Hi !
This post concerns 2 topics, namely my scale playing and the chopin etude no.1
#### Scales ####
I have been reading quite a few post about the playing scales the "thumb over" way. I do not know how I actually play scales (I do not try do do anything consciously with my thumb, because that way I can not play any scales ) but what I do to prepare to play scales is the following:
Play repeated notes with all combinations of 2 fingers (12,23) moving up and down the keyboard (this is actually a dreaded Hanon excercise I think). The I play repeated notes with 123, 1234, and 234 on the same key. Then on different keys (CDE, etc).
Then I just play scales ! Each time placing the thumb with wrist rotation. Then I get nice, fast, pearly, clean, staccato scales, with no effort at all, and I do not get tired. I don't know if that it is the same as "thumb over" playing, but it works nicely.
#### Etude #####
I am also working on chopin's etude no.1. I am aiming at a clear sound, and try to achieve this by playing the etude staccoto (without pedal when practising).
Going up is no problem at all, and playing the accents really help in getting playing up to speed (which, I think, Chopin put there to learn the technique). This requires the wrist movement described in a post by Robert Henry.
But when going down, my pinky "sticks" on the on the E before my 4th finger plays (I consider the first arpeggio). Playing the accents also help in moving the 5th finger (a reflex-movement?), but I get a burning sensation if I play the etude, caused only by going down, in particular by me trying the raise my finger to get a staccato sound.
The movement I make going up resembles ordinary scale playing I discribed above, but somehow I can not do this on the way back. What am I doing wrong ??
I would be currious if someone had some hints/tips/wisdom to share regarding to:
1) My explanation of scale playing
2) What goes wrong in the etude.
Joost.