In the book Pianism by Aiko Onishi (a book I bought following Pianostreet's forum recommendation) the author mentions several forms of producing different tones and "colors", from colorless (just a vertical, even press of the key), to harmonious (a curved, sliding motion), singing and some others tones.
She says that in order to produce a singing tone one ought to "mold" the key while doing a curved motion, which means that the first joint should "go down on the key with accelerando using the ball of the finger similar to molding clay or hard bread dough".
She also mentions the while doing most of these tones (except when louder sounds are required) one should not touch the keybed, but rather only exert force only until the key reaches the tone spot (also called time spot, key spot or after-touch), relaxing the finger after that.
Though the book sounds theoretically reasoned, I've googled the autor and some of the terms she uses but found nothing, not even a single page about Ms. Onishi that isn't about her book, which makes me question the soundness of her techniques. I was hoping you could provide some advice and personal testimony regarding these techniques and whether it's worth spending one's piano time learning them.
Thank you
In some ways these sound qualities exist more in the imagination than anything else (for me, a charismatic performer is one whose imagination is transmitted outside, instead of being stuck inside), but also remember they all depend on context. I very much doubt, from hearing one note, if you could tell the technique a person used in pushing it down.
That said, you can rest assured that the technique of stroking the keys (what you describe as a curved, sliding motion) is well established in the history of keyboard technique. It is so old, it surprises me when people think it is new. In fact, many pianists have apparently never questioned, or never had a teacher that questioned, how the finger actually makes contact with the key.
A contemporary of Bach's described his way of sliding his finger over the key in order to maximize legato at the organ. A contemporary of Beethoven describes his piano technique as "dusting the keys," clearly a reference to the stroking technique. For me, it is a basic component of piano playing. For a clear demonstration, you can look at any Gould video, especially the Goldberg Variations.
I am often surprised at how few people seem to know about it, but it is really no secret.
About the other things, I am always wary when authors get too specific, but I have come to accept that certain things work for certain people. In piano playing, I have honestly never thought of what joint of the finger does what. Perhaps I am lucky, and authors like the one you mentioned are anguished about knowing exactly what is what.
Also, we musn't make too big a deal out of common things, like this convoluted description: "one should not touch the keybed, but rather only exert force only until the key reaches the tone spot (also called time spot, key spot or after-touch), relaxing the finger after that." The fact is you can't change the tone once you depress the key, so why would you keep exerting pressure? It is just common sense. I would be careful of applying overly elaborate physical descriptions to simple things like that, because it confuses the mind, and leads people to try and
exert a control over things which should just be let go.
Just my opinion. I obviously haven't read the book.
Walter Ramsey
Topic: Regarding Aiko Onishi's Book and her techniques