Fast Octaves

[forzaitalia250]

What are the best ways to play really fast octaves? Like Horowitz machine gun octaves

I usually alternate 4-5 and can play with decent speed, but is there any method to gain more speed other, or rather, in addition to just further practice?

[faulty_damper]

What are the best ways to play really fast octaves? Like Horowitz machine gun octaves

I usually alternate 4-5 and can play with decent speed, but is there any method to gain more speed other, or rather, in addition to just further practice?

Do what Horowitz does and get a tech to make the action so light you can press them just by "blowing on them."

[timland]

The Craft of Piano Playing by Alan Fraser has some interesting ideas regarding octaves.
One thing you could try is something he refers to as the "cobra strike".
Hold your hand up close to your shoulder with a totally relaxed wrist. Relax your fingers so that they form a loose fist.
From this postion (at your shoulder), play an octave as loud and quick as possible and return hand up to your shoulder letting your wrist relax back. When the fingers hit the keys use a slight grasping motion with the fingers where 1 & 5 will more towards each other rather than straight down.
You'll find that your wrist acts like a whip.
Once you get the hang of playing very loud octaves from your shoulder then play from the keytops with a rebound to your shoulder.
After that start from the keytop and rebound just to the keytop.
Once you get the motion down try practicing groups of 2 octaves as fast as possible with a 5 second rest in between groups. Gradually start increasing the number of octaves in the groups.

[forzaitalia250]

I'll try that out. Thanks

[dan101]

A piano with light action does not necessarily make for fast octaves. Light action feels easy at first, but many of my colleagues prefer a heavier touch for control.

As for the octaves, don't aim too deeply into the keys. Having said that, the agility won't just happen with mind-set. You need to physically invest years of practice to obtain strength, dexterity and a comprehensive technique. Good luck with th journey.

[guendola]

Start playing the allegro barbaro by Alkan (from the studies in minor keys), slowly at first, then speed up carefully. Once you are at the originaal tempo you can be quite happy;D You can find a nice version by Jack Gibbons on the internet.

[faulty_damper]

I'll try that out. Thanks

I didn't read Fraser's book but the technique described is similar to the way I play octaves now.  It's incredibly efficient and effective!  And deadly fast.  And the easiest way I've found to play octaves because I'm not holding any unnecessary tension in the hands and arms.

But if you take his advice literally you're wasting lots of precious movement by bringing it up to your shoulder.  It's not even remotely necessary to do that.  In fact, your hand can be touching the keys to initiate this movement.  If you bring your hand up to your shoulder and hold your hand the way prescribed, you automatically co-contract.  Not something you want to do to keep a loose wrist and hand.

Instead, just play normally keeping in mind this 'grasping' motion and feel for your comfort zone that allows you to play it easily.  It's easier to practice this on the blacks to figure out the movement and then apply it to the whites.  The movement is very small and probably not noticeable to anyone else.

Horowitz doesn't use this technique, by the way.

[faulty_damper]

A piano with light action does not necessarily make for fast octaves. Light action feels easy at first, but many of my colleagues prefer a heavier touch for control.

Who actually thinks Horowitz wanted control when he could have speed instead?

[slobone]

Do what Horowitz does and get a tech to make the action so light you can press them just by "blowing on them."

Maybe -- but Horowitz was known to show up at recitals with Band-aids on his fingers, so he was doing more than just blowing.