Starting The Journey

I started chapter 1 from DVD and I am doing the exercises. I don't know why is this, but I am studying an arrangement for Shubert - Serenade, and I don't feel discomfort, but feel weak, kind of like using too much effort for the sound I am producing. (By the way, I am studying on the keyboard, my piano is really out of tune and important notes don't sound, hopefully fixing this soon but I also feel the same when playing this page on my classes) I am also learning a piece written for a soundtrack of a movie, Twilight. Bella's Lullaby is called, I am just focusing on the right hand, and even though the right hand is something that can be considered simple, even for me, but playing it gets my lower arm numb. It's just single notes, sometimes some chords in some measures. I also get thesame numbness sensation and discomfort when practicing Czerny exercises. I have noticed that I have that misunderstanding of the "weight-arm" school. That I am moving my arm for moving my fingers, specially in the right hand, where is the problem and losing the arch, I sometimes see my hand and see I am playing flat. I am not sure how is the arch generally, but sometimes I see my hand and definitely that must be wrong. Any opinions welcome. Thanks

Hi Lyus91 I'm in no position to give you advice but I can share my own experience. First it's important to watch the DVD carefully in detail.In the exercises try to feel how loose and relaxed Alan is (most of the time). The thai-chi walking is done gently and without tension almost like an experiment in sensing the arch.The idea as I see it is not to do the opposite of the armweightschool but to integrate arch&sceletality with the powerful armweight more efficiently. Even if you'll probably notice some immediate progress the process takes time and there is no use at all to try to go fast that would be counteractive. It took me about half a year to see prospects of amazing results and another six months to realize that it's a constant process there is no end. And that's not so bad the "improving" never ends.... Eric

Thank you Eric for a very fine reply - nice when other forum members can do my job for me! I would only add that if you are feeling numbness with a simple piece as you describe, then really take a break; do less playing and more remedial exercise work. You describe your problem well, and it is a common one - the misunderstood interpretation of the arm weight school. There's more about it in my second book but you'll have to wait a few more months for that one. But different people experience different degrees of difficulty related to this problem, and yours seems quite high. Thus I would advise doing my exercises for awhile and not trying to integrate them into playing just yet. Stay with the exercises purely, for at least 2 weeks, maybe even a month. If you are feeling numbness, then the new neuromotor image you seek to create of what it is to play the piano is going to be VERY different from the one you now possess. Give yourself the chance to really grow the new image... Good luck and let me know how you get on... AFF