Thumb

The curving line and the rising thumb

Alan explains that a curving line in the score asks for arm movement, not just fingers. He shows how lifting the thumb sends the phrase upward and adds a caesura to mark a special moment

Liszt - Vision - Performance and why the thumb is runining your piano tone

Think softening your thumb makes impressionist passages sound more delicate? Think again. In this lesson, we dig into measures 32–33 and discover how a powerful, accented thumb launch is the secret to fluid, marble-like tone, not the enemy of it

Chapter 11 - Mastering the springy staccato technique for proper hand articulation

We review a totally structuralized thumb and then individuates it even further from the hand.

Chapter 10 - Yawning Alligator

Explores the second degree of Independence of the thumb from the hand

Chapter 8 - Slide the fingers forward and back

Increasing suppleness while maintaining thumb empowerment

Chapter 6 - The Oranguthumb

Standing up on the thumb to strengthen its sense of structure. This video demonstrates a dynamic exercise that involves moving the thumb in different directions while engaging the entire body, designed to improve shoulder mobility and flexibility through guided movements and stretches

Integration and comparison to other methods

Discussion of how this approach differs from overly analytical methods. Comparison to Taubman technique rotations and emphasis on natural, sensation-based learning over purely intellectual approaches. Preparation for transitioning to Bach repertoire work

Advanced thumb technique and scale mechanics

Focused work on thumb crossover technique, emphasizing coming down before going up to eliminate falling sensation. Detailed practice of the push-off motion and coordination between thumb and other fingers. Integration of all movements for smooth scale playing with proper arm response

The arm's influence: achieving seamless arpeggio transitions

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

The octave jump: building foundational arpeggio technique

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

Awakening the "monster thumb" - historical context

The thumb transforms from "cripple" to "monster" with deep pressure while fingers stay mosquito-light. Alan shares how J.S. Bach revolutionized 400 years of thumbless keyboard playing

Supination technique - achieve a more accurate, elastic, and functional approach to playing

Particularly when navigating complex passages involving the thumb and fifth finger

Does the thumb go under?

One queistion about scales that everybody asks

Four entities that will help fingers do their job

Body, arm, wrist and the thumb

Let the thumbs support the dystonic hand

A slow exercise where we allow the thumb to support the injured hand/fingers

The thumb is a foundation of everything

The thumb gives the arm a function, it builds it up while we play

Piano Somatics & All Thumbs: Well-Coordinated Piano Technique

Alan's introduces his third book, all about the thumb's crucial role in empowering the entire hand at the piano

Piano Somatics and scale playing

Alan asks whether the hand really passes over the thumb in scales... or not?

Piano Somatics examines the role of the thumb in playing scales

Alan shows how the thumb needs to be more fully utilized if a scale is going to shine and run quickly.

Do you flop your hand while you plays scales or put the thumb under?

It looks that way but is it?

We have to move the thumb without "limping"

Let's face it, the thumb is not like the other four fingers on your hand

The movement of thumb opposition is the key

The more you oppose the better all the fingers work. Get that power to your hand

Five metacarpals, five points of contact with the key

Feel the thumb metacarpal

You need to figure out the thumb

In short, Alan sumarizes all the aspects needed for a healthy piano technique

Metacarpal function of the thumb

without standing or making the thumb vertical

The great deal of robust positive standing energy

if your finger stays tense your thumb is not standing well, same for fingers, if they are solid, thumb will be fine

Thumb capability

"Standing the thumb on the nail"

Forearm movement to the rescue

Going laterally helps the fingers and makes the angle of arm to finger to key actually good

You don't have to put the thumb under

but over actually and it also helps you STAND UP

Find that ballance point

It's an internal state that needs to be constantly cultivated

Learn how to strengthen your thumb knee

Get it as high as you can

If you are feeling tension

you better find another way of playing it

Stand on 2nd finger, reach thumb to inside

Pianimals teachers exercise 21

The thumb: tromping trolls and leaping stallions

Pianimals teachers exercise 11

The versatile, agile, potent thumb

Pianimals teachers exercise 6

Empower the thumb

Exercise 2

Awaken the main part of the hand

Forget holding an apple, supination does not let your hand fall down

If the arm freezes, it's game over

Everybody wants to over secure but tense up. Arm needs to be in motion all the time

