I've come to this conclusion about playing. You are better off working on finger technique than doing anything else as a performing musician.

Reason: Once you've mastered that, you can then play anything you want to, you can dress it up as you want, you can "fake it," you can improvise and actually "hear" different chord voicings, etc. All in real time. i.e. You can play just about anything you want out of your head.

I've been working hard on the piano keyboard lately, and playing for myself for a change, and I'm finding that the more I (REALLY) concentrate on every note that I'm playing, and how they come together, that my "pitch recognition" has improved considerably....necessary to improvisation, chord voicings, chord substitutions, etc.

Something that helped a lot. Years ago a friend told he made up an exercise that helped him considerably. Play a musical line......any line you want to make up....even a song you know. Play it mentally in your head and THEN lay it on the keyboard slowly, and note by note. Hear the note you want to hit in your head first, then place your finger down on what key you think matches what you hear internally.

Talk about "power of the mind" principles. I wish I started doing this years ago instead of only recently.

I go on about "power of the mind" a lot because I've been using it most of my life in every day situations. Example: I don't ever wear a coat in the winter (short of 10 degrees). You can't be cold if you don't "think you're cold." Same with music. You'd be amazed at how well you could play just by simply concentrating with full force mind power on what you're playing AS you play the music. Even telling yourself what a great musician you are, and hammering that home every day.......that alone will make you play better.

And that conludes this week's radio broadcast.

M

I think I said this wrong.

I've presently been going over my Strauss waltzes for a German gig next week. In each piece there is so much room for interpretation and improv. And that's what I've been doing. But I'm frustrated because every time I play each one a different way I have to stop and finger the notes properly.

So.....the conclusion I came up with was:

It's easier to get my fingers to a point where I can play just about any ideas that I think of rather than fumble over the notes every time.

I notice people don't talk much here about actual "playing." Why is that?

Just a hunch, but....... . No actually, I think most of the main posters here are older, self-taught keyboard players who came to "arranger playing" either from no formal musical background or training OR from another instrument (accordion, guitar, etc. - not classical piano or organ). One thing you can say about 'old folks', they are hardly interested in relearning something they've been doing (incorrectly) for 40 years. They'd rather spend their time learning a new song than learning a new fingering technique. So if that's the type of thing that interests you, you'll probably have more luck over at Keyboard Corners. For arranger players, fingering technique means (perverts excepted) 'how fast can I go from variation 1 to variation 2' or 'how fast can I key in my credit card number' when a new arranger hits the market'. Keep posting though Mark, some random visitor under 30 might drop in .

chas

Piano techniques do not concern me in the least. Instrument emulations would. I didn't play piano when I was under 30 either!

i still have piano lessons once a week, i think thats a nice place to discuss things like this. its much easier to discuss behind the white and black keys then online...

thats a good one, but also hard to discuss. as its done all by ear... however, in general i found that each sound on a keyboard deserves its own aproach with the use of articulations,expression Pedals, sustain, wheels, joysticks and such... this is where you can make arrangers really shine...its also the least documented part..

All that you have mentioned above will be taught by any good teacher, (And much more) and is also a requirement for those that wish to play by ear. (This has been the way for century’s)

Mind power is also well known, hence the reason there is always a placebo in medical tests, (Again this has been practiced for century’s) the downside is some people think they are invincible, (Mainly youngsters) and ignore common sense, thus it is a 2-edged sword.

Bill

All good keyboard music teachers have emphasised the importance of emulating the technique of the player for the instrument you are trying to re-create, (Long before pitch wheels and articulations became standard on instruments) so nothing new there.

Bill

That is why I purchased an arranger keyboard.

I mentioned how impressed I was with a local keyboard player to an audience member. He agreed the guy was fantastic, however he preferred my playing for dancing, and his style for listening. Made my day.

Jerryghr

So I'll ask the question again.......I notice people don't talk much here about actual "playing." Why is that?

Chas........I just saw your reply here.

If I had to guess, I’d say THAT is the reason. And lack of formal training is probably also the reason most musicians I’ve ever interacted with on the outside (most!)……don’t discuss music.

I‘m recalling incidents in the past: the keyboard salesman at Sam Ash who played great left hand runs but wouldn’t show me what he was doing. The pro flute player who played great “runs” but when I asked he honestly admitted he couldn‘t repeat what he played because he “didn’t know what he was doing." The many Youtube videos I watch where I can see many were never taught “hand and finger positioning.” Musicians I know personally even, etc

And the other side of the coin is, established pro’s and those in the upper echelon of playing are too busy making great music to talk about it.

So after all these years your simple explanation, if correct, solves a riddle that I’ve wondered about for the longest time.

In the end, that doesn’t make anyone good or bad, pro or amateur, a good or bad player, qualified or unqualified for the job. It simply means they are self-taught. No stigma to that.

A little secret here…..myself, I’m self-taught on piano and arranger. Could never find a teacher who actually knew how to communicate keyboard principles for an advanced accordion player. But I was lucky enough to have a series of good teachers on the accordion when I was a kid.

Personally I find most players who exhibit creativity are those who started by themselves and continued on their own. I’ll never forget Bob. We both played the accordion back in high school days. Boy would he tick me off. I’d be home practicing scales every day and he was self-taught so he’d be practicing great arrangements. He’d better me any day of the week and twice on Sunday!!!



No, I'll think I'll call it quits and just go with the flow.....instrument and speaker talk....and watching Donny's video posts.

Mark

Synthzone is more geared towards pro players, so it is assumed that they already know how to play, hence you get less posts on playing skills, it’s as simple as that.

If you go to the more home focussed forums (The arranger was always designed for the home hobby player) you will find plenty on playing technique. (There are also plenty of books and videos on the subject)

Hope this helps

Bill