Wish I was younger (now 70, with just 2.5 years playing), but this is a wonderful inspiration for me, even though I do not have enough time left, and my hands are becoming arthritic and are way too slow, but you do inspire never to give up: the path is the goal, and just playing some of Bach‘s amazing harmonies - even at snails pace - is very rewarding.
Hello John, thank you for your beautiful and inspiring comment! I appreciate your kind words about the lesson as well. Even though you are starting the piano later in life and have some hand issues, you can still find much joy from playing Bach at a slow tempo. Often I will practice at a very slow tempo to fully appreciate the gorgeous harmonies. We can become uplifted and exhilarated when practicing this way! I wish you the very best with your studies and your playing. Please stay with it. The rewards will keep coming to further enrich your life!
By far the best Bach Invention lecture on the net. The thorough approach from form to chords and harmony really brought my understanding of this piece to another level. You truly are a lifesaver.
Hello Jin Yang, thank you so much for your wonderful and generous words! I really appreciate your acknowledgement, and am very happy that this tutorial was helpful and added to your understanding of the piece. You are welcome, it is my pleasure. Best wishes to you. 🎵
Hi Charles, Julie and James! Thank you for the wonderful message. How lovely to know that you watched the teaching video together as a family. Most inspiring!
Thank you for helping focus my attention and keeping me going with this piece. I am self-taught and planning on taking my Grade 5 ABRSM, trying to turn myself from a sloppy singer/song tinkerer to a more capable player. I've chosen it because I like it so much, but it demands more discipline than I am used to.
I love this too MS Sally C. Love you interpretations and discussions of the construction and of course, nearly all of the music of JS Bach...in its various presentations including electronic and Moog playing of all of these fascinating forms...And I must say I have enjoyed your own discussions of these compositions and the insights thereof...and again, I just wish You would play them through completely...I find myself wishing I was younger, and unencumbered by my past...so I could be a student again...
Hello Linh, thank you so much for your kind and very appreciated words about this lesson. I am so happy to hear that it is helping your son. With best wishes to you both on your journey with Bach and with the piano! 💕
I am a total hack pianist but a huge Bach fan - but not so much of his inventions ... until tonight. You really brought that piece alive to me. It's only a little more than a minute long but you taught me to look beyond the grandeur of the fugue or the comfort of Brandenburg and to listen for the fun and the unexpected in the inventions. Your love for the piece and the composer really comes through.
Hello Fuz Capp, thank you for your generous & articulate words, and especially for your last sentence of acknowledgement! How wonderful to hear that, along with your enthusiasm for the larger scale works of Bach, your appreciation now includes the imaginative & playful foundational teaching pieces of Bach's Two-Part Inventions. All best wishes to you!
My pleasure. After writing the above i went back and spent the night listening (properly) to many of Bach's inventions. Thanks for opening up the world of Bach a little bit more for me. I am always enthralled by his mathematical genius and you've really brought that out for me in these inventions. Thanks again, and I meant every word.
Very Well said. Thank you very much!! I love how you focus on every single line and go through the whole piece in only 15 minutes. Wonderful job! Adrienne
This video made me appreciate this Invention so much, watched it about a month ago and revisited it afterwards. I can definitely see this becoming a life long favourite, your passion really shines through and makes this video one of my favourites in recent memory.
Hello Benus, I am so delighted to read your enthusiastic and warm words about this video! I do love this piece, and am glad that comes through. :-) Thank you so much for your kind words, and very best wishes to you.
Continuing with your metaphor of conversation, I would have to say that Bach gives us, in this Invention, a good example of sympathetic listening. 'I'm having a bad day.' 'You're having a bad day?' 'Yes, my dog is sick and I brought him to the vet.' 'You brought him to the vet?' ....
Thank you Ms. Christian. I practice it for 3 months and gain nothing improvement but frustrating, but your teaching inspire me how to practice the "attention part" more effectively and I did it without any time pause after a half hour practicing. Thank you so much!!!!
Thank you, Tiffany, for letting me know how the video helped you to practice more efficiently, & then succeeding with the challenging sections. It's so reassuring to experience making progress and getting ever closer to excellence. Congratulations!
Look at this lady, Look at the beautiful piano, look at the beautiful room, the beautiful view of the beautiful garden and the beautiful music and her ability to create it. I would love to ask her if she knows how fortunate she is. At least in the respect of the things previously mentioned. What we don't know, with respect, we don't know. There may well be other things in her life which are not are not so beautiful. I think these thoughts because of the turmoil in America. The divisions, the conflicts, the inequalities, the haves the have nots and how much each knows, or probably, more importantly, cares about the other? I just wonder.
Hello Rodrigo, thank you very much for your wonderful acknowledgements. I really appreciate your kind words and for letting me know the videos are helping you to see and understand the pieces in new ways! With best wishes to you and with your playing. 🎶
Hello Lavovoyaye, thank you so much for your wonderful and very appreciated words about this tutorial! I'm so glad it helped you to better understand the structure of the piece and therefore make good progress with your practicing. 🎉I wish you the very best with your playing and your journey with the piano. 🎶
Hello Guillaume, thank you for your very nice words! I wish you much joy and success as you begin learning this delightful F Major Invention! All best wishes to you!
It truly is a JOY playing it. I remember I made a bet with my teacher. I told him I would learn it in 1 week and he said it was impossible (not to far off !! was not playing so long yet) but I just NEEDED to proof him wrong. Well I practice that week 4 to 5 hours A DAY and didn't skip a day. Ow my goooshh my wrist was painful and my brain fried. When you first start this piece you look up the sheet music and think 'ow well, that looks doable' but then the voicing come in. You better be prepared to find that switch somewhere deep in your brain tissue. it was a brain cracker and I LOVED IT! In the end my teacher apologized for his lack of faith haha and I coudn't stop enjoying seeing that slick grim on his face a week prior thinking he was right GRRRRR. Good old times ! Bach is the very best composer this world has to offer in my humble opinion. Its a honor being able to study his works. Sadly I had a LONG piano break but I am back on it again and I was just thinking to re-learn this invention. My favorite of them all for sure !
Hello Darkboy2525, I totally agree that this Bach Invention No. 8 is a joy to play! I'm so glad you are playing the piano again, and I wish you much fulfillment on your musical journey!
I start my piano practice every time by this song, and your video was very insightful in that it made me realize about the songs things I didn't notice before. Kudos.
I started learning this piece this month and I keep on watching this video. Thank you so much for your tutorials you are my private piano teacher now :).
Hello Hector, thank you for your wonderful message! I am touched to read your words, and am so happy to hear that the tutorials are helping you. Very best wishes to you!
I'm currently practicing this piece and your instructions are extremely helpful. Thank you very much for the tips and tricks! You are a wonderful teacher and this video is filled with passion, enthusiasm and joy. 👍
Hello Jaehaerys, Thank you so much for your kind and enthusiasm words! I'm so happy to hear that the content (and the delivery!) of the lesson was helpful. I wish you all the best with your Invention in F Major!
Hello Alejandro, thank you so much for your very kind words. I'm glad to hear that the lesson was helpful, and gave you another approach. All best wishes to you and with your playing!
Thank you for your very nice words, and for letting me know the lesson helped. I'm glad you like the sound of this Bösendorfer Imperial piano. Best wishes to you and with your piano playing!
Hello Noah, thank you so much for your kind and much appreciated words! I'm delighted to hear that the lesson will help guide you as you and your friend play this piece on two guitars. This sounds like a wonderful and rewarding project! Very best wishes to you and with your playing. :-)
I love how optimistic and passionate you are! You always motivate me, and not only that, but also I feel like I'm not the only person in the world enjoying music immensely! The way you react, it's just binding to my daily reaction to piano and music! Thank you so much for such agility and elegance!
