Longevity as a Keyboardist

[CHarrell]

Yesterday, I was listening to a recording of Lalo Schifrin's Gillespania suite that he did in either the late 90s or early 00s with the WDR Big Band, and was hearing him do some slick playing. I was enjoying it but then my mind flashed to more recent interviews with him, where it seems that he can barely play the piano anymore, and it got me sad. Then my mind flashed to seeing Herbie play last year, whose playing is still so nimble, lucid, and exciting. 

 

All of this got me thinking: as long as I have arms and hands, I want to play the keys for the rest of my life. I know there's a fair amount of people here who've been playing actively for decades, and are now in their golden years. For those people, what did you do, do you do, to maintain your playing ability over the years? I'm only 30 now, but I want to be proactive and take potential steps now so I can be like you as I advance in age! 

[ProfD]

15 minutes ago, CHarrell said:

I'm only 30 now, but I want to be proactive and take potential steps now so I can be like you as I advance in age! 

There is no magic pill to longevity.  A lot of it comes down to genetics.

 

Otherwise, a few things can help you live a longer and healthier life:

 

1) Avoid an unhealthy lifestyle

2) Minimize contact with negative people

3) Diet

4) Exercise

5)  Routine physical exams

 

Again, there are no guarantees to longevity but the above is a great place to start.😎

[brenner13]

If I knew I was going to live this long….

[Konnector]

It's impossible to predict what may or may not happen to you 20, 30, or 40 years from now. For example, some people develop arthritis later in life. Some don't. Some break their bones and don't recover 100%. Best thing is using proper technique so it doesn't create problems later. Everything else is pretty much outa your control. I'm 65, my fingers are nice and straight and function as well as they ever did. Some aren't so lucky. 

[Outkaster]

I know a ton of musicians, and 90% of them are not in shape. Partially because most of them were never into sports or had practiced unhealthy lifestyles I understand why because being healthy or staying in shape doesn't fit the musician lifestyle.  I know because my 46 years in the martial arts was something that took a backseat sometimes or the gigs never lined up when I was supposed to be at class or a belt testing.  It was very or sometimes still is hard to manage.  I couldn't do tournaments or take certain gigs because of the class in scheduling of my interests.  I guess it depends on what you want to focus on, but you will get older. As someone said above there aren't guarantees.  Putting energy into some form of exercise is a great thing. 

[ElmerJFudd]

Play most days of the week and never stop.  Keeps the hands strong and nimble.   Don’t bang, don’t work harder than you need to.  Keep good form in the hands, arms, shoulders and back. Posture is important.  
 

Eat healthy, stay away from foods and drinks that aren’t good for athletes, or anyone really.   Stay mobile, get the knee or hip replacement when the time comes.   Be active and walk, ride, jog every day.  

[Delaware Dave]

When i was in my mid 30's my wife asked me how much longer i intended to gig.  She thought i looked rather ridiculous on stage entertaining crowds still in their 20's and me being the oldest one in the band.  I told her when the band broke up i was done.  When that band broke up i quit playing for about 3 months and started hosting jams in my basement with some excellent mix of talented musicians.  After a few of those my asked me when i was going to get back into a band and get the musicians out of the house. That was about 30 years ago. Currently doing 50-60 shows/year and we probably turn down about 15 shows every year just to get some "downtime". I was doing regional touring with one band (Connecticut to Alabama) but gave that up a little over a year ago.

[Docbop]

It's a crap shoot and some people did all the "right" things and gone or hands wore out.   Then people who just lived how they wanted and still around doing whatever they want.   If anything I think stress is a big factor to mental and physical health. 

[David Emm]

Eh, time and unforeseen occurrence befall us all. My personal saving grace has been controllers that baby your hands. Some bemoan the loss when heavy keys become unwieldy, but I still have ample muscle memory from years of playing piano. Once in a while, I write something whose liveliness stems directly from my early, Jerry Lee Wannabe years. I miss part of the tactile experience, but a) I can still play enough to compose just fine and b) the lighter keys allow me to produce a few lickety-split things that once required bigger piano biceps I no longer possess. 

 

Besides, brass sections, exotic bell moments and harp flurries don't demand that level of finger-punch out of you anyway. Kewl.

