Sitting Position
Sitting well is Job One for all pianists. What are the criteria to consider each time you set yourself up to play?
Sitting well is Job One for all pianists. What are the criteria to consider each time you set yourself up to play?
Fundamental biomechanical concepts and how the escapement works are important foundational elements to understand from the start.
Chopin had it right a long time ago; contrast his natural approach vs. many other ‘hands’ taught over the past 250 years--including recently.
Experiencing free fall and understanding alignment are essential to all aspects of pianism, from beginning through the most advanced levels.
More vital foundational principles that set up effective three-dimensional movement
The basic motion that eventually leads to virtuoso-level trills, tremolos, and octaves can be learned by anyone, and frees up the body for more fluid movement, even very early in piano studies.
Franz Liszt was a huge fan of two-note slurs, for both musical and technical reasons. How to play them with effective, whole-body technique from the beginning?
Isolating one two-note pair requires careful evaluation. This helps establish good practice habits early on for efficient three-dimensional movement and sensitive listening.
Playing two and more pairs of two-note slurs is combined with stopping to evaluate for fluid motion and musical listening, and leads to continuous, three-dimensional movement.
Applying the two-note slur process to other finger combinations is essential for developing complete coordination at the piano.
Special attention is given to the challenge of making a two-note slur on fingers 4 & 5 sound similarly good as all other adjacent pairs.
Descending slurs in the right hand receive additional focus. Practice ascending slurs in the left hand for a parallel experience.
With all two-note slurs, moving in either direction, note the different lengths of the fingers involved, slide and make adjustments in the vertical plane, accordingly.
Three-note slurs herald the real beginning of elliptical shaping.
Three-dimensional motion becomes increasingly apparent with four-note slurs.
Moving simultaneously in three planes of motion comes together most evidently on a pentascale, and lays the foundation for the one-octave arpeggio and more advanced movement.
Mastering repeated notes on single notes with each finger establishes coordination of the Vibrato Technique for advanced trills, tremolos, repeated chords, and octaves.
Using proper technique and listening for clarity in one-octave arpeggios are crucial to achieving professional-level arpeggios of two and more octaves.
Avoiding twisting, keeping the hand small, good preparation and follow-through, and a supple wrist are some of the foundational elements combined for an effortless arpeggio.
Whole-body exercises utilizing the horizontal and vertical planes and avoiding twisting sets you up for fluid three-dimensional motion.
A series of targeted exercises facilitate the elliptical “under and out” shaping for the right hand’s ascent.
Consolidate gains made in shaping with targeted refinements for continuously improving three-dimensional movement.
A comprehensive review of foundational elements sets you up to easily move in the opposite direction for each hand.
By carefully applying three-dimensional principles and pausing to evaluate in small groups, musical and technical gestures are integrated.
Isolating several notes at a time and incorporating the turnaround figures at faster speeds guides you to mastery of continuous one-octave arpeggios.
Study and apply the three families of sound: round, rhythmic, and ringing.
Learn the biomechanics and basic approach to the throw, essential for rapid arpeggios of two and more octaves.
Before throwing on actual arpeggio intervals, it’s important to master the smaller interval of a second.
Detailed musical and technical work with focus on seconds leads toward the thirds required in arpeggios.
Mastering throws on larger intervals liberates you not only for advanced arpeggios but also improved spatial awareness for other jumps required in repertoire.
To connect notes just before and after a throw, use reduced intervals and the “check-mark” motion.
Performing four notes quickly using momentum and released fingers foreshadows the liberated feeling and sound you will experience with full arpeggios of all kinds.
Practice a series of exercises designed to facilitate the most challenging part of outstanding arpeggios: linking the first octave with the second to the note just past the throw.
By integrating all foundational elements, momentum, and three-dimensional movement, you’ll achieve an advanced ascending two-octave arpeggio.
Isolating three notes just before and after the throw requires a sudden movement toward your body, beginning with reduced intervals.
The full descent is achieved by using momentum and follow-through movement similar to how you mastered the two-octave ascent.
By reviewing and combining all elements studied to this point with targeted exercises and turnarounds at fast speeds, you can master the complete two-octave arpeggios at a professional level.
Through a lesson with an advanced student and whole-body exercises, the stage is set for playing repeated chords, octaves, tremolos and trills.
By synchronizing small adjustments in three planes of motion, the vibrato technique enables you to play repeated chords effortlessly, at any speed required at the piano.
Exercises that isolate the thumb and the reduced interval of a sixth help you cultivate proper form for playing full octaves.
Principles for smaller hands can be employed by pianists with any sized hand; this subunit includes more exercises to instantaneously release octaves and to maintain a ‘small’ hand.
Combining the vibrato technique with all three-dimensional principles learned previously allows you to play octaves continuously, without fatigue.
Vibrato exercises that isolate the thumb, fifth finger, and reduced intervals prepare you for performing various kinds of tremolos with ease.
Combining the vibrato technique with three-dimensional fundamentals allows you to perform tremolos continuously and musically, without fatigue.
Foundational elements, including the quiet hand, preparatory lift and drop, 2- and 3-note slurs, released fingers, and understanding the soundpoint, are applied for effortless trills.
Mastering exercises on five notes allows you to proceed to playing more notes, leading to continuous trills without effort.
This subunit focuses on a variety of trills in the left hand plus special emphasis on the 1-3 trill in the right hand.
The 3-5 trill receives special attention here.
Following review of the main trill combinations and common problems, an option to incorporate the vibrato technique in trills from the outset is presented.
Common scale problems are juxtaposed with three-dimensional shaping and Chopin’s preferred starting point for scales.
Continuous alignment adjustments and three-dimensional principles, including good preparation and follow-through and the quiet hand, are contrasted with the common problem of curling the 5th finger.
Three-dimensional shaping in various key combinations leads to effective execution of the turnarounds in scales.
The B Major scale in the right hand is the ideal starting point to incorporate a wide range of three-dimensional elements before progressing to all other scales.
Understanding the relationship of black and white keys to each other within each major scale leads to better coordination in all keys.
The D-Flat Major scale in the left hand is the ideal starting point to master three-dimensional scalar shaping before progressing to all other scales.
Focusing on the turnaround figures in each scale, hands alone, leads to better coordination in other technical movements and in repertoire.
Playing precisely with hands together can be greatly improved with these exercises.
Two effective practice strategies include playing with accents and using different rhythms in short groups.
The metronome may be used as an aid to achieving more fluent scales when all previous steps are mastered.