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Topic: Fantasie Impromptu Project  (Read 48698 times)

Offline candlelightpiano

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Birba's 2nd Video
Reply #50 on: December 20, 2011, 01:58:56 AM
Nothing earth-shattering, but I hope it helps.



It was really coooool! Thank you so very much for taking the time to show me all this. I'll have to watch it again several times to understand the technique involved. I am playing other pieces as well but focusing on this one more than the others. I loved the way you played the piece, by the way. It was like a concert performance.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #51 on: December 20, 2011, 02:29:02 AM
I'm really clogging up this thread today..

I would argue that if no one has ever shown you the elements of piano technique movement, the information presented in the video re rotation would pretty much qualify as earth shattering.

It tends to take you from being the pianist that struggles to speed up, to the pianist that can play like lightning without any major difficulty. You suddenly realize that you can play fast without building up tension in your body..  the challenge becomes accuracy at speed, rather than speed itself.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #52 on: December 20, 2011, 03:07:45 AM
In order to make it work you have to rotate toward your thumb to get the 2nd finger over to the g#- otherwise you'll just turn your wrist the other way creating a different problem.

The other solution is to bring your hand toward the fall board, deep into the black keys as you play the B,E,G#. this would allow your thumb to play the G# without turning your wrist. I found this less comfortable coming back to the next bar though..

Oh, dear, you've lost me. Where is this B E G# you're talking about? Which bar? Thanks for all your help.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #53 on: December 20, 2011, 03:13:17 AM
I'm really clogging up this thread today..

I would argue that if no one has ever shown you the elements of piano technique movement, the information presented in the video re rotation would pretty much qualify as earth shattering.

It tends to take you from being the pianist that struggles to speed up, to the pianist that can play like lightning without any major difficulty. You suddenly realize that you can play fast without building up tension in your body..  the challenge becomes accuracy at speed, rather than speed itself.

I don't mind you clogging up this post at all. Don't worry about it. Birba's technique is like nothing I've ever been taught before but it works. In his first lesson, he taught me to loosen up with the staccato technique. I can't wait to try out his new technique. I've only had two plus years of piano lessons so I don't think I was shown the elements of piano technique movement.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #54 on: December 20, 2011, 03:16:55 AM
Sorry for the excessive posts, for some reason my phone is against letting me edit posts.

I wanted to say also that I watched birba's videos thismorning and that in the second one where he talks about keeping your RH hand relaxed and the 'oscillation of the wrist' (to use his words in the vid), you can see that he entire entire forearm rotates toward the thumb to hit those accents..

this is exactly what I meant by rotating your LH toward the thumb (you can do this without accenting) to get your 2nd finger over..  Its a really important concept that applies to all your playing not just this passage that birba is showing you. I'm reluctant to try and describe it in words because its easy to misinterpret. - so kudos for birba being able to make the video giving a demo.

Also, @birba, was curious about the section where you suggest finger driven staccato.. the performance from candlelight is fairly fingery, and every note is individual rather than in phrases and flowing..  my immediate reaction was that this finger driven practice may reinforce that individual note type playing..  do you feel that it teaches the student to move the hand into the different positions?  I see you explained the different hand positions..  its certainly awkward to try and play a finger driven staccato note if you hand isnt balanced over the note you intend to play.

Also big + for what birba says about practicing to fall back onto the thumb in the run up to the high B after the opening RH phrase.


When you mentioned that my performance was fairly fingery, were you talking about the latest video or the 3 prior? And what did you mean by "fingery"? Were you talking about Birba's first lesson?

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #55 on: December 20, 2011, 03:18:21 AM
I completely agree with ajs. I will also try to use his advices on my playing as well!

Birba gave me a lot of technique to practice. I don't think I'll have a new video out this week! Got lots of work to do.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #56 on: December 20, 2011, 04:02:52 AM
Well firstly, I didnt watch your video very closely, but it was the latest video I believe, the 4th...

