New courses on piano technique and historical improvisation now enrolling at Improv Planet: The Four Pillars of Piano Technique : improvplanet.thinkific.com/courses/the-four-pillars-of-piano-technique Tone Production at the Piano : improvplanet.thinkific.com/courses/tone-production-at-the-piano How to Practice : improvplanet.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-practice The Piano Foundations Series : improvplanet.thinkific.com/bundles/piano-foundations And more: improvplanet.thinkific.com/
Piano teachers can be a great source of frustration...I really wanted to find someone who was reasonable in price, and would teach me properly (I am basically self taught) with a few lessons here and there from pianists attending summer residencies, some of whom I learned a lot from in a short time, and others who didn't really work. The last time I had a lesson, the teacher went on for 1.5 hours, and my hands were hurting so badly with the exercises she was getting me to do. the worst one was putting my thumb against my first finger and somehow playing without using my thumb! Well after that, I could't play for a week, and I never had another piano lesson after that! I also found out from working on my own that learning hands separately and afterwards knitting everything together was in effect doing 3 things when using two hands from the beginning and working in small chunks was the best way for me. Thankyou very much for your down to earth and sensible videos.
There have been times where I have had no idea what is causing back pain when playing before. I quickly learned that the inflammation and stiffness when I am dealing with back pain are keeping it from getting worse. Today, I know exactly what was causing the back pain and stiffness at the piano (running a tractor for a few hours). As far as sitting too high or too low, I've found that there are some pianos where no matter what I do with bench height, my legs simply don't fit under the piano. I run into the same issue with the organ (where my legs simply don't fit under the key desk when trying to use the expression pedals).
Theodore Leschetizky's "close touch" and Dorothy Taubman can both be helpful to resolve improper use of the playing mechanism ... largely tension at any point. Tension is created when opposing muscle groups are contracting at the same time. For example, lifting the fingers creates exorbitant levels of tension in the hands and wrists. Both Leschetizky's and Taubman's approaches seek to eliminate -- or at least greatly reduce -- this contradictory action.
Very thought provoking idea at the end - if it's hard, it's wrong. There are two sections in repertoire I've been studying lately that I consider "hard", and I'm always looking for another way to approach. One is the trill variation in Liszt la campanella, and the other is the ridiculously long trills in the 3rd mvt of the Waldstein Sonata. So in both cases, trilling for a long time while also trying to do other stuff. Is this kind of thing covered in those courses you mentioned?
Is my technique wrong if certain parts of my body start "burning"? When i practice Beethoven's Pathetique sonata, my forearms get tired and start feeling very hot, which stops immediately after i stop what i'm doing.
Yes, that's not good. How are you supposed to interpret if you're having to endure something? Mary Moran has a great video online here talking about the octave tremolo in the left hand, if that's what you're struggling with.
The postural problems the professor discusses is often a problem for non-pianists, never mind pianists. Posture -- standing or seated -- is SO important for lifelong health. As is core strength (everything from upper thighs to lower back and abdomen), essential for balance and to avoid back pain. Glenn Gould's habits sound like a nightmare from a Pilates/yoga perspective on wellbeing!
one of my major technique struggles as a jazz musician is 10ths. It's difficult to voice the pinky playing bass and the 1-2 playing the harmony well with such a big stretch. Although I do try to solo using 3rds!
I started playing the piano at 65 yoa, like my Mom. I'm not musical, but I have powerful healing fingers, since I treated musicians and others for over 35 years. I loved this video, well explained. I started out my patients on stabilizing the pelvis of the low back with a sitting exercise, followed by strengthening the gluts and abs. That takes 30 seconds a day. My patients that come in to see me after my retirement never grow tired when I say they are doing their exercises every day because it shows. Then I would address the pelvis of the upper body, the shoulders. I developed a technique fairly unique in Europe (we don't have baseball trainers) since I myself live with a FURS syndrome. I have a video called "Oh My Aching Bach". I make no excuses for the piano playing at the beginning. I'm getting better. Slowly. But maybe Scriabin and Levine should have just done a dick measuring contest. th-cam.com/video/tK9sc0ckSpw/w-d-xo.html
I tried a glissando for Debussy's minuet and skinned my finger. But I like this piece.I have arthrosis of both hands. That's why I can't do glisglisando. And I have arthrosis of both wrists and shoulders. They are frozen.All there is to perform is straight fingers.🤷🏻♀️. I have to cut the chords.
I feel like this video didn't address the most common cause of pain: practicing for too long. No matter how healthy your technique is, your body will get tired if you practice for longer than you're used to. I've seen pianists try all sorts of odd technique things to ease pain when really they just needed a few days off from playing.
Take a break at least once an hour, sooner if you sense you need to. Get up, move around. I do an Alexander lay-down for five minutes or so. You touched on another issue that has gotten me in trouble when I was an organist: drastically increasing the amount of daily practice, say going from one hour a day to four the next day. Work up to it gradually if you are going to practice that much.
![30 ชั่วโมงคนเดียว บนรถไฟชั้น 3 โซเวียต [Around The World Ep. 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MlE9boAVqDA/mqdefault.jpg)
New courses on piano technique and historical improvisation now enrolling at Improv Planet:
The Four Pillars of Piano Technique
: improvplanet.thinkific.com/courses/the-four-pillars-of-piano-technique
Tone Production at the Piano
: improvplanet.thinkific.com/courses/tone-production-at-the-piano
How to Practice
: improvplanet.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-practice
The Piano Foundations Series
: improvplanet.thinkific.com/bundles/piano-foundations
And more: improvplanet.thinkific.com/
I LOVE your story about your early "crashing around" on the piano in your younger days. I did much the same!!
