I would like help to conquer my stupid nerves!
I am an adult learner (55), who has struggled to pass Grade 3. I get extremely cross with myself because I make so many mistakes. I dread playing in front of others although I would love to be able to play nicely to my family and friends. Last month I attempted Grade 4 which I thought I would do reasonably well, it was a disaster; I totally messed up each piece and could not play any of them although I know I can play them, even with my eyes shut. My fingers felt like sausages and it was as though I had never seen the music in my life before. Naturally I failed miserably and will have to start again. Does anybody have any tips to help me play to the best and not to the worst of my limited ability?
Piano nerves
Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano
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SusanElizabeth
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- Joined: 05 Aug 2008, 21:21
- Location: Essex
Piano nerves
Sue
practice 'motivically' that is, find the motives and work on them individually.
Then work on the phrases individually.
Don't settle for anything less than the sound you want on each motive.
Spend a long time on this because you will get to know the pieces really really well and they will be spacious and beautiful. Because you will be able to play your pieces so well, you wont get as nervous, and when you do get nervous it wont sound rushed.
Also try not to get too emotionally involved with the act of playing the piano (note, with the act of playing the piano, you need to be involved with the music however) and don't beat yourself up when you make mistakes.
You can and will play the piano very well. Hope this has helped.
Then work on the phrases individually.
Don't settle for anything less than the sound you want on each motive.
Spend a long time on this because you will get to know the pieces really really well and they will be spacious and beautiful. Because you will be able to play your pieces so well, you wont get as nervous, and when you do get nervous it wont sound rushed.
Also try not to get too emotionally involved with the act of playing the piano (note, with the act of playing the piano, you need to be involved with the music however) and don't beat yourself up when you make mistakes.
You can and will play the piano very well. Hope this has helped.
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SusanElizabeth
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- Location: Essex
piano nerves
Thank you for your advice, I agree that I need to know the pieces even better. What do you mean by 'motivically'? What are the motives?
Sue
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Gill the Piano
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Read 'The Inner Game of Music' and 'A Soprano On Her Head' - both excellent books on performance anxiety. For the exams themselves, eat a banana beforehand (honest!!) as the potassium level helps, and finally, ask if your doc will prescribe you ONE betablocker to take before the exam. This supresses the adrenalin and stops the shakes. On the minus side it can mute your interaction with the music a bit, but you'll have to decide which is more important. It's discussed elsewhere on this thread, so have a browse back a few months.
Hello,
Did you keep going on the pieces you made mistakes on or grind to a halt?
I'm working under the assumption that if you keep going then you're probably okay in the exam, but if that's not the case it would be good to know.
Maybe I have the same sort of issue to a degree in that I play pieces much worse when 'performing' them. I think what's happening is a combination of things. I memorise the majority of a piece (finger memory, hands together which is not a good foundation from what I've read) and look then at my fingers when playing. That's fine until I have to play infront of someone, when I'm distracted, have to read the music and then get in to trouble. So I'm now working on not looking down at the keys, at any point, ever. That will also help with sight reading I think. I've found that recording an attempt to play a piece (digital cameras and now most mobile phones can take videos) accurately recreates the distraction that I feel when playing in front of people, so I use that as well. Finally, I've enrolled on an evening class here in London. That's a group class, so if that doesn't help my 'public' playing much nearer my practicing, I don't know what will.
Best of luck with the exams. I passed an exam last year (with some mistakes on each piece) but am stuck on the theory so won't have to face another exam for a while yet.
Did you keep going on the pieces you made mistakes on or grind to a halt?
I'm working under the assumption that if you keep going then you're probably okay in the exam, but if that's not the case it would be good to know.
Maybe I have the same sort of issue to a degree in that I play pieces much worse when 'performing' them. I think what's happening is a combination of things. I memorise the majority of a piece (finger memory, hands together which is not a good foundation from what I've read) and look then at my fingers when playing. That's fine until I have to play infront of someone, when I'm distracted, have to read the music and then get in to trouble. So I'm now working on not looking down at the keys, at any point, ever. That will also help with sight reading I think. I've found that recording an attempt to play a piece (digital cameras and now most mobile phones can take videos) accurately recreates the distraction that I feel when playing in front of people, so I use that as well. Finally, I've enrolled on an evening class here in London. That's a group class, so if that doesn't help my 'public' playing much nearer my practicing, I don't know what will.
Best of luck with the exams. I passed an exam last year (with some mistakes on each piece) but am stuck on the theory so won't have to face another exam for a while yet.
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SusanElizabeth
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 05 Aug 2008, 21:21
- Location: Essex
piano nerves
Hi,
Thanks for your advice. I know what you mean about finger memory, the problem is that one tiny mistake, say a flat instead of a sharp and I'm completely lost. I shall try your tip of not looking at the keys at all and remembering to look at the music all the time. Do you record yourself playing the piano? It sounds a good idea, I shall have a go! I would also like to try to play with other people, a group class does sound as though it would help the performance side of things. Does anybody know of any group classes in Essex?
