tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post7243095871046265600..comments2024-03-22T06:38:04.697-04:00Comments on Beyond the Notes: A fresh new view of "technique"Erica Ann Sipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-29526179139506546882014-11-07T10:13:42.419-05:002014-11-07T10:13:42.419-05:00Brian
I'm so very glad you've chimed in as...Brian<br />I'm so very glad you've chimed in as both a teacher yourself and as a pianist that has felt frustrated by teachers that just assume that everyone should be able to translate sound and though into movement. I have stayed away from teaching piano myself, especially beginning pianists, because I feel that a lot of my technique either came naturally, was taught well to me at a very early age, or more likely a combination of the two. I don't want to be one of those teachers that just shrugs when a student is having trouble and says, "I don't know what to say - just figure it out!" <br /><br />I am thankful there are teachers like you that are finding ways to pass on what you've learned through your own experiences.<br /><br />All the best,<br />EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-64288602483563330642014-11-07T10:12:38.050-05:002014-11-07T10:12:38.050-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Erica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-14324962126329460772014-11-07T10:04:58.137-05:002014-11-07T10:04:58.137-05:00Betty,
What an interesting experience and a great...Betty, <br />What an interesting experience and a great example of letting your ears do the guiding of your body. Our brains are such amazing organs!<br /><br />Thanks for sharing!<br /><br />-EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-4697022864452263312014-11-06T10:57:32.017-05:002014-11-06T10:57:32.017-05:00I think there's a lot of good that comes from ...I think there's a lot of good that comes from Fleisher's points, but at the same time I've always felt that major pianists are disconnected from how us "normal people" learn. I think there's an evolution in what "piano technique" is. It means different things to people at different levels of experience.<br /><br />We have to realize that although we are looking for a certain sound, we get that sound by physical movements. Sometimes I feel like music is over romanticized. Having an idea aurally for what the music will sound like is obviously good advice, but by ignoring the physical motions that produce those sounds I feel like we're doing a disservice to those without "natural technique". <br /><br />There is a clear divide between those that don't struggle with the physical motions of playing the piano, and those that do. I always struggled, and all of my teachers never did. It's very difficult for them to understand that although I know exactly how I want something to sound, I just don't have the motor skills required to produce that sound. When working with these teachers you can see it on their face "Why can't you do this? I could play this when I was 10!" <br /><br />That really is the problem. Young children learn exponentially faster than adults do. If a lot of the physical movements that are required to play the piano are learned at an early age, then learning a new section may be trivial. But if it's not learned early, then it may take twice as much work, if not more, as a teenager or adult. The problem is that all major pianists learned these movements as children and it came naturally. The method of learning for pianists that didn't have such an early learning experience should, and needs to be different, but all too often teachers don't know how to approach it.<br /><br />But I totally understand that a lot of times students don't think about how a passage should sound because they are focusing TOO much on those physical movements, which is obviously also a mistake.Brian Jenkinshttp://yourmusiclessons.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-76855326452581064822014-11-06T10:54:11.989-05:002014-11-06T10:54:11.989-05:00I experienced an example "technique happens&q...I experienced an example "technique happens" last weekend: I subbed in a friend's band for their usual violist. I spent a lot of time listening to prior performances of the set list songs and making notes (since no written parts), but had only one 1-hour practice with the band, and no particular other practice besides reviewing my cues.<br /><br />After the show I was talking with the sound engineer (who is their regular live and recording person). He was commenting on how once I started playing he had to change his board settings from the ones he had used the night before with the regular violist (even though I was using her same amp and settings). He said her sound is usually "sharp" (not in pitch but "direct/hard") and he adds various effects to it. But my sound was more mellow and complex, plus I was doing various things with it that caused him to drop most of his FX because they were interfering with my sound, which was fine without it. <br /><br />I don't know what techniques I was unconsciously using (and the regular violist is a conservatory grad so no amateur), but apparently I had absorbed what sounds the pieces needed and replicated them without artificial aids!Betty Widerskihttp://whatbettyknows.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-13942970739176172472014-11-05T20:57:14.849-05:002014-11-05T20:57:14.849-05:00Harriet,
I'm glad you made these comments and ...Harriet,<br />I'm glad you made these comments and I agree with much of what you say even though I also agree with Fleisher's points. I don't think he would say it's pointless to practice scales and technique...I don't feel that way either because of the points you bring up - that one needs to learn what's possible at the instrument and to learn how different techniques cause one to make certain sounds, colors, textures, etc...My guess is that much of Fleisher's diatribe was directed at music students and musicians that have already made a lot of those connections and have paid their dues in technical practice but haven't learned how to trust all that and move on to relying on their ear more. <br /><br />For teachers of younger musicians and those that haven't had as much time with technical work, I would encourage them to be including aural work while working on technique so that the students don't merely treat technique as a physical, muscular activity. I think a combination of approaches might be ideal. <br /><br />Thanks for commenting...you've given me more food for thought!<br /><br />All the best,<br />EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-88675902416530375452014-11-05T20:22:51.310-05:002014-11-05T20:22:51.310-05:00Here's the issue I have with this: you have to...Here's the issue I have with this: you have to know how to evaluate the sound you are making -- and what is possible on your instrument -- before you can really know what you want. And then you have to learn what kind of technique produces what kind of sound, and if you don't have a lot of experience with your instrument, that is not always a simple matter. Sometimes (in fact most of the time!) it's hard to tell how you sound while you are playing; you may think you are achieving your intention when in fact you may not sound that way at all. So sometimes practicing technique as an end in itself is necessary -- it gives you the tools to be able to know what you want before you begin. I wouldn't categorically say it's a waste of time. (Scales really do help!)Harriethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13880173260724402584noreply@blogger.com