The Best Piano Technique Book Ever

[thepiboy]

I am about to introduce you to the best piano technique book, globally. If anybody knows different, tell me.

It's truly amazing. Helps you understand the mechnaics behing learning piano - here it is.

https://members.aol.com/chang8828/contents.htm

Read it well, and you will reap the maximum benefit. Even if you are diploma, read it, and you will still find something that will improve your piano playing.

I promise. 

The PDF version of the book is also available, just google the name of the book and pdf.

[Brian Healey]

I don't think many people on this board are strangers to Chang. He brings up some interesting points (and some not so good), but overall it's a fine resource. I personally prefer both Bernstein's "Keyboard Choreography" and Abbey Whiteside's "Indispensables." But that's just one man's opinion.


Peace,
Bri

[BoliverAllmon]

I am about to introduce you to the best piano technique book, globally. If anybody knows different, tell me.

It's truly amazing. Helps you understand the mechnaics behing learning piano - here it is.

https://members.aol.com/chang8828/contents.htm

Read it well, and you will reap the maximum benefit. Even if you are diploma, read it, and you will still find something that will improve your piano playing.

I promise. 

The PDF version of the book is also available, just google the name of the book and pdf.

yeah chang posts here at times.

[SteinwayTony]

How do you know?

The development of technique takes months, even years.

[BoliverAllmon]

How do you know?

The development of technique takes months, even years.

that's true to a degree, but there are tricks to improve technique quickly. Take octaves for instance. I have a large hand and therefore tend to curl my thumb just slightly to make it run paralle with the keys. My teacher saw me do that and told me to keep the thumb straight. I never knew it but I was causing tension by curling the thumb and really slowing me down. I fixed that and immediately my octaves were faster and more accurate. So yeah some technique is built over time, but others are immediate.

People claim that chang's book and Bernhard's teaching have improved there technique and there practice technique dramatically in a matter of weeks. So go figure.

boliver

[Steve T]

How do you know?

The development of technique takes months, even years.

More negative undertones

This is the guy who believes 'the higher you aim, the further you fall'...quote from another thread! - You must be a real fun person to have around!

Please give it a rest and be optimistic and look for the good. So many kids' outlooks on life and careers are hindered by their parents' or teachers' lack of a positive mental attitude, or understanding of the value of big goals and high expectations.
Stiffling enthusiasm should be illegal.

Anyone who ever overcame great obstacles and achieved anything noteworthy, did so by stepping out of the box, by daring to be great, by going the extra mile, by seeking knowledge and inspiration, hard work, committment, belief, goals, goals, goals...the bigger the better. Don't let neggie people tell you different, leave them to their miserable worlds, move on, have fun, play like a child on a summers day, laugh out loud, smile at people for no other reason than to make them feel like someone likes them, care, have compassion and love life, love music, enjoy the journey, however fast or slow you want to go, however much you achieve or not, do it with joy in your heart and light up the room whenever you enter it.....this is the way to enjoy life, and encourage and motivate others....not sly comments like "how do you know?" when someone is trying to spread a bit of excitement and enthusiasm for something they believe to be good.

BTW, I think Chang's book is the most enlightening and constructive approach to becoming a better pianist available.
Chang is also one of life's 'givers' and I, for one will be making a donation in return for his exceptional book. Thanks Chang, you should publish this book and get a proper return on your huge investment in time and energy.

[Kapellmeister27]

I have a question regrding this and other technique books.

I have been playing for about 5-6 years.  3 self taught, 3 with lessons (excellent teacher for teaching expressions, legato, musicality, but she doesmt knmow much more than i do about proper technique)

i have noticed that i have many bad habits including TU playing, stiffness at times in the wrist, not memorizing a piece until a few weeks before a ihave to play it, etc.

the list goes on and on.

so far though i have been lucky because i naturally can play difficult pieces with a mediocre technique

but now it is catching up to me


so i have decided after looking throught this and other similar books that all promote similar ideas on practicing and technique that i think are good, that i am going to revamp my practice habits.

this would include stuff such as playing scales and arp. over again so i can do the proper movement.

i was wondering about how long it would take me before i can play the pieces i am learning now (mid-advanced) and get my scales up to speed again (only more even, accurate, and with better tone).
 
will it take years to undo what i have done in years, or can i do it in a few months?

if so, what are some good practice routines?

i feel that i would have a tendency to get impatient playing slow scales, etc.  and if i do it with pieces i always start to rush through learning it before i can do it porperly

so any advince on some practice strategies for this?