By fingery I mean that you looked as if (and I stress that you "looked as if" because changing your technique based on my opinion after seeing you play for only a minute or so from one angle isnt necessarily a good idea) you were driving your technique primarily with your fingers... where as your finger technique should be supported by you forearms rotation and the positioning of your arm left/right and forward/back with with keys...

What happens if you play all with your fingers is you get tired, and you hit a 'speed wall' as chang calls them. There's a point where you just must start supporting your fingers with your arm or you will not be able to progress any further.

What needs to happen is that amongst other important factors your forearm rotates VERY slightly in the direction that the notes are moving, and your arm carries your hand along very slightly also, so that your hand and arm always remain aligned, free of negative tension, and you're fingers always have the momentum and weight of your arm helping them depress the keys.

You really need to read a book/watch a video/see a teacher in order to get this all right. Its very complex and subtle and well beyond the scope of a single forum post.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #57 on: December 20, 2011, 04:18:10 AM
I've only had two years of piano lessons with two teachers so I don't think I was shown the elements of piano technique movement.

Its unlikely you would be shown all basic movements as a beginner. People do many aspects of it completely intuitively so explaining it would cause 'overthinking' and hinder progress.

If you really study correct technique you could spend a month or more just learning to play CDEFGFEDC. This is how lessons typically begin with a taubman teacher I believe.

But for most people I think doing something like that initially would be a bad idea because you need to start playing actual music to keep you motivated. Its better in the long run to solve technical problems as they arise, rather than attempt to break down the technique into a million pieces on day one.

Where is this B E G# you're talking about?

in the second half of bar 14 i think, I'm not looking at the score right now..

Oh, dear, you've lost me.
Sorry I'm unable to do a video, it would obviously be easy understood. Maybe I will have time to do something of that nature soon..

I'm considering the possibility of doing something similar to what you have done here (and kyle with the rev)..  But showing individual passages, the challenges faced and my thought processes for over coming them rather than the progress over time idea. I think it would be a really good exercise for me as far as improving as a teacher but I'm unsure about it as I don't wish to come across as if I believe that I'm 'all knowing' - in fact I strongly believe I'd end up coming up with some bad ideas thinking that they are good ones :P

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #58 on: December 20, 2011, 06:43:53 AM
Thanks, AJ, for all the tips and suggestions. I'm going to need to read and re-read all you've said.

I was not a beginner even though I only had two plus years of piano lessons. I took an accelerated program and did my 4th grade ABRSM exam the first year in Malaysia. The 2nd year, I had a teacher in Texas and I was also doing an accelerated program. By the time I stopped, a year or year and a half later, he was preparing me to do a recital. I used to practice like a demon, 4-5 hours a day. But I was bored. Didn't like the pieces he chose for me.  However, it's been 19 years since my last piano lesson. I didn't have a piano for 11 years and then, when I got a piano, I wasn't all that interested as there were other things in my life. So now, 19 years later, I'm quite rusty and have forgotten a lot. Birba's method is one I've never experienced before but I enjoy it very much and I feel that I'm learning a lot from him.

Offline caioramos

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #59 on: December 20, 2011, 07:40:19 AM
I loved the demon part  :)
I also did some accelerated classes this year, they really payed off in the beginning, but after I learned the basics and knew how to study on my own, it was not so efficient anymore, then I gone back to 1 class a week..

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #60 on: December 20, 2011, 04:45:03 PM
I guess I could go for piano lessons but I'm enjoying learning my favorite piece this way, with participation and contribution from forum members. It's nice to do something different in life than the usual thing. Makes life interesting, don't you think? I'm also learning a lot this way. Actually, I think I've learned a lot more than I ever did when I had lessons.

I don't think I'll be able to make a video this week. Maybe not even next week! I want to work on the technique Birba suggested in yesterday's video. I have a feeling I won't be making quick progress this time. The part where the accent is on the 5th finger is a big problem for me. I'm trying to understand what he meant when he was showing me that section. I think it's the biggest hurdle for me, so far, because once I understood how to fit the 4 notes into 3, I began to breeze thru the 1st page, except that I was tense and had to loosen up and use the leggiero touch.

