who cares?!
How do you get your hands to look like they are barely moving?
Don't be too concerned about what they look like, but the "barely moving" results from not making unneccessary movements. Not, I think by taking an excessive movement and paring it down, but by taking stillness and generating the minimum movement necessary to produce the result you are after.
Real drunk tarantulas on the make? Don't be too concerned about what they look like, but the "barely moving" results from not making unneccessary movements. Not, I think by taking an excessive movement and paring it down, but by taking stillness and generating the minimum movement necessary to produce the result you are after.
Unneccessary movements and getting rid of these is a part of learning the piece and achieving good technique.
I'm not trying to argue with anyone, but I feel like this should be addressed before I can move up a level
No. The order is wrong. That is starting with bad technique, excessive movement and trying to get rid of stuff. Start with nothing, no movement, stillness. Then work out the easiest/least movement neccessary. Do that, and no more.
But what happens with my pinky is that it curles up when I play certain things...
Not that I'm advising everyone start doing it all the time.. but everything in its place..The hand of the one vladamir horowitz in action - I believe the shot comes from a performance of Liszt's consolation 3....also, in explanation.. https://www.pianisttopianist.com/?p=601
So do you think this is not necessarily caused by unnecessary tension
So do you think this is not necessarily caused by unnecessary tension like the notorius flying pinky issue?
It seems to me that tension is something best identified by feel rather than by sight. Of course, some people seem incapable of doing that (or just don't care til it's too late), but you identified tension when you tried to "fix" it - how did you recognise that? Touch or feel?
Well obviously I cant really be sure what vladamir felt.. but his control is exquisite and he has command over the most difficult of repertoire..
Obviously I meant in my case, not Vladimir's
Trying to keep it down required constant effort and I actually got some pain after a while in the base of my pinky and wrist...
What's the difference? Trying to keep it down required constant effort and I actually got some pain after a while in the base of my pinky and wrist...
Well.. you were probably trying to do it the wrong way... *more helpful comments on request.
Thal posted pdfs of the Dohnanyi exercises here, the first few may be enough for now - and you don't want to get caught up spending all your time on these kinds of things.https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=14597.msg156210#msg156210
You tease, you.
If you read between the lines
I always read between the lines. It's where the best bits are.
And then there are the hands of Pogorelich...
If you read between the lines my failure to attempt to saying anything more helpful is an expression of frustration at how difficult it is to get across in writing how to fix that.. when in person it can be solved in a matter of seconds.
I think the word is "talons" when they do that.
Which of course implies that you do think it's a problem?
Anyway, have to trust my teacher, when I asked her she said I shouldn't worry about it and she doesn't have a habit to let things go...
I also doubt this is something that could be fixed in a second
he must have practiced with this
The ultimate answer to those endless "how do I get stronger fingers" threads?
If you look around Youtube etc, you'll see various pianists doing extraordinaryily good things using a whole range of motions abnd positions. Clearly, they work for them. You need to develop a sense of what feels right - not tense, not awkward, not uncomfortable - that allows you to play what you want as you want. If you do that, then what it looks like is of no consequence whatsoever. Nor does it matter whether or not it conforms to some particular school. But you do need to use and develop that sense of feel, not just try and push through in the hope of it all working out in the end.
I guess I should mention that I have a hederitary condition that affects the ability of my muscles to relax normally after action.
Perhaps not a "second" - but I would wager that I could have you doing it easily without effort/discomfort within 1-2 minutes...
Now that is really interesting.. I want a student with that issue.
Do what exactly? Stop ever lifting my pinky that way?
You are young and ambitious, but there are things beyond your abilities
Hmm...bad teacher wishing your students to have health issues... ]
No, I don't mean you'd be able to walk out and it would never happen again after one short session. But I do believe that in that short space of time I could get you to execute it successfully in one particular context and give you the required knowledge to be able to work through it successfully over a more extended period in many others.
I guess I should mention that I have a hederitary condition that affects the ability of my muscles to relax normally after action. Not a severe case, but it is often difficult for me to prevent and notice tension. I have worked really hard to learn to relax as much as possible while playing and my teacher has been happy with my progress lately but I doubt I will never be able to play in a naturally relaxed way that some people do. But this pinky issue doesn't feel like tension really, it just seems to be the most efficient way to play certain things. It's not up all the time but does it very instinctively so I don't do it on purpose like Vladimir probably does.