[Hmoll]

best piano technique book

No on two accounts:
 First of all it's not a "technique book." It covers primarily the process of learning music, memorizing, developing and maintaining repertoire, and covers all aspects of piano. Mainly, it's a book about how to practice the piano.

Secondly, although there is a lot of useful information in the book, it's hardly the best out there, and Chang who modestly posts here may even agree. Seymour Bernstein's, Finks, Sandor are more useful from a technical perspective.

I agree with a lot of what he says, and his practice methods certainly have applications - although not  with all music or all passages (which he also says).
I don't agree with his characterizations of practicing  Hanon and other exercises as a waste of time. It's worked for me, and it's worked for many others.

In short, it's a good book, and I've gotten some good ideas from it. We should expose ourselves to new ideas like Chang's - and others - and take what's useful from each.

That being said, Chang has done an incredible amount of research, and has provided the piano playing and teaching community worldwide a great service by making his ideas, and this book available.
 

[Torp]

Stiffling enthusiasm should be illegal.

Anyone who ever overcame great obstacles and achieved anything noteworthy, did so by stepping out of the box, by daring to be great, by going the extra mile, by seeking knowledge and inspiration, hard work, committment, belief, goals, goals, goals...the bigger the better. Don't let neggie people tell you different, leave them to their miserable worlds, move on, have fun, play like a child on a summers day, laugh out loud, smile at people for no other reason than to make them feel like someone likes them, care, have compassion and love life, love music, enjoy the journey, however fast or slow you want to go, however much you achieve or not, do it with joy in your heart and light up the room whenever you enter it.....this is the way to enjoy life, and encourage and motivate others....

Amen, brother.   Keep the posts comin'.  The world definitely needs more of this attitude.

Jef

[kilini]

Well, don't know about the others, but it's best in one category 'cause it's free. 

[SteinwayTony]

More negative undertones

This is the guy who believes 'the higher you aim, the further you fall'...quote from another thread! - You must be a real fun person to have around!

Please give it a rest and be optimistic and look for the good. So many kids' outlooks on life and careers are hindered by their parents' or teachers' lack of a positive mental attitude, or understanding of the value of big goals and high expectations.
Stiffling enthusiasm should be illegal.

Anyone who ever overcame great obstacles and achieved anything noteworthy, did so by stepping out of the box, by daring to be great, by going the extra mile, by seeking knowledge and inspiration, hard work, committment, belief, goals, goals, goals...the bigger the better. Don't let neggie people tell you different, leave them to their miserable worlds, move on, have fun, play like a child on a summers day, laugh out loud, smile at people for no other reason than to make them feel like someone likes them, care, have compassion and love life, love music, enjoy the journey, however fast or slow you want to go, however much you achieve or not, do it with joy in your heart and light up the room whenever you enter it.....this is the way to enjoy life, and encourage and motivate others....not sly comments like "how do you know?" when someone is trying to spread a bit of excitement and enthusiasm for something they believe to be good.

BTW, I think Chang's book is the most enlightening and constructive approach to becoming a better pianist available.
Chang is also one of life's 'givers' and I, for one will be making a donation in return for his exceptional book. Thanks Chang, you should publish this book and get a proper return on your huge investment in time and energy.

Stifling enthusiasm should be illegal?  You'll have to take your concerns up with the U.S. government, Steve.  That's out of my hands.  I'm sure the repressive radical right-wing governments of Iran and North Korea could use your optimistic zeal somehow.  Not on an internet forum, though.

I consider myself neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but realistic.  It's very heartwarming that your enthusiasm for enthusiasm is so great, but not necessarily.  Telling little Timmy, for instance, who just started playing the piano at the awkward age of 13, that he'll be able to conquer Rach 3 in a few months and jam with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, might make Timmy feel great in the beginning, but then he'll inevitably learn the truth and feel pretty terrible.  Nice work, Steve. 

Are you one of those who says "anything is possible, if you put your mind to it?"  What a crock.  I certainly don't want you teaching my children.

