Advice on perfecting pieces

[grahamw]

I would like to know if other people experience this and what they do about it. When I first learn a piece I am able to give it 100% concentration as I play short passages repeatedly. I am also able to give 100% concentration as I play the whole piece slowly and deliberately.  However as the piece becomes more familiar and I am playing at tempo, concentrating on the higher order of things; the balance of voices, dynamics and such I sometimes think to myself “This is going well – I wonder if I can get all the way through without an error”, and I immediately make a mistake. I am currently playing Bach and - for me - a mistake is unrecoverable. Maybe I just need to get better, however the fact that a verbal thought occurs to me means that I am not listening to my playing, albeit for an instant. Any advice?

[awesom_o]

“This is going well – I wonder if I can get all the way through without an error”, and I immediately make a mistake.

Sounds to me like you made a mistake because you stopped thinking about the music and started thinking about yourself!

Don't stop thinking about the music while you are playing.

You need to have very good control over your thoughts to master the piano.

[m1469]

I have read about people who work hard to make a sum of money, they put all of their focus and concentration into it, and they learn to think positively about it in a way that attracts the right circumstances and opportunities.  And at some point, they make their goal and they spend several blissful evenings rolling around in piles of money.  But then, they have a sneaking fear ... what if it gets taken away?  What if I lose it all?  And they find themselves having this fear underneath their enjoyment of their Benjamins, and guess what?  At some point, the scale tips and they lose their fortune, needing to start all over again.

Perhaps there is something similar when it comes to learning a piece and then performing (or practicing performing)?

I think though, that with Bach in particular, it is easy to think very linearly (and very kinesthetically - to the point of that taking over) and if that linear train hits a little pebble on the tracks, instead of skipping along, the train goes off the track and the whole ride is suddenly completely over.  With any piece it's important to have a huge picture of the work, a detailed picture of the work, and anything and everything in between, but especially with Bach.  

Could you plot out a chart of only the larger form of the entire piece?  I mean in a way that you can mentally grasp the entire work all at once, as though you could hang that as a picture on your wall (never mind whether it's an interesting picture or not).

Build a backup plan.  Don't accept a sense of doom and limitation about if something doesn't go as it should.  Instead, practice other options, like improvisation, or skipping ahead to a memory post.

[outin]

You need to have very good control over your thoughts to master the piano.

I have certainly noticed that...but what to do when the thoughts are very stubborn? Today I was playing with friends and it was going so well until I suddenly smelled the cake our host was baking...I tried REALLY hard not to think about it, but the harder I tried the harder it became to concentrate on the music and finally I got stuck and had to stop 

[bronnestam]

"To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable." /Beethoven

Decide before you play what your goal is - maybe you want to play just a short section and you have something musically you want to emphasize. Then play. Then evaluate - did it sound just as I wanted, or did I make any mistake? If then, how do I repair it?

Or you plan to play the whole piece through with a firm intention to give it THIS expression this time, or THAT ... Don't be afraid of experimenting, of making the piece sound totally different than what you think the composer intended. Test if you can play a section with one hand, then switch to the other and so on. Skip notes here and there. Twist and bend, be innovative.

You see, trying to achieve "perfection", meaning that there is only one version that is "perfect", is also boring if you plan to be "perfect" every time you practice. You must not be bored, then you will lose concentration at once. You must have fun, you must avoid "autopilot mode" because then you will make mistakes. Practicing is NOT performance.

Some of the best performances I have heard were not flawless, that is, I heard a few wrong notes here and there. That did not matter, they were still brilliant. I have also heard totally error free performances that simply sucked, because the pianist seemed to be a robot without any understanding of the MUSIC. So, Beethoven was very right.

[forte88]

"To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable." /Beethoven

I've been studying Chopin's first sonata opus 4 for nearly 2 months to the exclusion of all other music and it's still far from perfect. It's hard to stay passionate about a piece over such a long period of time. It's probably the longest I've stayed focussed on one piece. But that's the problem I move on before I'm satisfied, it's the only way I can stay passionate about what I'm playing. But I doubt it was this type of mediocrity Beethoven had in mind.
It will however be easier to pick up when I decide to do it again and can aim higher and be dazzled anew at my virtuosity and pianistic ability

[awesom_o]

I have certainly noticed that...but what to do when the thoughts are very stubborn?

Work on skills unrelated to music that develop your mental focus!

[slane]

Ugh! That is so me!
Part of the problem is, that when we practice we encourage the little critic in our heads to pick up mistakes, but for performance we have to turn it him/her off.

One thing that muscians often mention as helpful is meditation because meditation is a state of uncritical awareness. Sort of like listening to music, letting it flow through you to the exclusion of any other sensation without criticism or analysis.
Here's an article on the subject.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/16/mindfulness-meditation-music
I've just reserved the book he mentions at our library

forte88 ... I was recently forced to give up piano for about 6 months and soon after returning to it, I decided to do a review of pieces I'd learnt previously in the year. Of course I had to relearn a lot of it, but musically the pieces came together and a much more mature way. My teacher was impressed. After awhile it feels like any more practice at a particular piece is just scratching at it, but it you put it away and learn something else, you'll come back to it with new insight and probably better technique.
This year I was forced to take a 1 month break again and again I came back to the pieces with a better musical understanding of them.

[outin]

Work on skills unrelated to music that develop your mental focus!

I should have known that already...the damn juggling thing...it's just too hard 

[slane]

Oh and .. try singing. It really focusses your mind on the music and, I think, because you're using your mouth and vocalisation parts of the brain, the inner critic has trouble getting a word in edge ways. Try it. I notice a lot of famous pianists moving their lips while they play .. they're singing!

