Technique and methods
24 posts
Started 18 Jan 2017
A
Alanfraserpiano
Sorry about the rather strange, late night answer I gave yesterday. I mean there's a lack of finger action. I definitely do NOT mean there is too much. Your second question hits it bang on. Lack of finger action makes all sorts of other muscles overwork in an attempt to take up the slack, to compensate.
I don't even know why I said your problem sounds like it might be more severe than average. It was a sheer gut reaction.
I guess all you can do is take for what it's worth and act accordingly...
Question three: slap your fingerpads as vigorously as you can agains the heel of your hand. Do it so quickly that it makes a clapping sound. There! You are now moving your fingers!
Keep those questions and impressions coming!
AFF
A
A pianist
You mean that I have to try to activate the fingers regardless the problem is average or severe? I haven't really understood what that 'take for what it's worth' meant...
It's no big deal if this is what activation means. But if you hold your hand in the playing position you haven't got all that space to cock your fingers back and move them with high speed towards the key you are about to stroke. How can you translate this kind of movement when you actually play the piano?
When reading your first reply I thought that my problem was rather related to the force with which I pressed the key(I thought that lack of finger action meant that I wasn't using enough force). Now I understand that finger activation doesn't necessary equate high pressure applied to the keys. However in the same reply you said that it could be possible to use too much force and only 10% of it would be enough to make the piano sound good. I'm quite confused....fingers aren't active however the force I use to play the piano is too high.....maybe when I will see the DVD and come to the masterclasses things will clear out...
A
Alanfraserpiano
You have expressed well one of the basic problems of piano playing. I have my students lift their fingers to activate them, but that vitalization of the fingers must often then be internalized...
The force is too high if it is the wrong type of force. Pressure does not equal activation. In Tai Chi the other day my teacher Sam was describing the quality of the blow in a punch: "You have maximum power, then at the moment of impact YOU DO NOT KEEP MOVING FORWARD. It is already over. You can hit very hard and instantaneously have a touch as light as a feather on your opponent." With this kind of punch you can break bones easily but there is no pressure. That's what makes the energy transmission efficient.
A little clearer?
AFF
PS about 'take it for what it's worth:' I meant, take my advice as seriously as you feel it - dismiss it if you feel it doesn't fit your situation.
A
A pianist
Just received the DVD and the study guide. My conclusion is that the force is too high if it is not focused where it should be. It is useless to increase the force 2,3 even 4 times the ammount you presently use if the key does not receive it. However, if the fingers are activated, a tiny ammount of effort could lead to a "full blow" while maintaining a relaxed wrist and arm.
I think this is what you were trying to say.
After doing that "dead bird" drill and treating the weight of the forearm as a mean to release the tension from the wrist, I noticed a few things: the weight of my right arm causes my right shoulder to constantly "change its mind". It keeps searching for his "right place". It goes up, it goes down, forwards, backwards, it gets tensed, then laxed. I guess I am doing this automatically....pretty strange...the problem was already present(I used to feel my shoulder trying to fight the tension sometimes) but I think the drills from your DVD made me more aware of the problem. Can the shoulder be educated so it won't permanently try to lift the weight of the forearm and just let it float?
A
Alanfraserpiano
A wonderful description of the kinesthetic learning process - your shoulder is searching because it to place it in the right place, let your senses slowly lead and guide your shoulder there. It will cease the search of its own accord when it finds its comfort. This will happen only when many changes take place elsewhere - changes that finally allow the shoulder to organize itself well. This organization takes place in relation to everything else.
As for your first observations, yes, this is very definitely what I was trying to say!
Tx,
AFF
A
A pianist
However the initial matter isn't clear yet. The transition between 4 and 5 is not smooth enough in order to be regarded as "legato". The 5th finger barely reaches the D while the 4th slips off the black key when the hand tries to move on towards the D. For a couple of days I thought that if I had longer fingers I could reach the note more easily (PS my 5th finger is 8.3 cm from the knuckle to the very tip). But I think that the problem is rather related to the considerable distance between Bb2 and D3, considering that these 2 notes are going to be played with the 4th and 5th. You'll never be able to obtain such an extension between 4 and 5 as you can between 1 and 2. So...what should I do...can this be solved with practice? I do succeed in reaching that D, however my 5th doesn't press the key right on the middle only if use the pad.
And regarding the individualisation of the thumb. Do you recommend letting it permanently touch the white keys as you play? This seems a little bit unconventional because if you would apply the same philosophy to the other fingers this means that as you play with your 3rd for instance the 2nd and 4th touch their coresponding keys.
A
A pianist
Do you use rotation to help the 5th finger reach it's key? Watch the rotation chapter in the DVD - with a rotated hand you should be able to simulatenously play (with 4th and 5th) even Bb and E and maybe even as far as F.
If you are not used to it you might find it an awkward coordination and it will probably sound bad the first few times you try it, but it sounds great once you get the hang of it.
A
Alanfraserpiano
Watch the video of Kemal Gekic playing a Mozart string quartet on YouTube. There you'll see just how much you CAN cock the fingers even when you "don't have much space" or time...
It's a lovely performance in every respect... by the way, that's the filmmaker bruno Monsaingeon playing viola!
AFF
A
Alanfraserpiano
Thanks Zack for your apposite advice: rotation is indeed the way to go.
You don't apply the same philosophy (except sometimes) for the other fingers because they are very different in their structure. Only the thumb has such a great capacity to raise itself inappropriately. Look again at the pianistic co-dependence chapter. Most often when the other fingers raise themselves it is for a good cause: cocking the metacarpals...
AFF
A
A pianist
She plays with a very collapsed arch. In most of the passages she attacks the keys with the pad of the finger. I finally managed to reach the D, however I don't use rotation. I either collapse a little or lean the 4th finger(the tip remains straight while the "body" of the finger curves rightwards) towards right so I can get to press the D key at the very edge. I try to avoid using the pads as much as I can. It just doesn't seem orthodox to me. The matter gets more difficult when playing this as an ascending/descending broken chord. When I get to descend I have to find a way to reach the Bb with the 4th. I usually rotate the hand a bit(rightwards and towards the ceiling) or curve the 4th pretty in the same manner I am doing it while ascending. All the same I will rewatch the chapter about the co-dependence and rotation. Yet I am curious if this is a common problem among pianists or it's just related to hand and finger size...
And regarding the thumb that permanently touches the white keys...I will try implementing that dough it feels and looks quite strange. I can't imagine playing a whole piece like that or playing broken chords where black keys are also involved. I guess this is happening because it's new stuff for me. Once practiced enough I hope it will improve the independence between the index and the thumb.
I will come to the Conference and maybe after you will actually see me playing that problematic fragment my difficulty will become much clearer.
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