Don't Talk To ME!

[leucippus]

Do you ever have people visit you and ask you to play something for them.  And then when you start playing they start talking to you and asking you questions like as if you can carry on a conversation and play the piano at the same time?

I mean, I think I can actually do that with some trivial pieces or etudes, but I usually wouldn't play a trivial piece for someone who asked me to play for them.  I would play something that I tend to get lost in.  Having someone start talking to you right after they asked you to play something for them has to be like the epitome of rude. 

Doncha think?

[nicco]

Stupid things non-musicians say to us?

[pianistimo]

don't pick up girls at the 7-11.  (just kidding) 

was this a neighbor?  neighbors just don't know.  if it was family - that is also common.  but if it was a musical friend.  shame on them!  usually people know - if they are a musician, that it would be rude.  perhaps they wanted to see how you looked when you got irratated or angry. 

[leucippus]

don't pick up girls at the 7-11.  (just kidding) 

Oh, so that's the problem!   

Yes, in my case it was relatives that came to visit (unexpeceted and uninvited too!)  So why do they even ask me to play if they aren't going to listen?  I started playing a really nice piece for them but had to stop after only a few measure due to interrupts.  Then they wanted to hear more so I played some Hannon exercises for them. 

Besides, I can talk whilst playing Hanon. 

The problem is that they never did hear the good stuff.  I really don't care anyway.  I'll just remain a closet pianist.  The next time they drop by unannounced I'm going to tell them that the pianos are broken.   

They asked me to play the violin too. So I played Turkey in The Straw for them and made it sound as sqeaking and scratchy as I could.  I thought that would drive them away but they actually liked it! 

[nicco]

I can talk whilst playing Hanon. 

I used to read comics while playing Hanon

[jpianoflorida]

i've had people come up to me and church when i'm playing or at the nursing home, they get upset when you don't talk to them...they just dont' get that we can't all play and talk at the same time.

[leucippus]

i've had people come up to me and church when i'm playing or at the nursing home, they get upset when you don't talk to them...they just dont' get that we can't all play and talk at the same time.

I wonder if this is becaues they are so used to listening to music on radios.  It's like they think the music just plays itself or something.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they just talked to each other while I was playing.  But when they actually start asking me questions I just can't handle it.

[bartolomeo_]

Talking while playing is a skill you can cultivate with practice, and once you get the hang of it, you can do it while playing "pizza" pieces ... that is, those pieces that you can (but shouldn't) play without mental engagement where the mind will tend to wander and think about what's for supper.

Technically, it's no different than hand independence.  Just a matter of being able to carry on unrelated tasks simultaneously.

[dnephi]

My Chopet comes out while I talk, but it's generally little more than hand moving at that time.

[leucippus]

Technically, it's no different than hand independence.  Just a matter of being able to carry on unrelated tasks simultaneously.

Oh dear!

Maybe I'll never be able to achieve hand independence then. 

There was a time when I was very good at multitasking.  Doing many different things at once was one of my strong points.

Unfortunately I'm currently having "mental deterioration".   My doctor is unclear of what's causing it.  But ultimately it's resulting in symptoms along the lines of dementia and/or advanced ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).  In any case, it's takes my full concentration just to play a piece.  Trying to talk to someone else while doing it would be entirely out of the question.

I can play something like Hanon and talk because I don't need to remember anything to play Hanon.  It’s like autopilot. But if the piece is changing with every phrase then I absolutely need to stay focused or I'll simply forget what I'm doing.  Like extremely pronounced ADD.

I suppose this isn't a good time in my life to start learning how to play the piano.  Maybe from a practical point of view I really should look into finding something else that doesn't require too much memory skills.  By the time I get really good at it I may have deteriorated to the point where I'll forget what a piano is!

I'm hoping that won't be for quite some time.  One thing that my doctor did recommend was to do things that force me to think and remember.  So learning to play the piano certainly fits that bill I would think.  He seemed to think so.

[pianistimo]

could be that all you need is some exercise.  my mind gets 'foggy' too.  if you exercise for an hour or so - you get needed oxygen to the brain.  i can remember things faster after bicycling.  and, also, when eating and drinking enough water.  i used to think that 8 glasses a day was a misnomer.  apparrently there's something to it.  i barely drink three - but do drink milk and juice.  diet is really important, too.  guess that when you are busy and forget to eat - you just don't add up the days that you ate and the days that you snacked.  now, i really try to keep track of what i've been eating.

[leucippus]

could be that all you need is some exercise.  my mind gets 'foggy' too.  if you exercise for an hour or so - you get needed oxygen to the brain. 

Oxygen deprivation could indeed be the culprit, my doctor suggested.   I have respiratory problems and I'm on meds for that, plus I have abnormally low HDL levels which he says are heredity and nothing can be done about it.  HDL is the "good" cholesterol that carries the necessarily raw materials that cells need to function properly.  So this could be a source of my mental problems. 

But I do get plenty of exercise.  Have you forgotten that I'm a mountain man?  I'm always doing aerobic type work around here.  I probably walk several miles a day just doing chores.  Actually, it's possible that my physical activity is causing my muscles to hog up all the raw materials in my blood leaving my brain to die of starvation.

Things aren't all that bad though.  I mean, I am learning how to play the piano and I'm coming along with it pretty good.  I just can't be distracted when I'm doing it, that's all.

[penguinlover]

I think that playing the piano would be good to stimulate the brain, it keeps it active.  I think they should study the effects of piano playing on dementia patients.  Maybe they already have, but I haven't studied it.  I should because my mother in law has it and is living with us. 

As far a talking while playing, it happens.  At church, people are always talking to me.  Sometimes, I just quit and listen to them.  Sometimes, I try to ignore them.  Sometimes, I answer.  If I make a mistake playing the piano, they never know because they are talking to me.  It does take some practice though.  Maybe women do this better than men, we can multi-task.  We have to be able to deal with kids, piano, phone, TV, visitors, answering the door, etc. etc.  We have to be able to talk and play, maybe not at concert level.

[caperflutist]

People talk to me and expect to get responses when I am playing FLUTE. Sure I understand everything you are telling me, but it's really hard to blow into the flute and talk to you. I defenitely have to wiat until rests or the piece is over