In just about any area of human endeavor you can think of, there are many differing opinions about what is right and what is wrong, or what is best and what is worse. Playing the piano and learning to play the piano are no exceptions. There is a wide range of ideas and opinions out there, and, understandably, it can be hard to know who and what to believe.
If someone tells you there is only one right way to do something, you may be suspicious, as probably you should be. Much of science is now accepted as fact -- gravity, for instance. Yet, who knows? Maybe one day we will learn that our understanding of gravity was all wrong. Other scientific theories are said to be proven, but they are always based on what we know up to this point in time. Science is always discovering new things. In many areas of life, we all choose what to believe, based on the information given to us, as well as our own observations and innate common sense.
Sometimes, science reverses itself completely. Nutrition is one area where this is especially true. A few decades ago, dietary fat was thought to be the cause of weight gain, and was to be avoided to a large degree. More recently, it is believed that fat is not the enemy we thought, but that excess carbohydrates are the problem. On the subject of fats, not that long ago we were told to eat margarine instead of butter; yet now, margarine and all trans fats are to be avoided completely. Back in the 50s, there were doctors who actually believed smoking was healthful! It's just amazing how much advice we received which we now know is not only incorrect, but harmful.
If you've been reading this blog, you know that I have very strong opinions on how to approach learning to play the piano. And I often reference other opinions which are in direct opposition to my approach. In fact, there are probably more people (specifically, piano teachers) who believe the ideas that are opposite of mine. You might be inclined to believe others instead of me, based on the pure number of people who believe and promote those ideas. However, as we've seen with areas such as nutrition, the number of people who believe something does not make it fact, or even desirable.
When I first began studying with my teacher, Joseph Prostakoff, in 1975, after already having played the piano for 18 years and having received my degree in piano from Manhattan School of Music, he said the following: "Many of the things I tell you and show you will seem diametrically opposed to what you have always been told and previously learned. You may have a lot of doubts about what I tell you. Yet, since you have come to me, you must put your trust in me 100% and follow my advice without reservation. Then, after a reasonable period of time, if you believe that what I have shown you is not true, or does not work for you, you are free to discontinue the lessons, and we will part friends." I saw then, and still see, the wisdom of this. What would be the point of going to someone for help and instruction, and then not doing what they instruct? In my case, I sought Mr. Prostakoff out precisely because his approach was different, and I did not feel that what I had done up to that point had worked for me. So I had no trouble accepting his terms. Yet... there was still resistance. Unconsciously, I still held on to old ideas. He was incredibly perceptive, and could always point out when I was resisting. He would say, "Why are you fighting me?" Gradually, over the years, my resistance melted away. My playing (and my teaching) changed in profound ways. I often say that I simply would not be playing at all now, 45 years later, had I not studied with him. With my previous approaches, practicing was often like banging my head against the wall. After Mr. Prostakoff, everything fell into place.
Recently I was reading some blog posts of someone who teaches piano, and who, I suspect, may have a fairly large number of followers of his blog. In post after post, he talks about finger strength, and methods of strengthening fingers. He is not alone; this is still a widely accepted belief. Yet, there are many things which poke a hole in this theory, such as, how petite child prodigies play challenging pieces of Chopin and Brahms, when they clearly have not had enough time to develop finger strength. Or how jazz players, who did not grow up with a traditional approach of doing finger exercises, still play with dazzling speed and power. Or, how when you play rapid-fire octaves, your fingers are not actually doing the work at all. Before swallowing any idea hook line and sinker, ask yourself whether there are observations you have made that seem to belie that idea.
My approach to playing and learning is a "gestalt" -- an integrated whole. Within my methods, everything is consistent. There is no case where some aspect of technique I teach you will contradict another aspect or technique. Contradictions in what the teacher tells you could be a sign that something is not right or true. If you suspect that your teacher is not right for you, or, if you have no teacher but are following principles you learned some other way, it is time to seek out something new. When your instinct tells you you have found the right teacher, give yourself over to him or her 100%. Then observe your progress. If you are happy with your progress, you can feel confident that you made a good decision. If not, it may require another search. Piano is not something where "any teacher" will do. You might think you will still learn to play, even with a mediocre teacher, but it is more likely you will find it frustrating and quit. (To be fair, people get frustrated and quit with a good teacher as well, simply because learning to play the piano well requires patience and some "grit," and some people just aren't ready for that commitment.)
If you are studying the piano and feel you are not achieving the mastery you desire -- and perhaps, more importantly, the pleasure -- it may be time to question your beliefs and assumptions about how to play the piano. Although I can't tell you who to believe, I hope this has helped you to know when to accept, and when to question, the ideas and beliefs that other people will try to assure you are "true." Just because those ideas have been around for a long time does not mean they are correct. And sometimes, the longer the idea has been around, the more we should question it.
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