Play light, quick, legato, and soft at the same time?

[sumpianodude]

I do have a teacher, and she never addresses any of the technical stuff. She just gave me Hanon. And some other repertoire that is my level(which I think helps)
Therefore my mom doesn't take me seriously. If she doesn't bother listening to me about injuries from playing piano, the chances of me getting a new adjustable bench is...  Well, not high.
Also, when you don't use pedal on a piece, don't you just connect the notes by holding them longer?  And when you use pedal, don't you blur the notes into a mess?
"Use mostly finger staccato, but at higher speeds, others may need to be added" are there different types of staccatoes?
How long do you hold a note in "extreme" legato
I also find myself tensing when o try to force a finger to stay down when I play a new note, and i can't control the release...
Just to restate it, I do have a teacher

[adodd81802]

I do have a teacher, and she never addresses any of the technical stuff. She just gave me Hanon. And some other repertoire that is my level(which I think helps)
Therefore my mom doesn't take me seriously. If she doesn't bother listening to me about injuries from playing piano, the chances of me getting a new adjustable bench is...  Well, not high.
Also, when you don't use pedal on a piece, don't you just connect the notes by holding them longer?  And when you use pedal, don't you blur the notes into a mess?
Just to restate it, I do have a teacher

Pedal legato and finger legato are two different things. Correct pedalling will not create that "blurry mess" you refer too.

Chances are you're either pedalling too early or holding for too long. I believe the pedal should come down after the note you want to extend is pressed to prevent mashups from previous notes.

Further more you can 1/4 or 1/2 press the pedal so that it doesn't sustain the notes for as long creating a similar effect.

Finger legato is not simply about "holding onto the notes longer" but more a case of not taking your fingers off quicker. you can have short or long legato depending on the phrase and mood you want to create you can have long and short staccato also created using different motions of the wrist, hand and fingers.

Finger staccato as you rightly pointed out is not the same as using your wrist or using your forearm etc

Practice touching the keys in a different way, keeping the hand still, circular wrist motions, etc see how it even subtly changes the tone.

Sorry for the long paragraph, I originally only want to respond, to inquire if your statement regarding " getting an adjustable bench being not high" was a pun intended joke. never the less it made me laugh.

[dcstudio]

Basically, I think he does well considering the medium.  As for books, you'd get just as much done throwing rocks at your students from 20 paces!

I have been rather hard on Dr. Chang... and he has taken it very professionally... I commend him..   I will state for the record that the information he has compiled is very thorough and is far superior to ANY method book I have ever seen.   I am old school... even though I have my rebellious jazz side, this topic is sacred to me.  I have been ranting, I know... forgive me..  when compared to instruction from an accomplished professional of course this book will not measure up..  that being said...It is worth noting here that very few students learning the piano today get that level of instruction.  We can all agree on that.   There is also a "haystack" of poor information for every "needle" of musical truth to be found out there on the internet.

Though the forceful and at times lofty presentation does bruise my well-trained yet ever-so-delicate piano player ego... the information regarding the fundamental approach to practicing is quite well done.     I will make no comment about the parental involvement at the lessons... as a piano teacher... I feel that would be a conflict of interest... (LOL) I am pretty biased.

Keep in mind as well that my personal experiences regarding people who claim to know music but can't seem to play... have made me rather cynical about this.   The truth is music is not rocket science... a nuclear physicist can learn to play a song on the piano... I will never be splitting atoms or colliding particles ...    Dr. Chang is a pretty smart guy... and as a man of science we can be assured that he has researched this topic as thoroughly as he would any project.

so... I am formally apologizing to Dr. Chang.  

[hardy_practice]

Here's a good example: I own and many years ago had read more or less all the Matthay books.  Did they mean anything to me?  Heck no!  Then I had the good fortune to find lessons with a student of Matthay.  Within a matter of minutes I knew exactly what the books were saying.  And that's the rub.  There's a secret teaching that passes from teacher to student.  Secret because it can't be written down not because the teacher keeps it hidden.

