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Any pianists around?

Discussion in 'Coming Out Advice' started by Pseudojim, Sep 6, 2010.

  1. Pseudojim

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    Yo all.

    So i bought a piano earlier this year, and i've been loving tinkering on it fairly often. I've only ever had the most rudimentary knowledge of music... I can read notes, slowly, and that's about it. But i have a good ear. I've learned a few tunes from downloading sheet music from the internet. Fun being able to play mellon collie.

    Am i practicing too hard if i get sore after no more than 10 or so minutes of playing? I'm trying to learn 'the heart asks pleasure first' by michael nyman, it's a minimalist piece, the theme music to 'the piano', but i'm not sure if i should be yet. Am i going to give myself tendonitis or something? The backs of my hands get really really sore, i find i just need to stop for a while after i've been playing for what i feel isn't long at all.
     
  2. 16bit

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    Well, when I was new to playing the piano, my fingers weren't used to going that fast.
    If you know what I mean. LOLOL.
    No.
    But yeah, it's normal if you are new to playing the piano, but just try not to overwork your fingers, just enough to gain improvement. :eusa_danc
     
  3. MagicalMatt

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    You're fine. I don't remember being "new" to playing the piano or being sore. I've been playing since I was 4. But I think you're totally fine practicing like you are. Don't bend your wrists, though. Keep your fingers up on the keys. Don't let your arms sag down. That will help.
     
  4. DustinD

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    You may be playing too hard...and make sure you keep your fingers curved. You should almost be playing with the tips of your fingers. Playing the piano with your fingers flat will cause damage to your joints and all the other things that make your fingers useful! I was told that from the beginning! As you play more, your fingers will become more accustomed to playing and you won't be as sore so quickly :slight_smile: Happy playing!
     
  5. starbucksshoote

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    It's also possible that your chair isn't the right height off the ground. I suspect that you are bening your wrists so that your hands stick-up a bit (...that's confusing I know, but it's like you are pivoting your hand upwards at your wrist). Ultimately, praticising too much should make your fingers tired, not the back of your hand.

    If you want to learn pieces and be able to have the endurance to play through them well, you should start practicing scales and chords to build up strength and agility.

    Without being able to see what you are doing, it will be hard to give a more accurate diagnosis.

    Back to the sitting thing - most people will use the bench that somes with the piano - frequently that bench isn't the right height for the person playing the piano. So, trying adjusting that so that you aren't "reaching" up for the piano if you are.
     
  6. GlindaRose

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    There is a technique to hand position so that your fingers don't get sore. This is so that pianists are less likely to get RSI. I can play for hours at a time without getting sore. When you play, make sure you're not tense and that your fingers are curved, and that the bridge of your hand doesn't collapse. And make sure your wrists are relaxed. It'll take some practice but you will get the technique eventually.

    Have you considered getting a teacher? They can show you the basics and then you can take it from there if you only want to play for pleasure.

    Also, I know this sounds REALLY boring, but learning scales really does help because you get them in pieces all the time and it will make learning pieces much easier. They can also help you learn technique better.
     
  7. Callie

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    Remember to move your elbow along with your hand and not keep it pressed to your side.
     
  8. Jeremy

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    I agree a lot with heatqueen. I'm a piano major, so I guess I know a little bit about piano (I hope), haha, but I still have a lot to learn. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    Anyway, I've always been told that if it hurts, you shouldn't be playing. Either you're overworking yourself, or you're not practicing right. Since you're only practicing for say 10 minutes before you begin to hurt, it's very possible that it's the way you're practicing that's causing you pain. It's not likely that it's overexertion (although I suppose it could still technically be a possibility XD).

    Anyway, as far as tendonitis is concerned, I doubt you're going to get it. Especially if you're new to piano. I'm sure every pianist has gone through their phases of practicing even when it hurts because they need to practice. Though this is most definitely not a recommended thing to do, it does take quite a bit before you develop tendonitis. Still though, I don't think you should be practicing if it hurts.

    As for the piece, it is full of arpeggiation which can definitely cause soreness if played incorrectly. Be sure to be using the entire arm up to the shoulder and rolling your movements through the bridge of your hand. You want the bridge of your hand to be angled so that you're not playing with flat fingers. You also want to make sure you're not just playing with your finger tips. There are no muscles in your finger tips - just muscle fibers - which makes muscle memory impossible.

