Practicing Ravel Une barque sur l'océan

Link to Exercises: gum.co/JOXRd
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[@PianoDawg1620]

Thank you! I don't have enough experience to play this piece yet, but I will definitely refer to this tutorial when I do.

[@tomzeru]

I feel the same. Ravel or Debussy are my main motivation to learn but are wayyyyy to hard to begin with! This tutorial is very nicely done

[@stevie570]

Did you learn it 😊

[@hirukagy4379]

Hows it going??

[@shihyonseo7314]

Your explanations on Ravel pieces are always exceptionally good!! Also your piano sounds really crystal clear and beautiful...

[@scottderrick8166]

Adrian, I've enjoyed working on this piece for several years, but I never thought I could have it "performance-ready". Your thoughtful video and the accompanying exercises have really inspired me to practice more deliberately. I had some "ah-ha" takeaway moments working through your exercises over this past holiday weekend while off work. I will definitely apply your fingering at the end of measure 68 leading into the first wave. Your fingering makes that transition much simpler. Your exercises designed to attack measure 74 (I count it as measure 75?) were extremely helpful. This was probably the most difficult measure for me. In measure 87, you spread the arpeggios between both hands. This was something I had totally overlooked for some reason. I look forward to playing through these again. I will probably find more ideas to use. I realize that in two years I really just learned the piece but never really practiced it. So, thank you for your work. Great job!

[@pianomosaic]

Hi Scott, thanks for this inspiring comment! We seem to have different measure numbers but I think I understood which parts you meant. This piece is nice to come back to as it grows on you over time. And I think it rewards you for the effort you put into it.

[@pianomosaic]

It's finally here. Sorry it took so long to make.

[@adriankornblum1874]

Gut Ding will Weile haben 😃 amazing video as always, im going to order the pdf right away, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us 😄 im still desperately hoping for a similar pdf for scarbo, but obviously it will steal way more of your time given the complexity of the piece...anyway thanks a lot and stay healthy 🍀😃

[@pianomosaic]

@@adriankornblum1874 Thanks Adrian! I'm afraid with Scarbo there's an additional problem: I got a bit burned out with the piece while practicing it for the performance video. But I did make some notes of some of the tricks I used. There are some very unusual fingerings for example.

[@adriankornblum1874]

@@pianomosaic I would love to get those notes as soon as possible 🤣 im practicing it too right now and I could use some of your ideas probably, for Ondine they were of trendemous help for sure, even if they are just some quickly written down sketches or something

[@pianomosaic]

@@adriankornblum1874 I'll take another look and see if it's usable at all. Notes like that are usually only for oneself to remember...

[@GB-mi5he]

You are an exceptional teacher, and your lack of tension in your technique should be noted by everyone. I love this piece, and I can't wait to learn it with some additional guidance from you.

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks for your encouragement!

[@TuanNguyen-ir5re]

I love your video so much. Especially the 5:45 part. The way you break down the piece and analyze help me a lot.

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks that's good to know. I almost deleted that part. I was very unsure whether to include it.

[@Antonioparanoid]

I ve just started to study this difficult piece and suddenly this video has been uploaded, thank you!!

[@reyesfreudenthalpablo8457]

This is so helpful. I’ve been looking for something like this for months. Thank you man!

[@apolozorb3649]

Thank you for a great video. I randomly stumbled upon your channel. My plan is to study a few scarlatti sonatas like mad to up my technique ,then devote myself to this truly wonderful piece

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks. You might also try some Debussy as a preparation for this. He wrote quite a few smaller pieces in a similar style that are really beautiful.

[@tapedeckhorror]

which ones if you wouldn’t mind sharing?

[@wholemilky]

Hell yeah! I've been waiting for this one. Thank you so much man!

[@Wuozlinga]

Dang your videos not only help me get better at a piece but they’re also a motivation boost in and of themselves. Great, great content.

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks Lukas! A very welcome comment.

[@tommytomtomful98]

This is gonna be a hard one but you've helped me get confident in the beginning! Thanks!

[@pianomosaic]

You're welcome. Good luck!

[@maxchapuis6256]

I was waiting for this video for more than 1 year. I'll watch it later and give my thoughts. Thanks a lot for your sharing.

[@giovannakarenvagata407]

Grazie mille for this helpful video, I am just starting to study this beautiful and challenging piece!

[@WebPowner]

Your content is top notch and original.

[@simonkwong5380]

Thank you Adrian for uploading this very helpful clip.

[@neonwind]

Beautiful, making practice into a fun game.

[@apcerosa6734]

Very helpful tutorial. Would love to see a video on Vers la Flamme also.