[louispodesta]

Here's a good example: I own and many years ago had read more or less all the Matthay books.  Did they mean anything to me?  Heck no!  Then I had the good fortune to find lessons with a student of Matthay.  Within a matter of minutes I knew exactly what the books were saying.  And that's the rub.  There's a secret teaching that passes from teacher to student.  Secret because it can't be written down not because the teacher keeps it hidden.

Very well said, and I had the very same experience with Dr. Thomas Mark.  Because his book said one thing, and then when I had a five hour lesson with him, it was a very different/clarifying mind blowing experience.

All my prior Taubman, Golandsky (and also the books of Matthay) technique treatises came together as one, in a personal teaching experience.

So, based on the following statement by the OP:  "Just to restate it, I do have a teacher," no you do not!  I personally find it implausible that a modern teacher does not teach specific technique, and at the same time throws Hanon exercises at you.

Please contact me by PM, and I will try to steer you to a Taubman/Golandsky teacher in your area, whereupon you will very shortly discover that playing this marvelous instrument does not have to be a pain-ridden endeavor.

Since my tutelage under Thomas Mark, it is no longer one for me.
 

[adodd81802]

Very well said, and I had the very same experience with Dr. Thomas Mark.  Because his book said one thing, and then when I had a five hour lesson with him, it was a very different/clarifying mind blowing experience.

All my prior Taubman, Golandsky (and also the books of Matthay) technique treatises came together as one, in a personal teaching experience.

So, based on the following statement by the OP:  "Just to restate it, I do have a teacher," no you do not!  I personally find it implausible that a modern teacher does not teach specific technique, and at the same time throws Hanon exercises at you.

Please contact me by PM, and I will try to steer you to a Taubman/Golandsky teacher in your area, whereupon you will very shortly discover that playing this marvelous instrument does not have to be a pain-ridden endeavor.

Since my tutelage under Thomas Mark, it is no longer one for me.
 

Frustratingly they don't appear to have any Taubman teachers in the UK that I am aware of.

[dcstudio]

 There's a secret teaching that passes from teacher to student.  Secret because it can't be written down not because the teacher keeps it hidden.

secret because it is so fundamental and yet really can't be explained...secret because the student cannot understand until they are ready..it no matter how badly the teacher wants him to...  the point of my entire lesson plan is to train the student to understand the "secret"   I know exactly what you are talking about... the "get it" factor...  once they get it...it's like overnight they become musicians.  All of the sudden they are making music... where before they just read notes and rhythms.  Before that epiphany they do not have the capacity to understand what it means to play...  I don't mean to suggest that it stops being a struggle for them... it's just not quite as painful anymore..lol..and they start to really progress.

it's so true...   and there are many levels of the "secret"--meaning many breakthroughs -- and it is exciting every time..

wish I could bottle it up and sell it.

[sumpianodude]

So I'm stuck between an unstoppable force and an immovable object.
The chance that my mom is willing to hire a new teacher because a random person on the internet said so???... A big, fat zero.
The chance that I can get these books(around 80%, if I really tried)*the chance that I will understand them, or get a teacher to let me inderstand(0%)=the chance that I can really understand the "secret".
I'll let you guys do the math on that one.
On the bright side, the posts have helped me understand things a little better, and get more perspectives. Although I can never do something as big as switching to a new teacher or even getting a new bench based on what people on the Internet say, I can still get tips and advice that i can try .
So, thanks, everyone.

[hardy_practice]

Frustratingly they don't appear to have any Taubman teachers in the UK that I am aware of.

ARE YOU LISTENING???  Matthay!

wish I could bottle it up and sell it.

Gosh!  How often am I looking for the canning recipe!

So I'm stuck between an unstoppable force and an immovable object.
The chance that my mom is willing to hire a new teacher because a random person on the internet said so???... A big, fat zero.

people!! - louis, dc and I are singing off the same sheet on this one.   Take note.

[dcstudio]

So I'm stuck between an unstoppable force and an immovable object.
The chance that my mom is willing to hire a new teacher because a random person on the internet said so???... A big, fat zero.
i can try .

some random guy and sumpianodude

it's kinda catchy.


it is still possible to learn to play... well.   I apologize for the negativity...lol... I can get cranky sometimes..

it's not a secret... it's more like you got it or you don't...   some students "get it" right away others take 5 years...     some students never get it at all...

