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Greg - (I'm a HUGE fan btw) - have you ever gotten tendonitis from practicing too much? A couple years back i did the foolish thing of not taking breaks while practicing and really screwed my right arm up. Now when i practice my right arm seems to have 1/3 - 1/2 of the endurance of my left arm, and i find myself resting it alot. i am genuinely concerned. My technique itself is fine but do i still have a chance in becoming a concert pianist? I love to play and don't want to give up.
- Rach
Dear Rach,
Can I call you Rachmaninoff?? j/k
I don't have much personal experience to offer you; I've been really, really lucky that I've never had any problems. My teachers worked for years (and years and years) helping me develop a technique that fosters relaxed muscles and avoids pinched nerves.
I've seen a number of pianists come back from the gates of hell to pursue very successful careers as pianists. Some teachers are very good at helping injured students recover. A few words of advice:
Best wishes to a speedy recovery!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
hello. i'm studying the devil' staircase of Ligeti. Could you bring me some help. how can i do to work the kind of music? thanks a lot!
- Cyril Cuvier (France)
Dear Cyril,
Help? Hehe.
How to play Ligeti's Etude No. 13, "The Devil's Staircase" in three words:
Practice, practice, practice.
Then, practice some more. Then some more. And then: ....practice some more.
The piece tests a performer's determination and ability to focus. There are other pieces that are technically harder to play, but I've encountered nothing as mentally demanding as this piece ... other than other etudes by Ligeti.
A quick tip: I originally learned the piece by counting 8th notes. Later, I began listening to the various groupings of 8th notes (5, 6, 7, 9, etc.), and now I listen for the bigger picture.
Good luck!
- Greg
Hi Greg,
I wasn't familiar with the Waldstein until I heard you play it last summer. I was quite taken with the piece and I decided to learn it. I have run into a difficulty in one passage and hope you might have some advice. In measures 464-473, there are a series of octave scales that are played almost at the speed of glissandos (glissandi?). My teacher said that when she played it, her teacher had her actually do a glissando with 1 and 5. There is a simplification listed in my copy that uses both hands for them when the other hand isn't busy with chords. What did you do and what do you recommend? Did you find a way to play each octave individually at the required speed, did you do glissandos, or did you use both hands to play them as scales? What would you suggest that I try? Thanks!
- Joe L
Dear Joe,
The infamous octave glissandi in Beethoven's Waldstein sonata! Woohoo! My hand is big enough that I was able to learn to play the passage as your teacher did, performing a glissando with my first and fifth fingers.
It took me weeks, a great deal of determination, and a ridiculous amount of pain before I really got the hang of it. I can offer you a few tips, but in the end, it simply takes work.
Good luck Joe!!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
When you sight read a piece or look at a piece, do you first break it down as to which key it is in and which modulation etc. etc...? How do you learn to do that fast? Do you know of any simple not-too-hard tango duo pieces? I would love to obtain a copy of your take on Piazzolla, but currently, it is not available, right?
- Olga
Dear Olga,
The more you sight read, the easier it will be. As a child, I would loan piles of music from the library - whatever interested me really - and play through it all at home. At Juilliard, I often checked out the maximum number of items from the library (45 items) because I was curious to read through music unfamiliar to me. The piano repertoire is like a giant treasure trove - there is so much good stuff out there, and the only way to become familiar with it is by listening or sight reading.
I'd recommend you start with what feels comfortable and go from there! Buy an "easy" classics book, or read through the Mozart sonatas, move on to the Chopin waltzes, etc. Gradually the process will become easier. For me, it is not a matter of analysis (keys, modulation, etc.) but recognizing visual patterns in the music (arpeggio figurations, chords, stylistic tendencies, etc.).
As for your other questions: I'm not familiar with any tango pieces for piano/four-hands, although I'm sure there must be something out there. Keep searching! And yes, my arrangement of Piazzolla's is not available yet.
