Does piano describe your personality?

[faa2010]

I have problems with playing piano smoothly.  Some in the forum have told me that I play in a choppy way and that I need flow.  

I have tried everything, pay attention to the recordings, read the piece, memorize it, etc. However, there are still some issues with my playing which as hard as I try, they are still difficult to solve.

I came to the possible conclusion that maybe I can improve if I can improve myself, I mean, relax, don't take things seriously and been less strict with both my lifestyle and myself.

What do you think?, can piano describe your personality?

[j_menz]

What do you think?, can piano describe your personality?

If there's not some of you in everything you play, you may as well give up and buy a CD player.

[davidjosepha]

What do you think?, can piano describe your personality?

In some ways, yes, in others, no.

If you play choppily because you are not physically capable of making it smoother, then it is because of bad technique.

If you play choppily because that's how you are trying to make it sound (consciously or subconsciously), then yes, it's definitely reflecting your personality.

People will tell you that you need to play less choppily because their personality wants it to be smooth. Maybe they're right. Maybe not. The way to tell is this: when you listen to a recording of you playing, do you wish it were smoother, as they describe, or do you like the way it sounds? If you like the way it sounds, keep it that way. There are a million pianists who will play it the way everyone suggests, mainly because most people probably like it to sound smooth. But if you like they way you're playing, then you should continue to play that way. Music isn't about expressing your piano teacher or your peers, it's about expressing yourself. These people, I'm sure, have good intentions. They're not trying to crush the inner you, they're just trying to help your playing improve. But if you don't think switching to what they suggest would be an improvement, don't do it.

[alfrunner440]

Yes it does, and it also represents you state of mind at the time you are either playing or practicing. However, above all try to remember what Chopin said, "Play how you feel". This is a quote from Chopin, A Man and his music. Eventhough he use to really get on his students to stay on tempo, he played how he felt. I greatly object to people saying, "this is how you have to play the piece". Bull, it is my interpretation of what I hear and what the composer is telling me through his music.

I will give you a good example. When I starte playing piano my teacher asked me to play any piece of music. So I played Fur Elise. When I was done he said that he had never heard it played that way, but he said he liked it. What I heard in the music was a man pineing for his love. He then meets her and he is over joyed, but they get into an argument and she leaves. He then starts to think about what just happened and ends up bursting out in total anger. But allas he realizes that he still loves her and goes back to pineing for her. That is what I mean by Playing How you Feel. Everypiece of music that you play is yours and yours alone. It represents your personality, so celebrate it and embrace the fact that you have the talent to play the piano. Remember, everyone is a critic.

[faa2010]

What I heard in the music was a man pineing for his love. He then meets her and he is over joyed, but they get into an argument and she leaves. He then starts to think about what just happened and ends up bursting out in total anger. But allas he realizes that he still loves her and goes back to pineing for her. That is what I mean by Playing How you Feel. Everypiece of music that you play is yours and yours alone. It represents your personality, so celebrate it and embrace the fact that you have the talent to play the piano. Remember, everyone is a critic.

I have been interested in giving form to my piano like you have described when you played Fur Elise.  

It's hard to me imagine a story when I play a piece.  When I play I am just concentrating and thinking in the keys and the sounds as well as the feelings the piece can evoke on me (even though my thoughts and feelings are blur).  What did you do to achieve it?

[hfmadopter]

Yes it does, and it also represents you state of mind at the time you are either playing or practicing. However, above all try to remember what Chopin said, "Play how you feel". This is a quote from Chopin, A Man and his music. Eventhough he use to really get on his students to stay on tempo, he played how he felt. I greatly object to people saying, "this is how you have to play the piece". Bull, it is my interpretation of what I hear and what the composer is telling me through his music.

I will give you a good example. When I starte playing piano my teacher asked me to play any piece of music. So I played Fur Elise. When I was done he said that he had never heard it played that way, but he said he liked it. What I heard in the music was a man pineing for his love. He then meets her and he is over joyed, but they get into an argument and she leaves. He then starts to think about what just happened and ends up bursting out in total anger. But allas he realizes that he still loves her and goes back to pineing for her. That is what I mean by Playing How you Feel. Everypiece of music that you play is yours and yours alone. It represents your personality, so celebrate it and embrace the fact that you have the talent to play the piano. Remember, everyone is a critic.

Man, that's a busy mind while playing ! I just go for the musical expression myself and expect to hear that returning from the piano to me. If not I have to work some more..

I am working on a hymm right now though. The story behind the hymm is that the writter's 4 daughters died in a ship disaster at sea and he wrote this song in response back in 1871. The music is beautiful to this, better as piano solo than sung, imo. But he lost 4 daughters, I have three and when I think of that while playing it gives me goose bumps spurring more expressive playing of the piece..  It doesn't play out in my mind the way you are describing, it's more a passing thought. Knowing the story certainly helps express the piece I must say.
David