tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post5116324465456801067..comments2024-03-24T00:17:41.157-07:00Comments on Mechanically-informed practical piano technique: Tonal control, efficiency and health (lifting the lid on the most fundamental and indispensable ingredient of simple, controlled pianism- minus strain, tensions or impact)Andrew Thayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154451592493415157noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post-24030795894466546252016-04-12T14:17:37.788-07:002016-04-12T14:17:37.788-07:00I'm not sure I said there's more positive ...I'm not sure I said there's more positive movement when approaching the keys in a arc from the elbow? My point was just that it's easier to trigger it. If you fall in a completely vertical path, the coordination is a little harder. But the redirection should always be slightly indirect- for the sake of avoiding the strain of a dead stop. Picture the difference between how you can push effortlessly out of the ground during each stride of a run, compared to if you simply jumped straight up and then tried to lengthen out your leg during the landing. You can spring out with positive movement if you're going sideways too, but if you do it after falling straight down, it can never make for anything but an unpleasant crash landing. Andrew Thayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18154451592493415157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post-88237507153116981252016-04-11T05:16:47.235-07:002016-04-11T05:16:47.235-07:00I didnt undesrtand why there is more positive move...I didnt undesrtand why there is more positive movement when playing with a bit of a circular motion rather than falling straight down to the keys and does it mean that it sould be played with each finger?rockyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09928759829638687142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post-66068818945275410002016-04-03T16:10:44.752-07:002016-04-03T16:10:44.752-07:00People can come to results with all manner of alte...People can come to results with all manner of alternative subjective approaches, to find something that works. But I can assure you that the concept of positive vs negative movement lies there in the underlying mechanics of why it does or doesn't work. Think of the hammer example. If you want a soft landing, you need the positive movement. You can do it more subtly or more obviously, but if you don't do it, you won't land softly or minimise the impact. There's no "other" way at the root of these issues, only subjective means of indirectly triggering the way that works. There are loads of different techniques on the surface, but they all have the same underlying issues.Andrew Thayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18154451592493415157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post-55241257259715119402016-04-03T16:06:30.184-07:002016-04-03T16:06:30.184-07:00Also, the only way to avoid either negative or pos...Also, the only way to avoid either negative or positive movement outright is to literally be rigid. A hand that strives to do neither will either collapse into negative movement (due to the key's resistance), or it will have to be completely stiff. Andrew Thayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18154451592493415157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post-76251925975731066122016-04-03T16:01:43.958-07:002016-04-03T16:01:43.958-07:00Excess pressing is certainly harmful, but my quest...Excess pressing is certainly harmful, but my question is what causes that? I don't believe it's some arcane mystery. Pianists resort to it for the simple reason that they aren't producing enough key speed for really loud sounds, without resorting to it. Why can't they make a loud sound without this habit? Either because their hand is simply braced stiffly or collapsing (and thus failing to pass on more than a fraction of the arm's power to the key). It's easy to just learn not to press, but anyone who wants a big sonorous sound needs to learn another means to produce it- or their musical urge will always bring them back to the same habit. Merely stop pressing from the triceps and you'll be left with a thin sound- unless the hand is capable of generating the key speed via the efficient application of positive movement, without that same brute force.<br /><br />You're right that a stiff joint is a problem, but you've missed the very crux of this post. A relaxed joint that doesn't apply positive movement passes on LESS speed than a braced joint does. It's no use simply not to be stiff. A theoretically perfectly stiff joint doesn't actually impede with inertia and I assure you this. It actually passes on the very same output speed that went in from behind it. Picture a steel arm pushing a key. The rigidity means the part which moves the key will move at identical speed to the initial speed. The rigidity means it cannot crumple so you pass on everything, with no net loss at all. It's not an issue of inertia. But a joint that collapses into negative movement (merely by being loose rather than rigid) doesn't even pass on that original speed. It's essential to differentiate between useful and counter-productive movements. I use the term positive to reference movement that ADDS speed and negative to reference movement that LOSES speed. <br /><br />If you only take out the clenching, you're left with little more than a lottery as to whether you'll replace it with negative movement (meaning a small sound for a lot of effort) or positive movement. It's at this point that the essence of what defines effective or ineffective technique takes place.Andrew Thayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18154451592493415157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post-8275866605648560592016-03-13T19:13:12.785-07:002016-03-13T19:13:12.785-07:00I followed a link from a Facebook piano technic di...I followed a link from a Facebook piano technic discussion group, to your blog and was intrigued by the content. After 40+ years at the piano, 4 years ago, Thomas Mark's book "what every pianist needs to know about the body" accomplished, for me, the intention of your post: to look at technic from a different perspective. Body mechanically aware as a yoga/Pilates instructor, united with mr. Mark's information, my chaining perspective continues daily.<br />Regarding piano technic, I say, "piano technic is like an opinion, everybody has their own." Unfortunately, most pianists have minimal education on learning to use the body/mind play the piano, not just the fingers. Your terms of "negative" and "positive" seem to prejudice your concepts. Flextion and extension are terms with less bias. Since the fingers are attached to the mind through the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, and spine, awareness of the "port de bras" (carriage of the arms), I believe, is essential for every pianist. The arms, as well as all parts of the body) can move only 3 ways: forward/backward, laterally side to side, and rotation. When the arms are balanced in all 3 ways at the same time, all parts from head to finger with move with ease. Any joint that is stiff contributes to inertia which impeads musicality. Movement from the hand/knuckle, both negative and positive will produce different timbres, as different as the sound produced from an forward arm or a backward arm motion. If the finger is not "hammered" into the keybed with either "positive" or "negative" motion the sound can be controlled by the performer . The tension resulting from "hammering" the keybed is most likely found in the triceps from excessive downward force into the keybed, revealing a imbalance in the forward/backward motion of the arm. I will certainly be conscious of your concepts when I next practice. Unfortunately, I cannot include a picture of my foundational concepts, "piano fitness postural fundamentals" which promote awareness of the body and movement of the arms with specificity toward playing the piano. I would welcome further discussion with another pianist, like yourself, who was spent many hours contemplating piano technic and.how to convey a new perspective to others. Sincerely, david@pianofitness.comdavid@davidsonsara.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16544774891352746339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858434703803375496.post-4465169657800278382014-11-22T12:13:22.904-08:002014-11-22T12:13:22.904-08:00Good day sir I was over joyed after reading ur Ama...Good day sir I was over joyed after reading ur Amaizing article. I tried all the experiment u placed above... it was all true en am glad about that... but sir I need more videos on that to see how to apply it in hymns like Joy to the world and For unto us a child is born by G.F.Handel. bcause sir I usually av great chellenge on those or can u give more exercises using this technique in playing intervals starting from 3rd to 8th. my email is danchuksn@gmail.com am Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com