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Left hand technique problem

Technique and methods 2 posts Started 18 Jan 2017

A pianist

Original post
Its only this year that I am beginning to aware of the tension, unease and unevenness in my right hand in running passage, scales, appegios It is rather strange because everything I am having trouble with my right, my left hand can do it with ease and evenness. I am currently reading through the Craft of Piano Playing trying to find a solution to my problem. So far, I haven't been able to. I made a video which I did scales, and running passages with both hands separately() From the video, the unevenness of right hand seems to come from the raising of the third finger when my 5th finger plays the keyboard. Also I noticed that my 4th finger is touching the key when my 5th finger plays( in the passage of ascending c to g and descending g to c) where in contrast, my 4th finger always lift on my left hand whenever I play my 5th finger. This cause me to think whether Is this because of unnecessary pull in my middle finger (although it feels natural) or weak middle finger or the release of my fourth finger that is causing the problem? What are some of the ways in which I can practice to change it? Another problem with my right hand is the passing of thumb under fingers or rather moving my 4th fingers over the thumb when playing the last passage in the video(Appegio like passage found in Ravel's Jeau D'eau coda) I noticed that my 4th finger is not raised high enough compared to my right hand and playing the turn(thumb to 4th finger) feel awkward. This led me to think that it might possible that it is related to the problem above. I am also thinking whether if its due to the movement of my thumb that is hindering the turn. Any advice and help would really be appreciated!

Alanfraserpiano

I took a quick look at your video. It is difficult to say from this distance what your problem is, but I do notice that your right hand is more "claw-like" than your left. You are trying to hold the right fingers in their curved shape, using quite a lot of stiffening energy, even before you start to play. This of course will screw things up and make it difficult for them to move easily. Your left fingers don't appear to have that problem. AFF

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