So last time I blogged, I talked about how I decided to go back and find a piano teacher, and how it was great and everything.
And then he told me he was going to enter me in competitions. And then...he was like "you should do the International Liszt Competition." But here's the catch.
I've never officially performed in front of a live audience before. I've only ever played for people and even then it was really casual.
So now I have 10 months to master Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (I knew this was the piece I was going to play the moment he said "Liszt competition;" I love this piece so much and I begged and he agreed LOL), and I must say, I think I'm actually going to be able to do it :D
So the last time we left off, I was playing the Chopin Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 and his Etude Op. 10 No. 6.
The etude I play here and there, since it's going to take a while for me to get, so it's not one of the main things I practice now. The nocturne is performable (kind of), and needs some polishing, but it's starting to sound like what I want it to sound like XD I mean I need to get my mordents down and get a better tone in general but here
My piano is slightly out of tune so I apologize. Maybe in 6 months I'll upload a better recording
Anyway, to prepare me for the Liszt, my teacher had me learn Debussy Etude 10 (which is ridiculously hard omg), and Manuel de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance. I loved both pieces sooooooo much...here's a practice recording that was decent, even though I messed up near the end lol
I apologize for not grooming myself; I practice right after I get up because it's really the only time I have ><
And I'm also learning Mozart k545 and Beethoven's Moonlight. I discovered cool new ways of memorizing pieces, and I memorized the first two movements for both in like a week, and I started playing the Liszt like two weeks ago and I have like 7 pages of it memorized lol. I can't play it at tempo though, and there's a lot of technical difficulties but still omg these memory tricks are so cool
But yeah I'm having tons of fun, I need to slow down because I start to feel the pains come back sometimes and self restraint is hard but I've gotten it so that half my practice is slow! :D Now trying to get to 75% omg self control so hard T_T
Anyway, it's really great and I'm super excited :D
Awesome, don't be nervous about playing in front of audiences. As it is an individual 'event', you just have to learn to make yourself feel like you're at home and ignore the environment around you.
I don't think I'm good enough to compete, but I will definitely learn Debussy's Etude #10, I have been playing contemporary pieces for too long.
Kick ass, I'm sure you'll do great at the competition.
I don't think you need to worry about performing in front of an audience. There's still the piano there in front of you, and you still have hands.
If you get anxious, my best suggestion is to let your ego tell you tales of the glory that awaits after you kick ass. Idk if I can describe that better, let me know.
On January 27 2014 17:54 hp.Shell wrote: Have you been using memory palaces?
I don't think you need to worry about performing in front of an audience. There's still the piano there in front of you, and you still have hands.
If you get anxious, my best suggestion is to let your ego tell you tales of the glory that awaits after you kick ass. Idk if I can describe that better, let me know.
I use those for tests lol it's so wonderful and I'm developing the deck of cards room right now
Loci system is pretty cool too, but usually I take the principles behind them and manipulate based on the task at hand
I notice if I think about it as though I were performing to them, I mess up, but if I do it as though it were a speech (and I'm great at those :D) then it comes out significantly better :D but it's hard to coax myself into doing that :/
Best advice I could give : your muscle memory is the first one to leave when under stress. Symptoms of stress are mostly physical so you can't just rely on your fingers. It's cool that you're using memeory techniques, but the end result should be that everything sounds in your head naturally, without having to think about it. If you can get that in tune with the piece, then stage fright becomes a non-factor, cuz when your ears are leading, they don't care if there are other people listening, they just want your fingers to do what they want to hear, and your fingers will do.
On January 27 2014 19:30 Kazzoo wrote: Best advice I could give : your muscle memory is the first one to leave when under stress. Symptoms of stress are mostly physical so you can't just rely on your fingers. It's cool that you're using memeory techniques, but the end result should be that everything sounds in your head naturally, without having to think about it. If you can get that in tune with the piece, then stage fright becomes a non-factor, cuz when your ears are leading, they don't care if there are other people listening, they just want your fingers to do what they want to hear, and your fingers will do.
