George Dennehy is a multi-instrumentalist and singer. He was born without arms and uses his feet to play guitar, bass guitar, piano, and cello. I recently had the opportunity to chat with George about his guitar technique. George started playing the cello when he was seven years old. He studied with Jennifer Petry, a Suzuki string … Continue reading Guitar Technique with George Dennehy
Innovative Techniques
Divide and Conquer
Today I started learning Liszt’s O quand je dors to play with a friend. As I sightread the piece and began to write in fingerings, I split up an arpeggio between my hands. Easy. I arrived at my solution instantly; it is second nature to me now. Yet I didn’t always know how to divide … Continue reading Divide and Conquer
Hot Jazz: Fingers Working Overtime
Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) was one of the world’s greatest guitarists. His improvisations and compositions have inspired jazz and popular music guitarists for decades. Fortunately, Django recorded extensively during his short life; he made over 900 sides of 78-RPM records between 1928 and 1953. Listen to one of Django’s solos and you will marvel at his … Continue reading Hot Jazz: Fingers Working Overtime
Sliding Around
Playing piano is all about illusion. Playing piano with a limb difference is all about illusion and resourcefulness. If you need to do the work of ten fingers with fewer than ten fingers, it makes sense that each finger will have to play more notes in compensation. Depending on your limb difference, there … Continue reading Sliding Around
It All Started Here
I kneeled on the sofa, my elbows crossed over the armrest, my neck craned forward, my eyes glued to the piano. Emily was having a piano lesson and I had been invited to watch. As my best friend learned new melodies and chords, I moved my fingers simultaneously, imagining what it might be like to … Continue reading It All Started Here
