Technician vs Performer, how to make a balance?

[faa2010]

In the TV tropes page, you can check with more detail the definitions, in short:

Performer = person with natural talent
Technician = hardworking person

Each one has both good and negative points, which can be compensated if one can take some habits and way of thinking of the other.

I am not sure anymore to which group I belong, I suppose I am some mix even though I don't play almost perfect.

Do you know strategies or plans about how can a performer have the best of the technician points and the other way around? how to make a good balance between technician and performer?

[faulty_damper]

I strongly disagree with those definitions.  A performer is simply one who performs and utilizes many performing aspects, not just playing the piano.  A technician is someone who plays the piano but does not make music.

[visitor]

would beg to differ
https://www.ptg.org

 

[louispodesta]

I strongly disagree with those definitions.  A performer is simply one who performs and utilizes many performing aspects, not just playing the piano.  A technician is someone who plays the piano but does not make music.

Very  well said.  In addition, I offer the following video in support of a very similar logic:

Thank you once again for having the courage to state what pianists for hundreds of years have composed, taught, and, most importantly, have believed!

[faa2010]

Well, I didn't want to mean that, so let's say the next:

A person with natural talent, this person can be an amateur and doesn't play as teachers and the sheet says, but this person plays wonderfully in front of an audience, and loves what he/she does. Playing depends of the mood he/she is.

The other one, practice hard, plays with accuracy, follows the teachers instructions and doesn't get out of the piano sheet, but his/her music lacks something, and he/she has a love/hate relationship with the piano.

[1piano4joe]

Hi faa2010,

Would I rather play more expressively with more musicality but with some mistakes OR would I rather have my performance be "correct" but somewhat flat and not all that exciting to listen to?

Is this what your asking?

I think most people belong to both groups but may be more stronger in one than the other. I don't know that I would use the word balance unless one was so much more stronger than the other.

Some people have both, not only balanced but highly developed as well.  I think most concert virtuosos do or at least it seems that way to me.

Musicality, expression I think are about control, creativity, imagination and knowledge.

I don't like to compare myself with others but I will have to. I have been learning to play softer than ever before. I am aware of the pulse. There needs to be one. My teacher still sounds better than me when she plays. That is okay. That's what I pay her for. This isn't a competition. Rubato, dynamics, accents and/or improvisation in baroque music on the repeats can usually be improved, less so if your an accomplished performing artist.  

My playing is much less flat than it used to be. I was unbalanced. I was stronger at being a technician. Accuracy, right notes, fingering and rhythm were there but pieces sounded dull.

It has taken many years and is still a work in progress but my expression has grown and now I play old pieces with excitement. They are a pleasure to listen to. Sometimes I can't believe it's me playing. Simple one page pieces have come to life and are a joy.

On the flip side, I can only guess that someone with incredible performing skills (who can play wonderfully in front of an audience) has something that I don't. I get nervous. My fingers shake badly. I know better than to play anything recently learned.

Maybe it's a question of introverted vs. extroverted?

If accuracy should come first then tempo, why shouldn't accuracy come first before musicality as well?

I'm not sure I even understand what it means to play wonderfully and inaccurately.

Maybe someone who plays by ear and/or never had lessons plays wonderfully but inaccurately according to the sheet cause they never learned to read a note? I don't know.

I think it is possible to improve both by hard work and focus. Some pieces are just more difficult to control the sound while others are just harder to play.

Sometimes there is an inverse relationship where when one goes up the other goes down. I can play scales evenly with no accents at a certain speed. If the speed goes up then the sound quality goes down.

That's all for now, Joe.

[faulty_damper]

Well, I didn't want to mean that, so let's say the next:

A person with natural talent, this person can be an amateur and doesn't play as teachers and the sheet says, but this person plays wonderfully in front of an audience, and loves what he/she does. Playing depends of the mood he/she is.

The other one, practice hard, plays with accuracy, follows the teachers instructions and doesn't get out of the piano sheet, but his/her music lacks something, and he/she has a love/hate relationship with the piano.

It sounds like what you mean is the difference between a typist and a musician.  A typist only plays what's in front on him.  A musician communicates (because music is a language.)