After getting my shoulders into a big knot, I have been experimenting to find out what the causes were. Obviously, it is easy to say, “OK, Stop Holding the Shoulders Up While Playing”… I have taught many adults to play the piano, and remember how difficult it is to change habits of posture!! I started with the bench height. Being long in the torso, I could see that my elbows were high, forcing some tension in the wrists. Sitting on a chair is a huge improvement, now my forearms are parallel to the floor. Here is a short video demonstrating help with sitting posture:

I am enjoying playing piano as a relaxing time, away from work pressures. Although I am not practicing to work up to a performance goal, I still do not want to become a sloppy player!! Playing for pleasure and not working on musical skills is a sure way for playing to get messed up with bad habits. Rhythmic instability and incorrect note readings creep in and take over over time. There are many pieces I have learned and am playing through now, all of them need a little careful work to be ready for performance. I am working on the Chopin C# minor waltz. The middle/fast section was a big mess, with missed notes and general lumpiness… a half hour with the metronome fixed that. At first I tried one metronome click to the bar, but had to switch over to one click to the quarter note. The quarter note clicks were what I needed to get perfect note accuracy, then I switched back to one per bar. The metronome helps with developing the musical line when the clicks are set to the musical pulse, such as here with one to the bar…which is the same as the musical pulse. I played the piece through for friends and was very happy with my improvement. There were no missed notes and the fast section flowed smoothly. I felt centered and in control while playing!! practicing piano

I have been playing through the Back invention #8 without the music. Most of the time I can play it through with no problems, but sometimes stumble in the left hand part. There are 2 places I stumble, both are at concluding phrases, of the 1st section and at the conclusion of the piece. I realized that I had not been giving the LH part enough attention, and could not play it through by memory. So I went through the entire piece LH only, with the metronome, reading the music at first, then put the book away. Then I practiced the problem phrases repeatedly. The 2 problem phrases don’t lend themselves to practicing in a “loop”, so I composed my only little loop, with 3 beats of rest before jumping back in. It is important to always practice with strong Rhythm!! In the past I would like to just “play” instead of “practice”. Now I play at least 90% of the time with the metronome, slowly, focusing on perfect accuracy. After the slow, careful work has been done, confidence and memory has built up so that I can let go and enjoy the music making. I keep surprising myself at how much my playing has improved when I later perform for other people! playing piano

J.S.Bach Two Part Inventions piano solo (or harpsichord)

I have been playing the Bach 2 part Inventions, #4 and #8, using them as warm ups. I play them through with the metronome, and repeat at least 5 times before stopping and stretching. If the tempo is comfortable, the repetitions help to concentrate on getting centered. It helps to exaggerate the big arm down motion, so that the whole arm weight drops into the keys. I keep checking this to make sure I don’t get a knotted shoulder!

I got carried away playing last night, but sure must have been tensing my shoulders. All night my shoulders and upper back were tied in knots. I remembered a warm up I used to do: making big figure 8’s with the entire arm, rolling from the shoulders. I’ve been doing them this morning, will have to make them a routine. I remember playing in a Hotel that had the piano situated in a draft, actually a howling gale straight from outside!! I wore a sweat shirt under my tux to keep from freezing, and developed the worst stiff back I have ever had. play piano

I realized that i needed to start back with some basics. It is so much fun to be playing for just my own enjoyment, there is no pressure to learn some new inane pop hit to keep the customers satisfied! I went and bought a new metronome. I have one packed away that I have owned since childhood, but I remember that it sped up and slowed down. Also, not sure which box in which closet it is packed in! I started playing Bach’s 2 Part Invention #8, with the metronome set at 54 to a quarter note. (There were a few spots I had to go over to get the notes.) It was very satisfying. After 5 times through the piece, I was feeling much more in control. The repetition with the steady pulse from the metronome was very centering. The scrambled, frantic energy is gone.

After more than 5 years without a piano, I now have a brand new Steigerman Piano! I am surprised at how I can still play, but I am not making a good sound and my hands feel stiff. I played through some Chopin Waltzes, the C# Minor, Opus 64 No. 2 and the D flat “Minute” Waltz. I can play all the notes, but my playing feels scrambled and uneven. I don’t feel in control of my playing, and don’t like the sound I am making. The sound is not full, but harsh and brittle. I remember that when I used to play, I felt in control, centered, and there was no struggle to get the notes. I will think of how to find that. play piano