how fast can you play....?

[stevie]

in general, scales, arpeggions, octaves, 3rds, etc

this tym

[pianistimo]

i can play bach's english suite #3 without doing damage to my hands.  it's all in not trying so hard, isn't it.  you just pretend your sipping tea or whatever and it jsut comes out.  of course, a few months of practice doesn't hurt.  including the fugish last movement.

if you take things serious serious, you could get tendonitis from these pieces.  what i do to minimize damage is pretend it doesn't matter if i get the pieces or not and practice them a little bit at a time - along with other rep.  then, when it comes down to the wire - i haven't overpracticed and given myself tendonitis.

the key is just to pretend it's easy.  then it is.

as far as thirds, the paganini variations gave me fits for awhile.  suddenly one day it was easy.  i did the same thing as with the english suite and wouldn't practice beyond the straining point.  just take a few bars that were difficult and practice them a few times and then go on to other parts.  then come back.  do a few more times. play something else for a while.  after many days...it was easy and i hadn't hurt my hands.  i learned to keep lightening up and lightening up - because the more notes you play - the less you need an absolute forte anyway.

some of the technique is simply quick neural connections.  and, not losing control as you play faster (which helps if you start at slower tempos and work up).