Offline caioramos

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #61 on: December 20, 2011, 09:43:53 PM
Hey Choo,

I uploaded a video from another piece I'm working, I did some mistakes, but overall the piece is getting along  :P if you want to take a look, its a Mendelssohn

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #62 on: December 20, 2011, 11:17:10 PM
I'm also learning a lot this way. Actually, I think I've learned a lot more than I ever did when I had lessons.

Because the best learning is in self discovery (its the stuff we actually remember and incorporate into our life), and not enough teachers actively guide their students self discovery alongside specific practice regimes.

Offline caioramos

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #63 on: December 20, 2011, 11:29:59 PM
Because the best learning is in self discovery.

AJ is quite a philosopher!

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #64 on: December 21, 2011, 02:17:51 AM
Hey Choo,

I uploaded a video from another piece I'm working, I did some mistakes, but overall the piece is getting along  :P if you want to take a look, its a Mendelssohn


I enjoyed that performance very much. It sounds good and definitely getting along. I've never heard the piece before but I like it. Thanks. Will you post your Fantasie for me to see? Please?

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #65 on: December 21, 2011, 02:21:04 AM
Because the best learning is in self discovery (its the stuff we actually remember and incorporate into our life), and not enough teachers actively guide their students self discovery alongside specific practice regimes.

Thanks, AJ. Very eloquently spoken. Where do you teach? I'll try and incorporate forearm rotation with my fingers.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #66 on: December 21, 2011, 02:33:34 AM
AJ: I needed to ask you a question about the LH phrasing in the fast section of this piece. Should there be a slight lift at the end of each LH phrase? I don't see it when the pros play fast. They seem to connect them all together.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #67 on: December 21, 2011, 03:25:38 AM
I teach out of my home in melbourne, australia. I've got time to prowl the forums and post a lot at the moment since its christmas and a lot of people are on holidays.

Quote
This sounds phenomenal!

I don't mean to make it sound easy :P ..it still takes plenty of practice

read these..

https://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.9
and here
https://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.11

it provides an actual exercise for teaching your hands and fingers to get the motions right - I stumbled onto this years ago when I was a teenager and I got sick of my own teacher just saying 'practice more' - I was just thinking, I already practiced these 4 bars for 27 hours, now my hand hurts, tell me what i'm doing wrong.

I made significant progress because of this, though looking back I think I lacked a really fundamental understanding of the basic concept. Who knows, maybe I still do. I feel like its clarified a lot though now after having read and watched a lot of content on technique. Now instead of being able to do changs exercise to find the right movements I can read the notation and form a pretty good idea of what the right movement is without having to play it.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #68 on: December 21, 2011, 03:47:23 AM
AJ: I needed to ask you a question about the LH phrasing in the fast section of this piece. Should there be a slight lift at the end of each LH phrase? I don't see it when the pros play fast. They seem to connect them all together.

...I don't when I play it. It seems like a fairly either way is fine question given that the gap between LH phrases is mostly going to be disguised by focus on the RH melody. When you play it, what does it sound like to you legato all the way vs gaps between phrases? does it make a difference to you?

I think at the pace it has to go if you start conciously lifting you're going to significantly disrupt the 'flowing' sound of the line. It is however possible to have a slight lift off the final note and the passage still feel as if you're playing it legato. I'm not going to try and explain how to do that in words though..  I guess there's lots to cover when I put together a video..

Edit:
My point is that the sound is paramount, and you can answer this question yourself by listening to what it sounds like. Some people may not agree but I don't think you should be 'tied to the score'. If you like the sound of legato, play legato, if you like the separated phrases do it that way. Thats what makes it your interpretation, rather than anyone elses.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #69 on: December 21, 2011, 04:10:11 PM
Thanks so much for the explanation, AJ. It's so good of you to take the time to explain. When I practice hands separately, I break it off at the end of the phrase. But hands together, I'm not sure. I will have to look at my videos to see if there's a noticeable break.

