Choreographing the eyes

[nyquist]

While playing a memorized piece--that is, no music to follow--I am finding that often when I am having difficulties it is because I am trying to watch both hands simultaneously.  As soon as I decide which hand to check and which one to play "blind" the confussion goes away.   I was wondering if there is a good systematic strategy for choreographing (or "fingering") the eyes.  (Does anybody even go to the extreme of writing down on the music where should the eyes be looking?)  Of course, one answer is to learn to play blind both hands.

Thanks for any suggestions,
N.

[jhon]

A so-aclled "Serkin's Style" is to look and gaze upwards most of the time while playing and not focus on where the hands/fingers will go.  Most of his pupils learned that manerism from him  (such as Cecile Licad).  Lang Lang is also an example.  (Licad and Lang are both from Curtis Institute of Music.)   

[stephane]

Nyquist,

I don't know of any systematic strategie written somewhere.
But I can say I have the same thing. On those spots I try to make sure to look at the hand that needs my eyes most (biggest jump for instance) and make sure to always look to that hand only and memorise it together with the piece.
The pieces I'm learning right now are still quite short (2 pages the most) so I can remember the spots without writing them out. I guess with larger stuff it can be handy.

Best regards,

Stephane

[happyface94]

Try playing a bit further from the piano, you should have a better view of the keyboard. Like typing on a keyboard, the beginners will look for the keys and press it. Rather, you need to advance to a level where most keys in your hand grasp should be memorized. I try not to watch the keys, but rather my hand positionning. Even jumps is a matter of well positionning your hands : which is why when you have a middle to far jump for both hand (making it near impossible to watch exactly the fingerings from both), it is much better to have a feeling of where your hand is going, and then the fingers shoudl have become automatic from hitting the right position.

[dorfmouse]

There's a thread called "How to practice aim" with a suggested strategy by (naturally!) Bernhard on

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2720.msg23353.html#msg23353

which you may find helpful.

[Dazzer]

A so-aclled "Serkin's Style" is to look and gaze upwards most of the time while playing and not focus on where the hands/fingers will go.  Most of his pupils learned that manerism from him  (such as Cecile Licad).  Lang Lang is also an example.  (Licad and Lang are both from Curtis Institute of Music.)   

lang lang looks silly whenever he does that.