Interesting things that have improved your technique

[will]

At https://bayes.wustl.edu/etj/music/m6p.pdf the author describes learning (unintentionially) to use the intrinsic muscles of the hands after sitting down to play the piano after several hours of forearm-numbing work.

Once upon a time it was a very cold day. In such conditions I would normally warm up before playing the piano. However on this occassion I sat down and played piano with a very cold body and hands.
     Because I could not move my fingers as well as normal I found that the rest of my playing mechanism played a larger role than normal. Ultra-fast one octave scales were the result. Instead of my fingers flailing about I accidentally played, as Chang describes, in units of parallel sets.

Others have suggested making both sides of the body equally competent in everyday tasks to improve piano playing.

Anyone else had similar experiences?

[leahcim]

At https://bayes.wustl.edu/etj/music/m6p.pdf the author describes learning (unintentionially) to use the intrinsic muscles of the hands after sitting down to play the piano after several hours of forearm-numbing work.

..and then there's the footnote, that suggests some don't have the muscles and if they don't then play the trumpet? Doesn't this https://www.jazclass.aust.com/piano/default.htm say very similar and aiui it's been discredited?

I read it a while back and thought it never got the point of actually saying what it appears to be discussing, it's like the final 3 premises in that chapter, and perhaps the Amy Fay discussion, are more or less it, the rest seemed like rambling story-telling - interesting, but not "physiology of piano playing"

I've played after trimming the hedge and my arm muscles, trained on various computer keyboards, aren't built for holding up hedge trimmers. Playing the piano afterwards has a similar effect to that described.

But I'd be more inclined to think it's just the huge contrast between the activities. Years ago, I'd sit and play a cheap acoustic guitar for a while, then picking up an electric with a low action, thinner neck and amplification, everything seems easier, notes pour out and the hand feels far more relaxed compared with the effort to fret a bad instrument - but the effect doesn't last [although obviously the physical characteristics of the instruments does - it's just easier, even without playing the acoustic first, only you don't get the contrast]

If someone did those things, in an attempt to "build strength" perhaps they'd attribute it to that?

Of course, if it works, I wouldn't knock it, I'm just not convinced the explanation is what is happening [and the garden needs lots of stuff doing to it here ]

Anyone else had similar experiences?

Using a playstation controller, but for a driving game, where it's more or less holding one button rather than frantic thumb-damaging button pushing - I don't know why, perhaps it's because the hands are in a relaxed position thumbs in the air, fingers curved, for an hour or two....or perhaps it's not that direct and it's just time away from sitting in front of the computer or whatever other activities build tension before I get to the piano seat?

Being awake for >24 hours too, although it loses in lots of ways [loss of concentration, skin tone, vital signs etc] it seems to help relax, it's always been difficult to pinpoint what I'm doing differently - although now I have a teacher I think some of that is being answered.

[zheer]

I have to be honest with you, i would say am a physicaly strong person, i started Martial Art when i was 11 then i stareted kick boxing when i was 19, in totall i have probably trained for 12 years.These days i only practice Yoga and weight training i can probably brake a brick with my hand and feet, however this will never help me to play the piano better than the 87 year old Horowitz.
Basically physical strength is of no use in piano playing only intelligence and insight into piano playing philosophy, it is probably mind over matter principle the mind being the primery giding force.Unless you are a genious one needs a teacher to give you the necessary knowledge.All the best.

[pianistimo]

very cold finger piano playing?  sounds like penguin flippers.  how could one control anything but octaves.  yet, i know what you're saying.  in this semi-frozen state you have a lock on your octaves and therefore can play them very confidently.  you have that built-in palm arch (however flat or rounded your hand is) and it's temperature is probably the same as the semi-icy pacifier that comes out of the fridge to give to a teething baby.

the thing i hate about cold weather is it destroys any feeling in your hand.  i get frustrated when i can't feel the keys or move my fingers individually.  it's like death to me.  and, of course thawing out is terrible.  i went to fairbanks, alaska for one year of college, and if you didn't plug in your car to keep the engine semi-warm - it wouldn't start.  the tires would be 'square' for a while, and you couldn't breath the -20 or -30 weather in december/january because it would freeze your lungs.  (everyone wore scarves to breath right).

i don't know which is worse.  very very cold weather, or very very hot.  with hot, you come in so exhausted you have no energy to play piano.  you just flop on the couch and  hope that you didn't get some dust borne disease while outside.  (we moved to the high desert where it was over 100 degrees for three months before moving here to pennsylvania).  anyway, the heat is a killer to motivation to do anything.  i remember drinking a lot of lemonade with ice and leaving the glass on the top of the piano to sip between practice. 

now, in the high desert, airplanes keep very well (no humidity to speak of).  am wondering if temperature controls the number of tunings you need for your piano.  i always keep mine centrally located, but still they get a little cold/hot without double doors.  (do they go stay in tune better in cold weather?)  and, dust is attracted to things like the back of the piano.  i pulled mine out from the wall one time, and realized after that i would need to vaccum more regularly in the desert.  now, here in pennsylvania, the moderate weather makes my piano action fail faster than either extreme.  maybe the humidity?  it rains a lot here.  guess i need a dehumidifier for very wet days. 

[pianowelsh]

Sightreading!!!

[piazzo23]

Yes, use that technique if you want to play like Hamelin. Now, if you want the sound of Backhaus, Hofmann, Argerich... don´t play like that unless you need it.

You´ll get a non legato sound that can´t be used in all places.