Technique and methods

I do not understand what is going on this year my right hand started feeling like it was constantly tired after practicing and my sound was coming out as if it were forced. I was under ALOT of nervous tension and I am wo...

This is directed mostly towards Alan and I was going to send it as a personal message, but I decided that it might be useful for other people and that any other feedback would be helpful for me. Alan, In Bonn you s...

As I was practicing today I noticed a strange thing: both of my hands are quite unstable in the sense that for each finger action there is a tiny "hop" which makes the whole structure jump away from the keyboard. It's no...

Recently I've been utilising the Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais Method to explore the causes of a potential pianistic injury that I'm intending to avoid. The more I've explored the more the issue seems to be with my...

So, I've been spending some time reading and working through various parts of All Thumbs. The chapter that has caught my attention (even more than the rest!) is Chapter 14: A Little Anatomy. While all the information con...

I enjoyed our lessons during your visit to New York. You corrected a misunderstanding I had about bone alignment. When I read about Liszt's Bicycle Spokes Exercise I tried it on a table top. I lined up a finger stra...

Alan, I love the palming that you showed me. You encouraged me to get my palms right down on the keys and allow myself to enjoy feeling them. I've watched Horowitz's last concert in Moscow probably a thousand times, but...

I've just completed a new post on finger activities: I don't think any of it will exactly cause any raised-eyebrows (at least not for anyone who's familiar with Alan's writings) but it contains a simple approach t...

Alan, I want to tell you about some benefits I've had from working on your Rearing Horse exercise for drilling thumb motions. You emphasized this exercise in our lessons and I've been working on it a lot. I'm sure you...

Before I start, I'd like to ask your attention for a performance by Robert Helps of the Chopin Piano Sonata #2. Helps was a pianist and composer, and also one of the most distinguished pupils of Abby Whiteside. He was ce...

Here's an interesting discovery I made about myself earlier today. When I improvise freely (i.e. not based around a set form), the techniques and freedom of movement that I have been working on elsewhere tend to manifest...

Just been experimenting lately with Alan's idea of starting finger movement before the key is going. In association with the extension style of action, I've been getting major benefits from this. Anyway,just want to run...

I've recently taken up Liszt's technical studies again to check a couple of things about technique. I've also made an attempt to analyze the technique of several great pianists. Today I'd like to share what I think I fou...

After leaving the metronome out for a while I experienced some progress but my RH is still having problems. The connection of the fingers with the keys is stronger and I'm more aware of the tension that seems to persist...

New Q&A with Alan - Episode 11 - Today on PianoTechnique.org asked by: semiquaver

HELLO ALAN, I wanted to thank you for your videos and answers they are extremely helpfull! I saw in one of the videos about the octaves playing-you suggested that there should be some activity of the fingers,demonstrati...

Hello hello, I'm trying to develop my fast passagework, and revisited Alan's DVD (plus got a lesson from the amazing pianist Taylor Eigsti). my understanding is to try and work the finger as much as possible, healthily,...

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 le...

Hi Alan and others on this forum! A BIG thanks for this fascinating new view to approach piano playing!!! I have studied this method the whole summer with Alan's books, DVD and YouTube. I am a jazz piano player and teac...

Hello Alan, I was wondering about the different uses of the hands-making the hands firm -but not stiff-is it only needed when playing very loud? is it beacause of the force or rebound the hands have due to the loud playi...

HELLO ALAN, A really important question i still dont get after massive reading about the topic-the volume of the playing is determined by the velocity the fingers hitting the keys,but is it just that or is there another...

Q&A with AFF - Episode 7