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks. I never learned Vers la Flamme but it's a very cool piece though!

[@eliseantys2040]

What a coincidence,I had heard your interpret before,and then I saw your name for this tutorial, it's not a surprise after all,like my first piano teacher said,you can't cheat with music 🙏, anyway,I hope I'll be able to master this piece someday

[@thomasalempijevic7592]

Great content, really relevant advices! will practice those ASAP

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks Thomas. I hope it helps.

[@BuddyDean]

Thank you! I learned this piece during pandemic and can now play through it, but now I will go back and look at your exercises to fine tune some areas. My next goal is "Jeax d'Eau" so I've looked at your video on that and I'll try some of your ideas and techniques for sure!

[@Zafarrrrrrrrr]

you are a god in my eyes

[@pianomosaic]

I'll try not to let that go to my head ;) But you're not the first to tell me that so... Seriously though we are all god actually.

[@MaximBesgatschew]

​@@pianomosaicTheosophy moment SCRIABIN

[@xqchen2426]

How beautiful. I wish I had the skills to play this piece.

[@xqchen2426]

I started practicing this piece! love this video, such helpful tips. what a gem🩵

[@Chachboon1]

What a lovely guide. Never considered using the LH for the second quaver in the opening. I think Ravel being as meticulous as he was would have specified LH if he wanted it that way, but I’m all for whatever makes it sound best! Definitely going to try this…!

[@pianomosaic]

Hey thanks Chris! Yes you're right. Ravel tended to write things to be played in a particular way and I'm sure this would not have liked this alternative.

[@Chachboon1]

Tried it. Love it. Much more even arpeggios. All DIScredit to my left hand! 😂

[@pianomosaic]

@@Chachboon1 I know how you feel - the bittersweet taste of progress by workaround ;) That's one reason I practiced the op 10 no 1 with the left hand. I was so fed up with the left hand being so much worse than the right hand.

[@aylin534]

Thank you for working on my favorite song!!!!

[@user-by5ok4te2k]

Omg thankyou for sharing your efforts!!! Next week is my first lesson with this piece.. and those fingerings will make my teacher think that i agonized 100days and contrived this fingerings hahahaha anyway thankyou again!

[@pianomosaic]

Cool thx. See if they work for you. Fingerings can be very individual.

[@panagiotismauropoulos5495]

THANK U THANK U THANKU SM

[@Scriabinfan593]

Yeah this piece is beyond me for now.

[@nimmt1173]

Thank you so much for this❤

[@michaeltravisano3321]

Thank you sooo much - this is super helpful and so very well done. _/\_

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks I'm glad it helps!

[@markjuarez6469]

I’ve been waiting for this one!!!

[@niilohiltunen1716]

thank you for the video! much appreciated

[@pianomosaic]

You're welcome! Hope it helps.

[@kingmercyrayne503]

Superb.

[@pagorami5253]

im so intimidated by this piece

[@1990brien]

@10:30 in use my left hand to play the g, where you use 2nd finger on right.. not sure where I picked it up though..

[@pianomosaic]

Interesting. Certainly worth a try. thx.

[@Zdrange03]

Outstanding video! Jealous of your 5-2 octaves capability ^^ Out of curiosity what keyboard do you use in that video?

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks! This is on a KAWAI ES 8 but with Garritan CFX concert grand virtual instrument. The latter is what makes it sound the way it does.

[@androidkenobi]

Hi! I noticed there's a note that's lower than what normal pianos can go (the measure after the 2nd big wave, ~ 4:30 ...not actually on screen, but after there)... Assuming the score is correct (i checked several and they all have it), and google tells me the first bosendorfer imperial (the one w extra bass notes) was built in 1909, and that Ravel composed miroirs around 1905/6... What's going on here?? Thank u for any input

[@pianomosaic]

I don't remember that happening in this piece but I've noticed in Scarbo there are notes that seem like they should be lower than the piano can usually go. And I've heard or read the idea that one could play them lower with the Bösendorfer extension. But failing that, play the lowest available notes. Down there, the notes are harder to distinguish from one another anyway. I suggest you just try it and see how it sounds. If you can't go lower then you don't have much choice anyway.

[@sarahedward557]

Hi Adrian, Thank you so much for this. I just finished learning Jeux d'eau. Is this piece considerably harder? It's such a beautiful piece. Any feedback is appreciated.

[@pianomosaic]

Hi Sarah, as far as I can remember I think this is bigger and more demanding to interpret but technically it has less virtuosic elements. If you managed Jeux d'eau you'll surely also manage this. The biggest difficulty ultimately comes from your own expectations.

