Bone Ropes

Hi,

Another concept which have appeared couple of times recently is "Bone Ropes". This is also a technique which I believe I allready have some idea, but it still needs clarification. To me this is mostly an elastic feeling in which fingers feel like ropes contacted to keys. You get this feeling if you keep fingers straight and have a strong grasping with MCP-joints. I also tend to use this kind of technique more when I am on black keys (especially with 4th or 5th fingers). So I suspect that this technique is related to idea of having more contact when you're on the black keys...

Ideas?

thx,

P

Once again, I absolutely agree with PLaine’s question. I think what you understand about it is right on. I understand what you mean about using this technique on the black notes, but for evenness in the quality of sound, I think you would have to do it on the whites as well.

Also, I think, when using fingers as bone ropes, there is less activity in the MCP joint, though it still has to be elastic. It might even look collapsed, but in fact, it is not collapsed.

Is this any help?

Thanks Markeog, makes sense!

You’re right, normally you won’t jump between BR approach and ”normal” curled fingers approach if you wanna keep constant sound and playing feeling. Musical situation calls different technique. I think I would choose BR most typically in soft melody with lot of black keys and perhaps bigger leaps. On the contrary situation like Bach Invention 1 C-major calls more curled fingers and clearly pronounced arch. 

P.S.Btw Bach Invention 1 is a nice piece to experiment with rotation. Sometimes I amuse myself playing it with extreme rotation, where you almost have a feeling of fingers doing nothing. Solid arch is of course a key here.