Piano Exam HELP!

[db05]

Like I said in my other thread, I have exams at the end of the month and I'm at a loss on how to study for it. Lately, my piano playing has been awful, even for pieces I've played before. I really need help on these pieces now! This week is my last meeting with my teacher, from there I'm on my own. 

I have to play:
Kuhlau Sonatina in C Op. 20 No. 1 - complete
Bach - Bouree in Em or Musette in D
Chopin - Waltz in Ab "L'adieu" or Prelude in Db "Raindrop"
Czerny - one piece from Op. 599

My progress has been excruciatingly slow and I feel like throwing the piano out the window sometimes... For example, I had been studying the Kuhlau since late September, and it's still not complete. I have been studying for 2 years now.
Please listen to the 1st mvt here:

WARNING: loud audio and distorted piano, turn down the volume by 1/2 at least

[loonbohol]

Take MEMO plus.
My suggestion.

[db05]

Take MEMO plus.
My suggestion.

Might counteract with my medications. 

[go12_3]

db  I know this sonatina very well   Just be sure to keep the melody light and at times the left hand light   Alternating with more smooth passages
You will do just fine in your exams and good luck       mom go

[lostinidlewonder]

db your arms move too much, but i cant help you without being there with you. Your knees look like they are not under the keyboard either a little too far away? Also sitting too flat you should be more at the edge of the seat. And that is a strange looking piano stool Musically you got most of it down anyway which is harder than the technical aspect sometimes it is nice to slow down slightly at the end of phrases to allow the listener to observe the end of a part and the start of another. The playing is too loud for your the sensitivity level that has been set for your microphone, that is why you get those ugly loud distortions throughout the recording.

[db05]

db your arms move too much, but i cant help you without being there with you. Your knees look like they are not under the keyboard either a little too far away? Also sitting too flat you should be more at the edge of the seat. And that is a strange looking piano stool Musically you got most of it down anyway which is harder than the technical aspect.

Thanks, you went through that torture huh.  The benches are usually too high for my taste so I use the chair. Sitting closer is okay. I just don't know what to do with the hands! Hard to control the fingers.

Music is easy, technique has always been hardest for me, it's so frustrating!

The playing is too loud for your the sensitivity level that has been set for your microphone, that is why you get those ugly loud distortions throughout the recording.

Dead on. The (cheap) camera doesn't have any volume settings, and I have no idea how to tweak the audio with the computer. Plus the pianos here suck majorly.

[pianowolfi]

Actually I think you should not feel too bad about your progress, it's quite okay for 2 years of studies. I agree with lostin that it looks like you are sitting too far away from the piano and also a bit too low, in my book. Of course it's difficult to tell from a video, but to me it seems that you use too much pressure and/or weight, that's why you have problems with the runs, because the fingers are not really free to move. All in all you tend to drop a bit too heavily into the keys, which leads to unnecessary accents in the Alberti accompaniment, it does not flow enough. Be sure to keep your wrists flexible and try to balance your weight/pressure. I think a lot of technical problems occur because we tend to "work" too much, to make too much effort in the sense of using too much force.

[db05]

Actually I think you should not feel too bad about your progress, it's quite okay for 2 years of studies.

Maybe you're right, but as it stands, I don't know how I'll complete the requirements on time. It seems as if the pieces are generally beyond me.

My own practice piano is much heavier and softer in volume than the school pianos. It takes some time before I can play the school pianos without making too much mistakes. And I guess some of the extra force is still apparent.

[csharp_minor]

Hi Db

Whooh! Thats a really grungy sounding distortion on there, it’s like a Rock version! I think you played it nicely but yeah, like what others have said I think you are sitting too far away, adjusting the way you sit can work wonders on how well you can play something from my experience. It looks like you need to put effort into keeping your arms up as you are too low and are too far from the keyboard. For me I play best when my arms / elbows feel light and relaxed as if they’re floating, if you know what I mean.

I noticed on your You Tube info that you said you are having trouble playing scales evenly, have you tried tilting your hand very slightly in the direction of the run when doing them? It helps me .

Roughly what level is that sonatina? I wouldn’t mind learning it in the near future as
I’m about a year behind you. Anyone know where I could have a quick look at the score online?

[db05]

Hi Db

Whooh! Thats a really grungy sounding distortion on there, it’s like a Rock version!

