Why I play better in the morning or after taking shower?

[nyonyo]

Hi All,

I notice that I can play all the trill in Mozart Sonatas when I just wake up in the morning or after taking shower? In the middle of the day, my fingers seem cannot move.
Is this normal?

[amelialw]

maybe because you feel refreshed 

[b0mbtrack]

i go through the same thing.  after a long day of work i can't just sit down and play i have to shower first then my mind is refreshed.

[kard]

I go through the same thing..
I think its because when you just wake up with the intention of playing, your body remembers proper poster and muscle use. But after walking all day with a backpack on one..or both of your shoulders  , it becomes hard to suddenly switch back to ' piano mode.' One suggestion would be to try and find a way to relax before practicing...(which i have yet to do  ) maybe ill try the shower thing ^^
   

[nyonyo]

so it is normal then!! or normal for people who get old? 

I am preparing for a competition (old people competition), I am afraid that my fingers will NOT be able to move if the competition is in the night. I have problem doing fast trills in the night, but in the morning I can excute trills flawlessly....Therefore, I know that my muscle can do it, but only in the morning.

[thalberg]

so it is normal then!! or normal for people who get old? 

I am preparing for a competition (old people competition), I am afraid that my fingers will NOT be able to move if the competition is in the night. I have problem doing fast trills in the night, but in the morning I can excute trills flawlessly....Therefore, I know that my muscle can do it, but only in the morning.

I know what it is.  It's that you probably take warm/hot showers.  When your whole body is warm, your fingers move way faster.  It also helps that showers are a relaxing experience.  I play extremely fast after lying in bed for a long time on a Saturday morning.  The warmth/ relaxation thing has the same effect there.

[Bob]

Sounds interesting.

You've got it narrowed down to two or three things.  Figure out which ones make a difference.

Is it the sleeping?  For how long?  Or is just lying down on your back?

The warmth?

Would running your hands under warm water help?  I've heard that one from a lot of people. 

Is it something that can be learned?  Can you get your body to reproduce that effect at will?  Is it just the next step in being relaxed but still having control?

Is it just the body or does it have to do with a fresh mind too?


If you know you perform better in the morning can you use that to your advantage?  Can you schedule your performance during the morning?  Can you "recreate" your morning during the actual evening time?  Take a nap and a shower before the evening performance?  If you know the performance time, it helps to practice performing at that time of course.

Can you fix it before the performance?  Is it worth worrying about?  Is it something you can tackle in the long term, after the performance?... Which means it probably won't be there for this performance though.

[pianochick93]

I know that I can't play pretty much anything at a decent speed when my hands are cold. In the winter, I wear gloves except for when I play piano, so that my hands aren't cold.

They just freeze up and move jerkily.

[georgethemusicalme]

i've noticed the same thing happening to me but ALL THE TIME!!! do you know any way of stopping getting really cold hands while playing???

[anna_crusis]

I too have problems when my hands are cold. In winter I run them under hot water for a while before playing, but they still get cold again after about 20 minutes. If you can keep the rest of your body warm though it helps - cold hands aren't so bad by themselves.

Can't say I have any problems at any other time though. Tiredness only affects my concentration, not my fingers.

Problems with muscle co-ordination can also be caused by toxins in one's environment - if your house (and yourself) is loaded with chemicals then that can have a very detrimental effect on your entire wellbeing.