Bad Days

[Antnee]

Today I had a bad practice day. I sat down at the piano and it felt wierd. I warmed up with a couple of scales and arpeggios. Once I got into my pieces I noticed that my hands were asleep today. I hit wrong notes left and right. Even when going incredibly slow I was all thumbs. Is this normal? I basically stopped this because practicing with these results would get me nowhere so I memorized more stuff and sightread today. What is the cause of this? Does anyone else get this? What can I do?

-Tony-

[bachmaninov]

Heh... I don't know whats WRONG with it... Did you sleep last night? Were you 100% focused? Alot of factors could have influenced this to be a "bad day"...

-Most of the time, it is impossible for me to play Liszt in the mornings... My hands are just not "there" yet to execute the difficult runs...

Whereas in the evening... I am fully focused and my hands feel like Jel-O and i can play a run perfectly!

-Temperature could have an effect... I cannot play Bach when my hands are cold...or if it is the first piece in my repetoire...
     
In a competition I would choose a Hungarian Rhapsody first over a Prelude and Fugue!! Because by the time i am through with something like a hungarian rhapsody... my hands have been worked-out and warmed up! -Then when i play the bach... My hands feel so delicate and quick!! I use this to my advantage in competitions... What you choose to play first and next is a HUGE factor!

-BUT! Back to your problem... I don't know exactly what causes you to have "off" days... but you should know that everyone has them... and there doesnt really have to be a reason!

[donjuan]

I have had bad days where the fingers just dont seem to work. It's like, ok, I am going to play an E with my 2nd finger.  what happens? I cant seem to do anything except slap four or five unintentional notes with the palm of my hand.

Very frustrating.....I think it is caused by lack of practice (like 2+ weeks without a piano) or too much practice, where the knuckles turn beat red and the fingers tremble uncontrollably.  

I really dont share experiences with Bachmaninov.  If I were to play Bach after a Hungarian rhapsody, I wouldnt be able to control a single sound, my hands would shake so badly with adrenaline.

donjuan

[Antnee]

I too have started to come to the conclusion that it was lack of practice. I Hadn't touched the piano for a few days, and when I sat down yesterday, everything was kaflooey. But today, It's back to normal. In fact better than before. Strange isn't it?

-Tony-

[rph108]

I find that if I get off my sleeping schedule, I can't play as well as I want. Its not so much my hands, its just that I'm kind of in a daze.

[Magnus]

I hate to come home from school and play. I'm so tired and cant concentrate. I like to practice in the morning. The concentration is best then. But then I need a good warm up. In the evening the fingers are warm, but with lesser concentration than in the morning.

[bizgirl]

Ah, yes.  Bad days.  We've all had them.  Sometimes it feels like you are wasting time by trying to practice at all on those days, but you also can't afford to miss a day.  I usually pull out some Disney music (or something purely for enjoyment that doesn't take much concentration to play), and play it for anout 20 minutes and then try again.  If it's still not going well I quit and come back later.