Andys Performances! (I cant believe Im doing this! =)

Hey everybody!
This was about the strangest experience Ive made so far while playing the piano: Playing it with a camera running!!!
I hadnt really planed this, but I have been working on a movie with my students in school lately and the cam was laying around so I thought what the heck, lets just try playing the piano while the thing is running! Well, it was running for like over half an hour and I kept screwing the piece up again and again and again. I was suddenly having problems playing this piece with what was supposed to be "dynamics"... I think I forgot them along the way XD

The last time I played it was kinda creepy cause the further I got and the more I DIDNT mess up, the more my fingers started shaking and my heart started pounding in my chest! By the time I was finally finished without majorly screwing up I was a total wreck!!! HAHAHA!!! I was amazed by how hard my hands could actually shake!!!

Isnt that strange? Do you people that record your pieces on video have those problems too or what is it with my nerves going crazy like that?!

Well anyway... here is my VERY FIRST VIDEO PLAYING THE PIANO: Bachs Prelude in C! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

That was AWESOME! Great first video!

aendym wrote: Well, it was running for like over half an hour and I kept screwing the piece up again and again and again. I was suddenly having problems playing this piece with what was supposed to be "dynamics"... I think I forgot them along the way XD

That sounds familiar.

The last time I played it was kinda creepy cause the further I got and the more I DIDNT mess up, the more my fingers started shaking and my heart started pounding in my chest!

Yes, that sounds familiar too.

By the time I was finally finished without majorly screwing up I was a total wreck!!! HAHAHA!!! I was amazed by how hard my hands could actually shake!!!

Again, familiar! I think that big sigh you had at the end says it all!

Isnt that strange? Do you people that record your pieces on video have those problems too or what is it with my nerves going crazy like that?!

Nope. It never happens to me. KIDDING. Every time, actually!

I can't wait until the next one!

Thanks a lot, Circle!

I must say it does kinda make me proud to have posted my very first piano-video! I never really thought Id be able to play the piano at all! =)

Hahaha! I wasnt even aware of that sigh at the end! I was just so relieved! While editing the video I was kinda hoping people wouldnt notice... hahaha

But please dont tell me that that nervous feeling doesnt go away!!!

aendym wrote:But please dont tell me that that nervous feeling doesnt go away!!!

For me, it hasn't gone away. But it has become a little better and more manageable, so it's easier to deal with and expected from the beginning, so it doesn't come as a shock when the record button is pushed. And there is a big satisfaction to be finally done. I really like posting to You Tube because I feel like I've done the best I can with a piece, and can now focus my attention on other pieces.

It's funny, I can practice and practice, and as soon as I'm recording, I just make the absolute dumbest mistakes. I mean, really dumb!

And you described the other problem perfectly too. I get most of the way done, and I finally think to myself, "holy crap, I made it this far without screwing up. Don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw....CRAAAAAAP!!!!!!!"

But this idea of playing under some sort of pressure and stress I think is really good practice - plus it will certainly never get easier if you don't keep doing it. Taking video has also changed the way I practice when the record button is off.

I think you should definitely do another one!

I sent you a message.

Actually, from what I know, studies tend to demonstrate that thinking of something else than the music you're playing more or less makes you play wrong notes...

I would explain it a bit differently: I think there is a kind of "thinking pattern" associated with each piece you learn; when you break the pattern by thinking "oh I did it! I played this hard part without screwing up!" then your movements pattern could get broken too => wrong notes.

Even at a more advanced level, when you have such a solid technique that you can play a lot of sections just by thinking of them, a lack of concentration will lead to small mistakes (articulation, phrasing mistakes) or even memory failure

And of course, nervosity and adrenaline are major factors in screwing up that way

By the way, good performance here!

At the end, you played a few wrong notes, but you saved yourself by falling on your feet like a cat and continued playing graciously. My older teacher, Jean Micault (Cortot's last pupil) used to say that: "to see if someone is talented, you have to see if he plays mistakes in an elegant way" Well that's what you did

Oh, also, I have two suggestions for the last chord!

1- try to play it arpeggiated, playing the "e" of the right hand at the same loudness as the previous line, and the other notes more quiet

OR (but this second one is more technically challenging)

2- try to play the "e" of the right hand louder than the rest (without arpeggiating) by playing the whole chord only with your finger strength (and not your arm as you do righ now (it sounds a little bit brutal))

Hey Matthieu,

thanks for the tips... (I was hoping nobody would notice the wrong notes at the end too.... It seems I cant hide anything around here... hahaha)
I must say that my understanding of things like arpeggiating chords isnt that big...
Am I right when I say that arpeggiating the chord means playing the tones of the chord one after the other (breaking it) instead of all at the same time? Im assuming you mean the chord comes in too heavy at the end?? If I understood you correctly then I think youre right! Ill try that! Thanks for the advice.
Oh and this whole "playing one note of the same hand louder than the other ones" is SO DIFFICULT!!! Espesially on an e-piano! I started out on the Moonlight sonate but put it aside for now cause it just doesnt sound right when all notes have the same volume! Its frustrating but my hand doesnt have the sensiblity for things like that yet...
Im working on it though!!!

=)

"playing one note of the same hand louder than the other ones" is SO DIFFICULT!!!

I couldn't agree more. My 2nd movement of mozart sonata k545 sounds horrible because of that. But actually it does come with practice once you start paying attention.
Great playing by the way. However by the way you sighed, I remembered every time I used to finish my university exams :-)
But I just recorded my first youtube video, so I know how it feels. You can now pat yourself on your back and plan on the next one :-)

You're right, arpeggiating is playing the notes one after each other instead of together in a block. Und zwar von unten nach oben
So ist es bestimmt einfacher, das "E" hervorzuheben (ich bin der Meinung, dass das "E" der Schluss der Melodie ist: "d f e d e" macht mehr Sinn als zum Beispiel "d f e d c(oben)"!).

WOW! I cant believe it! I was actually able to play this piece without screwing it up infront of the camera! (Well, at least without REALLY REALLY screwing up! Still got one or two mistakes ... maybe even three.. hehehe)

Geez! What a trip!

And here's another one... just for the fun of it all!!!

They are great performances, I mean it; I can't get enough of Canon in D, it's no doubt the first piece I'll learn to play on the piano. (:

Great job.