[The-Real-Link]

Have any of you ever injured you hand while playing the piano?
Hand injuries can be a serious issue for serious pianists who have reached a very advanced level of playing.

I recently developed a case of Tendonitis because I was twisting my wrist in a very irregular way while practicing my Mozart Sonata. I was not keeping my forearm aligned with my fingers while playing through a fast passage that has a lot of trills. This caused some pretty bad pain in the back of hand, where my index and middle finger connects to my wrist. It has healed for the most part, but I could not play the piano for about a week. I am still trying to take it easy, and I have not played my Mozart Sonata or my Bach Fugue for over a week and a half.

Do any of you know good ways and practices for avoiding hand injury?
I also believe that playing without being relaxed could have attributed to my injury as well. I have been under immense stress lately, as I have been trying to get a large number of pieces ready for several competitions.

[Nicol Armarfi]

For the most part I've been able to avoid tendonitis, as I make sure to keep my posture in check. I had it twice in my earlier years of playing, when I would try to play more advanced music that was clearly out of my league (when I was at grade 4 I tried to play the completely Moonlight Sonata, running through it several times a day, though I'd not had enough proper practise for the technique required). Now I'm developing a case of carpal tunnel, which isn't too pretty. Contrary to what I had believed until just recently, however, carpal tunnel is actually quite easy to cure. The reason I'm getting it now is because I play way too much, and during my breaks I'm at my computer typing--not exactly the smartest thing to do. I play for around 6 hours a day with another 6 hours of typing... not a great idea, man.

One of my piano teachers told me a good way to prevent injury, is to make large motions with your wrists while moving your fingers around, which supposedly loosens up the muscles, and is especially useful after playing for a long while. Also to warm up before you play, just like in any athletic sport, by playing a few scales/arpeggios/etc.

I don't know if this has much to do with it, but, I find that if my hands are particularly cold, my muscles are very tense and if I try to play like this for too long, my joints begin to ache a bit.

[The-Real-Link]

I have a bad habit of not practicing my technical skills seperate from my actual pieces. I ignore them to the point that I'll come across an obscure scale like G# minor or something like that, and then have to relearn the scale.

Cold hands also annoy me. Like you say, it makes my hands very stiff and makes playing difficult, and sometimes uncomfortable.

I have avoided Carpal, but then I only play about 2-3 hours a day. Although, I'll be going to college next year, with a double music major. (Composition and Piano performance.) so I'll probably have to bump that up to at least 6 hours. My piano teacher said that lots of motion in your wrist, especially rotational movements will help your hands from becoming tired. As well as being relaxed while playing. And of course, taking a break every few hours.

BTW: I currently play at about a Grade 8-9. Most of my pieces at the moment are 8's, with a few 7's and a few 9's (Although, I'm not sure if my Bach Prelude and Fugue is a 9 or a 10.) I have several level 10's lined up for this year including a Chopin Etude, the Chopin Fantasie-Improptu, another Bach Prelude and Fugue (And maybe a Fantasy), and a Mozart Fantasy, and maybe a Rachmaninov Prelude.

[Nicol Armarfi]

Originally Posted by The-Real-Link

I have a bad habit of not practicing my technical skills seperate from my actual pieces. I ignore them to the point that I'll come across an obscure scale like G# minor or something like that, and then have to relearn the scale.

Cold hands also annoy me. Like you say, it makes my hands very stiff and makes playing difficult, and sometimes uncomfortable.

I have avoided Carpal, but then I only play about 2-3 hours a day. Although, I'll be going to college next year, with a double music major. (Composition and Piano performance.) so I'll probably have to bump that up to at least 6 hours. My piano teacher said that lots of motion in your wrist, especially rotational movements will help your hands from becoming tired. As well as being relaxed while playing. And of course, taking a break every few hours.

BTW: I currently play at about a Grade 8-9. Most of my pieces at the moment are 8's, with a few 7's and a few 9's (Although, I'm not sure if my Bach Prelude and Fugue is a 9 or a 10.) I have several level 10's lined up for this year including a Chopin Etude, the Chopin Fantasie-Improptu, another Bach Prelude and Fugue (And maybe a Fantasy), and a Mozart Fantasy, and maybe a Rachmaninov Prelude.

The Chopin etude's are very good ways to improve your general technique. In the past I've played from Opus 10: 1, 6, 9, 11 and 12, from Opus 25: 1, 9 and 12, and currently I'm working on 3 and 4 from Opus 10. They're ridiculously challenging for the most part, but they are, of course, intended to be, as they are study pieces. I found that learning them greatly improved my ability to play more difficult Chopin pieces, including the Fantasie Impromptu. Currently I'm working on Chopin's Opus 53 (the A-flat polonaise) and his first piano concerto. At your level, you could actually do the second movement of the first concerto no problem, and nail most of the third. The first movement is really quite difficult, though, I'm having a lot of trouble on it myself.

