"I, by force of will, require my servants - my fingers - to produce what it is that I want, based on what I see in the score." That's a quote for the wall of my piano room - preferably at eye level for my students! :)
Graham's video lessons are invaluable for me. This one in particular is great because he stresses making the practice musical at all times, slow or fast, fragmented or phrased. Graham teaches that all playing must be engaged, that mindless finger-moving is nonproductive. Thank you, Graham. I learn a lot from you, including inspiration to keep working and keep listening. Thanks!
First class lesson. I particularly like the "fast slow" and chain idea because it not only prepares for performance speed but also reinforces interlectual memory of the piece enabling you to start at any point in a piece.
Beautiful lesson as always. Your advice always inspires confidence during my practice time and gives an immense boost of focus on productive exercises instead of the usual frustration that takes over when the piece never ends up sounding right consistently. My hands themselves have been changing and improving constantly thanks to your guidance.
Thank you for posting these. Graham is such a wonderful teacher. I'm working on speed on several pieces now so this is great timing for me. I'm looking forward to the next videos.
Did you know that Graham Fitch was accused of molestation and paedophilia by young street boys when he lived in Cape Town? The testimonies of these boys was pretty convincing but somehow he managed to get away with it. He has gone to great efforts to get all the videos and articles shut down and deleted from a Google search but look around and you'll find stories that put his playing ability into context.
Because of the structure of the hand, fingers will NEVER be independent. This demonstration is excellent because it is practical and the teacher demonstrates an understanding of how we learn to play correctly. (Please also note that fingers do not have muscles; the hand does, but fingers do not!)
I really appreciate the advice. I am currently trying to speed up the Chopin Fantasie Impromptu with lots of practice without successfully increasing the speed by much. I will try this new methodology. It makes sense.
Thanks so much for this. This question has been an ongoing puzzle for me for a while now. I read Joseph Hoffman's little book for beginners some time ago, but it wasn't very helpful. The only advice I could understand was to wipe the keyboard with a cloth before you start practice. The rest of book was concerned with interpreting Beethoven. I find this with many books on the piano - they don't address real questions from struggling amateurs like me ! So this video (and part 2) is greatly appreciated.
This is my theory: Speed of fingerwork is based on independence of fingers. Now practicing scales and arpeggios while great only concentrates on specific angles of your finger. Hence when learning a piece your fingers may struggle to get to the note as you haven't conditioned a different position of your finger. Muscles in fitness example. If a person lifts a weight to 90 degrees with his arm then the greatest strength if held will be found only at that angle. If he wants to develop strength at a different position he needs to move that arm to the position. Keeping this in mind if you want speed, my guess is to play as much music as you can and this trains your fingers in angles that get neglected. Its very subjective whether total independence of fingers can be found as it is based on the complete output of music. Whether all combinations of chords, melodies etc have been exhausted is anyones guess. On top of that you have to consider, hand shape,hand structure of individual, genetics. The usual suspects. You can still perform a piece great but not at the tempo suggested by the composer. The fact Beethovens work has been put into two categories of minor and major works(in terms of greatness) hints at dubious practices of taking composers markings as literal. E.g. Hammerklavier. Genuiness of music can be found where no speed is used. Ironically, isnt it found in slow movements. Dont get disheartened by not achieving speed. Revel in having the music at all.
very good i tried bortkiewicz etude op15 no9 and playing slowly was making all the wrong hand movements so impossible to get up to speed now trying short bursts and accuracy in jumps it helps to improve the piece also with regards to memorisation which is an added bonus
People have got life wrong. If people applied liszts advice to life, ('think 10 times and play once' ) we would not make so many mistakes. Putting hope into music to be perfect does not solve the worlds grief yet we use it to escape our grief.
Kind Maestro Fitch, I have a great doubt, I always thought that after a practice in speed the last time was better slowing down ,even playing more legato, when it was possibile , and have a good Sight of the score to fix other eventual details,am I wrong doing this way ,what can be better to fix the pièce for the next performance ? Thank you so much, Robert
Its all very well gaining speed but while this is happening musicians have lost sight on appreciating music. They have become elitist in thinking. Competitions (500 pianists) where only chopin is played, only chopin is played, only chopin is played. Music is for giving people hope that life can offer them comfort in times of trouble. Not everyone can truly appreciate beethoven, chopin, schumann, bach, schubert.et al. Each persons brain has certain composers they can relate to for that is how brains work i feel. Like love. Unless you use 'love thy neighbour' approach. It seems musical education has failed in giving students an appreciation of people and their limits. You may have limits for one great composer but you may excel in another composer and provide some happiness for some listeners.pianists are like parents that arrange marriages setting aside set pieces for people. Respecting composers and moving on is what is required. Last point about playing it slow. It gives you understanding of harmony, structure of pieces rather than spending time on two bars.
