Question on piano touch...

[atticus]

Hi all,

I am working on the Bach 2-part inventions and I have a question on piano touch...When playing piano, is it better to have your fingers resting on the keys before they play (and then press down to play the notes) or is it better to have your fingers slightly hovering over the keys and then play by letting the fingers drop onto the keys? 

Thanks,
atticus

[max_malinou]

A good question indeed.
I'm also looking forward to the answers.

[fliszt]

i let my fingers rest on the keys if i play.

[bearzinthehood]

I've heard it both ways.  I've had a teacher who insisted on playing "from the key" in slow practice.  I've also had a teacher that believed in striking keys from a distance in passagework, even in slow practice.  According to Sandor, you should have a little distance.  Overall I think once you speed up the passage you're going to be striking keys from a distance anyways.

[pianistimo]

i've learned that it's best to leave your fingertips on the keys.  part of the reason is the extra sound that comes (key slap) from hitting the key, and then then the hammer hitting the string.  the mellower way of playing is easier with hands flat, though, which presents a bit of a problem in bach (esp. fugues) which is often so chromatic and full of runs.  so maybe a combo of what works - with really listening for any extra sounds that you might accidentally make and how relaxed you can make your hands feel.

[ako]

It depends on what kind of sound you want to create. You should try both and see which sound you like better.

[whynot]

Pianistimo, thank you for mentioning the "slap."  I never hear anyone talk about this, and so many people make this extra noise when playing.   

[quantum]

Some piano manufacturers have been designing their pianos to lessen the noise of finger slapping on keys. 

However, in my opinion one should not dwell too much on the "slapping" effect.  It is a part of piano playing.  More advanced pieces may require techniqe that produces some slapping noises, but this is usually not audiable from a distance. 

Just like how a guitar player should worry about the noise created when sliding the LH over the strings quickly, or the chiff of some ranks of pipes on an organ - they are all just part of the instrument. 


As for touch: these two different techniques produce different sounds.  Use the one which produces the sound you want.  Maybe an opening legato line may require close to the keys, while an opening marcato fugato subject may require attack from above. 

[gorbee natcase]

It realy depends on the piece and how you feel,as there are so many different feelings to be conveyed through music and your own interpretation, I think you can only work that one out for yourself

[alzado]

The way I play, I need to feel the keys.  Might as well begin with the sense of touch on the keys, right?

Especially where there are jumps, I need to find the keys without looking.  Sometimes my little finger will hook a B-flat black key so I know where the chord is -- even though I may not be playing the B-flat in that particular chord.

It all has to do with not looking at my hands or the keys.

Sometimes I do look, as -- for example -- for big octave jumps in the left hand.  But I try to minimize it.