How much time do pianists spend on technical studies?I've spent more time with a trumpet, and on that side they're all about fundamentals-- long tones, lip slurs, flow studies, scales and chords... They spend more time on that than on literature. And there is reason for it-- it takes a lot of disciplined practice to play a beautiful tone that is in tune, to play high notes, to hit a note in the center instead of bending into it and squawking like a duck, to tongue smoothly, etc. I'm getting the impression here that pianists don't spend as much time on technical studies, and maybe don't have as much need to-- e.g. there's little value in practicing long tones on a piano.
Most pianists certainly play as if they think that- ie. most pianists have an exceedingly poor ability to link the sound of long notes into the next, as part of a coherent phrase. One of the biggest challenges of all is knowing how to stay physically connected to a long note, in such a way as to make the task of connecting the next note (both physically and musically) as easy as possible. Instead, they tend to be stiff or go flaccid and totally lose the physical connection to the sound. There's a lot of technique in connecting a long note to the next.
One of the biggest challenges of all is knowing how to stay physically connected to a long note, in such a way as to make the task of connecting the next note (both physically and musically) as easy as possible. Instead, they tend to be stiff or go flaccid and totally lose the physical connection to the sound. There's a lot of technique in connecting a long note to the next.
Yes, absolutely, and this is the kind of thing I am working on (with good guidance). On piano, a note will sound only if the damper is kept off the string, which is done either by keeping the key depressed, or through pedaling. The "piano key" way is the first thing we learn.For legato playing, we want note 1 to sound and only to stop sounding at the moment that note 2 is played maybe with a titch of a blend. So you are holding the key down until you press the next key down but around that point the first key has to go up, all with fingers attached to the same hand, and arm mechanism. Between the ups and downs you can have a conflict.Then there is the fact that while you are holding a key down for a long note, you may be drilling a hole in the piano so that you have all this downward pressure when you need to be going up again, and the hole-drilling causes tension in the hand and arm, and maybe into your shoulders and torso.So it's in this area of the ups and downs that we get into technique, which involves physics and the anatomy of the human body and the structure of the piano, combined with the sounds that you want to produce. Players of other instruments have to consider this from day 1 or they can't even produce a sound. The piano can be deceptive because for producing a note, even a cat pawing at the keys can "play the piano".
all these issues are correct, but I'm talking about a psychological connection that goes beyond the practical details of physical legato and relates to something more abstract. In theory, you
Since it's been mentioned, I can manage a decent legato when I'm pressing different keys. But how does that legato go when you keep pressing the same key?
Please do not press the keys. You press buttons. The keys are not buttons. The keys are actually LEVERS. You pull a lever. You don't push a lever. You push a button. THIS IS WHY I HATE DIGITAL PIANOS. On a digital piano, the keys are actually buttons.
Then again opinions seem to differ quite a lot on how to achieve a good touch...
In my experience, opinions do not seem to differ very much at all among those who have achieved a good touch. I mean, I've only had about ten or eleven piano teachers, and only three or four of them had a good touch. I noticed that the ones with great touch all seemed to have similar views on how to develop it!
You really need to stop that pushing stuff. Pushing is not cool! Try pulling instead.
Is it about the touch first? Or is it really about the sound first?
But we also work on the sound to achieve the touch.
I hate digital pianos because they do not sound, feel, or behave anything like pianos. But people seem to think they do! It's bizarre
all these issues are correct, but I'm talking about a psychological connection that goes beyond the practical details of physical legato and relates to something more abstract. In theory, you can make a long line between long notes if you catch each on the pedal and then throw you hand in your lap before the next. In practise, it's much easier if you maintain a physical context of the sound previously made, throughout its full length. A maintained physical intensity of finger activity gives a reference point that makes it easier to contextualise the next sound and integrate it. If you're drilling a hole then it won't work, but it's equally true that a loss of physical connection to the instrument (which comes with over relaxation of the action that sounds the key in the first place) makes it harder to maintain the sense of a long line. Quality contact requires very clear finger pressure on depressed keys, but very little arm pressure. I'd actually say that losing the quality of physical contact is a slightly more common problem than drilling a hole with arm pressure. Often both problems occur in a related fashion, because the finger droops and lets the arm slump excessively down.
Indeed. And because the touch needed to achieve a particular sound on different pianos may vary, it is essential that one does concentrate on the sound to guide the touch.
You need good hands and good ears to be a musician!
Well, you bring up a good point. Having a fine ear is no help whatsoever if we do not know how to use the hands. Luckily, someone invented the B major scale, so you can all know how to use the hands just right! Practice it piano, legato, and aim to develop fluency rather than speed as the goal! Your hands will become beast in no time.I also highly recommend juggling as a way to train the hands to become better connected to the brain.
Juggling is easy to learn to a certain level! And fun too. Great for the brain!!
You can't expect me to go straight to 3 balls...Where's the video on how to throw one?EDIT: I guess that one covers it too...but I would still need to get some balls first anyway...
Absolutely, start with one ball, then go to two. Only once you can do the two-ball exercises correctly several times in a row without mistakes can you move on to three!
Can you brush your teach with either hand?
yes, I meant teeth Try writing with your left hand from right to left instead of from left to write. Just flip the letters around.
Try playing the B major scale with your hands crossed. THAT's pretty tricky.
Good! Also try-hands separated by two octaves instead of one octave-beginning the scale at the top instead of the bottom-separated by 3rd, 6th, and 10th instead of one octave-contrary motion four octaves
Boy, am I glad you're not my teacher
Nonsense! My pupils love me! I teach them that playing the piano is fun, joyful, and never repetitive or boring whatsoever! It's amazing how much progress they make in such a happy environment!
Go listen to my new piece!
Topic: Fundamentals 