Don't know where to start with piano technique exercises?

[spiano95]

   
Don't know where to start with technique exercises?
I am a grade 8 student ( LCM board) and besides the usual scales and arpeggios, I want to look into a few books for developing technique. What's my best bet for this level?

[thalbergmad]

By the time you have reached grade 8, perhaps all the technique you will need should be in your current/future repertoire.

I am a Hanonist myself, but there comes a stage where one does not need it.

Thal

[jogoeshome]

   
Don't know where to start with technique exercises?
I am a grade 8 student ( LCM board) and besides the usual scales and arpeggios, I want to look into a few books for developing technique. What's my best bet for this level?

Hanon and Czerny? there are others too. I recommend being selective, don't play the whole thing only what you need for a particular problem you come accross.

[danielekstrom]

Dohnanyi is amazing for technique. You have to be careful with it and have the right training, though. I'm just working on it recently as my teacher has introduced me to it. The exercises range from fairly easy to extremely advanced. Instead of being "pieces" like Hanon or Czerny, they are usually very discrete one or two line (or more) exercises with repeats. Great for finger independence, something you won't get nearly as much of in the others.

[j_menz]

Some Chopin etudes, perhaps? Start with the Trois Nouvelle ones.

[Bob]

You can always make up your own.  Then you can tailor them to music or working on or not working on.  Do that in all major and minor keys and you get 30 reps in that way.  (That's 7 sharps, 7 flats, a natural for major and for minor.)

[pts1]

Chopin's recommendation was to master scales, arpeggios and trills/tremolos

Right there, you have conquered most of what occurs in classical music.


If you wish to go further than this, I think Hanon is a good straight forward guide to overall, well rounded piano technique. (provided you ignore the instructions on how to practice at the top of the pages)

It was used for decades, I believe, in Russian conservatories as required mastery.

Also, it is very efficient in that it works both hands equally. I've worked on Czerny, but its frequently not as efficient and I'd rather work on "real music" rather than merely somewhat musical studies.

Beyond this, make exercises out of passages in your pieces.

[slobone]

I agree, definitely don't neglect scales and arpeggios.

For scales especially (and for scale passages in your pieces), I recommend practicing with acciaccaturas, which unfortunately nobody but me (and my teacher) seem to have heard of. But they're great for improving speed and evenness. I can tell you how to do them if you're interested.

[maitea]

Hi!

During my student years I tried it "all", from the "learning technique through the pieces", to Czerny, Hanon, Dochnany, Brahms, Chopin.. I think every individual is different, different hand, different heart and musicianship, and you have to discover what suits you individually best. What are your strengths and weaknesses and work on them.

Personally I don't find Hanon that useful unless practised in all keys, and still then, I have my doubts. Dochnany and Brahms have a more wide-ranging approach of exercises, and the latter, is the most musical one. However, Chopin etudes will really hone your technique and will develop your legato, phrasing, poliphony.. they are just pure music! It depends at what stage you are at, what do you think you need most...

In my case, I have a scale of the day (it was a scale of the week, but not I change everyday) ("normal", then in thirds, 6th, 10ths) then arpeggios ("short" and "long") minor and major chromatic thirds, then minor and major chromatic 6ths, and then I play the "scale of the day" in broken octaves and in octaves. Plus I add a Cortot excercise to stretch. This covers a lot, and is my daily work out, which I like since I spend quite some days working in opera/accompanying and not always having that much time to practice repertoire. I also try to have always a Bach and couple of Chopin etudes under my fingers.

However my biggest advice, even if as I mention I have my own "workout", is never to understand technique isolated from the music! We want to have the best technique possible to say as much as we can with the music, it is a means to an end. Hope something helps!

[slobone]

During my student years I tried it "all", from the "learning technique through the pieces", to Czerny, Hanon, Dochnany, Brahms, Chopin.. I think every individual is different, different hand, different heart and musicianship, and you have to discover what suits you individually best. What are your strengths and weaknesses and work on them.

What are those Brahms exercises called? I haven't heard about them.

I should add to what I said before that I still do Hanon, especially when I've been away from the piano for a few days, but I do them in different keys and in triplets. Also I spend a certain amount of time doing the patterns in Slonimsky's Thesaurus, which I think not many people know about. It's just a way to vary your workout so your brain has to stay alert. Also Schmitt's exercises, but those are kind of punishing -- I do 24 repetitions of each one, and boy are they boring.

[49410enrique]

What are those Brahms exercises called? I haven't heard about them.

I should add to what I said before that I still do Hanon, especially when I've been away from the piano for a few days, but I do them in different keys and in triplets. Also I spend a certain amount of time doing the patterns in Slonimsky's Thesaurus, which I think not many people know about. It's just a way to vary your workout so your brain has to stay alert. Also Schmitt's exercises, but those are kind of punishing -- I do 24 repetitions of each one, and boy are they boring.

https://www.pianostreet.com/brahms-sheet-music/51-piano-exercises.htm

[slobone]

^^^Thanks, those also sound like they could be maddening. Which doesn't mean I don't want to play them. But if I had just heard them without knowing anything about them, I never would have guessed they were by Brahms.