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I am currently playing the Chopin Nocturne op 48 no1 in C minor. The music isn't too difficult until the crazy, passionate, difficult, fast return of the first theme. My hands are small and it's really hard to hit all the notes and voicing is extremely difficult because there are those big chords that support the music yet the melody is often times a single note (usually a higher, lighter note). How would you bring out the melody more? Without pounding away until your fingers hurt midway? What is your interpretation of the piece? Does it have to go really fast? I would like my music to be beautiful, not clashing to the ears. Thanks so much!
- Elaine
Dear Elaine,
By the looks of your question, you are well on your way to a masterful interpretation! All of your concerns and considerations are valid; it's that kind of thinking that will lead you to good technical skills.
Your teacher will be able to help you more than I could, but I will offer a quick suggestion. If you'd like to voice a chord to the right side of your hand, you should direct the weight of your arm (the weight from your upper arm and your lower arm) to that side of the hand. I find that my wrist adjusts to accommodate this by moving to the right as well. This way, I am able to use the natural weight of my body to produce a full, beautiful sound. It takes much more work (and the sound isn't nearly as nice) to play the piano by the strength of your fingers alone.
I confess that I really like the return of the theme to be exactly as you described it: crazy, passionate, and fast. Practice it so that you can play it effectively fast or slow; in other words, you should be able to play it any number of ways: slow and tormented, fast with direction, loud and grand, quiet but intense, etc. Then in performance (and here's the kicker), you should let yourself go - let yourself be carried away by the music. That section is all about the passion and intensity of the moment.
Have fun with such beautiful music!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I'm very confused. I just turned 11. I have been playing since I was 3 and studied under the Suzuki method with one teacher until I was 8. I had finished up the fourth volume. Most of the pieces in Volume 3 & 4 are Sonatinas by Clementi, Kuhlau, Mozart, and Beethoven. My teacher moved so my dad hired another teacher. My dad spends most of my practice time with me. I began to learn Beethoven's Sonata Op2 No1. I love this piece but it took me eight months to lean the first three movements. He has me working on Hanon, scales, Czerny Op599, for technique. I am also playing the Inventions and Sinfonias along with some romantic pieces from Denes Agay's book. My current teacher wants me to put the Beethoven Sonata aside and start learning all the Clementi Sonatas because he believes that physically I am not ready for these pieces. He also wants me to avoid playing Chopin for now which I really love listening to. My dad spoke with the former teacher of mine and he said that if you want to seriously compete in the major competitions, which I do, I have to start learning the Sonatas by Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin works like the Preludes and Etudes now. He disagrees with my current teacher because he believes that the teacher may not have the patience or knowledge of how to teach a younger student advanced pieces. My current teacher is very detailed and we spend vast amounts of time on Clementi alone and expects to spend two years on these pieces. I'll be 13 then. He believes that Clementi works are a precursor to Beethoven works. What concerns me is that when I see the bios on winners that win the major competitions most of them were playing concertos among other advanced pieces when they were 9. What are your thoughts about the direction I should proceed with?
- Celina
Dear Celina,
I responded to a similar question on this "Ask Greg" page, and I'm going to answer yours in the same manner: listen to your teacher. Your teacher, especially in this case, seems to know what he is doing.
You've certainly hit upon one of my pet peeves: students trying to tackle pieces beyond their skill level. It is dangerous physically, pianistically, and musically. If you rush through advanced repertoire, it is very likely that you will miss opportunities to explore your musicality or your personal approach to the piano. It is also likely that you will develop some bad, bad habits in your technique - habits that will follow and plague you for the rest of your life.
I remember being just as confused as you; I heard about the teenage prodigies who brought a new concerto in for their lessons every week, and I thought I had to do the same thing. Instead, my teacher taught me patience. She was extremely detailed in her approach to the music, and that sense for detail opened my ears to a new world of precision and craftsmanship at a very early age. It was invaluable training, in my opinion.
