Hello from New Zealand.

I recently got an e-mail from this guy in New Zealand, and it just made me want to post it, mainly because of what he said about my attidude towards how I teach theory and music instead of just songs like most people do. I've been tryign to find a great way to explain this to people, but FINALLY someone said it perfectly! So I'll just let him take care of the rest. (and yes I did ask him if it was OK that i posted this, so no worries here!)

The e-mail is as follows:

Hi Andrew,
Hello from New Zealand!!, I discovered your youtube page about a month ago and I have learnt so much!!, I am an absolute beginner when it comes to piano and your lessons have really inspired me.

I think it is great the way you donate your time to teach like you do, up until now I had been learning from those "learn this song" type youtube sites which are not really of any use, I mean I learn the intro an a bit of a song etc but it never sticks, give it a couple of weeks and I can't play it anymore.

But your lessons on the fundamentals have been fantastic, and they stick!! I think it is because you are presenting the components which start to form the whole picture, as opposed to just learning a series of fingering sequences. I am slowly starting to learn why things are the way they are on the piano and in music in general.

I can see that in learning the fundamentals it really will free me up to learn and play anything I want (skill & practice dependant of course!!) which is really exciting, where as with the "learn this song" stuff it was getting frustrating and very disheartening when all of a sudden I can't play the tune anymore.

So HOORAY FOR YOU!, you are doing a great thing, and I hope one day I will have something that I can teach to the world (goodness I'm starting to sound like that coke song....I'd like to buy the world a coke and.....)

As a direct result of your lessons I can now play the major scale in all keys (both hands), all the major & minor chords, the chromatic scale (right hand only, can't for the life of me work out how to play it using the left hand) sheet music is starting to make sense, and last night the penny dropped re the circle of fifths!

Anyway the reason for this email (apart from wanting to say the above) is that I have a question regarding how to play a bass line which is made up of mainly black keys.

I have been working on a Stevie wonder song called "I wish" , A because it's cool, B because the sheet music was free, & C because it is in the key of Ebm (but I cheat and use the F#major scale as I am not so hot with the minor scales as yet, Yay for the circle of fifths!).

The problem I am having is how to have my hand when playing a bass line with mainly black keys, although when practicing scales or playing something on the white keys I can keep the curves in my fingers etc, I find when playing this bass line my had flattens out, and I am not sure if that it the right thing or not, as when I try to curve my fingers they fall off the black keys.

Could you please advise me on the best way to hold my hand when playing a bass line like this, If you want to see the music it is at www.musicnotes.com, but I am sure there are lots of classical pieces where you have to play in those keys.

As I say your lessons have got me excited about learning and playing, and I am now looking for a teacher to take me through the grades etc, I am even looking forward to learning some classical (yes yes, like everyone I have taught myself the first bits of Fur Elise and Moonlight sonata!)

But I want to learn to play the whole thing and much more besides, there is a famous German guy on Youtube playing moonlight sonata, and when he plays the third movement WOW!, I soooo want to learn that mainly cause I want to show off and impress Women.......chicks do dig Beethovan don't they?.....oh well if they don't I will always have the Stevie Wonder to fall back on!

Anyway enough babbling, I hope you can help with my question....and keep up the good work!.





So that's it! ^_^ feel free to post your thoughts below.

haha ...
like me I tried playing fur elise & moonlight sonata but both of them were hard
for me ; (

I played the first part of Fur elise but completing it was sooo hard especially the
left hand ...

Andrew is a Great teacher for all of us ...
And this e-mail is a testimony

You are Really Great Andrew

Million Thanks for YOU

He said it.

I love the way "auckland" sounds (it the captol of new zeland

Also what a long email he must really like your videos

Lol, chicks do dig Beethoven. I do, anyways. ^_^

Seriously, though, he was able to get across very clearly what I - and I'm sure so many others - feel about your work, Andrew.