Musical Instruments

[twinkle]

Does anyone play a musical instrument?

Do you find it helps with skating? Are there parallels between the two types of learning?

I play the violin and I've been finding it increasingly amazing how similar the two are. Obviously the techniques involved are totally different, but in my lessons I find myself drawing parallels with something I've learnt in the other lesson.

This may seem strange, just wondering if anyone has any thoughts?

[nutty-ducky]

I used to play a musical instrument called the Oboe. I quit about a year ago because my music teacher was being a cow. She phoned me up at home and started having a go at me! :(
The day after, I quit playing the instrument because I never wanted to go back to the lessons. :( I am happy that I quit though 8)

[db]

My fifteen year old daughter has played many instruments and had a lot of music instruction. I have no idea if it has helped her skating, but she does have absolutely perfect timing when skating a program. Her current music is a little know bit of Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Variations on a Theme by Paginini" with difficult rhythms. Her coach was hesitant about it for that reason, but she got the timing right the very first time she tried the choreography. I really don't know if this has to do with musical talent or music training.

[TashaKat]

Oh gosh, loads, here goes ......

Piano (up to UK Grade 5 but not fantastic)
Cello (& violin & double Bass a bit) - played cello in orchestra's
Classical guitar (again a bit)
Flute, clarinet, saxophone - played flute and clarinet in a band
Trumpet, cornet & flugelhorn - played all three in jazz/brass/swing bands

Oh, and I started learning the harp but couldn't keep it up when I moved, I do have a Celtic harp at home though :)

I loved music and was always out doing something to do with music, dance or drama. I think that playing a musical instrument certainly helps with musicality and timing when you're skating.

L x

[icenut84]

I play the piano. I never really thought about it helping my skating before, but thinking about it, it probably helps things like musicality, timing and co-ordination. The latter especially - lots of people don't have very good co-ordination between their hands but obviously piano players need it! lol. It probably helps my timing too. :)

[CanAmSk8ter]

I played piano, violin, and clairinet in elementary school. Piano was the first and the one I kept up the longest (ages 7-9). Eleven years later, I truly believe that playing piano, especially at such a young age, taught me to listen to and count music- especially important in dance. I do occasionally get off time, but 99 times out of 100 I realize it; if I get off time it's because I started to lose speed or power, not because I'm miscounting the music. I see girls doing their tests who are really good dancers, but when they get off time they don't even seem to realize it. It's easy enough to fake it through the Bronzes, but when you hit the Pre-Silvers and have to solo it's pretty obvious, and it's supposed to be a hefty deduction.

[Anita18]

I do...been playing piano for 12 or so years (was the choir's "piano slave" for the past two years in high school, hehe) and I dunno if it helps me do programs since I've never done one, LOL! But I sight read pretty fast and I learn things visually pretty quickly too. I'm not sure sure if those two things are related but.... :wink:

Also, as a pianist who leans more toward artistry than technical skill, I realize the importance of edges in skating like I realize the importance of tone and touch in piano. (As opposed to jumping in skating and playing really fast notes in piano.) Those are probably related, but I'm guessing it's more of a personal preference. (And I realize that edges are actually a technical element, but most people like doing jumps and playing really fast notes to show off; hence, related technical elements. :wink: )

[wannask8]

Piano and flute, around thirty years each (and if you think it’s tough being an adult skater, try finding other adults to play with in the burbs – virtually impossible!). Like others here, I find that having had musical training translates well to the skating side. I noticed right away that whenever a decent song or piece of music comes on during practice, I immediately fall in with its rhythm, even just stroking around the rink, and things just “click” into place better – it creates a recognizable structure in my head that I’m comfortable with that the physical part can then fit into, if that makes any sense. It also helped that I was already used to practice regimens and already understood about muscle memory and what it takes to learn something. I’m another who concentrates more on artistry than technical fireworks, and I find that I have that same preference on the ice, even at my beginner stage (which is a good thing, as my !*@# knees will keep me from doing the really impressive stuff anyway).