Incidentally, I'm a fan of Chang's book and have nothing against it.  It was simply my opinion that technique takes time (oh darn, here I go thinking realistically again!), not to mention Chang's book doesn't concern technique.  If you don't appreciate my opinion, you are not obligated to respond.  Now, go ahead, and stifle away, Steve!

[Steve T]

You just don't get it do you?
Mind you don't aim too high now, or become too optomistic 

[kapelli]

Hannon

And there is one book, writen by Nadia BOulanger.
It consist of gathered many excercises from many books,
and there is every problem in it.
It's vary hard to get it, but it's genious.

And for octaves - Theodors' Kullak "School of Octave Playing",
and Moszkowskiu Studiues and School of Twotones.

And...........playing with thinking, that's the best teacher.
Fingers can't think, brain have to think

[xvimbi]

This post sums it all up very nicely:

Hannon

This is the single WORST piece of advice for acquiring technique...

And...........playing with thinking, that's the best teacher.
Fingers can't think, brain have to think

This is the single BEST piece of advice for acquiring technique! 

[kapelli]

This post sums it all up very nicely:

[Hannon]
This is the single WORST piece of advice for acquiring technique...

Could you tell why?
My left hand is much more weaker than right, and after playing few excercises from Hanon book both hands get improved, and the disproportion beetwen the left and right and iss less than before.
But - only the first part of Hanon excercises is good. (I think that)

[xvimbi]

I consider myself neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but realistic.  It's very heartwarming that your enthusiasm for enthusiasm is so great, but not necessarily.  Telling little Timmy, for instance, who just started playing the piano at the awkward age of 13, that he'll be able to conquer Rach 3 in a few months and jam with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, might make Timmy feel great in the beginning, but then he'll inevitably learn the truth and feel pretty terrible.  Nice work, Steve. 
...

This discussion should be continued in another thread. Definitely. Just to throw in a comment: I'm with SteinwayToni on this one, and I speak from my own experience. Constant praise for mediocre performance breeds mediocrity (at best). The trick is to provide a realistic assessment (which will be very sobering to many people) while finding ways to keep the enthusiasm.

[BoliverAllmon]

there are threads upon threads about hanon. I would go check them out. I agree that they can help. They have helped me. I have realized this though. People have told me that the best way to develop technique is through pieces. I understood what they were saying, but I personally was developing technique faster through Hanon. I soon realized why. Hanon is beyond easy. I can grasp the concepts and just do it in a matter of no time. On the other hand I was working on repertoire that was extremely difficult for me and taking me forever to learn. I think that if I just play more pieces that are easy for me along with the harder ones, then I will develop technique just as fast and now will have something to show for all the work (i.e. a bigger repertoire).

just my opinion.

boliver

[xvimbi]

Could you tell why?

No

Seriously, this topic has been discussed about a hundred times on this forum. All the reasons for and against doing Hanon (and similar) have been presented. Also, there is a nice treatise in Chang's book. Unless you have thoroughly researched this topic already and have come to your own conclusions, do yourself a favor and read through all the posts. In the least, it will be very illuminating.

[BoliverAllmon]

illuminating and time consuming.

boliver

[kapelli]

ok I'm new here so forgive me
I'm going to read about Hanon

[BoliverAllmon]

ok I'm new here so forgive me
I'm going to read about Hanon

no hard feelings about it. Just some here get aggiated talking about it again and again.

[Steve T]

This discussion should be continued in another thread. Definitely. Just to throw in a comment: I'm with SteinwayToni on this one, and I speak from my own experience. Constant praise for mediocre performance breeds mediocrity (at best). The trick is to provide a realistic assessment (which will be very sobering to many people) while finding ways to keep the enthusiasm.

