This question was sent by Jan, and she writes:

Dear Vidas,

Thank you for asking how my practice is going today.

Today I am struggling with hymns. I am not very competent with the pedals. I practice separately...pedals, RH, RH and pedals, LH, LH and pedals, RH and LH, RH LH and pedals. I also write in the pedaling and fingering. It seems to take me ages to learn a hymn; especially as playing a hymn on the piano is very easy. Perhaps I need to do more slow practice and perhaps I need to do more separate practice rather than playing the hymn together over and over again.

On a more positive note...I have been playing in church for a year now and my playing has definitely improved. I am very pleased. It has been worth all the hard work.

Thank you for your help over the last year.

Kind Regards,

Jan

This question was sent by Jan, and she writes:

Dear Vidas,

Thank you for asking how my practice is going today.

Today I am struggling with hymns. I am not very competent with the pedals. I practice separately...pedals, RH, RH and pedals, LH, LH and pedals, RH and LH, RH LH and pedals. I also write in the pedaling and fingering. It seems to take me ages to learn a hymn; especially as playing a hymn on the piano is very easy. Perhaps I need to do more slow practice and perhaps I need to do more separate practice rather than playing the hymn together over and over again.

On a more positive note...I have been playing in church for a year now and my playing has definitely improved. I am very pleased. It has been worth all the hard work.

Thank you for your help over the last year.

Kind Regards,

Jan

This question was sent by Jan, and she writes:

Dear Vidas,

Thank you for asking how my practice is going today.

Today I am struggling with hymns. I am not very competent with the pedals. I practice separately...pedals, RH, RH and pedals, LH, LH and pedals, RH and LH, RH LH and pedals. I also write in the pedaling and fingering. It seems to take me ages to learn a hymn; especially as playing a hymn on the piano is very easy. Perhaps I need to do more slow practice and perhaps I need to do more separate practice rather than playing the hymn together over and over again.

On a more positive note...I have been playing in church for a year now and my playing has definitely improved. I am very pleased. It has been worth all the hard work.

Thank you for your help over the last year.

Kind Regards,

Jan

This question was sent in by Russell, and he writes:

Greetings, Vidas.

I found your course while searching for guidance as how to educate myself in music theory.

I have a piano and an old Hammond organ, but I am not a musician. I read music, but only with difficulty.

I desire to learn music theory because I do not understand many things about music. Most importantly, would a given piece of music have the same "feel" if transposed to a different key? For example, why did Bach choose D-minor for the Toccata & Fugue, BWV 565, and C-minor for the Passacaglia & Fugue, BWV 582? Would music written all in the same key be boring or tiresome? Or does the key (other than major or minor) enhance the effect of a particular piece of music?

It seems to me that, for me, a good starting point would be to practice and memorize scales and chords.

I love classical organ, but I wonder how an organist manages to keep track of multiple voices, such as in a fugue. I wonder whether some brains are "wired" with this capability and others are incapable of playing polyphonic music. By the way, are organists typically ambidextrous?

At age seventy, I do not expect ever to become proficient on the organ, but I do find your instruction enlightening and welcome.

Russell

This question was sent in by Russell, and he writes:

Greetings, Vidas.

I found your course while searching for guidance as how to educate myself in music theory.

I have a piano and an old Hammond organ, but I am not a musician. I read music, but only with difficulty.

I desire to learn music theory because I do not understand many things about music. Most importantly, would a given piece of music have the same "feel" if transposed to a different key? For example, why did Bach choose D-minor for the Toccata & Fugue, BWV 565, and C-minor for the Passacaglia & Fugue, BWV 582? Would music written all in the same key be boring or tiresome? Or does the key (other than major or minor) enhance the effect of a particular piece of music?

It seems to me that, for me, a good starting point would be to practice and memorize scales and chords.

I love classical organ, but I wonder how an organist manages to keep track of multiple voices, such as in a fugue. I wonder whether some brains are "wired" with this capability and others are incapable of playing polyphonic music. By the way, are organists typically ambidextrous?

At age seventy, I do not expect ever to become proficient on the organ, but I do find your instruction enlightening and welcome.

Russell

This question was sent in by Russell, and he writes:

Greetings, Vidas.

I found your course while searching for guidance as how to educate myself in music theory.

I have a piano and an old Hammond organ, but I am not a musician. I read music, but only with difficulty.

I desire to learn music theory because I do not understand many things about music. Most importantly, would a given piece of music have the same "feel" if transposed to a different key? For example, why did Bach choose D-minor for the Toccata & Fugue, BWV 565, and C-minor for the Passacaglia & Fugue, BWV 582? Would music written all in the same key be boring or tiresome? Or does the key (other than major or minor) enhance the effect of a particular piece of music?

It seems to me that, for me, a good starting point would be to practice and memorize scales and chords.

I love classical organ, but I wonder how an organist manages to keep track of multiple voices, such as in a fugue. I wonder whether some brains are "wired" with this capability and others are incapable of playing polyphonic music. By the way, are organists typically ambidextrous?

At age seventy, I do not expect ever to become proficient on the organ, but I do find your instruction enlightening and welcome.

