Functional Balance

Just found a great exercise that synthesises countless elements together in a very simple way. Basically, if you feel even the slightest issue of alignment (eg tightness in the wrist , a collapsed finger or a sense of the arm not being behind the finger) simply let the thumb slide back and rest it down against the piano, below the keys. At this point, perform the softest grasp imaginable and let the thumb and finger slip effortlessly together in a very gentle grasp. Everything should slide smoothly and without any sense of friction into a near effortless but secure balance. I find this both sorts out all the necessary lengthening issues on the chain concept and reduces the single closing action to the faintest minimum required- without any sense of clamping the hand shut into additional tightness. Countless issues (such as the thumb wanting to go up) get resolved with minimal actual thought about what is needed. You can do this both in flattened positions and into more extreme stands. It's possible for any single finger (especially 5) but also great for whole positions. I've been doing it for three note groups in op 10 number 1. It's amazing how quickly it gets rid of those small abstract efforts that the subconscious throws in (to compensate for even the most minute bit of becoming bunched up forwards). Although it develops the active requirements, I've been experiencing more general release than with any relaxation exercises.