If you don't mind me asking, what series of books are you learning from? Through my lessons I switched between two series, but mainly played from the Celebration series, the last one I finished being 9. Right now I'm working on book 10, specifically the two Chopin's (C# minor polonaise and F# nocturne) and the Liszt, which I'm very excited to finally be learning as I've adored it since I was 6-7... It really is quite the challenge though.

I have to admit though, I'm terrified of Bach, as my greatest weakness in performance is polyphonics . I have mass trouble bringing out cleanly each independant melody brought upon in his fugue's. I bought his complete English suite's to attempt to remedy this, but it's getting nowhere. Do you have much experience with Bach?

[Bahamut]

I don't think i've ever played anthing epic enough to hurt myself... I have had tendonitis before though, and i don't know if there's anything specific for piano-related tendonitis, but try to ice your wrist when you're not doing anything because it helps relieve inflamation of the tendon.

[The-Real-Link]

Originally Posted by Nicol Armarfi

The Chopin etude's are very good ways to improve your general technique. In the past I've played from Opus 10: 1, 6, 9, 11 and 12, from Opus 25: 1, 9 and 12, and currently I'm working on 3 and 4 from Opus 10. They're ridiculously challenging for the most part, but they are, of course, intended to be, as they are study pieces. I found that learning them greatly improved my ability to play more difficult Chopin pieces, including the Fantasie Impromptu. Currently I'm working on Chopin's Opus 53 (the A-flat polonaise) and his first piano concerto. At your level, you could actually do the second movement of the first concerto no problem, and nail most of the third. The first movement is really quite difficult, though, I'm having a lot of trouble on it myself.

If you don't mind me asking, what series of books are you learning from? Through my lessons I switched between two series, but mainly played from the Celebration series, the last one I finished being 9. Right now I'm working on book 10, specifically the two Chopin's (C# minor polonaise and F# nocturne) and the Liszt, which I'm very excited to finally be learning as I've adored it since I was 6-7... It really is quite the challenge though.

I have to admit though, I'm terrified of Bach, as my greatest weakness in performance is polyphonics . I have mass trouble bringing out cleanly each independant melody brought upon in his fugue's. I bought his complete English suite's to attempt to remedy this, but it's getting nowhere. Do you have much experience with Bach?

When I first started playing the piano I used Faber's Piano Adventure series. I used that up to grade 4B (Early Intermediate). After that I changed piano teachers. My new teacher (Who is much more advanced. I changed partly because my old teacher said she couldn't teach me much more.), anyways, My new teacher believes that you get enough technical practice by just playing pieces. Therefore, I not really in a series of studies. I just learn music. Although, I do learn different technical skills and such, because I play in a lot of competitions, including the Texas Bach Festival, International Piano Guild, International Guild Skills Festival (Which I'm actually going to tomorrow and playing a Chopin Mazurka and "To Zanarkand" from the FFX PC.)
My teacher advises me on the pieces I should play. Although, I often pick a lot of my own pieces.

I don't have a LOT of experience with Bach, but I have played a Minuet, a Two-Part Invention, and I am now working on Prelude and Fugue no. 3 in C# Major, bk. 1 BWV 848. I have learned the Prelude I just have to finish the fugue. Bach is also a bit of an enemy to me. I love his music, and when finished I enjoy playing it; it's just learning it that drives me crazy!

LOL. On a side note, I actually have won some competitions with some pieces from the Final Fantasy Piano Collections series!!

[Nicol Armarfi]

I've never actually participated in a competition myself, as I am extremely nervous playing even for my friends. I joined the youth symphony orchestra here though, and we do a lot of shows at the Community Auditorium, so I've gotten a bit of experience playing infront of audiences of over 1,000. Because of this I'm a little more confident now so I may try participating in a competition, but really, playing solo and as a single instrument in the orchestra are two completely different beasts...

[CarloCrizaldo]

I haven't gotten any injuries from the piano, as I don't play as much as you guys do. But when it comes to hand injuries from other instruments, I've had some bad ones. I don't know the names for them, but my right hand while playing the drums causes some sort of pain in my wrist area and on the bones right above it. I can't even bend my wrist without some pain involved. It goes away after I stop playing the drums for a few hours, but comes back immediately after a few bars of fast rhythms.

[LegendaryCloud89]

I haven't gotten anything from playing the piano, but I also don't play as much or as hardcore as some do. I have gotten various pains from playing the Euphonium though. But that's probably from just getting too relaxed and then holding it wrong.

[The-Real-Link]

I like competitions a lot. I don't mind playing in front of people too much. It makes everyone nervous to some degree. I have had some pretty bad mess ups, and some really good performances. I've got a competition today and tomorrow. Today I'm playing Chopin's Mazurka in F Major O. 68 no. 3 and "to Zanarkand from the Final Fantasy X Piano Collections. Tomorrow I'm playing Shuffle or Boogie from the FFVIII PC and my Bach Prelude (BWV 848)