Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Andrea Piacquadio
Crucially, most pianists use all 10 fingers when we play the piano, the thumb being labelled as a finger for fingering purposes, whereas a violinist officially just has 4…and a trumpeter a mere 3 to contend with.
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Read More »F is for Fingers – the pianist’s tools for the job. Crucially, most pianists use all 10 fingers when we play the piano, the thumb being labelled as a finger for fingering purposes, whereas a violinist officially just has 4…and a trumpeter a mere 3 to contend with. The occasional unlucky pianist will have less than 10 available, and even more rarely, a fortunate individual may have more. As with many things in life, it’s not so much about how many you have, it’s about what you do with them. Fingers come in all shapes and sizes. Slim, long fingers have a natural advantage for finding their way between the black keys and reaching over and finding awkward stretches. Shorter, stubbier fingers have a natural efficiency for playing rapidly and can be more robust in moments of strength and force. Some fingers are straight, some fingers are bendy. Depending on the note to be played, a bendy finger can be a help or a hindrance. Some fingers sweat profusely in performance. Others remain dry as a bone. Some shake uncontrollably under pressure. Others remain as sturdy as an iron girder. Some fingers fly over the keys in a blur of lofty movement, other fingers gain a similar end result but whilst appearing to glide over the keys with barely a ruffle in the process. Fingers come in all different shapes and sizes, with different strengths and weaknesses. But with the right instructions, most, if not all can be trained to produce the most beautiful sounds to the human ear. There is of course a common misconception that we play the piano with our fingers. This isn’t strictly true…… We really play the piano with our brain, of course, which happens to control our fingers. Our fingers are just the final point of contact between thought and realisation of that thought…and a lot happens in between. So it’s essential that our fingers are kept in excellent shape to ensure that they are flexible, supple and strong enough to do exactly what we ask them to. Finger exercises are designed for this very purpose. With 10 fingers flying around, the pianist has a serious amount of possibilities on his/her hands. Deciding which fingers to use for a note is an issue that preoccupies many a piano lesson or practise session. Often an individual finger on a particular note will lend itself to creating a particular quality of sound. A particular finger will, more often than not be dictated by the notes on either side of it. The ‘correct’ fingering is one which encourages both the best effective musical effect and creates the least difficulty for the pianist. Often a pianist will need to make a choice between these two factors when deciding on which fingering to use. Fingering is therefore likely to vary depending on the dimensions and strengths of an individual’s fingers and on what musical effect is intended. Given how important fingers are to the pianist, they need to be carefully looked after and maintained. Activities such as Taekwondo, carpentry and tree surgery are not recommended for the serious piano student. Essential finger accessories for the budding pianist would include a nail file and some leather gloves. (And handcream in the winter – editor)
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Read More »Re: What is the hardest part in learning to play piano? Paying attention at hand posture while playing (I often curve the hands instead of playing more at the front). ... Sight-Reading. ... Not looking at the keyboard. ... Coordinating hands. ... Playing piano/pianissimo with the left hand.
I use the Alfred Adult book with the (few) adult students I have, and I agree that there are some songs that the students find very unappealing (I'm saying song instead of piece, because many of these are folk arrangements or popular songs, so just a heads up). There are usually small lessons added in throughout the book, and if you have/understand the technical part of a song you can learn it very quickly and efficiently. It gets very painful if you push dreaded practice off to the side, because if your teacher is persistent, they will make sure you do it, whether it takes a day or a month. Sure, some of the songs are awful and sometimes boring to play, but if you keep a constistent practice routine, the less enjoyable songs will seem to be more of a preparation of the 'better' stuff that usually comes near the end of the books. Intermediate/Advanced students often don't like practicing scales and triads, but once they understand the importance of technique, it becomes second nature practicing these less appealing scales and triads. Often I'll pair up a song that the student isn't crazy about with one that they like; when they practice, they'll do a bit of each for some variety. It helps alot, especially if you end your practice session with the perferred piece.
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