[outin]

Oh and .. try singing. It really focusses your mind on the music and, I think, because you're using your mouth and vocalisation parts of the brain, the inner critic has trouble getting a word in edge ways. Try it. I notice a lot of famous pianists moving their lips while they play .. they're singing!

I'm afraid singing aloud is too hard. It may be because I have been singing all my life, but if I try to sing aloud I go to a "singing mode" and it takes over the playing. I start concentrating on the things that are important for my voice instead of my hands.

I often sing in my head when I play at home. For some reason I cannot do that on my lessons...maybe I'm just too tired. Counting in my head also does help me to stay focused. But I usually forget to do that when the music gets more interesting 

BTW. Have you noticed how hard it is to sing in one's mind something that goes too high or too low to be actually able to sing it aloud? Or is it just me?

[j_menz]

BTW. Have you noticed how hard it is to sing in one's mind something that goes too high or too low to be actually able to sing it aloud? Or is it just me?

Interesting. I'm not, and have never been, a singer, and can mentally hit any note.  I guess there's not much of a link between my mental image and any physical activity, whereas for singers there's a much closer link. It would also explain why anything in my head is ..ahem.. somewhat altered.. if actually given voice.

[outin]

Interesting. I'm not, and have never been, a singer, and can mentally hit any note.  I guess there's not much of a link between my mental image and any physical activity, whereas for singers there's a much closer link. It would also explain why anything in my head is ..ahem.. somewhat altered.. if actually given voice.

So it's probably because my mental singing is linked too much to the actual actions of the voice producing system... Breaking that link is probably yet another thing that would need some specific work and practice...

I have similar problems with counting in my head...when I count I cannot help starting to sing the numbers and when it gets too high or too low I have to stop counting.

There's just not enough time for me left on this earth to do everything that is required to learn to play the piano  

[j_menz]

So it's probably because my mental singing is linked too much to the actual actions of the voice producing system... Breaking that link is probably yet another thing that would need some specific work and practice...

There's just not enough time for me left on this earth to do everything that is required to learn to play the piano 

I don't think it's a case of breaking the link and re-establishing it. Rather, I think the link can be made more general so that it incorporates the piano as well. I suspect that may be much easier, and should have many advantages.

[outin]

I don't think it's a case of breaking the link and re-establishing it. Rather, I think the link can be made more general so that it incorporates the piano as well. I suspect that may be much easier, and should have many advantages.

Now how would I do that then?

[j_menz]

Now how would I do that then?

Improvisation would probably be quickest.  Try unharmonised first.

[outin]

Improvisation would probably be quickest.  Try unharmonised first.

I've noticed that I can physically play better when I improvise. I tend to get stressed and tense when I need to follow something that is already determined. Just like I sing better when I know I am allowed to improvise a little, then I don't have to worry about my memory or concentration failing, I know I can work my way through back to the music.

To be able to improvise on the piano I would need to develope better link between the keyboard and the sounds and learn more theory. It's again a matter of how to prioritize my time. What I really want to do is learn how to learn to play pieces, not improvise on the piano. And preparing the pieces for the lessons and teaching the body parts to co-operate takes so much time at the moment...Then again improvising would probably pay off later in learning the pieces as well... 

Should I just quit my job? 

[j_menz]

I've noticed that I can physically play better when I improvise. I tend to get stressed and tense when I need to follow something that is already determined. Just like I sing better when I know I am allowed to improvise a little, then I don't have to worry about my memory or concentration failing, I know I can work my way through back to the music.

To be able to improvise on the piano I would need to develope better link between the keyboard and the sounds and learn more theory. It's again a matter of how to prioritize my time. What I really want to do is learn how to learn to play pieces, not improvise on the piano. And preparing the pieces for the lessons and teaching the body parts to co-operate takes so much time at the moment...Then again improvising would probably pay off later in learning the pieces as well... 

Should I just quit my job? 

Spend just five minutes a day doing it. The connection between the musical bits in your brain currently linked to singing to the piano will be well worth it. Otherwise, you'll be learning the same thing twice, just for a different context. The (small and enjoyable) time taken will actually be time (longer and much less fun) saved.

And, ultimately, the freedom you feel in improvisation should be present in everything you play.  Each piece is a range of options, not fixed thing.

[outin]

Spend just five minutes a day doing it. The connection between the musical bits in your brain currently linked to singing to the piano will be well worth it. Otherwise, you'll be learning the same thing twice, just for a different context. The (small and enjoyable) time taken will actually be time (longer and much less fun) saved.

And, ultimately, the freedom you feel in improvisation should be present in everything you play.  Each piece is a range of options, not fixed thing.

Knowing that in theory and actually believing it are different I guess.

But since I think you are probably quite right, how do I do unharmonized impro? Just bang the keys randomly?

[j_menz]

Knowing that in theory and actually believing it are different I guess.

But since I think you are probably quite right, how do I do unharmonized impro? Just bang the keys randomly?

I mean just improvise a single note line - a tune - just like a vocal line.  No theory needed, and it's the closest to your singing.  Just don't do it one finger, use the lot of them.

Once you've got comfortable doing that, add in a few "harmony" notes.  In other words, start from as close to your comfort zone as you can, and springboard out from there.

[outin]

I mean just improvise a single note line - a tune - just like a vocal line.  No theory needed, and it's the closest to your singing.  Just don't do it one finger, use the lot of them.

Once you've got comfortable doing that, add in a few "harmony" notes.  In other words, start from as close to your comfort zone as you can, and springboard out from there.

Oh, that 

I can do it, and I sometimes did before... I guess I just dont find it interesting or maybe I felt it is wasting time. 5 minutes should be doable. Need to build a habit, otherwise I will just forget it....

At least it's easier than learning to juggle 

[j_menz]

At least it's easier than learning to juggle 

Probably less entertaining for your cats, though.