[David Emm]

Enjoy life, but avoid snorting a line of coke from an intimate section of a stripper. I can give you 5 or 6 examples of why that's ill-advised.

 

Same thing with alcohol. Its the only drug of which I know that can make you so stupid, you get sent home in a series of Mason jars. 😬🤨

[CHarrell]

Thanks for all of your input so far!

 

  

1 hour ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Don’t bang, don’t work harder than you need to.

 

I get concerned about this because I'm a pretty aggressive player. How do you know the difference between playing with force versus overexerting yourself?

 

16 minutes ago, David Emm said:

avoid snorting a line of coke from an intimate section of a stripper.

 

Oh now you tell me!?!?

[drawback]

2 hours ago, ProfD said:

There is no magic pill to longevity.  A lot of it comes down to genetics.

 

Otherwise, a few things can help you live a longer and healthier life:

 

1) Avoid an unhealthy lifestyle

2) Minimize contact with negative people

3) Diet

4) Exercise

5)  Routine physical exams

 

Again, there are no guarantees to longevity but the above is a great place to start.😎

Agree with all points above – and I'll add 'try to keep a positive attitude' in general. Not much you can do about arthritis (thumbs for years n years) and I'm at the beginning stage of Dupuytren Contracture which will take me out for hand surgery at some unknown future time. I have a regular piano gig, I'm 72, have never stopped playing and don't plan to... until they carry me out. 

[D. Gauss]

Fwiw, the keyboard player in my Monday night band is 82 or 83. He played with Hendrix, is in the Montery Pop Festival movie, and is still schlepping his rig to gigs. 

[cassdad]

Keith Richards says it doesn’t matter….  😃

[mcgoo]

Frankly, at 63, I'm more worried about my ears than my hands. I mostly use in ears now so I can turn those blasted drummers and guitar players down. I can't reverse the loss suffered so far, but I can at least slow further decline. 

[Adan]

My italian grandmother would say "if you gotta you health, you gotta everything. if you don' gotta you health, you gotta nothin." She made it to 94 and her mind was sharp as a tack when her body finally gave out. great singer too, right to the end. 

[wineandkeyz]

2 hours ago, drawback said:

I'm at the beginning stage of Dupuytren Contracture which will take me out for hand surgery at some unknown future time.

I wish you well in your surgery. I’ve had two surgeries for Dupuytren’s in the past 12 years or so on the same finger (my left pinky). Both surgeries were successful — I was back to gigging within about 4-5 weeks each time — but I suspect it will be back in a few years.

[ElmerJFudd]

2 hours ago, CHarrell said:

Thanks for all of your input so far!

 

  

 

I get concerned about this because I'm a pretty aggressive player. How do you know the difference between playing with force versus overexerting yourself?

Your wrists and elbows shouldn’t develop stress injuries from playing the piano.  

[timwat]

In no particular order:

 

• protect your hearing. All the practicing and chops in the world won't help if you can't hear. Unless you're Beethoven. And chances are you're not and neither am I.
• drink less. The presence of one thing in a man's life predicts unhappiness better than any other factor: alcohol
• be curious about music you don't like. don't give in to the peers who suggest certain music sucks. keep your personal ears open and curious and be humble to grant there may be something to learn in that strange awful noise. or, it might be crap. but give it a fair shake first.
• become proficient in styles and genres you aren't...yet.
• stay reasonably fit and put on a decent amount of full-body muscle. Another very large predictor of overall health in old age.
• practice regularly. a professional appreciates the privilege of practicing their instrument for hours at a time. an amateur sees it as a duty, not a privilege.
• take lessons from a competent teacher that you connect with (for some of the things you've mentioned, and some of the things on this list).
• learn good fingering fundamentals (or relearn them). Some of this only comes from classical piano repertoire (in my experience). 
• get good at relating to, connecting interpersonally, and having friendships with younger musicians...as human beings. 

 

Might be a redundant or stupid list. 

 

But my 0.02

 

 

 

[MathOfInsects]

I peaked late. I'm hoping it means I can count on living to 147. 

[Keepitsimple]

10 hours ago, ProfD said:

There is no magic pill to longevity.  A lot of it comes down to genetics.

 

Otherwise, a few things can help you live a longer and healthier life:

 

1) Avoid an unhealthy lifestyle

2) Minimize contact with negative people

3) Diet

4) Exercise

5)  Routine physical exams

 

Again, there are no guarantees to longevity but the above is a great place to start.😎

I agree with this.