[outin]

... some students never get it at all...

Stop the negativity! 

[louispodesta]

ARE YOU LISTENING???  Matthay!
Gosh!  How often am I looking for the canning recipe! people!! - louis, dc and I are singing off the same sheet on this one.   Take note.

Very well said.  Tobias Matthay was not an American, and there are thousands of second and third generations of his teachers in the UK.

So, now we get it.  The OP is a whiny Momma's boy who wants us to magically solve his problem.

Well, for the record, my mother did everything in her power to keep me from being a classical pianist, and I still got there.  If ones God given talent and heart are in the right place, it will happen.

[dcstudio]

.  If ones God given talent and heart are in the right place, it will happen.

wow...    I agree completely

[adodd81802]

Very well said.  Tobias Matthay was not an American, and there are thousands of second and third generations of his teachers in the UK.

So, now we get it.  The OP is a whiny Momma's boy who wants us to magically solve his problem.

Well, for the record, my mother did everything in her power to keep me from being a classical pianist, and I still got there.  If ones God given talent and heart are in the right place, it will happen.

Do you have any links to UK teachers or websites as an example? I live just outside London.

[hardy_practice]

Try the ISM.  Check out those with good credentials.

[adodd81802]

Try the ISM.  Check out those with good credentials.

Thanks.

[louispodesta]

Try the ISM.  Check out those with good credentials.

Bravo!  As I have stated many times (as an empiricist), citing well-known sources will get you there in most instances.

Further, "dcstudio," thank you for your comment on the common experience related to the causality/dynamic that not only gets us there.  It keeps us there.

[dcstudio]

Bravo!  As I have stated many times (as an empiricist), citing well-known sources will get you there in most instances.

Further, "dcstudio," thank you for your comment on the common experience related to the causality/dynamic that not only gets us there.  It keeps us there.

sure Louis...   Lately I have had interactions with members who were so utterly clueless that--even though I don't always agree with you--it's still refreshing to read a post by someone who has an understanding of both music and the English language.. 

[CC]

There are finger staccato, wrist staccato, and arm staccato; hope they are self explanatory, so when playing staccato, don't just staccato, you need to decide which one.  Finger is the fastest, but requires practice long-term -- requires technique development. Wrist is medium speed, so you can still go pretty fast.  Arm is slowest because the arm is heaviest of the three, and many teachers forbid it, which is a mistake, because speed depends on not only mass, but also amplitude; arm staccato can be made faster by making the motion smaller. To play staccato you don't need much motion. So practice each separately to make sure you can optimize each one. Then increase speed by making the motion smaller. Then to play fast staccato, use mostly finger, but add very small amounts of the other two.

As others have noted, relaxation is always paramount in piano, and especially paramount in soft, fast play, a very difficult technique -- the holy grail of all pianists, so don't set your sights too high at first!  Arm weight concept is very useful; to use arm weight, try the gravity drop -- simply let gravity drop the hand onto the keys to play one note, as if your hand is going right through the keyboard and drop under it, except you let the keyboard stop your hand as you stiffen it at the bottom of the keydrop. Your hand will drop freely by gravity only if you are relaxed.  At the end, the hand is resting on the keyboard, and you should learn to feel gravity pulling it down, if you are still relaxed. Gravity drop is not the way to play piano; it is just a way to learn relaxation and feel gravity.  Why gravity?  Because humans evolved, since we were monkeys (or before), with muscle strengths to equal gravity exactly.  Therefore, piano builders designed the piano playing forces to equal gravity as much as possible, so if you can feel gravity, the most constant reference possible, you are in the right ball park. The feeling of playing right through the keydrop is important because you must accelerate all the way down; if you start decelerating during the keydrop, the hammer starts to flop around and produces a shallow sound; that's why Steinway designed the "accelerated action" that's how important this is.  That's why you need practice: accelerate all the way down, but relax enough to feel gravity -- automatically.

Never use pedal until your technique is satisfactory, even where pedal is required, because you completely lose control of very note, and your technique will immediately stop improving. Practice pedal technique separately at the very end.

