Legato and Equal Finger Weights Question

[aboocher]

Hello everyone, I am a "beginner" piano student in the fact that I taught myself basic piano (on a keyboard)  and am now taking lessons.  My teachers has me playing the Fantasie Impromptu.   I don't think that I am ready, but everything she has had me do so far has been within my grasp.  Anyways, here is my problem.  My teacher is a professional pianist from Russia.  She is very good, and says that so many people "bang" on the piano.  This is my first time trying to play piano the correct way, but it still sounds bad for me.  I can't seem to get the legato down and I hit the keys with uneven finger weights.    I asked my teacher how to play these things and she will put her fingers on my arm and show me what equal finger weights feel like, or she will say "like this" and play it correctly.  My problem is that none of this corrects my problem.  I know what it's supposed to sound like, and i can tell that mine is wrong, but I've been practicing and trying to mentally make everything even and it isn't working.   The same is happening with my legato.  I end up playing everything so softly that I sometimes "miss" notes because i'm not hitting them hard enough because I'm afraid of banging.   The legato has similar problems.  Does anyone have any advice for me with regard to these matters?

Thank you,

Adam

[xvimbi]

I know what it's supposed to sound like, and i can tell that mine is wrong...

Congratulations, this is probably the most important aspect of it all. Now, play around with different motions until you can create the correct sound. However, make sure the instrument you are using is actually able to produce that sound, otherwise you'll keep trying until eternity. Don't be afraid of "banging"; if you don't depress the key hard enough to make a sound, you got to press harder. "Banging" in fact requires a lot more than that. The fact that you seem to be sensitive towards these aspects tells me that you will probably never really "bang". Watch your teacher carefully and try to imitate the motions. In the end, you will have to feel what the right motion is, and trust me, you will know when you've got it.

One could say a whole lot more about weight etc., but it is difficult to describe. The best is probably to get a couple of the standard books (Seymore Fink, Gyorgy Sandor, Seymore Bernstein, Thomas Mark to name a few authors). There is a list somwhere on this forum.

[Brian Healey]

Beside what xvimbi's wonderful advice, try to practice as much as you can on a piano. You mentioned that you taught yourself on a keyboard, so it's no wonder you're having trouble with your touch. The fact that you said you sometimes "miss" notes confirms that you have "electronic keyboard syndrome." Even very expensive keyboards don't have the subtle repsonsiveness of a piano, so you'll end up not really learning how to generate sound on a piano if you always practice on a keyboard. Because on a keyboard you don't really have to.

And as xvimbi said, since you have a concept of how it should sound, you're already halfway there.


Peace,
Bri

[Grane]

Hi Adam.  While I'm no expert, have read lots of books.

Apparently the key to playing with a nice tone is to push the keys all the way down and with the cushiest part of your finger -- meaning the pad under the nail.

Of course there are some times when you can't or don't want to push down - such as very light or soft passages and you might play more with your tips.

Legato usually comes from starting the successive note after the first note is played -- it's meaning is "connected."  The other styles are staccato and portamento.  If you play around with each you'll get it -- although some phrasing I've learned comes with an enhanced technique.

Let us know how you do.

Ed

[anda]

i'm not sure how much this will help, but anyway... there's a simple thing i always do with my students whenever they have sound (tone ) -problems or weight-transfer problems: play the passages you are practicing on your hand/leg. this way, you get to feel what the piano feels. i know this may sound stoopid, but it helped many of my students understand the difference between weight-release-on-each-finger and weight-transfer-between-fingers.

best luck