Chopin's Nocturne In Bb Minor

For the bass clef, first measure, do I really play the Bb with my pinky, F with my index, the Db with my thumb, the Bb with my index and then the F with my thumb? It's quite the stretch and I can do it but it feels awkward. I mean, I can still salvage some of my arc potency but the need to stretch robs me from maximum arc potency, which leads my hand to feel really awkward. Oh and while I'm posting here.... I wanted to know the name of the piece you spoke about during your lesson on staccatos. From my understanding, it was Staccato's of Gracofia? I can't find it anywhere though...

If you look at my DVD chapter on rotation to increase the span of the hand on the keyboard, you'll notice that I don't really look like I'm maintaining the arch. But looks can be deceiving. When I turn my hand sideways like that to increase the stretch, my hand stays vital in its internal activity. The arch doesn't have to be HIGH to be functional (I show that somewhere else in the film). Even a tiny impulse to raise the metacarpal-phalangeal, even a millimeter, is enough to empower the arch and make it functional. So: do you turn your hand sideways to do this left hand figuration? At what point in my film are you talking about? All the music I play is in the credits at the end - I don't know which 'staccato lesson' you refer to... All the best, AFF

It was called Gracofia Staccata In the bird beak section

Aha! PROKOFIEV TOCCATA! That's the piece you're thinking about. It's his Opus 11. A great work! AFF

Oh! Another question on rotation... What is the role of the 5th finger in using rotation to accomplish long stretches? Do I keep it straight or do I keep it curved? My mind likes to straighten it to achieve more reach... Especially for that 3 octave arppeggiation that you do.

Your instinct is correct - straightening it will most often be more convenient. Because of the position, although it is straight there is hardly a chance that the top joint will empty out - it stays potent and working well... AFF