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Why is my playing so flat?
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Topic: Why is my playing so flat?
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1piano4joe
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 418
Why is my playing so flat?
on: February 04, 2014, 02:15:22 PM
I have a teacher. I have been playing for many years. I polish pieces and sound better than many Youtube videos. Then I go to my lesson...
Why does my teacher sound better than me? Yes, I know, I know, don't compare yourself to others but what gives? I asked my teacher how she could stand listening to such playing. How she did this all day long with all her students. I'm not deaf, I am just capable of being objective and honest of my playing. She was sort of surprised when I mentioned all this.
I play fluently without hesitation, pauses, wrong notes, nice voicing, phrasing, etc. I am very happy with the way many pieces eventually turn out after much analysis, practice and work up. I believe I have good tone and a nice "sound". I play very musically.
I don't get nervous at all at my lessons. I play the same both at home or at my teacher's house. My teacher has two pianos. The students play on an upright and she plays a 6 foot grand piano. I sound better on her grand piano than on her upright for students as it is a better instrument. Yet, she can and does make that student upright sing when she plays it.
I asked her if I could watch her play. She let me. I stood beside her and watched keenly to see what she was doing, looking for something I was missing that she was doing to produce such beautiful music. I couldn't spot what it is.
We can play the most simplest piece such as "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and when she plays it "wow".
Same notes, same exact fingering, same interpretation (close enough anyway) and I just love the way this woman plays. I could listen to her play for hours. I wish I could sound like her.
Are you in awe of your teachers sound? Do you wish you could sound as good as your teacher?
I guess some people have "it", whatever "it" is and some people don't. What is this "it"? I want to have it. Can it be taught? Can it be learned?
How common is this for students? I would like for people to stop dead in their tracks and say "wow" about my playing. I wish I could sound like him.
Okay, this probably happens when either beginners or people who don't play at all are around. If I were to get a compliment or just admiration I would like to just "know" that it's true as opposed to someone just being polite or naive.
The tallest person in a room knows he's tallest. Many beautiful women know they are beautiful and can get just about any man they want. If your wealthy, I think you would know it. I am usually the poorest person in a room and I know it. Yeah, yeah your wondering, "How do you know"? Please don't ask me that. I know, I just do, that's all. If you had your I.Q. tested and belong to Mensa than your PROBABLY the smartest person in the room and your reasonably confident that that is indeed the case.
I just want to sound awesome and know it. Surely, when playing pieces several grades below your level this should be possible. And if I can't sound awesome I would still like to sound better.
Everyone's playing should sound better right after their piano tuner leaves their house. I know mine does and I know why. The piano was just tuned!
Although, my tuner recently retired and this was not the case with the new piano tuner. My piano and my playing sounded worse after he supposedly "tuned" it. I didn't even want to pay him but I did anyway. I didn't say anything to him but I will not be using him again. I think finding a quality tuner might be even harder than finding a good teacher.
Again, this is not comparing but simply an observation. I can hear the difference. I don't get the piano tuned strictly because it's time to do so but the fact that it needs it is a big part of the reason for tuning it.
And so it is with my teacher's superior sound. This is not comparing but simply an observation. I can hear the difference, Joe.
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awesom_o
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2630
Re: Why is my playing so flat?
Reply #1 on: February 04, 2014, 02:32:01 PM
Quote from: 1piano4joe on February 04, 2014, 02:15:22 PM
Why does my teacher sound better than me?
It sounds like she has a much more professional touch than you do, if she can play Mary had a Little Lamb with such indescribable beauty!
Work on developing your touch so that you can also play everything with a superior sound!
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