tapping your foot

[ada]

Why should you not tap your foot when you play the piano? I was tapping away to a Bach invention the other day when a much more experienced player than myself told me I shouldn't.

It only struck my later that I should have asked why. 

[penguinlover]

Unless you have a perfect sense of the pulse of the music, you may tend to follow your foot, and not the beat.  Also, if you are wearing noisy shoes, you may mess up the sound of your music.  People would hear your foot tap.  But, after I say all that, I find myself tapping away sometimes!

[bearzinthehood]

Tapping your foot is a waste of energy and just looks stupid.  There's no reason to do it, so don't do it.

[kony]

There's no reason to do it, so don't do it.

isn't the reason to aid in keeping time?

[bearzinthehood]

isn't the reason to aid in keeping time?

You use your brain to keep time, your foot doesn't need to tap.

[Tash]

i tried doing it once but don't have the co-ordination for such a feat haha required too much concentration

[pianoannie]

I am a foot-tapper.  I guess I always have been.  It has only been brought to my attention in the past couple years that I shouldn't do that, and  I actually hadn't even been aware of tapping before that.  At this point in time, I could no sooner stop my foot from tapping while I play than I could stop breathing.  I've tried to stop, but my foot has a mind of its own.     I do agree that it doesn't look great (looks more appropriate for a member of a bluegrass band than a pianist)

[pianiststrongbad]

I always tap my foot when i play jazz, or rock and roll.  When I play classical though I only use it occassionally when I am practicing if the rhythm is complicated or something.  Foot tapping can be distracting and draws the audience towards your foot rather than towards the music when performing.  I know a lot of professionals who tap their tow inside their shoe so the audience can't see. 

[lostinidlewonder]

I would rather see your foot was tapping on the floor while playing Bach than hear it use the pedal.

[Kassaa]

With classical music you're not supposed to hear the beat like jazz music.

[sergei r]

i tried doing it once but don't have the co-ordination for such a feat haha required too much concentration

Sorry, couldn't help myself pointing out the pun...

[Tash]

Sorry, couldn't help myself pointing out the pun...

i swear it was unintentional!

[ted]

Quite a few players do it in ragtime, swing and various sorts of jazz. I have never done it and have never worked out what purpose it serves. I have come to the conclusion it is just an idiosyncratic habit like pulling faces and rocking backwards and forwards.

[alwaystheangel]

I do it in band esp. Jazz though concert and quartet I do it too.  I always get yelled at.

Never do it in piano.  It was immediately squelched out of me @ a very young age to not tap at the piano.  I could do it in band and no one would notice, so I did.

[da jake]

Foot-tapping or humming can be brilliant devices when done to obtain control.

People wonder why Gould had such great rhythmic control...

[Kassaa]

When I play blues and boogie woogie I tap my foot, but when I did this in a lesson while playing some Haydn my teacher stamped on my foot with her foot and said, don't tap your foot when playing classical music, ever, I suppose it worked ^^ . I do it sometimes though when practicing, it's useful for rhytms.

[timothy42b]

Never do it on piano. 

It makes it too obvious to the observer that you overuse rubato to the point where you can't follow the beat.

If on the other hand you can follow the beat, it can be very useful. 

Then the problem becomes making noise.  If you like to do it, do it quietly. 

[leucippus]

I'm glad to hear that it's undesirable because I could never to it.  It messes me up to even try. 

[mlha]

I think it's okay when you're learning a new piece and you need help reinforcing the down beats.  After you have all the rhythm figured out then stop tapping.  Or tap your toe, like 'pianiststrongbad'  said.

[desordre]

 Hi there!
 In my experience, both as student and teacher, foot-tapping was and is absolutely useless. Mr. Bearz shows the key:

You use your brain to keep time (...)

Indeed, when you're playing something that you already know the rhythm, you can tap your foot, shake your head, make noises with your tongue: any of these practices will be just another line that you add to the music. But what happens when you reach a section with a hard rhythm? Your foot stops, or taps out of beat. The same applies for Bach, for instance. A major problem with his music is keeping the same beat in moto continuo pieces. Someone could think that foot-tapping would help, but again it is pointless: just record yourself and you will notice that the taps of your feet are irregular.
 By the way, recording is a great idea for both question: rhythm and tempo. Another very useful tool is using the metronome to figure out where you're getting out of beat.
 Again, all the music is in your brain. It controls your hands, and thus your playing and expression.
 Best wishes!

[ingagroznaya]

Bach invention?

Ouff!!! It's Tacky .

[groggy]

Foot tapping is like a bass drum, it keeps the beat. I always use it when trying figure out some rhythm - it helps with counting. when playing popular music it can add to the music.  It is almost impossible to believe that a musical person could not find a use for it.

Not very many percussionists here I guess.

[desordre]

Foot tapping is like a bass drum, it keeps the beat. (...)

Mr. Groggy:
 I agree with you: it's a whole new line that you add to the music, that must be controlled by something else: the brain!
 By the way, we shall have very different experiences, but most percussionists of learned music that I know don't uses the foot to "keep the beat", either because it have something else to do (drums, timpani, vibes) or because they think it have nothing to do with tempo.
 Best wishes!

[alwaystheangel]

Q: What did the drummer get on his IQ test?
A: Drool.

sorry.  I couldn't help myself

Q: What do you call a drummer with half a brain?
A: Gifted.

sorry.  It's just too easy!

[ingagroznaya]

Q: What do you call a drummer with half a brain?

m1469 Fox.
Sorry.  I couldn't help myself either after reading her latest.
See you around, guys. You were all great fun.