The Piano Resource Thread
 

This thread is the companion to The Guitar Resource Thread. Being rather less informed when it comes to piano, I am approaching this thread as a student more than a teacher. With that said, we can start with a parallel.

Warm up exercises. Anybody got any good ones?

May I be so bold as to say that anyone who doesn't already know how to warm up also isn't going to be performing technical flights of fancy like Chopin Etudes.

So the goal generally isn't a physical warm-up towards performing some physical task. The goal should be to get the neurons ready for situations they might come upon when you get past the warm-up and into the practicing stage. Scales, chords and arpeggios are the best vehicles for this. That sounds simplistic but don't worry... I'd be happy to contradict myself later.

Two points for now:

1) Try to explore the polarities of a) knowing a structure (scale, chord or arpeggio) really well in your brain, then using it to practice good tone and technique/efficient movement and b) not knowing a structure very well in your brain and merely worrying about putting the notes in the right order. A good warm-up session will traverse the ends of this scale.

2) There is no sense in repeating something unless you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. e.g. "let's do that again" is useless, where "let's do that again but slower so I don't forget to switch to finger 4 in the left hand" is a perfect way to repeat a pattern.

for what it's worth, i have two basic patterns. if i'm doing something with an untreated piano, i usually do independent runs in each hand until the 4th and 5th fingers of my left hand feel kind of loose. if i'm doing a prepared piano thing, it's entirely different: it usually takes a couple hours to get the preparations as i want them to be, but that whole process is also kind warming up. when things are ready, i usually start trying to figure out what works and what doesn't, so it's more about getting used to the altered sound than about reaching a particular physical situation.

warming up before a performance, particularly a solo thing, is as much about energy conservation as anything else. what i have to make myself be careful about is not playing too much. warm up during sound check and then run away from the instrument.

Warp-ups? I usually start with some of my favorites of Schaum's "Finger Power" exercises. It doesn't have to be anything complicated, just enough to get the music juices flowing. You can probably find Finger Power at any music store.

Are you planning on taking lessons?

I have considered lessons, but remain undecided. It partly depends on whether I can find a good instructor in my area.

And the intent of this thread more generally is to provide a resource for those looking to learn how to play piano, or to better their skills. Thus, any advice is ideally equally useful regardless of whether one takes paid lessons or not.

Thank you for the recommendation.

Oh yeah, and though motivation to practice can be a problem, I find setting time limits can actually be useful.

When it comes to warm-ups and technique, I'd go no longer than 15 mins.

Would anyone be interested in some e-books on the subject? I have about two or three somewhere on my HD, primarily because although I can play quite well, I can't teach worth a spittiling. So, if a younger niece or nephew asks me why I have two keyboards and a grand piano, I send them an e-mail containing the e-books, stating "It'd be a shame to have these well-written tutorials without actually engaging in the lessons."

Like roachboy said, it depends on what I'm doing. I am not a classical pianist by any stretch although I have classical training on violin. If I'm getting ready to record a part for a song we usually just turn everything on and capture it all. You never know what might come out during a "warm-up;" it could be the perfect part.

If it's for a live performance we usually want to loosen up the whole body. Performance in a band is not so much about perfect notes but about the energy on stage. Sometimes we sing as a group backstage. Sometimes we chant or dance around or whatever.

Oh, yeah. A shot or two of Irish Whiskey helps. :)