Having trouble adapting quickly between instruments

[getcool]

So I've only been playing for about 8 years, and I believe I'm finally starting to develop my ear for the subtleties of piano performance. Not to say that I never thought about this in my earlier days (I was a saxophone/clarinet player for 15 years before starting on piano), but recently I really felt this strong sensation that I was suddenly just hearing "more" out of my pianos, and really concentrating on the subtleties of pieces in ways I never had before.

And with that, of course, comes disappointment in one's own work

One of my biggest problems is that I switch instruments often. I live in a small apartment where my only option is a digital. And money is tight at the moment, so I don't have a very good digital. I also play at a friend's house on an upright sometimes. And whenever I can, I play at my local university's music school, where I get whatever random instrument I can get my hands on, which can be any number of different acoustics, some fairly new, some in absolutely horrendous shape.

As a somewhat seasoned musician in general, I know enough not to get too bent out of shape about whatever particular gear you own. As long as you just play, and play often. Instruments will come and go as your situations change. A talented musician should not be stuck on one particular instrument, and should be able to adapt to new ones when the time comes.

But this is exactly where I am starting to have problems. I am finding this very adaptation I must undergo to be almost debilitating. I will practice a piece on one instrument, figure out the subtleties of a particular passage, and then after moving to another, I find it to sound like sloppy mess. Which means almost starting over, in the case of some pieces.

For example, take the 3rd movement of the Moonlight; depending on the instrument I'm using, the opening passage can sound either articulate and clear (the way I personally want it to sound), or like a sloppy slush of messy arpeggios.

Now, I like to keep things simple, because I feel that is the best way for any student to learn. So I know that I've already answered my own question: which is to just keep playing on anything I can get my hands on. I've already said this... I know enough not to get all bent out of shape about how this or that particular piano sounds, since it is the music I should be focusing on. But damn it, I just can't get my mind off of this issue at this particular moment in my studies.

So, if there are any tips that people in similar situations can offer me, I would appreciate it. Or if you had a similar crisis in your studies, and somehow learned to cope with it, your story will at least be motivational.

[quantum]

One of the quirks of playing piano, is that you don't carry your instrument around (unless you use a digital or are super rich to have your grand transported everywhere).  You play what is available.  

My suggestion to you is to try to take instrument variables into account when you form your interpretations.  Don't try to cement such a perfect vision of the music into your mind.  Remain flexible and always use your ears to adapt.  Have a palette of options as opposed to singular decisions.  If something doesn't work on a piano, it isn't the end of the world, just find something that does work.  Let the piano take you into its world.  

It isn't discouraging all the time.  This same conundrum offers opportunities to play some spectacular instruments.  You may have thought you can play a passage the best it could ever sound, that is until you lay your hands on a piano that absolutely blows your mind.  

[getcool]

One of the quirks of playing piano, is that you don't carry your instrument around

Yeah... well this was a big reason why I was hesitant to make this post. You hit the nail on the head. There really is no good answer to my question, other than to just play on whatever is available as much as possible.

It isn't discouraging all the time.  This same conundrum offers opportunities to play some spectacular instruments.  You may have thought you can play a passage the best it could ever sound, that is until you lay your hands on a piano that absolutely blows your mind.

You are right. Instead of thinking of this problem as completely negative, I should probably pay more attention to the particular benefits of each instrument. Maybe even keep a "log" of sorts, since I switch instruments so often.

I was also kind of wondering how really experienced pianists deal with this, or if it is all just unconscious for them. Let's say you walk onto a stage for a performance, and you find something rather off about the piano... how do you deal with that? Or, if you are experienced enough, you simply don't even think about it and everything happens naturally?

[keyboardclass]

But this is exactly where I am starting to have problems. I am finding this very adaptation I must undergo to be almost debilitating. I will practice a piece on one instrument, figure out the subtleties of a particular passage, and then after moving to another, I find it to sound like sloppy mess. Which means almost starting over, in the case of some pieces.

No matter the instrument you are obviously always attempting to play the same one.  With the right technique the body adapts pretty much instanty - it's very hard to attain and rarely taught though.   The ears are a key factor, start there.

[iansinclair]

One thing I find useful is to have at least one piece -- preferably two or three, covering your range of repertoire -- which you know really really well and love.  And use them for warmups on whichever instrument you happen to be sitting in front of at the moment.  When you do this, you can pay a little attention to the vagaries of the instrument, and figure out how to use them to your advantage (if possible!) without having to worry so much about the piece you are playing.