major change of technique. how?

[tds]

has anyone undergone a major technique change: the one that looks (from the outside) and feels (from the inside) significantly different to the one you used to have? how?

yes, i have. in fact, it was only rather recently that i decided to adopt a new technique:

1. finer listening: all voices, and more focus on the "between notes".
2. with flat fingers
3. with minimal body movement: poise.

coz, its a new adoption, i still have not owned it 100%, but am working up to it. next time when i upload more vids,  some of you, who have watched my first demo, should see the difference.

anyone else with a major technique change? how?

tds

[molto-marcato]

I went from very lax fingers to very strong fingers. At first this required a lot of concentration and i lost velocity, but gaining brilliance and tone control. Now after years of playing with strong fingers i found that velocity even increases beyond previous levels, as long is i don't get tense, stiff or unrelaxed.
Additionally i changed my memorization technique from pure muscular memory to aural and "brain" memory.

If you want to call this a change of technique.

[counterpoint]

My "technique" changes all the time. It depends on the piece, I'm playing. Each piece needs its own "technique".

[jeremyjchilds]

In My technique (Scales Chords Arpeggios) that is...

I underwent a drastic shift from a typewriter style of playing to an arm-weight style of playing.

I found that the immediate difference was in the amount of effort needed to play well, (It became almost effortless to play quickly, and for a long time)

[Bob]

For change, you can either go cold turkey and completely switch to the new change.  Or you can gradually incorporate the new change slowly over time.

[pianistimo]

i agree with counterpoint - that every piece needs it's own technique.  seems that each composer has a different technical difficult he/she puts into a piece.  and, also, 'method.'  for instance debussy/chopin/ravel - they all have this 'use any finger you want as long as it works'  (well, bach too) and there's a lot of speed issues with it.

beethoven - you can use several methods and it works fine - but with the faster pieces you have to adapt your relaxation techniques with your memory and neurological functions.  i'm finally getting better at the opus 10 #4 - but it takes really thinking several steps ahead to make it come out right.  you're always thinking 'what comes next' in fingering because there are no places to pause. 

also, i think i found the secret to playing the connecting part in measure 5 (last beat).  i was always playing lh 4, 3  there and i switched recently to 5, 4 -  that way in measure 6 i don't have to switch the thumb from the E to the G# when going 600 mph.  i can play - last beat 5, 4, then 3,2,3, 1 ... 4,2,3,1 etc   i'm attempting this in a similar measure later in the piece, too.

[pianowelsh]

Agreed I adapt to whats needed these days.  I have in the passed had teachers overhaul me one way and then the other - most frustrating at the time..but had enabled me to be much more flexible now. I pinch the good bits out of their various methods and incorporate them into my way of playing.  I had one who anted my to play with my hands lifting off ALL the time and high wrists, then one who said NO low wrists and weight, I had one who said play with the pads another who said your fingers are flabby curver them more! I had ones who said sit high others who told me to sit low. some who told me to move around others who said sit motionless. Ones who have told me you only need to concern yourself with the attack of the note - after that you have no power of control, others who have said listen to the ends of your notes - they are more important than the beginnings!  Now you either end up REALLY REALLY cofused as I was for a while OR you say well was that what they said true?!? well yes! so is it the complete truth.. well no! but in assimilating all the different approaches you become more rounded.  Im clear on the truth doesnt actually change. But each teachers has a different view on it - some are more thought out than others..some are simple parrot fashion what their teachers taught them! I was once told I read too much!! Im glad I did or I would have been totally at sea with all the conflicting advice they seemed to be giving. Reading helped me to place them in context.

[zheer]

anyone else with a major technique change? how?

tds

   No but i like to experiment from time to time. For instance i truly believe that technique originate from the mind first then the tips of the finger, recently i placed a long fabric material over the piano keys so that i could no longer feel nor see the keys. What do you know ,the only way to play a piece this way is to rely on one's own ear and memory, AND NOT FINGER. Anyway still need a lot  of time to develop my piano playing, 10 more years to be exact.

[ted]

Any self-imposed change in anything seems to produce a few negative results for a while, or so I have often found. If the change is really for the better, then the negative symptoms will slowly disappear over time as the change becomes complete. In the case of physical technique in piano playing, I did have occasion to implement a marked change around ten years ago. There was a somewhat unpleasant stage wherein I felt I had fallen between two stools; the new way had not fully kicked in and yet returning to old ways was also unsatisfactory. A lot depends on whether the change is universal over all your playing or restricted to certain situations. For some time, you will probably find certain pieces, certain figurations, retain physical loyalty to the old ways. In such cases I cannot see any sense in forcing rapid change. Perhaps a period of slow playing of these recalcitrant cases might prove necessary before fluency in the new way is attained.

Whatever strategy is employed I think it would be true to say that pain or discomfort is a sure sign that change is either incorrect or too rapid. The particular changes I made took some months to feel comfortable and produce real benefit, but that could have been because of my age.  The worst part was that "lost in the middle" feeling, which went on for a few months. Once that wore off it was all downhill.

Of course, all this presupposes that more than a fair probability exists that the new way is in fact better. You have to be clear about that in yourself, regardless of what "experts" tell you. Change just for the sake of change is a waste of time.