Q. I've been playing bar chords for a couple years and my hand still hurts from playing, causing me to loosen my stability. People say practice until it your hand gets stronger but it feels like someone is crushing my palm. Is there any other way?
A. Too many believe that you have to do the same thing (all the time) in order to get good at it. The trick is not to. Especially when it comes to muscles, tendons and nerves of the fingers and hands.
Think isometrics. But realize there has to be recovery time as well if playing too long or often.
Think of a gym room full of different exercise equipment that are meant to serve different parts of the body to be complete and even, alternative mechanics for those who have injuries or just starting out.
You have heard of how repetition over time with one kind of action or movement performed over time can be damaging either temporary and even permanent. We don't want permanent, but rehabilitation if that is possible after the fact as well. Take a break.
From typists to tennis players, it happens. Over training, going beyond the limitations can be risky.
Rest. Rehab. Rebound. Regulation.
Get a hold of a palm sized rubber ball. Pull on some rope. Peel an apple or a bunch of potatoes for cooking. Swim. Whirlpool. Play the drums or the bongos. Type. Do some friendly hand shaking. Grab a handful of sawdust and release it. Make a rice bag with a heavy terry towel that you can heat up in the microwave for those aches and pains when at rest. Try clay modeling. Play the piano keyboard. Do some rock climbing. (Eh, too dangerous huh?) And play with the warm sand when the next time you are at the beach.
Anything short of pain killers. But if the pain persists, there could be even nerve damage, which this too has to have time to heal up like any muscle tissue. You may in time experience numbness too and that is another sign to be aware of. (Professional therapy is in order if things get worse.)
Establish a program you can fall back on to do other things with your hands to exercise and manipulate anything short of brain surgery (which us players would probably be good at) so as to have them go in other directions and position other than frequent barre chords.
I broke a finger of my playing hand years ago, play fine today. But the middle finger of my left hand does clamp (no pain, not a cramp) sometimes in a chord position and looks kinda funny. When I pop it back, I sometimes have to explain myself.
Good luck m'friend. Wish you well.
Any advice for a violinist trying to learn to play piano?
Q. Mostly when it comes to chords and using both hands to play at a time. Has anybody else on here done this?? Its confusing trying to play with both hands when I'm so used to bowing out just a melody!
A. Cut yourself some slack. You didn't learn violin overnight and you won't learn piano overnight either. The concept of moving independently with the left and the right hand is a skill that your mind might be rebelling against temporarily. Try doing some of these exercises:
1. Opposite scales. Go up with the right hand and down with the left hand. It's fun and it eases your right hand into the idea that it is going to do something besides bowing while your left hand has all the fun.
2. Hold a chord with your left hand while you play melody with your right hand. then reverse the exercise.
3. Play the piece independently, right hand, left hand, and then together very slowly. Slow the tempo down to half and gradually increase the tempo until you are just a little above your target tempo. When you return to the origianl tempo you will be amazed t how easy it now is!
Above all, give yourself time. You need time to make new connections in the brain, time to learn new coordination in your hands, and time to assimilate the whole process. Don't judge yourself by a skill you have already mastered. Try to enjoy the process instead. They are both lovely instruments in their own way, and it takes time to get to know them.
What is the best way to learn to play the piano?
Q. I've been having the incredible urge to learn to play music. Either guitar or piano...more so the piano. My roommate has this large keyboard and NEVER uses it. I look at everyday and fantasize about playing some Bach or Chopin. What is the fastest way to learn without paying for lessons? Or is that a better idea? Musicians,please let me know.
A. Like earning money and losing weight, there is no "fast" way to learn piano or any other instrument. Unlike singing karaoke, playing an instrument requires correct and repetitive practice of intricate hand/finger movements. There is no substitute for this. As the other answerer, Tesla, mentions, unless you want to be the person at parties that can play 3 chords on a piano over and over again in various positions and wow your non-musician friends, then maybe you can look on some free on-line service and watch youtube videos. But if you hope to become a serious classical musician, then you should really find a GOOD piano teacher. My reasons for choosing a teacher over self-teaching:
-a good, classically trained teacher will be able to identify and help correct all your bad habits, like poor technique.
-you'll have someone to keep you disciplined. If you're paying $$ for lessons...trust me, you'll want to practice regularly and get your money's worth
-Your teacher will have other students as well and hopefully organize recitals. Performing in front of others and being around other pianists is a sure way to get better
-You'll have someone who will be on hand to answer all your questions and advise you.
My criteria for selecting a piano teacher:
-Are they accomplished musicians themselves (have they recorded, performed, where do they perform, etc.)?
-Are they a good teacher? You'll know this from interviewing them and asking them questions. But even if they are a good teacher, if they themselves are not good pianists (see first criteria) then its pointless
-How many students do they have and how much time can they devote to you outside of lessons? For instance, do they make themselves available for questions via e-mail?
-Do they organize recitals?
-What sorts of things do they emphasize in proper classical training (i.e., exercises, theory and music history, developing a repertoire, performing, etc.)?
-Do they teach music theory and appreciation or are they just going to help you develope technical competence?
-Last but not least, if, on the first lesson, they do not ask if you have or do not ask you to buy a metronome....leave and find another teacher. Even if you choose to self-teach, you should still buy a metronome.
Be ready to make sacrifices, whether with a teacher or self-teaching, you're going to spend 25 to 30% of the time in each practice session (hopefully you'll practice at least an hour every day) working on scales, exercises, etc. The absolute worse thing you can do in practicing is taking out a song and playing it over and over again and hoping each time is better than the one before. Any song, be it a Beethoven Concerto or a 3 minute pop song, requires breaking the pieces up, using a metronome and working on passages at a substantially slower speed, hands separate, until you are comfortable with increasing spead with minimal or no mistakes, and the putting hands together, etc.
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Title : How can I make my fingers stronger to hold bar chords longer?
Description : Q. I've been playing bar chords for a couple years and my hand still hurts from playing, causing me to loosen my stability. People say ...