Re: nuts & bolts issues
- From: textrx@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 08:00:40 -0700
On Sep 27, 9:51 pm, bob syr <rcran...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Thank you for the good advice to my post about getting started. I
thought of a few things to ask you about.
First, what do you do about eyes that are glued to the keyboard. I
know in any public playing situation you need to look around to sense
what music is appropriate for the occasion. Besides, it looks better
if you're not staring at the keys. Harpo Marx's piano playing comes
to mind. He could play in all sorts of contorted positions and he
made it look easy, never looking at the keyboard at all. Of course, I
wouldn't need to be as flexible as Harpo, but would like to not be
afraid to look away from the keyboard for a few seconds.
Second, I'd like to be able to hold a conversation with someone while
playing songs on the piano. I've seen some players segue into a two-
chord vamp while talking, and then return to regular playing once the
conversation is over. I don't like it. I want to play songs and talk
at the same time.
Third, I know piano players are often under pressure to sing. I do
sing, but I'm mediocre and don't mind saying so. I can do a certain
amount of burying my voice with the piano, but that really isn't
good. Skitch Henderson, when asked to sing on TV, would go into a
screechy falsetto and get a laugh out of it, and also, he wasn't asked
to sing again later. I'm sure that's how he planned it.
Any tricks of the trade regarding the above issues? - Bob
Practice feeling the keys with your eyes closed. It may take a while
but it is possible. Ever wonder why there are so many good blind piano
players? (Ray Charles comes to mind.) My theory is that without the
distraction of visual input they can consentrate more completely on
the two senses of feel and sound. Also there is a phenemenon known as
muscle memory, where your hands have repeated an action so many times
you can do it without consiously thinking about it. I often find
myself in live performance closing my eyes, especialy when I am
emotionally feeling the music.
About talking while playing; it took me many years to be able to do
that. And still only short sentences like when someone comes up to
the stage to make a request while a song is in progress, I can think
breifly and answer "yes we can do that" or "no we don't know that
song" without interrupting my playing. I guess all the above applies
to this problem as well the need to divide your attention between the
two tasks.
All of this will come with experience. Ovecome any stage fright you
may have thinking about doing your best and not worrying about what
people will think. Remember the pros often make mistakes in live
performance, but they can laugh about it and not be embarrased.
I don't know what to tell you about singing, but if you feel you have
potential at that, maybe you should take a few lesson from a voice
teacher.
Good luck with your adventure.
.
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