There is no hurry! My parents wanted nothing more than for their three sons to be "well-rounded," happy children, and I believe it made all the difference. I certainly wouldn't be the pianist I am today without having spent all that time outside building tree forts, participating in the science clubs, and visiting the public library on a weekly basis. I know plenty of young pianists who spend eight hours a day practicing, but I think it is completely unnecessary. There are SO many child prodigies out there, and although eight hours of daily practice may give you early fame and a host of compliments, it will do very little to provide any sort of career later on.
Build a firm foundation as a pianist now, and later you will be able to pursue anything you want. Truly elegant, insightful, and beautiful playing is so rare in people your age. Not that it really means anything, but in high school, I won competition after competition playing Mozart and Bach, not Rachmaninoff and Liszt like my competitors. (That is not a slam to Rachmaninoff and Liszt - I love their music - I truly do. It just shows that Mozart and Bach played well can be more impressive than more technically difficult music.) And the Clementi sonatas! Some of them are masterpieces! You shouldn't be complaining! How lucky you are to be able to play them at such an early age.
And now that I've already said more than enough, I feel I must take a moment to state my passionate thoughts on the matter of competitions. Be wary. Please don't turn competitions into your driving force, into your reason to be. Competitions can be so dangerous.
Competitions train audiences and pianists to listen critically. I found that after spending too long in the competition circuit, I lost my ability to listen and enjoy. When I was eight, I listened to a Mozart concerto for the first time and I nearly squealed with delight. It was bliss. After attending competition after competition, I found that I couldn't listen to a Mozart concerto without picking the pianist apart; I listened for what was wrong rather than what was right and beautiful. And even worse, I found myself continually making comparisons; "this is better than that!," "I liked his interpretation better than hers," etc.. Comparison is healthy to a certain extent, but it becomes detrimental when we lose the ability to listen with an open mind or the ability to simply enjoy what each person has to offer. (Please see the latest Anderson & Roe music video for a satire on the subject of critical listening!) I'm confident that I'm not the only music listener who has been jaded by the prevalence of competitions in our culture.
Not only do competitions transform the way we listen, but they influence the repertoire chosen by pianists for performance. Even if the competition repertoire is "free choice," only a select portion of the piano repertoire is appropriate. Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze is a great work but rarely programmed in competitions - it's too long and it isn't flashy enough. The music of Satie is completely inappropriate on a competition program - it's too simple and esoteric, and it can be very polarizing with the judges. Grieg's lyric pieces aren't serious enough, Handel isn't as good as Bach, too many transcriptions are bad, too many unknown pieces intimidate the judges, and Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies are deemed "cheap" music by some. And goodness, if your specialty is New Music and not music of the Classical era, too bad, because you won't satisfy the judges desire to select a well-rounded pianist. And goodness, if you like to compose yourself, don't try to program your own compositions in competition programs.
Then, there is the whole element of winners and losers. In most major competitions I've seen, amazing pianists (truly amazing) are cut in the first round. It seems that creative and personal performers do not do well. They may win over some of the jury members, but they are bound to offend others. Competitions are kind to the consistent and predictable - very kind - $50,000 kind - lots of engagements and press kind. But interestingly enough, very few who win secure sturdy concert careers. Audiences don't return to hear these winners again, and concert presenters don't reengage them. Who won the last Queen Elizabeth? the last Tchaikovsky? the last Leeds? I forgot.
I passionately believe that competitions have done significant damage to the world of classical music. It has transformed music from an art to a sport.
Instead of playing the piano to win competitions, I offer an alternative: play music to change the world, to discover yourself, to explore humanity, and to bring people together. Play music that is relevant to you and find ways to make it relevant to others.
Happy practicing!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I have been playing for a few years, and it seems that my sight reading is considerably slow. What sorts of practice did you do in order to speed up the process of sight reading?
- Na Lee
Dear Na,
It was never a matter of "practice" for me, but it certainly is something I have developed over the years. As a child, I would check out piles of music from the library - whatever interested me really - and work my way through it all. At Juilliard, I often had the maximum number of items checked out of the library (45 items), because I was curious about the repertoire. The piano repertoire is like a giant treasure trove - there is so much good stuff out there, and the only way to become familiar with it is by listening or sight reading.