Then you should definitely work at a slow, deliberate pace. You might have a high risk for injury.
I focus on my pinky and hands all day long now. I do curve my pinky in the right, but my left hand is so wrong right now! I am doing excersizes where I flex the pinkie in place while playing with other pinkies. I have a philosophy behind tension, and the right kind of tension.
Years and years ago ( ahem!) i had a similar problem. And to learn the right way of articulation, (relax after striking) i was on 4-note excercises for 6 months! Speed? First three months, one articulation at 30 on the metronome, working up to 60. After that, one month, articulation every two notes. Then, every three, then every four. Just to point out that it IS possible like ajspiano says.
No worries about that, I have learned what I can do and what not Actually slow practice is not really efficient for me. The way it works is that with vigorous (even hard) exercise the muscles do loosen up and after maybe an hour or so my muscles start feeling like they should, soft and flexible. The more I work the better they are. But exercise does not benefit me like it should, because the muscles tense/cramp again during rest so the effect of physical exercise is never permanent. I sometimes have trouble getting up from the bed in the morning and walking, but in a couple of hours I may function normally for the whole day. The other symptom I have is muscle weakness which also causes problems with posture and all that is not very good for playing I guess...How many pinkies do you have??
If you are having such a difficult time getting up, i do too. I have depression and adhd(or you could call it bipolar...haha)It affects my physical state a great deal. When I dont feel good, I take a really long time to start the day(im not allowed caffeine). But, when it finally kicks in, it is wonderful, and totally worth the wait, meaning you wait for your body to be ready, you prepare your mind and plan/think/talk to yourself while your body is relaxed.
Hey Outin, what is your schedule like? Do you work and then practice in the evening? On the weekends, are you free to practice?And i only have 2 pinkies hahaa
Poor thing, no caffeine?? Yes, the mental part is important...Because I need all my mental strength to get going when every part of my body tells me that I should just stay in bed...What a pity, I guess it would be fun to see you play with some extra ones I do practice after work, not long if I come home late because of the neighbours (today I got home around 7) unless I have something I really want to do. On weekends I can usually practice all day...I really am a night person, so if I didn't have a day job I could do much better. When I didn't work like I do now I used to do a lot of creative work between 10pm and 2am. Studying also. That time I am usually at my brightest. So no wonder I have a hard time learning to play because I miss that window of opportunity every day
But at what price?? I kind of like Ajs method (was it 2 seconds) more
Actually slow practice is not really efficient for me. The way it works is that with vigorous (even hard) exercise the muscles do loosen up and after maybe an hour or so my muscles start feeling like they should, soft and flexible. The more I work the better they are. But exercise does not benefit me like it should, because the muscles tense/cramp again during rest so the effect of physical exercise is never permanent. I sometimes have trouble getting up from the bed in the morning and walking, but in a couple of hours I may function normally for the whole day. The other symptom I have is muscle weakness which also causes problems with posture and all that is not very good for playing I guess...
Super interesting. Obviously that is your experience and i wont argue with it when i have a lack of understanding about what makes your brain muscles behave differently to the norm. It does seem so backward though. I find the practice involves a myriad of tempos, but the exact execution simply must be done slowly at one point or another.. it has to be learnt at a pace where it can be focused on. Past a certain tempo it needs to have been ingrained into your brain. Otherwise you practice slight (or significant) physical errors.
Myriad of tempos, awesome! I feel like music and tempo are difficult to do exactly the same every time you play, so even though slow practice helps learn to play to tempo easier(sometimes?) It also builds a safety net for when you need to perform but are not warmed up. However, fast practice is just something so few people should do without all the experience. Not just because of the errors you are playing through, but also because a lot of slow practice with a little push here and there builds muscles and flexibility, too. But sudden fast practice without being physically prepared(i bet your mind can push your body much more than the other way around) is just scary. Nothing wrong with fast practice, but it works best at the peak of your practice not the beginning, i assume.
And to learn the right way of articulation, (relax after striking) i was on 4-note excercises for 6 months! Speed? First three months, one articulation at 30 on the metronome, working up to 60.
Which of course implies that you do think it's a problem?Anyway, have to trust my teacher, when I asked her she said I shouldn't worry about it and she doesn't have a habit to let things go... I also doubt this is something that could be fixed in a second
Topic: perfect technique 