Home
Piano Music
Piano Music Library
Audiovisual Study Tool
Search pieces
All composers
Top composers »
Bach
Beethoven
Brahms
Chopin
Debussy
Grieg
Haydn
Mendelssohn
Mozart
Liszt
Prokofiev
Rachmaninoff
Ravel
Schubert
Schumann
Scriabin
All composers »
All pieces
Recommended Pieces
PS Editions
Instructive Editions
Recordings
Recent additions
Free piano sheet music
News & Articles
PS Magazine
News flash
New albums
Livestreams
Article index
Piano Forum
Resources
Music dictionary
E-books
Manuscripts
Links
Mobile
About
About PS
Help & FAQ
Contact
Forum rules
Pricing
Log in
Sign up
Piano Forum
Home
Help
Search
Piano Forum
»
Piano Board
»
Student's Corner
»
How to determine the possition of keys without looking at hands
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Down
Topic: How to determine the possition of keys without looking at hands
(Read 3123 times)
thuyth_24
PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 2
How to determine the possition of keys without looking at hands
on: June 17, 2016, 10:28:03 AM
Hi ! I've been studying piano for 1 year, I want to improve the technique and musicality of my playing piano piece that I enjoy and that is within my ability. I can play Moonlight sonata 1st mov, Fur elise and many easier pieces now. My trouble is always looking at hands when I playing. The more I looking hands, the less accuracy on both hands I get.
To improve my performance, I want to focus on right hand and not looking on the left.
Anyone know the best way to determine the possition of keys without looking at hands when playing piano ?
Logged
Beethoven: Sonata Op. 27 No. 2 in C-sharp Minor
Sign up for a Piano Street membership to download this piano score.
Sign up for FREE! >>
Beethoven: Für Elise in A Minor
Sign up for a Piano Street membership to download this piano score.
Sign up for FREE! >>
indianajo
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1105
Re: How to determine the possition of keys without looking at hands
Reply #1 on: June 17, 2016, 10:55:58 AM
One plays exercises that challenge ones position sense, without looking at the hands. You should also re-learn the pieces in your repretoire without looking. Slowness may be important, and never repeat a mistake without slowing down. Accuracy is much more important than speed. After accuracy has been achieved, speed can come naturally without much thought.
My teacher insisted I never look at the hands. My entire 7 year course of study I only looked during the first few weeks when I was learning a piece one hand alone.
Exercises like Edna Mae Berman come in graded books, where the lower letter ones are easier than the later ones. Exercises like Hanon or Czerny, you have to have a the teacher pick which comes next. It is best to have a teacher anyway, to point out the many things you are not aware of that you are doing wrongly.
Warning, if you are an adult student. I lost my fine kinesthetic sense in my late fifties, and now have to look at my hands when jumping around. Same result as the reason for senior professional golf leagues. The muscles do not perform the same every day after a certain age as they do for younger people. Senior PGA starts at age 50.
Logged
thuyth_24
PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 2
Re: How to determine the possition of keys without looking at hands
Reply #2 on: June 17, 2016, 12:17:19 PM
Thank you Indianajo for your advices,
I start to play piano at the age of 30. Does exercises like Edna Mae Berman , Hanon or Czerny still appropriate for my age ?
Logged
indianajo
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1105
Re: How to determine the possition of keys without looking at hands
Reply #3 on: June 17, 2016, 02:01:18 PM
Absolutely exercises apply to any beginner or intermediate student.
Ignore the stick figures on the cover of EMB, the techniques taught are appropriate for any age.
The teacher has to tell you what the subject of the exercise is, EMB doesn't even have the Clfff's Notes at the bottom. Each exercise focuses on one technique that is applicable to many pieces.
The difference between an adult and a child, the adult is less flexible and has full hand span. Ergonomic stretching exercises out of a factory ergo textbook may be appropriate for an adult. i do them at my age.
My first teacher, my Mother, didn't worry about my looking at my hands. After 16 months she found me a college trained teacher. Perhaps if your teacher is not running through the exercises, instructing you on posture and flex, it is time to move up to someone more skilled and demanding.
Logged
Sign-up to post reply
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Up
For more information about this topic, click search below!
Search on Piano Street