Finger islation is totallty anti functional

In independence, there is always inter dependence

Clarify the difference between the standing and touching function

Like the Tai Chi empty step

Thumb flexion is not good for your hand

Thumb can move in three different ways but we don't want to flex it really

Scales Exercises - Thumb

Confidence - Your Hand Must Be Set up Well

Hand hip joint, curled thumb

One Boned or Segmented Multi Joint Thumb

Asked by: markeog

How to Teach Rotation?

It is a fluid state of your hand. Link it to the thumb!

Elastically Loading the Thumb and Uncurling the Claw

Asked by: markeog

Elasticity for the Left Hand and the Thumb

Alan is playing through this etude and giving us insight in how his mind works

Chopin-Etude in C Sharp Minor Op 10 No 4

It's really an etude for the thumb - Alan (45 min long)

The Thumb is Only Doing its Job

If you are not swiveling your hand

I am Apposing my Thumb to The Fingers

and what kind of sound do I get?

Thumb Corkscrew Action

Creates a moving entity

The Thumb Goes Under or Maybe Not

The oldest questions in the piano book

If you See the Hand Swiveling Horizontally

Then the thumb and fingers aren't functional

Individuation of the Sound

The hand has this amazing capacity to individuate parts of itself from within

Healthy and Exuberant Thumb

The thumb should not be dysfunctional

The Power that Animates a Scale

The thumb needs to do this amazing carrying job

Improve Hand Organization for More Beautiful Sound in Fats Waller

Inner hand action and the thumb differentiation

The Thumb is Always Under

Where does the thumb opposition start? Balcony position

Why Do We Need to Straighten the Thumb

When the thunb stands well, the fingers can move freely

Constantly Cultivating Sense of Opposition and Classification of the Hand

How to develop an elastic component of the hand?

Keeping the Hand Functional While the Thumb Goes to a Distant Note

And why is thumb opposition so important?

Elasticity is not Quite Like Tension

Much of our movement is elastically generated, not just muscle contraction

Why is the Thumb so Rich

Some of you might already be familiar with the fuction of the thumb but it's good to recap.

Lesson IV-3-Thumb Rolling Handy Harry Does a Somersault

Group 4, lesson 3

Lesson IV-2-Handy Harry Scratches His Other Leg With His Thumb Foot

Group 4, lesson 2

How to Get a Loud Sound Without Banging The Piano

By going up instead of down

Play The Scales Like Chico Marx

The springiness of the thumb is what gets us through

Stepping Stones - Going Down

The springy thumb is powering the whole motion

The Hand is a Bipartite Structure

Fingers/thumb and the wrist

Scales - Going Down

The thumb carries the hand. Springiness!

Make the Length of the Fingers the Same

Changing the angle of the hand does not help muscles and they stop working.

Chopin - Etude Op 10 No 1 - Ascending Arpeggio

We are actually braking the hand structure and figuring out what is needed here

Putting the Thumb Under in Scales

Alan is busting the myth: opposition, not flexion

Do not Bend Your Thumb

Energy infusion needed to not bend your thumbs

Play it with Elan

Playing from the gut, giving the hand more energy and enthusiasm and a bit about martial art

Activate the Thumb

Alan is helping Adrien activate his thumb and make it a bit more organic by allowing it to push the hand up.

Elastic Standing

A fresh take on arm weight. Thumb through shoulder connection via elastic thumb

Elastic Loading of the Thumb

Asked by: markeog

Left Hand Scales

Alan is showing Jean a few exercises for the left hand scales.

Functional Wrist and Thumb for Better Scales

Stable wrist, rotation and functional thumb are prerequisites for healthy scales

Rotation and the Thumb

Alan is bringing the thumb into the picture. Rotating the opposite way?

