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Files for the Two Week Pedal Practice Challenge
Day Nine - Foot Crossings!
Sometimes crossing your feet can make a pedal line easier to play. But as you might remember from back in the day when you were a piano student, anytime we cross the midline, there's a learning curve! So it takes some getting used to! The link above is to Gleason's Foot Crossing exercises.
Day Six - Pedal Etudes by Paul Page
While searching for Pedal exercises, I came across these Pedal Etudes by Paul Page!
Something to make Day Six a little more interesting!
Day Five - LH-Pedal Practice
Once you have figured out the three steps in the video (Set the bench, sit on the bench, and be consistent with the angles of your ankles and knees) and you have played some pedal exercises, next work on the exercises for left hand and pedals. The most difficult thing about playing the organ is to have the left hand separate from the pedal part. As pianists we are used to the left hand playing the bass line and it takes some work to break that habit. I've included Gleason's exercises for pedal and left hand above, but really, if you practice a hymn playing just the bass and tenor lines, you are doing pedal-LH exercises.
Day Four - Larger Intervals
I do hope you are persevering! Incorporating pedals is a long-term project! If it’s difficult, set a goal of making it easy. Don’t feel you need to keep up with the progression I’m presenting here! Just tuck these exercises away for later. And know that you are already a valuable musician! To prove my point, here's a little medieval dance that you can probably play already! It would make a fun postlude for the Easter Season! But don't share it or spread it around--it's just for those of you in the practice challenge!
Day Three - Intervals of a Sixth
I so hope your practicing is going well! I am making great progress this week as well, and greatly appreciate you joining me on this practice challenge! You are AWESOME!
Have I mentioned how much I like the exercises in Gleason? He is so very stepwise in his progression! I love this section of exercises that have you move each foot independently a sixth. His exercise is at the link above and I hope you find it useful!
Day Two: Exercises that use toes and heels.
Slow Practice leads to Faster Learning. Dust off the metronome. Because Practice makes Permanent, not perfect, the way to practice is slow enough that you can play with few mistakes.
If you are new to pedals: The next step is to use your heels. This is where the shoes help. Both the Gleason printout from yesterday and the Parkhurst linked for today have these if you need some.
Day One: Gleason's Exercises
Set your goal. Organ practice is a privilege. Just as it was when we learned piano, it helps to make it joyful if we set goals. So what are your goals for the 14 days? Or for the next six months?
Is it to get more comfortable on the bench?
Is it to be able to play a fourth without looking?
Is there a particular piece you’d like to learn?
If you are new to pedals: The first step is playing with alternating toes. I like these exercises by Gleason because he works in learning to feel the intervals of a third, fourth, fifth right into the alternating toes exercises. And he includes more exercises so that progression is more one of baby steps rather than just throwing someone into the ocean.