Do you hum, or make similar noise when you play?

[shingo]

Hi,
     I was listening to some recordings and noticed that many of them contain (when turned to a higher volume) the sounds of the Pianist whilst playing. This can take the form of a humming noise or other similar small verbal expression.
     This has never even crossed my mind when playing, apart form when messing around in practice and deliberatley counting / bumping the beat. Is it a common thing, how many here do this?
     Thanks in advance.

[Bob]

No.  I would like to though, for my own practicing, to absorb the score better.

For performance, I want as little extra sound as possible.  Humming, seat creaking, breathing, pedal noises.  I don't like that much.

[m1469]

Yes, I often sing/hum when I play (and interestingly, I either kinesthetically recall playing the piano when I sing or make physical playing motions with my fingers on my body when I sing).  I have sometimes used my tongue as an articulation tool in performance, but that has only been inside my closed mouth for particular passages.  For some reason singing when I play (or rather, articulating with my mouth anyway) and imagining the sensation of singing when I play helps my playing, and imagining the sensation of me playing or actually playing while I sing helps my singing. 

I don't know why that works like that but it does.  I am sure it can be explained one way or another.

[liszt-essence]

glenn gould..

[pianochick93]

I only make noises when I am practicing a song with words, when I am practicing a piece, I rarely sing along. If my piano teacher has sternly instructed me to sing the melody line as I play, because I am having trouble bringing out the melody, then I do.

On a somewhat different matter though, I also make concentration faces when I play, and they look quite strange.

[arensky]

On a somewhat different matter though, I also make concentration faces when I play, and they look quite strange.

Everyone's concentration faces are kind of strange looking, look on youtube at all the weird expressions on musicians' faces. Lol one of my teachers was so annoyed by my faces that he told me to put tape on my cheeks and forehead so I would be aware of when I made them. It turned out that I was making quite a few strange expressions! On a couple of recent vids of me playing the only remaining facial movements are my eyebrows, they go up when I focus on a detail or look at a different area of the keyboard.

I wouldn't worry to much about it; if it bothers you or others focus on it for a few practice sessions. The tape works  and so will smiling 

Regarding the original topic I only sing or "vocalize" when I'm learning an aria or violin sonata or other collaborative piece, so I'm aware of the other part.

[dan101]

Try keeping the humming out of the equation, especially when it comes to performances in recording studios. With today's recording technology, it's amazing how sensitive microphones are. In live performances, audiences are somewhat tolerant of mild humming if the performance is spectacular. However, most people, in my experience, find the habit distracting and undesirable.

[jinfiesto]

I sing when I play. Not when I perform. When I'm practicing it helps me figure out just how the line should go.

[alpacinator1]

glenn gould..

Haha, he looks so funny when he's playing...

[quantum]

I don't really sing or hum when I play.  Maybe the odd percussive vocalization of ta dah dah bum in rhythmic passages, but nothing audiable.  If anything I count in complex passages where lining up notes is difficult. 

I try to sing when practicing an accompaniment to a song or the like so I get a feel of where the singer needs to take a breath and parts where they need to sing many notes in one breath. 

[jakev2.0]

I think it's good to do insofar as

a) it doesn't distract the audience
b) it's being used as a genuine tool to aid in accomplishing some musical goal (i.e., beat articulation etc.) and not just sound eccentric for the sake of it.

[lostinidlewonder]

Humming is fine, it helps you to think about the music instead of getting distracted. When I was younger for some freak reason I would do multiplication tables in my head when performing which was very annoying, so I found humming would make it easier to focus on the music. Still do not over do it, there are some people like Helfgott who make a  lot of noise (sometimes louder than the music itself), but he is a special case and has good excuses for it.

[hwangs]

I love to sing when I play... especially when I play Bach (different voices, cantabile) but I try real hard not to sing when I perform.

I also get kind of scared of facial expressions, especially in slow movements because I forget I am playing and just show expressions when I play. Some people tell me it's amusing to see me play and I dont know if it's a good thing or a bad thing. Whatever-- I dont play to captivate people, but to express myself.

[ganymed]

my teacher suggest to me that i should hum while playing the inventions! and guess what ?

it really helped me with bringing out the voices. But i have to neglect this habit because I want to adapt to the habit of always counting the beat in my mind.

[quantum]

My teacher had a simple solution if you were worried about making faces.  Put a mirror on the music rack. 

Seeing your reflection on the glossy finish of a piano is scary enough.

[ganymed]

thats a good idea !!

[general disarray]

I yodel when I hit an exciting coda.

[qwerty quaver]

I tend to hum or even sing when I make a mistake, in order to "fill in the gap" where I messed up. But this happens only when I'm practicing playing a piece fom beginning to end. It also helps me concentrate.
I do not not sing however when performing because I find it distracting for those who would eventually hear me as well as myself.
I guess I picked this up from my piano teacher who hums the correct tune when she makes a mistake or misses out something whilst sight-reading...

[jpowell]

Hi,
     I was listening to some recordings and noticed that many of them contain (when turned to a higher volume) the sounds of the Pianist whilst playing. This can take the form of a humming noise or other similar small verbal expression.
     This has never even crossed my mind when playing, apart form when messing around in practice and deliberatley counting / bumping the beat. Is it a common thing, how many here do this?
     Thanks in advance.

I'm afraid I do from time to time. Try not to though, of course, as soon as I become aware of it. Must be quite trying for listeners.