Thanks for your advice. I know what you mean about finger memory, the problem is that one tiny mistake, say a flat instead of a sharp and I'm completely lost. I shall try your tip of not looking at the keys at all and remembering to look at the music all the time. Do you record yourself playing the piano? It sounds a good idea, I shall have a go! I would also like to try to play with other people, a group class does sound as though it would help the performance side of things. Does anybody know of any group classes in Essex?
Sue
This is a very difficult area in which to give advice, but I will make two points, one of which, I'm afraid, will be no use to Susan Elizabeth:
1 With child-beginners, try to play in public ASAP. I find that children who have played in a relaxed atmosphere in public before the age of about 10/11 never have problems with nerves; they just accept the concept of playing to others, having mastered it before self-consciousness became an issue.
2 When playing in public (at any age), if a mistake happens, do not try to analyse it or reflect on it. Forget it and concentrate on what is coming, otherwise you will be playing with your mind elsewhere and more mistakes will occur. (A practice session is different; this is the time to analyse mistakes!)
When I say "playing in public" I mean, of course, playing to anyone other than oneself: family, examiner, teacher or a full audience. And, of course, as with so many other things, the more you do it the easier it gets.....honestly!!!
1 With child-beginners, try to play in public ASAP. I find that children who have played in a relaxed atmosphere in public before the age of about 10/11 never have problems with nerves; they just accept the concept of playing to others, having mastered it before self-consciousness became an issue.
2 When playing in public (at any age), if a mistake happens, do not try to analyse it or reflect on it. Forget it and concentrate on what is coming, otherwise you will be playing with your mind elsewhere and more mistakes will occur. (A practice session is different; this is the time to analyse mistakes!)
When I say "playing in public" I mean, of course, playing to anyone other than oneself: family, examiner, teacher or a full audience. And, of course, as with so many other things, the more you do it the easier it gets.....honestly!!!
Obviously confidence is a big issue here, and I know sometimes for myself when I'm accompanying choirs and shows that even I (after 17 years of playing) can get nervous or start to feel very self-conscious! It's a natural thing for the majority of players but you have to choose whether or not to push through those natural emotions and show your real potential. Besides knowing what you are going to play - and this has been covered in detail already by the others - you need to feel sure that what you are going to play how you are going to play it is worthwhile hearing and is worth the examiner's attention and time. Obviously, composers and editors arrange music with deliberately placed dynamics and markings which must be observed, but if you were to hand a piece of music to a group of 100 pianists, although there may be some similarities among the performances, you would distinctly hear 100 variations of the interpretation and, without getting overly complicated, general delivery and performance of the piece.
They key word is "performance". When you are going through an examination, it is not the time to start worrying about a missed accidental or a slip of the finger - you are in performance mode at this point! As mentioned already, the examiner will be listening but really should be interested in what is being played because how you play the piece will be slightly different from the other versions he may have heard. Examiners will be expecting slight slips and errors or else the examining board would be handing out the grade certificate by ordering online!
Telling yourself before the exam that your version is valid and that an examiner will be interested in what and how you play should give you a bit of a confidence boost. Descombes' point about playing public will help you develop this attitude but also the ability to focus on what you are doing without letting a listening audience unduly distract you - that part takes practice never mind your music.
If you find yourself really struggling, try and picture the examiner in their underwear! Doing that and, as my piano teacher told me to do, remind yourself that he/she also goes to the toilet will help you realise that they are human too no matter how some of them will try to act otherwise
They key word is "performance". When you are going through an examination, it is not the time to start worrying about a missed accidental or a slip of the finger - you are in performance mode at this point! As mentioned already, the examiner will be listening but really should be interested in what is being played because how you play the piece will be slightly different from the other versions he may have heard. Examiners will be expecting slight slips and errors or else the examining board would be handing out the grade certificate by ordering online!
Telling yourself before the exam that your version is valid and that an examiner will be interested in what and how you play should give you a bit of a confidence boost. Descombes' point about playing public will help you develop this attitude but also the ability to focus on what you are doing without letting a listening audience unduly distract you - that part takes practice never mind your music.
If you find yourself really struggling, try and picture the examiner in their underwear! Doing that and, as my piano teacher told me to do, remind yourself that he/she also goes to the toilet will help you realise that they are human too no matter how some of them will try to act otherwise
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SusanElizabeth
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 05 Aug 2008, 21:21
- Location: Essex
Piano nerves
I really appreciate all the helpful comments and advice you have sent me. Do you also have any useful hints on how and when to practise most effectively. Up until now I have got up early in the morning and diligently worked on scales and slogged away at the pieces I have been trying to learn, getting crosser and crosser with myself. I practise for about an hour every day. Since my exam failure I have tried playing easier pieces and tried to be less self critical. I would like to enjoy it more.
Sue
thats where the motive comes in . . .
OK lets talk about phrasing:
A phrase in music is made up of a string of notes organized into a melody. That melody has several components to it. First of all there is the phrasing.
Phrases can be divided up into smaller phrases and then into motives.
