How Piano Students Can Get A+ Results Using the 3 D’s
- Diana Mascari
- Feb 16, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 24
Have you ever thought “she has talent”, I wish I could play like that!
Have you ever wondered why some piano students really sound great?
Although talent does play a part in musical performance, it’s the 3 D’s that make the difference!
Here are some examples of people with talent who applied the 3 D’s to achieve excellence:
Duke Ellington– spent his life performing 6 nights a week while spending part of everyday composing and arranging for his band.
George Shearing- spent one week at home practicing and working on arrangements for every week of performing in jazz clubs around the world.
James Levine- at age 13 started traveling from Cincinnati, Ohio to Vermont, Colorado and New York (Julliard) to study piano with top level teachers. You can guess that they expected him to practice, practice, practice.
Billy Joel- from a young age liked classical music and reluctantly took piano lessons because his mother insisted. He was teased by the neighborhood bullies and yet persevered. When he began his musical career at age 18, he also had to support his mother and siblings.
Can you guess what the 3 D’s are?
Decision
Discipline
Determination
It’s practicing these three that will guarantee your piano playing success now and in the future. Let me explain…
Although you can learn how to play many pieces pretty well, eventually you’ll want more. The longer you follow this pattern of just practicing and playing songs, the more likely it is that you will become frustrated, bored, lose motivation or worse yet, simply quit.
But there’s a better way…
Here’s how you can use the 3 D’s to get A+ results from your piano playing.
Decision:
Make up your mind to change your approach to practicing because goals without deadlines are dreams.
Decide to select one song or classical piece that you really want to play.
Decide the reason why you want to play this piece (this is a big part of your motivation).
Decide to set a date for when you will accomplish this goal.
Discipline:
Every successful person needs to practice discipline if he or she wants to achieve any satisfying results. Just look at Tom Brady, Nicole Kidman, Jay Leno and Oprah Winfrey. Select the one piece and create a plan for accomplishing this goal, for example:
Identify the sections which will need the most work.
Identify the support tools that you will need to help you master the piece such as theory, chord knowledge, exercises, etc.
Identify the ways that you will practice the piece, for instance: learn 4 measures at a time, practice the left hand alone, start with the final 4 bars, etc.
Determination:
Resolve to value the decision that you made and observe the pleasure and sense of confidence the determination gives you!
Stick to your priority every time you sit down at the piano.
Do this song first in each session and follow your plan for working on the piece.
Really know the piece you selected so well that you can play it anywhere, anytime with excellence!
Maintain the discipline to stay with your program until it becomes your new keyboard success habit.
If you want to get A+ results from all of the time, money and effort you invest in learning how to play the piano always remember to apply the 3 D’s: Decision, Discipline and Determination.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly your piano playing will sound super!
Before you know it, other people will start saying, “you sure have talent!”
Diana Mascari - Piano Teacher for Adults
Diana Mascari has taught piano to hundreds of students for more than 46 years. She is dedicated to enriching her students’ lives by supporting their individual musicality.
She has developed a teaching system called the Transformational Approach to Piano (TAP System). It offers her students colorful musical insights that broaden their experience beyond traditional methods.
Diana holds two Masters of Music degrees from New England Conservatory, taught keyboard harmony to music majors at Boston University, and was the music director of a multicultural Presbyterian Church for four decades.
Diana has performed as a solo jazz pianist as well as with her ensembles at many colleges and jazz clubs throughout New England. Many of these performances featured Diana's jazz compositions.
As a composer, she has explored the intersection of jazz and classical music. Her compositions reflect her deep appreciation for musical structure, enhanced by the spontaneity and emotion of jazz. Each piece has a timeless sense and is designed to move and inspire. Her works have been performed in Europe, Japan and the Eastern United States.
Diana’s vibrant personality infuses her teaching, performing and composing as she inspires piano students to achieve their musical goals.
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