Okay, let's get to it.
Practicing...
Playing through a song is not practicing and you know it ! Let's break it down.
skip repeats. chop it up.
Songs repeat tons. Snip em - no repeats. Plan a new feel for each repeat - but that's play - not practice.Split up the remaining bars into sections about 4 bars long. With a bit of overlap cuz you're makin' reflexes.
fractures
Charles Cooke in "Playing the Piano for Pleasure" writes"Surgeons tell us that a broken arm or leg, if it is correctly set, becomes strongest at the point of fracture."
He goes on to explain fractures as the tricky parts - BUGS !! They're usually not the full 4 bars - maybe only half a bar sometimes. Find them bugs and nail em to the wall.
at the right speed
If you're having problems playing to tempo, then make sure you don't.Slowww the tempo down til the rhythm is met. Slow, smooth, and exact rhythm should come first. If you can't play it slow, it'll be slop on fast.
No one wants fast slop !!
Playing fast makes your brain not notice slop. Record. Notice the slop!
Next, play it as relaxed as possible. If your body isn't relaxed, you'll tire and start flubbin things. Or worse - tendon pain. Make sure you're shaken out and limber.
Now you're ready to bump the tempo up.
feel
means careful adjusting of individual note volumes and use of rubato. (rubato = small variations in tempo)Feel is what separates man from computer. Computers may be able to hit all the keys exactly on time. And some programs can add swell and fade. But they won't add it where youuu want it.
Computers can't play piano properly. Only you.
Computer music sounds boring because there's no variation in the time or note volume. I'm lookin at you techno and EDM !!
First, play a song through as quietly as possible. The pdf score may have arcs above the music where a swell starts and ends.
Think about where it should get loud. But don't do it that first time.
Then do do it. Record it. Listen and keep on tweaking. For your whole life or until you go insane.
If you can't play it slow, you can't play it fast.
If you can't play it soft, you can't play it loud.
and sing
Even if ya ain't no lead singer, still sing. Singing lyrics will force you into the right swells and fades :) Lyrics are usually the reason for em.Sometimes you'll wanna to go way soft on piano so the lyrics can pop. Or the bass can. Or, you know, anything.
that's the gist
The feel is the art, man. Go practice - it's fun :)Your audience will thank you for not blowing their vibe.
And that's what it's all about, man.
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