I'd recommend you start with what feels comfortable and go from there! Buy an "easy" classics book, or read through the Mozart sonatas, move on to the Chopin waltzes, etc. Whatever you do, have fun!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I recently expressed to my piano teacher that I wanted to start playing more advanced music. She appreciates this and agreed to find some more level appropriate stuff. But the thing is, all she wants me to play is Bach! She explained how I have to understand and master the early preludes and whatnot to be able to bring out the themes in the harder pieces like fugues later on. But one thing about me as a pianist is that sometimes I just can't bring myself to play a piece if I dislike it or am BORED with it. The latter of which is exactly what the preludes and musettes do to me. So, do you have any suggestions on how to make them more interesting/fun or maybe some equally leveled pieces? Even though my teacher agreed to give me harder pieces, the music she's had me playing still seems too easy (i.e. Kuhlau and Clementi sonatinas, Kabalevsky's Toccatina). Thanks!
- Caitie <33
Dear Caitie,
I'm sorry Caitie, but I can't bring myself to disagree with your teacher! I've never heard you play and I'm unaware of the reasons your teacher has asked you to practice lots of Bach and easy material (and you may not be aware either!).
You can start by making sure she knows how you feel, but remember that you're paying her for a reason. Sometimes you have to follow your teacher's advice, even if it isn't what you want to do. Watch Karate Kid I for a powerful example of this in action.
Also, remember that Kuhlau and Cleminti sonatinas are not easy. There's no end to the detail, refinement, and control one can aim for in those pieces. And if you're really that bored, find a way to interest yourself. Turn the different voices in Bach's music into different characters. Is one a jester? a campy diva? a doleful mother? a loyal friend? How can you bring out their personalities in the way you play their musical lines? How do these different personalities interact in the musical counterpoint? Turn the sonatinas into miniature operas! Play as if you're playing at a funeral. a wedding! a political gathering! As I said in a previous question, play as if it is the last time you'll ever play the piano!
It's up to you to make sure you have a good time!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I've been playing piano for about a year now and have advanced well. I can play Chopin and some of the more easy Liszt now, but I feel that there is something missing in my playing. I think maybe its my phrasing or rhythmic drive or dynamic stratification. I thought another one could be that my fingers were still not muscularly developed. Do you have any advice on how to rectify any of these problems? Should I do Hanon or something like that? It would really be appreciated, or better yet tell me how you got so phenomenal?
Mark A.C. Warner
Dear Mark,
Phrasing? Rhythmic drive? Dynamic stratification? I couldn't tell you what needed the most work from a simple message, but if you are aware that these may be problem areas for you, then you're likely right.
The most straightforward advice I could offer is the following: BE PRESENT. Be in the moment, be aware, be centered, be you. It's the only way to really listen and concentrate.
The second piece of advice is a bit more clever, but essentially the same thing: play as if it were the last time you were ever going to play the piano. It's similar to the concept of living every day as if it were your last. There's something to that notion of "no second chances" that leads people to do what I wrote above: value the moment.
Somehow, Hanon has never inspired me to "be present" in the same way Chopin has. I've never practiced scales or exercises and I don't regret it. Call me spoiled, but I'd rather enjoy myself at all times than work hard for no reason other than the the payoff later. That's how I stay motivated.
Happy practicing!
- Greg
Greg,
What is a typical practice routine for you? Not how long really but how do you like to practice? What approach do you take in learning a new piece?
LH
Dear LH,
All these questions about practicing and performing make me wonder if I ought to develop a fancy routine, just to impress you all.
You will be incredibly disappointed to learn that I usually just sit down at the piano and start playing. Someday, my body will give way, and it'll probably take a bit more time to warm up, but for now, I find that as long as my mind is clear, and as long as I'm not playing something with extremely fast finger work, and as long as I wasn't just outside in negative 30 degree weather, I'm fine.
