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I've always wondered about this. Whenever I play beyond a certain volume, it feels as though my ears block out the sound (or are "overfilled" by it) and I can no longer listen critically to my own playing. In circumstances when I have to play at such a volume, I'm left with only general auditory feedback, and have to rely on concentrating on the tactile sensation and the music in my head and hope that my playing still sounds good to someone sitting a distance away.

My ears are somewhat on the sensitive side to loud sound, but nothing has ever led me to suspect they're outside normal bounds, so I assume this phenomenon is normal. So how do you guys deal with it? I often practice loud sections at below prescribed volume, but that's all I've been able to come up with. It doesn't help that I do love my fff's

Try recording yourself. I've found it to be very helpful and it eliminates the mentally perfect performance that is playing away in my head.

Check out the Piano sub-forum and search on loud. You may also be damaging your long-term hearing.

Music happens between your ears. You don't have to play fff to hear fff. I'd never dream of playing at home as I would for an audience. I think that's why composers like Haydn and Mozart composed on a clavichord.

My ears do that too. I can't stad loud sounds. Whenever I know I'm going to play loudley I just brace my ears for what's to come and trie to block the sound out.

The only sollutions I can think of are to 1) play on a digital with the sound turned down, or 2) you could tape your self or 3) you could play everything really softly.

If you're playing for an audience of yourself, yes. However, you certainly DO have to play fff for the audience to hear it. If it's all about what goes on in your own head- why even bother making any sounds at a piano? Why not just imagine them all? You need to practise the skills that you will need for an audience. Playing with a big sound is one of those skills.

What sort of piano is involved here? A concert grand? If so, it could certainly be very loud in a small room. Some pianists use expensive ear plugs. If not, how are you pushing the keys? Is it the volume or the quality of the tone that is objectionable?

I forgot to mention that I do record myself. However, there's nothing like immediate feedback.

theJourney: Yes, that has worried me, too Took some quick measurements just now (this is a radioshack stick meter fixed on my shoulder, so take with appropriate amount of salt):
- fortissimo in Rachmaninoff op.3 no.2 peaked at 97 dB (transition into 3rd section)
- sforzando in opening of Grieg piano sonata peaked at 92
- quietest volume I can play at reliably is ~74, but this piano does not produce good pianissimo at all
Do these sound like reasonable (approximate) levels for a piano? They don't seem out of the ordinary to me, but my knowledge on the subject is limited. The blocking out sound effect starts to happen around 88-90.

The piano in question at the moment is an acoustic I mean upright, and not a great one at that. It's in a not-too-bare room with hardwood floors, and feels somewhat louder than pianos I can readily compare it to (mid-size grands and uprights in padded practice rooms). But this has happened on pretty much all pianos that I've played as far as I remember, including practice room instruments. The offending aspect is definitely the volume - it makes it impossible to evaluate the quality of tone while I'm playing. From what I remember, though (I haven't practiced in a while), the tone isn't a problem when I consult a recording. I will be practicing primarily on a digital for the next few years, but I'll definitely consider the earplugs when I get an acoustic.

Depending on who you reference, those sound levels should not be endured for much longer than an hour per day without ear plugs or other protection.