What do you think of when you're playing piano??

[lilpep4ever]

When you play the piano, you are looking at the music are visualizing the music in your head. But what are you really thinking of? Are you thinking of one of the many things you have to do? Or are you really singing along with the song that comes out of your fingers?

[lilpep4ever]

I usually think of the Music or the composer of the piece. When I'm playing Beethoven, I usually think of VEnice. But if i'm playing a piece that i've been playing for the past few month, my mind would wonder off somewhere like how many homework I have to do and what test i have tomorrow... Things like that.

[lostinidlewonder]

I listen to the sound coming from the piano like someone sitting back and listening to a CD, except i can control whatever i want in this case When i play a piece which has a story attached to it, i think OF it when i play, but it is not the main focus when playing. The main focus is always on the sound for me.
As well i "feel" emotion, like sadness or happiness. Then I remember past experiences of my life which flow through and echo that emotion. Sometimes then emotion is felt more than the listening to the sound, but the sound inspires it so probably the sound control becomes more subconsious.

[pianonut]

is it wrong to play the piano only for exercise?  what if it makes your fingers feel good.  i've had days where i really enjoy practicing and listening to what i'm playing, and other days that i just want to keep what i have 'under my fingers.'  is there something wrong with me that i can disattach myself and think/feel nothing.  maybe i need to start working some new music.  i have been so concerned about playing a recital that i am bored with my old music.  maybe i should just stop worrying about being a concert pianist, hole up at home, and learn some new repertoire.

am also thinking about playing in restaurants and retirement centers.  i need to create an album of music favorites for each situation and work it enough to perform (with music/or without).  am very anxious to get a digital keyboard to carry around when performing.  sometimes in life it seems like dreams take forever.  i just want to be the wandering bohemian that i was meant to be.  travelling here and there, performing music, eating good food, and learning about different cultures.

[musik_man]

I have two modes of thinking.  The first is when I listen to and think about my performance.  The standard "oops, a little too stacato" type of stuff, or just listening to the music and enjoying it. 

When I'm not thinking about that, my mind goes off on completely random tangents that have absolutely nothing to do with piano.  "I wonder how I did on that chem test yesterday..."

[musicsdarkangel]

Sometimes, I think of nothing, sometimes I think of naked women, sometimes I space out and think of a Mcdonalds Big Mac

i don'tknow why.

[anda]

of what i'm doing - i play in my head while listening to the outcome.

[annuy]

When I'm playing from memory during a recital or small group, I think of the basic structure of the piece or remind myself of where I'm in the piece such as page number or relative position on the page.  I sometimes sing the notes in my head.  But sometimes, I just play without thinking anything.

[hodi]

this may be weird.. but when i play music i think of a sentence that someone said to me in my life and suited to the mood of the music.. it can be random sentences..

[Etude]

This is certainly weird:  When I play, I sometimes think random sentences that I've heard in films or on tv programmes that I could have seen last up to several months ago, and sometimes then continue the sentence, improvising the words while I continue playing. 

This is usually only when I'm sightreading through stuff.

[pianowelsh]

My shopping list!

[Bartolomeo]

If my mind is not completely occupied by the demands of the music, I try to listen.

There are times when this does not work, such as when I'm practicing something that I don't particularly want to listen to, because I'm bored with it or never liked it in the first place.  Then, my mind wanders, and I think about food, or fiddly things like why isn't my sheet music here that I ordered three weeks ago, or whatever.  I call this the "pizza syndrome" because one of the best examples, from a book on practice technique, was of pianists daydreaming about what to order on their pizza that night while playing.

The pizza syndrome is a bad habit and I try to avoid it.

[whynot]

What a great question!!  I sing along in my head.  Well, actually, I have to MAKE myself sing along and really, really listen.  Otherways I just float away as others mentioned:  my grocery list, how soon can I eat (I can't eat before a concert, so as soon as I relax a little, I'm starving), did I put away the bread so the dog can't get it etc.  I also think about a few teachers who really inspired me and if they would like what I'm doing right now.  Usually I think they wouldn't, they would know I'm thinking about all these other things... Sometimes I drift long enough that when I come to, I'm two pages farther than I expected.  Not good!  I don't like to go on auto-pilot, I really do want to stay in the moment, but it's a bit of a fight. 

