'Thumbing' A Lift

I'm an adult beginner/'returner', mostly beginner. I videod my playing recently and can see a very obvious problem. In my right hand (I'm left handed), if the thumb isn't playing, my thumb goes into a "thumbing a lift" position. Worryingly, you can see the muscle tension in my forearm whenever it happens. It looks quite awful and was totally unexpected. I've tried having practice sessions where I play slowly, RH only, watching my thumb trying to let it relax. I've also tried the 3-point intervention tor re-establish the arch. But when I play "for real" the problem returns. How should I set about curing this?

OK, so you've looked at the entire thumb chapter in my film but it still acts up. You've come up against a basic fact: it is NOT EASY to retrain the neuromotor system! You have to go slow, and give yourself more time not 'playing' but practicing under tempo, cultivating the new skeletal organization. And really pay attention to your 2nd finger. Try flattening it, sticking it into the key and sliding it in and out while pressing firmly, all the time keeping your thumb under it and forcing your thumb not to rise. More and more parts of your musculature have to take part in the new organization until it's so global that your thumb finally feels surrounded by support and can let go. So you should tackle the problem in two contrasting ways: 1) low levels of effort to cultivate increased sensitivity to what you are doing. 2) high levels of effort to help a new organization integrate into real actions... Good luck! AFF

So you should tackle the problem in two contrasting ways: 1) low levels of effort to cultivate increased sensitivity to what you are doing. 2) high levels of effort to help a new organization integrate into real actions... I like this advice. I've been applying what I'm learning from the DVD to Chopin's chromatic scale etude (Op. 10, No. 2). I feel really encouraged for a while, but then when I go for broke I tire out and deviate from The Plan. These two tips suggest something other than mere SLOW and FAST practice. How cool is that. Gotta go try it. Where's that piano...

By the way, there is a post in MASTER PIANO VIDEO DISCUSSION GROUP about Richter's Op 10 #2, maybe you'd enjoy reading my take on his amazing hand in that work... Gotta go find my piano!!! AFF