Prodigy Learns Piano in About 2 Days
- Thread starter Jade Tigress
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celtic_crippler
Senior Master
You can say that again! ...WOW
Wow.
I could do that if i wanted to...I just don't want to.
I could do that if i wanted to...I just don't want to.
OP
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Shuto
Purple Belt
Did they award him the piano equivalent of a black belt? ;-)
That is truly, truly, amazing. Thanks!
To me, it brings legitimate question to many concepts. The boy apparently announced that he knew how to play the piano at age 3! And he wasn't allowed to prove it until later, but when he was, he did. How does that happen?
One does not want to jump immediately to the supernatural or religion, but really, it strains credulity that there is an explanation that suffices otherwise. I realize human potential is awesome and that mutations happen, but knowledge does not appear without having been exposed to it. One might be a child prodigy and learn to play at a monstrous rate, but how does one compose classical music without having the background in music to do so? It's like a math prodigy not only being able to solve amazing math problems, but to do so without having first been exposed to numbers themselves.
Well, if there is a 'conventional' explanation for such things, I'm open to hear it. But it isn't much of a leap to wonder about things like 'miracles' and even 'reincarnation' (which I don't personally believe in, but hey, anything is possible).
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
Oh, you'd be surprised how fast I learned piano. In fact.. at one of the concerts I met my wife - Morgan Fairchild! Yes, I'm a change man now, and all because of Piano. It only took me two days to learn when I was only 3…yeah that’s it.. I was 3. Why, I - I even have my picture on the cover of Newsweek magazine. Yeah. Every day! Yeah.. that's the ticket! Yeah, you betcha! 
That is absolutely amazing and WOW is an understatement
That is absolutely amazing and WOW is an understatement
OP
- Thread Starter
- #9
Mind boggling right? I don't have answers, but it makes me think, if his parents know how to play and taught him, then went under the pretense, wouldn't you think that would be difficult to hide? Same if he's had lessons since the age of 3. There would have to be a teacher out there to blow the cover, no?
It doesn't make sense to *know* anything without being taught. I wonder if his parents are classical music fans, perhaps the child heard much of the music while he was in the womb and developing. Though that wouldn't explain other babies exposed to it in the womb who are not prodigy's, just thinkin out loud here. I guess it's possible to have a natural talent plus prebirth exposure to the sounds while the brain is developing.
Then again, consider Stevie Ray Vaughn. Greatest guitarist of all time in my opinion. He never took a lesson in his life. He was drawn to his brother Jimmy's guitar from a very young age. He snuck in his brothers room one day and picked up his guitar, and the boy could play. He surpassed his very talented brother. The rest is history.
Life Without You
Say What
Sorry guys, I'd embed the links but it never works for me. Worth watching though.
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Shuto
Purple Belt
Some savants show remarkable musical abilities as well. Here's one guy who I saw once on TV.
http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/leslie_lemke
But one evening when Leslie was about age 14, Joe and May watched, and Leslie listened, to a television Sunday Night Movie. In the early morning hours May heard music. She thought Joe had left the television on. She went to turn it off and there was Leslie, playing flawlessly from beginning to end, having heard it but once, tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, which was the theme song for that movie. God's miracle, May said, came into full bloom that night.
He performed the same song on the show I watched. I found it interesting that he couldn't just play the song, he also had to repeat the intro that was part of the TV program he watched many many years before. It was as if the announcers intro and the song were inextricably linked in the guys head.
http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/leslie_lemke
But one evening when Leslie was about age 14, Joe and May watched, and Leslie listened, to a television Sunday Night Movie. In the early morning hours May heard music. She thought Joe had left the television on. She went to turn it off and there was Leslie, playing flawlessly from beginning to end, having heard it but once, tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, which was the theme song for that movie. God's miracle, May said, came into full bloom that night.
He performed the same song on the show I watched. I found it interesting that he couldn't just play the song, he also had to repeat the intro that was part of the TV program he watched many many years before. It was as if the announcers intro and the song were inextricably linked in the guys head.
I am hip to mimicry and the idea that a person who is especially gifted or just wired differently than many of us can listen or watch something and then do it themselves - extraordinary to us, but simple for them. I get that, where they act like a tape recorder in a sense.
But the part that befuddles me is not that the kid in the linked article can play, but that he can compose. That requires something more than mimicry (or even 'super' mimicry) I think.
As to whether or not the parents are concealing years of training and pretending it's all sudden knowledge on the kid's part - could be. Stranger things have happened. But I would guess that some investigative journalism might ferret that out pretty quickly.
But the part that befuddles me is not that the kid in the linked article can play, but that he can compose. That requires something more than mimicry (or even 'super' mimicry) I think.
As to whether or not the parents are concealing years of training and pretending it's all sudden knowledge on the kid's part - could be. Stranger things have happened. But I would guess that some investigative journalism might ferret that out pretty quickly.
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While Mozart had training, he was composing at a younger age than this remarkable lad.....who, probably has something "different" going on in his brain, musically speaking. As striking as his knowledge that "he could play" before he actually did may be, he needs instruction: as a pianist, his fingering technique leaves quite a bit to be desired, but that's what one would expect from someone so young with such limited training.Possibly putting to rest the notion that he has more training than his parents are letting on-the kid doesn't hold his hands or fingers correctly, which is something most piano instruction would work on from the onset. His wrists are held below the keyboard, and his fingers are constantly flat, rather than arched.....