How about the phrases in bar 12 RH? There are 4 phrases. Must they be played as 4 phrases and not continued as one? I'm breaking them.

Using Birba's exercises, I've finally got the off beat accent from bars 17 onward. When I played hands together, they came together really well. I was so surprised. That's a part I'd been struggling to get for about two weeks so I felt as if I could have danced all night! 

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #70 on: December 21, 2011, 11:10:03 PM
great to hear you're having some success.

interestingly, in the piano street edition the phrases you speak of are not marked with slurs, but rather with accents on the first semiquaver for each beat in the bar.

I would practice them in groups of 5 notes, so, from beat 1 to the first note in beat 2, then from beat 2 to the first note of beat 3 etc.  then once you've got through the bar go from beat 1 to the first note of beat 3, and beat 3 to the first note of the next bar. Practice each 5 note group a number of times before you move on to the next one, or try to connect two groups.

Also apply the rotational idea that birba shows for bar 13 in his second video..

take the first beat of bar 12..  you will rotate toward the right for the A#, toward the left onto the g#, back to the right on the B, then left on the Cx, and right onto the E. The rotation to the right can be a little more pronouced to produce the accent on the A# and then on the E, but it should feel very 'free' and loose in that you don't have to conciously apply downward force with your arm (more of a controlled free fall). You can reduce the accent as you see fit when you become more comfortable with the motion.

These are all pretty small movements, difficult to see once perfected, you can feel the momentum shift in your hand with each note though...

I started trying to video myself last night, its hard because i'm just using my iphone at this stage and it doesn't really want to sit anywhere that will give a good view of anything much..


Offline caioramos

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #71 on: December 22, 2011, 01:55:39 AM
I prefer to avoid the piano street editions, I already found some unforgivable mistakes compared to traditional editions

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #72 on: December 22, 2011, 02:05:55 AM
I prefer to avoid the piano street editions, I already found some unforgivable mistakes compared to traditional editions

Agreed, I've found wrong notes in several - including the fantasy impromptu.

I'm not too bothered by it though as I usually use several different editions, get to play by memory pretty quickly and make up my own mind about dynamics and phrasing.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #73 on: December 22, 2011, 02:25:10 AM
"I would practice them in groups of 5 notes, so, from beat 1 to the first note in beat 2, then from beat 2 to the first note of beat 3 etc.  then once you've got through the bar go from beat 1 to the first note of beat 3, and beat 3 to the first note of the next bar. Practice each 5 note group a number of times before you move on to the next one, or try to connect two groups.

Also apply the rotational idea that birba shows for bar 13 in his second video..

take the first beat of bar 12..  you will rotate toward the right for the A#, toward the left onto the g#, back to the right on the B, then left on the Cx, and right onto the E. The rotation to the right can be a little more pronouced to produce the accent on the A# and then on the E, but it should feel very 'free' and loose in that you don't have to conciously apply downward force with your arm (more of a controlled free fall). You can reduce the accent as you see fit when you become more comfortable with the motion."

AJ: So once I've practiced them in groups of 5 notes, will I play them the same way? Instead of playing in groups of 4 notes? It sounds like your suggestion is to practice them in a similar fashion to bars 13 onward, the method that Birba suggested - rotation or oscillation of the wrist.  Should I also apply the exercise that Birba had me do to them? You know, hold the first note, then play the next 3 quickly, palms relaxed.

You use the term semiquaver. Are you in the UK or Australia? We used those terms in Malaysia.

Thanks, AJ, for your tutoring. I appreciate your help very much.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #74 on: December 22, 2011, 02:57:32 AM
the phasing is in 4's  you play them in 4s..   you practice them in broken up blocks of 5 because that forces practice of the transition between each group of 4.

