Hello all! I am still having some issues with the thumb being too loud in arpeggios, especially the 7th chords, and scales, especially the c major. Are there any recommendations to achieve a smooth equal scale and arpeggios. I have read some stuff, but it would be great if you could share your experience about this if you ever faced it. Thank you!!!
it is a great way to even out bumpy spots in passage work and also to control dynamics by ONE thing (arm weight) instead of trying to get FIVE things (fingers) to act properly together.
Here is where the 'arm weight' proponents would argue that the keys are mostly controlled by the weight of the arm that is transferred to the piano through the fingers in lieu of the fingers STRIKING the keys. If we are really going to rely on finger strength, then there is not a pianist alive whose fourth finger can compete with the the other 4. However, the fourth finger IS totally capable of transferring weight to the keys. I would encourage you to at least TRY to feel a constant arm weight through your hands as you do some scales at moderate tempo. My guess is that your thumb is not so much too strong as it is too detached from the process. If you play a piece that calls for bringing out the top note in RH chords, are you able to do that OK or does the thumb like to make its note speak out too loud too? As you play your scales, see what happens if you LITERALLY let your fingers act as legs that are holding up your arms. Your arms have to be very relaxed for this to happen, as well as your shoulders. So, thinking in terms of the right hand, using C as the scale, the weight from the thumb on C is transferred to 2 on D, the from 2 to 3, then the thumb efficiently rotates under 3 to take the weight off of the middle finger in a smooth transfer. Obviously this kind of playing is not possible all the time, but if you can get the hang of it, it is a great way to even out bumpy spots in passage work and also to control dynamics by ONE thing (arm weight) instead of trying to get FIVE things (fingers) to act properly together.
Use the force Luke! (in other words try listening)
Do you shout by forcing air out of your lungs or because you want to? Do you whisper by decreasing the air or because that's your wish? If it's not really on your wish list it's not going to happen.
Yeh, a tag team? My worst students are always singers - they insist on thinking! The only result is a funny wave goes over their face and body, and then a sound comes out. Sheesh already!
On...the....blue ridge mountains of Virginia....
It is a universally common problem, which, if not properly addressed, will impede any pianist's development. That is not just my opinion, it is the truth!
The arm weight post basically says what I was going to say. Another thing to try is accenting different fingers as the downbeat. Make the 2nd note the downbeat, then make the 3rd note the downbeat, (then the 4th note for 7th chords) etc. You can also mix it up - one of my favorite scale exercises to give to students is to play them as eighth notes in 5/8 time with accents on 1 and 4. You can do arpeggios that way too.