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Topic: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys  (Read 16042 times)

Offline cziffra

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heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
on: April 24, 2003, 06:26:56 AM
which is better to learn on, a piano with very heavy keys that are difficult to press down or a piano with keys very easily pressed down?
What it all comes down to is that one does not play the piano with one’s fingers; one plays the piano with one’s mind.-  Glenn Gould

Offline amee

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #1 on: April 24, 2003, 06:44:06 AM
Dear vindin,

I've been reading Josef Hofmann's book, "Piano Playing with Piano Questions Answered".  In one section he talks about something related to your topic.  He says,

"All extremes are harmful in their effects upon study and practice.  A too heavy action stiffens and overtires the fingers, while too light an actuion tends to impair your control."

Personally I would rather practice on a heavy action piano then an extremely light one.  If you get used to the light action, you'll find the keys on other pianos very difficult to press down, and all the notes will sound half-formed.
"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." - Frederic Chopin

Offline lea

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #2 on: April 24, 2003, 09:36:10 AM
i agree!!!

and besides, you want to strengthen your fingers

it really helps, especially if you do alot of scales
memo from lea: red bull gives u wings

Offline Brian Lawson, RPT

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #3 on: April 24, 2003, 09:34:06 PM
Ideally have your piano tech measure the touch wieight of your piano when he next comes to tune it. Average figures are Downweight 48 - 55 grams, upweight 22  - 25 grams.
Brian Lawson, RPT
South Africa
https://www.lawsonic.co.za

Offline dj

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #4 on: May 13, 2003, 06:34:56 AM
i spent all of my beginner days on a cheap piano with extremely lightweight keys....i will say that learning on lightweight keys will help u fully appreciate stiffer action; however, i don't know how i would've advanced if i had learned on a stiff action piano. im playing stuff now that i would never have dreamed of playing on my old piano....i think the bottom line is: if u want 2 have complete control of your hands when u play, u r gonna want a stiffer feel......this may just b my opinion though and i imagine there are pianos out there with keys that r a bit too stiff.
rach on!

Offline lea

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #5 on: May 13, 2003, 12:25:53 PM
yeah it really depends on the piano
memo from lea: red bull gives u wings

Offline amp

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #6 on: May 13, 2003, 11:05:48 PM
Yeah heavier action I think is better. Like Dj, I have a piano at home with light action. When I came to music school, and play all steinways, it's amazing how stiff the action is. And especially the concert grand in the recital hall. So, for long term it's nice to play on the heavy action.

It's become the opposite with me, when I go home it feels like I can't do anything with the light action anymore :-)
amp

Offline rachfan

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #7 on: May 14, 2003, 03:42:18 AM
I believe it's nearly universal opinion that a stiffer action is better than a light action.  It affords far better training for the fingers, better touch control, as well as greater evenness in playing.

Incidentally, shorter grands often have a harder action than longer ones.  The reason is that the key acts as a "lever" in terms of the laws of physics.  Longer grands have longer keys, so they are easier to depress--more leverage.  

If an action seems unmercifully stiff, then the touch weight should be assessed to see if it is at the builder's specification, as Brian expertly points out above.  There have been cases, even with artist quality grands, where the weighing off of the keys was done improperly at the factory; or, it was done properly during the process, but never rechecked  and adjusted after the remaining regulations were accomplished.  Thus, sometimes the keys have to be reweighted in the field long after the fact.  I once played a magnificent Falcone (the original piano, not the Asian stencil being sold today) where this happened.
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline dinosaurtales

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #8 on: May 14, 2003, 06:51:25 AM
Neither too heavy nor too light are good, but my piano teacher says if you have to lean one way, it's better to have a heavier touch.  She claims too light a touch makes playing on almost any other piano difficult.  Medium is best - use Brian's specs -
So much music, so little time........

Offline whistle86

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #9 on: September 29, 2003, 08:49:19 AM
i dont like to play on heavy keys cuz its harder, but someone told me  that heavy resistant keys are much better and they sound better too.  :-/

-giselle

Offline Axtremus

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Re: heavy resistant keys or facile light keys
Reply #10 on: September 30, 2003, 12:29:11 AM
Quote
Average figures are Downweight 48 - 55 grams, upweight 22  - 25 grams.


Thanks to Brian for providing this info. I agree with DinosaurTales about not going too heavy nor too light -- middle of the road is best.

Brian's info reminded me of the Fazioli spec. I read before -- Fazioli claims that restrict their keys to 48 grams in the treble to 52 grams in the bass (down-weight); and 25-26 grams in the treble and 21-23 grams in the bass (up-weight). Having played quite a few light-weight Asian pianos as well as quite a few heavy-weight Euro-Americam pianos, I have to say that I felt the most comfortable with Fazioli's key weights.

One of the things I do to see just how much I am affected by  key weights is to just sit down at the piano and improvise freely -- all else being equal, if I find myself reducing the amount of quick running notes and thrills after a while, the keys are too heavy for me; if I find myself instinctively avoiding big chaords, the keys are probably too light. The more I can improvise uninhibited, the more I believe the key-weights are just right for me. (Not sure if this will apply to others though, and they are usually many other factors other than key-weights that come into play.)
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