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Hi guys,
Just wanted a quick opinion on a piece I am playing for my college, I auditioned for a position on a student compilation album and got on as the only classical player. It's a very small school and I'm trying to represent them well, or atleast the classical lovers in the community. Anyways, please criticize me as you please or whatever. But please be in note that I am currently not anyone's pupil or learning from anyone, I ended up teaching myself this song for the CD as they CHOSE the song I had to have been playing.
Anyways, it is Chopin's Nocturne in C# Minor if you're wondering, or didn't know who it was.
And fyi, this piano was pretty new, I had very little time to get used to and play on it for the recording. Some of the recording is spliced as edits were needed. I just thought some of you would like to hear it =]
The link you were looking to download..
  
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Very well done. If you could've chosen a song, I would've said to pick a more upbeat one, but it wasn't bad. I can't critique like a pro player, but it sounded good to me. Good luck in your college.
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I like how in the side bar you have "Play my game! -Day[9]" and "Listen to me! -Dave[9]"
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Spenguin
Australia3316 Posts
Do you want us to shine your shoes next? 
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I'm not anyone's pupil or learning from anyone. I've never played this piece, but I am looking at the sheet music and tell you some areas to improve your expression:
- Trills/scales: it sounds like you're mashing the keys together in the very beginning; later on it's better but still sounds a little muddled
- Dynamics/expression: I feel that the piece sounds sort of flat; in some areas you're hitting the keys a bit too hard (like at 1:22) but it still doesn't "feel" forte, whereas in some areas it still sounds the same even though there's a crescendo/diminuendo, etc.
- Audio adjustments: not sure if it's my speakers, but there are times when it sounds like it's being clipped.
How did you end up recording this? If it's to a MIDI track you can play around with note velocities and stuff, and then adjust the gain to deal with the dynamics, if you're that concerned about the quality (lol).
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did you teach yourself piano or have lessons as a kid?
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Nice work! Good luck!
Give me the midi file please :D I think it is clipped on some high notes, not sure though.
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Great work!
The trills sound a little bit mashed and have too much force. On the other recording I have of this piece, they sound effortless and smooth (I dont know who plays on that recording though). Apart from that I thought it was excellent.
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Ok, since I can't I'll analyse your entire playthrough
Best way is like SC, compare yourself to a pro player, this song happened to be played in the movie "The Pianist" and I found a youtube vid and compared your playing to it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cectrAqFSZQ)
I've had 10 years of formal classical piano training, though I now do my own thing which is mainly singing and guitar (more rnb, jazz stuff) I from time to time pick up and learn a classical piece to just develop some skill and maintain my piano skills, however I haven't done that recently so I might miss some things sry : x
#1 - Your opening is different to his, not sure if its just the different interpretations and notations, not that big of an issue. You can choose either but stick with it, don't half half it, the audience will know.
#2 - Your first trill, kinda poo'ed it, but that's ok just practice it a bit more. An easy way to practice this is when you practice place an accent on every 4 notes of the trill or whatever, it's a psycological thing that distracts your mind from simply telling your fingers to alternate, then slowly remove this (but consciously thinking to play it with the accent) and your trill becomes smoother and more connected.
#3 - After the trill phrase, you kind of didn't let it go anywhere, it felt disjointed and like just an end to the trill, I think it's just that particular playing where you slipped on the trill. Also the next phrase feels hesitant and restrained, just rock that shit and lean into that bitch and feel the POWER!!!. Seriously not joking, lean into the note (especially the very high note) and use your weight, it will feel much more dramatic both in sound and when your performing it. (oh said it was a new piano, but even then, don't hold back xP).
#4 - Big trill 2 was a bit broken and disjointed again, mainly because you are using your fingers without the aid of your wrist, the notes sound very harsh and like bashed. I think your wrist might be tense when you play the trills, just loosen up but keep it stern so you can still support your fingers. Next trill was nice though ;D!!!
