Hi do I get better sounding trills?

[skypert]

My trills are inconsistent.
Firstly, I have the choice of fingers 1 and 3 or 2 and 3,  any preference there?

Is there a format to actually learning them?
Thanks

[perfect_pitch]

Okay - first things first, you have to think of the contour. Is it white note to white note; black note to white note or white note to black note (physically black note to black note is the same as white note to white note as the keys are again level in height, despite black keys being thinner).

I would literally take just the first 7 bars of Hanons Virtuoso Pianist and play it slowly, but heavily (not forced) but just deliberately played. I would play it as it (in C Major), then as an exercise I would play the same exercise in a 'long-short' manner (think like a dotted quaver-semiquaver manner where the first note of each pair is held 3 times as long as the second note in each pair; as opposed to straight quavers), then the same in a 'short-long' manner (think like a semiquaver-dotted quaver manner where the second note of each pair is held 3 times as long as the first note in each pair; as opposed to straight quavers)

Then I'd do the same thing but change only the E's to E flats, and as a 2nd challenge, do the same thing but change only the F's to F sharps.

Again... SLOWLY, loudly (not forced) but deliberately and in a manner where you don't feel any fatigue. You will find trills with all manner or fingerings, so it would be good to get used to both. I think the 1-3 is a little less common though compared to the 2-3.

[skypert]

Thank you kindly, trying this now

[lostinidlewonder]

When playing trills with thumb the thumb needs to be very light. You can prove this point with an exercise. Play CD with 12 or 13 (but in this example consider the 2). Hold the 2  down and only lift it when you play the 1 and then as fast as you can replace it back down and hold it without having the thumb down. Try this repeatedly with pauses inbetween as you require, you should aim to have a quick time between the thumb striking which allows the 2 to release and come back down after the 1 releases as fast as it can.

If you instead try to do this the other way around, with a thumb sticking down and only releasing when the 2nd plays etc etc. This feels not as good. This is because we are emphasising the weight of the thumb where it should be minimised. Of course you should be able to also do this action comfortably but it has no relevance to trill playing.


Fingering in trills also can depend on what you played before them and what you leave towards.

[fftransform]

What sort of trill is it?  There are quite a lot of different ways that a trill 'should feel' depending on what sort of sound it is, the speed, and the duration.  Is it some super-crisp Scarlatti ornament, some whispery Liszt or Debussy trill, a sturdy Beethoven trill etc.

The question is just really general, if there's a specific sort you want to work on first (or most) then we can give better answers.  Otherwise I suggest just doing the normal exercises, very slow and steady.  You can also look up Mozart's trill exercise.

Work on your chromatic scales (French fingering), and by that I mean getting the speed and articulation up.  The wrist motion is somewhat similar, it's easier to 'find right the feel' in the chromatic scale than with the trill itself.  Then use what you learn there and apply it to your trill exercises.

[skypert]

Thanks again for your tips.

It is a Chopin Romantic trill.  I am sure I made the mistake of just going fast with no control.  So trying now to undo that and stop it sounding like a jack hammer with a power supply issue

[lelle]

Thanks again for your tips.

It is a Chopin Romantic trill.  I am sure I made the mistake of just going fast with no control.  So trying now to undo that and stop it sounding like a jack hammer with a power supply issue

For me it's all about being relax while doing the trill. Trying to force it with forceful movement and tense hands/arms tends to be counterproductive. Work on not clenching any muscles you are clenching while doing the finger movements, have some patience even if you have to go slowly at first, and trills will probably get much easier and faster and more beautiful