I'm sure that you're criticism is valid in many respects but while speed is not everything, it is a valuable tool for the musician. As with any tool, skill is required to use it effectively and efficiently.
Hi Jakhari, we totally understand how you feel! Maybe check out our Playing By Ear lesson inside our latest issue. It might be perfect for you. www.pianistmagazine.com/store/back-issues/pianist/pianist-109-aug19-issue-141
I do not know anything about playing piano. But very much love this. By how much time I will be able to read the staff notations or sheet music and play with both hands independently. My ambition is to play rhythms with left hand and melody in right hand. I can devote only 1 hour daily.
Keysfor life Simple beginner pieces within four to six weeks once you can read music confidently. If you are still young you will learn more quickly. If you are over 50/55 you might find it more challenging as a beginner and the need to be reading the music as opposed to being able to learn a piece becomes the issue. I have read music all my life and returned to piano seriously in my mid sixties a couple of years ago having first learned in my late teens. I'm just about where I was when I stopped, which was intermediate. However my hands are less nimble due to early arthritis. I do some sight reading every day and it has made a word of difference, but I am really finding it hard to play with ease and confidence without error. Practise an hour every day you should be on early intermediate by the end of the year. Spend about 10 mins on scales, 10 mins on technical exercises, 10 minutes on sight reading and half an hour on two pieces of repertoire say 15mins each. Be strict about having this sort of structure. Check out online for the ABRSM sight reading books for beginners and some theory exercise books as well. To play easily we need to work hard and consistently and always make it fun. Best wishes.
I suspect that this video is more appropriate for an experienced player than a beginner. In the early years, going for speed usually just creates errors.
This still applies to beginner pieces. It's not about going fast it's about getting to tempo. I've watched my stepdaughter learn twinkle twinkle little star and she started off very slowly and over time has learned to bring it to tempo using this method. The trick is to not rush progress. Chaining is very effective.
"I, by force of will, require my servants - my fingers - to produce what it is that I want, based on what I see in the score." That's a quote for the wall of my piano room - preferably at eye level for my students! :)
Know when you are happy. Know when you are not happy. Fine and brilliant advice. GF is an absolute asset to pianists.
"We do not play until we have in mind what we want to hear." Wow...
Graham's video lessons are invaluable for me. This one in particular is great because he stresses making the practice musical at all times, slow or fast, fragmented or phrased. Graham teaches that all playing must be engaged, that mindless finger-moving is nonproductive. Thank you, Graham. I learn a lot from you, including inspiration to keep working and keep listening. Thanks!
I love that the advice You give is applicable to any level. Those tips benefit beginners as well as advanced pianists. Thank you for that!!
Musik ist wunderbar!!! Klavier der König von allen! Gratulation Kollege für diese Video !!!🎉🎉🎉🎉
instead of practicing, Im watching you practice lol
Same
Yea but it counts as well 😁
Same here 😂😂😂
Learning how to practice is part of practicing.
First class lesson. I particularly like the "fast slow" and chain idea because it not only prepares for performance speed but also reinforces interlectual memory of the piece enabling you to start at any point in a piece.
Beautiful lesson as always. Your advice always inspires confidence during my practice time and gives an immense boost of focus on productive exercises instead of the usual frustration that takes over when the piece never ends up sounding right consistently. My hands themselves have been changing and improving constantly thanks to your guidance.
These applications work very well with electric guitar.
Thank you for posting these. Graham is such a wonderful teacher. I'm working on speed on several pieces now so this is great timing for me. I'm looking forward to the next videos.
bro those were the crispiest snaps i've ever heard
I love you Graham Fitch
Did you know that Graham Fitch was accused of molestation and paedophilia by young street boys when he lived in Cape Town? The testimonies of these boys was pretty convincing but somehow he managed to get away with it. He has gone to great efforts to get all the videos and articles shut down and deleted from a Google search but look around and you'll find stories that put his playing ability into context.
@@hifipret I searched in wikipedia, it says what you are saying is fake news.
This guy is the real deal!
