Voicing chords

Or slightly early... AFF

Aha! Andrew, now you've chosen to grapple with a CANADIAN on hockey issues! BIG mistake!! As it turns out, one of the revolutions in hockey occurred in the 60's when Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks introduced the slap shot. And one of the skills today's players develop is being able to bring as much control to bear on the puck in the instant of contact in a slap shot as one would have in the more traditional wrist shot. AFF Ah, interesting! I didn't realise that was used in ice hockey. I heard that in regular (field) hockey the players are supposed to to push rather than swipe at the ball, although perhaps there are some exceptions there? Anyway, I don't quite understand the physics that govern these things but I think there are examples on either side. Obviously, 'pushing' a baseball into motion will not come close to what is possible through hitting it with a bat. However, I'm quite certain that more kinetic energy could be applied to a trolley with a push, than by hitting it with a baseball bat. I don't personally rule out dropping motions onto the keys, but I do feel that it's a little misleading to assume that while quiet sounds will always start from close pressure, a run-up would be necessarily be required for the loud sounds. The same for voicing chords - I want to be able to voice them with perfect equality - i.e. I want to be CAPABLE. Much of my "method" (if we can call it that) stems from increasing awareness of physical sensation in order to finally be more capable of controlling aural sensation. The ear is always the most precise instrument, but we can stimulate its development to finer levels of control and perception through introducing increased awareness of other modes of sensation - kinesthetic or in Bob's case, visual (his technique is something I have used to positive effect as well). These other modes aim to enhance the aural not supplant it. Thanks for a thoughtful and thought-provoking post! AFF Yeah, I see what you mean. I suppose that I don't think enormously differently, but I personally aim to start with alllround full-bodiedness of tone (without any notably weak notes) rather than necessarily complete equality. I do remain a bit skeptical, but I haven't had the chance to try it on a decent regulated grand. Obviously it's a bit different on my aging Bluthner upright.

Thanks Bob, As usual I printed out the valuable info.. What I meant was what happens with the sound after the strike of the hammer is there a difference in the aftersound if you keep the hammer closer to the string and further down from the string? I fortunately have a wellbalanced mecanism for the moment so Ill try this out as an eastern-exercise. Eric

I absolutely agree - a run-up is one option but far from the only one, and in most cases not the one you want to use as your basic generic approach... It all depends on where you're coming from: do you tend to play vigorously and need to hug the keys more for a finer control of your tone, or do you tend to stifle yourself, dig into the key too much, and cramp up, in which case you might want to open your hand up by swinging your finger high before bringing it into its key... AFF

According to the article linked below, Bobby Hull did not introduce the slap shot, although he certainly developed his to a very high level. I had the pleasure of seeing him use it at the Chicago Stadium, including during the game in which he scored his 50th (51st?) goal of the season (I think that's the record he had achieved when we stood cheering for at least ten minutes). John

I don't play hockey, so I can't address it other than it appears to be very violent--must be a game that Liszt could have used to tear into his pianos? I think if I knew how to skate and was in a game, I'd last about 2 seconds, or if I have time to run away, five! Regarding equal playing of chords. Seldom will we want to play it equally--we bring out one voice or another; however it says something I think, to be able to do it. I'm talking about subtle nuances. Of course we use our ears, the touch, but for someone having difficulty, adding being able to see what note is being leaned into or not, may be helpful. I'm thinking too of some final, very loud chords that need equal voices in loudness of each tone (coming from a choral background). You may think you are doing it, but you'd be surprised how one finger may not be doing what you want. It may sound okay, but might sound better if it is equal with the other notes. A visual way is sort of the same way as feeling it--we see with our ears and hear with our eyes. It can be used as an aid in the seeing with our ears. Perhaps the most important part is as Alan referred: to be able to do it if needed or wanted. In my playing if I want to bring out an inner voice, but just barely, this technique really helps. It only takes a few times to get the feel. So, why not use three senses, touch, hearing , and sight, versus only two. And as I said, it is a very subtle thing--I'm talking about probably a difference of 1-2 grams of touch weight. This is one way to achieve balance without having someone sit out in the hall to give you the same feedback. Bob T

Eric, once the hammer strikes the string it's all over. However, the way the "follow through" as in golf is done has a great deal to do with tonal production. The hammer has to be caught and held someplace and that place will determine how much power it takes to get it back to the string. A note can be played forte, all the way done to the keybed or it can be played almost on top of the key. Learning to play at the point just before the hammer is let loose is something to notice. You have to take time to learn that particular piano, where the "ledge" is, how much weight when playing softly will make a tone, versus an embarassing thump *not enough strike force used to get the hammer to the string. If you look at a grand piano, on the return the hammer is not back to it's resting place until you let go of the key and even then, it does not rest on the felt that is behind it. This makes it possible to play the note again, quickly, without lifting the fingers high and out of the key. On an upright, you must do the opposite. To play the note a second time, you must let it fall back to its rest rail. So where that hammer is caught before it is played again, does make a difference. But these technical things take place without us knowing it if we have a "good piano" & understand that the fingers must be lifted off the key for each note played on an upright, but it isn't that way for playing on a grand piano. That's part of the magic of the grand, especially when doing legato. Bob

Hi Bob! Thanks. I'm actually concentrating 100% on these matters so your post was very welcome. Since I got my Fazioli228 I have gradually sized down the amount of effort and my eyes are fixed on the hammers. Oddly my wife told me that the sound is larger and more distinct even in a hall while my effort is down 99%. Probably I can downsize another 99%. Understanding that a bad action or an upright action requires different technique is crucial I never really did that distiction. So the instrument does have an importance after all there are not only bad pianists... That's what they don't teach at Harvard. Eric

The interesting thing about that article is that players swear that a shot can be either fast or hard and these are two distinct, verifiable qualities. The physicist says, "no that's not possible..." Now where have I heard something similar??? Something about key speeds and that the ONLY thing that can affect tone and volume is the velocity of the key... In both cases the physicists have 'the answer' but the answer is not borne out in practice... Thanks for the article, John. By the way, it was the 51st goal. For the 50th the only gave him a 5-minute standing ovation... Alan

Hi Alan! I re-read the blog about the Horowitz-Steinway experience and I find it just fascinating. A friend of mine tried it and thought it was "junk". Never beleived that and your blog confirmes that even maybe one of the best living pianists (Kemal) is prepared to review his approach. Funny thing is that your "new" way of thinking is something I've heard now and than from pianotechnicians, some of which just are laughing over the way pianists treat their instrument. I've noticed that some autodidacts naturally adapt a similar approach. Do you implement this "new concept" when playing on more standardized instruments? Is it just that the hammers are harder like in older instruments? Another amazing post in the blog is that flat extended finger pushing (what I may call Kemal's basic touch?) forward with the arch totally collapsed. I've tried that for a while and the result is just amazing. It really helps the 2nd finger and thumb to get functional and the sound changes substantially. Even when going back to a more standing position the effect is still there. Could you develop this way of playing a little more here? Best regards Eric