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Playing FAQ

The Classical Music Geek Answers Your Questions

Jump in. Try to stump me or just get the answer to something you've always wondered about.

Some questions may, over time, be moved to a different page, like the "Rarely Asked Questions" or "Really Obscure Questions", or some name I may come up with in the future like, "Why in the World Would You Want to Know That?" page.

Have fun!

Q. I'm a beginning piano student. I have a new piece of music in which I'm struggling to develop a style. I can play exactly with the metronome, but I sound like a robot! Any suggestions? -JILLC

A. This is the problem of many beginning piano students. There are several factors that figure into this:

Are your fingers in the right position? It's important that your fingers, wrists and arms be still and relaxed, and your fingers play only with the fingertips, not with the pads or any other part of the finger (thumbs excepted, of course). If your wrists move up and down, you're likely to be playing on the pads.
Are you following the phrase and expression marks? Are you lifting away from the keys at the end of the phrase marks? Are you playing legato, detaché, and staccato notes with the proper attention?
Have you taken the time to think about what the piece of music says to you? Is it sad, happy, mysterious, cheerful, nostalgic? What images come to mind when you hear it? Believe it or not, thinking about the piece of music in the way that is "right" to you will help your expression as your body makes subtle changes in the way that you move.
Have you identified the most dramatic point of each phrase? of the whole piece? Have you thought about how you want to emphasize those sections? What makes those sections different from the rest? Should you speed up slightly, slow down slightly, play slightly louder or softer to set them off? Have you tried varying your attack on the key in that section?

If you put some effort into all these points, your playing will become much more musical and much less robotic. For the rest, there is practice and experience. If you remember the first time in dance class, most of us were very wooden as we learned the box step--but if you kept with it, you became more graceful and fluid the longer you danced. It's the same with playing any instrument or singing. Expression is one of the most difficult points of music, but once acquired, it becomes much easier.

Q. How do I become a better singer or musician without taking lessons?

A. You might stumble onto something that might improve your technique, eventually. You might also seriously injure yourself physically. The fact is, teachers are professionals who are paid to train you to sing or play properly. As in any field, there's a lot of incompetence and misinformation, so get yourself a good teacher. To find a good teacher, I've written an ehow article for you. If finances are a problem, most reputable teachers have full or partial scholarship positions or work-study.

Q. How should I practice?

A. Your teacher is the best judge of that. If your teacher does not give you specific directions, I've written an ehow article on how to get the most from your music lessons and how to practice efficiently.

Q. My hands hurt when I play. Help!

A. You must:

Stop playing NOW!. Don't type, practice or anything until it quits hurting.
See a doctor to evaluate your hands for evidence of physical damage such as carpal tunnel.
See a biomechanical engineer (get a referral from a performance medicine clinic) to get a technical evaluation of your playing style.
If the doctor sees no evidence of damage, find a qualified teacher who understands RSI and how to avoid it. You've just proven to yourself that you need lessons if you didn't have a teacher, or a different teacher, if you do have one.

Q. I'm so nervous when I perform! Help!

A. There's really only one solution for this. "Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they cannot get it wrong." If you practice to the point where you cannot get it wrong, no matter what, even if someone hurls a Boston Terrier at you on the second beat of measure 154, your nervousness will disappear. At that point, nothing will phase you!