Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson for March 12, 2018

If the problem is that no one plays good enough, might I suggest a player piano?

Why is Phoebe still trying this?

Wolfgang and Ludwig for sure had issues like this with their fathers Leopold and Johann.

It’s good to see the piano teacher again! I was beginning to wonder what happened to him.

If you like playing the piano, Phoebe, you’re going to have to take the lessons. Or get Marigold to make you an expert, but that could come with challenges of it’s own.

With my teacher, there were 6 or 7 students, mostly 8-10 years of age, who had been her students for years. Then I, a 15 year old, came along and started playing Chopin Ballades by the time I had finished my 2nd year. By the time I finished my 3rd year, I was one of just two students she had left because I had, quite cruelly, sapped the life out of the rest of the students.

Could someone please explain to a dumb German what “busting your racket” means in this context?

Could someone please explain to a dumb German what “busting your racket” means in this context?

I think there is a point with any musical instrument where an instructor isn’t much help. At that time, one progresses to self study or maybe decides that he or she has nothing less to learn. That’s where the Franz Liszts, Charlie Parkers and Yo-Yo Mas reside.

If I don’t practice for a day, I know it.

If I don’t practice for two days, the critics know it.

And if I don’t practice for three days, the public knows it.

~L. Armstrong

Whenever Phoebe gets to chatting with her piano teacher like this, I always think of Millie and her band teacher, Mr. Larnblatt, who often had similar discussions.

Reminds me of the old Steven Wright bit: “They told me practice makes perfect. Then they told me nobody’s perfect. So I stopped practicing.”

On “Bob’s Burgers” last night, Bob’s wife Linda said something to the effect of “20 minutes? That’s long enough to learn how to play guitar, isn’t it?”

I teach piano, and I once had a parent ask me that about their 6 year old. When would they “know” how to play piano. It was definitely interesting/difficult trying to explain that there is not a defined moment in which you get labeled “piano player” through a language barrier.

Ironically I have the exact same thought as Phoebe sometimes

I play piano, and when I was a kid, I did always wonder about that. But when I heard my teacher practicing her recital piece…

Are you aware of the phrase “rude awakening”?