I usually just play whatever I feel like practicing. Often times this happens to correspond with what I need to be practicing, say, for an upcoming concert (that "need" to practice leads me to "feel" like practicing). But even in such circumstances, I often find myself sight-reading different music to suit my moods.
As for learning a new piece, my approach depends on the music itself and the deadline I'm facing. If I'm in a hurry, I learn passage-at-a-time until I've got the whole piece in my fingers. If I've got time (the preferred method of doing things!), I learn the piece very slowly and very carefully. This aids memorization and appreciation of the music itself.
There is one thing I never do when learning a new piece: listen to a recording. Only when I'm ready to perform a work will I allow myself to hear another interpretation. I want the music to mean something unique to me, and I find that when I listen to recordings, I tend to fuse my personal experience with the music with another's.
- Greg
Hey Greg!
I am a 32 yr. old with a schedule that's near impossible to throw in professional lessons or attend school. At least for the next year or so. I took one semester of piano in college but have always loved classical music. I just recently purchased a Yamaha digital piano. My practice time is usually 30 to 60 minutes, around 2 or 3 in the am 4x a week. Been like this for approx. 3 months now. I love the piano, and my goal is to be able to play pieces like Hungarian Rhapsody #2 by Liszt. But what advice can you give an adult in my position who's learning to play the piano on his own and can not get pro help?? What should I concentrate on? Any books or exercises you recommend? Thanks!
Will
Dear Will,
I can't pretend to offer you any useful advice; I have only taught a few students in my life, and I have the distinct feeling that I learned more from them than they learned from me. However, I firmly believe that with the kind of determination you have shown, your dream will become a reality. If you are enjoying yourself, it's easy to work hard. If you work hard, it's easy to improve. You're on the right track!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I have heard many piano teachers talk about the order in which Bach's repertoire should be studied... I start with a summer teacher soon and I am looking at new repertoire. I have never played a prelude and fugue or a suite. Some people say you study Bach in the following order: Inventions, Sinfonia, Suites (French then English), The Well Tempered Clavier and Partitas. Some people say after playing inventions you should start on the WTC and then suites. Where does the Italian Concerto fit in? ... I think you have to look at the individual student and see what that student needs at that time. What do you think?
Trent
Dear Trent,
I am no piano teacher, nor do I pretend to be, but I definitely agree with your opinion on this matter. From my perspective, the inventions, partitas, and everything in between are beautiful works of art and are terribly difficult to play. I think it's a shame the inventions, sinfonia, and the Well-Tempered Clavier are universally treated as "teaching pieces;" they have developed a certain stigma as a result. Concert pianists tend to avoid all but the partitas, the concerto, and the Goldberg Variations in their concert programs, as if they won't be taken seriously were they to play an invention here and a prelude and fugue there. The work-around our society has developed for this problem? - to program all 15 sinfonia, all six French Suites, or the complete Well-Tempered Clavier in one sitting. Those encyclopedic Gods! They are so impressive! (Fans self.)
Do audiences really want to listen to all six French Suites in one go? One is so beautiful all by itself. A hundred years ago, pianists would even create a small suite of their own, compiling their favorite movements from different suites. Sometimes "simple" and "easy" can be bracing, beautiful, and bewitching.
Anyway - I say, play them in whatever order suits you. If you are so inclined to start the Goldberg Variations now, then go for it! You wouldn't necessarily need to perform the work for another decade or so, but that's beyond the point. The intrinsic motivation of practicing what you love does a lot more for a person than routine exercises ever will.
There's another side of me screaming: "bad advice, bad advice!" Yes, maybe you should listen to your teacher - he or she certainly has your best interests in mind. Just remember, all of Bach's works have different challenges; there is no need to attack and conquer one genre at a time.
- Greg
Dear Greg,
Question now. Suggestion for how to play the devil's staircase? thank you
ariel yang
Dear ariel,
How to play Ligeti's Etude No. 13, "The Devil's Staircase" in three words:
Practice, practice, practice.
Then, practice some more. Then some more. And then: ....practice some more.
