Sudden onset of bad finger weakness

[spencervirt]

For some strange reason, for the past three weeks, my fingers have been feeling weak. Normally, they feel absolutely fine. Now, I am straining to move them properly on the piano and the organ. This has made practice incredibly difficult. I cant play fast passages because of the finger weakness and I make mistakes from the strain of moving them. I feel the weakness especially in my  fourth and fifth fingers.

I have only a couple of months to finish my audition pieces for piano and organ for college next year, and this is really making it tough!

Even pieces that I have practiced and had perfect have become difficult.

Any ideas?

[mozart_to_go]

Start by seeing a doctor.

[ajspiano]

Start by seeing a doctor.

Indeed - this kind of symptom may be evidence of a severe issue. See a doctor, who will most likely tell you to stop playing for the time being - when you return I suggest you seek out a teacher who specializes in working with injured pianists as you likely have a technical issue that needs to be rectified to avoid having the injury recur.

[ancientsolar]

Well, I looked at this thread, thinking I have the same problem.. but I dont.. or maybe I do 0,o

Anyway I explained to my teacher that I was practising everyday, alot, ~ said to him.. my fingers are tired.. I struggle to play it right.. but yesterday was fine... ~ I explained how I had had a shower and cooled my hands down.. that helped alot.. ~ but I played through the exam piece.. and he said.. the piece sounded tired, I could hear it to. He got up off the chair 10minutes later.. told me to stop practising and do something totally different.. get out of the house. He closed the piano lid.. told me to stay away. (This happened just 8hours ago)

I have a grade 7 piano exam in 5days, the particular problem is playing the ABRSM A3 piece,
Presto by Mozart (cant remember K number, and im in bed to tired to want to look.)

Now obviously im wanting to practice and its like a knife to the heart when your told by your teacher to stay away. ~ But maybe you should do that to, let your fingers take a holiday, stay away from anything that uses alot of finger work (eg piano, guitar.. PC keyboard etc)

fingers take alot of training to become athletic.. but everyone of them needs to rest sometimes.

[hfmadopter]

Well, I looked at this thread, thinking I have the same problem.. but I dont.. or maybe I do 0,o

Anyway I explained to my teacher that I was practising everyday, alot, ~ said to him.. my fingers are tired.. I struggle to play it right.. but yesterday was fine... ~ I explained how I had had a shower and cooled my hands down.. that helped alot.. ~ but I played through the exam piece.. and he said.. the piece sounded tired, I could hear it to. He got up off the chair 10minutes later.. told me to stop practising and do something totally different.. get out of the house. He closed the piano lid.. told me to stay away. (This happened just 8hours ago)

I have a grade 7 piano exam in 5days, the particular problem is playing the ABRSM A3 piece,
Presto by Mozart (cant remember K number, and im in bed to tired to want to look.)

Now obviously im wanting to practice and its like a knife to the heart when your told by your teacher to stay away. ~ But maybe you should do that to, let your fingers take a holiday, stay away from anything that uses alot of finger work (eg piano, guitar.. PC keyboard etc)

fingers take alot of training to become athletic.. but everyone of them needs to rest sometimes.

My teacher many years ago told me to take time off now and then from the piano and also from certain pieces of music. The theory was absorbtion. When you return you will do much better. However the time period was a day or two in my case.