Fingers | A Workable Practical Guide to Piano Playing

Piano Basics- Scales and Arpeggios

admin Keyboard Technique May 9, 2010May 7, 2010Bowman, Eve, Fingers, Grief, Joints, Magic Touch, Note Patterns, Paint, Pianist, Pianists, Piano Basics, Piano Scales, Piano Teachers, Scales And Arpeggios, Simple Steps, Simplicity, Solid Foundation, Suitable Manner, Tate, Tendons, Ups, Warm Up Exercises, Warm Ups

I am well aware that for many people, the idea of playing scales, and other warm up exercises is about as exciting as watching paint dry. However, there can be no substitute for technique and good playing basics, like ensuring that scales and arpeggios are played correctly, and in a suitable manner as to ensure correct warm up of the hands, fingers, and joints. Many pianists have come to grief, by simply sitting down at the piano, and getting straight into a full routine to play a complex work, without the former warm ups suggested.

Now, the pianist may well get away with this for quite some time, even possibly years. although more likely than not, they will experience quite debilitating injuries in due course.

The tendons of the hands are placed under considerable strain when complex works are played, and the problem is exacerbated by people with small hand spans, as they need to stretch more to play the more complex works.

Particularly with beginners, by laying a solid foundation, and understanding the scale and note patterns, the student will be able to appreciate the more complex playing techniques in later years, and tackle them with greater ease as well. Many great piano teachers have spoken about the piano being about simplicity, in that even complex processes are made up of simple steps, often joined together by rapid playing. Whilst this is simple in its own right, it will become even simpler when attempted and done after a suitable warm up, every time.

Scales and Arpeggios are also mentioned in Wallace Tate's Magic Touch Piano Manual, describing the Bowman Method.

Tendonitis and Piano Playing – How Can Tendonitis For Pianists Be Resolved or Dealt With Appropriately?

admin Injury Management, Keyboard Technique, Overcoming Adversity, Piano Method, Tendonitis May 8, 2010May 7, 2010Beethoven, Cessation, Fingers, Joints, Muscles Of The Arm, Nbsp, Period Of Time, Physiotherapy Clinics, Pianist, Piano Playing, Possibilities, Professional Pianists, Regimen, Repetitive Strain Injury, Scales And Arpeggios, Seven Hours, Sonata, Tendonitis, Tendons, Tique

It is no secret to just about any long term pianist that occasional pain and muscular discomfort may occur from time to time, during their playing careers. Effectively, this is the result of repetitive strain injury. Many serious or professional pianists will typically practice for around seven hours a day, and over a period of a number of years, will add up to a long term pressure on the joints and muscles of the arm, hand and wrist.

As with any sporting activity, it is encouraged to ensure that a thorough warm up session be undertaken first, and then too, a cool down session, to slowly relax the body prior to the cessation of exercise. The same can be applied for pianists, as this will contribute to less chance of injury. Now, I am not going to suggest that playing scales and arpeggios before you launch into the Beethoven Pathétique Sonata is going to cover you against all and sundry injuries. However, it certainly is an important part of your playing regimen.

However, let's consider the actual forces and strain that are going on with the arm, and hands, let alone the wrist and fingers. As far as the arm is concerned, many pianists extend the arm in such a way as to apply considerable force to the wrists ad tendons, as they play, and this can certainly be sustained for a period of time,. However, given the nature of the work in question, some pianists will start to notice pain if they are stretching their fingers considerably (when the hands are small, and the notes spread widely over the keyboard). The preceding example is by no means the only possible scenario, but certainly a common one, amongst others.

There are a number of possibilities to undertake to resolve the problem, and for some, that includes attending physiotherapy clinics. They certainly have their place, and some are undoubtedly very good. In fact, some have an excellent reputation. A question that I would ask however, is to perhaps see if we can find a way to eliminate the problem form developing in the first place. Is such an option available to pianists? The short answer is yes, although it is dependent on the teacher, and student adopting a different method of playing, which like any new endeavour, will take time to master, but ultimately, bring forth greater rewards to the pianist, as well as the pleasure of an improved sound. You might well ask, "How can dealing with tendonitis improve the sound?"

The sound itself, is the result of the quality of the playing. When a pianist is able to play with less fear due to a greater relaxation at the keyboard, and a technique that allows a greater freedom of movement in the hand and fingers, as well as positioning relative to the keyboard, the strain can be greatly minimised on the tendons. Whilst some people may try to convince you that you can cure the problem in a few days, I personally believe that to be irresponsible, and dangerous. If you play on through a damaged tendon, you will likely do more damage. You are better off resting the injury till it heals, and then applying a technique that has been proven, like the Bowman method.