Roughly what level is that sonatina? I wouldn’t mind learning it in the near future as
I’m about a year behind you. Anyone know where I could have a quick look at the score online?

LOL! Yes, but frankly, I like that particular piano. Am a bit of a rocker, myself. 

I'm sure you would do better than I do. But why do this particular piece? It's pretty overplayed. It's in the PSF library. https://www.pianostreet.com/search/searchcollection.php?id=36 Says here it's level 5.

---

Got back from my last piano lesson. Teacher thinks I'm fine (but I doubt it). I have trouble memorizing the other pieces; don't know how I'll make it in time. Then I still need to speed up everything except Raindrop (which I prefer slow).

I've tried sitting closer, it feels fine except for pedalling, which is now more like angry stomping on the floor than stepping on a pedal. Very uncomfortable to play Chopin like that. 

Will practice more on the (other, less grungy) school pianos.

[go12_3]

Hi db,   Do what you feel is comfortable when you are seated in front of the piano.  If you feel that you are in "angry stomping"  then adjust and sit back so that the pedaling won't be bothersome.  Memorize a passage at a time, close your eyes and hear the piece in your mind.  Can you visualize the notes?  To memorize takes practicing with your mind.  Use your inner ear to hear the notes as you play your pieces.  Practice slowly with memory and make sure you know where you and your fingers are going in your pieces.  Go over the problem areas in your pieces little chunks at time.  good luck to you!   momgo  = )

[csharp_minor]

But why do this particular piece? It's pretty overplayed. It's in the PSF library.

I don't know about being better I haven't had many lessons with a piano teacher only 7 so far I mostly learn the pieces without a teacher. I didn't know it was over played. Oh well, I don't care if I like a piece I'll learn it even if its popular I'm new to it anyway.

Thanks for the link, I'm sure I could do it soonish if I take my time.

[quantum]

db, at this point if you are still feeling unsure about some of your pieces I would aim for a controlled musical interpretation rather than playing insecure pieces up to tempo.  Choose tempi that feel manageable to you where you can think more about musical expression than getting through the technical aspects.

Memorization:
Break the piece up in sections and do not practice them in order.  You have to be able to prepare yourself to start at various points in the piece if something were to happen.  Before a performance, I like practicing a piece backwards, from last phrase to the first. 

There are three channels through which we memorize:
Aural - through the ear
Visual - through the eye
Kinaesthetic - through the muscles

It is best to prepare several of these devices rather than relying on one of them for best security when performing. 



The bench:
I understand how it can feel awkward to pedal when sitting too close.  I usually find this problem with upright pianos as their pedals are positioned much nearer the player.  If you get into a comfortable position for your arms, your feet will feel awkward - and if you get into a good position for your pedalling your arms may feel too outstretched.  One reason why I prefer practicing on grands.  This aspect of many upright pianos greatly annoys me to this day. 

***

I just watched your vid.  Do you feel tightness or tenseness in your wrists when you play runs?  Do you feel like you are pushing your fingers onwards just to get through the run?

I think you need to work on releasing tension from your wrists which will enable more ability in finger articulation. 

[loonbohol]

Your piano might sound ugly.
BUt it makes your hidden problem clearer.

When playing the piano.
Make sure that your fingers actually hit the wide white area on the white key.
And not the narrow area where the white keys and the black keys meet.

It hinders speed and accuracy.

[db05]

db, at this point if you are still feeling unsure about some of your pieces I would aim for a controlled musical interpretation rather than playing insecure pieces up to tempo.  Choose tempi that feel manageable to you where you can think more about musical expression than getting through the technical aspects.

Memorization:
Break the piece up in sections and do not practice them in order.  You have to be able to prepare yourself to start at various points in the piece if something were to happen.  Before a performance, I like practicing a piece backwards, from last phrase to the first. 

Wow.  Thanks, I needed that. Interpretation seems like a better basis/ handle than mere speed, and also a more interesting study. The memorization trick is something new.

The bench:
I understand how it can feel awkward to pedal when sitting too close.  I usually find this problem with upright pianos as their pedals are positioned much nearer the player.  If you get into a comfortable position for your arms, your feet will feel awkward - and if you get into a good position for your pedalling your arms may feel too outstretched.  One reason why I prefer practicing on grands.  This aspect of many upright pianos greatly annoys me to this day. 

