Adapting to different piano actions!!!. help

[rovis77]

Hi, today I took my piano lesson with my teacher in the house of one of his students. His student has a Steinway grand piano. I found very difficult to adapt to this piano because I have Hoffman which has heavier action and bigger keys than this steinway. This steinway had very light action and has shallower depth keys. I found it very difficult to control it. Pieces that I can play very well in my piano I didn't play them as well on this one. Is this normal??

[dcstudio]

yes that happens and it is very frustrating--your ear keeps telling  you that it doesn't sound right because it is not what you are used to hearing-- and your fingers tell you that it doesn't feel right because it doesn't feel like your piano.  that can psyche you right out of performing well.  Gotta get used to it though and learn to make adjustments because unlike violinists or trombone players who carry their instruments with them-- pianists are expected to play whatever piano happens be around.  it can be downright painful at times...     

I spent my first semester of college practicing on a beat up spinet and then had to take my juries on a Steinway concert grand that I had never played before.  it was agonizing..  the keys felt like sacks of wet cement.  Of course, I tried to use that as an excuse for my poor performance--needless to say I got no sympathy...   lol.

[iansinclair]

Happens all the time.  The only way around this is first, to play as many different pianos as you can get hold of (this also helps you when the time comes to pay the big money for your dream -- you know what you like, and what's out there!) so that you get used to the variations.  Second, if you need to play on an instrument to which you are not accustomed, try to get a chance to practice on it before you have to go out for real.

Either that or become a major concert artist and always use the same piano, or at least the same make and model...

[quantum]

It's part of playing the piano, and a skill pianists need to conquer.  It can be both blessing and burden.  The brighter side is that pianists can frequently get opportunities to play instruments that they otherwise could not afford to own.

One needs to put aside any expectations of the instrument reacting in a manner in which we are used, as well as the expectation that we will be given the opportunity to perform every last detail to which we have dedicated hours of practice towards.  Rather, one needs to be of the mindset of recognizing the instruments qualities and adapting our performance to suit those qualities, yet remaining true to our vision of the music.  Think: awareness of the instrument, vs dictation to the instrument.   

[cwjalex]

One needs to put aside any expectations of the instrument reacting in a manner in which we are used and be of the mindset of recognizing the instrument's qualities and then adapting our performance to suit those qualities.

this.

i have the same problem except the opposite way.  the keyboard im used to has very light action and when i play other pianos the heavier action slows me down.  i think the best thing to do is just play as many different pianos as you can and listen to what quantum said above ^

[1piano4joe]

Hi rovis77,

Is your Hoffman an upright or a smaller grand than that Steinway?

I learned recently that the key length is 33 percent longer inside a small baby grand than an upright
and can be more difficult to control.

Similarly, I was instructed a nine foot concert grand would be more difficult to control that a six foot grand.

Supposedly, one is supposed to practice on as large an instrument as possible. I was told it is easier to go smaller but not larger in terms of control. I took this to mean that if I can "control" a nine footer, which would be perhaps the most difficult, than a smaller easier to control piano with the shorter key lengths would be a Piece of Cake!

Is this true? Can any experts here verify this information?

I am thinking of trading in my Schulze Pollmann 126 upright for a baby grand and this is just one of several factors influencing my decision.

I hope I have been helpful, Joe.

[thalbergmad]

It's the same with banjos, they are all different.

Learning to cope is part of ones musical development.

Thal

[ahinton]

It's the same with banjos, they are all different.

Learning to cope is part of ones musical development.

Your first sentence is probably true and your second undoubtedly so but the big difference is that banjo players have more opportunities to control matters of the preference in which banjo to play than pianists do with their piano preferences; I'm sure that, as someone who plays both banjo and piano, you'd be better placed to appreciate this than most!

Anyway, back to work on the sonata for banjo and piano that I'm not writing...

Best,

Alistair

[louispodesta]

Hi, today I took my piano lesson with my teacher in the house of one of his students. His student has a Steinway grand piano. I found very difficult to adapt to this piano because I have Hoffman which has heavier action and bigger keys than this steinway. This steinway had very light action and has shallower depth keys. I found it very difficult to control it. Pieces that I can play very well in my piano I didn't play them as well on this one. Is this normal??

According to Ivan Moravec, who takes his own tools with him on tour, there are some concert pianists who travel with their own actions.  They have them substituted before performance, and then they have the tuner/tech work out the kinks.

If this sounds bizarre, then why don't you call up Eric Clapton and tell him that he no longer has to travel with his own guitars and of course his guitar tech.

In your particular case, arrive two hours early and then acclimatize yourself to the new instrument.  I find it amazing what the average pianist does not know about the mechanics of the piano, much less the difference between one manufacturer and another.

In your particular case, your own piano needs a very professional regulation because Steinways are notorious for their "stiff" actions.

[quantum]

Similarly, I was instructed a nine foot concert grand would be more difficult to control that a six foot grand.

Not exactly.  Actually it is more often then not the opposite case (at least in my experience).

Larger pianos tend to have better capacities for finer control.  However, one needs to have the technique and knowledge in order to take advantage of the control one is given.  It may be that those with less experience on large instruments may find the fine degree of granularity of control overwhelming, and thus may be given the perception that such large instruments are more difficult to play.  The greater number of options on the instrument for expression requires a greater number of decisions to be made by the performer.