Hello Weldon, thank you for your wonderful and generous words! I am so pleased to hear that the lessons are reinforcing your innate love and enjoyment of the music. Your positive attitudes and the gift of music will certainly contribute to a life well lived! All best wishes to you!
I hope music is really spread and established since many countries in this century are missing such an irreplaceable treasure that's value is indescribable. Thank you for such kind words and I hope your pleasing explanation reaches and expands more, so that everyone can notice the divine interpretations, interpretations that humanity needs to understand music in a higher dimension and approach to what composers actually wanted! It's the compensating nourishment of the soul, and you filled the inner gap with exquisite clarification :)
just watching those old gorgeus videos again and again .. i'm checking regulary your channel for any new Bach/Chopin videos! never found someone like you who truely undestand the music dimension! it would be nice to follow you in a simple vlog style videos more frequently! thank you Sally!
Hello F4sT, thank you for your very kind and appreciated words! I am currently working on another big project that will be posted soon. (It is a composer I have not featured before.) More Bach & Chopin are in the queue, but not in the near future. Thank you for your suggestion for a vlog style video, which I will look into. All best wishes to you!
Hello Maria DJ, thank you for your wonderful and kind words. I really appreciate your generous responses to the presentation and the playing! 🎵 Best wishes to you and with your music.
@@aaronmann9442 Thank you Aaron! Your words mean a great deal to me. It is a privilelge and pleasure to be on this lifelong journey doing the work I am so passionate about. Thank you for your generosity, and many blessings to you!
Hello Valkyrien369, thank you for your lovely and much appreciated words! I'm so glad the lesson helped, and that you liked this approach. I wish you all the best on your musical journey. :-)
You are just wonderful! Great video, those charts are amazgin. I enjoyed watching how passionate you are about music, and enjoyed listening to that wonderful sound of Bösendorfer. Wish you all the best!
Hello Boris, thank you so much for your wonderful and thoughtful words. I so appreciate hearing your responses about the charts, the lesson, and the sound of the Bösendorfer! Best wishes to you as well!
Thank you very much! It helped me a lot! For me, it's one of the most challenging invention I've learned yet especially the part you've indicated the hardest.
Hello redboombuzz, and thank you so much for your enthusiastic words! I so appreciate hearing that the lesson helped, and that you are concentrating on that complicated 5-measure phrase that almost always needs some extra attention!
Hello Matthew, thank you for your very kind and gracious comment! I appreciate your words about the aesthetics and presentation of this video. I am so grateful for the uplifting music of Bach, and to be able to play it on the Bösendorfer in this inspiring setting! 🎹 With all best wishes to you and with your playing. 🎵
@@SallyChristianMusic Will you please give me your 9 1/2 foot Bosendorfer? LOL. That is a piano to drool over. I just bought my daughter 2 grand pianos, both being the Kimball Baby Grand 5' 8" Viennese Classic, the ones with the Bosendorfer signature scale and plate and Herrburger-Brooks - Schwander action. She will pick one, and we will have our piano tech make her the best piano that money can afford. It is the closest one could imagine getting to a Bosendorfer without breaking the 4 figure mark. I know, you are probably smiling at this point, you playing on this grand piano sent by God Himself.... so to speak. We are receiving our first grand tomorrow. The other one is coming in 2 to 3 weeks. And we are excited that my daughter is finally moving up to a more professional piano than her current Young Chang upright. Yesterday she struggled with Bach's Invention #8, taking a break until today her meeting with her teacher. It's good to reflect, step back, take a break every now and then. Thanks again for your kind reply.
Hi Jason! Thank you for your enthusiasm and thoughtful words. I especially appreciate your mentioning the word empathy. I think this music, among other things, inspires and opens us in very positive ways. Best wishes to you!
Hello Craig, I so appreciate your enthusiastic words, and for letting me know the explanations helped! I think it's great that you took notes with the music in front of you while following the lesson! Best wishes to you!
Wow! This is so fantastic to hear!! Thank you so much for telling me this. :-) I am really thrilled that the lesson helped your son learn it on his own! I wish you all a wonderful musical journey!
Hello Bert, thank you so much for your very appreciated words about the charts and the analysis. While they are labors of love, the New Layout Charts are a pleasure to make and share. I wish you all the best with your playing. 🎵
Hello dancastellanata, thank you for your nice message. I am glad the lesson was helpful, and I wish you all the best in playing Bach Invention in F Major!
Hi Fretboard Sam, how awesome to hear that the videos have helped you to learn & play these Inventions on the guitar! Thanks for letting me know, and best wishes to you!
Hello Sally. Hoping to purchase an 88 Keyboard for my wife and I this year 2024. She has a former background playing intermediate Piano. My former background was in Completing my Classical Guitar minor back in the 1970s. I LOVE Bach's Invention No.8 in F! For now, I created a Paper layout (actual size 88 keys) to practice learning to play basic scales. I'm in my late 60s, and i cannot "tuck my thumbs under (Arthritis), but i can rotate my hands to play scales. I didn't see where I could Order your Tabloid Size Music layout teaching sheet for Bach's Invention No. 8. Could you provide a "Link for Shopping"? Do you offer a DVD for Beginners/DVD for teaching me how to correctly practice and play using correct fingering? You definitely "have both The Performance Talent & The Talent of Teaching" Thanks.
Hello Terrell, thank you for your very kind and appreciated words about the teaching videos and the playing. I'm happy that you would like to purchase a keyboard and begin to play some of these great pieces. Regarding the large size sheet music I offer, you can go to my website and click on any Order Now button. This will take you to my PayLoadz Storefront that has all of the charts available for purchase as digital downloads. When you get to this page, click on the blue See More button at the top right corner. Then you can scroll down until you see the thumbnail for the chart you would like to order. The most recent charts appear at the top and the oldest are nearer the bottom. As of today, you will find the Bach Invention No. 8 chart on page 1, row 13. Here is the link: Order Chart Now: store.payloadz.com/u/sallychri... I wish you and your wife all the best with your playing and your piano journey! 🎶
Hello Andreea, thank you for your very kind and much appreciated words! You are welcome, it is my pleasure. Your warm acknowledgements encourage me to continue with this work! 💕 With best wishes to you. 🎵
@@SallyChristianMusic i have your Bach's Invention no 6-just bought it last month-for one of my students.it helped me a lot! Can you make a video about all Bach's Inventions?
@@MzkAutumn Yes, all of them except No. 11 in G minor which I am in the final stages of completing. I will be making the teaching and performance video in the coming weeks. (The chart package is already finished.) Thank you for your interest and support! 💝
Hello ottawa ottawa, thank you for your lovely comment & for letting me know the lesson is helping you! I wish you all the best and much joy playing Bach's delightful F Major Invention!
Hello Creeper, thank you for your very nice comment. I really appreciate your kind and enthusiastic words! Best wishes to you and with your playing. :-)
Hello Tee Mew Gek, thank you for your enthusiastic words about the loose-leaf New Layout Chart music! I really appreciate you commenting on the spacial arrangement and the restful quality this gives when learning and memorizing the music. With all best wishes to you and with your playing. :-)
I wish you were my teacher, i really liked this invention but you make me know why i really like it and make it my friend as you said. Thank u. Your students are so lucky.
Hello Negar, thank you for your wonderful comment! I am so touched to hear your kind words. It is true that over time this music can become a trusted and life-long friend. I'm happy to hear you feel this way, too, and I wish you much joy with your study and mastery of this delightful invention!