What is crystal clear from your comment AND that of SteinwayTony, is that if your attitude is 'the glass is half empty (instead of half full) you may be 'filtering' out what you read or understand. I NEVER said that mediocre performance should be unrealistically praised, nor that antone should tell little Jimmy he'll be playing the Rach 3 in 6 months. Only a fool would assume such a thing.
What I said was that being optomistic, positive and goal oriented, and (much more importantly) having a parent or teacher who's attitude exhudes these excellent qualities, will cause the pupil to perform at a much higher level. That pupil will learn faster, aquire skills more easily, and progress at a substantially higher rate, than one's parents or teacher have a 'less than optomistic' view. This in not my opinion, it has been scientfically proven as far back as the 60's. Double blind experiments, performed thousands of times catagorically prove this.
The problem is that if you're teachers etc were not 'big possibility' thinkers, the likelyhood is you won't be, so you'll think (and probably believe) that things are a certain way. That will affect the performance (oh, and enjoyment) and self esteem of those who look up to you (children, pupils etc).
In turn their performance and progress will MATCH YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF THEM ! ... and you'll see this and think, 'yea, I was right, don't aim too high.
Break the viscious cycle, read or listen to some some stuff that will change and improve your outlook, your life, your happiness, your contentment, your relationships....and most importantly, that of the impressionable minds who look up to you and see you as an example.
Try a CD course called 'The Psychology of Achievement' by Brian Tracy, his website is at www.briantracy.com take the link to audio/video programmes, then personal success. This guy quotes examples from phsychology today and other noteable research papers.
It quite literally changed my life, and that of those around me.
I'm sure your intentions are good, if so, this will help you and those you care for.
If you're thinking "I don't need this crap..." then you need it much more than you realise. Be happy, love life.
Oh, and try giving away 10% + of your income every month and watch what happens. (not a nutty cult, but to genuine charitable causes). Don't believe me...try it.

[xvimbi]

What is crystal clear from your comment AND that of SteinwayTony, is that if your attitude is 'the glass is half empty (instead of half full) you may be 'filtering' out what you read or understand. I NEVER said that mediocre performance should be unrealistically praised, nor that antone should tell little Jimmy he'll be playing the Rach 3 in 6 months. Only a fool would assume such a thing.

No need to get agitated. I responded to SteinwayTony's post and agreed with what he said. I agree with much of what you say, too. I agree 100% with what you said in your "stifling enthusiasm" post, because this is exactly how I myself approach my piano playing and a lot of other things in my life. But I do approach those things that I really want to excel in in a different way.

[cziffra]

I consider myself neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but realistic

How's this for a thought-

Pezzimismists who try to pass off their negativity as realism are actually being quite optimistic when they do so. 
 

P.S No offence intended, i'm just joking, really

[Steve T]

How's this for a thought-

Pezzimismists who try to pass off their negativity as realism are actually being quite optimistic when they do so. 
 

P.S No offence intended, i'm just joking, really

Brilliant. Just seeing it this way (joke or not), says a lot about your mental outlook. This is a person with a positive slant on things, great 

[presto agitato]

Q The Best Piano Technique Book Ever ?
A   Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 and 2.

As simple as that.

[SteinwayTony]

Brilliant. Just seeing it this way (joke or not), says a lot about your mental outlook. This is a person with a positive slant on things, great 

Whether I'm pessimistic or realistic, you are in no position to judge my "mental outlook."  This is a piano forum, not a spiritual motivation board, and if you're a pianist in New York City with your head in the clouds ("optimistically," you might say), well, congratulations, you're screwed.

[koichi]

btw, does seymour fink's mastering piano technique has vcd or only has video cassette?

[pianowelsh]

Agreed the Bernstein book is very good - i dont know this Chang one although I have read a book on technique by Chang. For teachers theres an excellent one on 'how to teach the piano successfully' i forget the details im sure it will be known to many of you. It is very good and gives good prog from beginners to advanced students as well as testimonials for teachers like Lehvine and True etc.

[pianowelsh]

I should say I found the S Fink book very helpfull too parcticularly as regards ones physical approach to playing.

[cziffra]

Whether I'm pessimistic or realistic, you are in no position to judge my "mental outlook." This is a piano forum, not a spiritual motivation board, and if you're a pianist in New York City with your head in the clouds ("optimistically," you might say), well, congratulations, you're screwed.

Um...perhaps you misunderstood.  It didn't appear to me that Steve T was criticising you at all- in fact, i'm quite certain his comment about the "mental outlook" was directed at me. 

[Steve T]

I was indeed talking about you cziffra, your post was positive. As for SteinwayTony, now that he mentions it, you only have to read through his posts to find about 75% have a condescending, negative or abrupt tone...now some might say that says a lot about his mental attitude. I can only hope that these discussions cause him to evaluate his predominant mental thoughts. This, I would hope, benefits him. We should all be looking to improve ourselves and learn in all areas, not just music 

[SteinwayTony]

Time's up, Freud.  How much do I owe you?