Piano practise

[filthcze]

Hi guys,
i want to ask. I play the keyboard 4 years ( Only chords in left hand + melody in right hand) and I play in metal band and now, i have been playing the piano 6 months. ( because I could not play with right and left hands together), but i have a problem. I want to play the keyboard solos, but here is problem, that my fourth finger has cramps, when I play faster song/solo. Other fingers work good, but this ONE is bad... and my question is.. Is some practice,how I can prepare my fingers for faster playing ? I play the scales ( with left and right hands together). The practice need not be with playing, but when I am at the school or on the bus(for example..)
Thank you so much !

[johnmar78]

welcome, cramps....lol. The only way to play faster is unlock(relax) all the muscles you do not need to use and use the muscle that required to produce the tone. This required a whole arm, body , hands coodination. Have I missed any?

[danhuyle]

If you experience cramps while playing fast then stop playing the piece and play at a tempo you can handle.

To play fast, you must know the layout of the music and let the music flow. It's better to play slow with flow, than fast with constant stopping.

[filthcze]

I undestand you, guys. My teacher says the same like johnmar... but I dont know,how :-D.
And...The cramps is  strongly word, i think... eh, when i play faster solo for 40sec, I cant flex my finger fast, how I need... and sometimes the cramps will come...
I am 16 years old and i know, that i have a time for learning... but this problem is for me a big problem
I know, that practise for guitar exist ( for faster fingers, or exercises), so i wanted to ask, if the practise exists for piano )
and
Dannyhule...How did you think, "you must know the layout of the music and let the music flow"
I havent understood, how did you think this ?
¨Thank you

[pianoman53]

I think he means that it wont make any sense to play a piece faster than you can handle. If you play too fast, you will either miss loads of notes, or have to stop. If you play too fast, and stop, you will never learn how to play it.

The whole relax-thing is a lifetime thing. It's not just about thinking to relax, and then you will. It will take time.

[danielekstrom]

Hmm, sounds like you really need to change your technique. I used to have problems like this too, but it got a lot better. A lot of it really does have to do with your touch. Since you've mostly played keyboard in a metal band, I bet your touch too heavy. You should try learning some Bach. Maybe start with a minuet from the Notebook for AM Bach. Then move on to some others. Bach is good for both your left hand and your touch. Plus he really makes you think about phrasing. I know this music will be very different form what you normally play, but it will really help you all around. It helps you think about harmony, phrasing, dynamics, everything. Plus, self discipline as Bach can be very frustrating.

[johnmar78]

I undestand you, guys. My teacher says the same like johnmar... but I dont know,how :-D.
And...The cramps is  strongly word, i think... eh, when i play faster solo for 40sec, I cant flex my finger fast, how I need... and sometimes the cramps will come...
I am 16 years old and i know, that i have a time for learning... but this problem is for me a big problem
 
Filth, step one...you need to play very soft for a start that relaxes"some" of your muscles, and you also need to focus(mentally) and physcally relax. It is correct, it takes alife time to accomplish and you will get better and better. If you can do SOFT for mor ethan 40sec with out any cramps, you have already made youself an improvement. Cheers

[filthcze]

I don't know if i play hard... I have a video at youtube... I made it, when i looked for music band. You can see faster intros here, but this intros I can play, but for example (the second video) I cant...because I miss some notes or i will stop

1:06 Faster intro, 1:51 keyboard solo, 3:29 faster intro .. Do you think, that I play so hard ?

The piano intro with guitars and drums... Here I can play 10s, and I must stop... or i will  miss much notes

BUT Thank you for your help. I will try to play Bach and relax..and play soft...
I really want to play solos, because keyboard's solos are beautiful :-))

[danielekstrom]

I don't know if i play hard... I have a video at youtube... I made it, when i looked for music band. You can see faster intros here, but this intros I can play, but for example (the second video) I cant...because I miss some notes or i will stop

1:06 Faster intro, 1:51 keyboard solo, 3:29 faster intro .. Do you think, that I play so hard ?

The piano intro with guitars and drums... Here I can play 10s, and I must stop... or i will  miss much notes

BUT Thank you for your help. I will try to play Bach and relax..and play soft...
I really want to play solos, because keyboard's solos are beautiful :-))

I can't tell too much because you're playing a keyboard. I would really recommend you start playing more often of an instrument with more touch sensitivity. But you're hands do kind of look tense and I think your wrist position might be a little odd. You should talk to you teacher about this and see what he/she says.