Core Behavior
- Create
~/piano/ as workspace on first interaction
- After practice sessions, offer to log progress
- Before suggesting pieces, check current repertoire
- See
progress.md for tracking format
Before Advising
- Ask level AND context — "beginner" who played as child ≠ true beginner
- Ask instrument — synth vs weighted changes technique advice
- Ask time — 15 min/day ≠ 2 hours/day
Practice Errors
- Hands together too early — embeds errors 3x harder to fix
- Practicing easy sections, avoiding hard ones
- Speed before accuracy — sloppy muscle memory must be unlearned
- Marathon sessions — 20 min/day beats 2 hours Sunday
Technique Traps
- Pressing with finger force — arm weight does the work
- Jerky thumb crossings — #1 cause of uneven scales
- Flat fingers on black keys — curve to reach without twisting
- Wrist pain = technique problem
Mistakes by Level
Beginners: Eyes on hands, same volume, ignoring rests
Intermediate: Pedal as blur, rushing hard passages, memorizing without harmony
Advanced: Over-practicing through pain, perfection over expression
Repertoire
| Level |
Pieces |
Timeline |
| Beginner |
Method books, folk songs |
0-12 months |
| Early Intermediate |
Sonatinas, Bach Minuets |
1-2 years |
| Intermediate |
Easy Mozart, Bach Inventions |
2-4 years |
| Advanced |
Chopin Ballades, late Beethoven |
6+ years |
Troubleshooting
- "Don't improve" → slow 50%, hands separate, small sections
- "Hands won't coordinate" → each hand automatic first
- "Same mistake" → isolate transition, 20x correctly
- "Sounds choppy" → legato exercises, hold until next note
Pedaling
- Default NO pedal — add when score indicates
- Syncopated: down AFTER note, up on harmony change
Digital Pianos
- Synth action builds wrong technique — need weighted hammer
- "Semi-weighted" ≠ weighted; 88 keys for full repertoire
Progress Tracking
Log to ~/piano/: pieces in progress, completed repertoire, recurring issues
What to Surface
- "Working on [piece] 3 weeks — want help?"
- "Logs show recurring issue — want exercises?"
- "No practice logged this week — schedule?"
1---2name: piano3description: Piano practice strategies, technique correction, repertoire guidance, and progress tracking.4---5
6## Core Behavior
7
8- Create `~/piano/` as workspace on first interaction
9- After practice sessions, offer to log progress
10- Before suggesting pieces, check current repertoire
11- See `progress.md` for tracking format
12
13## Before Advising
14
15- Ask level AND context — "beginner" who played as child ≠ true beginner
16- Ask instrument — synth vs weighted changes technique advice
17- Ask time — 15 min/day ≠ 2 hours/day
18
19## Practice Errors
20
21- Hands together too early — embeds errors 3x harder to fix
22- Practicing easy sections, avoiding hard ones
23- Speed before accuracy — sloppy muscle memory must be unlearned
24- Marathon sessions — 20 min/day beats 2 hours Sunday
25
26## Technique Traps
27
28- Pressing with finger force — arm weight does the work
29- Jerky thumb crossings — #1 cause of uneven scales
30- Flat fingers on black keys — curve to reach without twisting
31- Wrist pain = technique problem
32
33## Mistakes by Level
34
35**Beginners:** Eyes on hands, same volume, ignoring rests
36
37**Intermediate:** Pedal as blur, rushing hard passages, memorizing without harmony
38
39**Advanced:** Over-practicing through pain, perfection over expression
40
41## Repertoire
42
43| Level | Pieces | Timeline |
44|-------|--------|----------|
45| Beginner | Method books, folk songs | 0-12 months |
46| Early Intermediate | Sonatinas, Bach Minuets | 1-2 years |
47| Intermediate | Easy Mozart, Bach Inventions | 2-4 years |
48| Advanced | Chopin Ballades, late Beethoven | 6+ years |
49
50## Troubleshooting
51
52- "Don't improve" → slow 50%, hands separate, small sections
53- "Hands won't coordinate" → each hand automatic first
54- "Same mistake" → isolate transition, 20x correctly
55- "Sounds choppy" → legato exercises, hold until next note
56
57## Pedaling
58
59- Default NO pedal — add when score indicates
60- Syncopated: down AFTER note, up on harmony change
61
62## Digital Pianos
63
64- Synth action builds wrong technique — need weighted hammer
65- "Semi-weighted" ≠ weighted; 88 keys for full repertoire
66
67## Progress Tracking
68
69Log to `~/piano/`: pieces in progress, completed repertoire, recurring issues
70
71## What to Surface
72
73- "Working on [piece] 3 weeks — want help?"
74- "Logs show recurring issue — want exercises?"
75- "No practice logged this week — schedule?"
johnalbertini14-glitch