my revolutionary lesson (new teacher!)

[Tash]

I had my BMusBEd audition yesterday, followed by a lesson with a potential new teacher. And it has occurred to me that my playing has reached an all time low, in which I really do sound terrible and was quite embarrassed that I was transferring to a music degree when I can’t even play my instrument well (had to keep reminding myself that I caned all my musicianship and musicology classes at uni which has to count for something)!
So anyway, new teacher- it was incredible- for one thing, he was really good looking with a hot Russian accent so I was like omg where have you been all my life- yes it is possible to be too good looking to teach!! But aside from that, he picked up absolutely everything I knew was wrong with my playing and told me how to fix it! now this probably doesn’t seem like such a revolutionary thing, but I have been getting away with things like lack of finger strength and control, lack of concentration, using my fingers and wrists incorrectly, how I learn and memorise pieces, and god knows what else, for the past 12 years. WHY?? I am totally appalled at the fact that my current teacher has been letting me get away with all this- like it is blatantly obvious what I’m doing wrong, yet I do not remember her once telling me there are issues in the fundamentals of my technique. So now I feel like the past 12 years have been a complete waste of time and I have to start all over again. I was ready to start bawling my eyes out, it was really quite depressing! But I knew it was going to come down to this, I just don’t understand why I have never been taught all this stuff before.
I just needed to get that out. Teachers on this forum, I hope you’re not letting your students get away with bad technique because it’s a really depressing thing to find out after so many years of playing! (not that I didn’t already know it, I just didn’t know how to fix it)
now i'm really scared to practice!...

[pianistimo]

love your enthusiasm!  get a tape recorder and record the lessons or take copious notes right after your lesson.  i was too lazy to do this (except once or twice) and it kind of makes a difference in remembering ALL the details.  especially if you are now able to concentrate on piano more.

teachers like that are full of good info and you can use it later when you decide to teach.  don't forget to ask a lot of questions and never feel embarrassed or ashamed of what you don't know.  that's what you are paying them for.  bonus that he's good looking! 

i was used to my old friendly teachers who i'd bring apple pie and cookies and stuff.  don't do this with these new professional teachers (they know your plotting your grade) - just practice really hard and don't digress too much in the lesson (used to ask too much about the pics/paintings on the walls).  they know stalling means you didn't practice as much as you meant to.  JUST PRACTICE PRACTICE. 

[totallyclassics]

I know exactly how you feel.  I am so happy you found the right teacher after so many years.  I'm sure your playing is not as technically lacking as you think!  You were probably just wanting so badly to impress that every comment she/he made was magnified in your mind.   The more advanced your teacher is the pickier they tend to be!
My teacher now has played all over the world, and has won 1st place in two national competitions.  I switched to her because I was frustrated that I couldn't play my pieces, Clementi Sonatas and kuhlau sonatas cleanly with no sticky fingers and uneven runs.
I found out I had more technical problems than I thought.  I was then upset with my previous teacher of 18 months.  I was thinking the same thing. Why did he let me play so sloppy.  My new teacher is very picky about how I hold my hands, how the fingers hit each key, and with exactness in the way each finger hits the key.  At first I thought that was a bit picky, but it has made a difference.   I am returning to piano after 30+years.
i played for only 2 years as a very young child, and now I have been playing for 18 months.   I love playing the piano and listening to classical music more than anything.  I can't seem to get enough.   Thanks to my new teacher, I know the true meaning of practice, and get the pleasure of actually enjoying what i play for a change.

happy practicing,

tc

[whynot]

Yeah, do NOT be discouraged.  Your prior years were not wasted!!  You have simply learned that they weren't used to optimal advantage for your technique.  This is disappointing, but you can absolutely overcome it, and probably very quickly.  It was good information to find out that things were lacking or needed change:  good for you now, as a student, and good for using later on to help other people.  So tuck that away for future reference, but don't let it spoil your new era of discovery and growth with your gorgeous gifted new teacher.  Technique isn't difficult to change with skilled guidance, because it's about making playing more comfortable, more accessible, more suited to your body.  Once the mind is convinced to try playing differently, the body won't fight it.  You will progress faster and play better, and you'll love it.  Yay!   

[nsvppp]

But aside from that, he picked up absolutely everything I knew was wrong with my playing and told me how to fix it!

Congratulations with your new teacher. Interestingly you already knew what was wrong. Why didn't you change your practice/playing long before? Because you were not ready for it. So don't blame it on your old teacher. Enjoy your new knowledge.

[quantum]

I found such a teacher when I was 14, after wondering why playing the piano was so difficult up to that point.  She was extreemly patient, always verry supportive and taught me a huge amount of technique and musicality that just made playing music so enjoyable. 

Enjoy your time with this teacher.  Make notes of his teaching, and how he helps you to overcome your difficulties.  One day you may have a student of your own in the same position. 

[Tash]

thanks all for the comments, i'm now working out how to change all my bad habits- man it's so hard!! or so easy, just to go, aw but it's really not that bad...i can steal play like this...and then i'm like no that's no good! anyway, one point i want to respond to is

Congratulations with your new teacher. Interestingly you already knew what was wrong. Why didn't you change your practice/playing long before? Because you were not ready for it. So don't blame it on your old teacher. Enjoy your new knowledge.

i knew what was wrong basically by reading posts on this forum- i could tell that my practice time was not 100% efficient, but i didn't know how to fix it- i don't learn things properly by reading them, like with numerous people saying don't do exercises unless you have a teacher telling you how to do it properly- i didn't want to go screwing around with the possibility of doing more potential harm to my technique. and i tried asking my teacher and she somehow didn't get the point and always went on waffles about getting nervous and getting used to different pianos etc. and i'm like agh i already know how to deal with that!! i just don't know how to deal with things i don't know about. so now i think i just have to put it all behind me and move forward, since uni is giving me the excuse to put all my efforts into music now

[pianowelsh]

Dont be scared to practice.  You only improve when you practice and being scared or timid will restrict your progress. Take the bullet and saet yourself goals that you can achieve each practice session and dont be hyper critical of yourself.  When EVERYTHING has to change it can be overwhelming but set yourself a goal a day and dont worry if everything dosent suddenly click things take time to work in - were human UNFORTUNATELY.  Dont be too alarmed about how you feel about your playing.  It is VERY common that this happens at colleges.  In fact it is traditional that teachers strip your playing right back to the bones and overhaul it.  You will particularly find this studying with a russian teacher beacuase they tend to be trained in a way which majors on getting the technique solid before anythig else and they have quite particular ways of going about it.  Bear with it and have patience and pereverance - in the long run it is almost certainly worth it.  I am often enraged and apawled by the standards of teaching I come across HOW teachers can train people for years and leave such fundamental gaps in their development is REALLY criminal but tragically common and unfortunately it isoften when people get to this stage (college) and they are told to start again, that they give up because they cant face it after years of hard work and it makes me really corss to see people being discouraged and hitting up against walls when they have such a measure of talent which has just been undermined through shoddy teaching.  keep up the good work and dont give up.  WHat dosent Kill you makes you stronger and now that you are getting frim teaching you will be able to help your students better.