Playing the piano is a wonderful art and talent. For some it seems to be completely natural, while for others it takes hours of piano practice to perform on a novice level. To be able to sit at the piano and play a beautiful sonata requires dedication and time. A person must be willing to sacrifice the time to practice. The skill of playing the piano is a fine example of practice makes perfect.
There are many different styles of piano playing, each one a world away from the next. But they all have one thing in common and that's the flow of the fingers on the keys. Proper hand placement is vital to being able to find the notes without looking. Many performers will play an entire piece with their eyes closed, feeling the music. This takes hours and days and weeks of practice, but is well worth it in the end. Being able to play without watching the keys makes performing much easier.
Another reason to practice daily is hand strengthening. For those who do not play, it looks like an effortless act. Anyone who does play, however, knows the fatigue the hands go through in the beginning. Even esquire performers experience soreness. Doing daily scales and practice pieces not only strengthens the fingers and hands, but helps with agility as well. Both strength and agility are necessary to be able to complete a piece with ease. Finishing a concerto with cramped hands is not a pleasant experience.
Skill, obviously, is also a benefit of practicing. Every beginner dreams of being able to lay their fingers on the keys and play any song they wish. Coordination is a part of skill. Using both hands at the same time, doing different things is not a natural talent to most. Whether it's a quick sonata or a soft ballad, each hand is giving a performance of its own. Without coordination, one hand can defeat the other. Once that coordination is achieved, the skill level will improve. Skill doesn't refer to speed, but perfection. To conclude a piece with no errors for the first time is the greatest reward.
After these things are accomplished, the next step is dynamics. Dynamics are the 'emotion' in the song, to avoid a lengthy explanation. To terminate proper dynamics takes a more concentrated practice. A pianist executing proper dynamics is not only playing all the right keys at the right times, but also touching them as gently, firmly, quick or slow as dictated in the music. This brings the song to life, giving it meaning. Focusing on all these at once seems complicated and a little overwhelming, but with the right amount of practice the ability will set in.
The act of practicing itself can be therapeutic, as can the music being created. The movement of the hands up and down the keyboard, the fingers dancing on the keys, and the sounds coming from it are sometimes soothing. A pianist's mood can often be determined by what kind of music he/she is playing, like most musicians. The benefits of practicing go beyond just learning to play.
For the professional pianist, practice means a perfect performance. This higher level of dedication and commitment requires a great deal more practice. Their reward, however, is pleasing the audience and receiving an applause as well as the self gratification of perfection. Whereas the hobbyist's reward is simply the joy of being able to play at a level that pleases them. Both require practice to receive the satisfaction desired.
My name is Andrea D. Vacchiano. I've been a professional pianist for 15 years, and a piano teacher for 10. I also write for several piano related websites including my own.
If you are serious about learning to play the piano, then make sure you check out this page on my website
Here you'll find a wealth of information that will help you become the piano player you've always wanted to be.
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