The craft of piano playing

Lyus91 · Joined: 01 May 2009 Posts: 10

Hello. I found this website this week while searching for piano technique and injury. The DVD really looks interesting, . I would ask a friend from USA to order it for me because I have had bad experiences buying with shipping to Mexico.

Alright, I am 17 years old, started taking classical piano lessons and playing around 2 years ago, actually is 2 years one day of this month.

I didn't have piano or keyboard, and I managed to play some 2 simple Bach pieces in November of that year, my teacher was pretty impressed. In December I bought a keyboard, and also received the piano I am playing in the videos I present here. Well, actually we sent it to restoration in June when I entered to classes, and it was finished in December. I was going ok, and I also used to fiddle around the keyboard trying to train my ear.

I started to feel weirdness in my hands last year, sometimes I would feel as if someone was pinching my hand and my wrist also felt weird. Specially in the right hand. Mostly in the keyboard, as I play it standing.

Now when I play, I sometimes feel that pinching, but mostly what I feel is numbness, and as I play, I start to lose my energy, and just I don't know, I think playing just should feel good, not ackward at all.

So this week I decided to do something about it.

I also thought, I use the computer a lot, so maybe that's why my hand is weird, so I got into checking for information for improving computer use, I adjusted my place, noticed I type with my wrists resting, which is bad, I started to have more rests of the computer, and just try to use less the computer.
But when I use the computer I don't really feel discomfort.

Okay, and here is the videos, I have never seen myself playing, and you know, I don't know about piano technique, but it really looks like there is a lot to do. I am sure you all geniouses can help me with this. Smile

http://www.mediafire.com/?jnymywirzkg

In this one I am playing part of a Bach minuet, slow, as I am practicing as it for as a lesson.

http://www.mediafire.com/?4zox2zkgzya
In this other one, I am playing the first verse of Flightless Bird, American Mouth, famous because of the Twilight movie, it's by ear, then I am playing part of the chorus, but still without accompainament.

Waiting for your feedback and advice, thanks.

Lyus91 · Joined: 01 May 2009 Posts: 10

Seems there's no way to update the post. But my friend already ordered the DVD Study Guide for me. Hope I can hear from you guys soon.

jocahdj · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:54 pm Post subject:

Hi Lyus91 and welcome to the forum!

I downloaded and watched your videos.
About the pinching, is it in your upper or lower side of the wrist?

I personally think its because you play your keyboard in standing position.Its such a awkward position to play IMO.I suggest you get a bar or a really high chair and give it a try.The hands at the piano look really nice.In the first video your hands were a bit flater then in the second, but its looks ok to me.

Keep us posted and wait for Alan's answer.He always has the solution!

Best,

Jovan Haji-Djurich
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Lyus91 · Joined: 01 May 2009 Posts: 10

Hello, thanks for the response.

The pinching is not really in my wrist, it feels where the metacarpus bones end. And it might happen randomly when playing, specially when playing things that are similar to a scale.

Basically what bothers me is this numbness feeling, it can start right when I start to play, or just a while playing, it goes from my forearm to my wrist and then as I am playing I might start to feel my hands tired and just ackward. If I start to get the numbness, it will stay and disappear later. I rarely get it when using the computer.

But I still have this theory that it probably was caused by laptop use, but it is affecting me while playing the piano.

I angled my laptop keyboard, got my mouse a little higher, noticed I tend to rest my wrists while typing, and curve my wrist while doing mouse movements, which you are supposed to do with your whole arm.

I am doing certain stretches almost every hou, so hopefully this can help. Besides improving technique.

Well, here's a video playing the keyboard, in stand up position:

http://www.mediafire.com/?nvmoevzvvue

Tell me what you guys think, thanks.

alan fraser

Hello, I watched your video and I can vaguely see why you have pain. Everything is very undefined in your playing, or at least in your way of touching the keyboard. It's "natural,'' but it is not really developed. Very difficult to help you at such a distance. For starters I would definitely learn to stand my hand up into a nice, healthy arch, and learn to curl my fingers more...

The trouble with your hand being "undeveloped" is that you risk straining something unintentionally...

Anyway, try those things and see if it helps...

AFF
_________________
Craft of Piano technique - the synthesis of mind, body and spirit in sound...
www.alanfraser.net
www.craftofpiano.com
www.pianotechnique.net

Lyus91 · Joined: 01 May 2009 Posts: 10

alan fraser · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 9:13 pm Post subject:

for now, stick to what you will find in the DVD - it is a good series of exercises.

The Study Guide follows a 13-week plan so that piano pedagogy students at university can cover the material in one semester. But of course, anybody can absorb the material at their own pace, there is no need to go that quickly (or slowly, depending on your point of view).

Enjoy!

AFF
_________________
Craft of Piano technique - the synthesis of mind, body and spirit in sound...
www.alanfraser.net
www.craftofpiano.com
www.pianotechnique.net

Lyus91 · Joined: 01 May 2009 Posts: 10

alan fraser · Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:56 pm Post subject:

So what's new? How are things going?

AFF
_________________
Craft of Piano technique - the synthesis of mind, body and spirit in sound...
www.alanfraser.net
www.craftofpiano.com
www.pianotechnique.net

Lyus91 · Joined: 01 May 2009 Posts: 10

Alan, thanks for asking, I got the DVD from my friend around 2 weeks ago, and I just started to check it out today.

Generally I have been fine, it seems that when I feel weird is because I am tensing something or just doing "not a right movement".

I changed the way I use the laptop and my hand seems in better condition.

I am checking the material from chapter 1, is there a way I can ask questions? I will try to answer them by myself, but it would be great to have some guidance.

Luis

alan fraser · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:48 am Post subject:

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