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Topic: Struggling with speed  (Read 1319 times)

Offline 1piano4joe

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Struggling with speed
on: November 17, 2013, 06:44:11 PM
This occurs in almost every new piece I learn. It doesn't matter what style, what genre, who the composer is, what grade, or even what the tempo is.

I read the books by Chang, Fink, Sandor and others. I use many different techniques. I have made progress but I still struggle anyway.

I use correct movements, fingering and economy of motion but knowing all the correct things in my head is still a far cry from being able to do them with my body. Well, at least I have some idea of what SHOULD be happening.

Also, what do you think of the following ideas for acquiring speed? I found them while surfing the web.

1. Playing very loud and slow and then much faster and lighter
2. Using staccato and building up to tempo then practicing as written
3. Playing every other note in a run twice as long
4. Changing the rhythm
5. Using accents on groups of notes like every four, etc.
6. Spot practicing
7. Using hands separate at least 3 metronome clicks faster than hands together

Does anyone have any tips/comments on these or any of their own they'd like to share?

The higher grades are even more of a problem for me. Playing 1/16th notes staccato at 132 BPM is over 8 notes per second and they need to be extremely short to hear the separation.

It's not always speed considerations in runs neither. Big leaps, held notes, queer rhythms, weird chords, tenths, contrasting articulations, etc. are problematic for me at relatively slower tempos.

I sometimes watch my hand in wonder as it is moving so fast that it is a blur. How does it know what key to press and with which finger to use. I don't know. I'm not in charge. My hand is. I am neither thinking nor processing what apparently my body is doing on its own accord. And this is just hands separately.

When I have both hands going I am even more "lost" as to what I am doing and where I'm going. Maybe "lost" isn't accurate? Maybe I know the piece so well that no thinking is neither necessary nor required nor even possible. This is probably a good thing since it would probably give me a headache.

If it is completely memorized (which by the time I reach performance tempo it usually is) I become even more focused on listening to the sounds I'm making and/or am going to make. I consider this to be finally "playing" and not "practicing". (Yes, it's still "practicing" but with a focus different from, "Will I ever play this piece up to tempo"? Dynamics, musicality usually don't plague me like the tempo thing so all I am obsessed with is "the turtle speed" I'm practicing at. Some pieces are so slow they aren't even recognizable).

At tempo, I am even more critical of the sound. Do I like it? Do I want to change it? It's like seasoning food. It needs a pinch more salt! Also, I'm judging my performance. I'm listening to my body too. Is there tension? Playing fast there can be some. How do my hands feel today? I try not to over do it.

Thanks for reading this long post. I hope it serves as a catalyst for sharing ideas, Joe.

Offline faulty_damper

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Re: Struggling with speed
Reply #1 on: November 17, 2013, 11:23:41 PM
There's no way of telling why you have speed difficulties from your description, though I infer from the emphasis on pushing down that that has something to do with it.  Anytime you push down, you slow down.  Excellent technique is not based on pushing down.

Offline 1piano4joe

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Re: Struggling with speed
Reply #2 on: November 18, 2013, 02:02:47 AM
Pushing down? What is that?

Emphasis on pushing down? What?

Does this "pushing down" relate to my list of queries about possible tips for acquiring speed?

I don't use the first five ideas in the list. I thought that I might start using them if others here claimed they were beneficial and that they helped them improve their speed difficulties.

I can only assume "pushing down" partly refers to practicing loudly and slowly which I haven't tried myself but was waiting for positive affirmation that it's a useful tool before wasting my time on an inefficient speed building method.

Ditto with accents and staccato. I can see how accents could be construed as "Pushing down". Maybe these are all bad ideas then if they're not considered excellent technique building tools.

Please explain this "Pushing down".

I have never heard of it, Joe.

P.S. I really hope I am "Pushing down" and that that is the cause of my speed difficulties. Once I know what it is I will try to stop doing it if I can.

Thank you, Joe.

Offline faulty_damper

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Re: Struggling with speed
Reply #3 on: November 18, 2013, 08:31:51 AM
Pushing down means the movement is directed downward.  Many, many pianists do this thinking that pressing down makes the sound louder.  The problem is that once the key hits the keybed, all the momentum stops and you press against yourself which wastes energy.  All of that wasted energy doesn't do anything except cause problems to the pianists.

Nos. 1-5 are pushing down stuff.
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