How's My Piano Playing?

Okay, keyboard playing :P I don't have a piano yet.

I decided to record myself playing. I've heard that it's really easy to pick up bad habits when learning piano without any guidance, so to those of you that know what your talking about, feel free to rip it to shreds.

Click here for the videos

Thanks.

Not bad for someone who hasn't had any lessons. But now on to nitpicking... :P

When you reach for notes with your pinky, you tend to have it really flat. This is a big no-no on any finger (although I noticed it on your pinky the most) ; you should have hit the key more-or-less perpendicular. I'm not sure what you're doing around 1:20 as far as fingering, but it looks really awkward. I guess overall you just have some technique issues to work out. Also keep in mind that a real piano will feel dramatically different than your Casio. It was a good performance though, very expressive and what-not.

Not bad for someone who hasn't had any lessons. But now on to nitpicking... :P

When you reach for notes with your pinky, you tend to have it really flat. This is a big no-no on any finger (although I noticed it on your pinky the most) ; you should have hit the key more-or-less perpendicular. I'm not sure what you're doing around 1:20 as far as fingering, but it looks really awkward. I guess overall you just have some technique issues to work out. Also keep in mind that a real piano will feel dramatically different than your Casio. It was a good performance though, very expressive and what-not.

I have to disagree with that. Playing with fingers perpendicular or fingers flat is perfectly fine. Horowitz plays with his finger mostly flat. Playing with flat fingers enables you to relax and release the tension even more. But as for a beginner, you should play with fingers perpendicular. All fingers that is.

I have to disagree with that. Playing with fingers perpendicular or fingers flat is perfectly fine. Horowitz plays with his finger mostly flat. Playing with flat fingers enables you to relax and release the tension even more. But as for a beginner, you should play with fingers perpendicular. All fingers that is.

I stand corrected. :P I'm no Horowitz though.

Hey P.J.

Thanks for taking the time to nit-pick, I appreciate it.

I'm not sure what you're doing around 1:20 as far as fingering, but it looks really awkward.

There's no notes played at all during that second, lol, but I'm guessing you mean the bit leading up to 1:20. I was being pretty lazy when I was learning this part, and trying to use my index finger for all of the notes between the octaves, even though it would be easier in the long run if I practiced doing it with my middle and ring fingers.

Something I'm gonna fix definitely.

When you reach for notes with your pinky, you tend to have it really flat.

Yeah this can be awkward. I have relatively small hands, and - believe it or not - I am double-jointed in 6 fingers and both thumbs which has an effect on my right little finger when playing. When it's bent there is like a click, if you get what I mean, between pulling it up and then pressing it down on a key, kind of like I lose control of my finger. It's actually really annoying, lol, but I'm gonna practice bending my fingers more.

Also keep in mind that a real piano will feel dramatically different than your Casio.

Yeah I've had a couple of goes on pianos and it was a lot more difficult, mainly because of the weight of the keys.

Another annoying thing is that I have to condense the music I play to fit on 61 keys, so when I start on a piano I'll have to re-learn some sections.

Thanks again.

This idea unfortunately didn't pick up, but as a reminder, this proposal still stands: http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/all-intrumentalists-performance-exhibition-13382.html

About your Debussy... whoa... watch your timing in the beginning... like MAD. It was very uneven. I realise you're allowed to take a tiny bit of freedom, but that is all, not very much! Top of page two (I'll guess that's where it is for you) there's the lonely Eb in octaves and the triplets in the right hand... ah heck *checks video* ... 1:04. Way too heavy. Think more ethereal-ly. Don't pound it out. This can be done fine on a keyboard. Not bad with the arps at 1:40 or so... but maybe even a little lighter.

In the next section, the slightly faster bit... don't be so rough with the left hand. You are supposed to be emulating the reflection of the moon glimmering across the surface of a placid, delicately shimmering creek or stream. There is a lot of imagery, make sure you try to bring it out in your interpretation. 2:20... watch your pace, and again, don't be so rough. WHOA, 2:35, that's a pianissimo marked and you're playing at a forte it sounds like it. Make sure you really watch your dynamics. 3:10... that whole section... could be more delicate there. 3:24, that arpeggio... be more pretty with it. You kinda just frump over it. Yes, I said frump, deal with it. :w00t:

4:10... not too slow here. Try to keep the pace pretty much the same throughout this piece or you'll lose the sense of continuity. Not that you can't take some freedom here and there, but Debussy is ALL about moderation. Everything comes in just "a little bit." A little bit of ritard., a little bit of crescendo... but not much. Moderation.

Hope that helps. I love this piece... a lot of people think it is overplayed and clich

Thanks Enigmus for all that advice, especially the part about imagery, it's something I never really considered before and will definitely change the way I play this piece. It's funny how I can now watch myself and say "God, this is awful!", whereas before I couldn't see/hear it, so thanks for that.

:cool:

I think the flat-finger bidness is perfectly fine. I find it actually gives me more control in certain styles. Chopin and Debussy, especially. This applies only to arpeggios or rapid passages. I think this technique should only be used for pianissimo or piano passages, though. It's true you can't really transfer the weight of your body into your hands when using it.

EDIT: I updated the video today, deleted the old one.

From what I can tell, I think it's a little better. ;)

Much better around 1:40. Watch around 1:54, there is a note in the right hand that is NOT a melody note, it is in the last (second) measure of the last line of the page, the last note of that measure, which is an Fb. You'll note the note before it, an Ab, has an eight note stem on top of it, that is because it is a melody note and the others in the right hand without the upward stems are not. Pay careful attention to this also at the measures starting at the section, en animant (animated). Oh yeah, and at 1:49, that is marked pianissimo, not sforzando. ;)

I'm listening through here... watch your notes. Ever practice slowly and WITH a metronome? You should try it. And when I say slowly, I mean so slowly that you feel bored. 3:21 or something like that... sounded like a wrong chord. Not entirely sure, but check it out just in case. Also, 4:04. Notice how much slower you are than at 1:49 in tempo. I think that part at the end of the piece should be faster to match the time that it occurs earlier. But in the same vein, you shan't be too fast at 1:49 or everything else will sound frantic. And I must say, everything is VERY frantic all through the second page. Try to calm it down, there may be a pleasant waterfall or trickling going on, but this isn't Niagra. :happy:

Thanks again Enigmus, I think I just need a lot of practice to develop more control. My Dad is actually think of buying a piano soon, so that will give me lots of incentive to practice. :D

Also, thanks a lot for taking the time to write out those finger exercises.

One question, am I supposed to stretch the finger as in straighten it, or keep it curved?

Cheers.

Either way. My piano teacher doesn't really care much really, as long as I'm working the finger. I personally like to lift it up and straighten it upwards as much as possible - the more flexible the better, I think. But when I bring it down, I like to have it very curved as it strikes the key. You can find out what works best for you.

And hey, no prob for typing those out, I was kinda bored and wouldn't have been bothered if you ignored them anyhows. :happy: