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Hey all,

So I know now that there's one thing always lacking in my playing, regardless of inward hearing, arm weight, all of that. It's the sharp articulation and clarity that all professionals have.

Is there any way to acquire this? No matter how much time I spend practicing, I lack that articulation. I'm not sure which part of the body it might stem from or how to achieve this. I also wonder how we're supposed to involve the arm and still manage a sharp articulation.
Thoughts?

Oh, and I'm working on the Ondine.. so basically I'm committing pianistic seppuku.

Do you play cleanly (i.e. you don't run adjacent notes into each other due to 'lazy fingers' that are slow to release)?

Can you play fast scales and passages staccato but evenly? If you haven't tried, this is a good exercise to develop strong, clear articulation. Also, play scales - legato & staccato - with crescendo up the keyboard and diminuendo back down, and vice versa. And then again, both of them, while mid-scale. Then make the crescendos and diminuendos really steep. You'll soon find how to 'apply' force on the keys while playing, yet keeping things smooth - you don't want bumpiness in your passagework - thereby bringing out the clarity and 'sharpness' in your playing.

And don't forget rhythm, which should always be clear.

BTW, whose Ondine?

Adding to Bennevis's post, have your tech take a close look at your damper system. The damper up-stop-rail alone can make clear articulation very difficult.

Adding to the above, pay close attention to your pedalling. I know I sometimes go on autopilot with the pedal instead of paying close attention to it.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

Edit: another thought- Do you have a lazy finger? Oddly enough, my 2nd fingers are my laziest despite their strength. For some people it's their third fingers. I have to pay extra attention to them or I'm come off the notes too fast. Baaaddd finger!!

Sharp articulation is probably not your worst pianistic problem. Post a recording of yourself, and we can point out everything you do wrong

Most of my articulation work is from the arm. The fingers are involved of course, but if I don't drive from the arm then I don't get enough energy to really highlight articulations.
A 2-note slur is down-up in the arm.
Staccatos are from the elbow by default (personal preference), from the wrist or finger only if necessary.
Tenutos and accents are arm drops with different amounts of weight.
etc.

See, this is fascinating to me. Whenever I can do the weight drop correctly, I feel like everything is east - but 99.5% of the time, I can't because when I let my arm drop, the key is either too stiff or too lax - I never feel like the key is fat and sharp/controlled. I'm not sure why.

You can practice release. Play the chords in a piece as blocks and release them in tempo.