Hi,

I have an exam on the 27th and things aren't going too well.

I was in an accident and wasn't able to play for a couple of months. The problem is that I am getting very nervous about this exam and when i get nervous i get stressed.

When i get stressed my muscles go all tense.

So is there anything i can to do destress my finger muscles? because i am finding it hard to play smoothly.

I have had a couple of classes on alexander technique but i have forgot most of these.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Micky

Could you get a medical cert and put your exam off for a while so you can recover properly?

I'm not sure if this is safe, but playing Hanon exercises for a couple of hours a day? It helps to get my fingers movinf more smoothly, but if you've had a accident it might not be such a good idea...

If you can destress yourself generally then your fingers should also relax.

There's some good ideas on this thread. I wouldn't recommend drugs of any sort - although beta-blockers etc are mentioned on the thread, they do have side effects (Generally yucky ones). As Robodoc rightly says, they are just like a elastoplast and don't actually get to the root of the problem.

Hope that helps.

When i get all tense/stressed, i just give my arms a good shake, take a moments pause, then carry on. This normally does the trick, but if not, then I move onto Hanon or scales for a bit.

Definitely do NOT play Hanon if you are still injured. That will only lead to more serious injury. Because I practice the piano so intensely I know how to keep my fingers and arms in good health. I've developed a few trick of my own and consulted my doctor about how to keep myself injury-free. Stretching the arms and the forearms will help limber your fingers (because most of the muscles that move the fingers are in the forearms) and maybe some heat treatment will help you. People with tendonitis and arthritis often purchase units that heat paraffin wax and dip their hands in the wax to help alleviate the pain. It's like dipping your hands into a sink of hot water. Of course, that would probably work too, plus hot water is relaxing. I personally like the hot water and stretching, though I also like to warm up my body by wearing moderately heavy clothing while practicing.

To which I would add, if you ARE able to spend "a couple of hours a day" at the keyboard, you can spend it far more usefully than playing Hanon exercises.

<--- takes Grade 5 with shredded right hand from cycling accident still bandaged

If you only get tense when you're nervous then try to deal with the nerves rather than spend so much time on Hanon. (I'm not a Hanon fan either...) I know this is easier said than done, as I have a problem with nerves myself - my signature is true! - but if I were you I'd try whatever is available to combat those nerves and relax.

I guess that not many people like it here...
But....
What is Hanon???

sorry
haha

micky

Hanon is a form of pianistic torture with debateable results.

Yes, where did the subject of Hanon come from? You never did say you used Hanon exercises!

"The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises"
by Charles-Louis Hanon

What most people do not know is that the title is a shortened version that was created by the publisher. Hanon's original, slightly less snappy, title was.

"Five percent of the skills required in the virtusoso pianist presented in 60 exercises that the student should study occasionally, and sparingly, and always for some specific purpose, but above all under the guidance of a good teacher, for whom this will be one valuable tool amongst many."

<-- Ignores Hanon, studies Music

Anyone that believes playing the Hanon exercises will make a virtuoso out of you is probably busy figuring out how to help that nice Nigerian chap that sent the email how to get his 20 million dollars into the UK.

I am panicking my exam is approaching i am feeling that I am not well prepared I try to control my nerves but without luck. Do you know any other way how to deal with it?

Perform your pieces infront of as many suffering friends and family members as possible. Well that is what worked for me. You don't get rid of nerves you just get used to feeling nervous. It is normal for your hands to shake and to feel like you are going to be sick or faint. However once you get used to being nervous you accept those side effects and most people really do perform better if the adrenalin is pumping.
I totally agree about avoiding beta blockers - how can you put emotion into music if you feel numb and that is what any performance(exam or not) should be about.

Erm, what is a 'fyffe'??

I've never played Hanon in my life, nor given his studies to any of my students so am no champion of his, but can I just point out (to this thread generally) that sarah123 did only suggest playing them "for a bit", not "for two hours"!!

A banana

Seriously? I presume Dulciana isn't a woodwind player, then?!

No, but I actually first learnt about the banana thing on a website aimed at flautists! (Maybe they wash them down with claret too; I don't know...) There's something in them that increases the levels of whatever hormone it is that relaxes us. I put it down to wishful thinking when I tried one, but two does seem to work for me. Wine on one's breath is not a good idea at the start of a church service, nor is it a good idea when one has to drive there!

Serotonin?? Just had a banana milkshake, so I'll let you know. (Yes, it was made with real bananas!)

I'm not sure if you can get it in the UK but if you can how about a few drops of 'Rescue Remedy' - a homeopathic remedy that will just calm you down without in anyway reducing your interpretation of the emotion of the piece or playing ability.
Obviously try it beforehand - maybe before one of the practise performances so wisely suggested but I'm sure you'll find it helps.
Hard to describe what it does - calms and settles would be the best description. I am sure a local health food type of store will be able to advise you - here in NZ Rescue Remedy is available at pharmacists and natural food stores

Good luck

Yes, it's available here in the UK too.

Can you find anyone who can teach you basic relaxation methods? Things like Alexander Technique, yoga, meditation, general relaxation ... I've always found them very helpful. The thing to remember is that you need a relaxed focus, not a relaxed floppiness, and with practice you might be able to achieve a clear-headed focus that is enhanced by the adrenalin rush of performance ... that's the theory, anyway!

A quick google brings this up:

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_rel..._relaxation.htm

Another technique is to ask "What's the worst that could happen?" - imagine you plough your exam, your hand falls off in the middle, the examiner has the interpersonal skills of the Incredible Hulk, the piano falls apart, you trip over and fall on your instrument (this actually happened to me in my Grade 2 clarinet) ... etc. And guess what - even if you failed with minus 10 out of 150, you'd survive! And the actual outcome will be much better than that, so ...

In the old ABRSM book about preparing for exams, there was the excellent line, "if all else fails, imagine the examiner in his underwear". Works for me!