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"Practicing Without Playing" by Grover C. Eichinger

Good piano-playing consists mainly of automatic movements. This is especially the case where one's playing has reached the stage of fluency. In fact, artistic playing is impossible until a greater part of the movements or motions have been automatic; for, as long as one is obliged to think of every detail of execution, beautiful playing is an impossibility. The mechanical side of the playing must have become so automatic that the fingers are able to go on accurately, even though unguided by the conscious mind.

Just how to reach this stage of automatism is the problem. Constant repetition will do it, to be sure; but that is far from an efficient way of doing things. Granted that repetition will bring about the desired result, have we all not observed that these automatic habits are developed more easily and rapidly at some times than others? Have you ever stopped to consider why? If you have noticed, you have found that when your mind was most clear a fewer number of repetitions were necessary to bring about this automatic condition than otherwise. This alone is sufficient proof that the solution of habit-formation lies entirely in the control of one's thoughts while practicing. If it is found difficult to keep the mind on practice, you might just as well stop and take a rest. Otherwise you will only be wasting time and also be wearing away your own nerves, not to speak of those of your listeners.

The word "concentration" points the way. Concentration of one's thoughts is not difficult if one goes at it in the right way. In order to make it as easy as possible simply place yourself in a comfortable position, sitting preferred, and relax completely. Close your eyes, if you choose. Cast out every thought from your mind; you must endeavor to make your mind blank. After a few moments spent in this manner, suddenly gather your thoughts together and think of any one thing - a scale, for instance. To begin with, we will take the scale of C major. Mentally go over every note of it. Think for a moment of each note and its corresponding key. Imagine yourself playing it with one hand; first the right and then the left hand. Actually try to see the key and the motion of the fingers in your mind. Go up and down the scale in this way until it seems quite easy. Then do the same with all the other scales, both major and minor. Take the chromatic scale in the same way. When you have gone through every scale in this manner you can try scales in thirds, sixths, and octaves. By this time you will be ready to take up the real work - that of concentrating the thoughts on two or more motions or actions at the same time. It will be hard at first, to be sure; but after a short time it will go just as easily as one hand went in the beginning.

By applying this same principal to your pieces you will discover that memorizing will no longer trouble you. Even though you may never have tried this exercise directly at the keyboard, it will, nevertheless, show up in your subsequent playing. Without scarcely realizing it, you will be developing those same automatic habits which at first were so extremely difficult to acquire.

About this article

This article, written by Grover C. Eichinger, was taken from the May 1923 issue of "Etude Musical Magazine."

Emily Sigers
emily@thepianopages.com