Because of the structure of the hand, fingers will NEVER be independent. This demonstration is excellent because it is practical and the teacher demonstrates an understanding of how we learn to play correctly. (Please also note that fingers do not have muscles; the hand does, but fingers do not!)
I really appreciate the advice. I am currently trying to speed up the Chopin Fantasie Impromptu with lots of practice without successfully increasing the speed by much. I will try this new methodology. It makes sense.
Thanks so much for this. This question has been an ongoing puzzle for me for a while now. I read Joseph Hoffman's little book for beginners some time ago, but it wasn't very helpful. The only advice I could understand was to wipe the keyboard with a cloth before you start practice. The rest of book was concerned with interpreting Beethoven.
I find this with many books on the piano - they don't address real questions from struggling amateurs like me ! So this video (and part 2) is greatly appreciated.
This is my theory: Speed of fingerwork is based on independence of fingers. Now practicing scales and arpeggios while great only concentrates on specific angles of your finger. Hence when learning a piece your fingers may struggle to get to the note as you haven't conditioned a different position of your finger. Muscles in fitness example. If a person lifts a weight to 90 degrees with his arm then the greatest strength if held will be found only at that angle. If he wants to develop strength at a different position he needs to move that arm to the position. Keeping this in mind if you want speed, my guess is to play as much music as you can and this trains your fingers in angles that get neglected. Its very subjective whether total independence of fingers can be found as it is based on the complete output of music. Whether all combinations of chords, melodies etc have been exhausted is anyones guess. On top of that you have to consider, hand shape,hand structure of individual, genetics. The usual suspects. You can still perform a piece great but not at the tempo suggested by the composer. The fact Beethovens work has been put into two categories of minor and major works(in terms of greatness) hints at dubious practices of taking composers markings as literal. E.g. Hammerklavier. Genuiness of music can be found where no speed is used. Ironically, isnt it found in slow movements. Dont get disheartened by not achieving speed. Revel in having the music at all.
the original time mark of the revolutionary etude seem to be not musical in a big steinway
Couldn't agree more Graham, well said! I like playing as much music as you possibly can! That's always a good fix, it's fun too :)
thank you! as usual, your explanations are very clear and work. I find this one particularly useful for pieces at quick tempo.
Beautiful, lucid instruction, direct and no-nonsense. Thanks!
very good i tried bortkiewicz etude op15 no9 and playing slowly was making all the wrong hand movements so impossible to get up to speed now trying short bursts and accuracy in jumps it helps to improve the piece also with regards to memorisation which is an added bonus
Great lesson as always! And those pieces are just marvelous! I have to get them on my repertoire now.
Your playing is beyond perfect.
Exactly, the care for the details is just amazing
I hardly play Mozart's Alla Turca now but if he was my teacher I'd be playing El Contrabandista
Thank you!
thanks for the video ! and the intro is long enough to go for a quick shopping, too...very handy !
Love these videos. Thank you so much for all you do.
Thank you for this lesson!
Great Lesson.
GREAT LESSON !
Already improved from your teachings. Thank You for your sharing of knowledge🎶👍🙏🏻
How have you byhearted so many pieces
Enjoyed your video. Thank-you for sharing your piano knowledge. :-)
best video ever
These lessons are so valueable! Thank you Graham!!
6:31 that froze my spine
thank you.
Wonderfull!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
People have got life wrong. If people applied liszts advice to life, ('think 10 times and play once' ) we would not make so many mistakes. Putting hope into music to be perfect does not solve the worlds grief yet we use it to escape our grief.
Kind Maestro Fitch, I have a great doubt, I always thought that after a practice in speed the last time was better slowing down ,even playing more legato, when it was possibile , and have a good Sight of the score to fix other eventual details,am I wrong doing this way ,what can be better to fix the pièce for the next performance ? Thank you so much,
Robert
Thank you thank you thank you : )
Thank you for your teaching
Does anyone know the name of the piano introduction to this video?
Hey thanks guys‼
A great piano channel.
I subscribed.
Extremely helpful, thank you for that!
Great content! nand CZcams channel!
thank you Erica and Graham Fitch for the Lessons!
Does anybody know which tablet he is using or can recommend one for showing scores? - Looks bigger than a normal ipad size.
finally someone that...
I played the first piece for my grade 8 exam cool
Very nice info on gaining speed by Graham Fitch's.
Which part of music your playing in this video?
Donhanyi piano book for technique is it good book ?