The book I learned piano out of referred to this as "Mental Play," and it has helped me more than I could ever imagine. I seem to have difficulty trusting it though; I know all I have to do is hear the music, but sometimes I get too caught up in the moment and I turn to the devil and worry more about not messing up than hearing the music in my head...it's getting better though :D I think some preliminary performances to improve my confidence will do it
On January 27 2014 17:54 hp.Shell wrote: Have you been using memory palaces?
I don't think you need to worry about performing in front of an audience. There's still the piano there in front of you, and you still have hands.
If you get anxious, my best suggestion is to let your ego tell you tales of the glory that awaits after you kick ass. Idk if I can describe that better, let me know.
I use those for tests lol it's so wonderful and I'm developing the deck of cards room right now
Loci system is pretty cool too, but usually I take the principles behind them and manipulate based on the task at hand
I notice if I think about it as though I were performing to them, I mess up, but if I do it as though it were a speech (and I'm great at those :D) then it comes out significantly better :D but it's hard to coax myself into doing that :/
I like the method of loci because it allows me to waste time pretending I'm using video games to make new palaces. It actually works though. Whenever I need to memorize a bunch of information I have thousands of loci waiting for me to fill up.
It's such an amazing method. I've never tried it on music memorization but I've heard of successes when each loci is used to remember a passage; nothing like specific notes, which would be counterintuitive. The passages then serve as key points which trigger the actual perfect note memory.
I'm not so into making a specific path through the palaces I make, just that I remember how many points there are in it. I could link the palace itself to a major system (100 people representing the numbers 1-100) to remember how many loci there are.
The best part is review. You can be standing at the gas pump, in line at the groceries, watching commercials, and just go through part of the palace and its images, or even the whole thing if you wish. It's so amazing. Even with something like Google Maps, I can add roughly 10 loci every 10 minutes I invest. The image mnemonics are sometimes harder to create, but once they're there, they stick, for at least a couple weeks, during which time you can review them at any time!
If you were to get a job in something like translation, or even just learning a new lanaguage for fun, it's great because you can learn 200-300 words a day with no problems!
On January 27 2014 19:30 Kazzoo wrote: Best advice I could give : your muscle memory is the first one to leave when under stress. Symptoms of stress are mostly physical so you can't just rely on your fingers. It's cool that you're using memeory techniques, but the end result should be that everything sounds in your head naturally, without having to think about it. If you can get that in tune with the piece, then stage fright becomes a non-factor, cuz when your ears are leading, they don't care if there are other people listening, they just want your fingers to do what they want to hear, and your fingers will do.
This is so true. The music leads the body, for sure.
I played solos for my high school marching band. What happened to me was this: whenever I would be 5-10 seconds from playing my solo, I got this incredible sense of presence. Everything becomes sharper, your hearing becomes clearer, the glare in the field lighting is nastier, you can feel the grass under your feet, and the exact position of your fingers on the instrument.
Because of this, you can have the performance of your life. I don't think that sensation will ever go away when performing in front of a large audience. It's surreal.
Here is what I did when I was asked to play at my brother's marriage dinner and what I think you should do: Invite your friends/family in groups, on different dates, around the same time you will have to play for the competition. Dress in the clothes you will wear at the competition. Ask your audience to pay attention, even if they aren't musicians, while you serve them a drink and have them take a seat. Don't tell them you are still practising your piece(s) + Show Spoiler +
it's obvious and it will sound like an excuse to cover up a possible bad performance.
After you finish ask them to comment on your performance and mainly give critics. You know your friends/family well enough to know which critics to regard and which to disregard. Use the critics your gathered for your next performance. Repeat.
Recording yourself may help a lot as well!
If the competition is on a grand, practice on a grand a couple of times as well. Every piano is different and grands are nothing like uprights.
On January 28 2014 00:42 Peeano wrote: Like anything, experience helps the most.
Here is what I did when I was asked to play at my brother's marriage dinner and what I think you should do: Invite your friends/family in groups, on different dates, around the same time you will have to play for the competition. Dress in the clothes you will wear at the competition. Ask your audience to pay attention, even if they aren't musicians, while you serve them a drink and have them take a seat. Don't tell them you are still practising your piece(s) + Show Spoiler +
it's obvious and it will sound like an excuse to cover up a possible bad performance.