#5 - 2:15 - 2:20 this is the climax of this section, make it bigger : > Also on the version I listened to, the pianist sped up, dynamics and timing doesn't have to be completely rigid in romantic music, experiment with it but remember if you do it, it has to be for a reason and you have to commit to it, like this pianist sped up and played loudly to highlight it was the climax of the section.
#6 - 2:45 - Those notes in the left hand are meant to be played quickly and then slower towards the end of that section, checked a few other vids to make sure it wasn't just a one off interpretation, sounds much better that way too.
#7 - ;o seems like the trills are the big weakness of the piece atm, don't worry they are just a technical aspect and can be easily repaired with practice and getting more use to your new piano ;D no real problems there.
#8 - 3:55 Ease up a bit on the bass note ;D lol. Kinda drowns everything out, also I'm not sure how your playing it but it sounds very harsh, maybe your pushing it a bit hard, try instead to fall onto the note, still loud but a much more pleasant sound.
#9 - BIG TRILL!!! keke, almost, but slipped up about halfway, not much to say apart from just practicing and smoothing it out, however your rapid ascending patterns were very nice and even
Nice job on self-teaching yourself this piece, just a few pointers that I picked up. Overall I think it was just a bit hesitant and restrained, add your own flavour into it as well, a Dave[9]-ness to the song. Also not sure if you've ever learnt this but piano is much more than having perfect finger control, you must learn how to use your body to distribute weight when you require it, especially in romantic style pieces
Anyways those are some pointers from a classically trained piano player turned wanna be pop star ^_^ hehe
Good luck with the song ;D!
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yeah good job self teaching yourself this song. i'm an asian so i had to learn this piece a couple of years ago... work on your trills a bit more and (i would) try to have a wider dynamic range. besides that it was pretty good!
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I'm learning classical guitar, so yeah I don't know much about Piano, but the only obvious technical lacking I hear are your trills, perfect them by starting really slow I guess.
As for dynamics, there are some random stressing of single/two notes eg 1:03 / 1:04 / 1:05. I'm not sure if that is lack of control on your trill or an intensional stress for dynamics. But apart from that generally it's good and I get a general 'feel' for the piece.
But it's a shame dude, you have so much potential you should really get a tutor and polish and hone your skills as a pianist! (Or is it that you only taught yourself this song?)
Clicky
I personally like your intro better, the original intro doesn't make 'sense' to me. But here the dynamics hits you like a brick in the face and you're taken to different places.
Regardless well done, make your college appreciate good music!
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Sounded great to my ears. IMO you should speed up the little interlude part where it switches to 3/4, but that is just a matter of personal taste and I might just be saying so because I've listened to Ashkenazy's version of this piece too many times.
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Baa?21245 Posts
Your left hand (the bass) is too loud at times, which disrupts the "nocturne" feel of the piece since it tends to override the melody. As said, work on some of the trills more, it feels unbalanced, since when it comes to the fortes you just hit the keys very separately and distinctly, but the notes themselves kind of blend together.
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Wow, you do it all don't you? Im gonna listen, cant really give you advice since I don't play piano though.
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Holy crap guys thanks for the pointers. Yes, I did have to teach this to myself, I was trying to base it off of Ashkenazy's(sp?) recording, atleast I took some influence from that. I did have a little bit of training before coming to college, but I have not taken lessons from anyone for about two years now.
Just want to say a few thing concerning the bass and trills, as I know after listening to the recording a billion times is the biggest thing that's been bugging me about it, I did notice for some reason when playing on this piano that it was very easy to make the bass really loud when you didnt mean to..I'm thinking the next time I play on it that I should probably get used to the piano more, haha. trills were the same thing. This was definetly a different feel than I was used to..usually my trills are much clearer hahaha.
However, overall I'm pretty proud of it. Thanks for the help guys..and try not to confuse me with Day[9]! haha, everyone seems to do that these days.
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EPT
