will certainly

           not appreciate your "stop and go" performance.  Listeners like to hear the steadiness of patterns, like the     falling of rain, the chirping of a bird, the sound of an ocean wave.  Listening to an erratic rhythm is like being in

           a car with a beginning driver who is jamming on the brakes every other second.