I just watched your vid.  Do you feel tightness or tenseness in your wrists when you play runs?  Do you feel like you are pushing your fingers onwards just to get through the run?

I think you need to work on releasing tension from your wrists which will enable more ability in finger articulation. 

LOL about the pedalling. I suppose I have to find a good compromise now. We don't have any grand pianos, not even for recitals.

Yes I feel tense on runs. It's more like I'm pushing the whole arm through the run; the truth is that I lack finger independence (at least I think so) because I only practice pieces, and with a lot of wrist movement (even in guitar).

---

All right, depending on my real medical condition I'll make it in time, or else I will be given consideration to have my exams later. Whew. I was afraid I'd die or something before passing my exams. Like I value this more than my life LOL. 

But I got a plan. LET'S DO THIS!!!

[jgallag]

Hi!

Although at the speed you're at now, it doesn't make a difference, you shouldn't be dropping your left arm into your lap when it's not playing. Use that time to get it in position for the next chord.

Okay, here's what my teacher says in general: Fingers provide support for the power, they do not give the power. The power for pressing the finger down should come from the knuckle that joins the finger to the hand. Trust me, it feels much lighter. When playing the thumb, make sure your using the tip and not the side. On the scales, lead with your elbow. Imagine you are a violinist and that you are bowing across the keys. Your fingers should just follow as your elbow pushes or pulls them across the keyboard. Make sure you're not reaching your thumb under but simply letting it fall into place beside the other fingers. The elbow motion should be smooth, there shouldn't be little jerks that come from flipping the thumb under.

A nice exercise for relaxation: Play with one hand alone, and with the other hand, support the palm of the playing hand with the index finger. You should be able to rest the whole weight of the arm on the index finger and still play. If you were to take your hand off the keyboard, and then remove your index finger, your arm should drop to your side. Don't push it down, just let it relax.

Lastly, and the thing I need to work on the most myself: Listen! If the scale doesn't sound even, slow it down and figure out why it doesn't sound even. For example, your third and fourth fingers may "clump" together. The first step to fixing the problem is diagnosing it. You should be able to cure problems with unevenness by playing from the knuckles and guiding with the larger members of the playing mechanism (i.e. the lower and upper arms).

Don't expect it to happen overnight. You must pick a problem spot in the music and work it every day until you reach the point of diminishing returns. It's amazing how much progress daily attention can get you. I know this is hard, but trust me: forget about your exams. This is not about you passing a test. This is about you becoming a better pianist. If you trust in yourself and practice consistently, your teacher(s) will see progress, and they will understand that you are willing to work towards bettering your skills. Teachers see so much we as students do not and are amazingly accurate at assessing a student's skill level and progress (assuming you're doing this for some sort of reputable music school). Select the Bach and the Chopin now (I suggest the Chopin Waltz, and out of my personal preference, the Bouree). Find recordings of all of them, listen, even dance along. Get the music inside you and learn it because you've come to love it. Show, through your playing, that you love what you're doing and that you truly believe the music is worth your time. That's what matters. Best of luck.

[db05]

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

Got back from the hospital with test results. I'm fine. I thought I weren't, in fact I thought I was going to die! Here is something for the occasion, the Cannonball, I mean Raindrop prelude I'm working on:

I need to relax a bit better, everything is so loud; I don't think it's just the piano any more! (Will edit this post soon, got to sleep for now.  )

Edit:
Back from school. It is so hot outside, I have a headache. So once again, I can't study.  Okay, back to topic...

Progress Report

Kuhlau - Sonatina in C Op. 20 No. 1 
1st mvt - memorized, recorded 2 times:

2nd mvt - learned, not memorized, but can sight read
3rd mvt - memorized, recorded:

Bach - first lessons   
Bouree in Em - memorized HS, can only read slowly
Musette in D - memorized, can only play slowly

Chopin 
Waltz in Ab "L'adieu" - incomplete, can only read slowly
Prelude in Db "Raindrop" - memorized, recorded:

The dean has announced that we will have the piano finals 2 weeks from now, and it will also be the grade exam. Which means all scales must be studied (they will be randomly picked) and another teacher will grade us. I can feel the pressure...

