[Grammar] Play the piano hard

[Snappy]

Is it okay to say, "He is playing the piano very hard," to mean that he is playing the piano earnestly.
Does "He is playing the piano very hard" mean he is playing it with a strong touch?

 

[azcl]

***Not a teacher***

Does "He is playing the piano very hard" mean he is playing it with a strong touch?

This is how I would understand it - to me it means pressing the keys very hard and thus producing a loud sound.

What is wrong with using your other suggestion - 'He is playing the piano earnestly' (if you mean seriously and with determined concentration).

Kind regards
Ade

 

[bhaisahab]

Is it okay to say, "He is playing the piano very hard," to mean that he is playing the piano earnestly? No.
Does "He is playing the piano very hard" mean he is playing it with a strong touch? It's more likely to mean this.

I don't find "He's playing the piano very hard" to be a very natural sentence. Do you want to say that he practises a lot?

 

[Snappy]

Thanks!

Let me confirm one more thing.

Can I say, "He practices the piano very hard" to mean that he is practicing the piano earnestly?

 

[azcl]

Thanks!

Let me confirm one more thing.

Can I say, "He practices the piano very hard" to mean that he is practicing the piano earnestly?

***Not a teacher***

Hi Snappy,

If you are using the verb, it takes an 's' - practise, whereas the noun takes a 'c' - practice.

In some situations, you use 'hard' to indicate putting a lot of effort into something 'he works hard', 'he is training hard for the triathlon'. However, with activities that are considered delicate, it is less likely to be used. You would be understood if you used the expression 'He practises the piano very hard', but it would not really be used by a native speaker. You are more likely to hear a native speaker saying:
'He works hard at his piano practice' (if you want to get the word 'hard' in there)
or
'He practises the piano diligently'
or 'He practises the piano with great dedication'
etc

Ade

 

[MrPedantic]

1. To practise the piano hard

I would say that often where you hear "to practise hard", the object of practice is understood from the context and therefore omitted, e.g.

2. You'll have to practise harder.
3. He always practises very hard.
4. You will be a fine pianist one day, if you practise hard.

This sentence on the other hand:

5. He is playing the piano very hard.

might be understood to mean

6. He is playing (the piano) with a very heavy touch.

Best wishes,

MrP