Master piano technique with this comprehensive series, teaching fundamental arpeggio and scale movements, advanced legato, and rhythmic refinement for fluid, powerful, and expressive playing
Born in Montreal in 1955 Alan Fraser studied piano but also delved into composition, cello, classical singing and had several stints as a pop musician. Alan’s main pianistic influence was the pioneering research of Phil Cohen who studied alongside Ronald Turini, Andre Laplante and Janina Fialkowska with Yvonne Hubert, who had been Cortot‘s assistant in Paris. Alan spent several years with Cohen after an apprenticeship with two former Cohen students, Alan Belkin and Lauretta Milkman.
Learn the initial steps of teaching arpeggios, starting with the octave jump and emphasizing proper thumb movement and hand posture to avoid common pitfalls. Discover how to establish a strong foundation for fluid piano playing
Delve deeper into arpeggio mechanics, focusing on the "standing up" action of the thumb and fingers to create seamless transitions and a "pearly" sound. Explore the subtle degrees of movement for optimal performance.
Address the common challenge of legato arpeggios and the dreaded "hand flip." Understand the underlying principles of hand dynamics, drawing analogies to "crossing a stream" to maintain continuous, fluid motion
Discover the crucial role of the arm in supporting smooth arpeggio movements and preventing hand collapse. Learn how to engage the arm effectively to create a "big tunnel" for the thumb, ensuring a natural and efficient technique
Explore the "pirouette" concept for refined arpeggio motion. Learn exercises to elasticize fingers and incorporate a "hidden finger lift" to achieve a more brilliant and articulate sound in your playing
Tackle common issues in arpeggio playing, such as difficulty with crossing over the thumb. Understand the interplay between flexors and extensors for a "bubbly" sound and how to use hand angling to improve evenness
Learn how to cultivate vigor in your arpeggio playing by focusing on proper "standing up" action on principle notes. Discover how to create an attractive, volumetric rhythmic pulse and apply these techniques to solid scales for comprehensive improvement
