10 years ago by
A Pianist
A firm arch does in a way restrain this optimal alignement and keeping the hand in this alert mode, like I think you've advocated somewhere, seems to me contraproductive. On the other hand striving for "sceletality" does in itself engender a pretty archlooking posture.
I don't really agree that a firm arch restrains the alignment. I think it depends what leads to the arch. The thumb straightening action in particular has been a real eye-opener about how effortless the arch can be. When the thumb straightens into a key and elevates the knuckles up, willfull firmness scarcely needs to come into it. The action of the thumb makes even the most passive "hanging" knuckles solid and stable almost entirely on its own. Personally, I've been finding them more connected than ever before. In the lessons I had recently with Alan, I discovered just how much wastage was involved in my finger actions. Pre-raising the knuckle before starting to pull the key exposed a lot of holes. However, I'm no longer finding this step is essential (except for very rigorous slow practise). A hanging finger often works just as well.
One thing I've been experimenting with is actually going so far as to stretch the finger out straight before pulling at the key (from a high arch though- so the finger is hanging down at about 45degree- not horizontal). It totally eradicates any slack can spoil the transmission of energy. However, the more I've been working on these preparations, the more I find that a completely passive hanging finger is well primed. When it's working well, it's all down to the quality of the previous supporting finger. If that collapses at all, the next will not be ready. However, the better it forms arch, the less the next finger needs to prepare and the more it automatically hangs in a position of readiness. If I see my fifth knuckle having descended (while not being used), I tend to focus more on the balancing finger that contacts the key (as well as how it interacts with the pull of a released arm), in order to get the fifth to "hang" in a fully primed position. Once balance is restored and the shape is found, I'm confident that the fifth really can just dangle, without any muscles getting involved. It actually feels like substantially less effort when my fifth is in optimal position than when it collapses.
One way I'm starting to look at it is to start to think of whichever finger is in contact with the keys as the primary point of focus. If that works optimally, the rest of the hand tends to form a good shape even when totally limp. The next finger stops having to prepare the knuckle and just ends up hanging at the ready. I think the optimal arch is not a synthetically formed shape of the kind you make away the piano, but the product of the perfect interaction with the keybed- ie. neither too much or two little pressure. The better that contact works, the more passively the rest of the arch occurs and sustains itself. However- all it takes is a single collapse for the whole thing to fall apart. Once it's gone, it's gone.