The piece tests a performers determination and ability to focus. There are other pieces that are technically harder to play, but I've encountered nothing as mentally demanding as this ... except other Ligeti etudes.
A quick tip: I originally learned the piece by counting 8th notes. Later, I began listening to the various groupings of 8th notes (5, 6, 7, 9, etc.), and now I listen for the bigger picture.
Good luck!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
...Like yourself I have a profound love of music - pure and simple. ... Perhaps you could comment as to whether (in your professional opinion) - 1.5 to 2 hours of daily practice (all that I can possibly squeeze in) suffices to acquire sufficient technique in due time to play major piano repertoire. Thanks again for your time.
Best regards,Devoted Practicer
Dear Devoted Practicer,
I apologize in advance; my answer is going to be very annoying. :-)
I have seen quite a number of pianists sail through Juilliard without putting in more than a couple hours of practice per week. I don’t know what they do during the day (academics, video games, friends, TV?), but come concert time, they walk on stage and play with unbelievable inspiration and accuracy.
There were also the pianists who would wake up every morning at the crack of dawn to snag the best practice rooms, and they would stay until the cleaning ladies kicked them out at closing time. To increase their concentration, these virtuosos would cover the windows and limit all social interaction to two 15-minute meals. It came as no surprise that they were also fantastic pianists.
Nobody is going to acquire the skills for Gaspard de la nuit over night; it takes years (upon years!) of experience before the act of playing the piano feels natural. Regardless (and the point is:), everyone has different practice room needs. Many people can handle the world’s most substantial repertoire on 1.5 – 2 hours of daily practice, but even more people would find this insufficient.
If you are already practicing as much as you have time for, why worry about it? Enjoy every minute that you spend at the piano. You may step back from it all in a few years and say, “Wow, just look at how I’ve improved!” It is VERY unlikely that 1.5 – 2 hours of daily practice would ever lead to the opposite.
Good luck!
- Greg
Dear Greg,
I am an older piano student currently working on my Grade 8 RCM piano level (busily preparing for my pending theory and piano practical exams) - in short, I have a passion for the piano and love to practice 1.2 to 2 hours per day. My practice routine consists of a half-hour of required technical elements (scales, chords, arpeggios, sight reading, ear training, ... etc.) with the remaining 1 to 1.5 hours practicing both new and learned repertoire. What are your thoughts on quality of practice versus quantity? What are your thoughts on practicing finger exercises (Hanon, Czerny, etc.) and studies? I personally believe that these finger exercises/studies eat up precious practice time and provide very little gain.Many thanks,
Devoted Practicer
Dear Devoted Practicer,
I encourage you to examine the source of your passion for the piano. Ask yourself why you play the piano. to become a professional? ARCT goals? competing with someone else? to play that certain piece?
Many people seem to forget why they spend all that time at the piano. I know this sounds cheesy, but the reason I practice is because I love music. I'm serious! I am drawn to the piano every day by the beauty of music. Whether the music be easy or difficult, I love to take it apart, note by note, and hold it up to the light and say, "Wow! Isn't that amazing?!" I inspect everything under a microscope, marvel at its craftsmanship, and polish it well. Then I put it back together again and let it carry me away.
I have never been able to practice scales or exercises. They don't inspire me. Where's the beauty? A Chopin etude, sure, but not a Hanon exercise.
Over the years, my devotion to detail and beauty has worked for me. My technique improves naturally with each piece I play, and I have never tired of practicing. Could I have improved at a faster rate? Perhaps, but I enjoyed the path I followed.
- Greg
Dear Mr. Anderson,
Sometimes it's hard for me to memorize pieces. Am I just stupid or is it hard for everyone? I feel like killing myself when I have a memory slip. Please help me soon.
Sincerely,
Desperate in Denver
Dear Desperate,
Memory is something I've struggled with for as long as I can.....remember. Desperation and threats are certainly no way to solve the problem - in fact, the more you think about memory while you perform, the more slips are likely to happen. There are a couple tips I can offer:
Good luck!
- Greg