The Functional Relationship of Thumb and the Finger

Making a tiny adjustments and the thumb being activated

The Thumb and Rotation

Rotation in relation with the thumb

Liszt-Liebestraum in A Flat Major - The Thumb Part 1

Another recent lesson with a focus on the thumb, orchestration and sound

Exercises for Injured Thumb

Alan and Jean are working around the injury and trying to make the thumb work again

Neutral Thumb

Question on the thumb neutrality

On Collapsed Thumb

Alan answers the question on the collapsed thumb

Fixing Up The Collapsed Thumb Part 1

An amazing lesson on thumb, must see!

Arm-Thumb

Arm thumb is an extention of the radius

Do Not Bend The Thumb

Alan talks about bending of the thumb

The Thumb Opposition And Rotation in Scales

An ongoing conversation on the rotation and thumb opposition

The Whole Finger Action Via Thumb Opposition

Thumb opposition is one of the basic hands movements and Alan explains why is it very importnat in piano playing

Thumb Exercises

We are finishing up this series with various exercises designed to separate sensory infomration and musculary effort

Tension in the Thumb

Alan is explaining how to get rid of unnecessary tension in the thumb

Hyperextended Thumb

Alan talks about how to properly address the hyperextended thumb

Clamped Thumb and The Flat Structure

Alan talks about the flat but active structure and the thumb

Octaves and The Thumb

We are talking about the thumb and octaves in this lesson

The Thumb Corkscrew

A useful exercise that gives thumb a great deal of mobility

The Thumb Neutrality

Why do we use the thumb? A little bit of history and anatomy

The Thumb in Scales

Alan is talking about the thumb, scales..

The Thumb

Some new and old things about the thumb

The Functional Thumb

Thumb's role and function in a healthy structure

How Can Thumb Play the Piano?

Short lesson on the thumb and how we started playing with it

Thumb and the Rest of the Hand

Asked by: hadarmo2

How Does the Thumb Actually Play

Asked by: markeog

Business About the Straight Thumb

On thumb and the arch via Chopin

Metacarpals and Rotation in Octaves

Last day of AFFI Smith 2015 lecture/Q&A

Proactive Hand

We talk about the arch, the thumb, standing up and proactive hand

Solidify the Structure Through the Movement

The effects strengthening of the hand has on speed and movement

Strengthen the Index Finger and the Thumb

Asked by: adrienschmitt

Thumb Pushups

Stand up on the thumb

Trouble with the Arch and Arm Feldenkrais

Alan works on student's arch.

More on Thumb Individuation

Asked by: 57walker

Various Technical Concepts

Alan talks about several different technical concepts, joined thumbs, tension vs tonus..see Points of Interest for more details

Lecture on the Thumb Part 3

Part 3

Lecture on the Thumb Part 2

Part 2, Hope, MI

Lecture on the Thumb Part 1

Opening lecture from Hope, MI 2015 Institute

Standing on the Thumb

Asked by: 57walker

Mendelssohn Dueto Op.38 No.6 and on Relaxation Part 2

Alan is takling about the hand, thumb, finger action

Lecture on the Thumb - Eitorf 2014

Intro lecture from Eitorf, Germany 2014 Institute

Chopin - Nocturne Op.9 No.2 Part 2

This part is all about the thumb and hand structure

Lecture on the Thumb - Ottawa 2014 Part 2

Alan is talking about how to build strength in the first dorsal interosseous.

Lecture on the Thumb - Ottawa 2014 Part 1

When thumb is trying to oppose itself to the hand, it drwas itself into right relationship with the hand

Concord-NH 2014 Lecture on the Thumb Part 2

Full structural support and no interference of muscular holding

Concord-NH 2014 Lecture on the Thumb Part 1

Day two of the Institute. Lecture on th Thumb! Can the thumb really help the hand while playing?

Lecture on the Thumb Part 2

Part 2 - Alan's lecture on the Thumb, Alan Fraser's Institute 2013

Lecture on the Thumb Part 1

A lecture on the Thumb given to participants of Alan's Institute in 2013