Hi Margaret, and thank you for your nice message! I encourage you to try this Invention. With careful, slow, and accurate practice as well as hands alone work, I am sure you will be able to play this piece. Best wishes to you!
RAREDEATHMETAL This is so nice to hear. I believe that because Bach is so universal and timeless, his music can be "transcribed" to different instruments with equal validity while maintaining the essential character that is so appealing and needed in our modern day times. How fortunate that in this 21st century we are not restricted to just playing these works on the limited clavichord or harpsichord that Bach wrote these for. I'd love to hear your rendition someday!
I loved your explanation! currently I'm going to play this piece, but I felt lost because it's been a while that I left the piano. Greetings from Mexico!
Hola Itzel, thank you for your kind and much appreciated words! I'm glad you loved this explanation and I hope it helps you as you learn this piece. I wish the very best to you and with your playing. 🎵 Feliz año nuevo 2023! 🎉
Hello Peter, thank you for your very kind and enthusiastic words! How wonderful to hear that you want to learn this piece now! Best wishes to you and with your music. :-)
Your advice of loop-playing for difficult sections and mental play are identical to those given by Dr Chaun C. Chang in his revolutionary book Fundamentals of Piano Practice. I can't say enough how much help it does on my piano practice. Although up until now I am self-taught, I consider both of you as my teachers. Thank you for the videos, and of course the charts.
+Jinjun Liang Hello Jinjun! Thank you for letting me know that the lesson and chart is helping you to better understand and practice the piece. Best wishes to you!
@@SallyChristianMusic As a novice player the dissection works really well, piecing it out that way. That is the way I've play guitar all these years. Thankfully this piece is short...lol! And good (safe) health to you in these precarious times...!
@@ny10980 Yes, indeed, these are the most precarious of times. Thank goodness we have such great and timeless music to distract ourselves with. Good and safe health to you as well!
Hello dear Sally, I've learnt a lot from your video. Thank you very much. But on one point I'm confused. It starts on 10:29 when you practicing the left hand with the cords on the right hand. You start the appegio in the left hand with 1 (the thumb). So far so good, BUT in the messure before I have my thumb on d on the last note and it requires a very fast jump to master that. Do you play it like this?
Hello nupfe, thank you for your excellent question about the LH fingerings going from measure 19 to measure 20. On the video at 10:29, I demonstrate the 3 descending chords in the left hand beginning in measure 20. For this demonstration, only, I used the thumb for the first note note in all 3 chords, measures 20-22. When I am actually playing the piece in context, I do not use finger 1 for the measure 20 downbeat, but use finger 2, instead. This eliminates the awkward jump you are experiencing going from thumb to thumb. In the chart music, the measure 20 downbeat Bb is marked with a finger 2 as well. The next two measures will begin with the thumb as I demonstrated. I hope this clarifies your question about the fingering! Best wishes to you and with your playing. 🎵
Hello Amber, thank you for your very nice words! I'm glad you are playing this piece and that the lesson helped. I agree, it is such a fun piece to play. :-) All best wishes to you and with your playing!
I wish I could play like that. I am now playing this. thank you for the really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really really, really... Really, REALLY helpful tricks and tips. I can tell that you are a really, vary good teacher. GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BTW. I like to make up words too :-) And again, GOOD FOR YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Sally, this song is in my piano practical exam grade 5 book. Think I'm gonna choose this one to perform. Do you maybe have any other tips or ideas for the Articulation & Dynamics thereof maybe? (It's left blank in our book to decide on for ourselves according to the principles of Baroque performance practice.
Hi Sally, I'd like to thank you for the video, quite informative. I just acquired a copy of the 2-part inventions today and decided to work on this very same piece, No. 8.... I do play some piano but never got much into classical since I specifically studied music theory, harmony, and arranging. I've performed with various groups playing dance music, jazz, top 40's, etc., but in truth never had great technical proficiency. People seem to think that I'm a very good keyboardist but that's only because of my musical knowledge. I was a bit disheartened when I sat down a few hours ago to start learning No. 8 and saw that this is going to be harder than I thought, I'm not used to the specific movements between both hands and now regret not studying more beyond Hanon, Magdalena Notebook, and other easy stuff I was playing so I could just hurry up and get through it. I'm wondering if I bit off more than I can chew by jumping into the inventions, even though I was able to nail the 1st 4 bars within the past couple of hours (oh my God). Please let me know what you think if I should continue with this. I know I can do it but I also know it's going to take quite a while, thank you.
Hello TropiCool, and thank you for your nice message and question. My answer is to absolutely stay with this! You chose a great invention to start with. Lots of careful slow practice and also hands alone will give you the results you want. It will just take daily practice, patience, and some time! Best wishes to you!
Regarding the "chattering conversation between two hands" that you discuss at 1:05... I have the Urtext edition of the Bach Inventions (Henle) and it shows fingering of 2 5 3 in bar 4. I was curious as to why this was written this way. 2 4 3 seems a much more natural fit for the hand. But maybe it's because I have large hands. Anyway, 2 5 3 just feels odd. Maybe Bach is wanting the student to use the fifth finger for pedagogical reasons?
Hello Charles, thank you for your question regarding the fingering in measure four. The fingerings you see in any edition of Bach are editorial suggestions, as Bach did not write fingerings, phrase marks, articulations, or dynamic markings in the manuscript. The reason you see 2 5 3 suggested is because the 4th finger cannot independently lift as high as the other four fingers can independently lift. By avoiding the 4th finger, the chance of having more even and controlled playing is increased. I personally always use 5 3 instead of 5 4 for these kinds of passages. You are correct that the size of our hands is an important factor in deciding which fingerings will work best for our hands. If using 2 4 3 seems more comfortable and natural for your hand, than use these fingerings! I hope this answers your question, and all best wishes to you and with your playing.
Again, thank you so much for the info! I was under the impression that these Urtext editions included the composer's fingering suggestions. I have several different editions of the Bach inventions (Alfred, Schirmer, and Henle) and they all have different fingering suggestions. So I guess it makes sense to adapt the fingerings to what works with each person's own anatomy. I am still learning and ever so slowly improving. I have learned the first two inventions and now I'm working on this one. The C minor invention had it's challenges for its own reasons but I think this one is more difficult. Maybe it's the speed. Playing the notes quickly and in total unison is going to take a lots of practice to get the timing nailed. But I suppose with each piece that is learned, certain skills are acquired that can be carried forward to the next challenge. But I'm loving it. It's my primary passtime. I wish I would have done this twenty years ago! As for this Invention, I just spent the last two nights working on the modulation to C Maj. It feels so good to finally have my fingers do the right thing! I'm sort of fascinated by the neuroscience of learning the piano. What changes in our brains must occur each time a challenge like this is overcome!?
@@charleslaine Hi Charles, you are welcome; it is my pleasure to help. It is fascinating to me as well how we learn through the process of correct repetitions over many months of practice, and how the pathways of the brain become stronger with use. I know that wonderful feeling when it "finally sticks." The careful and mindful practice over time does work, and each small victory matters. Keep up the excellent work! :-)
Thanks for the video! I have felt like the more I practice this piece the sloppier I get ): One hand always tries to run faster than the other or my fingers will skip notes when I don’t want them to even though I have spent a lot of time on this piece. This video helps.
Hello Natalie, thank you for your very nice words! I found that practicing very slowly, at half the tempo, can be really helpful. Also, hands alone work, and practicing with the metronome at a slower tempo is a good idea. Stay with it, and all best wishes to you!
