TIMBRE & TOUCH...

Understanding 'Timbre' is crucial as it allows us to appreciate the nuances of piano playing. It can be grasped through three key aspects: the attack, the steady phase, and the flux.

1/Attack: The attack phase introduces energy to the piano, creating energies at many different frequencies. The impact itself is rather noisy.

2/Steady phase: musical tones that take an orderly pattern of overtone frequencies as the piano's material starts to resonate.

3/Flux: It's the dynamic change in sound and musical expression's ebb and flow.

The gestures or movements we make to create sound have an essential influence on the sound. But most of it dies away after a few seconds. Therefore, 'preparation' or 'anticipation,' including a vivid mental image of what we want, is crucial.

The act of "touch" is more than just a mere physical sensation. It involves a profound inner journey that goes beyond the physical realm. It's not just about "feeling" the key or any other object but about genuinely experiencing its impact on your skin. It is more like a dialogue between your inner self and the external world, where your senses come into play and influence the sound produced. The sensory information your brain gathers through touch significantly shapes your perception and understanding of the world around you. It is an intricate process involving the integration of multiple sensory inputs, which ultimately adds to the experience of touch. The process is confined to your skin, and the sense of life transmits it to you.

When we touch a key, our body undergoes a series of changes. These changes involve our nerves, muscles, and blood vessels, which work together to send information to our brain about the sensation we are experiencing. The sense of movement we feel is a result of this process, and it allows us to become aware of what is happening at the point of contact between our body and the external world. In other words, the sense of movement enables us to perceive the physical world around us and to integrate this information into our subjective experience. 

The experience of music can evoke a range of emotions and feelings that go beyond the physical act of hearing. People often describe feeling transported to another place or time or experiencing a deep connection with the music and its message. This apprehension or emotional response can be influenced by various factors, including the listener's personal experiences, cultural background, and the context in which the music is heard. As such, the music experience is a complex and multi-layered phenomenon that goes beyond the simple act of sound waves reaching our ears.

To create a beautiful sound, you must feel it resonating with your bones throughout your body—your fingers, hands, arms, chest, and head!

Playing the piano is more than a physical process. Yes, it starts with physiology and technique. However, it must be liberated from a mechanistic feel. Singers can do this better than instrumentalists because their instruments ( vocal cords) are inside the body. That's why you must sing while playing the piano. Internalize that experience and recall it when needed; consequently, your entire etheric organization, i.e. "life forces," becomes involved. This is one way to find your humanity.