Russell

This question was sent by Bruce. He writes:

Hi Vidas and Ausra,

I am working on BWV 615 (In dir ist Freude) from the Orgelbüchlein, and I have a question about possibly moving a measure or two written for the pedals and taking them in the left hand instead.

In measure 8 (and later, equivalently in measure 24, and also possibly 4 bars from the end), it seems to me that the quasi-Alberti figure in the pedals could (and possibly should) be taken by the left hand. In terms of registration this also makes sense to me (allowing the pedals to have a 32 foot stop, and individuating the left hand from the pedal with a 16 foot stop in the left hand). Also, by doing this, the pedal part that is established in the wonderful figure in the first measure (and found throughout the piece), can be given it's own character.

Besides, to be honest, my pedal technique still isn't quite up to a full measure of 8th notes yet ...

A few quick questions then:

1) Is it a common and acceptable practice for an organist to essentially move parts between manuals, and between manuals and pedals? I feel somewhat uncomfortable doing this (after all, who am I to alter Bach's written score?!).

2) I'd like to hear your suggestions on registration for this work, if you would care to share them.

3) As I am new to pedal work, can you suggest appropriate pedal footwork for the predominant figure in the pedals in this piece?

(And yes, I am working on my pedal technique, it's coming along, thanks to your pedal power course ... slow and steady ... it's a miracle.)

Cheers,

-Bruce

This question was sent by Bruce. He writes:

Hi Vidas and Ausra,

I am working on BWV 615 (In dir ist Freude) from the Orgelbüchlein, and I have a question about possibly moving a measure or two written for the pedals and taking them in the left hand instead.

In measure 8 (and later, equivalently in measure 24, and also possibly 4 bars from the end), it seems to me that the quasi-Alberti figure in the pedals could (and possibly should) be taken by the left hand. In terms of registration this also makes sense to me (allowing the pedals to have a 32 foot stop, and individuating the left hand from the pedal with a 16 foot stop in the left hand). Also, by doing this, the pedal part that is established in the wonderful figure in the first measure (and found throughout the piece), can be given it's own character.

Besides, to be honest, my pedal technique still isn't quite up to a full measure of 8th notes yet ...

A few quick questions then:

1) Is it a common and acceptable practice for an organist to essentially move parts between manuals, and between manuals and pedals? I feel somewhat uncomfortable doing this (after all, who am I to alter Bach's written score?!).

2) I'd like to hear your suggestions on registration for this work, if you would care to share them.

3) As I am new to pedal work, can you suggest appropriate pedal footwork for the predominant figure in the pedals in this piece?

(And yes, I am working on my pedal technique, it's coming along, thanks to your pedal power course ... slow and steady ... it's a miracle.)

Cheers,

-Bruce

This question was sent by Bruce. He writes:

Hi Vidas and Ausra,

I am working on BWV 615 (In dir ist Freude) from the Orgelbüchlein, and I have a question about possibly moving a measure or two written for the pedals and taking them in the left hand instead.

In measure 8 (and later, equivalently in measure 24, and also possibly 4 bars from the end), it seems to me that the quasi-Alberti figure in the pedals could (and possibly should) be taken by the left hand. In terms of registration this also makes sense to me (allowing the pedals to have a 32 foot stop, and individuating the left hand from the pedal with a 16 foot stop in the left hand). Also, by doing this, the pedal part that is established in the wonderful figure in the first measure (and found throughout the piece), can be given it's own character.

Besides, to be honest, my pedal technique still isn't quite up to a full measure of 8th notes yet ...

A few quick questions then:

1) Is it a common and acceptable practice for an organist to essentially move parts between manuals, and between manuals and pedals? I feel somewhat uncomfortable doing this (after all, who am I to alter Bach's written score?!).

2) I'd like to hear your suggestions on registration for this work, if you would care to share them.

3) As I am new to pedal work, can you suggest appropriate pedal footwork for the predominant figure in the pedals in this piece?

(And yes, I am working on my pedal technique, it's coming along, thanks to your pedal power course ... slow and steady ... it's a miracle.)

Cheers,

-Bruce

This question was sent by Francher.

My Dear Vidas…

Thank you so much for your response and inquiry!

Although it is unlikely that I’ll ever perform, I do practice “very well”…and, for at least 2 hours every day.

I start my day with an hour to an hour and a half practice, and end my day with another hour (with several shorter sessions, as time permits, throughout the day).

I knew I wanted to be an Organist when I was about 10 years old…I also knew I wanted to be an Architect then too.

As a profession, Architecture “won”. So, I spent my “productive” years doing the Architecture thing.

Although I “piddled” with the organ for many years, I didn’t start serious music study until I retired at age 72.

I found a wonderful teacher, who convinced me that I would learn more quickly if I knew some theory.

So, I went back to college (at 74) and studied Music Theory for a year.

Then, after studying with her for four years, she abruptly gave up all her students and quit teaching.

That’s when I discovered “Total Organist” and, I’ve been studying with you ever since.

I am so grateful for your teaching efforts.

Based upon your reorganized material, I would place myself in the “Early-Intermediate” stage of development.

At 80, I learn much more slowly than in my youth…

Now, I say, I’m 8 years into, what will be for me, a 20 year program.

So, as long as I am able, we’ll be working together far into the future.

Thanks, again, for all that you and Ausra do for Organists and the Organ.

Francher