Haha believe me I’ve tried that and no matter how much I practice hands separate or at a slower tempo, it’s like my hands won’t listen to my brain when it speeds up. It’s so frustrating to see others play so effortlessly on pieces like that 😕
Thank you so much for the extraordinary explanation of this invention miss Sally. I know you are one the master of the piano that shining with her own light: I would like to know, what kind of method do you use for the left hand...¿do you know the book of Berens for the left hand?...quiero conocer su opinión...saludos desde Venezuela
Eduardo Sanchez Gracias, Eduardo, por su amable mensaje! The exercises I use for my warm ups are the Plaidy scales using double notes in parallel 3rds and 6ths for both hands. These are great for building strength and suppleness. Also, Chopin Etudes. I do not know the book of Berens for the left hand. Best wishes to you!
Hello Maureen, thank you for your excellent question. Putting the hands together will take time. Every person does this on their own time table and pacing. Learning to coordinate the hands playing together as an older adult can be challenging. Please be patient with the slow playing you are experiencing now. After enough careful and correct repetitions, you will begin to feel more at ease and comfortable. I liken it to learning dance steps. At first it is awkward, but once you get it in the "body memory," it becomes easier. Practicing the hands alone for 50% of the time will help to get the fingering patterns in your hands and develop partial memorization. When you put the hands together, you might also try to watch and feel the fingerings that line up together on the beat notes (in this piece the quarter notes) to help you have some anchors to follow. I hope this helps! Best wishes to you and with your playing.
Any tips on learning this in 10 days... because that's how long I have 😱. Thank you so much for your insight into the piece. Doing my best to get it done!
Hello Me, thank you for your question. I recommend you practice one system/ line at a time as shown in the "Chart" music I am using in this lesson. (You can purchase your own chart package from my website as a digital download.) The Color Satellite View I made and include in the chart package uses colored rectangular boxes to show the different motives and sections of the piece. The sequence section in the yellow rectangular box (measures 21-25) is especially challenging, and needs lots of separate hands practice. By practicing one colored box section at a time, you will learn the piece quickly, and be able to easily track the contrasting and repeating sections. Good luck to you with your 10-day deadline!
I need all the help I can get. I'm 13 and I've playing piano for 2 years, so this piece is quite a challenge. So far my staccattos are too jerky instead of bouncy.
I am finding that this particular invention is really a stretch piece for me. Compared to Invention 2, it's much more demanding. It's just the technical nature and the speed and precision required that is giving me trouble. I am realizing that my left hand in particular is just not up to the task (yet!). In particular, measures 11 and 16 are really messy and problematic. It requires the use of all fingers in the left hand, and my fourth and fifth fingers are still so uncoordinated and weak. Sometimes I get so tense in anticipation of these passages that my left hand just seizes up and nothing happens. It's really frustrating and I'm wondering what I can do to overcome this tension in my left hand. My right hand seems to never tire, but my left hand just gets so tense that I have to stop and shake it out and let things calm down. Do I just need to do more technical exercises like Hanon or something similar? I've started trying to spend at least an hour a day on scales, arpeggios, chords and the like. Can you recommend anything in particular that would help in building up the necessary ability in my left hand? Or maybe I could use some tips on how to fight the tension that starts to build up in my left forearm and wrist. I need some kind of Jedi Mind Trick for erasing tension!!! I really appreciate all of your responses to my questions. It has been an inspiration to me. Thank you.
Hello Charles, you have described a common problem area for many students. I recommend starting your practice sessions with the Hanon exercises every day for about 10 minutes. You need to build up the finger, hand, and arm muscles, and these exercises will help. It is important that you do not play through pain or tightness. You can experiment with a lighter touch and a slower tempo when first introducing these exercises. Over time, you will see that you can play these exercises for longer periods of time and at faster tempi and lounder volumes before fatigue sets in. Stay with it, ... I am pulling for you. I'm glad my answers have helped and inspired you!
Wish I was younger (now 70, with just 2.5 years playing), but this is a wonderful inspiration for me, even though I do not have enough time left, and my hands are becoming arthritic and are way too slow, but you do inspire never to give up: the path is the goal, and just playing some of Bach‘s amazing harmonies - even at snails pace - is very rewarding.
Hello John, thank you for your beautiful and inspiring comment! I appreciate your kind words about the lesson as well. Even though you are starting the piano later in life and have some hand issues, you can still find much joy from playing Bach at a slow tempo. Often I will practice at a very slow tempo to fully appreciate the gorgeous harmonies. We can become uplifted and exhilarated when practicing this way! I wish you the very best with your studies and your playing. Please stay with it. The rewards will keep coming to further enrich your life!
Try the carnivore diet to heal the arthritic.
By far the best Bach Invention lecture on the net. The thorough approach from form to chords and harmony really brought my understanding of this piece to another level. You truly are a lifesaver.
Hello Jin Yang, thank you so much for your wonderful and generous words! I really appreciate your acknowledgement, and am very happy that this tutorial was helpful and added to your understanding of the piece. You are welcome, it is my pleasure. Best wishes to you. 🎵
Hi Charles, Julie and James! Thank you for the wonderful message. How lovely to know that you watched the teaching video together as a family. Most inspiring!
Thank you for helping focus my attention and keeping me going with this piece. I am self-taught and planning on taking my Grade 5 ABRSM, trying to turn myself from a sloppy singer/song tinkerer to a more capable player. I've chosen it because I like it so much, but it demands more discipline than I am used to.
I love this too MS Sally C. Love you interpretations and discussions of the construction and of course, nearly all of the music of JS Bach...in its various presentations including electronic and Moog playing of all of these fascinating forms...And I must say I have enjoyed your own discussions of these compositions and the insights thereof...and again, I just wish You would play them through completely...I find myself wishing I was younger, and unencumbered by my past...so I could be a student again...
Thank you very much for the lesson Sally. It’s tremendously helpful for my son. He adores Bach! ❤
Hello Linh, thank you so much for your kind and very appreciated words about this lesson. I am so happy to hear that it is helping your son. With best wishes to you both on your journey with Bach and with the piano! 💕
Our family loved the way you explain this piece.
You make it so easy to understand.
Charles, Julie and James
She's terrific!
I am a total hack pianist but a huge Bach fan - but not so much of his inventions ... until tonight. You really brought that piece alive to me. It's only a little more than a minute long but you taught me to look beyond the grandeur of the fugue or the comfort of Brandenburg and to listen for the fun and the unexpected in the inventions. Your love for the piece and the composer really comes through.
Hello Fuz Capp, thank you for your generous & articulate words, and especially for your last sentence of acknowledgement! How wonderful to hear that, along with your enthusiasm for the larger scale works of Bach, your appreciation now includes the imaginative & playful foundational teaching pieces of Bach's Two-Part Inventions. All best wishes to you!
My pleasure. After writing the above i went back and spent the night listening (properly) to many of Bach's inventions. Thanks for opening up the world of Bach a little bit more for me. I am always enthralled by his mathematical genius and you've really brought that out for me in these inventions. Thanks again, and I meant every word.
Very Well said. Thank you very much!! I love how you focus on every single line and go through the whole piece in only 15 minutes. Wonderful job!
Adrienne
Hello Adrienne, and thank you so much for your very kind words! I appreciate hearing that the lesson and analysis was helpful. Best wishes to you!
This video made me appreciate this Invention so much, watched it about a month ago and revisited it afterwards. I can definitely see this becoming a life long favourite, your passion really shines through and makes this video one of my favourites in recent memory.
Hello Benus, I am so delighted to read your enthusiastic and warm words about this video! I do love this piece, and am glad that comes through. :-) Thank you so much for your kind words, and very best wishes to you.
Thank you for your responses, Neil. I'm so glad the lesson was helpful and informative!