As for the "past lives" bit, unless he says as much, we'll never know-and even then, we'll never know....:lfao:
OP
- Thread Starter
- #13
Interesting about the playing technique. Same with SRV and guitar. I'm told by a personal friend who also instructs guitar that SRV's technique is unconventional, though it is more common for blues players to hold the thumb over the top of the neck as he does, traditional instruction teaches that the thumb remain flat against the back of the neck.
On another note, I didn't know you were a pianist Jeff. Cool. :supcool:
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SRV's hands were huge, and this molded his technique and composition-like Rachmaninoff with the piano.
Yeah, I play the piano, flute, mandolin, guitar,banjo, violin and harmonica-all equally badly..:lfao:
OP
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- #15
lol! Don't be modest.
But my God. You're right about SRV's hands. I just looked at one of the vids and they ARE huge. I never noticed that before.
Shuto
Purple Belt
From my experience with blues and bluegrass players, wrapping the thumb is the most common approach. Classical people do it differently. Of course, the neck on a classical guitar is usually much wider so I would imagine wrapping the thumb would be physically more demanding on a classical guitar.
I have mixed feelings about one part of this....the last time that talent such as this was on earth, in 1761, Mozart was famous around Europe relatively quickly being asked to perform for kings and composing from a very young age. His talent was truly unlimited and fully appreciated. I wonder how the modern world will react? Will the kid be poked and prodded trying to figure out what is different about his brain? Will the world truly appreciate his skill?
In 1761, the world possessed the faith required to let Mozart's talent flourish....now, skepticism pretty much rules the world. Something like this is certainly within the range of human ability, it is just within the untapped power of the brain. In terms of computing power, a brain has more "hard drive" space, "RAM," and "Processing speed" than any computer yet created....we just don't know how to tap into that power properly and efficiently. If this kid can access some area of the brain unavailable to most people....it would be nothing for him.
Consider "perfect pitch" - the ability to hear notes as most people see colors. Someone with PP can distinguish an A440 from A442 without a problem, they can name a C# simply by hearing it or pick out complex patterns, by note from orchestras, in addition to being able to tell which if any instruments are out of tune.....but without the training or exposure to know the difference between C and C# or even what A440 is, some of the people with this ability will never know. They went into football instead of band in high school or are stuck in third world countries starving.
Honestly, I've been wondering for quite some time why there haven't been more musical prodigies in the last 100 years.....we're about due for another Mozart. Unfortunately, I guess it will be another 180 years until we're due for another Einstein....
In 1761, the world possessed the faith required to let Mozart's talent flourish....now, skepticism pretty much rules the world. Something like this is certainly within the range of human ability, it is just within the untapped power of the brain. In terms of computing power, a brain has more "hard drive" space, "RAM," and "Processing speed" than any computer yet created....we just don't know how to tap into that power properly and efficiently. If this kid can access some area of the brain unavailable to most people....it would be nothing for him.
Consider "perfect pitch" - the ability to hear notes as most people see colors. Someone with PP can distinguish an A440 from A442 without a problem, they can name a C# simply by hearing it or pick out complex patterns, by note from orchestras, in addition to being able to tell which if any instruments are out of tune.....but without the training or exposure to know the difference between C and C# or even what A440 is, some of the people with this ability will never know. They went into football instead of band in high school or are stuck in third world countries starving.
Honestly, I've been wondering for quite some time why there haven't been more musical prodigies in the last 100 years.....we're about due for another Mozart. Unfortunately, I guess it will be another 180 years until we're due for another Einstein....
Just curious, where would you put Van Cliburn?
Here's the thing though - his technique isn't perfect by our standards.....but look at Dizzy Gillespie - any trumpet teacher tells every student "don't puff your cheeks".....worked for Dizzy. I wonder if Beethoven's technique was perfect?
It seems to me that formal training would stifle this kid. I would venture to say that some of the most incredible musicians to ever live didn't get the level of formal training that you'd expect. Hell, Mozart was able to play circles around anyone available to teach him by the age of 10....what teacher is going to go up to a kid who can outplay them on his worst day and say "you hold your wrists incorrectly."
As a musician myself, I have met other sax players who can instinctively play better than I would be able to with 20 years of constant practicing. I think this kid is one of those. I could practice my entire life and never have his talent. I would even go so far as to say that it isn't his technique that is wrong, it is everyone else's, he is obviously doing something right.
In relation to this kid, that remains to be seen. As a musician, he is an incredible performer, although the composition aspect is a bit lacking, when you are comparing to other musical prodigies. Of course, I say this as a second rate sax and clarinet player that plays in community Jazz bands and will never perform at the white house.
I would also say that he is an example of what the more modern world can do wrong. I would say that he was limited by the public education system. He was limited by the paradigm of formal education in music. Mozart never attended or for that matter, needed Julliard. Of course, he was composing to feed himself and feed his various vices.
There have of course been several prodigies in the past 200 years. But I would say that there hasn't been one on the level of Mozart. It remains to be seen if this kid is. He may be an anomaly that will fizzle out or become enamored with video games or football (UK Football of course)....who knows what will become of him. Based on the little that I know, he shows promise, but who knows what will happen.
I just have little faith in the modern world to appreciate his talent and nurture it properly. Of course....in 1761, I would guess that Mozart's father gave him little choice about his playing and composing. If this kid decides to quit or tells his parents he is done playing, who knows what they will say.
Like I said, who knows how many incredible talents died in car accidents before their time or were born in the wrong country at the wrong time or decided to join football instead of band (or for that matter, how many football superstars decided to join band instead of football??)?
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