|
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
|
|
71 members (Abdulrohmanoman, Charles Cohen, accordeur, BWV846, Animisha, benkeys, Anglagard44, 14 invisible),
2,335
guests, and
433
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088
7000 Post Club Member
|
OP
7000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088 |
LostWoods -- you raise a good point - we get distracted and focus on the wrong thing! FarmGirl --You made me laugh....I wouldn't get dressed up for my plants either, but I might, just to please myself ... But really ...."decline in raw material" lol...Too funny ! I've only played in public once - and I was rather nervous. I have played at home, or at a friend's home with buddies, but my "live performances" are few and far between, so I can't really compare. Bobpickle: you posted at the same time I was writing. Thanks for the link! Taking into consideration the advice I've had here and what my teacher suggested, yesterday I worked at figuring out what my "comfortable speed" was for the two pieces I wanted to record, and I got the metronome settings , and wrote them on the scores. Then I just played the metronome and hummed the piece to myself for a few minutes, and then I started the recording. It worked fabulously!!!!!! I didn't feel at all nervous, I could feel I was breathing with the phrasing, able to think about what I was doing and prepare in time, comfortablyl. I did have a couple of little glitches but they were more of the "slipping off the key" type rather than a "mistake". I was so very very pleased. What I realized was different was that I was in control.
Last edited by casinitaly; 03/28/13 05:17 PM.
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,610
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,610 |
Cheryl, I think you nailed it. My old teacher used to tell me "don't let your fingers control music. You are going to be ahead if the music not the fingers". I think she meant the same thing that we should be in control.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088
7000 Post Club Member
|
OP
7000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088 |
Cheryl, I think you nailed it. My old teacher used to tell me "don't let your fingers control music. You are going to be ahead if the music not the fingers". I think she meant the same thing that we should be in control. I think so too FarnGirl, (and thanks!) .... It was really quite a novel sensation. I suspect my focus was better simply because I'd found the right tempo for me and I actually had TIME to think about what I was doing, whereas before I was rushing it and therefore losing it. I'm dying to try out this new approach with more pieces and see how things go!
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 120
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 120 |
But how does being in control go with "letting go" what I heard teachers/players say too.. They say you should not think about the keys and notes but just play and let go if you know what I mean. Like you're in some kind of flow. Cause being in control sounds very like knowing exactly what you are doing while letting go sounds more like letting your subconscious take over.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,712
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,712 |
At the moment I wouldn't be able to focus cos my kids are making far too much noise! And no school for 2 weeks! There goes my daytime practice...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,610
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,610 |
But how does being in control go with "letting go" what I heard teachers/players say too.. They say you should not think about the keys and notes but just play and let go if you know what I mean. Like you're in some kind of flow. Cause being in control sounds very like knowing exactly what you are doing while letting go sounds more like letting your subconscious take over. I think this is a great question that might deserve its own thread. For me "letting go" means letting go of myself or my inner voice and becoming one with the music. It does not mean that you will sit back and enjoy the ride while your fingers do the magic. It's the state of mind where you don't think about what others might think, your shaking fingers or mistakes you just made. You are more focused on telling the story that's woven throught the piece. Since you no longer cnscious about yourself, you aren't bashful about express the emotion contained in the music. So you go all the way - you will give fortissimo not a chicken poop mezzo forte. If you feel sadness from the music, again, your focus should be communicating the sadness. Control is given since we cannot make music as we like without it. If you don't have control, our performance is left to chance. I hope it makes sense. I now have to go to bed.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088
7000 Post Club Member
|
OP
7000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088 |
I agree with FarmGirl -- and I would just add that before you get to the point where you can let go, you've got to be intimately familiar with what you're doing. I've hit that a couple of times with some of my short jazzy pieces, but not often overall.
FarmGirl: I love one of your lines so much I'm putting it in my siggy!
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,572
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,572 |
I'd recommend life style change. A hunter-gatherer diet suits me best. Yeah, as long as you buy it at a convenient whole foods boutique!
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,394
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,394 |
But how does being in control go with "letting go" what I heard teachers/players say too.. They say you should not think about the keys and notes but just play and let go if you know what I mean. Like you're in some kind of flow. Cause being in control sounds very like knowing exactly what you are doing while letting go sounds more like letting your subconscious take over. You have to know "the keys and notes" and everything to do with playing the piece inside in out first. Only once it's all so ingrained in your mind that you can play all the right notes and everything perfectly without little-to-no thought can you "let go" in your playing/performing and focus completely on the music. It's like telling someone to play with their head and not their fingers, only playing with the fingers is a prerequisite (not that it can't or shouldn't be unmusical).
