What is the 'car' and what is the 'horse' in learning to play piano

[lenkaolenka]

( or what is more important for piano technique)

What is the main power force in music making  – music mind of people or their fine motor skills development? How important is to play artistically from the start? Where the 'correct' hands position came from?

To my opinion, music is a language. I could compare piano keys (in conjunction with players' fingers) with vocal chords. By developing independence of our fingers and learning different exercises and pieces we learn how to 'speak' music using piano as our voice. The more we 'bobble' – the more we learn and the more freedom of technique we gain. I was witnessing how the 'techniques' of expressing ourselves in any language comes from our mind all the time, but never saw how mind develops from dry 'technique'.

Let's pretend that you learn other language by memorizing and artistically reciting some poems with no understanding it and without building skills to speak and read this language? How far would you go with such approach?

Try to learn a chunk of text in unfamiliar language with no understanding. How 'relaxed' is your throat is going to feel compare to the task to speak language of your mother's tong?  Is 'technique' of pronouncing unfamiliar words contribute to learning different language? No. I tried to learn English this way! In fact, I even won a competition (because I was lucky to know some topic by heart and recited it well). It didn't help me to develop any English technique – waste of time and energy indeed.

I think, foundation in learning music – is an ability to provide an instant connection between our mind, music score and coordination. I think, our students would develop their 'technique' much faster and more effectively by sight-reading a lot of music pieces incorrectly and inartistically verses learning one piece a semester to the perfect level.

I think, that all our worries about 'correct fingering' and 'do it right from the very start' are cars, that we would try to put in front of 'horses'.

Here is a video example.
Please, take a look at WB39 TV story made in 2002 here: -https://-https://www.doremifasoft.com/events.html (fifth video on the right from the top)
You would see 4 years old Desiree playing 'French song' with all the 'wrong' fingers and 'hand position' you could possibly imagine ( and on the 'wrong instrument, too!)

Here, on the same page, look at the same girl's performance couple of years later (the second video on the left).

As you see, 'incorrectness' in the beginning as well as playing keyboard didn't spoil her t
'piano technique'.

[alzado]

I found your posting interesting.

To my own mind, playing naturally and being able to sight-read unfamiliar material has a lot to do with how much you play.

If you practice about 1-1/2 hours (or more) a day, you know where the keys are.  You do not have to look at your hands.  You know where the chords are.  You feel them almost before you hit them.

Notes up on several leger lines, or the contrary in the deep bass -- you know what the notes are.

Your hands are strong and limber.

Putting in significant practice time is crucial.   That will only happen if you love music, and if you have some input into what you are going to be playing.  Enkindling a love of piano and of piano music thus is crucial.

[lenkaolenka]

I found your posting interesting.

To my own mind, playing naturally and being able to sight-read unfamiliar material has a lot to do with how much you play.

Agree!

If you practice about 1-1/2 hours (or more) a day, you know where the keys are.  You do not have to look at your hands.  You know where the chords are.  You feel them almost before you hit them.

I think, that sometimes not the amount of practicing time is crucial, but the quality of practicing. 

Notes up on several leger lines, or the contrary in the deep bass -- you know what the notes are.

We also can improve this knowledge with some exercises. 

Your hands are strong and limber.

Putting in significant practice time is crucial. 

Yes, like in any learning  - discipline and dedication are very important.
 

That will only happen if you love music, and if you have some input into what you are going to be playing.  Enkindling a love of piano and of piano music thus is crucial.

Agree. But sometimes love for music could be vanished from struggles of learning. Many people love to study, when they have success. Our goal – to give them an opportunity to be successful.