Octave Etudes

[molto-marcato]

Hi,

i am working on perfecting my Chopin Ballade in g-minor and am still struggling to get those octave runs in the middle section up to speed. I think my octave technique needs serious polishing. Would you please suggest good octave etudes. What about Chopin 25-10?

[avetma]

Maybe you should try Moskowzsky - Op.72, No.9 in d minor.

[thierry13]

Hi,

i am working on perfecting my Chopin Ballade in g-minor and am still struggling to get those octave runs in the middle section up to speed. I think my octave technique needs serious polishing. Would you please suggest good octave etudes. What about Chopin 25-10?

Well first, the octaves in the ballade are an absolute joke compared to the Chopin etude, so I'd only get a teacher to explain and show you how to do good , fast, and untense octaves, and give you some exercises to help.

[rach n bach]

Cziffra's Flight of the Bumblebee.


 

Really, it would be a good idea to work with your teacher on this.  And if he/she's any good, you'll get some advice, and maybe a couple of exercies to work on.  My teacher has avoided such things (exercies) in cases except ones just like this, actually, we used this etude as octave training...

RnB

[danny elfboy]

A good way to perform octave is to perform them in two-parts movements

The first movement is later (goin as quickly as possible above the octave)

the wait with your thumb and pink above the octave
The second movement is orizontal: firm the and just let it fall so that gravity is making yout thumb and pinky play the octave

After this relax the hand and rest it in your lap
Position yourself over the last octave you practice and do the first movement: going as quickly possible over the next octave without playing it. Wait with the fingers over the octave, firm the hand and let it fall. Then relax and bring to your lap

After some days you will be able to join octaves in pair with the same technique
Then 3 octaves at one time (in your impulse of the hand) with the same technique

And so on

[jonze701]

La campanella bt liszt1

[henrah]

Make up your own octave studies. Improvise. Or just go plain crazy

[ramseytheii]

I have some exercises by Godowsky I can give you for pracitsing octaves.  I just need to get them off my old computer and I will post them.

Also, practice the top voice alone of octaves with the fingering you would use during performance (5 , or 4 on black keys), and make it as legato and beautiful as possible.  It's the outer hand which guides it to the octaves, not the thumb.

Be Back Soon,

Walter Ramsey

[pianowelsh]

Kullak octave school is a traditional one. training the little finger and thumb accuracy separately is of value. Also play passages with regular stops can help build fluency..ie divide it into 4's and stop on the first of each group, then the second then the third etc
you want an octave etude for jumps as well as one with consecutive octaves - look at scriabin D# min op8 no 12!

[nicco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dSqkzsWXlU

[mephisto]

That video is extremely good

[pianowelsh]

bizare! that was never recorded in that acoustic! far too much reverb for such a  small room?!? so quite why they put him in there for the video?  good etude though - but not as interesting as some.

[molto-marcato]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I already feel a little improvement, seems that the guidance of the pinky is a very helpful advice.

[marik]

I learnt how to play octaves on Bach two part inventions.
My teacher was expecting every lesson (twice a week) to play them in a new key.
The stress was on a perfect legatissimo.
Then was Moszkowsky, Cherny, and Clementy (I think), and then he gave me Liszt 6th Rhapsody (I don't remember if it was 5th or 6th grade) and ever since I did not have any problems with octaves.

[russda_man]

Hi,

i am working on perfecting my Chopin Ballade in g-minor and am still struggling to get those octave runs in the middle section up to speed. I think my octave technique needs serious polishing. Would you please suggest good octave etudes. What about Chopin 25-10?

Exactly, the Chopin etude is brilliant for octaves. What about general octave exercises, like in the Hanon?

[pianochick93]

Please check the thread dates. The original poster of this hasn't been active since November last year, so I doubt he wiull read any advice you happen to post.

[kantsuiex]

Cziffra's Flight of the Bumblebee.


 

Really, it would be a good idea to work with your teacher on this.  And if he/she's any good, you'll get some advice, and maybe a couple of exercies to work on.  My teacher has avoided such things (exercies) in cases except ones just like this, actually, we used this etude as octave training...

RnB

Oh my god......
What a ...crazy piece....!
some one said that.......average 660 stroke per min.
But if it is played slowly,,
it is one of the good options..

[michael_langlois]

Exactly, the Chopin etude is brilliant for octaves. What about general octave exercises, like in the Hanon?

Dear Russdaman,

I suggest that you look at the dates of the threads which you post to, as several to which you have recently replied are years old.

Best wishes,
Michael

[slobone]

Exactly, the Chopin etude is brilliant for octaves. What about general octave exercises, like in the Hanon?

Joseph Löw, New Melodious and Brilliant Octave Studies for the Piano... I got it for 5 cents at a used-book store.