BTW, Nutty, I suffered through lessons for years and then bagged them, but still kept the music up on my own, and now (a zillion years later) I’m really glad I did!

-- wannask8

[emyh]

I play the piano. I also used to sing quite seriously for a long time. It definitely helped, especially getting a feel for good beat and getting handles on weird irregular rhythms (don't know if that has anything to do with skating, but anyways...). It has definitely helped with my skating. I tend to gear toward musical expression also.

[jazzpants]

Oh, boy...do I have a music history!!! It's surprising now that I'm not playing a music instrument these days. (Well, i still sing with the radio now...) :P ([b:5636bdce5f]Warning:[/b:5636bdce5f] this post is LONG!!!)

Lessee... did piano informally as a kid... Got into the choir in Jr. High. Did more informal piano then and did my first piano solo (only a few bars though...) My sister was taking guitar at the time and I "borrowed" her guitar to learn what she was learning in her guitar class. High school, I joined the band...and took up flute. My sophomore year in high school, I got a REAL piano and started taking piano lessons formally. I had a "thing" for the choir instructor in my junior year so I started doing flute solos for his choir and was determined to take choir the year after so I could be closer to him. Well, my plan didn't work... he left my high school and they hired a permanent high school choir instructor! (But the new choir instructor was a really nice guy though! No sparks...but we got along quite well.) My senior year was the busiest year too... I was in both choir AND the band!!! I was also teaching guitar, since my guitar teacher (also the choir instructor!) knows NOTHING about guitar... (I taught myself quite well, surprisingly!!!) At one recital, I was doing triple duty... first half of the show was band, where I was playing the flute. Then there was intermission while the choir was supposed to assemble behind the curtain and I was doing the piano solo doing intermission. Then I had to run backstage, quickly don on my choir robe and stand in my spot in 30 seconds ready to sing in the choir.

It gets better... in college, I was a double major Computer Science and Music -- originally a voice major!!! (My piano was that strong...though at that time I could sightread simple piano pieces.) Then I got sick of the opera scene (and my singing was worse than my piano, I found out...) and stumbled onto the electronic music lab...where I get my BA in Music in. (Specializing in Electronic Music/Composition.) I wrote one piano piece before I graduated though...

I was taking private voice lessons back about mid 90's again. After discovering the joys of skating and going through a humilating (and expensive) recording studio session recording a CD, I realized that it was time to give up singing altogether.

I am way too busy and poor to take up piano or voice or anything right now. (No thanks to my job, skating, gym, hubby, home, family, friends...you get the picture!) [b:5636bdce5f]But[/b:5636bdce5f]... if I win the lottery tomorrow and didn't have to work anymore, a lot of my time would be taken up skating and training. (Of course!!!) I hope to maybe own a mansion with an Olympic-sized skating rink adjacent to the mansion. I would spend whatever free time I have left staying piano and composition and maybe get my MA in Music.

And yes, my music background definitely helped me with timing and expression of music. I probably should go with Interpretative this year instead of technical competitions to see how well I do there! :P :D

Cheers,
jazzpants

[Mrs Redboots]

I play the piano and folk guitar extremely badly; like my skating, my talent for music is at best mediocre.

[icenut84]

[quote:f4f02dfc19="wannask8"]Like others here, I find that having had musical training translates well to the skating side. I noticed right away that whenever a decent song or piece of music comes on during practice, I immediately fall in with its rhythm, even just stroking around the rink, and things just “click” into place better – it creates a recognizable structure in my head that I’m comfortable with that the physical part can then fit into, if that makes any sense. It also helped that I was already used to practice regimens and already understood about muscle memory and what it takes to learn something.[/quote:f4f02dfc19]

Me too! About the rhythm. I never thought of piano playing having an effect on my rhythm before, but it makes sense. A while ago, I was doing a silly dance to a song on the radio :mrgreen: and my mum said "for someone who isn't a dancer [I don't have dance lessons, though I want to], you've got a very good sense of rhythm". And my mum doesn't say things unless she means them. I also find that when I'm just stroking or something, I find it very easy to fall into the rhythm of the music playing. And also the muscle memory and what it takes to learn something. Often when I'm playing something on the piano, if I concentrate too much I make mistakes, but if I just let my fingers get on with it, it's fine! lol. I hardly ever use the music either, it's off putting! I think that's just me though. Sometimes I'm in the middle of a piece and realise I've been thinking about something completely different, e.g. what to have for tea :mrgreen: My muscle memory must be pretty good because I've just kept on playing without thinking about it!