Continuing with your metaphor of conversation, I would have to say that Bach gives us, in this Invention, a good example of sympathetic listening. 'I'm having a bad day.' 'You're having a bad day?' 'Yes, my dog is sick and I brought him to the vet.' 'You brought him to the vet?' ....
What a fantastic lesson! Thank you very much for sharing this.
Thank you Ms. Christian. I practice it for 3 months and gain nothing improvement but frustrating, but your teaching inspire me how to practice the "attention part" more effectively and I did it without any time pause after a half hour practicing. Thank you so much!!!!
Thank you, Tiffany, for letting me know how the video helped you to practice more efficiently, & then succeeding with the challenging sections. It's so reassuring to experience making progress and getting ever closer to excellence. Congratulations!
Look at this lady, Look at the beautiful piano, look at the beautiful room, the beautiful view of the beautiful garden and the beautiful music and her ability to create it. I would love to ask her if she knows how fortunate she is. At least in the respect of the things previously mentioned. What we don't know, with respect, we don't know. There may well be other things in her life which are not are not so beautiful. I think these thoughts because of the turmoil in America. The divisions, the conflicts, the inequalities, the haves the have nots and how much each knows, or probably, more importantly, cares about the other? I just wonder.
You are awesome, Sally! Your videos always open up my eyes to the pieces in a completely different way!!
Hello Rodrigo, thank you very much for your wonderful acknowledgements. I really appreciate your kind words and for letting me know the videos are helping you to see and understand the pieces in new ways! With best wishes to you and with your playing. 🎶
This instruction is so well structured and explained, it helps me progress without blind struggles
Hello Lavovoyaye, thank you so much for your wonderful and very appreciated words about this tutorial! I'm so glad it helped you to better understand the structure of the piece and therefore make good progress with your practicing. 🎉I wish you the very best with your playing and your journey with the piano. 🎶
@@SallyChristianMusic thank you
I begin studying this invention n° 8 today...after the first Invention ! Thank you for your video...
Hello Guillaume, thank you for your very nice words! I wish you much joy and success as you begin learning this delightful F Major Invention!
All best wishes to you!
Thank you so much for this lesson. Very kind of you to share with us.
I like the way you are studying it, breaking it up and making it easy to see the parts...
It truly is a JOY playing it. I remember I made a bet with my teacher. I told him I would learn it in 1 week and he said it was impossible (not to far off !! was not playing so long yet) but I just NEEDED to proof him wrong.
Well I practice that week 4 to 5 hours A DAY and didn't skip a day. Ow my goooshh my wrist was painful and my brain fried. When you first start this piece you look up the sheet music and think 'ow well, that looks doable' but then the voicing come in. You better be prepared to find that switch somewhere deep in your brain tissue. it was a brain cracker and I LOVED IT! In the end my teacher apologized for his lack of faith haha and I coudn't stop enjoying seeing that slick grim on his face a week prior thinking he was right GRRRRR. Good old times !
Bach is the very best composer this world has to offer in my humble opinion. Its a honor being able to study his works. Sadly I had a LONG piano break but I am back on it again and I was just thinking to re-learn this invention. My favorite of them all for sure !
Hello Darkboy2525, I totally agree that this Bach Invention No. 8 is a joy to play! I'm so glad you are playing the piano again, and I wish you much fulfillment on your musical journey!
I start my piano practice every time by this song, and your video was very insightful in that it made me realize about the songs things I didn't notice before. Kudos.
It's not a song.
Wonderful insights and dynamic analysis. Love your passion & enthusiasm for the Bach piece.
Thank you so much for your enthusiastic words! I really appreciate hearing that the lesson was helpful and also enjoyable! Best wishes to you!
I started learning this piece this month and I keep on watching this video. Thank you so much for your tutorials you are my private piano teacher now :).
Hello Hector, thank you for your wonderful message! I am touched to read your words, and am so happy to hear that the tutorials are helping you. Very best wishes to you!
I'm currently practicing this piece and your instructions are extremely helpful. Thank you very much for the tips and tricks! You are a wonderful teacher and this video is filled with passion, enthusiasm and joy. 👍
Hello Jaehaerys, Thank you so much for your kind and enthusiasm words! I'm so happy to hear that the content (and the delivery!) of the lesson was helpful. I wish you all the best with your Invention in F Major!
Thank you very much for the video, I´ve been playing this piece recently and it was very helpful because you gave me a different aproach to it.
Hello Alejandro, thank you so much for your very kind words. I'm glad to hear that the lesson was helpful, and gave you another approach.
All best wishes to you and with your playing!
Thank you for your lesson. It helped a lot. Your piano sound is so beautiful.
Thank you for your very nice words, and for letting me know the lesson helped. I'm glad you like the sound of this Bösendorfer Imperial piano.
Best wishes to you and with your piano playing!
I will Play that piece in my final exams, this video was amaziiing!!! Thank you so much, you're Jesus to me!
BEAUTIFULL LESSON!!! A friend and I are playing this on two guitars and it sure shed a lot of light on how Im going to play it. Thank you.
Hello Noah, thank you so much for your kind and much appreciated words! I'm delighted to hear that the lesson will help guide you as you and your friend play this piece on two guitars. This sounds like a wonderful and rewarding project! Very best wishes to you and with your playing. :-)
I love how optimistic and passionate you are! You always motivate me, and not only that, but also I feel like I'm not the only person in the world enjoying music immensely! The way you react, it's just binding to my daily reaction to piano and music! Thank you so much for such agility and elegance!
Hello Weldon, thank you for your wonderful and generous words! I am so pleased to hear that the lessons are reinforcing your innate love and enjoyment of the music. Your positive attitudes and the gift of music will certainly contribute to a life well lived! All best wishes to you!
I hope music is really spread and established since many countries in this century are missing such an irreplaceable treasure that's value is indescribable. Thank you for such kind words and I hope your pleasing explanation reaches and expands more, so that everyone can notice the divine interpretations, interpretations that humanity needs to understand music in a higher dimension and approach to what composers actually wanted! It's the compensating nourishment of the soul, and you filled the inner gap with exquisite clarification :)
Wow! An amazing video, now I really want to learn that piece!!
thank you for your teaching and your passion for piano....Julie in Australia
just watching those old gorgeus videos again and again .. i'm checking regulary your channel for any new Bach/Chopin videos! never found someone like you who truely undestand the music dimension!
it would be nice to follow you in a simple vlog style videos more frequently!
thank you Sally!
Hello F4sT, thank you for your very kind and appreciated words! I am currently working on another big project that will be posted soon. (It is a composer I have not featured before.) More Bach & Chopin are in the queue, but not in the near future. Thank you for your suggestion for a vlog style video, which I will look into. All best wishes to you!
Wow , i'm very impressed by you teaching.. Thank you very much
Hello LaScienceDeLaMusique, thank you for your kind and generous words! You are welcome, it is my pleasure. 🎵Best wishes to you.
Another excellent lesson, Sally. Intensely honest, intensely human, and fun. Many thanks. Bernard Patten
Hello Bernard, thank you for your generous, thoughtful, and much appreciated words! Very best wishes to you and with your playing!
I love this! Your energy and enthusiasm are so contagious. Beautiful playing, as always!
Hello Maria DJ, thank you for your wonderful and kind words. I really appreciate your generous responses to the presentation and the playing! 🎵 Best wishes to you and with your music.
You are such a GREAT teacher. Seriously you are a special rare breed thank you.
It is such a beautiful thing watching people doing what they were put on this earth to do
Hello Aaron, oh, thank you for your wonderful comment! Your words are truly a gift for me. Very best wishes to you. :-)
@@aaronmann9442 Thank you Aaron! Your words mean a great deal to me. It is a privilelge and pleasure to be on this lifelong journey doing the work I am so passionate about. Thank you for your generosity, and many blessings to you!
