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Practicing fast lines

i transcribed an autumn leaves solo from the petrruciani - nhop duo album. i'm practicing the transcription now. all other parts i'm okay, except for the 16th note lines that michel plays. the tempo is 170 and my fingers can't follow the pace, so i got my metronome out to play. it seems that around the tempo of 125, my fingers and arm gets really tense and can't play any faster. feels like the pain i get from lifting weights, kinda. do you guys have any tips for me to go further from here?

by blckdrgn on 04/04/2010, 15:47

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assuming this isn't just an issue of just not having hte notes under your fingers, it really sounds like you need to rethink your technical approach to the piano. it sounds like you'll have to take a few steps back and relearn your technique. then, you'll be able to start advancing your technique and greatly surpass where you are now.

i had a similar problem; i played with tension when i played, and my hands would "seize up" and become painful when around a certain technical barrier. i got with an excellent classical pianist and studied for many years, essentially relearning how to play the piano effortlessly.

one thing that helped me was playing through the hanon book daily. but not with a bad approach, playing really hard and lifting fingers really high. play the whole thing mezzo piano-piannisimo and fast. very smooth, organic motions, always relaxing your wrists and fingers. make it so your fingers are barely moving, just lightly pulling the keys to make it through. then do this in several keys. worked wonders for me; it's a lot easier to play, and i get that "seizing up" feeling much more infrequently and at much faster tempos.

i may not be understanding your problem fully, but this is my two cents from where i hear where you're coming from.

if you're playing really lightly, and it's just an issue of learning the notes, i advise staccato-prepared practice.

hm

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by hepcatmonk on 04/04/2010, 16:36

think "lighter" when you play faster. you might also try setting your metronome to click twice per measure rather than every beat, so instead of 170 use 85 (clicks on 1 & 3 or 2 & 4) otherwise like hm said, you may want to consult a piano teacher in you area

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by Dr. Whack on 04/04/2010, 18:53

when you have excessive muscle fatigue you are putting in too much effort as in strength versus technique. you may also want to have your posture and hand positioning examined a qualified instructor. much of the strength in your hands actually originates in your forearms. some of your issues could be the relative inflexibility of the connective tissues that connect your fingers to those muscles. makes sure that you practice your hand/finger stretching to "loosen" those tissues.

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by wdennissorrell on 04/05/2010, 18:53

blckdrgn, how about sharing that transcription? can i get a copy?

like the folks said play with a very light touch, don't percuss, you don't have to strike the keys all the way down to the key bed. some heavy or stiff actions will make you sore though no matter how you play them. use caution. if you have pain you better lay off and heal and not take on any hanon or extra playing.

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by Jazz+ on 04/05/2010, 22:38

maybe practicing...practicing...practicing till to become like this guy?!

results?search_query=guylain+deppe+piano+solo+donna+lee&aq=f

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by Nor251 on 04/07/2010, 04:55

that clip sounded like it had been step-programmed in some old sequencer. no sense of swing at all...

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by savage on 04/07/2010, 10:43

hm i dont know. it was a u tube video .. it was awfully well synched if it was step edited... just because the the 1/8ths were played straight ?? they are often played like that on fast tunes particularly on donna lee... if you have studied that tune for years and years you would likely be playing your 1/8ths straight up and down on that tune too. it is and interesting quality of that tune after we have studied it for a long time ever when we are playing it not that fast we often find ourselves still playing the 1/8ths straight up and down. i do not know why... maybe dave frank could comment on that???

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by Mike on 04/07/2010, 16:42

maybe that guy is a little extreme.

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by Mike on 04/07/2010, 16:44

i didn�t actually think it was step edited. what i meant was, the guy doesn�t use much variation in his dynamics, articulation and timing. which imho makes it lifeless.

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by savage on 04/08/2010, 04:39

hm an entirely differnt thing i think. there are unquestionable situations when a pianist intenitionally plays without dynamics and articulation although this is usually done in an acompanying role and usually in a classical situation rather than in a solo jazz situation when playing a head. also i question you saying he has no timing. and i question the statement that it is lifeless.

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by Mike on 04/08/2010, 10:27

not using much variation in dynamics and articulation and timing is in style now days. get with it :)

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by Jazz+ on 04/08/2010, 22:17

you are right jazz+, i guess i`m gonna have to listen to herbie recordings from the 60�s for the rest of my life. ahhh... they don�t make �em like they used to...

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by savage on 04/09/2010, 05:22

thank you all for your input!!
jazz+// i haven't wrote down the solo yet, but i will do so in a short while and upload!

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by blckdrgn on 04/13/2010, 18:17

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Practicing fast lines

There are 13 comments, leave a comment.

by hepcatmonk on 04/04/2010, 16:36

by Dr. Whack on 04/04/2010, 18:53

by wdennissorrell on 04/05/2010, 18:53

by Jazz+ on 04/05/2010, 22:38

by Nor251 on 04/07/2010, 04:55

by savage on 04/07/2010, 10:43

by Mike on 04/07/2010, 16:42

by Mike on 04/07/2010, 16:44

by savage on 04/08/2010, 04:39

by Mike on 04/08/2010, 10:27

by Jazz+ on 04/08/2010, 22:17

by savage on 04/09/2010, 05:22

by blckdrgn on 04/13/2010, 18:17

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Practicing fast lines

There are 13 comments, leave a comment.

by hepcatmonk on 04/04/2010, 16:36

by Dr. Whack on 04/04/2010, 18:53

by wdennissorrell on 04/05/2010, 18:53

by Jazz+ on 04/05/2010, 22:38

by Nor251 on 04/07/2010, 04:55

by savage on 04/07/2010, 10:43

by Mike on 04/07/2010, 16:42

by Mike on 04/07/2010, 16:44

by savage on 04/08/2010, 04:39

by Mike on 04/08/2010, 10:27

by Jazz+ on 04/08/2010, 22:17

by savage on 04/09/2010, 05:22

by blckdrgn on 04/13/2010, 18:17

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In