fast and "piano"....difficult

[casparma]

I find it very difficult to play a passage piano and fast, especially from the middle and lower (more leftwards) section of the piano keyboard. It's easy though to play piano and fast in the upper section of the keyboard.

Does any one have a general advice on aquiring technique to play fast and piano(quiet)?
My teacher often said I am like playing mp instead of p.......

btw, fast and pp is nearly impossible, right?



plz help

[teresa_b]

Some of it may depend on your piano (I mean the instrument  ).  If you are playing a piano with excellent response and even action it's easier.  If not, you can end up with a note here or there not sounding at all. 

I'm dealing with this very challenge now, working on Beethoven PC no 4.

I don't know any secrets to improving the technique except practicing runs at all levels of dynamics, and slow to fast, using different rhythms, etc. 

Have fun--
Teresa

[tw0k1ngs]

I find it very difficult to play a passage piano and fast, especially from the middle and lower (more leftwards) section of the piano keyboard. It's easy though to play piano and fast in the upper section of the keyboard.

Does any one have a general advice on aquiring technique to play fast and piano(quiet)?
My teacher often said I am like playing mp instead of p.......

btw, fast and pp is nearly impossible, right?



plz help

I tend to use the left pedal a lot, I mean, it was put there for a reason

[cloches_de_geneve]

25/2 could help

[faulty_damper]

From what you describe, it's mostly a poor coordination of your body because it is difficult to play a passage quietly and fast in the middle and lower range of the keyboard.  I assume that you mean with your right hand and a melodic run, nothing containing leaps?

Assuming you sit correctly (i.e. your feet are place to place some load equally through the feet, butt is pivoted on the sit bones [no slumping of the body], sitting at distance and height that allows your arms to move relatively comfortably in relationship to where you play on the keyboard) you would naturally shift your upper body left to allow more room for your right arm to position itself to the lower register of the keyboard.  This also means leaning back slightly.  Also to balance this leaning, you would place the left leg outward to balance your upper bady.  This should allow you enough freedom to play without slowing you down assuming you also have good arm to finger coordination.

[crazy for ivan moravec]

it's a matter of using weight wisely.

when playing the piano, we put pressure on the keys in order to make it sound. we may use the weight of the fingers, hand, forearm, or whole arm, or even body (big chords) depending on how much wieght you want to put. basically, the more part of the body you incorporate, the more pressure you make on the keys, thus producing more sound. that's why a lot of teachers tell us to firm up the first joints of our fingers because these joints have to be strong in order to "carry" the weight you put into it and not collapse. (firming up these joints and relaxing at the same time is difficult to combine)

but pressure from natural dropping of weight is different from forceful pressure. the latter one should produce a harsh sound and can be taxing.

GOING BACK TO THE TOPIC, if you need to do very light and fast runs, i think it's physically the easiest thing to do... but i do know and agree that it is easier said than done. but once you get the correct technique, you will remember it very well and will be easy whenever you need to use it again.

im saying that it's physically easy to do because playing very loud and very fast runs is hell a lot more difficult. that's why teachers tell us to play lightly on very fast passages because that would mean less movements, economy of movements, thus making you move faster to the next note/s.

SO, TRY THIS. this is how i work on such passages.. hope it works for you as well. considering that i know already the notes of the passage very well...

1) i practice it slow and loud, lifting my fingers just a little bit in order to feel which finger is playing now, and also to feel the slight stretch. now, playing loudly has a lot of tension...

2) ...so, i play it a little bit softer (by notch only), lessening the lifting of fingers (by notch), and now a little bit faster (by notch), but this time take away a little bit of the tension...

3) repeat step 2... repeat step 2.. repeat step 2 until you get to the right tempo. notice that it is a subtraction of volume and finger lifting, and an addition of tempo, all by only a notch everytime.

and remember that the weight your dealing with here is only the natural weight of your fingers. it's enough to make the sound you want coz it's very light.

and to top it off, i end the practice with a slow practice of that passage- this time in a conscious relaxed mode and super close-to-the-keys-touch-before-play action.

----------------
you don't have to follow how i practise it, but try to see the logic of my practise technique... then maybe you can create your own steps.

good luck.

[nyquist]

I find it very difficult to play a passage piano and fast, especially from the middle and lower (more leftwards) section of the piano keyboard. It's easy though to play piano and fast in the upper section of the keyboard.

Does any one have a general advice on aquiring technique to play fast and piano(quiet)?
My teacher often said I am like playing mp instead of p.......

btw, fast and pp is nearly impossible, right?



plz help

If you practice on a grand try playing to the escapement (that little bump you should find partway when you press a key); do not go all the way down to the keybed.  The piano must be well-regulated.

nyquist

[darla]

Crazy for Ivan,

I've been learning Chopin's F.I. and having a hard time bringing it up to speed.  I tried your technique and it really helped!  Thanks for the great method.

Do you have any thoughts on the length of each passage to work on when trying to achieve high speeds?

Thanks again,
D

[crazy for ivan moravec]

well, the thing is, it has always been "as long as i need it" for me. sometimes, i don't exactly follow the step-by-step practice like that one above, sometimes i skip notches because i feel that i can (probably the passage is not that difficult) and that saves time. but sorry, i can't really say how much time it takes me. with the thinking "as long as i need it", it means i don't really care how long i stay on one passage as long as i get it right.

in other words, try to save time if it's possible, but don't give yourself limited time. whats more important is you get wat you want.

good luck.