Continuality rule - whenever you practice a isolated section, try to include the note directly before and directly after that section so that you can string all the isolated sections together without too much work.

yeh, doesnt everyone use semiquaver? i mean 16th notes too..  same thing..  i'm in australia.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #75 on: December 22, 2011, 03:05:35 AM
Thanks so much, AJ. I'll work on it. That Continuality Rule is a good one for me to remember. I was having trouble with this bar.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Pedaling question
Reply #76 on: December 23, 2011, 01:27:08 AM
I was wondering if any of you can help me with this. What kind of pedaling works for this piece? Katsuri suggests using the soft pedal. Paul Barton warns against over pedaling. If I use the soft pedal, when do I lift it up?

Offline candlelightpiano

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Merry Christmas!
Reply #77 on: December 24, 2011, 01:33:03 AM
I just wanted to wish all my PianoStreet friends a very Merry Christmas! And a big thank you to all of you who have helped me with my blog project.

Offline caioramos

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #78 on: December 25, 2011, 09:39:20 PM
Marry Christmas Choo!!

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #79 on: December 26, 2011, 04:49:38 AM
read these..

https://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.9
and here
https://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.11

it provides an actual exercise for teaching your hands and fingers to get the motions right - I stumbled onto this years ago when I was a teenager and I got sick of my own teacher just saying 'practice more' - I was just thinking, I already practiced these 4 bars for 27 hours, now my hand hurts, tell me what i'm doing wrong.

Thanks so much, AJ. I just found this post today (Christmas Day). I don't know why I missed it. I've read some of the info from that website but not those two sections.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #80 on: December 26, 2011, 04:53:33 AM
Marry Christmas Choo!!

Thanks, Kyle! You, too! Good to have you back!

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Pedaling question
Reply #81 on: December 29, 2011, 12:57:59 AM
I was wondering if any of you can help me with this. What kind of pedaling works for this piece?

changs ideas..

"When you are satisfied with it, insert the pedal; basically, the pedal should be cut with every chord change which generally occurs either once every bar or twice every bar. The pedal is a rapid up and down ("cutting the sound") motion at the first beat, but you can lift the pedal earlier for special effects. For the wide LH stretch in the second half of bar 14 (starting with E2), the fingering is 532124 if you can reach it comfortably. If not, use 521214."

https://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.25.3

you may also gain something from this section
https://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.III.2

...
he talks a bit about potential to injure yourself with cycling, which is likely fair.. but there's a counter argument that if you're hurting yourself your technique is probably wrong and that you should be able to cycle for a quite some time without any discomfort. Just read with an open mind and apply with caution/careful thought.

I've been referencing chang a lot lately - its probably a poor representation of my overall thoughts..  he doesnt touch on technique, only the how to practice, so be aware that its only one piece of the puzzle.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #82 on: December 29, 2011, 02:02:32 AM
AJ:  Thanks for the information. I know about this website. I read the Fantasie section a few months before I decided to begin my blog but since I began learning it, I haven't revisited it. It's even more interesting now that I'm working on the piece. I do find some of Chang's methods quite difficult to understand, though. I think it would be helpful to have someone demonstrate it on video instead.

Were you using a digital piano when you were playing Polonaise? I couldn't tell but Kyle and Birba mentioned it. I enjoyed your performance very much.


Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #83 on: December 29, 2011, 02:53:48 AM
AJ:  Thanks for the information. I know about this website. I read the Fantasie section a few months before I decided to begin my blog but since I began learning it, I haven't revisited it. It's even more interesting now that I'm working on the piece. I do find some of Chang's methods quite difficult to understand, though. I think it would be helpful to have someone demonstrate it on video instead.

Were you using a digital piano when you were playing Polonaise? I couldn't tell but Kyle and Birba mentioned it. I enjoyed your performance very much.




Yeh I just thought I'd mention it incase you hadnt seen the sections on the fantasie..

I'm playing a digital in the polonaise video. Real piano not in my current house yet. 2 weeks to go...   I like my digital though, sounds great, plays pretty much like a grand and makes a far better quality recording than when i mic a real one.

Offline caioramos

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #84 on: December 29, 2011, 04:46:02 AM
Can you tell us the brand and model AJ?  :)

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #85 on: December 29, 2011, 05:06:14 AM
Can you tell us the brand and model AJ?  :)
Roland FantomX8 - thats only for the action though, which is fairly decent, but there is better out there now

the fantomX range is a bit old, i'm thinking of replacing it to get even closer to a real piano action in my digital..

