Music Video Lesson: Performer Noise During a Performance

Hi, This is Robert Estrin at livingpianos.com and virtualsheetmusic.com. Today the subject is extraneous noise during musical performance. Now, years ago I made a video, an extraneous motion during musical performance, and there are some amazing examples of people who move around and gyrate. Sometimes it can enhance the performance, sometimes it could be distracting. Well there's a whole other element of noises that some performers make. Some great performers of all time, as a matter of fact, from Rudolf Serkin to Glenn Gould. They really had trouble recording these artists because they made so much noise out of their mouths, and sometimes I've seen performers kicking their feet, stamping the pedals.

How does such a thing happen in the first place? Well, sometimes people just get used to singing along kind of, but they're not really singing, so it's kind of an unearthly sound that you get, and I guess, you know, they're forgiven when they're on the level of the artists I mentioned, but it's something you really want to avoid in your practice because it could become so ingrained that you lose control over it, and you won't be able to not make noises during your performances. And, you know, you don't want to distract the audience for what you are trying to achieve.

Now perhaps in a large concert hall it's not really an issue, but in an intimate setting or in recording, that...the grunting sometimes you'll hear, you know, pay attention to a recording and you'll know what I'm talking about. I remember years ago, a pianist who shall remain nameless, I remember he made so many noises and stamped his feet, and that when we got all done with the concert, it was a solo piano recital, I was joking with my further how it was kind of a song and dance routine because there was so much extra stuff going on. It's like, "Why didn't somebody stop this man when he was a child?" But sadly when it gets to that point, it's...there's no way you can control it because the emotion of the music makes you make this sounds, you know, and it's out of your control. So if you have students, make sure that you get them to stop doing this. And if you find yourself are making these kind of noises, have the self-control to stop it before it becomes so ingrained that it controls you.

That's my advice to you. We can forgive the great artist, but it doesn't really add any positive element to music, does it? Love to hear from you if you have any stories about, you know, people who make strange noises while they play instruments. Thanks so much for joining me. Robert Estrin here at virtualsheetmusic.com and livingpianos.com.

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