[go12_3]

db,   I did listen to your video.  Inspite of its poor recording, you have the idea about this piece.  However, lighten up with your touch and think connection between the notes----like phrasing as sentence.  Some passages were choppy which needs work on.  This piece is to be played very smooth and steady....like raindrops falling.  Think slow and light in your mind.  Breathe as you play and you will be more relaxed through your arms and fingertips.  Think of the dynamics,   start softy and then louder, not time same loudess all the way through the piece.  The tempo need not be so rigid, some rubato here and there.   I think you will be fine, just keep practicing and think about the suggestions that some of the members will post here.  Best wishes,  go   

[db05]

Notes to self  :
- review all scales and arpeggios
- pick slower speeds and check rhythm with the metronome
- get used to the new bench position
- study/ review pieces from the end to the start
- in some cases, use the dropping notes method
- work on dynamics, especially L and R balance
- longer, lighter phrasing
- quit putting the LH on your lap
- listen to some piano recordings
- do not get stressed out
- piano playing should be fun!

[quantum]

Add to the list above:
Do not get stressed out.  Playing piano should be fun.


When you say all scales do they mean 12 majors and 12 minors?  That is a bit insane.  In Canada you would be a couple grade levels higher with regard to repertoire before you do all of that.

[db05]

When you say all scales do they mean 12 majors and 12 minors?  That is a bit insane.  In Canada you would be a couple grade levels higher with regard to repertoire before you do all of that.

Yes, it is weird. There are 3 piano majors in my class, and we are of different levels so we have different pieces. But the requirement for scales is just the same! It is a not-very-formal grade exam, unlike the ones we have for guitar.

[jgallag]

Don't forget playing from the knuckles! My teacher uses this demonstration: Wiggle your fingers, but concentrate all the energy in your fingertips, as if they originate the motion, and try and go as fast as you can. Then do the same, but generate the motion from your knuckles. The knuckles are much faster and cause less stress. You'll want to get in the habit of this for later.

I don't know what your situation is for fingerings and everything, but you probably don't have to play all your scales every day. I'm told to play three a day, both the major and the parallel minor, and in four days, I've hit all of them. Scales are where you can work on playing with the knuckles, in addition to leading with the elbows and getting rid of that jerk in the elbow that many students do when they have to flip the thumb to its next position.

Best of luck!

[db05]

Notes to self:

- talk to your teacher about summer lessons ASAP
- don't panic or fight your teacher
- keep a practice log
- study first thing tomorrow

[quantum]

What I was doing my Grade 10 RCM technique in all keys were required. However we would only be tested on very little of that, plus it was only worth 10% of the total exam mark.  Needless to say, I spent most of my time working on parts of the exam that were weighted much more.  I suggest you obtain a marks breakdown from the exam board and concentrate your studies accordingly to what each element is worth in the exam. 


When practicing for that RCM exam I preferred practicing two keys per day, but doing all technique elements in that key.  For every key we needed to do: scales unison 4 8ves, scales in 3rds 4 8ves, scales in 6ths 4 8ves, scales in octaves, solid chords all inversions, broken chords all inversions, arpeggios all inversions, dominant 7th chords solid all inversions (major key), dominant 7th chords broken all inversions (major key), dominant 7th arpeggios all inversions (major key), dim 7th chords solid all inversions (min key), dim 7th chords broken all inversions (min key), dim 7th arpeggios all inversions (min key), alternating chord pattern.  Minor keys contained both the harmonic and melodic scales. 

So I would do one major and one minor every day.  That is a lot of work for one key let alone all 24, and it was only worth 10% of the mark. 

So I guess my point is to judge how much time to spend practicing any particular element of the exam.  Elements with a large amount of material may only be worth little, while short pieces may be worth a lot more.  The weighting of the marks will also give you an idea of how deeply the examiner will be looking into detail for that particular section. 

[db05]

Thanks everyone, just got my grades yesterday and surprisingly, I did well in all subjects. 

Luckily, we had the entire morning to practice for the piano exam, and I did not waste that chance. The hard part was the exam itself, I didn't expect the examiner's piano would be so different from the ones I practice. Long story short, I couldn't do the pp I wanted in Raindrop prelude, especially. I started, stuttered early on and asked if I could start over. After that, I went on for better or worse.

Really, I cannot thank you guys enough.  I had been wavering so much, even I get annoyed by myself. At the end of the day, I could play a few pieces, and that's either enough for me or not...

Music classes resume in June, although piano lessons are ongoing. Will keep you posted.