[louispodesta]

There are finger staccato, wrist staccato, and arm staccato; hope they are self explanatory, so when playing staccato, don't just staccato, you need to decide which one.  Finger is the fastest, but requires practice long-term -- requires technique development. Wrist is medium speed, so you can still go pretty fast.  Arm is slowest because the arm is heaviest of the three, and many teachers forbid it, which is a mistake, because speed depends on not only mass, but also amplitude; arm staccato can be made faster by making the motion smaller. To play staccato you don't need much motion. So practice each separately to make sure you can optimize each one. Then increase speed by making the motion smaller. Then to play fast staccato, use mostly finger, but add very small amounts of the other two.

As others have noted, relaxation is always paramount in piano, and especially paramount in soft, fast play, a very difficult technique -- the holy grail of all pianists, so don't set your sights too high at first!  Arm weight concept is very useful; to use arm weight, try the gravity drop -- simply let gravity drop the hand onto the keys to play one note, as if your hand is going right through the keyboard and drop under it, except you let the keyboard stop your hand as you stiffen it at the bottom of the keydrop. Your hand will drop freely by gravity only if you are relaxed.  At the end, the hand is resting on the keyboard, and you should learn to feel gravity pulling it down, if you are still relaxed. Gravity drop is not the way to play piano; it is just a way to learn relaxation and feel gravity.  Why gravity?  Because humans evolved, since we were monkeys (or before), with muscle strengths to equal gravity exactly.  Therefore, piano builders designed the piano playing forces to equal gravity as much as possible, so if you can feel gravity, the most constant reference possible, you are in the right ball park. The feeling of playing right through the keydrop is important because you must accelerate all the way down; if you start decelerating during the keydrop, the hammer starts to flop around and produces a shallow sound; that's why Steinway designed the "accelerated action" that's how important this is.  That's why you need practice: accelerate all the way down, but relax enough to feel gravity -- automatically.

Never use pedal until your technique is satisfactory, even where pedal is required, because you completely lose control of very note, and your technique will immediately stop improving. Practice pedal technique separately at the very end.

[sumpianodude]

Very well said.  Tobias Matthay was not an American, and there are thousands of second and third generations of his teachers in the UK.

So, now we get it.  The OP is a whiny Momma's boy who wants us to magically solve his problem.

Well, for the record, my mother did everything in her power to keep me from being a classical pianist, and I still got there.  If ones God given talent and heart are in the right place, it will happen.

A few things:
1. I don't whine any more.
2. Could you please explain what you mean by "mama's boy"? I won't take this personally, but I'd like to know,
3. Magically may not be the right word- I was thinking of learning something new, or a few tricks to practice(all of which I got)" but I was just pointing out that some things I was told to do could not be done. I'll apologize or that one though.
4. How did you get there? How did she try to stop you?

There are finger staccato, wrist staccato, and arm staccato; hope they are self explanatory, so when playing staccato, don't just staccato, you need to decide which one.  Finger is the fastest, but requires practice long-term -- requires technique development. Wrist is medium speed, so you can still go pretty fast.  Arm is slowest because the arm is heaviest of the three, and many teachers forbid it, which is a mistake, because speed depends on not only mass, but also amplitude; arm staccato can be made faster by making the motion smaller. To play staccato you don't need much motion. So practice each separately to make sure you can optimize each one. Then increase speed by making the motion smaller. Then to play fast staccato, use mostly finger, but add very small amounts of the other two.

