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Our brains are amazing
Sep. 20th, 2022 06:12 pmI have to play for a funeral next week. This is forcing me to dig into repertoire I haven't attempted since my foot infection last spring. My use of my left foot to play the pedals is reduced by about 1/3 to 1/2. I can play most of the 'white note' pedals with my heel, but the lowest half octave is challenging; and the only black keys I can play (with my toe) are the Bb and C# near the middle of the pedal board.
There's still stuff I can't play... anything in 2 or more flats, for example. (Sharp keys are easier because of where the sharps fall harmonically.) But there's a lot I can play, with some adaptation, and I'm amazed at how quickly I'm figuring out the adaptation. I was very good at pedaling; figuring out a line with my feet was similar to knowing which finger to play notes with on the keyboards. I've been playing hymns for a few weeks now, and I already have a sense that I've processed a new algorithm for playing pedal lines; picking up a note with the right foot, as written or an octave higher, comes quite naturally.
There's still stuff I can't play... anything in 2 or more flats, for example. (Sharp keys are easier because of where the sharps fall harmonically.) But there's a lot I can play, with some adaptation, and I'm amazed at how quickly I'm figuring out the adaptation. I was very good at pedaling; figuring out a line with my feet was similar to knowing which finger to play notes with on the keyboards. I've been playing hymns for a few weeks now, and I already have a sense that I've processed a new algorithm for playing pedal lines; picking up a note with the right foot, as written or an octave higher, comes quite naturally.
