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Hi Greg!,
First of all, your videos and compositions are great, you and Liz are really unique!. I have a question for you, when do you think it is advisable (for a classical piano Student who wants to play like you, basically :D) to move from a digital piano (in my case, a Yamaha Clavinova CLP-240 with the Grade Hammer 3 stuff) to a grand piano?. And another one!, my teacher says I should play staccato notes by lifting my wrist a little (hand above the keyboard, but not touching it, slightly above, like floating! ) and hitting the keys from that position (just moving the fingers, the wrist stays just there, in the floating position). She says that is to avoid future injuries or something like that, but I found it very unnatural, why do you think?. How do you play staccato notes (not super fast staccato notes, but, for example, staccato for bach inventions, sinfonias, etc). Please post more videos!, a new parody :D
- Raúl
Dear Raúl,
Switch to an acoustic piano as soon as you can afford to. It doesn't necessarily need to be a grand (I practiced on an Everett spinet until I was 16 years old!!), it just needs to have real hammers hitting real strings. Of course, eventually you will need to switch to a grand piano. Electric keyboards are handy (I have a Yamaha P90), but they do not do a very good job of recreating the resonance of a real piano. As a student of the piano, you should be developing your ear for color and timbre, and these pianistic traits are impossible to imitate on an electronic keyboard. Even the action feels different on a real piano - staccato notes in particular!
As for those staccatos that are giving you so much trouble, I'm afraid I can't help you. I do not consider myself to be a specialist in the mechanics of playing the piano. If anything, you should talk to your teacher. Perhaps he or she isn't explaining it effectively, or perhaps your discomfort is a symptom of something else. Your teacher should be able to clear this up for you.
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I once heard you talk about how your dad soundproofed your practice room at home. I've just moved into a new apartment, and though the walls are thick and I don't have any wall-neighbors, the sound travels up the wall and bothers an at-home writer 4 floors above me. What should I do? I don't want to muffle the piano too much but instead would rather attempt to "sound-proof" the room. What do you think about foam? I am open to any and all suggestions.
Blisteringly Bombastic (not really) in Berlin
Dear Bombastic,
My dad's form of soundproofing was nothing more than mattresses hauled up from the basement and placed around the piano. It didn't really work and my family members remained frustrated by the bombast.
You could hire a professional acoustician. Soundproofing is a tricky job, so much so that people spend years in school studying the science behind it. They could offer you better advice than me! One thing I've seen repeatedly in soundproofed apartments: the piano is elevated off the main floor. Apparently, the main conduit for the sound to reach other apartments is the legs of the piano and the floor. With this in mind, you could try putting the piano on, like, three thick rugs.
I own an electronic keyboard (Yamaha P90). Really, it's not as bad as you might think! It's designed for classical pianists and it has several functions which are surprisingly handy (various Baroque-style tunings, recording capabilities, and several fine-tuning sound adjusters). I use the keyboard for composing (because it connects to my computer) and when I want to spares my neighbors from the bombast.
You're in a sticky situation. Flowers, chocolates, and baked goods may help diffuse the emotions with your neighbor!
- Greg
I'm curious to know what your opinions/thoughts are about the various brands of pianos you've played, which is your favorite, and why?
- Brian
Dear Brian,
You've asked a question that is surprisingly difficult to answer! Every instrument is different, let alone every brand. Every time I make a generalization about a maker, I find a piano that shatters my opinion. Usually Kawai pianos tend to be dull and weak, but once I played a concerto on a glorious Kawai with great projection and a beautiful tone. I love Steinway pianos, but I'm frequently forced to play Steinway pianos that are out-of-tune, out-of-shape, and unregulated - that's no fun.
By and large, Steinway makes the most satisfying instruments that I come across. They generally have the largest spectrum of tonal and color possibilities, the best dynamic range and projection, and the most consistent action. They also last forever. Mason & Hamlin, Boesendorfer, and Faziolli make terrific pianos as well. Yamaha pianos generally have a bright sound that is fantastic for some pieces and not for others.
Perhaps I'll update this response after I ponder it a bit more.
-Greg
