No access to a piano for a year

June 2, 2009 6:59 PM

Im going to have practically no access to a piano for a year. What can i do to avoid forgetting how to play? Will this happen at all? What experiences have you had with not playing for a certain period of time?

I'm going to be living in a small village in Mexico and buying a piano isnt really an option.
Will playing another instrument (guitar) help in some way?

posted by freddymetz to sports, hobbies, & recreation (13 comments total)

Can you get a keyboard? Not the same, I know, but it might be better than nothing.
posted by orange swan at 7:02 PM on June 2

Melodica! Mine has a little pipe so you can put it on the table like a piano keyboard while you play, instead of having to hold it like a clarinet.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:06 PM on June 2

In my personal experience, muscle-memory lasts for a surprisingly long time without reinforcement. It's been about a decade since I took piano lessons (for 11 yrs), and there have definitely been ~8-month stretches since then when I've gone without touching a keyboard altogether; yet I can still sit down and sightread fairly easily, as well as playing decently long stretches from old pieces I had by heart back in the day. And of course, your basic understanding of music-- reading sheet music, interpretation, etc.-- will stick around regardless.

On the other hand, my physical piano-playing shape-- reach, flexibility, dexterity, speed, etc. -- deteriorated fairly quickly after I stopped practicing, so that might be a concern. I'd imagine they should return just fine after you pick up the instrument again, though.
posted by Bardolph at 7:19 PM on June 2

ooh, that's really rough. I understand the anxiety entirely. but don't fret... i.e. don't take up the guitar quite yet.
First, depending on what level you're at currently, a year off means that you'll have to spend about a month getting yourself back up to speed once you're back to your home ivories. It will come back, but you must be patient.
However, you might not go a whole year without access to a piano. If there's a school or even sometimes a bar or restaurant with a piano, it may not be too hard to finagle access occasionally. The sticking point here is that unless you've brought all your music with you, you're going to have to be playing from memory. Before I go on trips where I may or may not have access to a piano, I work on memorizing some pieces such that I can sit down and play them in any context. Playing isn't always as helpful as practicing, so memorizing something where the notes are easy but the intonation is difficult seems to work best for entertaining myself (possibly others) at strange pianos. If you have time before your trip then, I would suggest beefing up your memorized repertoire now.
-- I could go on at length about the difference between practice and performance quality playing, which is another issue with schools/bars/resturaunt pianos, but don't want to cloud the actual answerness of this.
Even if you haven't been given access to piano, you can still keep the mind and hands nimble if you
a) bring audio copies of your music, either you or your favorite recording of it and
b) make a little roll up keyboard diagram. "Playing" along to music, in headphones or just in your head (again with memorizing) on a tabletop with the spatial relations of the notes drawn out is still very helpful for keeping the brain/hand connection strong. Essentially, you don't want to lose your muscle memory, so practicing, even under such "dry" conditions will be useful, although not as gratifying as the real thing. Also it lacks the positive/negative reinforcement of right/wrong notes... c'est la vie sans piano. le sigh.
Finally, as far as other instruments go, I've always been frustrated by the guitar, but a pennywhistle or recorder to pick up or compose new melodies is always easy, both from transport and technique standpoints.
Good luck.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 7:28 PM on June 2

It's like riding a bike. You will be rusty after that year, but you won't forget how to play.

In my life I have had times of absolutely no access to keyboards-for several years at a time-and when I finally got one again I was fine in no time.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 7:42 PM on June 2

thanks for the answers!
i play guitar anyway and will have one with me so thats not a problem. I also have a fairly vast reportoire of songs i can play from memory (i'm not a good sight reader, so i usually learn pieces off by heart).
posted by freddymetz at 8:41 PM on June 2

Anecdotal data point:
I took piano lessons from age 5-11. Switched to violin, took lessons from 11-15. Played no musical instruments from 15-25. When I started playing piano again in mid-twenties, it was almost as if I'd never stopped at 11. Playing was slow initially, and I mean literally- I couldn't read the music as fast, my fingers weren't as agile or coordinated(I restarted with the Pathetique sonata). Still, it was stunning how I could just pick up where I left off.

Not sure what your experience and expertise level is, but I think you'll be fine.
posted by MD06 at 9:04 PM on June 2

What about something like Fllexible pianos?
posted by rus at 12:21 AM on June 3

Another data point: I took piano lessons from 11-13. Hated them, picked up a guitar, never looked back. Am now 36, and somehow end up in front of a piano every couple of years (social event, or what have you). Like MD06 above, I spend about 2-3 minutes tinkering with it, and then it's like I never stopped taking those lessons. I seriously doubt that taking a year off will affect your piano playing in any appreciable manner that a short warmup when you finally encounter one again won't cure.
posted by barc0001 at 3:11 AM on June 3

I just want to echo those who commented on tactile memory. It's really pretty spectacular. I self-taught a few little piano pieces (I'm a violinist, but picked up a little bit of piano as a music major) and can sit down at a piano after a year of not playing and still play them pretty well. Violin all the more impressive, where I can have not played a piece for a few years and it still sticks in my fingers.

The hardest thing after a long period of not playing is the loss of stamina -- the tactile memory stays with me, but I certainly tire out from playing a lot faster. But don't discourage, I think you'll pick it up again quite fast.
posted by davidnc at 5:36 AM on June 3

Seconding the melodica! It's surprisingly flexible, and has an awesomely harmonica-like sound.
posted by suedehead at 7:20 AM on June 3

I was going to recommend a melodica too!
posted by booknerd at 9:37 AM on June 3

When I lived abroad and didn't have a piano at home I made friends with the music teacher at the town school, who let me play their piano some afternoons. You may find someone in your new village who would love to hear their instrument played (the cleaning crew at the school sure did) -- keep your eyes open for schools, churches, community centers, etc and ask around when you get there.

Being able to play music abroad was a wonderful break from the mental intensity of 24/7 language immersion and cultural adaption, so I hope it works out for you.
posted by Maarika at 10:41 AM on June 3