 

I'll add: Watch your B 12 deficiency as well.

[JamPro]

The techniques of classical pianists are designed to prevent injuries and allow a life-time of playing.  Learn how to sit properly at the keyboard.  Learn the proper hand position at the keyboard.  Sitting correctly and proper hand position are foundational for injury-free playing.  Learn how to properly lift and drop the hand onto the keyboard; pay attention to your hand-wrist alignment; learn forearm rotational technique; figure out what playing with arm-weight means.  You learn these things to help you relax the hand and arm while playing, and being relaxed will not only help you to play faster and with greater dynamics, it will also help you prevent injuries.

 

I have heard from a couple of different life-long pianists how they got injured by their dedication to the piano, and had to relearn how to play in ways that would not re-injure themselves.  I figured it was better to doing the learning now and forego the injuries.

[Coker]

Just like in “real” life, as we age, we develop wisdom to replace other characteristics of youth, like strength and speed. More nuanced playing may replace speed and strength. I embrace it and no longer envy those with lightning speed. 
 

And don’t forget to conserve your hearing!

[JimboKeys]

For gigging keyboard players like us, it's not just continuing to play our instruments well, but also being physically able to schlep equipment (the above notes about keeping fit apply).  Also being able to drive to gigs - i have some older friends (not musos) whose eyesight and/or reaction time have gotten to where they no longer feel they can drive safely.

 

So we can just treasure the time while we are still able to perform.

 

-- Jimbo

[Reezekeys]

1 hour ago, JimboKeys said:

For gigging keyboard players like us, it's not just continuing to play our instruments well, but also being physically able to schlep equipment

 

Physically and mentally. Hence my journey from CP70s and Rhodes to a 10 lb 61-key plastic controller and 12 lb PPAs. Right now I could bring more or heavier gear to a gig - I just don't want to.

 

Hopefully the nursing home will have a decent piano - no worries about driving or schlepping then! (Who am I kidding? My retirement savings might pay for 2 weeks in one of those places!) 🙂 

[re Pete]

14 hours ago, drawback said:

Agree with all points above – and I'll add 'try to keep a positive attitude' in general. Not much you can do about arthritis (thumbs for years n years) and I'm at the beginning stage of Dupuytren Contracture which will take me out for hand surgery at some unknown future time. I have a regular piano gig, I'm 72, have never stopped playing and don't plan to... until they carry me out. 

Me too. Right after needing to take statins I started to develop Dupuytrens. Very depressing. 

[Old No7]

Some really good info above.

 

As for me, I hope to never stop playing, and what I can add are these thoughts.

 

For the hands & wrists:

"Motion is lotion" is what my wife's Doc tells her -- use it, or lose it.  Stay active, at the keyboard and away from it.  Walking is good for the mind too, so they say.

 

To reduce inflammation:

I've posted here before of having great results reducing inflammation and pains in my hands & wrists (caused by overworking on non-keyboarding tasks) by taking Turmeric with Curcumin as a daily supplement.  It's a powerful & natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and some say it improves arthritic symptoms as well.

 

Old No7

[cphollis]

Living as I do in a popular retirement destination, you get to see how everyone is doing at 70+.  I'm 65, so it's sort of a preview.

 

Based on my observations, it looks like when you're in the mid-70s that the wheels start to come off the bus in earnest for most performing musicians I meet, despite justifiable precautions.  Very few perform at local gigs after age 75.  I think it just gets too hard, and the juice isn't worth the squeeze anymore.

 

As far as self-care, I had a late start but it's paying off beautifully now.  I now feel healthier in mind, body and spirit than at any other time that I can remember.  It's worth the time and effort.

 

 

[ProfD]

4 minutes ago, cphollis said:

...it looks like when you're in the mid-70s that the wheels start to come off the bus in earnest....Very few perform at local gigs after age 75.

Considering that average life expectancy in the US is 76 years, being able to to play or perform or attend a gig post-70 years old is a bonus round.😁😎

[Leroy C]

1 hour ago, Reezekeys said:

(Who am I kidding? My retirement savings might pay for 2 weeks in one of those places!) 🙂 

Just buy a grand piano instead.