How do you pratice your piano??

by **MindenBlues** » 04 Aug 2006, 04:29

PJF wrote:Diet and cardiovascular health are paramount to virtuosity. Once during training for a triathalon, I played Chopin's Etude 10/1 @ ~M.M. 300. It was purely gymnastics, devoid of music, horrible! I can't quite remember how I did it. I just went a little crazy. It was probably a combination of aerobic endurance and flexibility. (I've since relaxed the tempo to a sane 152.)

Triathlon and 10/1 @M.M 300 :shock:

There seems to be no limits ...

by **johnmar78** » 06 Aug 2006, 18:38

true..........train harder will give you a better result.

by **PJF** » 07 Aug 2006, 00:55

MindenBlues wrote:
PJF wrote:Diet and cardiovascular health are paramount to virtuosity. Once during training for a triathalon, I played Chopin's Etude 10/1 @ ~M.M. 300. It was purely gymnastics, devoid of music, horrible! I can't quite remember how I did it. I just went a little crazy. It was probably a combination of aerobic endurance and flexibility. (I've since relaxed the tempo to a sane 152.)

Triathlon and 10/1 @M.M 300
There seems to be no limits ...

I played it as a dumb racehorse runs around the track. It was a ridiculous show of physique with an utter lack of art. I'm lucky I didn't end up with a permanent injury. My only goal now, is to make beautiful sounds. Being in shape, however, helps as much as knowing one's scales, in my experience.

by **johnmar78** » 07 Aug 2006, 16:23

I agreed with you totally. We all have our own eagos and dreams...once in a while is fine but when down the track...as getting older and wiser as every one says.....
What you are doing is now ON THE RIGHT TRACK..focused on its art and sound....yes......yes,,....yahooooooo.

Just go back to the 14 years old music prodogy vs a older pianest(30-35) as an example. You find that the later person has got a better artistic expression as compared to the younger one. This is to do with maturity and understanding thru your growth. This happens to my own kids too.

John

by **PJF** » 08 Aug 2006, 03:16

I notice, the older I get, the less ego I have. That's a good thing. :lol:

by **MindenBlues** » 08 Aug 2006, 04:34

I notice, the older I get, the more I try to get the piano to "sing". That means, playing more dynamically, especially softer, is what takes more attention compared to my old teenager playing. I hope that's a good thing too. It took decades to realize that playing soft and even is what can win hearts but what is much more difficult than banging on the keys.

The technical most demanding combination in my opinion is playing fast, evenly, soft, staccato. It will take some more decades to get really good in that, but once mastered it sounds cool, there are some suitable Bach WTC preludes waiting for that combination ...

by **johnmar78** » 08 Aug 2006, 18:46

good work guys.

I was reading the 69 years old Chinese pianist -Fou Tsong.

He had 7 months training at warsaw conser. before the Chopin 1955 competion he won the third price in Mazurka section.

now days He said" Good music is personal and creative; that does not come from hours of training but A LIFE TIME of work"..

Gland I discovered the masters saying and WE all on the right track.....

by **citrine_peridot** » 08 Aug 2006, 19:07

johnmar78 wrote:good work guys.

He had 7 months training at warsaw conser. before the Chopin 1955 competion he won the third price in Mazurka section.

He won the 3rd (or 4th? I don't remember...) place of the competition and the best performance in Mazurkas. I read in a chinese news site that before the Chopin comp, he was practicing without a teacher's supervision for most of the time...

Oh yeah, his dad is like a big figure in contemporary Chinese literature who studied in France and blab blah blah...

by **juufa72** » 08 Aug 2006, 19:31

Currently my "practice" sessions have been filled, not with progress and music, but anger, pounding, screaming, and a large pile of crumpled up sheet music! :twisted:

by **Fryderyk** » 08 Aug 2006, 20:37

juufa72 wrote:Currently my "practice" sessions have been filled, not with progress and music, but anger, pounding, screaming, and a large pile of crumpled up sheet music!

Ah, you've been playing Brahms?! :wink:

by **johnmar78** » 08 Aug 2006, 20:42

Jufa72, you need a break and rethink what you are doing...go for a big swim and try to relax all your muscles. Go for a montain walk and do a big scenic look out to relax your mentals...
I hope this helps.

by **johnmar78** » 08 Aug 2006, 20:43

third price.

by **PJF** » 09 Aug 2006, 01:52

juufa72 wrote:Currently my "practice" sessions have been filled, not with progress and music, but anger, pounding, screaming, and a large pile of crumpled up sheet music!

You need a break. A long break. Six to Twelve months.
Tell yourself, "I don't play the piano anymore." In due time, you'll learn how to love piano again, for the first time.

Here's a personal story for morale support. In the late 90's, after three disasterous piano competitions, and lackluster recitals (the audience wasn't sure they should clap or not, so they clapped to be polite, but nothing else. I had been suffering stress headaches, insomnia, panic attacks and depression. I nearly abandoned the piano entirely. I didn't play a single note for eighteen months. When I returned to the instrument, in 2000, I began anew, with an optimistic view. Some of my grey hair grew in black, and I lost 20 pounds of flab! Only in hindsight, did I realize, my anxiety was literally killing me.

Now, a little older and wiser, I've learned to listen to my inner voice. I can tell when I'm about to go into stupefaction by overwork. At the first sign of irrational anxiety or rage. I stop and, through careful, logical thinking
and relaxing, I find my center. Your center is that calm, tranquility in your psyche, go to it. I do this by meditating on a word of choice, piano, for example.

Promise us that you will take at least 3 months free of piano! If you continue down your current path you will never succeed. Be like Archemides, TAKE A BATH. EUREKA!!!

by **juufa72** » 09 Aug 2006, 09:04

Thank you everyone. For a generous reply:

1) No I have not been playing Brahms. I like to listen to Brahms but to play it is a pain in the ___

2) I would like to take a long vacation from playing but I have a small recital in late november or early december. I was thinking of playing a Hungarian Rhapsodie....oh wait, THE ONLY hungarian rhapsodie I know how to play (somewhat): #5. Or Daniel G. Mason's "Variations on the theme of Yankee Doodle through the styles of various composers"

3) Are there any keyboard owners and players out there? I just have a small medium-grade keyboard (Roland ep-70, i believe) and I think the medium that I play on contributes to my lackluster playing and low motivation to play. Is it just me or when playing a real piano the self feels different and it is almost orgasmic (for the lack of a better word) :?:

Thanks
-JG

by **citrine_peridot** » 09 Aug 2006, 10:37

I completely understand your third point...Despite the fact that my piano is already a very crappy it's severely out-of-tune at this moment (my dad wouldn't get it tuned it cuz ...duh, I am going to college...)so I don't even want to touch that damn thing. I think playing on keyboard is just as bad, or maybe worse... I will just use the practice room at school since the science building is right next to the music one...btw, the bridge in between is call "the bridge of love" (story heard from orientation)

How do you pratice your piano??

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