What do you think about the tonebase Practice Plans?

Hi Dominic! I was curious about how the practice plans are generated... I had 1 repertoire-based suggestion, and the other 7 were skill-specific. 1) Is that a frequently-observed balance of rep vs skills in the practice plans, and 2) I wasn't sure if the rep suggestion was made because I was in the process of watching that course already, or if the algorithm (based on my quiz responses) really thinks I'm ready for it (in this case Chopin 52 )

As far as the skills-specific segments I was recommended, so far I have found them very useful (e.g., your segment on advanced scales). One note is that since the particular segment seems to be clipped out of the "beginner-to-advanced" series, some things are a bit out of context (e.g., "we already talked about etc etc" that wasn't part of the practice plan recommended segment). But that's a small point.

Thanks to the team for putting these together! Always good to have more motivation to work on technique/skills. 

Hi Dominic, I’ve done the 5 sections of the first module “leaps” and I certainly learned from them. But there is no Workbook and more importantly, drills or exercises to hone the learning. 
 

Most of the illustrations are from famous pieces that are far beyond my capabilities. 

Ben’s lessons on Scales are good examples of what I think would be helpful. 
 

make sense?

Tom Mackey

Very helpful, Dominic. Love all of your sessions, btw. I found the questionnaire insightful and helpful to think about my deficiencies honestly. I’m finding the recommendations excellent, and they’re forcing me to explore more of a particular topic that’s listed, which helps to navigate the plethora of offerings you now have and instructors that I may otherwise bypass. Thank you!

I think it’s great. I like the level testing. I also like the variety of teachers, from the fairly abstract (Ohlsson) to the very directive (Lomazov), and the demanding (Giltburg) to the sympathetic (Huangci).  
 

keep up the great work!

I've been watching and playing and found them very helpful..like the levels.  Would like more early to mid intermediate repertoire exps.  

  In the future a series on physical gestures for particular passages or sounds wouid be a great tonebase feature. ThX for all

I've included what I got as a plan when I answered the level survey questions. The algorithm put me at level 4, but I feel I need lessons from earlier levels and that the plan is not as helpful for me as I had hoped. I would benefit from a daily regimen of recommended technique and structured repertoire.

Perhaps it would be helpful in a practice plan to have it broken into sections: WarmUp/TechnicalExercises, Musicianship/Theory/Improvisation, Repertoire... or some other pedagogically rational design. I get a bit lost in what to do and spend too much time hopping between elements. As such, I end up turning off ToneBase and returning to Hanon, followed a published set of pieces I own, that has been arranged by level. Finally, I spend some time workign through a standard text in music theory. Time-permitting, having done this self-directed work with traditional printed/published materials, I will then supplement my practice with the excellent videos on ToneBase, like the one on Hanon!

With regards to finding repertoire at an appropriate, when I apply the ToneBase filter for Difficulty in "Learn a Piece" (https://app.tonebase.co/piano/library/repertoire) , my impression is that the technically less demanding works are listed under "all levels". Perhaps it would be helpful to add a more specific "Beginner" checkbox to make explicit that those works are novice-appropriate.

In summary, I presently do not feel that I can rely solely on ToneBase to guide me through structuring a practice, but I do very much enjoy the professional and inspiring lectures and lessons, as well as the livestreams (though I definitely have to schedule in more time to digest these more detailed events). I hope this is helpful, at least as one ToneBase user's opinion.

It is a great idea! I think you can integrate the practice plan and the “my level” repertoire together. 
The practice plan points out what I should work out but lacks the materials to work with. Even though the videos mentioned some excerpts, but I need to listen very carefully to know which excerpts it is because usually there isn’t written info about the excerpts mentioned in the video. 
For example, I need to work with leaps. The sample piece is La Campanella which is quite straightforward. But for some piece with only opus number, I have to replay and listen again

Good!

I think it's a really great feature. I did the quiz last night, and will start working through some of the recommended lessons from this evening. Will report back more after using it. It definitely helps to have some guidance on navigating all the awesome content here on tonebase. I get paralysed by having too much choice, and having the practice plan helps me a lot.

Hi Dominic,

I feel challenged at the keyboard because my music never sounds polished (or finished). I love the piano and the music and it's frustrating. With everything that is available for consumers today, it's really difficult to know what is best to do. There are too many choices and I cannot evaluate what I need.

I didn't know what to expect before I viewed your practice plans. When I saw the results, I was surprised. Currently, I have been focusing on sight reading which I think has been helpful, but it's not all I need. 

Today I sat down and viewed online my practice plan and early segments for each of the topics that were recommended. Right away, I could see that there was much to learn and then the only question I had, at first, was "Is this the right level, or do I need something easier?" 