[Anita18]

I know! Isn't that funny? I'll be playing something I've memorized for a really long time and halfway through it I'll think, "Hey! How many sharps/flats are in this thing?" :lol: :lol: I also think that concentrating too much can be offputting to both piano and skating. I'll be having some difficulty trying to sightread a piece, then I tell myself, "Oh, just play it!" and it immediately comes out better. :) Same thing with my skating - I'll have some trouble with something and then I'll think, "Oh, just do it!" and then it happens. :lol:

[wannask8]

Exactly! Remember Scott Hamilton saying he needs to “skate dumb” in competition? If I know a piece well enough to play it from memory and just let my hands do it, no problem, but the minute I start thinking about what comes next (or even thinking about how amazing it is that I’m getting through the piece), things start to fall apart! It’s almost like you start learning to do something physical with the thinking part of your brain, and once the muscle memory kicks in, it gets stored in the muscle-controlling part, so you need to let that unconscious part do its thing once that happens (I think of this as layers of learning). I’m sure the neurologists out there could have a field day with this . . ..

-- wannask8

[garyc254]

Several months ago, my coach wanted to teach me a dance (at the urging of the women at the rink). :lol:

Her first question to me was "Did you ever play a musical instrument?"

Many years ago, I played piano, bass guitar, and drums.

She said that was terrific because I would know proper rhythm and could keep a beat/count in my head. She told me that I would be amazed at the number of students she has that have trouble with dance for lack of rhythm.

BTW - The women at my rink are pleased that I know at least a couple of dances. :P

[RoaringSkates]

Yes, I play violin. It's really too early to tell if my violin is helping my skating - I am working on my first program. I know that I can place my skating within the feeling of the music, but I'm not sure if that is from violin.

I do know that my violin practice has helped me understand my skating practice. For example, how you can do something perfectly one day, and the next it's GONE! Or how you can do it when you practice on your own, but in front of your coach it doesn't go as smoothly.

[icenut84]

[quote:9b85182420="Anita18"]Same thing with my skating - I'll have some trouble with something and then I'll think, "Oh, just do it!" and then it happens. :lol:[/quote:9b85182420]

LOL! Me too! :mrgreen: A while ago when I was learning the salchow, I was getting really frustrated because I wasn't leaving the ice at all and I couldn't get the hang of it. I took off my gloves at put them on the barrier, punched myself in the forehead and said "Just do it!", tried it again and voila! :D I was so happy. I've done that on quite a few other times too, almost like my body co-operates because if it doesn't I'll get mad! lol

[arena_gal]

The great parallel between music and skating is not in the technique, rhythmn or beat, its in the performance.

Any kid (or adult) that takes music lessons eventually plays in a recital. Lots of recitals because being able to play in front of people is a large part of music. However, nerves, shaky hands and complete music amnesia are fairly common, moreso in late beginners. One solution around that is to play in as many recitals as possible for the experience. Even getting up and playing a C major scale can drive some people batty with nerves, whereas at home or even in the lesson studio, they're playing up a storm.

Skating is the same way. Kids go out and practice, there's lots of other people on the ice, if you miss the first axel, well do another one right after. However in a test or competition, that axel or 3 turn or spiral has to be done RIGHT THERE in time to THAT MUSIC which is not stopping or slowing down or waiting for you to be ready to do the jump. Call it pressure, call it nerves, being able to perform in front of people is in my opinion the number one transferrable skill from music to skating.