Photo: Ron Lach

What is a piano exercise called?

pianistmagazine.com - What are Hanon exercises and how can they help me improve? - Pianist

What is a 8 2 split?

According to FMCSA, “Drivers using a sleeper berth must take at least 8 hours in the sleeper berth and may split the sleeper berth time into two...

Last updated Jul 27, 2019

How long does the average person practice piano?

Most professional pianists practice around 3-4 hours a day, though they may have had to practice as much as 8 hours a day to get to their current...

Last updated May 21, 2021

Promotion

Hanon exercises feature in households all around the globe, and for good reason. These piano exercises, which have been in existence for over 150 years, are proven to massively improve THREE key areas of your piano playing. In this article, we’re going to tell you what Hanon exercises are, how they can help you improve, and we’re also going to give you some of your own to try out.

What are Hanon exercises?

Created by French piano pedagogue and composer Charles Louis-Hanon, Hanon exercises consist of independent finger practice. The finger exercises train the pianist in speed, agility, strength and precision of all the fingers, as well as training wrist flexibility. Hanon himself developed 60 finger exercises and assembled them into a book called The Virtuoso Pianist - first published in 1873. Split into three different levels of difficulty they are suitable for all levels and abilities. You can buy The Virtuoso Pianist below. We highly recommend getting your hands on a copy! This particular piano exercise has always had its supporters over the years, despite a fair amount of backlash over the safety of the exercises. In the same way that sports exercises can be harmful to your muscles if done wrong, Hanon exercises can also cause harm if not conducted in the right way. HOW you go about using these exercises is far more important than WHAT exercises you use. We’ll show you how to perform them safely and effectively. DID YOU KNOW? One such fan of Hanon’s work was the great Sergei Rachmaninoff. He claimed that these exercises were the reason why Russian conservatoires delivered an explosion of piano virtuosi in Rachmaninoff’s time.

Content continues after advertisements

How can they help me improve?

Your hands are the tool for playing the piano, right? To play to the best of your ability, you need to sharpen that tool. Hanon exercises help train and strengthen your hand by individually working on each finger separate from the rest. The piano technique helps to eradicate any unevenness in the robustness of your fingers. Here are THREE AREAS of your playing that will see massive improvements...

3 essential Hanon exercises to try out

Why is Spotify stopping every song at 9 seconds?

Spotify could stop playing audio you are listening to after 10 seconds because of connection issues related to your WiFi, or even corrupted data...

Last updated Dec 4, 2018

Do old pianos have gold in them?

Despite all the glitter, those two instruments very rarely contain quantities of precious metals that can be extracted by a qualified gold...

Last updated Jun 16, 2021

Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Promotion

Exercise no 1 in D

This is the very first exercise from Charles Louis-Hanon’s 60 Hanon exercises. It is the easiest of the 60, and helps improve finger strength and independence, as well as wrist and forearm strength. Try hands separately before moving onto hands together. Only four bars are shown in the image above, but in total this exercise consists of 30 bars. Simply continue the pattern to complete the exercise. TIP: Each time you reach the top of the phrase, drop your wrist. As you descend, gradually raise your wrist back up. Repeat this when you reach the bottom of the phrase.

Exercise no 6 in F

Exercise no 6 is ideal for improving wrist and forearm strength. Similarly to the first exercise, there are 30 bars in total. Continue the pattern to complete the exercise. It’s about two minutes in total. This will massively aid your endurance when playing repertoire later in your piano practice. TIP: Instead of using your fingers as the main strength in this exercise, use your forearm. This is much safer! Place your free hand just underneath your forearm, and guide your wrist as it rotates from side to side.

Graham Fitch’s adaptation of a Hanon exercise

Called the five-finger exercise, Piano teacher and regular Pianist contributor Graham Fitch has altered the original principle of Hanon in order to create an exercise that focuses purely on finger strength and independence. Watch the video above to learn this fantastic five-finger exercise! Despite Hanon exercises having their fair share of critics over the years, if done properly they can improve your technical level substantially. Always make sure you are focusing on your form. These exercises are highly recommended by piano teachers around the globe, so get practising!

pianistmagazine.com - What are Hanon exercises and how can they help me improve? - Pianist

Is there an age limit to learn piano?

“Learning piano has no age limit. In fact, activities like learning piano can stimulate the brain, increasing the ability to recall information....

Last updated Apr 24, 2022

What's the difference between a baby grand and a grand piano?

Some piano manufacturers may classify their grand pianos into just three size categories: baby grand, grand and concert grand. Within these...

Last updated Jun 8, 2018

Promotion

What's the hardest instrument to master?

The 11 Hardest Musical Instruments to Learn Violin. The violin is a wooden stringed instrument that's part of a larger family of similar...

Last updated Dec 5, 2021

Promotion

Why shouldn't you use vinegar to clean?

These are some of the places you should avoid using vinegar as a cleaning solution: Natural stone tiles or countertops: It can stain and cause the...

Last updated May 18, 2022