scales and the little finger

[timothy42b]

I have been trying to get my scale speed up.  I have a goal of sixteenth notes at quarter = 120, I'm at about 100 now. 

The method I'm using is to work small chunks, five note pieces of a scale.  Hand separate, alternating eighth and sixteenth notes.  I don't know if this is ideal, but it has so far got me from 50 to 100.  I do ten minutes of this every day, changing scales each day too. 

But I've noticed as I go faster, the little finger tends to flail around.  I've been trying to "calm" it, but this adds a level of frustration and agitation to the practice.  Kind of an unusual physical sensation I don't usually get playing. 

So is it important to somehow get that little finger passive?  Is there a good way to do so? 

[pianistimo]

try getting all your fingers to be passive.  to grasp the thumb over idea - if you are starting with C major scale - play CDE (123) as a chunk and then FGAB (1234) as another chunk.  play them quickly up and down the keyboard. 

practice playing no notes at all and just gliding your hand evenly without stopping up the keys and back down.  then, when you play with your fingers - notice places that are 'lumpy.' 

i would even section the thumb alone and play at each octave.  thumb C thumb C and watch how the hand lays in between.  is it flat. are notes accessable?  or does the thumb turn your hand?  perhaps the hand should push more inward at the C's and allow to play outward (hand flatter) on other notes?  experiment as to what to do at slow speeds vs. very fast speeds.  i've noticed playing lighter as you progressively get faster a very good thing.

you can do a sort of 'swipe' from inward to outward of every group of notes that starts on 1 at a medium tempo.  on the last note of the group - make it like glue is at the end of your finger - but when you finally let go - move the entire hand to the next 'swipe.'

to make the speed progress - do less of the 'swipe' (just a hint) and put more concentration in the horizontal movements.  always thumb over when fastest.  it's not like you have to concentrate on this - but it is a natural progression from VERY SLOW (thumb under) to medium fast (thumb over).

the reason i like to first teach students thumb under is that it keeps them from a bad habit of sticking the thumb way out.  you don't want to see this even when you play thumb over because the thumb wouldn't be prepared to play quickly.

ps i have no problem with teachers who only play thumb over from the start but mention the need for the thumb to stay straight and not stick out like a hitchhiker's thumb.

[pianistimo]

james francis cooke 'mastering the scales and arpeggios' has some ideas, too.  he says that when you start playing the scales you can try just playing them alternating only two fingers (say 1 and 2)(or 34) (or 45) all the way up the scale.  it's an easier 'swipe.'  the thumb is more in towards the backboard and the 2 as the 'swipe' key.  instead of the normal student worried about fingering - you are playing CD DE EF FG... with the same two fingerings allowing the student to focus on the notes.

this book suggests telling students to say aloud 'G major, one sharp'  as they progress up the two note patterns.  or whatever the key and sharps or flats.

[pianistimo]

there's a radiating exercise in which one could practice the gliding thumb/hand (over)

CDCB  (1214)  so when you glide over with 4, your hand is suddenly in a new position for all the fingers to play well.

CDEDCBAB (12321434)... etc.

[pianistimo]

about the pinky - i notice my teacher lets it rest occasionally on the notes.  for me, i've always sort of held my hand in such a way that it barely rests or touches the keys.  when you flatten your hand even more - it is as if you are massaging the keyboard as you play - and the pinky is just reserved for the endings of the scales.