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,206
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,206 |
But how does being in control go with "letting go" what I heard teachers/players say too.. They say you should not think about the keys and notes but just play and let go if you know what I mean. Like you're in some kind of flow. Cause being in control sounds very like knowing exactly what you are doing while letting go sounds more like letting your subconscious take over. I think this is a great question that might deserve its own thread. For me "letting go" means letting go of myself or my inner voice and becoming one with the music. It does not mean that you will sit back and enjoy the ride while your fingers do the magic. It's the state of mind where you don't think about what others might think, your shaking fingers or mistakes you just made. You are more focused on telling the story that's woven throught the piece. Since you no longer cnscious about yourself, you aren't bashful about express the emotion contained in the music. So you go all the way - you will give fortissimo not a chicken poop mezzo forte. If you feel sadness from the music, again, your focus should be communicating the sadness. Control is given since we cannot make music as we like without it. If you don't have control, our performance is left to chance. I hope it makes sense. I now have to go to bed. Letting go of ourselves is letting go of our autonomic mind. Taking control is, taking control with our heart's mind. Our autonomic mind is part of our base existence. Part of our nervous system. It can copy perfectly. Has no morals. It's where our ego exists. It's where "wanting" comes from. Has succeeded in controlling our hearts. Our very existence. It constantly is trying to keep us in a parrot mentality. This is what we need to evolve from. Our heart's mind is wrapped within our soul. It is where we consider. Create morals. It is where we love. Our heart's mind considers not itself. Is not worried about obtaining or wanting. Only giving to others. When we evolve above the autonomic mind and into our heart's mind. We can discover heaven on earth. To let go of ourselves is to let go of our autonomic mind. The autonomic mind is to be disciplined. It is to obey the heart. While it fights constantly to take control of the heart. It comes up quickly with parrot mentality to convince the heart to give into it. When that is a finite road. It will always error in the end. In the book; The Art of Practicing. Also from Scott Sonnon. Both speak of flow. It is something Scott works on very much. You can obtain this. How? By disciplining the autonomic mind, body, nervous system. It is something many people experience in different things. They stumble upon it. We often call it talent. When we can obtain it. In The Art of Practicing. She says to play as if you are going to die tomorrow. This is letting go of yourself. Letting your heart take over. I'd also like to add.... Cas... I'm just starting in the book: Mikrokosmos. It is exercises for songs. Where a person has to work on obtaining something new in playing. This first book I have ends with Canon. Working exercises for different passages. I'm only on the first page and find it great for me. There are five more books. All working on more difficult parts of more difficult songs. My teacher also really likes this series of books.
Ron Your brain is a sponge. Keep it wet. Mary Gae George The focus of your personal practice is discipline. Not numbers. Scott Sonnon
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,272
6000 Post Club Member
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,272 |
In the old days, some recordings were done in one take, but now no one does that, . Recording to phonograph disc (and before that cylinder) was always done in one take. They had no way to edit. Magnetic tape recording was invented in Germany during WWII, and could be cut and spliced, but only in silent places, or you'd get a pop. Les Paul developed multi-track recording and fading between tracks in the early 50's, but he had to record each track all the way through. Then in 1957, Glen Glenn patented the bias fade process that allowed punching in on an existing track without the pop.
-- J.S. Knabe Grand # 10927 Yamaha CP33 Kawai FS690
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 935
500 Post Club Member
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 935 |
I'm trying to record 2 pieces. No, make that I WAS trying to record. I gave up after repeated botch-ups.
Most of the errors were in the second half of the pieces, often near the end. Sometimes, I have no doubt, because of the thought that creeps into my mind "ah, I think I'm going to make it"... and then it crumbles.
I don't seem to be able to sustain focus - and let's face it- my pieces are NOT long and complicated. They're just right for my ability.
What are techniques you use for improving your focus and concentration. Clearly I'm missing something.
grrrrrr.
Suggestions very welcome!!
___________________________________________________________ I have thought about this problem.
remember lots of people sing while playing. the other thing is if you count from 1 to whatever quietly while you play, you will learn to focus on your playing and counting and it will distract you from your red dot issue.
Another option is to play to anybody who will listen while you put the phone down and play anything which will give you experience of playing for other people even on the telephone.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,065
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,065 |
Michael 99, I am not that experienced enough to comment much but I have the same problem. However if I relentlessly work on a piece (and I can only do small ones at the moment) it will eventually get to the point where it is finished. As every new piece I attempt is throwing up a challenge it seems to take a very long time for the physical and mental absobtion and implementation to come forth. Another idea and I am yet to really try this one out but have read about is to clear the mind before playing. A little like starting to meditate clearing the hustle and bustle of the brain I think must be what great pianists are able to do, and therefore are not so easily distracted.
Surprisingly easy, barely an inconvenience. Kawai K8 & Kawai Novus NV10 13x
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,394
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,394 |
Michael, you don't have to copy and paste in order to quote people. There's a "Quote" button at the bottom of everyone's posts you can click which brings you to a new reply screen with their whole message quoted for you to reply to. When you don't do this, people may get confused (especially when you divide the message with several consecutive underscores, which just makes your "response" look like your everyday average personal signature).
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,065
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,065 |
Michael, you don't have to copy and paste in order to quote people. Hey Bobpickle, glad I found that as I had been wondering how people were able to quote so easily - old dumb me
Surprisingly easy, barely an inconvenience. Kawai K8 & Kawai Novus NV10 13x
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088
7000 Post Club Member
|
OP
7000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088 |
I have thought about this problem.
remember lots of people sing while playing. the other thing is if you count from 1 to whatever quietly while you play, you will learn to focus on your playing and counting and it will distract you from your red dot issue.
Another option is to play to anybody who will listen while you put the phone down and play anything which will give you experience of playing for other people even on the telephone.
Michael, I do appreciate your thoughts on this matter. I've read a lot of your posts, and you have a marvellous connection with your music and the poetry it brings to your soul. I love your idea for playing for folks, even over the phone! I am not sure that I'd do it by phone, but you know it could be great by skype with my family! Thanks for the idea. As for singing - I can see that would work with some pieces - but for most of my pieces I am not sure ...I think that added step might be an extra distraction. I'll have to try it and see how it works. The counting is something that I only ever do when I have to figure out how to play something initially, and generally only very tricky parts. I rarely consciously count, and particularly in a recording I think that would really distract me. By the time I get to the point where I want to record, I have to be well over need to count consciously. EarlofMar - the clearing your mind before starting is something I'm working on - with a bit of success. I'm hoping to improve on that with time!
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
|
|
|
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
|
|
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,405
Posts3,349,434
Members111,637
|
Most Online15,252 Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|