piano technique: how a pianist gets it?

[Davek]

hi i was wonderding how does a pianist get/develop technique? is it something that takes long or can etudes and studies do it? how many of you believe in using pieces to develop technique along with books like czerny, hanno etc. and how many of you just use the books. is it okay to play pieces that are slightly above you and will that help develop technique.

all answers welcome!!

dave king

[JTownley]

Hi Davek, I don't know why your post hasn't generated responses since it's an important question, but I will take a stab at it. Anyone is capable of attaining a degree of technique, depending on the amount of work they put in. Much of playing is purely mechanical and the more you play, the better you get mechanically. Anyone who knows the basic mechanics of how to play a scale (pass thumb under smoothly, every note depressed evenly, etc. will be able to achieve enviable scalework with dogged repetition. This is not taking into consideration at all whether a non-gifted pianist will ever "scale" the heights to Rach's 3rd Piano Concerto. The short answer to that is 99.9% no, but hey, there's always that .01% chance! However, I would not take those kind of odds w/ me to Las Vegas, even if Britany Spears had just told me she loved me, couldn't live w/o me and wanted to marry me on the spot! (READ: lucky fella!) Did I answer your question, or did I just confuse you all the more? (something I'm inclined to do when I get carried away talking about Britany Spears!!)

[Davek]

yes! and i totaly understand. thanks

[keynote88]

Hey. I use the "Russian Technical Regimen" (by Alexander Peskanov). Published by the Willis Music Company. It really helps to develop technique (scales, chords, arpeggios, etc.) Once you know the technique, you can just "plug" it into a song you're playing. Hope this helps.

[tessa]

Have you ever watched the video on " FREEING THE CAGED BIRD" by B. Lister Sink? It is really good.