[@leoshmu]

Would love some tips on the introduction where the arpegio includes a G that is held and then C to E. Any tips to bring out the beautiful melody out of the arpegio?

[@pianomosaic]

You mean the G# C# and E? Do you have trouble playing them louder while keeping the arpeggio pp ? I might have some ideas for dealing with that. Or is it something else?

[@leoshmu]

@@pianomosaic yes, not just louder but confused how to hold them longer than the other notes in the arpeggio. I got your suggested practicing document but would love to know the suggested fingers for the g# in the arpegio in particular

[@pianomosaic]

@@leoshmu Ah thanks. Well I don't think anyone tries to hold the keys down for their notated duration or if that's even possible. We rely on pedal to sustain them. You just have to be careful when you change pedal so you don't accidentally cut them short. As for playing louder, try playing just the notes of that motif (G# C# - G# C# - ... G# C# E) a bit louder than you'd like by themselves. Then do this while only touching the keys of the arpeggio pattern as if you're playing them to except the keys aren't going down and one can only hear the G# C# motif. Then after you've gotten used to that, just start allowing some of the arpeggio notes to be heard but very quietly. As if you didn't mean to play them but they accidentally came (odds are this happened a lot earlier anyway). Then just fill the gaps if there are any left.

[@leoshmu]

@@pianomosaic Perfect! I was wondering if one would try to play the g# with the thumb and then hold it down while bringing the pinky up and then keeping it depressed with the pinky:)

[@pianomosaic]

@@leoshmu Oh boy that's even more extreme than some of my contortions ;)

[@TheEnglishQuail]

in the 3/4 section you show at 2:33, how does this add up to 3 big beats? Beat one is the first 8 32nd notes which are barred together, beat two is the Ab descending arpeggio, beat 3 doesnt add up. If beat 3 is supposed to be felt in triple, do i just speed it up or what? Is it less about the math and more about just fitting the notes in the same length of time? Playing this for a wedding.

[@pianomosaic]

Yes the Ab major arpeggio over beats two and three has "too many" notes to fit as just 32nd notes. So you have to play them a little bit faster and, if you make them precise, that results in them not aligning with the left hand 8th notes. But I doubt anyone plays them precisely let alone that anyone would hear the difference if they did.

[@calvinyoung5199]

if i was to start playing. which i have never touched a piano. how long would it take me to learn the first minute of the song. Hehehe I’m expecting a couple year long challenge but if i just practiced this part of that piece how long would it take?

[@pianomosaic]

Oh boy that's really hard to say. It's also a very unusual first piece. But the first minute is probably the most approachable part. I'm sure it can be done but it probably will be very hard to get it to sound good. So the question really is how well do you want to be able to play it? If you just want to be able to muddle through it with no concern for accuracy or fluency, then you could probably learn it faster than one would expect. But if you have high aims for quality then - well I'll tell you when I've managed that.

[@alonmarko1228]

thank you so much for this, very helpful.. are u familiar with bartok etudes?

[@pianomosaic]

Thanks. I know them but haven't played any.

[@Stroggdorr]

So for the very first measure, how exactly do you count the beats in the treble clef? I am just not getting how to read this as 2/4 or 6/8

[@pianomosaic]

Yeah it is confusing. I think there's only one way that makes sense to me: Treat it as 2/4 and the second quarter has triplet 8th notes even though it's not marked that way. The way it's aligned with the 32nd notes of the left hand is the clue. You can also just learn it that way: Learn the left hand and keep the run the same speed and just play the right hand 8th notes at the time they're written over the left hand.

[@kevinhartmemes3821]

You should try practicing Chopin's etude op 10 no 11

[@pianomosaic]

That's a lovely etude!

[@user-vp1fy8rq6s]

Pleeeeaase do reflets dans l’eau or poissons d’or

[@forestfaerie-wk5ku]

can you give a full tutorial for this

[@pianomosaic]

What do you mean by a full tutorial?

[@nbkvelocity1327]

@@pianomosaicsomething like what @pianosecrets does

[@nbkvelocity1327]

@@pianomosaiche means like a pianosecrets tutorial

[@pianomosaic]

@@nbkvelocity1327 I see. I've always assumed that people learning repertoire like this don't typically struggle with learning the notes but rather the polishing process. I'll think about doing such tutorials in the future but not sure how much demand there is. I certainly have some ideas on how to learn pieces faster.

[@christiaanvantol180]

00:33

[@corinnakelley3285]

0:53

[@handledav]

y

[@pianoforterim]

0:30