The sound is coming from pianoteq - WITHOUT THIS I WOULD NOT PLAY IT AT ALL. - the on board sound makes me feel ill and want to smash things.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #86 on: December 29, 2011, 05:50:45 AM
AJ:  What do you mean when you say the onboard sound is from PianoTeq? Doesn't the sound come with the piano?

I have a Yamaha digital. It's does a great job recording, like you said. I'd like to have an acoustic as well, a baby grand, if possible, but space is limited in our home. Baby grands take up a lot of space and need a lot of space. I told my husband we could get rid of the dining table and replace it with a baby grand. We don't even use the dining table to dine on. But he won't hear of it. He said we could put the baby grand in the basement!! Actually, there's no room in the basement for it, either! So I think I'm stuck with what I have.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #87 on: December 29, 2011, 05:56:54 AM
sorry for the confusion..

the onboard sound (comes from the keyboard) is horrid. I dont use it.

instead i use pianoteq (comes from the computer)

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #88 on: December 29, 2011, 04:36:20 PM
So you turn off your onboard sound and plug in your computer?? I didn't know it was possible.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #89 on: December 29, 2011, 10:39:27 PM
well my keyboard doesnt have its own speakers because its designed to be a studio recording workstation.. I don't turn it off..   it sends a midi signal to the computer and I direct the computers sound to my speakers.

it requires a decent PC and some specific audio gear as well.

Edit:

we should probably discuss the fantasie a bit..  the threads getting derailed a little.

how do you go with the high pace chromatic runs? I may be able to give you a suggestion re the rotation for that if your having any trouble maintaining balance and accuracy at speed..?

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #90 on: December 30, 2011, 12:27:06 AM
how do you go with the high pace chromatic runs? I may be able to give you a suggestion re the rotation for that if your having any trouble maintaining balance and accuracy at speed..?

Are you talking about bar 35? I'm not there yet.

I've been messing up a lot lately which is why I haven't made a video and why I'm talking about anything but Fantasie. There were mistakes all over the place and stops and starts. Birba talked about me having 3 tempi in the last video lesson, and that was just in the beginning 5 bars. Well, I corrected that but last week, I was stumbling in so many places from bars 7 - 24 that I had way more than 3 tempi! SO, I decided to start all over again with the metronome at the slowest tempo which in my case, is 32 to a half note. I'm now at 45 but still having difficulty with maintaining constancy in bars 13 - 24 and I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. I've been working on the exercises that Birba taught me. I do them several times a day. I actually think it's harder to play those bars at a slow tempo than at speed BUT I want to be sure I have all the notes when I get to speed. I felt that I was missing some notes here and there. Perhaps I should make a video just of those bars and let you have a look? It would be good to get some feedback, to find out if I'm on the right track or not.

Offline ajspiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #91 on: December 30, 2011, 01:09:55 AM
yeh its bar 35, though there are some shorter ones in 34 and 34.

just curious..   what kind of tempo can you manage hands separate? how comfortable are you with the 3 vs 4? is it ok slower and you get lost if you speed up?

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #92 on: December 30, 2011, 02:11:18 AM
I can play hands separately at a pretty high tempo (at speed, at least).

I don't seem to have a problem with the 4 vs 3. It was actually harder to slow down than it was to play it fast. When I slowed down, I realized I couldn't play HT evenly. It took a bit of work to play evenly HT slowly but I did manage and it was okay.

My problem measures are:

1. Bars 7 - 8 (okay when slow but when I get to speed, I have a tendency to miss notes in RH. I practice this a lot HS as Birba demonstrated in his first video)

2. Bars 10 - 12 (I call these the transition bars as they transition into the accented passages. My problem is that when I was playing at speed, the transition didn't sound right. They were also messy. So I decided to slow down.)