After you finish ask them to comment on your performance and mainly give critics. You know your friends/family well enough to know which critics to regard and which to disregard. Use the critics your gathered for your next performance. Repeat.
Recording yourself may help a lot as well!
If the competition is on a grand, practice on a grand a couple of times as well. Every piano is different and grands are nothing like uprights.
Thanks, I'm going to try this, and thanks for the encouragement/advice from everyone :D
On January 28 2014 18:21 rabidch wrote: what kind of pains are you having? you're too young to be having piano pains
I've always had a bit of RSI/CT/tendonitis after the many years of SC lol and it never really went away due to my horrible posture issues. Also, I used to get really tense when I was trying to be emotional [I'm trying to fix that right now], and I have this tendency to push myself really hard sometimes, but I just feel intense soreness (like it'll sting a bit if i overdo it too much) up and down my arms.
My solution was to rework all the motions I chose to play the piece, and lo and behold it saved the day XD
On January 28 2014 00:42 Peeano wrote: Like anything, experience helps the most.
Here is what I did when I was asked to play at my brother's marriage dinner and what I think you should do: Invite your friends/family in groups, on different dates, around the same time you will have to play for the competition. Dress in the clothes you will wear at the competition. Ask your audience to pay attention, even if they aren't musicians, while you serve them a drink and have them take a seat. Don't tell them you are still practising your piece(s) + Show Spoiler +
it's obvious and it will sound like an excuse to cover up a possible bad performance.
After you finish ask them to comment on your performance and mainly give critics. You know your friends/family well enough to know which critics to regard and which to disregard. Use the critics your gathered for your next performance. Repeat.
Recording yourself may help a lot as well!
If the competition is on a grand, practice on a grand a couple of times as well. Every piano is different and grands are nothing like uprights.
Thanks, I'm going to try this, and thanks for the encouragement/advice from everyone :D
On January 28 2014 18:21 rabidch wrote: what kind of pains are you having? you're too young to be having piano pains
I've always had a bit of RSI/CT/tendonitis after the many years of SC lol and it never really went away due to my horrible posture issues. Also, I used to get really tense when I was trying to be emotional [I'm trying to fix that right now], and I have this tendency to push myself really hard sometimes, but I just feel intense soreness (like it'll sting a bit if i overdo it too much) up and down my arms.
My solution was to rework all the motions I chose to play the piece, and lo and behold it saved the day XD
sometimes i've had CT symptoms using the computer but i've never had issues with the piano, aside from temporary hand muscle strain from tightening too much on fast chord passages and tremolos. everybody is different, but it seems unusual at the same time, how long and hard do you push yourself during practice? are your practice sessions one long chunk or separate hours with rest in between?
On January 28 2014 00:42 Peeano wrote: Like anything, experience helps the most.
Here is what I did when I was asked to play at my brother's marriage dinner and what I think you should do: Invite your friends/family in groups, on different dates, around the same time you will have to play for the competition. Dress in the clothes you will wear at the competition. Ask your audience to pay attention, even if they aren't musicians, while you serve them a drink and have them take a seat. Don't tell them you are still practising your piece(s) + Show Spoiler +
it's obvious and it will sound like an excuse to cover up a possible bad performance.
After you finish ask them to comment on your performance and mainly give critics. You know your friends/family well enough to know which critics to regard and which to disregard. Use the critics your gathered for your next performance. Repeat.
Recording yourself may help a lot as well!
If the competition is on a grand, practice on a grand a couple of times as well. Every piano is different and grands are nothing like uprights.
Thanks, I'm going to try this, and thanks for the encouragement/advice from everyone :D
On January 28 2014 18:21 rabidch wrote: what kind of pains are you having? you're too young to be having piano pains
I've always had a bit of RSI/CT/tendonitis after the many years of SC lol and it never really went away due to my horrible posture issues. Also, I used to get really tense when I was trying to be emotional [I'm trying to fix that right now], and I have this tendency to push myself really hard sometimes, but I just feel intense soreness (like it'll sting a bit if i overdo it too much) up and down my arms.
My solution was to rework all the motions I chose to play the piece, and lo and behold it saved the day XD
sometimes i've had CT symptoms using the computer but i've never had issues with the piano, aside from temporary hand muscle strain from tightening too much on fast chord passages and tremolos. everybody is different, but it seems unusual at the same time, how long and hard do you push yourself during practice? are your practice sessions one long chunk or separate hours with rest in between?
