Less than perfect experiences

[m1469]

How much should one let an imperfect, or just plain bad performing or learning experience weigh-in against what you are trying to accomplish in a life-time of musical experiences?  Where does one file these not so fun musical experiences?

m1469

[donjuan]

The more bad experience you have, the greater your probability for success is in future performances.  It's a fact!  Experience is the key--> Performance needs to be practiced as it takes a hell of a lot of work to master.  The piano is so much more powerful than you or me, that is why it is so difficult to tame..

I have had many an argument with the piano during performances, and any audience member would have noticed.

Really depressing, that's what it is...Just give it a night's rest and you will forget some of the negativety (sp?)

donjuan

[Snappy Joe]

Less than perfect experiences? Don't we all have those all the time, everyday of our lives? Even on the piano?  

[m1469]

Yes this all true.  I guess I wonder, do we have some obligation, or some responsibity to somebody (either to ourselves, our teachers, or some unknown being) to feel depressed after something sucks really, really badly -- or only a little bit badly?  I sort of feel like we do, or I do.  But I am not sure that it's healthy, and I am not sure why I feel this way.  Yes, I am a perfectionist, but shouldn't that mean that I get over the stupid stuff as quickly as possible, and keep going? It's that awful and pesky doubt!  Blast!

m1469

[Motrax]

By far the worst piano experience I've ever had is when I played the Moonlight Sonata at a competition. I'd been working on the piece for 5 years (on and off, but still...), and I had it to the point where it was running through my head day an night. I could sit at the piano and play it to my own satisfaction pretty much any time of day. I'd never performed it in front of anybody (besides my teacher and immediate family), so this was my big day to shine.

So I walk up on stage, take my bow, adjust the bench, place my hands on the keys... and BOOM! For those who don't know, the first movement is slow, and pianissimo for most of it. The first note I hit was like a gunshot! So I tried to quiet down, and suddenly I couldn't produce any sound at all! I wrestled with that god-awful piano for about the whole span of the first movement, always either playing much too loud or missing notes altogether. The second movement went pretty lousily, I had absolutely lost my concentration by this point. And all that trauma made me wish I hadn't even played the third movement... I'd never missed more keys in my life.

And ever since then, I've been angry that they don't let you play scales or warm up or something before you compete.  

[donjuan]

And ever since then, I've been angry that they don't let you play scales or warm up or something before you compete.  

When I went to the Kiwanis festival of my city, the adjudicator asked everyone to check out the piano, do whatever they want, because she didnt want people using the piano as an excuse for poor performances.  Although, I cant really get used to fact that the sustain pedal only worked some of the time..
I mean, really, what a piece of ...
donjuan

[Shagdac]

I know at the Cliburn, everyone gets 6 minutes to try the performance piano out. The measure the bench for each individual as well, changing them prior to each competitors entrance on stage. The waiting room before one goes on also has an upright accoustic for practice. (nothing like the performance piano though, a 9' Steinway)!

Yeah, it's nice to have some idea of what the piano will feel like, but I agree that being able to "warm-up" on the actual piano...right before playing the piece would be nice. A completely different weighted-key piano feel can really thrown you if you are used to practicing on a different type.

S

[Tash]

i agree bad experiences are there as learning experiences for the next time. if you screw something up then you're aware of the problem and you can make sure not to do it the next time (or if you're incredibly paranoid then will be paranoid about it happening again). it's just part of the process of being even better