I went to the piano and spent 1 hour and 45 minutes on all the technique areas. Included in that was the memory lesson. It was created around Chopin's Nocturne #2 in E flat Major. I liked the part about analyzing the music and what to look for. Although I used Piston's Harmony book for a year in college - it was 50 years ago. Some of that is going to be slow going and I need a review. I liked the pointers so much that I decided to use the Nocturne as my first memorization attempt. Today, I just sight read through it and became familiar with the notes and fingerings.  I noticed that the Workbooks did not get saved into my computer although I could access them online as long as the videos remain available. 

My recommended piece, which is Arabesque #1 by Debussy, is one I love but never thought I would be able to play. This is because my arpeggios were always so slow and uneven. But after following the lesson today on Tonebase's arpeggios, there is a lot of improvement and they are even and they are faster than they've ever been. I realized that every time I had to put a thumb under or go over the thumb I was sustaining the previous note too long.

I think I am at the right level. I also agree that each one of these elements that have been recommended needs attention. From the quick view and practice I did today, I saw and experienced positive results. I did something on everything there except that I did not try to memorize and nor try begin the Debussy. It seems as if your topic choices will also work well with the music in the package as well as other things I might work on.

It just looks like a well rounded package in general. I felt really positive and encouraged as I finished practicing today. 

Hi Dominc, these are great for me as they (hopefully) will keep me focused on certain areas/topics. One can easily get overwhelmed by the amount of great material on Tonebase.

Hello- Ive been a tonebase member for just over one year. I started at a very beginner level, kept a log and have practiced regularly. I do not have a private instructor (yet) as I wanted to see if I enjoyed the program. I had little knowledge of the piano repertoire.

     Well, it’s been wonderful. Since July, I’ve followed Dominic’s practice plan as described in one of the live sessions which allocates practice time distribution between sight reading, scales etc. This has been extraordinarily helpful. I just began the new tonebase plan after taking the test to determine my level. I’m currently between level 3 and optimistically 4.

      My initial impressions are very, very positive for the simple reason the new plan links the excellent teaching videos  with suggested pieces to learn. Even though I tried to determine which videos would be best for me as a beginner, I missed a lot. I really like the way they begin simply  laying the foundation and expand. As there are many, many books for the adult beginning piano student the accompanying pieces  (all new to me) provide both structure and goals.

      I’ve just  begun to study the pieces but so far so good.

      Thank you Dominic (and the team), I have so enjoyed the program.

Hi Dominic,

I think the Practice Plans are a great idea. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but felt I couldn’t lose anything in answering the questionnaire.

I returned to the piano a few years ago after decades away, taking formal lessons for a couple of years before deciding that I could probably get more from Tonebase (in fact recommended by my last teacher). So I’m a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to level.

However, I found the plans suggested to me were really spot on (could obviously add more than 8 areas!). I really like the ability to go back to earlier segments of the lessons, as I find even the easier level materials have something useful for me.

I have only completed 2 of the plans so far - sight reading -  really helpful, and Dominic’s arpeggios to virtuosity level - that is an enormously helpful series - thank you! [one complaint: even though I’ve completed all 6 modules, the app never shows that I have completed any of it. The sight reading modules show as completed, so I don’t think it is anything that I have done incorrectly.]

overall, I REALLY like the Practice Plans. There are so many different materials on Tonebase, that I don’t think I would have found these on my own.

BTW: I really appreciate all the effort you put into your lessons, Dominic. They are always well-paced and clear. There are lots that I still need to view.

The practice plan is very useful. I already completed 3 of the lessons and learned so much. Even just taking the questionnaire, it made me realize areas that i have not thought about to work on. this is a very well thought out program and very easy to access. I really appreciate the work you and your team put into. I have improved so much from watching your videos. This will give me a framework to work on. 

So far so good!

The suggestions for lessons seem to be closer to my level than the "levels"-based suggestions were - now the piece suggested (Scarlatti Sonata in E major with Ben Laude, which was great!) seems pretty spot on, whereas with the levels it was just slightly too difficult to learn comfortably (Brahms Intermezzo in A major), although I've been working on it, and enjoying it.

The technique lessons look good too, I haven't had the chance to delve too deeply into them yet though.

Hello , 

First: I really like the idea of having a plan, a guideline what to work on next, so I think it is a great idea. But I am very confused... The quiz says I am at grade 4, and given the suggested videos for that grade and the description it feels right. Maybe at some points I am a 5 already, but my first practise plan video is Scarlatti Sonata in E major. This is a grade 7!

I can't access the other videos in the plan until I did the Sonata, but it feels way too difficult. Of course I can work on it for some weeks and learn something, but usually after 8 weeks I get bored, and it looks like it would take much longer to even play it at slow speed. I don't feel like the practise plan really picks me up where I am standing.

I'd love to have some alternatives and the possibility to maybe work on 2 different things same time. Because a video on trills and another on more subtile dynamics might not be building upon each other, or would they?

Also I can't find a way to delete my plan and do the questionnaire again to maybe correct things that I might have misunderstood or answered with too mich self esteem... but then again, it says level 4, so for that I must have answered something right...