This is was so wonderful to watch. Thank you for such excellent advice and instructions.
Thank you, John, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the help! I would love to have a teacher like you. So meticulous!
Hello Valkyrien369, thank you for your lovely and much appreciated words! I'm so glad the lesson helped, and that you liked this approach. I wish you all the best on your musical journey. :-)
You are just wonderful! Great video, those charts are amazgin. I enjoyed watching how passionate you are about music, and enjoyed listening to that wonderful sound of Bösendorfer. Wish you all the best!
Hello Boris, thank you so much for your wonderful and thoughtful words. I so appreciate hearing your responses about the charts, the lesson, and the sound of the Bösendorfer! Best wishes to you as well!
Thank you very much! It helped me a lot! For me, it's one of the most challenging invention I've learned yet especially the part you've indicated the hardest.
Hello redboombuzz, and thank you so much for your enthusiastic words! I so appreciate hearing that the lesson helped, and that you are concentrating on that complicated 5-measure phrase that almost always needs some extra attention!
Thank you for your help! Nicely done!
In a very respectful way....you are beautiful along with your piano, clothes, house, view out the window and music!
Hello Matthew, thank you for your very kind and gracious comment! I appreciate your words about the aesthetics and presentation of this video. I am so grateful for the uplifting music of Bach, and to be able to play it on the Bösendorfer in this inspiring setting! 🎹 With all best wishes to you and with your playing. 🎵
This is the best Piano. I love the Bosendorfer. My daughter is currently learning Bach Invention 8. I recommended that she watch your video.
Hello, and thank you for your nice words! Best wishes to you and your daughter, and her playing of this delightful F Major Invention!
@@SallyChristianMusic Will you please give me your 9 1/2 foot Bosendorfer? LOL. That is a piano to drool over. I just bought my daughter 2 grand pianos, both being the Kimball Baby Grand 5' 8" Viennese Classic, the ones with the Bosendorfer signature scale and plate and Herrburger-Brooks - Schwander action. She will pick one, and we will have our piano tech make her the best piano that money can afford. It is the closest one could imagine getting to a Bosendorfer without breaking the 4 figure mark. I know, you are probably smiling at this point, you playing on this grand piano sent by God Himself.... so to speak. We are receiving our first grand tomorrow. The other one is coming in 2 to 3 weeks. And we are excited that my daughter is finally moving up to a more professional piano than her current Young Chang upright. Yesterday she struggled with Bach's Invention #8, taking a break until today her meeting with her teacher. It's good to reflect, step back, take a break every now and then. Thanks again for your kind reply.
Lovely Bösendorfer piano
Thank you Ronnie for your kind and appreciated words. I also love this Bösendorfer piano! Best wishes to you. 🎶
Excellent video. Straight to the point, with loads of information.
great breakdown of this piece !!! thanks for your passion and empathy. so true that with pieces like this you make a lifelong friend.
Hi Jason! Thank you for your enthusiasm and thoughtful words. I especially appreciate your mentioning the word empathy. I think this music, among other things, inspires and opens us in very positive ways. Best wishes to you!
Thank You!!!! This is awesome, very well explained. I had my score in front on me, making notes as you spoke.
Hello Craig, I so appreciate your enthusiastic words, and for letting me know the explanations helped! I think it's great that you took notes with the music in front of you while following the lesson! Best wishes to you!
Thank you so much for your wonderful lesson. After watching your video, my son just learned this piece on his own.
Wow! This is so fantastic to hear!! Thank you so much for telling me this. :-) I am really thrilled that the lesson helped your son learn it on his own!
I wish you all a wonderful musical journey!
Thanks a lot! I love the entire idea and the in depth analysis.
Hello Bert, thank you so much for your very appreciated words about the charts and the analysis. While they are labors of love, the New Layout Charts are a pleasure to make and share. I wish you all the best with your playing. 🎵
This invention in particular is hard as hell to play, she is a good pianist, thanks for the class..
Hello dancastellanata, thank you for your nice message. I am glad the lesson was helpful, and I wish you all the best in playing Bach Invention in F Major!
Merci! ...et, Vous êtes les bienvenus!
You are such a nice person!!! LOVE YOU!!!
Hello Taoli, thank you for your lovely and most appreciated words. Your kindness has warmed my heart!
you're so cool Sally
Hello mrt isk, thank you for your really nice comment! I'm so happy to hear your words, and all best wishes to you!
Amazing advices
Merci
Cheers from France
Hello KF31 Paris, thank you for your kind and much appreciated words; it is my pleasure! Best wishes to you.
Meilleurs voeux à vous!
So far ive learned the c major and d minor, starting this one as always with your video! Thanks :)
Hi Fretboard Sam, how awesome to hear that the videos have helped you to learn & play these Inventions on the guitar! Thanks for letting me know, and best wishes to you!
Hello Sally. Hoping to purchase an 88 Keyboard for my wife and I this year 2024. She has a former background playing intermediate Piano. My former background was in Completing my Classical Guitar minor back in the 1970s. I LOVE Bach's Invention No.8 in F!
For now, I created a Paper layout (actual size 88 keys) to practice learning to play basic scales. I'm in my late 60s, and i cannot "tuck my thumbs under (Arthritis), but i can rotate my hands to play scales. I didn't see where I could Order your Tabloid Size Music layout teaching sheet for Bach's Invention No. 8. Could you provide a "Link for Shopping"? Do you offer a DVD for Beginners/DVD for teaching me how to correctly practice and play using correct fingering? You definitely "have both The Performance Talent & The Talent of Teaching"
Thanks.
Hello Terrell, thank you for your very kind and appreciated words about the teaching videos and the playing. I'm happy that you would like to purchase a keyboard and begin to play some of these great pieces. Regarding the large size sheet music I offer, you can go to my website and click on any Order Now button. This will take you to my PayLoadz Storefront that has all of the charts available for purchase as digital downloads. When you get to this page, click on the blue See More button at the top right corner. Then you can scroll down until you see the thumbnail for the chart you would like to order. The most recent charts appear at the top and the oldest are nearer the bottom. As of today, you will find the Bach Invention No. 8 chart on page 1, row 13. Here is the link: Order Chart Now: store.payloadz.com/u/sallychri...
I wish you and your wife all the best with your playing and your piano journey! 🎶
Maestra muchas gracias por sus enseñanzas siempre me gustan ver sus vídeos son muy buenos ya estoy en esta pieza un abrazo desde el Perú
Gracias Juana por tus amables palabras! Me alegra que estés trabajando en esta pieza y te deseo mucho éxito. Todos los mejores deseos para ti!
thanks so much for this !!! amazing beautiful and fun !
Hello Maria, thank you for your wonderful and very appreciated words! You are welcome, it is my pleasure! Best wishes to you and with your playing! 🎵
Hi Sally!Thank you very much for this lesson.I think you're doing such an incredible job!
Hello Andreea, thank you for your very kind and much appreciated words! You are welcome, it is my pleasure. Your warm acknowledgements encourage me to continue with this work! 💕 With best wishes to you. 🎵
@@SallyChristianMusic i have your Bach's Invention no 6-just bought it last month-for one of my students.it helped me a lot!
Can you make a video about all Bach's Inventions?
you have all of them!that is great:)
@@MzkAutumn Yes, all of them except No. 11 in G minor which I am in the final stages of completing. I will be making the teaching and performance video in the coming weeks. (The chart package is already finished.) Thank you for your interest and support! 💝
@@SallyChristianMusic looking forward to see your work!Thank you!Best wishes!
Xthiss piece is really good. I'm using your lessons to help me. Thank you! You are awesome!