As others have noted, relaxation is always paramount in piano, and especially paramount in soft, fast play, a very difficult technique -- the holy grail of all pianists, so don't set your sights too high at first!  Arm weight concept is very useful; to use arm weight, try the gravity drop -- simply let gravity drop the hand onto the keys to play one note, as if your hand is going right through the keyboard and drop under it, except you let the keyboard stop your hand as you stiffen it at the bottom of the keydrop. Your hand will drop freely by gravity only if you are relaxed.  At the end, the hand is resting on the keyboard, and you should learn to feel gravity pulling it down, if you are still relaxed. Gravity drop is not the way to play piano; it is just a way to learn relaxation and feel gravity.  Why gravity?  Because humans evolved, since we were monkeys (or before), with muscle strengths to equal gravity exactly.  Therefore, piano builders designed the piano playing forces to equal gravity as much as possible, so if you can feel gravity, the most constant reference possible, you are in the right ball park. The feeling of playing right through the keydrop is important because you must accelerate all the way down; if you start decelerating during the keydrop, the hammer starts to flop around and produces a shallow sound; that's why Steinway designed the "accelerated action" that's how important this is.  That's why you need practice: accelerate all the way down, but relax enough to feel gravity -- automatically.

Never use pedal until your technique is satisfactory, even where pedal is required, because you completely lose control of very note, and your technique will immediately stop improving. Practice pedal technique separately at the very end.

So your fingers should be firm while your wrist is spaghetti-like. Ok.
I find that whenever I practice staccato, as previously mentioned, I'm using mostly arm Steccato, and a bit of wrist, for example, when I practice moonlight third at a quarter of performance tempo, my arms bounce up and down, and I find that whenever I try to go to finger Steccato I wrists tense even more than they already are(which is a lot)
Just out of curiosity, is there a "wrong" way to practice this which would make my technique worse or develop bad habits?

[outin]

So your fingers should be firm while your wrist is spaghetti-like. Ok.

NO

Wrist must be in full control. Relaxed as opposed to tense but not floppy.

[hardy_practice]

NO

Wrist must be in full control. Relaxed as opposed to tense but not floppy.

Let's be clear as the wrists can be confusing.  The wrists are positioned by the biceps (actually forearm flexors but never mind).  After sounding a note(s) they are totally floppy but held in place.  i.e. the biceps don't allow them to rest below the keys.  If doing arm staccato the biceps start the wrists from below the keyboard - as CC pointed out traditionally that technique was 'banned'.

[outin]

Let's be clear as the wrists can be confusing.  The wrists are positioned by the biceps (actually forearm flexors but never mind).  After sounding a note(s) they are totally floppy but held in place.  i.e. the biceps don't allow them to rest below the keys.  If doing arm staccato the biceps start the wrists from below the keyboard - as CC pointed out traditionally that technique was 'banned'.

Held in place is not floppy.

But we probably have different idea of technique anyway...so flop away, I won't

[hardy_practice]

Held in place is not floppy.

But we probably have different idea of technique anyway...so flop away, I won't

If the biceps hold the wrist in place why would there be anything for the wrist to do?  A simple diagram:



With keys supporting the hand there is nothing for the wrist to do!

[louispodesta]

Per the OP's original post and his subsequent responses:  I think it is important for every one to take this particular website seriously.  That means that any OP has to be, as much as is realistically possible, forthright.  And, that means details, details, and more details. 

So, per the OP's recent response to my post, I restate his following narrative:

["The chance that my mom is willing to hire a new teacher because a random person on the internet said so???... A big, fat zero.
The chance that I can get these books(around 80%, if I really tried)*the chance that I will understand them, or get a teacher to let me inderstand(0%)=the chance that I can really understand the "secret".
I'll let you guys do the math on that one."]

And:
["1. I don't whine any more.
2. Could you please explain what you mean by "mama's boy"? I won't take this personally, but I'd like to know,
3. Magically may not be the right word- I was thinking of learning something new, or a few tricks to practice(all of which I got)" but I was just pointing out that some things I was told to do could not be done. I'll apologize or that one though.
4. How did you get there? How did she try to stop you?"]

Accordingly, I would make the following comment:

You, sir, have been given some very high level excellent advice by yours truly and many others.  Consider yourself very fortunate that us "random persons" have taken the time to address your post.

When you decide to take the non-spoon fed steps to improve your technique, then that will happen.  If you are waiting around for us to hold your hand, then (specifically) I for one no longer will participate.

In plain English, we, who post here, expect and demand the same level of respect and intellect that you so naively ask of us!





 

[sumpianodude]

In no way did I mean to show any form of disrespect to any on the posters. My sincerest apologies if that was felt.
This post has become quite a database of information. As you can tell, imp really bad with people. So To the best of my ability, I will try to use the information to improve my technique.

