hand tension

[dj]

i have an odd problem. when i scale in octaves, my left hand is fine but my right hand starts to get tense after a while. this is strange because i am right-handed and almost never have tension problems in the right hand. does anyone know why this happens during this particular exercise? i've checked my hand positions and they appear to be the same in both hands. any help would b great. thanx.

[Its_about_nothing]

I used to have the same problem. But it just faded away through time. I don't know what it is, it just went.

A little theory of mine is that, if you are right handed, the muscules are used to more complex movements. Playing octaves, your hand remains in the same position for quite some time. When I hold up both my hands in the air, like, above my keyboard right now, it's harder for me to keep my right hand still than to keep my left hand still. Perhaps because the hand is used to more complex movements, it's harder to keep it still, so it would also be harder to keep into octave playing shape, which creates the tension. So that means the muscules in your right hand have to get used to keeping your hand in the same shape for quite some time. This should, if I am right, be otherwise for left handed people.

But ofcourse, this are only just guessings.

[Rach3]

Practice without tension, get rid of it, fight it, resist it, kill it. Work around it at slow tempo, must get rid of it, never accpetable. Avoid tendonitis!!!  

[nad]

i have the same thing, but i also can feel it in my fore arm. What am i doing wrong and how can i fix this? I also have small hands, i can take an octave without problems, and i can just reach 9 keys. I don't know how to get rid of this.

nad

[bernhard]

i have the same thing, but i also can feel it in my fore arm. What am i doing wrong and how can i fix this? I also have small hands, i can take an octave without problems, and i can just reach 9 keys. I don't know how to get rid of this.

nad

You are using your fingers too much. (The muscles that move the fingers are in the forearms).

Instead of the fingers carrying the arms around, let the arm push the fingers into position.

It is difficult to write about this, and it is even worse to try to make sense out of what someone has written. This needs hands on approach. You must find someone who knows about these matters to see you playing, check what is inappropriate, demonstrate the correct way, and guide you so that you can do the same. It is whole body re-education and be prepared for it to take some months. If you live in the UK I can suggest some names. In the USA, the only person I know that does this sort of work is Barbara Lister Sink.( https://www.freeingthecagedbird.com/)

(Of course there are many others, but she is someone whose seminars I actually attended – the others I don’t know).

I also suggest you look at the posts of Robert Henry (just click on his name and read his posts), since he frequently talks about this subject and his advice is consistently excellent.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[nad]

Hi Bernhard,
thanx for your advice. I am going to ask my teacher about it. He sometimes asks if my arms or hands get tired, he can help me out i think. But now i know where it goes wrong, thnx  

Greetings,
Nad