Hanon Excercises

[YuanHao]

Hi everyone.  

I am a beginner piano student and recently (about three months ago) I started playing the Hanon excercises because my teacher told me to; however I've read that they're not as good as my teacher says.

I am not stressing my fingers and I play both hands equally (which means I have to slow down the RH). The first 20 excercises are easy with practice, however, the trills, tremolos and arpeggios tend to get really tedious. Is it good to practice Hanon or should I try some other excercises?

Thanks in advance.  

[eddie92099]

Check these out:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1060010829

https://members.aol.com/chang8828/exercises.htm

Ed

[dreamaurora]

I don't like to use Hanon for finger exercise ( I personally use Joseffy School of Advance Piano Playing ). But for beginners , Hanon is indispensable. If you are just playing the notes in those exercises, they are very simple and boring, but you will gain NOTHNG, and I really mean NOTHING if you just do that, like most people do. The objective of techincal exercises such as Hanon is to develop firm and even tones, proper finger techniques, and good aural perceptions.

To apply this to Hanon, you should never ever try to play the notes as fast as you could, instead, select a few exercises each time and play them VERI SLOWLY and FORTISSIMO. Make sure that the fingers are on the edge of the keys and the tones are firm, which can only come through intense and concentrated listening. Go through the exercises in this manner for 4-5 times and then run through them again at a fast speed once or twice. You will be suprised at how improved ur tone of playing will be.

[dj]

I don't like to use Hanon for finger exercise ( I personally use Joseffy School of Advance Piano Playing ). But for beginners , Hanon is indispensable. If you are just playing the notes in those exercises, they are very simple and boring, but you will gain NOTHNG, and I really mean NOTHING if you just do that, like most people do. The objective of techincal exercises such as Hanon is to develop firm and even tones, proper finger techniques, and good aural perceptions.

To apply this to Hanon, you should never ever try to play the notes as fast as you could, instead, select a few exercises each time and play them VERI SLOWLY and FORTISSIMO. Make sure that the fingers are on the edge of the keys and the tones are firm, which can only come through intense and concentrated listening. Go through the exercises in this manner for 4-5 times and then run through them again at a fast speed once or twice. You will be suprised at how improved ur tone of playing will be.

i wouldn't say that hanon is only for beginners, my teacher still does hanon and he is far from being a beginner (granted he'll go through the whole book in one sitting). also, why would you want your fingers on the edge of the keys? wouldn't you have way more grip playing into the keys more?
other than those 2 points i agree with the rest of dreamaurora's statement

[NetherMagic]

Check these out:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1060010829

https://members.aol.com/chang8828/exercises.htm

Ed

good references ed, but iunno how you guys can stand reading that website about piano playing, its sooooooo long and boring it's not even funny

hurts my eyes too