Hello ottawa ottawa, thank you for your lovely comment & for letting me know the lesson is helping you! I wish you all the best and much joy playing Bach's delightful F Major Invention!
Thanks! I really appreciate your work!
Hello Creeper, thank you for your very nice comment. I really appreciate your kind and enthusiastic words! Best wishes to you and with your playing. :-)
I like the sheets piano very much,it’s bigger than usual and the space arrangement feel free of pressure for practice to
Hello Tee Mew Gek, thank you for your enthusiastic words about the loose-leaf New Layout Chart music! I really appreciate you commenting on the spacial arrangement and the restful quality this gives when learning and memorizing the music. With all best wishes to you and with your playing. :-)
I wish you were my teacher, i really liked this invention but you make me know why i really like it and make it my friend as you said. Thank u. Your students are so lucky.
Hello Negar, thank you for your wonderful comment! I am so touched to hear your kind words. It is true that over time this music can become a trusted and life-long friend. I'm happy to hear you feel this way, too, and I wish you much joy with your study and mastery of this delightful invention!
Thank you for inspiring me to even consider playing a Bach invention.
Hi Margaret, and thank you for your nice message! I encourage you to try this Invention. With careful, slow, and accurate practice as well as hands alone work, I am sure you will be able to play this piece. Best wishes to you!
Bravo!
thank you very much for sharing this
Hello Delfi, you are welcome, it is my pleasure! Thank you for your kind words, and best wishes to you.
I LOVE Bach...in all of his manifestations...including synthesizers...and I keep saying that...grins
Hi Suzanne, I completely agree! It cannot be said too many times how much Bach is loved! :-) All the best to you.
Its BACH BITCH instant respect DA FUCK
Thank you teach!
you are a great teacher.
Thank you!
I'm learning this piece on guitar, but your explanations and enthusiasm are still very helpful!
RAREDEATHMETAL This is so nice to hear. I believe that because Bach is so universal and timeless, his music can be "transcribed" to different instruments with equal validity while maintaining the essential character that is so appealing and needed in our modern day times. How fortunate that in this 21st century we are not restricted to just playing these works on the limited clavichord or harpsichord that Bach wrote these for. I'd love to hear your rendition someday!
I loved your explanation! currently I'm going to play this piece, but I felt lost because it's been a while that I left the piano. Greetings from Mexico!
Hola Itzel, thank you for your kind and much appreciated words! I'm glad you loved this explanation and I hope it helps you as you learn this piece. I wish the very best to you and with your playing. 🎵 Feliz año nuevo 2023! 🎉
wow amazing teaching, i want to learn this piece.
Hello Peter, thank you for your very kind and enthusiastic words! How wonderful to hear that you want to learn this piece now! Best wishes to you and with your music. :-)
@@SallyChristianMusic you're welcome.
Thank you for the color Boxes.. It help me out
Hello Deshane, thank you for your nice comment. I appreciate hearing that the color boxes were helpful! Best wishes to you.
Your advice of loop-playing for difficult sections and mental play are identical to those given by Dr Chaun C. Chang in his revolutionary book Fundamentals of Piano Practice. I can't say enough how much help it does on my piano practice. Although up until now I am self-taught, I consider both of you as my teachers. Thank you for the videos, and of course the charts.
+Jinjun Liang Hello Jinjun! Thank you for letting me know that the lesson and chart is helping you to better understand and practice the piece. Best wishes to you!
Su manera de explicar me recuerda mucho a la de mi primer maestra de piano. Muchas gracias por éstos vídeos.
Hola Arturo, muchas gracias por sus amables palabras!
GREAT breakdown. Thanks...
Hello ny10980, thank you for your enthusiastic and much appreciated words! All best wishes to you.
@@SallyChristianMusic As a novice player the dissection works really well, piecing it out that way. That is the way I've play guitar all these years. Thankfully this piece is short...lol! And good (safe) health to you in these precarious times...!
@@ny10980 Yes, indeed, these are the most precarious of times. Thank goodness we have such great and timeless music to distract ourselves with. Good and safe health to you as well!
WTC2 #12 in F minor (and or) WTC2 #22 in Bb minor.
Yes! These are some of my very favorites! I've got them in the queue for future videos I hope to make.
thank you very much
Hello Sascha, thank you for your kind words. You are welcome, it is my pleasure! Best wishes to you and with your music. 🎵
wow im in love
Thank you, this was very helpful!
Thank you so much for this ❤️
Hello dear Sally, I've learnt a lot from your video. Thank you very much. But on one point I'm confused. It starts on 10:29 when you practicing the left hand with the cords on the right hand. You start the appegio in the left hand with 1 (the thumb). So far so good, BUT in the messure before I have my thumb on d on the last note and it requires a very fast jump to master that. Do you play it like this?
Hello nupfe, thank you for your excellent question about the LH fingerings going from measure 19 to measure 20. On the video at 10:29, I demonstrate the 3 descending chords in the left hand beginning in measure 20. For this demonstration, only, I used the thumb for the first note note in all 3 chords, measures 20-22. When I am actually playing the piece in context, I do not use finger 1 for the measure 20 downbeat, but use finger 2, instead. This eliminates the awkward jump you are experiencing going from thumb to thumb. In the chart music, the measure 20 downbeat Bb is marked with a finger 2 as well. The next two measures will begin with the thumb as I demonstrated. I hope this clarifies your question about the fingering! Best wishes to you and with your playing. 🎵
@@SallyChristianMusic Thank you very much. Yes this clarifies everything. I came up with the same solution, but I'm glad you confirmed that.
@@nupfe Excellent! You are welcome! I'm glad you came to the same conclusion! 👏
Thank You! This video is sooooo helpful!
well done
I am playing this and it helped so fun! Thank you so much pls answer
Hello Amber, thank you for your very nice words! I'm glad you are playing this piece and that the lesson helped. I agree, it is such a fun piece to play. :-) All best wishes to you and with your playing!
I wish I could play like that. I am now playing this. thank you for the really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really really, really... Really, REALLY helpful tricks and tips. I can tell that you are a really, vary good teacher.
GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BTW. I like to make up words too :-)
And again, GOOD FOR YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for your wonderful enthusiasm! I really appreciate hearing that the lesson was helpful!
Hi Sally, this song is in my piano practical exam grade 5 book. Think I'm gonna choose this one to perform. Do you maybe have any other tips or ideas for the Articulation & Dynamics thereof maybe? (It's left blank in our book to decide on for ourselves according to the principles of Baroque performance practice.
Hi Sally, I'd like to thank you for the video, quite informative. I just acquired a copy of the 2-part inventions today and decided to work on this very same piece, No. 8.... I do play some piano but never got much into classical since I specifically studied music theory, harmony, and arranging. I've performed with various groups playing dance music, jazz, top 40's, etc., but in truth never had great technical proficiency. People seem to think that I'm a very good keyboardist but that's only because of my musical knowledge. I was a bit disheartened when I sat down a few hours ago to start learning No. 8 and saw that this is going to be harder than I thought, I'm not used to the specific movements between both hands and now regret not studying more beyond Hanon, Magdalena Notebook, and other easy stuff I was playing so I could just hurry up and get through it. I'm wondering if I bit off more than I can chew by jumping into the inventions, even though I was able to nail the 1st 4 bars within the past couple of hours (oh my God). Please let me know what you think if I should continue with this. I know I can do it but I also know it's going to take quite a while, thank you.
Hello TropiCool, and thank you for your nice message and question. My answer is to absolutely stay with this! You chose a great invention to start with. Lots of careful slow practice and also hands alone will give you the results you want. It will just take daily practice, patience, and some time! Best wishes to you!