    Furthermore, make sure you are relaxed when you play and not tense! This is probably the reason you are getting sore so fast. Try to be conscious of the muscles you are using, what you are tensing, and what you really don't need to be tensing while you play. Being too tense is a fast way cramp up and cause fumbling in your playing.

    Anyway, it's kinda hard (more like impossible) to teach piano technique in writing. It's much easier to just show you, so maybe asking an instructor or some form of music educator for advice could be greatly helpful. Anyone with a degree in music is required to have piano knowledge, so even if they're not specifically a piano teacher, they still might be able to help you. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: ...hopefully. XD

    I hope this helped, and good luck learning the piece!!! :grin: Feel free to ask any questions!
     
  9. inTheAttic

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    I can validate what Jeremy said – I had a Russian piano teacher for a year. I'd been learning piano for 6 years prior to having her, and let me tell you, I learned FARRRRR more in that one year than in the first six. She was an uh-mazing teacher. Kinda grueling sometimes...most of the time (lol), but she re-taught me the fundamentals of piano. And Jeremy pretty much summed it all up.

    The most important thing to remember, and that my teacher would always catch me on, is do not use your wrist to strike the keys. The actual mechanics of the piano don't work properly if you're moving your wrist up and down. It's all in the fingers; the plane of the back of your hand should stay parallel to the plane of the keyboard. I won't lie, it's hard to get used to at first if you haven't been playing that way, but it pays off big time. Practice scales like this for like, 20 minutes a couple days a week, and you should pick up on it pretty fast :slight_smile:

    Another thing she constantly told me to do is, with your fingers, push INTO the keys, "like needle into fabric", she would say. This one's very hard to explain rather than show, but if you can kinda grasp at what it means, you'll really hear a difference in the tone of your playing.

    I hope this helps! Good luck, and more importantly, have fun :slight_smile:
     
    #9 inTheAttic, Sep 7, 2010
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2010
  10. yourillusion

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    I started too young to get sore, and never really have so I'm not sure. But I'd imagine if it happens that quickly you either already have some kind of tendonitis or carpal tunnel, or maybe your hands, fingers or arms aren't properly relaxed? Some other folks have some good advice here. Good luck! Its definitely a fun thing to do. Sorry to hear your struggling with the soreness. :\
     
  11. Totoro

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    Well, from what I was told, if you are getting sore or feeling pain you should stop immediately. But this also means that you don't have the proper posture when playing. I was told to make sure that my knees reached the piano, to sit half way on the bench and what not. But what really matters is that you are completely comfortable, and relaxed!
    Usually you are tensed, because your wrist muscles have developed, as opposed to a person who has started at an early age, who has had the time to properly work those muscles.
    I can't really explain the proper hand position but, essentially what I would do is hold my arm vertically, and let go of my wrist... there's like an arch from my thumb to my index and @_@ that is basically how I hold my hand over the keys. Make sure that you are relaxed at all times, keep it in mind, all the time! If you notice your shoulders tense, or something, take a moment to relax before continuing again. When playing chords, I think what I was told is that your arm strength is used, but when playing notes regularly, you should be using your finger muscles! ... And make sure to lift your fingers instead of using your wrist strength to push the keys! XD
    But my piano tutor tells me that doing scales usually helps with the tenseness problem so, maybe you should try doing scales and tonics and what not! They might help you out too, and they would also provide you with more dexterity in your playing, and perhaps other things...
    If I think of anything else I'll just edit this XD
    So stop playing immediately when you have wrist pains or soarness... REALLY O_O I did the same thing... and it was bad. You could potentially develop carpal tunnel/tendonitis~ So always break if you start feeling it!
    More edits: intheATTIC has good advice XD .. mainly because my tutor told me the same thing.
     
    #11 Totoro, Sep 8, 2010
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2010
  12. Ben

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    I've never been sore from piano. And my posture sucks.
    I don't think it's unusual to be sore from new things though.

    The Heart Asks For Pleasure First is a tad repetitive and so quite easy to pick up when you know how to play, but you might want to be trying out easier pieces as you're quite new~and there are a few things going on in it.