Practice Makes…Better

ByDeborah Raney
12 Comments

It’s been almost a year since I got my piano. (You can read that story here.) And I must say, my childhood piano teacher would be so proud of how diligently I’ve been practicing this past year. I’ve also been very pleased with how I’m learning to read music better.

In January, our youngest daughter challenged me to learn to play a pretty song she’d discovered, Handel/Halvorsen’s “Passacaglia.” It’s the hardest song I’ve ever learned and what I’m playing in the video below is a rather simplified version, but I’m getting better.

The piano continues to be such great entertainment, not just for me, but for our kids and grandkids too. It’s the first thing the kids run to when they arrive at our house.

Currently, I’m learning to play Beethoven’s “Minuet in G” from John Thompson’s Third Grade Book, which is where I left off from lessons as a kid. This was challenging too, but again, I’m getting better.

In case anyone is wondering why I only show the keyboard and my hands? Let’s just say that my “concentration face” is not very pretty to look at. I’m working on that, but for now, I’m just happy if my fingers land on the right keys at the right time. 😏

In other news: I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that our oldest grandson graduated from high school last week! (The same week he and his brother qualified for the State track meet!) He is an amazing young man. He was asked to say the Invocation prayer at his graduation ceremony and did a beautiful job. Ken told me, “I was thinking about him graduating and it almost makes me cry.” I said, “It just makes me feel old.” Ken’s reply: “Yeah, that’s why I’m crying!” 😊

I would be sad that our grandson is growing up and going off to college, except that he plans to attend college close by and live even closer (MUCH closer) to us next fall. More on that later, but we can’t wait!

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DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Forty books later, she's still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her novels have won RWA's RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a four-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is on faculty for several national writers’ conferences and served on the executive board of the 2,500-member American Christian Fiction Writers organization for 18 years before retiring in 2022. She is a recent transplant to Missouri, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, e-biking, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard.

12 Comments

  1. Kudos on your playing as well as so diligently practicing! I’m learning the ukulele, which I’ve wanted to do since Girl Scout camp many years ago. Progress is slow but rewarding. So far, our doodle dog is my biggest fan!

    1. That is so cool, Judy! Our youngest daughter had a ukulele when she was in college and I loved hearing her plink around on it! And so cute that your doodle appreciates your playing. ♥️

  2. How wonderful, and how beautiful! I am amazed at your progress.

    My husband surprised me with a piano on Mother’s Day, 1972. We had been married for six years at that time. I was able to teach our two children basic piano, and they went on to play instruments in high school band. I taught my granddaughter basic piano also, and she joined chorus in 5th, 6th, and 7th grades, making all-city chorus.

    Music is so important. I know you will keep those grandchildren interested! Thanks for sharing!

    1. I love your rich history of music, Betty. So wonderful that you’ve taught your kids and granddaughter. Memories they will never forget, I’m sure!

  3. I dream of having a piano like that one day, Deb. I don’t play, but I do read music. I was a floutist and a choir member for years. I took 2 years of piano lessons as electives when I was in college, but I had a horrible time with the bass clef. Both flute and my voice were treble clef instruments, and I found myself transposing the left hand to try to figure out what notes to play instead of just recognizing them on sight. Sigh. I always said that if I ever had a piano in my home, I would teach myself to play Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Joplin’s The Entertainer. 🙂 Two very different styles, but I love them both. It would probably take me years to work them out, but maybe I could convince my niece to visit and give me a few pointers. She just graduated with a master’s degree in music for paino accompaniment. Enjoy having a home filled with music!

    1. I truly hope you get that piano someday, Karen. Even if those are the only two songs you ever learn, you will get HOURS of enjoyment playing them!

  4. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Good for you picking up piano again! Your songs were wonderful. And congrats on all the grandkid accomplishments! My parents’ last grandchild will graduate from high school this week. They’ve been doing grandchild high school graduations consistently since 2009! So you’ve got lots more fun to look forward to.

    1. Haha! Yes, when we were talking about how much we should write the check for, we named one amount, and then we suddenly realized not only will we need to write that same check a dozen more times over the next decade or two, but we’ll also be adding college graduations and eventually weddings to the budget! We need to PACE ourselves! 🙂

  5. I am impressed with your piano playing. Makes me want to dust off my piano keys and practice!

  6. I have GOT to return to my piano practice. I played Christmas carols all through December (easy ones). I still have my Thompson lesson books, including Grade 3. Falling apart due to age as you can imagine.

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