Well it really started two years ago; I had quit piano after not a lot of instruction, and most of the "fundamentals" I taught myself, either through reading books, so my technique at this point was very inaccurate [don't worry, it's much better now XD] but two years ago I'd play for a few hours every night, like 3-4? Over break I'd play like 6-7 hours a day, now, I play like 3-4 on Mon/Wed, 3 in the morning and 3 at night on Tuesday/Thursday, and like 5 on Fridays, and I try to take a nap every 90 minutes but I only really do that when I'm memorizing. So it's not as bad. I used to play way more though lol
It's mainly just getting too excited and tensing up, and an unstable foundation
On January 28 2014 00:42 Peeano wrote: Like anything, experience helps the most.
Here is what I did when I was asked to play at my brother's marriage dinner and what I think you should do: Invite your friends/family in groups, on different dates, around the same time you will have to play for the competition. Dress in the clothes you will wear at the competition. Ask your audience to pay attention, even if they aren't musicians, while you serve them a drink and have them take a seat. Don't tell them you are still practising your piece(s) + Show Spoiler +
it's obvious and it will sound like an excuse to cover up a possible bad performance.
After you finish ask them to comment on your performance and mainly give critics. You know your friends/family well enough to know which critics to regard and which to disregard. Use the critics your gathered for your next performance. Repeat.
Recording yourself may help a lot as well!
If the competition is on a grand, practice on a grand a couple of times as well. Every piano is different and grands are nothing like uprights.
Thanks, I'm going to try this, and thanks for the encouragement/advice from everyone :D
On January 28 2014 18:21 rabidch wrote: what kind of pains are you having? you're too young to be having piano pains
I've always had a bit of RSI/CT/tendonitis after the many years of SC lol and it never really went away due to my horrible posture issues. Also, I used to get really tense when I was trying to be emotional [I'm trying to fix that right now], and I have this tendency to push myself really hard sometimes, but I just feel intense soreness (like it'll sting a bit if i overdo it too much) up and down my arms.
My solution was to rework all the motions I chose to play the piece, and lo and behold it saved the day XD
sometimes i've had CT symptoms using the computer but i've never had issues with the piano, aside from temporary hand muscle strain from tightening too much on fast chord passages and tremolos. everybody is different, but it seems unusual at the same time, how long and hard do you push yourself during practice? are your practice sessions one long chunk or separate hours with rest in between?
Well it really started two years ago; I had quit piano after not a lot of instruction, and most of the "fundamentals" I taught myself, either through reading books, so my technique at this point was very inaccurate [don't worry, it's much better now XD] but two years ago I'd play for a few hours every night, like 3-4? Over break I'd play like 6-7 hours a day, now, I play like 3-4 on Mon/Wed, 3 in the morning and 3 at night on Tuesday/Thursday, and like 5 on Fridays, and I try to take a nap every 90 minutes but I only really do that when I'm memorizing. So it's not as bad. I used to play way more though lol
It's mainly just getting too excited and tensing up, and an unstable foundation
i see, well i think its usually good to take breaks every hour or so, even if just 5 minutes. take a stroll around the room and maybe let the problem at hand sink in
about sleeping: heinrich neuhaus, a famous piano teacher once wrote that in addition to the 2/3 ways to practice the piano (as outlined by josef hofmann), he had discovered a new method after learning the hammerklavier on short notice in less than a week. finding himself in need of sleep, he periodically dozed off and dreamed about the notes, woke up, and was amazed that he had indeed absorbed the material that he was working on and promptly continue... so there, you can keep practicing while sleeping if you put your mind to it
sometimes i watch videos of old pianists to work at the most facile way of technique because i would figure that they would have learned very efficient and healthy ways of playing the piano after playing it for 70 years. but sometimes they make it look too easy, since i play the piano very terribly.
I read Neuhaus's book! :D it was very good, and it complements everything I already knew about memorizing. I read a ton of books and all of it sort of just exploded when I went back to a teacher.
I lose track of time though; normally when I look up, 2 hours or so have gone by
EPT
