I just saw a video of myself playing, and...

[kriskicksass]

It's terrible! I move around and look like a rag doll when I play. It almost borders on Lang Lang! Help...

EDIT: I'll post the vid at some point. It's too much of a pain to do it right now, because it's an 11 min vid and youtube cuts off at 10.

[lau]

it's actually the opposite for me, people tell me I look bored when I play and don't move a muscle (except my arms), well I'm not bored!

[pianistimo]

getting a video of oneself is the first step to curing any ills.  my teacher way back when videoed us and also fast forwarded mine once.  i looked like a wind-up toy that went forwards and back with my torso.  so, then, after that - i tried to be much more careful of how much i was going back and forth.  never keep time with the music with any part of your body. 

whatever movements facilitate your hands moving around is probably better than what helps your head move around.  there are a lot of head back - look at the ceiling type movements (which may release tension in the neck).   but, other major movements (elbows out, etc) are just plain unhelpful to your playing, right? 

i think helene grimaud occasionally looks up -except unlike chopin , she looks to the right.  if i remember right. 

[lostinidlewonder]

Sometimes particular movements in our body helps queue what we have to do at the hands. Some people can never break this connection it is just a habit. It doesn't directly do anything to change the sound but for you it might help remember how the piece should be played, perhaps your hbody can't help but move tot he music You like to let the music play you, not the other way around.

How you look doesn't really matter, to me I like to see someone control their instrument, sometimes wild movements or robotic actions taints the art of movement for me. I like to see effortless movements create great sounds, that looks much more impressive than wild actions to produce wild sounds imo.

Music is controlled emotion, I think it should also be controlled physical movement as well.

[apion]

It's terrible! I move around and look like a rag doll when I play. It almost borders on Lang Lang! Help...

LOL    Now I gotta see it.  Please post it ASAP 

[ramseytheii]

i think helene grimaud occasionally looks up -except unlike chopin , she looks to the right.  if i remember right. 

Yuk!  She looks all over the place.  It is very cheesy and for me not convicing.  Then again, I read recently the diary of an American piano student of Liszt, which is very long, and several times he mentions that Liszt says, never looka t the keys, but always up, since it gives the impression of inspration.  Could this kitschy movement come from the grand master himself?  What a disappointment!

I think if one is quiet on the inside, then the body can be quiet on the outside.  I think a lot of excess movement comes more from inner tension than anything else.

Walter Ramsey

[iumonito]

getting a video of oneself is the first step to curing any ills.

I generally agree, because it helps you identify the superflous and the styming, yet there is so much that is invisible in piano playing, and then so much that that just helps shapping the music, even if illogical or irrational.

I say listen rather than watch.

[kriskicksass]

I guess the reason why it was so surprising to see myself perform like that is that I have a huge mirror next to my piano, so I regularly watch myself to make sure I'm not making any superfluous motions, and that my hands are at a good angle, etc. Nothing like that ever came up in my practicing.

[quantum]

I guess the reason why it was so surprising to see myself perform like that is that I have a huge mirror next to my piano, so I regularly watch myself to make sure I'm not making any superfluous motions, and that my hands are at a good angle, etc. Nothing like that ever came up in my practicing.

For most people the reflection from a high polish music rack is traumatic enough.  Who gave you the idea of the mirror?

[nick]

I generally agree, because it helps you identify the superflous and the styming, yet there is so much that is invisible in piano playing, and then so much that that just helps shapping the music, even if illogical or irrational.

I say listen rather than watch.

right on!

Nick