Piano teachers can be a great source of frustration...I really wanted to find someone who was reasonable in price, and would teach me properly (I am basically self taught) with a few lessons here and there from pianists attending summer residencies, some of whom I learned a lot from in a short time, and others who didn't really work. The last time I had a lesson, the teacher went on for 1.5 hours, and my hands were hurting so badly with the exercises she was getting me to do. the worst one was putting my thumb against my first finger and somehow playing without using my thumb! Well after that, I could't play for a week, and I never had another piano lesson after that! I also found out from working on my own that learning hands separately and afterwards knitting everything together was in effect doing 3 things when using two hands from the beginning and working in small chunks was the best way for me. Thankyou very much for your down to earth and sensible videos.
What if it hurts and is hard because your hands are so small that you struggle to reach from one end of octave to the other?
Please consider making a Scriabin Etude 5 op. 42 theory analysis video…
Thank you! Being dyslexic, I'm always using the weirdest fingerings. This is very helpful.
There have been times where I have had no idea what is causing back pain when playing before. I quickly learned that the inflammation and stiffness when I am dealing with back pain are keeping it from getting worse.
Today, I know exactly what was causing the back pain and stiffness at the piano (running a tractor for a few hours).
As far as sitting too high or too low, I've found that there are some pianos where no matter what I do with bench height, my legs simply don't fit under the piano. I run into the same issue with the organ (where my legs simply don't fit under the key desk when trying to use the expression pedals).
Theodore Leschetizky's "close touch" and Dorothy Taubman can both be helpful to resolve improper use of the playing mechanism ... largely tension at any point. Tension is created when opposing muscle groups are contracting at the same time. For example, lifting the fingers creates exorbitant levels of tension in the hands and wrists. Both Leschetizky's and Taubman's approaches seek to eliminate -- or at least greatly reduce -- this contradictory action.
Very thought provoking idea at the end - if it's hard, it's wrong. There are two sections in repertoire I've been studying lately that I consider "hard", and I'm always looking for another way to approach. One is the trill variation in Liszt la campanella, and the other is the ridiculously long trills in the 3rd mvt of the Waldstein Sonata. So in both cases, trilling for a long time while also trying to do other stuff. Is this kind of thing covered in those courses you mentioned?
Thank you!
Fantastic video! Though I'm a bit confused about how to avoid 'deviation' in things like spread chords and diminished 7th scales.
Excellent. Thank you for your advice.
Thanks for some really good advice.
Is my technique wrong if certain parts of my body start "burning"? When i practice Beethoven's Pathetique sonata, my forearms get tired and start feeling very hot, which stops immediately after i stop what i'm doing.
Yes, that's not good. How are you supposed to interpret if you're having to endure something? Mary Moran has a great video online here talking about the octave tremolo in the left hand, if that's what you're struggling with.
Thank you.
The postural problems the professor discusses is often a problem for non-pianists, never mind pianists. Posture -- standing or seated -- is SO important for lifelong health. As is core strength (everything from upper thighs to lower back and abdomen), essential for balance and to avoid back pain. Glenn Gould's habits sound like a nightmare from a Pilates/yoga perspective on wellbeing!
one of my major technique struggles as a jazz musician is 10ths. It's difficult to voice the pinky playing bass and the 1-2 playing the harmony well with such a big stretch. Although I do try to solo using 3rds!
I started playing the piano at 65 yoa, like my Mom. I'm not musical, but I have powerful healing fingers, since I treated musicians and others for over 35 years.
I loved this video, well explained.
I started out my patients on stabilizing the pelvis of the low back with a sitting exercise, followed by strengthening the gluts and abs. That takes 30 seconds a day. My patients that come in to see me after my retirement never grow tired when I say they are doing their exercises every day because it shows.
Then I would address the pelvis of the upper body, the shoulders. I developed a technique fairly unique in Europe (we don't have baseball trainers) since I myself live with a FURS syndrome.
I have a video called "Oh My Aching Bach".
I make no excuses for the piano playing at the beginning. I'm getting better. Slowly.
But maybe Scriabin and Levine should have just done a dick measuring contest.
th-cam.com/video/tK9sc0ckSpw/w-d-xo.html
I like the vernacular.
I tried a glissando for Debussy's minuet and skinned my finger. But I like this piece.I have arthrosis of both hands. That's why I can't do glisglisando. And I have arthrosis of both wrists and shoulders. They are frozen.All there is to perform is straight fingers.🤷🏻♀️. I have to cut the chords.
Very good! Thank you! Raynaud's can be an occupational hazard for pianists too. Be careful.
Love the anecdotes. V. funny.
When I play piano now, I experience tinnitus.
I feel like this video didn't address the most common cause of pain: practicing for too long.
No matter how healthy your technique is, your body will get tired if you practice for longer than you're used to. I've seen pianists try all sorts of odd technique things to ease pain when really they just needed a few days off from playing.
so how do serious pianists practice 6h a day? do you build it up over time?
Take a break at least once an hour, sooner if you sense you need to. Get up, move around. I do an Alexander lay-down for five minutes or so. You touched on another issue that has gotten me in trouble when I was an organist: drastically increasing the amount of daily practice, say going from one hour a day to four the next day. Work up to it gradually if you are going to practice that much.