Piano Exam Tips

Many thanks to the authors who have put together these informative articles on preparing for a piano exam.

I especially like the second one, which gives you a timeline from three months prior your exam to afterwards:

Piano Exams - A Guide to Preparation
Tips for Preparing for your Piano Exam
Piano Exams

Happy reading!

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Relief for Musicians with Cold Fingers

One issue musicians must contend with on occasion (some more than others) is cold fingers. My hands tend to go ice cold just before a performance. Not good when you have to perform something like Ginestera's Danza del gaucho matrero which clocks in at 152 dotted quarter notes per minute. That means that you're playing 456 eighth notes per minute for most of the piece!

Thanks to my colleague Andrea Kazmaier for sharing this. At a conference, she discovered Wristies. They keep one's hands, forearms and wrists warm without impeding upon the dexterity required to play an instrument. It's good for people who are at the computer a lot.

Andrea enjoys her leopard print Wristies very much.


I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Black Original Wrisites and Black Light Wristies. The one I really can't wait to don are the Serengetti Short Wristies (pictured to the right). Someone should request ones with a piano keyboard pattern.

(May 25/08 update) I posted a review on Wristies here.

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada.

15 Reasons Why Practicing Technique Can Improve Your Time at the Piano

Once again, Chris Foley posts another musical gem titled 15 Reasons Why Practicing Technique Can Improve Your Time at the Piano.

So folks, keep up with your scales, chords and arpeggios - they're important!

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.