Virtuoso Piano Playing

Completely straightened fingers/hands/forearm = Tension Completely bent fingers/hands/forearm = Tension

Moving Changing position State of Muscles Floating: Finger pads (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s)/sides (1s) above the keys, not touching Can be caused by elbows too bent or shoulders raised too high Should be avoided as it causes fatigue in the shoulders Somewhat Floating and Somewhat Resting Down: Finger pads (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s)/sides (1s) contact with the keys 1s are short fingers - they can or may not be touching the keys all the time When keys are not played , muscles should be at this state. Somewhat Resting Down, but not completely Resting Down: Finger pads (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s)/sides (1s) at the points of sound or bottoms of the keys When keys are played , muscles should be at this state. Resting Down: Finger pads (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s)/sides (1s) at the bottoms of the keys Completely resting down makes the fingers lazy to move Should be avoided Pushing Down: Finger pads (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s)/sides (1s) at the bottoms of the keys Forcing the fingers down at the bottoms of the k...

Playing Apparatus Fingers Hands Forearms Forms Chopin Form Tension: Resulted from the effort of keeping in a specific shape by pushing and pulling at the same time (= dual muscular pulls) Music can be tense, but the playing apparatus should not be tense In Chopin Form, the playing apparatus should be kept in a way that does not require additional effort Fingers 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s Play on the pads instead of tips Nail (First) Joints: Straight Second Joints: Slightly curved Knuckle (Third) Joints: More curved than Second Joints, but not curled Move from Knuckle (Third) Joints , but not Nail or Second Joints ( Active Movement ) Thumbs Nail + Second Joints: Straight Move from the carpometacarpal Joints ( Active Movement ) Length of Fingers need to be maintained: 3rd fingers the most forward (closest to the inside of the piano), followed by 2 or 4 (varies by person), 5, then 1. Some introductory books instruct the students to curl/curve the fingers so all the...

Legato Playing  To make the sound sound connected Finger Legato Sustain (by resting down, not pushing down) a key until (right before) the next key is depressed I personally do not like overlapping sound, but if so desired, sustain a key until immediately after the next key is played Legato Pedaling Play a key (hand) Apply Damper Pedal (foot) Release the key (hand) Play the next key (hand) There is going to be an overlap of sound. Release Damper Pedal (foot) Apply Damper Pedal (foot) How quickly the damper pedal (to reduce the amount of time of over lapping) is released and applied again, without making noise with the pedal, is an important skill for a pianist. Release the key (hand) Play the next key (hand) Release Damper Pedal (foot) Apply Damper Pedal (foot) Release the key (hand) ... etc. It is only necessary to do finger legato or legato pedaling at a time, but not both at the same time.

Piano is a Percussion Instrument. Percussion Instrument makes sound when two things collide with each other. Piano Action On the Piano, hammer moved by depressed keys by finger pads (2s,3s,4s, and 5s)/sides (thumbs) + hands + forearms It is often misunderstood that it is the finger pads (2s,3s,4s, and 5s)/sides (thumbs) and the keys. Hammers + Finger Pads (2s,3s,4s, and 5s)/Sides (thumbs) + Hands + Forearm on the piano = Mallet + fingers + hands + forearm on the other percussion instruments Strings on the piano = drum head/timpani head and other parts being stricken on the other percussion instruments Sound (= Vibration) of the Piano is the loudest at the moment of playing, then it decays Once a sound is produced (the vibration is started), nothing we can do can make it louder, including pushing down the key(s) with muscles. This is one reason why playing the piano can be tiring - pushing down the key(s) after the the sound is produced instead of resting down . On ...

