When I play pieces where there is more bass notes like Beethoven's Moonlight sonata 1st movement, I tend to sit a little to the left of the center of the piano. Not only that but I also turn a little bit to the right: instead of facing the piano I would sit at an angle of say 20 degrees clockwise. Is this normal or am I doing something counter productive?
I would appreciate any feedback (serious or funny).

I usually sit facing the same direction, but "Scoot" up and down the bench (works better with a duet bench!)

i'd think it's normal if most notes you'd play are on left side of piano. you can always shift back to right whenever you need to.

Counter productive.

Sit in the middle of the bench, nose at Middle C.

Learn to lean to the left or lean to the right.

I love a recent post that suggests:

Get off one cheek while leaning!!!

Well, he didn't exactly say it that way, but that is what must be done. ;-)

Do not start to shift. If you do, it is a hard habit to break. Position yourself not on the back/full side of the bench but push the bench back and sit on the front side with your feet firmly and comfortably on the floor. You now have your own pivot point. You can lean left or right and also INTO the piano for arm strength when FF is needed.

Teacher hat on.... LL

That reminds me of one of the most inspiring programs I ever watched: are you familiar with Benjamin Zander and his "one buttock" school of music playing?"

He wrote a book too with his wife called "The Art of Possibility" which is a fantastic read, and not "about" music playing at all, even though that's its genesis.

My favorite Zander quote was "always play as if you're in the first chair... even when you're not."

Thank you lilylady, you came straight to the point. In future I will try to follow your advice. Come to think of it when I watched the better pianists play, I noticed that they are sitting up front on the bench and do not slide sideways.

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I think it's silly to say that you should always sit in this position. If the notes in the piece you're playing are predominantly low, then you should sit to the left a bit.

my thought exactly.

Oh well....

There's always the duet players.

On one bench!

;-)

LL