So to practice slowly or quickly?
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
what if the runs are in 5th's 6th's and 11th's and it is hard to near-impossible to count?
Merci for this. Just starting out on the piano but why not dream, n'est-ce pas?
Can I ask what's the piece in the very beginning of the video? Thank you ☺️
Sweelinck - Mein Junges Leben hat ein
Its all very well gaining speed but while this is happening musicians have lost sight on appreciating music. They have become elitist in thinking. Competitions (500 pianists) where only chopin is played, only chopin is played, only chopin is played. Music is for giving people hope that life can offer them comfort in times of trouble. Not everyone can truly appreciate beethoven, chopin, schumann, bach, schubert.et al. Each persons brain has certain composers they can relate to for that is how brains work i feel. Like love. Unless you use 'love thy neighbour' approach. It seems musical education has failed in giving students an appreciation of people and their limits. You may have limits for one great composer but you may excel in another composer and provide some happiness for some listeners.pianists are like parents that arrange marriages setting aside set pieces for people. Respecting composers and moving on is what is required. Last point about playing it slow. It gives you understanding of harmony, structure of pieces rather than spending time on two bars.
I'm sure that you're criticism is valid in many respects but while speed is not everything, it is a valuable tool for the musician. As with any tool, skill is required to use it effectively and efficiently.
Graham, can we attend these master sessions live?
What is the lovely intro piece?
Sweelinck - Mein Junges Leben hat ein
Please tell me the intro piece,so beautiful and processional.
"Mein junges Leben hat ein End" - Variations on Secular Songs - Works for Organ and Keyboard by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Think ten times, play once
The 24 people who put a thumbs down probably slipped when practicing
Tell me the autor and song name in the beginning of this vidéo
I think I'll take my chances playing by ear rather than classical. It's just to hard to learn
Hi Jakhari, we totally understand how you feel! Maybe check out our Playing By Ear lesson inside our latest issue. It might be perfect for you. www.pianistmagazine.com/store/back-issues/pianist/pianist-109-aug19-issue-141
I do not know anything about playing piano. But very much love this. By how much time I will be able to read the staff notations or sheet music and play with both hands independently. My ambition is to play rhythms with left hand and melody in right hand. I can devote only 1 hour daily.
Keysfor life Simple beginner pieces within four to six weeks once you can read music confidently. If you are still young you will learn more quickly. If you are over 50/55 you might find it more challenging as a beginner and the need to be reading the music as opposed to being able to learn a piece becomes the issue. I have read music all my life and returned to piano seriously in my mid sixties a couple of years ago having first learned in my late teens. I'm just about where I was when I stopped, which was intermediate. However my hands are less nimble due to early arthritis. I do some sight reading every day and it has made a word of difference, but I am really finding it hard to play with ease and confidence without error. Practise an hour every day you should be on early intermediate by the end of the year. Spend about 10 mins on scales, 10 mins on technical exercises, 10 minutes on sight reading and half an hour on two pieces of repertoire say 15mins each. Be strict about having this sort of structure. Check out online for the ABRSM sight reading books for beginners and some theory exercise books as well. To play easily we need to work hard and consistently and always make it fun. Best wishes.
@@bach-ingmadeline7410 sir, so kind of you to respond and guide. I am in early forties and I will try .
Teacher I wish but never had :(
But now I can watch your videos :)
im your 1000 like
It seems I have very unruly servants.
SLOW PRATICE : ENNEMY ??? EXPLAIN ME I DONT UNDERSTAND WHATS THE MEANING OF THAT
I suspect that this video is more appropriate for an experienced player than a beginner. In the early years, going for speed usually just creates errors.
This still applies to beginner pieces. It's not about going fast it's about getting to tempo. I've watched my stepdaughter learn twinkle twinkle little star and she started off very slowly and over time has learned to bring it to tempo using this method. The trick is to not rush progress. Chaining is very effective.
"...how to play fast at a slow tempo" ^^
Is there anybody here who can give me a grand piano Steinway? Thank you very much.
Lol
whos having trouble to gain speed on chopin's etude op25 no11
No blacks for beginners plsssss
1:23 but if you can play it slowly you play it quickly @twosetviolin
This guy is like the smart brother of john cena
Dear your Camera eye position is not Good for viewers we are unable to see this properly
Never seen this guy play a piece, he can give you practice tips but can't teach how to play...
This sucks
You stupid
great video, thank you