Leaning on the piano

[maizacolors]

Hello everyone!

I have been learning to play piano with a teacher for a couple of months (previously I taught myself) and every class she says to me: lean more on the piano. At first I thought it was just a problem of pressing completely (till the bottom) the keys, since I realized that when I wanted to play pp I did it superficially, but the next class in the same pp passage, and after I corrected my habit, she told me the same thing!, and I asked what did she meant but only got an example for answer...this time the only thing I noticed was that the volume was higher, and every time she hears I play softly, I get the same "lean more on the piano".

At this point I don't know Who or Why to trust, the teacher or myself (I may sound a arrogant saying this)...I really don't understand what she wants me to do and lately I choosed to ignore that commentary and focus on the other things she tells me to correct, mainly because I get the feeling that if I just play louder the dynamics wont be that clear and i will loose expression power  .

I would appreciate your thoughts on this problem, what do you think I should do?

[musicluvr49]

That's interesting, because my teacher tells me not to lean into the piano. And I actually agree with her, because when I sit back, I am more relaxed and my playing sounds better. Maybe she meant lean into the keys with your hands, not your whole body.

[nystul]

I think you should politely ask your teacher to clarify what you aren't doing right and what will improve by changing it.  Ignoring the direction without understanding it is not going to fix the issue.  I doubt very much that her goal is to get you to play pianissimo louder.

[omar_roy]

To create a clean pianissimo you need to strike all the way to the bottom of the key bed, just as if you were playing  a fortissimo.

The only difference is the speed at which you press the keys.  The most important thing is to keep the speed of your attack uniform throughout the entire keystroke to ensure a smooth action of the hammer.

Here's what one of my earlier teachers taught me:

Pretend that the key bed lies 6 inches lower than it actually is and imagine playing to that new "imagined" key bed.

Start with your finger high above the keys and slowly descend into any key maintaining the speed of attack even as your finger touches the key.  Doing it with your eyes closed helps.  Don't forget to imagine the key beds are 6 inches deeper!

Repeat this exercise until you're descending into the key so slowly that you're not getting anymore sound.  Of course, dynamics are all relative to context, but the purpose is to play quietly as possible.

Once you have found the ideal speed to press the keys, try to do it without starting with your fingers high, but instead from the surface of the keys, maintaining that speed of attack and playing past the bottom of the key bed.

This allows for a clean hammer strike.  A superficial pressing of the key doesn't ensure a clean and full impact of the hammer on the strings.  A good clean strike allows all of the strings for that pitch to vibrate and create all the overtones creating a fuller sound that may seem a bit louder simply because of the different frequencies.  This is the kind of pianissimo that reaches the very back of a concert hall.

The only problem is that it's probably one of the hardest things to do.  The only thing I can think of that's more difficult is to play a very fast passage and have it be a true pianissimo in this manner.

[keyboardclass]

  This is the kind of pianissimo that reaches the very back of a concert hall.

There's only one kind of pianissimo like there is only one driving at 10 miles an hour.

[manugarciac]

You should ask your teacher. I can't imagine a situation in which my teacher tells me something I don't understand and I don't ask him what he means...

[omar_roy]

There's only one kind of pianissimo like there is only one driving at 10 miles an hour.

I disagree.  A consistent attack and clean hammer strike will always produce a better sounding pianissimo versus a superficial pressing of the keys with an uneven attack.

[maizacolors]

thanks to everyone!

well, I will try to apply what Omar says (Although it sounds very difficult to do) and insist to my teacher until I have an answer that can satisfy me (it'll be a little stressing for her, hehe).

Have a good day!

[richard black]

You simply have to press the keys down and the right velocity, nothing more or less. The clever bit is doing this with lots of keys, both simultaneously and soon after each other, while maintaining exactly the right velocity for each one. Some players and teachers reckon this is easier by one method, some by another, but whatever works for you, really.

[becky8898]

im only guessing of course but i have noticed some teachers who want there students to learn notes and rhytm before getting into dynamics.  Maybe she feels you will learn better if you play more forcefully. 

As far as playing softly , to say there is only one pianissimo doesnt seem to make sense to me.  An example of multiple voices of soft playing is the Schubert impromptu op 90 #1. There is a development section where the left hand is playing individual eight notes on the second and fourth beat of the measure.  Just barely caressing the notes, like a cello playing a very soft pizzacato. The right hand is playing sixteenth note patterns below the melody. The sixteenth notes are almost harp like beneath the Melody , and even though one must bring the Melody out , it to must be done with just a gentle brush of the finger and then sustained.  Three seperate voice lines and all must be quiet and yet distinct. 

Cheers, Becky

[omar_roy]

thanks to everyone!

well, I will try to apply what Omar says (Although it sounds very difficult to do) and insist to my teacher until I have an answer that can satisfy me (it'll be a little stressing for her, hehe).

Have a good day!

It IS very difficult to do! It requires some very hard concentration to maintain the velocity of your attack. 

The purpose behind starting high above the keys is that you can judge your velocity easily and try to transfer that "momentum" into the keys.

As I said before, after you have a good feel for this at any speed, try to keep that same feeling except playing from the surface of the keys as you normally would.

It takes practice and concentration like you wouldn't believe!  Spend 10-15 minutes on it every day and you'll be fine.  You can apply the same method to chords too.

But also keep in mind that you may not benefit from this method.  It worked great for me, but maybe your brain doesn't work that way, in which case you'll have to spend hours trying to figure it out in a way that works for you.

[keyboardclass]

The purpose behind starting high above the keys is that you can judge your velocity easily and try to transfer that "momentum" into the keys.

Otto Ortmann in "The Physiological Mechanics of Piano Technique" (1930) showed that playing from above the key gives you a 'glitch'  Shortly after the finger hits the key the key accelerates faster and you lose control.  Better to play from the surface.

[maizacolors]

Hmm...lots of things to think, thanks everyone! I will try the different focuses that here you propose and try to find one that I can control and fits me well .

[pianisten1989]

There's only one kind of pianissimo like there is only one driving at 10 miles an hour.

That is so not true. Ever heard about tonal colour?  It can be very sharp, but still pianissimo, and very soft, but pianissimo.. And not all composer means exactly the same thing with pp...