I recommend a book by walter geiseking and karl leimar simply called piano technique and is readily available on amazon.
I go for coaching with a guy in Perth (scotland) who studied with Aube Tzerko (a pupil of Artur Schnabel and the teacher of Mischa Dichter) and Karl Ulrich Schnabel (son of Artur Schnabel) as well as being a friend of Jorge Bolet and this man has revolutionized my concept of practise, starting with the brain and going to the fingers. It is less about technique and all about conception.
PM me if you want some more help I will be in London in November to give two concerts.
OK lets talk about phrasing:
A phrase in music is made up of a string of notes organized into a melody. That melody has several components to it. First of all there is the phrasing.
Phrases can be divided up into smaller phrases and then into motives.
I recommend a book by walter geiseking and karl leimar simply called piano technique and is readily available on amazon.
I go for coaching with a guy in Perth (scotland) who studied with Aube Tzerko (a pupil of Artur Schnabel and the teacher of Mischa Dichter) and Karl Ulrich Schnabel (son of Artur Schnabel) as well as being a friend of Jorge Bolet and this man has revolutionized my concept of practise, starting with the brain and going to the fingers. It is less about technique and all about conception.
PM me if you want some more help I will be in London in November to give two concerts.
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SusanElizabeth
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 05 Aug 2008, 21:21
- Location: Essex
piano nerves
I have ordered the book Walter Geiseking and Karl Leimarby you recommended, anything to help me learn effectively will be great. It seems strange that you need coaching when you are giving concerts! Thank you once again for your help.
Sue
not so strange actually - you're never too advanced to take advice from those more experienced! If you think about it, advanced players do this all the time. Record producers advise the artists, there are hundreds of masterclasses throughout the world aimed at advanced pianists and teachers of piano. When we stop learning then we should really stop playing!
I'm sure you'll find that book beneficial. I need to find a book on 'Lawnmowing technique' or 'The inner game of gardening', My lawn is so uneven its a nightmare to cut! And my soil is so bad none of the plants want to grow. They need a lot of persuasion. Perhaps I should play to them?
I'm sure you'll find that book beneficial. I need to find a book on 'Lawnmowing technique' or 'The inner game of gardening', My lawn is so uneven its a nightmare to cut! And my soil is so bad none of the plants want to grow. They need a lot of persuasion. Perhaps I should play to them?
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SusanElizabeth
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 05 Aug 2008, 21:21
- Location: Essex
piano nerves
Cut the grass regularly using a lawn mower with sharp blades, even twice a week when it's growing, feed it with some special lawn feed, and kill the weeds. You will be amazed at how it will improve. Go on to the RHS website and there will be a mountain of advice. As you see, I know more about gardening than piano!
Now, back to piano practice.
Now, back to piano practice.
Sue
Hi there Susan,
Nerves are such a difficult thing to try and control, and it sounds like your Grade IV experience has knocked your confidence a bit. Try not to be so hard on yourself about your playing - I know that's easier said than done. I'm a perfectionist and will pick apart my performances, but my teacher always praises me for how well I've done which helps.
Could you perhaps try practising with a friend or family member in the room? Its amazing how having somebody you're so close and familiar with in the room with you can simulate the exam feeling! I get nervous when my boyfriend watches me play, but its good practise!
When it comes to the exams there's all the usual 'deep breaths' type stuff you can do. Have you ever tried Bach's Rescue Remedy? Lots of people swear by this for exams. Its a natural remedy to help calm nerves. Sweaty hands are a real pain. Sometimes, popping to the ladies and washing your hands can help, but usually they get sweaty again straight afterwards. You could try keeping some baby wipes in your bag to clean your hands with and help them feel a bit nicer. Also, a very small amount of talcolm powder can help as well.
Nerves are such a difficult thing to try and control, and it sounds like your Grade IV experience has knocked your confidence a bit. Try not to be so hard on yourself about your playing - I know that's easier said than done. I'm a perfectionist and will pick apart my performances, but my teacher always praises me for how well I've done which helps.
Could you perhaps try practising with a friend or family member in the room? Its amazing how having somebody you're so close and familiar with in the room with you can simulate the exam feeling! I get nervous when my boyfriend watches me play, but its good practise!
When it comes to the exams there's all the usual 'deep breaths' type stuff you can do. Have you ever tried Bach's Rescue Remedy? Lots of people swear by this for exams. Its a natural remedy to help calm nerves. Sweaty hands are a real pain. Sometimes, popping to the ladies and washing your hands can help, but usually they get sweaty again straight afterwards. You could try keeping some baby wipes in your bag to clean your hands with and help them feel a bit nicer. Also, a very small amount of talcolm powder can help as well.
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SusanElizabeth
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 05 Aug 2008, 21:21
- Location: Essex
piano nerves
My husband suggested a strong whisky! I am now trying to play with other family members in the room and am definitely less nervous when they're around. I also tried using my phone to video myself playing, the sound quality was so bad that I really considered quitting. Anyway, thanks for your kind thoughts.
Sue