Per the OP's original post and his subsequent responses:  I think it is important for every one to take this particular website seriously.  That means that any OP has to be, as much as is realistically possible, forthright.  And, that means details, details, and more details.

You, sir, have been given some very high level excellent advice by yours truly and many others.  Consider yourself very fortunate that us "random persons" have taken the time to address your post.

When you decide to take the non-spoon fed steps to improve your technique, then that will happen.  If you are waiting around for us to hold your hand, then (specifically) I for one no longer will participate.

In plain English, we, who post here, expect and demand the same level of respect and intellect that you so naively ask of us!

I'll try to do what you have requested of me during the upcoming thanksgiving week. And I'll see how it goes.
Thanks, Louisposdesta, Outin, Hardy_practice, and CC for taking your time to to reply to the post. It is greatly appreciated.

[hardy_practice]

That's more like it!

[louispodesta]

That's more like it!

Muchisimas gracias to all the other posters.  You have served the OP very well.

To the OP:  Make no mistake about it, you have generously been given a university level course in piano pedagogy.  I genuinely hope and wish you will take advantage of such.

[louispodesta]

My apologies for my less then correct previous post.

I meant to say:  a "graduate" level course in piano pedagogy. 

As all of the other posters have learned the very hard way, you don't even remotely get this level of teaching as an undergraduate.

[sumpianodude]

Muchisimas gracias to all the other posters.  You have served the OP very well.

I didn't mean to exclude all the other posters who have given me advice here. It seems that I am always something wrong. I would like to thank those other posters as well for their time and effort

[louispodesta]

I didn't mean to exclude all the other posters who have given me advice here. It seems that I am always something wrong. I would like to thank those other posters as well for their time and effort

Best wishes, and do not hesitate to call back on us again, once you garner the courage to seek top quality instruction.  You have the big (which I do not) muscular hands, so please take advantage of what God gave you.

What I

[louispodesta]

Best wishes, and do not hesitate to call back on us again, once you garner the courage to seek top quality instruction.  You have the big (which I do not) muscular hands, so please take advantage of what God gave you.

What I

Please disregard the prior unfinished post.  THIS WEBSWITE NEEDS MAJOR WORK!!!

To finish what I started:

Best wishes, and do not hesitate to call back on us again, once you have garnered the courage to seek top quality instruction. You have big (which I do not) muscular hands, so please take advantage of what God gave you.

What I forgot to tell you, in my prior post, is that my coach, Dr. Thomas Mark (a former Taubman practice coach) has taken piano technique to the next level based on his additional certification as an Alexander Technique Coach (www.pianomap.com).  This is a whole body approach.

You need to research this, as well as the Taubman technique.

Good luck to you and goodbye for now.

[xdjuicebox]

Pay attention to your weight distribution. You're probably unintentionally dropping too much weight at all of the wrong time.

[louispodesta]

Pay attention to your weight distribution. You're probably unintentionally dropping too much weight at all of the wrong time.

And specifically, just how do you teach a student (AT THE PIANO!) how to do that?

What?  Do you think the rest of us were born yesterday?

Do I know how?  Yes, my coach Dr. Thomas Mark, who teaches a separate Octave Seminar, taught me how to do just this, in a private coaching session.

It is not rocket science, but it does take a specific personal teaching session/sessions to accomplish this task.

[dcstudio]

  ahhh Louis...  you know... even if I am not following a particular string... I like to tune in just to see what you are saying..


 I must note here that I have observed a marked change in your posts...  your focus seems to have shifted a bit..  you don't complain about your past teachers anymore... and you base your credentials on current experience rather than past events....    I read a post of yours recently where you referred to yourself as a classical pianist... and that you "got there"---this is the first time I have ever heard you express contentment with your own abilities.---and that's a big deal.  I can't say you are among the happiest members at PS...but still... you have changed your attitude.

I am guessing that your lessons with Dr, Marx are going quite well and that you have recently conquered a piece of music maybe?...  did you have a good performance? or something?

just curious...