フォルテやピアノという言葉はかなり早い段階で指導されます。 導入の段階で、音を大きく弾くには鍵盤を 速く 落とし、音を小さく弾くには鍵盤を ゆっくり (ただし遅すぎると音は鳴りません)落とすと指導しますが、たいてい翌週には忘れています。 「どのように弾くと音は大きくなりどのように弾くと音は小さくなるのでしょう。」 生徒さんに聞くとたいてい大きな音や小さな音を出すことによって答えます。日本語のフォルテ＝強く、ピアノ＝弱くという意味につられて大きい音を出すには鍵盤を強く押す、小さい音を出すには鍵盤を弱く押すというように覚えてしまうので、まずピアノ(小さい音)で弾くことをマスターする前にフォルテ(大きい音)で弾くことは極力指導したくないのですが･･･。 ピアノを含む打楽器は弦や膜を打つ瞬間に一番音(＝振動)が大きく、その後小さくなります。音が出たら鍵盤をどんなに強く押してもそれ以上に音が大きくなることはありません。ところが音が出ても鍵盤を強く押し続ける生徒さんは多く、強く押すことを連続して行うため疲れます。

Let's consider sustaining sound. On the timpani, the sound is sustained when the mallet hits the timpani head and the timpani head keeps vibrating. To stop the sound, the timpanist touches and holds the timpani head to stop the vibration. On the piano, the sound is sustained when the finger pad (2, 3, 4, 5) and/or side of the finger (1) depress(es) the key, causing the hammer(s) to go in the direction of the strings and striking them,  keeping the keys depressed  and strings vibrating (sustaining sound with the damper pedal will be discussed later). On the piano, when it is not played, the dampers hold the strings, keeping them from vibrating. When keys are depressed, dampers part from the strings, and if the hammer strikes the strings, they will continue vibrating. When keys are released (or get close to the surface), dampers hold the strings again, stopping the sound.

音の持続について考えます。 ティンパニではマレットがティンパニヘッドを打つと、ティンパニヘッドが振動し続け音が持続します。音を止めるにはティンパニストが手でティンパニヘッドに触れて振動を止めます。 ピアノでは指の腹(2, 3, 4, 5)あるいは側面(1)が鍵盤を下げ、ハンマーが弦の方向に動き弦を打ち、 鍵盤を下げた状態を保つと 、弦が振動し続け、音が持続します(ダンパーペダルを使った音の持続については後に述べます)。 ピアノでは、弾いていないときにはダンパーが弦に触れ弦の振動を止めています。鍵盤が下がるとダンパーが弦から離れハンマーに打たれた弦は振動を続けます。鍵盤が表面近くまで上がるとダンパーが弦に触れ弦の振動を止め、音も止まります。

Let's contrast between the drum, the timpani, and the piano. Drum makes sound by drumstick striking the drum head. Timpani makes sound by mallet striking the timpani head. Piano makes sound by finger pad (2, 3, 4, 5) or the side of the finger (1) depressing the key moving the hammer towards the strings and striking them. That is, what drummers do with their hand and drumstick, and what timpanists do with their hand and mallet, pianists have to do with the hand (finger pads (2, 3, 4, 5) and the side of the finger (1)), key and hammer.

ドラムやティンパニとピアノを比較しましょう。 ドラムはドラムスティックがドラムヘッドを打つことで音を出します。 ティンパニはマレットがティンパニヘッドを打つことで音を出します。 ピアノは指の腹(2, 3, 4, 5)あるいは側面(1)で鍵盤を下げることでハンマーが弦の方向に動き、弦を打つことで音を出します。 すなわち、ドラマーが手とドラムスティック、ティンパニストが同じく手とマレットで行うことをピアニストは手(指の腹(2, 3, 4, 5)あるいは側面(1))と鍵盤とハンマーを使って行います。

ピアノは打鍵楽器、つまり打楽器です。 打楽器は2つのものが衝突して音を出します。 ピアノの場合、ハンマーが弦を打つことによって音を出します。 残念ながら、アクションに関して誤解している方も少なくありません。 打鍵楽器という名前から連想されるように「指の腹」が「鍵盤」を打って音を出すと考えてしまいがちです。

Piano is a percussion instrument. In a percussion instrument, two things crash with each other to make sound. On the piano, a hammer strike the strings. Unfortunately, many people misunderstand the action system on the piano. They think that the piano makes sound by a finger pad striking the key, which is not true.

I was introduced to Ms. Dorothy Taubman's principles on piano playing lectured by Ms. Edna Golandsky in a video series called Virtuosity in a Box . While I am a great fan of this series, I could not help but notice a gap between my skills at the time and skills presented in the videos. The goal of this blog is to point out the and eliminate the gap so anyone who is willing to study piano can be a successful pianist.