“Practice.”
It’s an old joke, but one that has some truth to it.
After 20+ years with various and sundry keyboards, I finally took the plunge a couple of years ago and started taking formal piano instruction. (If you are interested in music instruction and you live in the DC-MD-VA area, you really owe it to yourself to check out the Levine Music School.) I had always been a proponent of avoiding the “straightjacket of orthodoxy” and discovering music creation on my own or in collaboration with like-minded individuals. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is easier to break the rules if you first know them. And besides, for my personal interests, some of the rules are helpful!
My focus is really on developing my finger dexterity so as to make it easier to write pieces at the piano with more spontaneity. I also am trying to develop a much more formal understanding of theory and harmony as I have aspirations to one day work with film.
But you got to start somewhere, and if you want to also, then Hanon, Hanon Revisited, and Beyer should be your new friends.
The issue of course is finding the time. Between family, the day job, stuff for the blog, and (let’s not forget) my latest project tracks*, I’ve got to find the time to practice. Requires a purposefulness that is … well … more intense.
Anyway, many many props to folks I know who have been able to manage all of this and still get out material and make Slow Steady Progress towards their goals. I think I’ll ask them how they did it and post the responses here in the future. If you are reading this, you know who you are. 
Quick update
- Still working on the generative stuff.
- Also am finishing up 2 new tracks for posting to SoundCloud. Aiming to complete one of them this weekend. Stay tuned.
Cheers,
nk:e
