Any tips for strengthening Fingers?

[jesse smith]

Any tips for strengthening fingers? I'm a n00bie at this, as in mostly practiced on a keyboard, and when I play on a piano, it's a challenge pressing the keys! Would lifting stuff with the fingers help?

[PaulNaud]

READ this excerpt from Marik:
For the beginning I'd suggest you to make a few excesises. First, try to analyze very carefully what happens when you throw a stone. You will see that your hand is "naturally" relaxed all the time, except of very short moment right before the stone leaving your hand, when your hand gets maximum velocity. Right after that your hand falls down, completely relaxed.
Now try to do exactly the same on the keyboard. Put one hand on the keyboard (5 finger pattern). You should feel very relaxed and comfortable. Lift one finger as high as you can. All other fingers should be relaxed and feel comfortable. then lightly, but very energetically drop the finger into the key. As soon as the finger hits the bottom, immediately remove all the pressure, leaving only as much, as it is enough to hold the key down. Basically, you should feel that hitting the key and relaxation is the same. Once you hit the bottom, all other fingers should rest on the keys (esp. pinkie!). Any, even 1mm gap between your finger and key surface, means that there is some tension--not good. Still holding this key, lift the next finger and repeat the process. Once you hit the next key, the first finger should release the note. If other fingers "want to follow" the one you lift (esp. when you work with 3-4-5) let them do it--never strain your hand. Do it slowly, concentraiting only on very big sound, maximum velocity and lighteness of dropping finger, immediate relaxation, and most of all, feeling completely comfortable all the time. Do it hands separately. When you get used to this feeling, try a little bit faster. When you get comfortable, once again, little faster, and try to put it into rhythm. Very often it helps to say aloud in very strict rhythm "lift-play-lift-play". You should say it very shortly. At this point, already lift the finger with the same velocity, as if you drop it, and remember two things:
1) At all times, except when you lift the finger, all the finger should rest on the keys.
2) Hitting the bottom, and relaxation are the same.

When you feel very comfortable with that, try to play exactly the same way a scale, learn every passage in your pieces, etc., and start putting your hands together, with exactly the same feeling.

When it becomes your "second nature" try to do exactly the same, but now without  lifting fingers--right from the key surface. Your strokes will be much shorter, but the feeling of immediate relaxation should be the same. Hope it helps."

Good luck!!!
PAUL

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

From my experience as a student, practicing technical material such as scales, arpeggios, etudes help tremendously (assuming you are practicing them correctly and with a teacher). I wouldn't recommend lifting things with fingers because that probably won't help them, but the opposite. (My opinion). Making sure the hands and wrists are correct, elbows, posture, finger precision, slow playing is essential. You may sometimes not be aware of them, but that is what a teacher also teaches and ensures. Again technical material helps with finger strenght and dexterity.


Best Wishes to all.

[debussy symbolism]

My earlier post is just one of the suggestions there are always more of course. There isn't a single method, but many need be employed for technique.









Best Wishes to all.

[xvimbi]

Any tips for strengthening fingers? I'm a n00bie at this, as in mostly practiced on a keyboard, and when I play on a piano, it's a challenge pressing the keys! Would lifting stuff with the fingers help?

Playing on an instrument with weighted keys will take care of that. Playing on a keyboard is pretty much the worst thing you can do when it comes to acquiring pianistic technique. I am not trying to be harsh, because I realize that there are reasons why we are playing the instruments we are playing, but that's how I see it. Trying to overcome the limitations of a keyboard by doing strengthening exercises away from the piano is, IMHO, not the  correct way to address the issue.

[Rach3]

Playing on an instrument with weighted keys will take care of that. Playing on a keyboard is pretty much the worst thing you can do when it comes to acquiring pianistic technique. I am not trying to be harsh, because I realize that there are reasons why we are playing the instruments we are playing, but that's how I see it. Trying to overcome the limitations of a keyboard by doing strengthening exercises away from the piano is, IMHO, not the  correct way to address the issue.

I agree with xvimbi. You won't learn much about the feel of piano keys... away from piano keys.

[tac-tics]

Plastic, unweighted keyboards are a pain.

I too have a low-end keyboard. My problem is my middle and ring fingers are just slightly wider than the space between black keys, and so I often end up triggering adjacent keys which would hot happen on an acoustic piano.

I'm currently looking into a solution to this. I'm in college currently, so I obviously can't get an acoutic. I want to get a simple, weighted-action keyboard, but most of the keyboards I've seen are more oriented towards electronic composers, with lots of built in effects and stuff I really don't need (or want to pay for).

Does anyone have suggestions?

[Ruro]

I'm currently looking into a solution to this. I'm in college currently, so I obviously can't get an acoutic. I want to get a simple, weighted-action keyboard, but most of the keyboards I've seen are more oriented towards electronic composers, with lots of built in effects and stuff I really don't need (or want to pay for).

Does anyone have suggestions?

I realise this series probably has a ton of features, but considering they have weighted keys and the main reasonable features of a piano.. to an extent... the Casio Privia Series seem cheap, quite a few for sale on Ebay I believe around £300-£400 (Perhaps a bad thing )

To be honest, I never tried one, neither do I dare risk buying one, best option en mi opinion is the Yamaha P60. Simple Piano, get some extra voices like strings and stuff... but is basicaly featureless, hell there must be 3 buttons on it tops O_o

I have looked around a bit at piano's since Santa is dropping one my way I'm probably settling on the P140... although won't fully decide until my fingers lay upon it

Although I can't say I indulged myself in all the other makes, like Roland and Korg or whatever... sound a bit takky And I have zilch experience with them!