To Pianonut and the piano-for-exercise question:  I guess some people would have a negative response to that, because you're not going deeply into the music in that kind of playing.  But I think playing can mean whatever it means to you at that moment.  There is definitely a tactile pleasure in playing an instrument, and maybe it's enough to just enjoy that sometimes for its own sake.  About being bored, whenever I'm getting ready for something, my teacher and a few friends ask me if I'm bored with the music yet.  I usually say no, and they say that means I haven't practiced enough!  So maybe you're just incredibly well prepared.         

[vivacelife]

I think of how many more minute I need to practice to finish for the day

 ;DJUST KIDDING...

[lilpep4ever]

https://lol,

[zalmanesd]

When I'm playing Mussoursky's Pictures at an Exhibition I think of the pictures...its pretty fun.

[puma]

    It's good to have something else to focus on while you're playing, so this way you stay focused - even if your playing is not   This holds true for pieces you may have memorized and are polishing, and you need the motivation to stay focused - I sometimes choose a symbol  - like fire, water, or maybe a Japanese symbol - to focus on while playing.  Sometimes I think of the composer.  When I play popular music, I imagine myself rocking out, playing for a big audience.  Maybe I just focus on the lyrics.  I find that lyrics help me a lot when struggling with a piece.  It brings out the music, I'm motivated, and I don't worry about mistakes as much.

[bachmaninov]

Well, when I am playing Copland, this is what I am thinking

One two three four five six... One two three four five six... One and two and... One two three four five six.... One two three.... One two three four five six 

[Corsair]

my mind really wanders unless im playing a particularly difficult section, not that it's a good thing but it does help in some ways i.e. the music has a natural flow when you're not concentrating too hard
all sorts of weird things go through my head like an episode of family guy or "hey check out the legs on that girl in the front row"

[kilini]

doo mi so siii re do

That's what I think.

[pianonut]

are you making fun of kodaly?  i beg to differ since suzuki drives me crazy.

[kilini]

Who's making fun of Kodaly?

[BoliverAllmon]

I sing along in my head.

[Corgi]

Is a good question....

Being Polish, I usually imagine very well with Chopin's various works, I can see the cultural inspiration he used. Some pieces even have instances where he throws in a tune of popular Polish dances of some kind, I imagine my hometown and various sights which help me get in the mood.

Lately I have been playing a lot of "rag time" type things, though they are completely away from what I usually do. See I had given up on piano for about a year, but was inspired to re-start from new, this time though I chose more diverse pieces. I'm rambling. When I play ragtime, like my latest fun project Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag", I like to hum along with the tune and even improvise some extra little "moves" into the piece.

Anyone else a ragtime fan here?

PS: Great forum, lots of good people. My first post of what I hope is many posts.

[BoliverAllmon]

I have always been curious of that. Polish people tend to be very nationalistic and have this common bond between other Poles. I know of a viola teacher who is polish and she is the same way. She says she can just relate to other Poles.

[Chrysalis]

I think of the composer

[delpetrarca]

Well, when I am playing Copland, this is what I am thinking

One two three four five six... One two three four five six... One and two and... One two three four five six.... One two three.... One two three four five six 

i'm choking water...

[delpetrarca]

I listen to the sound coming from the piano like someone sitting back and listening to a CD, except i can control whatever i want in this case When i play a piece which has a story attached to it, i think OF it when i play, but it is not the main focus when playing. The main focus is always on the sound for me.
As well i "feel" emotion, like sadness or happiness. Then I remember past experiences of my life which flow through and echo that emotion. Sometimes then emotion is felt more than the listening to the sound, but the sound inspires it so probably the sound control becomes more subconsious.

- my case totally!