chopine etudes - speed

[lisztener]

I am currently practicing chopin 25 1 now, but i wonder how to make it work without creating tension. I've sitten and playing it and memorized it, and  i practice each hand separatly as always. Slowly it's ok, but when i try to get each hand up to speed I don't have the time to relax until the next time each finger plays, but i do my best. Right now my arms are acheing and i dont now how to practice in order to avoid it. My dream is to play la campanella and all the chopin etudes, but it all seems so hopeless...   Is there a possibility you think, or is there something wrong with my hands? seriously all hands must be different. I've played op 10 nr 9, rach prelude in c minor,  and passepied of debussy. Those are the two most technically demanding pieces i've played so far.  Ecactly what am i supposed to do to get it up to speed? I've been working on 25 1 for a couple of weeks.
Hope u know what I should do.   Take care!

[bench warmer]

 
The easiest experiment to try is changing you posture by either moving your position closer or further from the piano. Try also vertical displacement. See if any of those changes decrease the torque in your arms.

Perhaps also you just need to develop the  muscles in your wrists & hands more.

Good luck

[monsieurrenard]

The easiest experiment to try is changing you posture by either moving your position closer or further from the piano. Try also vertical displacement. See if any of those changes decrease the torque in your arms.

Perhaps also you just need to develop the  muscles in your wrists & hands more.

Good luck

For one, changing position is a good idea, but not a solution, and for two, their are no muscles in the wrists and fingers, so no.

Playing with tension means you have bad technique. You could be able to play all the TEs flawlessly and still have bad technique. You need to do something radical about it, NOW, if you want to keep playing the piano.

First, if you have a piano teacher, tell her about it. If she tells you pain is normal, get a new teacher. It is perfectly normal to feel a little sore and tired, but not pain!

You have to train your arms to relax at the tiniest occasion. For the 25/1, try this:
Play one group of 4 notes at speed and the next note, stop and relax, play the next group, stop and relax, etc... Then do this with 8 notes at a time. Gradually you will get better and better at relaxing in shorts amount of time.

-Monsieur Le Renard.