[louispodesta]

  ahhh Louis...  you know... even if I am not following a particular string... I like to tune in just to see what you are saying..


 I must note here that I have observed a marked change in your posts...  your focus seems to have shifted a bit..  you don't complain about your past teachers anymore... and you base your credentials on current experience rather than past events....    I read a post of yours recently where you referred to yourself as a classical pianist... and that you "got there"---this is the first time I have ever heard you express contentment with your own abilities.---and that's a big deal.  I can't say you are among the happiest members at PS...but still... you have changed your attitude.

I am guessing that your lessons with Dr, Marx are going quite well and that you have recently conquered a piece of music maybe?...  did you have a good performance? or something?

just curious...

1) My coach's name is Dr. Thomas "Mark," whose handbook,"What Every Pianist Needs To Know About the Body" is at my side at all times.  I have not had a coaching session with him in five years.  2)  My health has been horrific with a major flare-up of my psoriatic arthirits, which allows me to only walk from one motorized scooter to the next, when I do my mid-day grocery shopping.

3)  I am currently finally memorizing the Debussy Fantasy, which will then be added to the polishing phase of the Schumann Concerto, and the Mozart A Major Concerto, which will then be ready for my practice coach.  4)  This will then be added to the polishing phase of L'Isle joyuse, Reverie, the Arabesque No. 1, La plus que lente, and the Gnomenreigen.

4)  My works in progress are the Liszt Totentanz, the Prokofiev 1st, the Rachmaninoff 2nd, and the Poulenc Concerto.

My so-called tone has changed because you decided to treat me with a certain level of respect.  I, accordingly, have responded in kind.

In that my Canary Islander mother describes me as: "Italian to the bone," the "R" word is a very big deal in my daily world, regardless of the circumstance.

[dcstudio]

My so-called tone has changed because you decided to treat me with a certain level of respect.  I, accordingly, have responded in kind.

.

well your attitude seems to have changed with all members not just me... and I do apologize if I have been disrespectful towards you in the past... I suffer from musical neurosis sometimes.  UNT left it's mark on me as well.    I actually find your story fascinating Louis...and I understand your frustration completely.   There are very few people around here who understand what it feels like to commit to the piano for a lifetime...   that kind of experience counts for a lot.  I am also impressed by your knowledge of music history... it's obvious that you have studied away from the piano quite a bit.   

and I know you don't feel well a lot of the time and that makes you grumpy..

Marx...lol.... child of the cold war, what can I say...

[hardy_practice]

Could you folks like stop with the smooching in the corner?  Very unbecoming.

[dcstudio]

Could you folks like stop with the smooching in the corner?  Very unbecoming.

lol...smoocher

[xdjuicebox]

it's impossible. I need help. Anything I try to play fast and soft comes uneven, and staccato. If. Try to hold it becomes loud.(when I try to play fast I end up bringing the keys down faster...). My thumb is also incredibly loud on these occasions.
Also how do you bring out a single not on the pinky when playing a chord?

The key to light playing is in the velocity of the hammer as it strikes the note, which depends on how much momentum you imparted on the key. It's hard to control the velocity, but gravity always accelerates at a constant acceleration, so if you vary the height at which you "drop" from [keep in mind the muscles are still involved, just minimally] it is very easy to control volume. I think of soft playing like sinking into a cushion on a sofa or something. Since there are a lot of notes, it's okay to overlap the notes just a little bit, think of your hand like a wheel and you're rolling your wheel across some wet clay because that's literally what it feels like. As one lands, the other rises. For a cool effect, consider flutter pedaling while doing this...

Also you have to move your forearm to accommodate the finger being played. For example, the middle finger is very long, and to play that on a white key you have to pull out a little bit. Playing a thumb on a white key requires you to move forward since the thumb is a short finger and drop down a little bit so it doesn't have to drop from as high (this is how you avoid those annoying thumb accents.] Playing a thumb on a black key requires you to move into the black keys and lower your hand a little bit [but not too much].

To bring out the pinky, distribute more of your weight on the pinky, and "grasp" with it slightly more, but make sure all of the notes land on the same time. [Lean on it a little more]. This takes practice.