Tendon straining playing on "weighted" keyboard

[jugular]

About 4 years ago I purchased a Yamaha DGX-640 model with "weighted" keys. Being an inexperienced pianist back then the keys really did feel weighted as opposed to my 66 note keyboard. However, now that I've had access to upright and grand pianos in school, my finger strength and sensitivity has changed drastically.

Let's cut to the chase. I'm currently out of school learning the Waldstein 1st movement on my Yamaha keyboard. I find it VERY easy to obtain tendon cramps when I attempt to take the piece at a faster tempo. The keys feel like feathers:  there is almost no strength required to push them down whatsoever. Even after warming up for 30m-1h, I still face this problem when trying to play faster passages that I would otherwise be able to play on a standard piano.

Has anyone else faced this problem? Should I just practice everything at a slower tempo for the summer and attempt it at a faster tempo when I have access to a grand/upright? Thanks in advance!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Ah, I remember, this was like my first post when I joined piano street...

I don't know how I exactly fixed my problem, but it's not about finger strength.

[j_menz]

Ah, I remember, this was like my first post when I joined piano street...

Nope, this was. I still haven't managed to understand it:

Backwards and hands crossed is the same thing as playing regularly.

@ OP not sure it's the different weight or whether that just shows up faults that are otherwise not apparent.  Do you have access to someone who can have a look at what you're doing?

[bronnestam]

Check out your chair as well.



I write this because when I see all these nice videos people put on YouTube, with themselves playing keyboard at home, I sometimes shudder when I see their ergonomical arrangements. The keyboards are jumping around on fragile stands which forces you to observe stability as well as playing, and people actually sit on kitchen chairs etcetera. I have no idea how it is where you live, though, I just ask you to mind this aspect as well.
As a freelance translator and an author, spending extremely much time writing on my computer, I have learned, the hard and painful way, the importance of perfect ergonomy. We tend to be a bit careless in our own homes, which of course is a disaster if you do a lot of work from home.

[jugular]

@ OP not sure it's the different weight or whether that just shows up faults that are otherwise not apparent.  Do you have access to someone who can have a look at what you're doing?

I have been playing without a piano teacher for the past four years; I study under the Tuba professor at my university, leaving little time (and money) for a piano teacher. Would it be helpful if I posted a video of me playing on the keyboard to see if any diagnosis can be made?

Check out your chair as well.



I write this because when I see all these nice videos people put on YouTube, with themselves playing keyboard at home, I sometimes shudder when I see their ergonomical arrangements. The keyboards are jumping around on fragile stands which forces you to observe stability as well as playing, and people actually sit on kitchen chairs etcetera. I have no idea how it is where you live, though, I just ask you to mind this aspect as well.
As a freelance translator and an author, spending extremely much time writing on my computer, I have learned, the hard and painful way, the importance of perfect ergonomy. We tend to be a bit careless in our own homes, which of course is a disaster if you do a lot of work from home.

Luckily the piano came with an adjustable bench, so I am able to set my bench to the appropriate height to give the most comfortable playing position.

[nyiregyhazi]

About 4 years ago I purchased a Yamaha DGX-640 model with "weighted" keys. Being an inexperienced pianist back then the keys really did feel weighted as opposed to my 66 note keyboard. However, now that I've had access to upright and grand pianos in school, my finger strength and sensitivity has changed drastically.

Let's cut to the chase. I'm currently out of school learning the Waldstein 1st movement on my Yamaha keyboard. I find it VERY easy to obtain tendon cramps when I attempt to take the piece at a faster tempo. The keys feel like feathers:  there is almost no strength required to push them down whatsoever. Even after warming up for 30m-1h, I still face this problem when trying to play faster passages that I would otherwise be able to play on a standard piano.

Has anyone else faced this problem? Should I just practice everything at a slower tempo for the summer and attempt it at a faster tempo when I have access to a grand/upright? Thanks in advance!

I know the feeling well. it's an issue of efficiency. Some actions are more absorbent of the impact. with a lighter action, more spare energy tends to go into impact, so if you try to work hard to produce more tone you also get heavier landings. you need to achieve a big sound with more efficiency. I can't convey exactly how this works in a short post, but to improve this I had to learn how to get fingers active against keys BEFORE depressing. play with the surface of a key to feel quite how much force it can take prior to starting to move. then start subtly resting a tiny bit of armweight against every key before starting to use the finger to move it (not in a way where the arm falls- weight is only used to prime the finger, not to move the key). Since going through this, impacting against light actions is no longer a problem- as it generates more tone through efficiency of transmission rather than through a larger energy input (which also means more energy hits the keybed). Light actions are the hardest of all to avoid to jamming your arm into impact and straining the hand. When the finger "stands" against the resistance of the key before moving it, you stop having to waste so much energy to produce tone and the arm stops needing to press.

[johnnybarkshop]

I should go easy on the Waldstein and I hope that, one day you will win a Steinway in a piano competition.  Good luck with the keyboard - and the Waldstein which is an exciting piece to learn.

[j_menz]

Would it be helpful if I posted a video of me playing on the keyboard to see if any diagnosis can be made?

Not ideal, but vastly better than any verbal description.

[jlsheeha]

I have found through my own experience that you must develop a sense of how your body should feel independent of the action of the keyboard playing.  I have had tendon injuries in the past and from my understanding of them they are almost always related to tension in the wrong places.  A great resource that I found was a book called "What every pianist needs to know about the body" by Thomas Mark.  He explains the skeletal and muscular structure of the body in a way that allows you to understand how your body is "supposed" to work. 

Many times tension issues arise from co-contraction.  Think about your forearm for a second.  If you want to lift your fingers, muscles on the same side as the back of your hands must contract.  Conversely, if you lower your fingers muscles on the palm side must contract.  Many times, we contract both at the same time due to improper mapping of muscles with movement, and this can lead to tendon injury - especially when pianist do the same motions thousands of times. 

My suspicion is that the pianos you are used to playing have been somewhat symbiotic with your natural tendencies and that the keyboard you are now playing is exposing your problems.  The good news is that if you take the time to educate yourself, seek in-person advice from a teacher who knows about these things, and put the effort into correcting your habits, you will most likely notice an all-around improvement in your technique.  Things will become effortless.  Best of luck and most importantly: Never play with pain present or you risk a serious injury!!!   

[johnmar78]

Sorry its Jug I meant to reply to  , from experience,I reckon try to reduce excessive downforce required to produce a tone also focus on your finger tip actions rather than finger stokes. Since your keyboard's touch  is light. This will minimse fast twitch muscles in your hands and whrist therefore mimimsing muscle fatique and contraction. I hope this helps.