Tips for concentration?

[phannt]

Hi, everybody
I'm an amateur pianist. Recently, I have finished The Seasons- Tchaikovsky. However, I have some problems performing it. Eventhough I can play every month perfectly,I can't just play through the whole set(12 pieces). When I play for several months, I start to become distracted from the pieces and make mistakes. Can you give me some advices to overcome this situation?

[a-sharp]

Not to sound dismissive at all but, welcome to our world!

Sorry - no real advise - just, do the work, get lots of rest, be well fed... other than that - you obviously practice the physical part - do you also do mental practice?

[slobone]

Is that the one that goes

(January) You start the year off fine
(February) You're my little valentine
(March) I'm gonna march you down the aisle
(April) You're the Easter Bunny when you smile
(May) Maybe if I ask your dad and mom
(June) They'll let me take you to the Junior Prom
(July) Like a firecracker all aglow
(August) When you're on the beach you steal the show
(September) Light the candles at your Sweet Sixteen
(October) Romeo and Juliet on Halloween
(November) I'll give thanks that you belong to me
(December) You're the present 'neath my Christmas tree

 

[general disarray]

Is that the one that goes

(January) You start the year off fine
(February) You're my little valentine
(March) I'm gonna march you down the aisle
(April) You're the Easter Bunny when you smile
(May) Maybe if I ask your dad and mom
(June) They'll let me take you to the Junior Prom
(July) Like a firecracker all aglow
(August) When you're on the beach you steal the show
(September) Light the candles at your Sweet Sixteen
(October) Romeo and Juliet on Halloween
(November) I'll give thanks that you belong to me
(December) You're the present 'neath my Christmas tree

 

Priceless! 

[Bob]

I would say just keep working on it, but that's a tougher problem.  Make sure you can play each month a few times through fine. 

But timewise... after awhile it would become easy to be distracted, esp if you're doing that every day.  Maybe don't.  Maybe just do a real performance of some type every other day, every three days, once a week.  And really focus in.  Performing would help the concentration energy too.


The bit about polishing each piece up though.  Maybe play them enough with no mistakes so you can kind of go on autopilot.  When your mind wanders off a bit during the performance, autopilot can take over and keep you on track until the mind comes back.

Maybe try to get into the piece more.  Somehow.  Emotionally.  Technically.  Something so you don't have to think about focusing in or don't have to work on that.  Maybe just focus on shaping each line.  Something like that.

[faulty_damper]

Hi, everybody
I'm an amateur pianist. Recently, I have finished The Seasons- Tchaikovsky. However, I have some problems performing it. Eventhough I can play every month perfectly,I can't just play through the whole set(12 pieces). When I play for several months, I start to become distracted from the pieces and make mistakes. Can you give me some advices to overcome this situation?

The lapses in concentration you are experiencing is quite normal.  It's your mind attempting to be more efficient with a very difficult task (it does this with any task).  If it gets away with it you've just become more efficient.  If you don't get away with it, you'll have practice concentrating on that part of the flub and then quickly play the part again.

Here's what you do when you begin to feel these lapses of concentration: Focus. Think clearly. Think through it.  You will begin to feel these lapses well before you actually lose concentration.  It's how you handle it that makes the biggest difference of whether or not you really do lose concentration and start making mistakes.

What you experience happens to everyone, regardless of skill level.  The difference is that the experienced performers know exactly what to do and think when they feel the onset.  Eventually, these lapses of concentration diminish because you react accordingly that enables you to continue playing.

[omei]

Not to sound dismissive at all but, welcome to our world!

Sorry - no real advise - just, do the work, get lots of rest, be well fed... other than that - you obviously practice the physical part - do you also do mental practice?

Mental pracitce is helpful in many ways, to develop your insight on the music, memorization, and concentration. 

[quantum]

Try focusing on the music rather than counting the mistakes.  Think about the message you wish to convey in the music rather than just the technicalities of moving body parts.  Don't ponder on a mistake when you make one, just think ahead to your music.

[rc]

Since I decided I wanted to be able to play all scales and chords masterfully, I'd been using those to work on my concentration.  Basically by being compulsive about it, what's the difference between playing a scale perfectly and playing it 4X perfectly?  Only being able to stay focused that much longer.

It was difficult at first, but over time the habit sunk in where I could sit down and before I start to play decide that I was going to be absolutely focused and make it come out the best I could.  I'm not saying I'm the king of concentration, but I feel the 'compulsive practice' was a big help.

Also consider that nerves in performance is also a timeless distraction to be contended with.  To deal with that, before a performance I like to practice 'imaginary performances', where I imagine myself performing it as vividly as possible - to the point where I begin to feel stagefright in the comfort of my own home, THEN trying to play through as well as I can.  After a few of these fake performances I start to feel more comfortable with it, and it's carried over into the actual performance.