Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum How do I get the most out of practicing scales

You have been quoting from Chopin's own words. The link you provided appears to involve anecdotes by his students and acquaintances. Is it the same book you have been quoting? I have become interested in this book that you quote frequently, which is why I asked its name - also assuming others would be equally interested.

:p I think you are mistaking me for someone else!

Not necessarily go together. Yes, ok.

If we had the data however, I would guess there are more accomplished classical pianists who have studied and can play their scales well then those who have not or cannot. I would also guess that those who jump into repertoire over their head without building a base technique will have risked developing more bad habits including holding excess tension, not applying natural movements, spending 3 years learning the same great romantic concerto, not to mention potentially acquiring their technique more slowly.

Some of my favorite quotes come from Sandor:

"Practicing must be purposeful, not automatic and mechanical, and it must be consciously controlled by the mind.

"The purpose of practice is to establish the right habits"

"Musicianship and technique are inseperable. However, technique precedes art."

"In order to develop a good technique, the student and performer must learn and master the basic motion patterns--that is, he must make them an innate part of his physical movements. The practicing of technique is nothing other than the process of assimilating motion patterns through repetition. Once our motion habits have been correctly and firmly acquired, a need to practice technique no longer exists. All we need to do is apply these motion patterns to our repertory."

(All quotes from "On Piano Playing: motion, sound & expression" by Gyorgy Sandor)

The Journey,

I definitely agree on Sandor. His book was highly influential to me...more so than Liemer or Whiteside.

You entire post is straightforward and makes a lot of sense.

Well put

The bit about the impossibility of achieving(and the lack of necessity) for absolute evenness of tone and the statement that each finger has its own color is from Chopin's unfinished Method for the piano. He willed the manuscript to Alkan. If I'm not mistaken it's reproduced in the Chopin as Seen by his Pupils book.

Thank you, Frycek.
KS

I don't agree. His attitude is symptomatic of a western industrial way of thinking. Much of it goes back to Collingwood and the search for an artist vs craftsman paradigm. I have never learnt any 'basic motion patterns' outside of pieces. Neither have I ever had to teach them outside of music. Can't you see it has Henry Ford written all over it?

Go take a tennis or golf lesson

I've had golf lessons and...?

Wow, I'm agreeing with KBK again. That's twice in one day! Scary

I would so appreciate hearing a youtube performance of several of KBK and Morodiene's students who are "making art" (by playing the piano) without first "having technique".

You two must be doing something quite amazing with these kids!

You're a bit inscrutable there TJ. What are you looking for? Don't worry Morodienne - the truth is scary.

In response to original post-- didn't read rest of thread sorry.

My teacher had me practice scales up and down the piano, at least four octaves, LH and RH, and also do them in staccato and marcato and legato.