PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

[♔Chello]

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

I went to see a performance of Flight of the Bumblebee, and noticed a few things:

The body and arms follow the movements of the hands all the time, so that the hands are always in an ideal position.

I see that a lot of otherwise skilled musicians who play keyboards forget to do this, so that the hands have to do a lot of unnecessary work.

A few years ago I started doing this, and found that everything became much easier, but I have since forgotten to pay attention to this.

I will never forget it again.

Something I have remembered to practice is wide chord progressions - a few years ago I could barely manage 9 white notes, while now I can do this easily; actually 10 white notes - quite easily.

So it pays to study technically difficult music and see how a trained pianist performs it.

[⚖Hugh Wallington]

Well, you're lucky to be able to reach so many notes! I have really 'stubby' fingers and can only reach 7 notes easily. To do a 'slide' up an octave where one has to hold the bottom note and not release it until the top note is pressed down is almost impossible for me .. but with practice, I manage it.

I think what surprises me with keyboard players is how so many of them play their keyboards standing up. How can you play a keyboard as a musical instrument without using an expression pedal? And it's not just a case of playing the notes softly or loudly, as I did when playing the piano. I suppose having played an organ for so many years where having an expression pedal is standard is something I automatically need when I play.

[♔Chello]

Well, you're lucky to be able to reach so many notes! I have really 'stubby' fingers and can only reach 7 notes easily. To do a 'slide' up an octave where one has to hold the bottom note and not release it until the top note is pressed down is almost impossible for me .. but with practice, I manage it.

I think what surprises me with keyboard players is how so many of them play their keyboards standing up. How can you play a keyboard as a musical instrument without using an expression pedal? And it's not just a case of playing the notes softly or loudly, as I did when playing the piano. I suppose having played an organ for so many years where having an expression pedal is standard is something I automatically need when I play.

⚖Hugh

Yes; I'm lucky to have "piano" hands.
But they have become significantly "bigger" with certain exercises that allow me to achieve a wider grip.

I understand what you're saying about pedals, because I played organ for 2-3 years until I turned 18.

When I started playing keyboards almost 20 years later, I tried to play the bass with my feet, but the bass pedals weren't there..!

And no expression pedal either...

As a keyboardplayer I expected to use pedals, because many functions can be added to pedals with advantage.

The Pa5X prevented me from doing this, because Korg hasn't made a new version of the EC-5 - other pedals can be used, but they are too big and not 100% compatible; I want a programmable multi-pedal that is as small as possible.

I think that one or more pedals are absolutely a necessity for keyboardists too - everything becomes much easier that way..!