3. Bar 16 (always messing up the RH)

4. Bars 20-24 (need more work on RH)

I think I'll make a video tonight to show you my problem areas at this slower tempo. It's easier on video than in words.

Thanks, AJ, for bringing me back on track. Funny thing is, my name is Choo Choo! (do you get the joke?)

Offline idreamofpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #93 on: December 31, 2011, 02:29:01 AM
my recorder might have been too close to the piano. if so, i will record it again.
i have been working on my video blog since last year, trying to review my mistakes.
if you like, we can work on this together. here is a clip of the first few measures of my practice time. hope it is not too close !

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #94 on: December 31, 2011, 03:10:20 AM
Welcome and I'm glad to hear from you!

I watched your video. It does sound quite loud and noisy but I could hear you play fine. Are you still at the same stage now? How long have you been practicing this piece?

I started November 27 so I've been at it 5 weeks now. I've been working on bars 1 - 24 and have had a couple of lessons from Birba. I was going to put out a progress video this week but I'm having trouble getting the 24 bars at one tempo and it was also messy so I started all over again at a slow tempo. I'm at 48 to the half note now. I've also memorized the middle section and I'm starting to learn the new measures from bars 30 onward. I'm hoping to make a video next week.

It will be fun to work together. If you haven't visited my blog, here's the address:

https://www.projectfantasie.blogspot.com

Offline idreamofpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #95 on: December 31, 2011, 03:29:27 AM
wow! 5 weeks! i don't think my anxiety could take it. lol...i have had the piece for a year. you have encouraged me to keep my practice up on this selection. would love it. if we could work together on it!  :D i checked out your blog earlier. mine is on live journal. with no videos. my videos are on youtube. will update when iget the A part memorized. i'm striving to get the whole thing finished by feb. i doubt that. :/

Offline twirler

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #96 on: December 31, 2011, 05:51:55 AM
Hi. I started the fantaisie impromptu around the same time as candlelightpiano did. I would say I done it , I can play the whole piece but with mistakes everytime. Now working to perfect the piece, including phrasing, dynamics etc. My teacher's advice is that dont practice with the pedal so that once you put everything together, all the notes will be clear.

P.s I am a Malaysian.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #97 on: December 31, 2011, 05:45:06 PM
wow! 5 weeks! i don't think my anxiety could take it. lol...i have had the piece for a year. you have encouraged me to keep my practice up on this selection. would love it. if we could work together on it!  :D i checked out your blog earlier. mine is on live journal. with no videos. my videos are on youtube. will update when iget the A part memorized. i'm striving to get the whole thing finished by feb. i doubt that. :/

I'd love to watch your most recent video of this piece. I don't have a deadline for completing it. I usually go away for a week in Jan and another in Feb. Need to get away from the cold and snow and ice! I would enjoy working on it alongside you. My videos are also on YouTube. I just embed them into the blog. The blog had a restriction on file size.

Offline candlelightpiano

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #98 on: December 31, 2011, 05:50:02 PM
Hi. I started the fantaisie impromptu around the same time as candlelightpiano did. I would say I done it , I can play the whole piece but with mistakes everytime. Now working to perfect the piece, including phrasing, dynamics etc. My teacher's advice is that dont practice with the pedal so that once you put everything together, all the notes will be clear.

P.s I am a Malaysian.

Hi Twirler: It's nice to meet a fellow Malaysian. Where in Malaysia are you from? What grade are you in?

WOW! You've completed the piece? You make me feel awfully slow! What is your tempo? Would love to watch a video of you playing it. I doubt I'll complete it in another two months! I don't get much time to practice, due to family responsibilities. I'm practicing more now. I used to practice only one hour a day. Now, it's about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Offline twirler

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Re: Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor Project
Reply #99 on: December 31, 2011, 06:08:27 PM
I am from Muar,Johor. Well in all honesty I dont know what grade I am supposed to be in. I have been told that I am learning Grade 5 but the teacher still taught me FI.

Besides, I dont play with a metronome. Its more like I dont know how to use one. I am gonna post my video performing it right after I perfect the ending.
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