Next, are you experiencing or dealing with overcoming piano injury, for the long term?

You will also gain an enhanced comfort and improvement in your playing, with less stress and injury. To learn more, see the therapeutic techniques that are possible for classical pianists.

The Importance of Scales and Arpeggios

admin Injury Management, Keyboard Technique, Piano Method, The Magic Touch May 4, 2010April 27, 2010Arm Muscles, Bowman, Encouragement, Finger Muscles, Fingers, Flexibility, Hand Arm, Lionel, Moving, Musical Composition, Nbsp, Pianist, Play Piano, Play The Piano, Playing Piano, Playing The Piano, Posture, Scales And Arpeggios, Sitting Posture, Stress, Tension

It is no secret that for any pianist, amateur or professional, it is imperative that they commence with a solid warm up prior to launching into a playing session. In fact, I prefer to think of the scales and arpeggios as part of the playing session. Why and how so?

The benefits of playing scales are all about an adequate warm up, and flexibility of the fingers, and hand. Whist I realise that for a beginner, the idea of incurring an injury at the piano may seem a far fetched idea, it is a definite reality for many people, who may not be adopting the right techniques to play the piano. However, far from wanting to put you off, I'd rather that it be an encouragement to simply follow the right techniques, and processes, to adequately tone your hand, arm, and finger muscles.

Playing the piano is not about just pushing the right keys in the right order. It is very much more than that, and certainly, a possibility to master as a skill, when approached the right way.

To illustrate this example, you can start by playing scales, and then, moving up to arpeggios.

However, you can also start improvising, and turning the scales in to musical composition, as you progress.

It is not an automatic thing, no, but certainly a way to move forward, when you need to.

As the Late Professor Lionel Bowman said, it is always a good idea to start to learn something new, with a new technique, rather than trying to play something you already know,as your mind has already programmed a certain method into your playing for a particular piece. However, what about if you decide to learn something completely new, following a new technique, like the Bowman method?

You will find that you develop greater strength in your fingers, as well as the ability to relax more in the hand and arm, thus allowing a greater degree of stress to remain out of the equation.

Tension and stress, mixed with the incorrect sitting posture can dramatically affect your likelyhood of having problems with tendonitis and also muscular aches in general.

However, getting back to my title earlier, the fact that you are playing scales and arpeggios is an important aspect of the warm up process.

I realise that it may take a combination of discipline, and sheer creativity in time, but you will certainly see the result with less injury over the curse of your piano playing career. For that alone, the issue is a fait accompli.

The Classical Piano method- known as the Magic Touch, is available here.

The Benefits of Learning from Someone Who Has Been There

admin Lionel Bowman, Overcoming Adversity, Piano Method April 22, 2010Arm Injury, Board Director, Bowman, Classic Case, Countless Numbers, Fingers, Further Reading, Keyboard, Lionel, Magic Touch, Medical Assistance, Mr Wallace, Music Examinations, Nbsp, Ordinary Person, Playing The Piano, Professional Pianist, Resistance, Sprains, Tate, Thirties, Western Australia

I understand the title to this entry may seem a little vague, but in effect, it becomes clearer with further reading.

What do I mean?

Well, in the case if Lionel Bowman, he is a classic case of someone who was a dedicated, and convincing pianist, at concert level.

In fact, it would be accurate to say that he was at the peak of his career, in his late thirties.

Unfortunately, he experienced a set back, in the form of a hand and arm injury, through sprains, and difficulty of playing, as his hands were relatively small.

Whilst he still played the piano well, he often ended up needing medical assistance to help heal the injuries in his hands.

For many people, this may well have signaled the end to their career, but Lionel was no ordinary person, prepared to give up at the first sign of resistance. In fact, he turned what could have been a professional disaster into a gain, not only for himself, in that he was able to continue playing, but also for countless numbers of others.

He managed to develop a technique for playing the piano, that not only allowed him to play pain free, but actually enhanced the sound of his playing. The method involved the strengthening of the fingers, and a modification to the technique that he approached the keyboard with. The result was The Magic Touch, expressed in written form by Mr Wallace Tate, himself a past Music Examinations Board Director in Western Australia.

Professor Bowman has been able to bring the very best of a terrible and painstaking journey to light, in the form of a manual and instructional video to help others improve their playing skills. Whilst the professional pianist can certainly gain from the lessons, the techniques are also very valuable for the teacher as well as more junior student, in that the application of the correct technique early on will mean not having to relearn a method that works, and unlearn another.