Technique

[sako369]

hello there,
I have recently moved to another country, thus meaning i have no teacher to provide me guidance and advises. I know asking online for help is not a permanent solution, and i will (in the future) find a good teacher, but in the mean time i am asking for any help i can get from teachers and professionals on this forum. I am not a beginner, neither a concert pianist. My last repertoire involved Grieg's piano concerto (1st movement), Chopin etude op 25 n 12, Bach prelude-fugue (A flat major from book 1), and Haydn sonata C major - 1st movement (can't remember the exact number :/ ). I am currently learning Chopin grande polonaise (suggested by former teacher) and having no difficulties so far. However, i would like to make good use of my time and boost/improve my technique, if anyone would guide me on this i would truly appreciate it and be grateful. (P.S. i am familiar with Hannon exercises, all three categories. Practice hours won't be a problem too, am prepared to practice as long as it is needed)

[m1469]

i would like to make good use of my time and boost/improve my technique, if anyone would guide me on this i would truly appreciate it and be grateful.

Clarify for yourself, in words/writing if possible, the principles or system of what makes motions work and what does not.  Where does it start?  Where does it end?  Break concepts down to the most basic functions/ideas that you possibly can.  Make these ideas as clear as possible to yourself. Create for yourself an organized concept of all things working together, and each component of that, as well as which parts need to be in place in order for the other to function to your benefit.  And, this is no matter what you are playing.  Then take a conscious idea and put it into the "outside" world in some way, share it, even if with just one person, even if just in your practice alone, to let it further develop from there.

[sako369]

Thank you for this helpful piece of advice. I would be using this whenever i encounter any technical problems while learning new pieces or practicing ones i know. However, i did not get the complete picture if your advice is related to improving technique in general. Can you please put in in a more " reachable" way, if it's possible?

[m1469]

If you play a five finger pattern, starting on middle C, how many techniques are involved?  What are they?  How does this relate to the rest of your body?  What makes it possible to do this "smoothly" and with direction?

Now, use contrast in some way.  Play the same pattern but an octave up (for example).  Does anything change?  If so, what?  What is the root of the change?

If you are playing the things you list above, especially without problems, then you should be able to come up with *something* for a five-finger pattern.  Whatever you come up with, apply the same principles of motion to a "more complex" set of notes - must you do something differently to accommodate something more complex?  Is anything the same between a more complex set of a notes and a simple five note pattern?  Etc.

[nyiregyhazi]

If you play a five finger pattern, starting on middle C, how many techniques are involved?  What are they?  How does this relate to the rest of your body?  What makes it possible to do this "smoothly" and with direction?

Now, use contrast in some way.  Play the same pattern but an octave up.  Does anything change?  If so, what?

If you are playing the things you list above, especially without problems, then you should be able to come up with *something* for a five-finger pattern.

If he's doing fine in such repertoire as listed, I can't imagine any revelations coming out here. Approaching a five finger pattern under specific instructions to try doing something in a very specific way (eg. to stand clearly on every finger and touch the thumb against the tip of each finger, in a broad open arch, before observing how the connection to the piano changes compared to when playing without getting the arch so open) may very well reveal a lot of interesting issues. Simply looking to observe what you do will merely be inclined tell you what you already do- but is hardly especially likely to provide any revelations about what else you could usefully be doing, but which is not yet happening.

[sako369]

I am asking for any practice routines, (or lets call them "playlists" ) that will improve technique even further, for example lets say learning chopin etudes! (not sure if it's effective, just using this as an example)

[nyiregyhazi]

I am asking for any practice routines, (or lets call them "playlists" ) that will improve technique even further, for example lets say learning chopin etudes! (not sure if it's effective, just using this as an example)

There are no magic paths. The success lies primarily in the way you practise- not in what you practise. There are more viable paths than anyone could list- but they only work if you know what to do with the pieces you are working at and what to look for while working at them.

If the fundamentals are already there, you can learn whatever and make further progress. If they aren't there's no magic piece that provides them. They come from understanding what needs to be changed in your approach.

[toomuchpolitics]

I agree that there are no magic solutions, no particular drills to play which will suddenly transform your technique.  Anything that focuses purely on mechanical process rather than on the relationship between process and resulting tone production may well assist in finger agility, but will not turn you into a better pianist. At your level, the path to a great technique is best explored through detailed attention to perfecting repertoire.
Developing piano technique is a journey - a journey of discovery. 
What's important:
1. RELAXATION
Become very aware of your body as you play.  Avoid tension as much as possible. Allow larger muscle groups in your arms and hands to control your playing, rather than thinking of playing with your fingers all of the time.
2. Regarding fingers, focus on JOINT STABILITY, rather than curled/curved/flat.
I have a video on the topic of joint stability on my YouTube channel. 

The video is aimed at an audience who is certainly not playing at your level, but, depending on your approach to playing the piano, you may find it nonetheless helpful.
3. Make up EXERCISES based on your repertoire.
Extend short patterns that you find in your pieces.
Practice in tiny fragments 1 beat, 2 beats, 4 beats, etc.
4.  Have a clear idea of how you want each tiny part of a piece to SOUND.  Decide at all times which muscles to use to achieve the desired sound.  How much weight do you need to use? Should it be arm weight? Should it be the controlled weight of the hand? How much should the wrist be involved? Does angling the wrist facilitate the motion and result in a smoother sound?

Piano technique, to me, is nothing, if not a means to an artistic end.  The pursuit of it through endless repetition of Hanon, Dohnyani, etc, can actually do more harm than good.

[nyiregyhazi]

Your solution is quite interesting and it trains experience of the finishing position, but I see one big problem- every single action involves an arm drop. As soon as that arm drop is removed (which is necessary for most notes in regular playing), the finger will also have to be responsible for the key movement- but the suitable path of motion is not being practised within the arm drop. Only the end position which it needs to reach is being included. Ultimately, there's a specific path of movement into that position that has to be learned for the finger itself, which everything hinges upon. When a finger needs to generate key movement, it's not about stopping the movement sooner, but rather aiming it in a line where collapse won't be an issue even when the movement is exaggerated. Once you learn that path, it's not necessary to intend to stop anything in the finger, as long as you make room for the knuckle to be pushed up and away.

[stringoverstrung]

Hi,

what greatly helped was actually reading some books about technique and piano playing. Of course Neuhaus but you have to already play to a certain level  (which you obviously do) to understand what he means. Also Alan Walker and even C.C. Chang (available on the internet) has some merits.

Regards,
Gert

[stringoverstrung]

Correction Alan Fraser not Alan Walker of course
(The craft of piano playing).

I wouldn't recommend al his exercises by the way.