|
47 members (Bellyman, ColoRodney, benkeys, bcalvanese, butchkoch, brdwyguy, 1957, 36251, Beowulf, 9 invisible),
1,333
guests, and
258
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 48
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 48 |
I've been recently practicing with my eyes closed and find it really helps my hearing and listening skills. Just being able to concentrate only on the sound and what I'm doing musically.
I play jazz and improvise on the tunes heavily. Taking away your sight makes you so much more aware.
It may take a while to get used to the fingering and finding keys on the piano solely by feel, but it forces you to hear the song.
I'd like to hear if other people have tried it and their experiences.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,803
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,803 |
I find myself closing my eyes without thinking about it when I'm really feeling the music. It happens more frequently when I sing and accompany myself on piano.
It does help me focus more totally on the sound, both piano and voice.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 562
500 Post Club Member
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 562 |
I don't actually need to close my eyes. But I often semi-close my eyes or look up from the keyboard when playing particular passages. When I have reached that state in my playing I know I am well on the way to knowing the music. Although I am very interested in jazz I play Liszt and Chopin pieces I know in the dark. As Chopin put it in advice to his pupils: As soon as you know a piece from memory, then practise it at night in the dark. When the eyes can see neither notes nor keys, only then does the hearing function with all its sensitivity. Nothing is more detestable than music without hidden meaning.
It don't mean a ting if it don't have dat swing
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,124
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,124 |
I do close my eyes to test my pieces but I'm not necessarily trying to listen harder. I'm just adding a different element to my practice.
rada
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 203
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 203 |
I think closing my eyes definitely allows me to get deeper into the music. I'd say i do it more often when playing by myself. I'd also say that players who always close their eyes in a group setting can be frustrating if you also rely on visual cues within a tune. When playing in a group i think it is important to make visual contact with the other players as well as keeping your ears as wide open as possible.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,242
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,242 |
2-piano performances usually also require extensive eye-contact. But at the big ragtime festival in Sedalia, MO a month and a half ago a couple of performers, as a stunt, did a 2-piano Maple Leaf blind folded. I haven't dumped that tape yet but I think I caught it on video.
Howard
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 27
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 27 |
I play with my eyes closed when I'm composing in order to get more "into" the music and shut out all disturbances. I also close them during practice to enhance my ability to quickly find the right keys by muscle memory (how far to move my hand/arm, etc.). I like the quote from Chopin. Thanks for sharing it with us.
DL33 Time passes too quickly. Follow your dreams.
|
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,395
Posts3,349,366
Members111,634
|
Most Online15,252 Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|