Regarding the "chattering conversation between two hands" that you discuss at 1:05... I have the Urtext edition of the Bach Inventions (Henle) and it shows fingering of 2 5 3 in bar 4. I was curious as to why this was written this way. 2 4 3 seems a much more natural fit for the hand. But maybe it's because I have large hands. Anyway, 2 5 3 just feels odd. Maybe Bach is wanting the student to use the fifth finger for pedagogical reasons?
Hello Charles, thank you for your question regarding the fingering in measure four. The fingerings you see in any edition of Bach are editorial suggestions, as Bach did not write fingerings, phrase marks, articulations, or dynamic markings in the manuscript. The reason you see 2 5 3 suggested is because the 4th finger cannot independently lift as high as the other four fingers can independently lift. By avoiding the 4th finger, the chance of having more even and controlled playing is increased. I personally always use 5 3 instead of 5 4 for these kinds of passages. You are correct that the size of our hands is an important factor in deciding which fingerings will work best for our hands. If using 2 4 3 seems more comfortable and natural for your hand, than use these fingerings! I hope this answers your question, and all best wishes to you and with your playing.
Again, thank you so much for the info! I was under the impression that these Urtext editions included the composer's fingering suggestions. I have several different editions of the Bach inventions (Alfred, Schirmer, and Henle) and they all have different fingering suggestions. So I guess it makes sense to adapt the fingerings to what works with each person's own anatomy.
I am still learning and ever so slowly improving. I have learned the first two inventions and now I'm working on this one. The C minor invention had it's challenges for its own reasons but I think this one is more difficult. Maybe it's the speed. Playing the notes quickly and in total unison is going to take a lots of practice to get the timing nailed. But I suppose with each piece that is learned, certain skills are acquired that can be carried forward to the next challenge. But I'm loving it. It's my primary passtime. I wish I would have done this twenty years ago!
As for this Invention, I just spent the last two nights working on the modulation to C Maj. It feels so good to finally have my fingers do the right thing! I'm sort of fascinated by the neuroscience of learning the piano. What changes in our brains must occur each time a challenge like this is overcome!?
@@charleslaine Hi Charles, you are welcome; it is my pleasure to help. It is fascinating to me as well how we learn through the process of correct repetitions over many months of practice, and how the pathways of the brain become stronger with use. I know that wonderful feeling when it "finally sticks." The careful and mindful practice over time does work, and each small victory matters. Keep up the excellent work! :-)
Thank you!
Thanks for the video! I have felt like the more I practice this piece the sloppier I get ): One hand always tries to run faster than the other or my fingers will skip notes when I don’t want them to even though I have spent a lot of time on this piece. This video helps.
Hello Natalie, thank you for your very nice words! I found that practicing very slowly, at half the tempo, can be really helpful. Also, hands alone work, and practicing with the metronome at a slower tempo is a good idea. Stay with it, and all best wishes to you!
Haha believe me I’ve tried that and no matter how much I practice hands separate or at a slower tempo, it’s like my hands won’t listen to my brain when it speeds up. It’s so frustrating to see others play so effortlessly on pieces like that 😕
be ma teachaaaaaaa
-
Teach my hands your beautiful poetry.
Hello Diana, and thank you for your thoughtful words. Best wishes to you!
un grande saggio di dattilografia
Grazie mille! 🎵
Thank you so much for the extraordinary explanation of this invention miss Sally. I know you are one the master of the piano that shining with her own light: I would like to know, what kind of method do you use for the left hand...¿do you know the book of Berens for the left hand?...quiero conocer su opinión...saludos desde Venezuela
Eduardo Sanchez Gracias, Eduardo, por su amable mensaje! The exercises I use for my warm ups are the Plaidy scales using double notes in parallel 3rds and 6ths for both hands. These are great for building strength and suppleness. Also, Chopin Etudes. I do not know the book of Berens for the left hand. Best wishes to you!
Thnaks so much!
I am having an incredibly difficult time putting hands together. I am 75yo and just cannot play hands together without moving like a snail. Any hints?
Hello Maureen, thank you for your excellent question. Putting the hands together will take time. Every person does this on their own time table and pacing. Learning to coordinate the hands playing together as an older adult can be challenging. Please be patient with the slow playing you are experiencing now. After enough careful and correct repetitions, you will begin to feel more at ease and comfortable. I liken it to learning dance steps. At first it is awkward, but once you get it in the "body memory," it becomes easier. Practicing the hands alone for 50% of the time will help to get the fingering patterns in your hands and develop partial memorization. When you put the hands together, you might also try to watch and feel the fingerings that line up together on the beat notes (in this piece the quarter notes) to help you have some anchors to follow. I hope this helps! Best wishes to you and with your playing.
I'm amazed by your teaching style! Fantastic! Congratulations!!!
Wow, thank you very much, this is a very engadging lesson! :)
Hello LaCivetta, thank you for your enthusiastic words! I'm glad you enjoyed the lesson, and all best wishes to you!
Any tips on learning this in 10 days... because that's how long I have 😱. Thank you so much for your insight into the piece. Doing my best to get it done!
Hello Me, thank you for your question. I recommend you practice one system/ line at a time as shown in the "Chart" music I am using in this lesson. (You can purchase your own chart package from my website as a digital download.) The Color Satellite View I made and include in the chart package uses colored rectangular boxes to show the different motives and sections of the piece. The sequence section in the yellow rectangular box (measures 21-25) is especially challenging, and needs lots of separate hands practice. By practicing one colored box section at a time, you will learn the piece quickly, and be able to easily track the contrasting and repeating sections. Good luck to you with your 10-day deadline!
@@SallyChristianMusic Thank you so very much for your reply! I really appreciate it.
@@Me-yp7uo You are welcome, it is my pleasure to be of help!
I need all the help I can get. I'm 13 and I've playing piano for 2 years, so this piece is quite a challenge. So far my staccattos are too jerky instead of bouncy.
@@SallyChristianMusic Thank you again for your inspiring music! I got 3rd place, not where I wanted to be, but I will continue to work on this piece!
I am finding that this particular invention is really a stretch piece for me. Compared to Invention 2, it's much more demanding. It's just the technical nature and the speed and precision required that is giving me trouble. I am realizing that my left hand in particular is just not up to the task (yet!).
In particular, measures 11 and 16 are really messy and problematic. It requires the use of all fingers in the left hand, and my fourth and fifth fingers are still so uncoordinated and weak. Sometimes I get so tense in anticipation of these passages that my left hand just seizes up and nothing happens. It's really frustrating and I'm wondering what I can do to overcome this tension in my left hand.
My right hand seems to never tire, but my left hand just gets so tense that I have to stop and shake it out and let things calm down. Do I just need to do more technical exercises like Hanon or something similar? I've started trying to spend at least an hour a day on scales, arpeggios, chords and the like. Can you recommend anything in particular that would help in building up the necessary ability in my left hand? Or maybe I could use some tips on how to fight the tension that starts to build up in my left forearm and wrist. I need some kind of Jedi Mind Trick for erasing tension!!!
I really appreciate all of your responses to my questions. It has been an inspiration to me. Thank you.
Hello Charles, you have described a common problem area for many students. I recommend starting your practice sessions with the Hanon exercises every day for about 10 minutes. You need to build up the finger, hand, and arm muscles, and these exercises will help. It is important that you do not play through pain or tightness. You can experiment with a lighter touch and a slower tempo when first introducing these exercises. Over time, you will see that you can play these exercises for longer periods of time and at faster tempi and lounder volumes before fatigue sets in. Stay with it, ... I am pulling for you. I'm glad my answers have helped and inspired you!