,WHAT IS PIANO TECHNIQUE?
We must understand what technique is because not understanding technique leads to incorrect practice
methods. More importantly, a proper understanding can help us to develop correct practice methods.
The most common misunderstanding is that technique is some inherited finger dexterity. It is not. The
innate dexterity of accomplished pianists and ordinary folk are not that different. This means that
practically anyone can learn to play the piano well. There are numerous examples of mentally
handicapped people with limited coordination that exhibit incredible musical talent (savants).
Unfortunately, many of us are much more dexterous but can’t manage the musical passages because of
a lack of some simple but critical information. Acquiring technique is mostly a process of brain/nerve
development, not development of finger strength.
Technique is the ability to execute a zillion different piano passages; therefore it is not dexterity, but an
aggregate of many skills. The wondrous thing about piano technique, and the most important message
of this book, is that piano skills can be learned in a short time, if the correct learning procedures are
applied. These skills are acquired in two stages:
1. Discovering how the fingers, hands, arms, etc., are to be moved
2. Conditioning the brain, nerves, and muscles to execute these with ease and control
Many students think of piano practice as hours of finger calisthenics because they were never taught the
proper definition of technique. The reality is that you are improving your brain when learning piano! You
are actually making yourself smarter and improving your memory; this is why learning piano correctly
has so many benefits, such as success in school, the ability to better cope with everyday problems, and
the ability to retain memory longer as you age. This is why memorizing is an inseparable part of
technique acquisition.
We must understand our own anatomy and learn how to discover and acquire the correct technique.
This turns out to be an nearly impossible task for the average human brain unless you dedicate your
entire life to it from childhood. Even then, most will not succeed. The reason is that, without proper
instruction, the pianist must discover the correct motions, etc., by trial and error. You must depend on
the small probability that, as you try to play that difficult passage faster, your hand accidentally
stumbles onto a motion that works. If you are unlucky, your hand never discovers the motion and you
are stuck forever, a phenomenon called “speed wall”. Most beginning piano students haven’t the
foggiest idea about the complex motions that the fingers, hands, and arms can perform. Fortunately, the
many geniuses who came before us have made most of the useful discoveries (otherwise, they wouldn’t
have been such great performers) leading to efficient practice methods.
,Another misconception about technique is that once the fingers become sufficiently skillful, you can play
anything. Almost every different passage is a new adventure; it must be learned anew. Experienced
pianists seem to be able to play just about anything because:
1. They have practiced all the things that you encounter frequently
2. They know how to learn new things very quickly
There are large classes of passages, such as scales, that appear frequently; knowledge of how to play
these will cover significant portions of most compositions. But more importantly, there are general
solutions for large classes of problems and specific solutions for specific problems.
HERE'S A DETAILED LIST OF PIANO TECHNIQUE ELEMENTS THAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING FOR BEGINNER PIANO LEARNERS. THE LIST STARTS WITH THE BASICS AND GRADUALLY
PROGRESSES TO MORE ADVANCED CONCEPTS:
HAND AND BODY POSITION:
Proper hand posture: Relaxed and curved fingers, rounded hand shape.
Correct wrist position: Level and slightly higher than the keys.
Balanced and relaxed arm position: Elbows slightly away from the body.
FINGER INDEPENDENCE AND DEXTERITY:
Finger exercises: Practicing individual finger strength and independence.
Finger tapping exercises: Developing finger coordination and control.
BASIC NOTATION AND SIGHT-READING:
Introduction to music notation: Learning to read notes on the staff.
Sight-reading exercises: Practicing reading and playing music at sight.
PROPER PEDALING TECHNIQUE:
Introduction to the sustain pedal: Understanding its purpose and usage.
Pedaling exercises: Learning to use the pedal to enhance the sound.
, BASIC SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS:
Major and minor scales: Starting with C major/A minor and gradually expanding to other keys.
Major and minor arpeggios: Understanding the structure and fingering.
BASIC CHORDS AND CHORD PROGRESSIONS:
Triads and basic four-note chords: Major, minor, diminished, and augmented.
Simple chord progressions: Practicing common progressions in different keys.
FINGER STRENGTH AND AGILITY EXERCISES:
Hanon exercises: Utilizing finger exercises to improve strength and agility.
Technical exercises: Practicing scales, arpeggios, and chords in various patterns.
DYNAMICS AND EXPRESSION:
Introduction to dynamics: Soft (piano) and loud (forte) playing.
Expressive techniques: Learning to play with control, phrasing, and musicality.
ARTICULATION AND TOUCH:
Staccato and legato playing: Developing finger control for short and connected notes.
Techniques such as accents, slurs, and trills: Adding variety to the sound.
INTERPRETATION AND MUSICALITY:
Understanding the musical style and context of different pieces.
Expressing emotions and conveying the composer's intentions.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES:
Advanced scales and arpeggios: Chromatic scales, double thirds, and octave glissandos.
Chord inversions and extended chords: Seventh chords, ninths, and suspensions.
Advanced pedaling techniques: Half-pedaling, syncopated pedaling, and pedaling effects.
We must understand what technique is because not understanding technique leads to incorrect practice
methods. More importantly, a proper understanding can help us to develop correct practice methods.
The most common misunderstanding is that technique is some inherited finger dexterity. It is not. The
innate dexterity of accomplished pianists and ordinary folk are not that different. This means that
practically anyone can learn to play the piano well. There are numerous examples of mentally
handicapped people with limited coordination that exhibit incredible musical talent (savants).
Unfortunately, many of us are much more dexterous but can’t manage the musical passages because of
a lack of some simple but critical information. Acquiring technique is mostly a process of brain/nerve
development, not development of finger strength.
Technique is the ability to execute a zillion different piano passages; therefore it is not dexterity, but an
aggregate of many skills. The wondrous thing about piano technique, and the most important message
of this book, is that piano skills can be learned in a short time, if the correct learning procedures are
applied. These skills are acquired in two stages:
1. Discovering how the fingers, hands, arms, etc., are to be moved
2. Conditioning the brain, nerves, and muscles to execute these with ease and control
Many students think of piano practice as hours of finger calisthenics because they were never taught the
proper definition of technique. The reality is that you are improving your brain when learning piano! You
are actually making yourself smarter and improving your memory; this is why learning piano correctly
has so many benefits, such as success in school, the ability to better cope with everyday problems, and
the ability to retain memory longer as you age. This is why memorizing is an inseparable part of
technique acquisition.
We must understand our own anatomy and learn how to discover and acquire the correct technique.
This turns out to be an nearly impossible task for the average human brain unless you dedicate your
entire life to it from childhood. Even then, most will not succeed. The reason is that, without proper
instruction, the pianist must discover the correct motions, etc., by trial and error. You must depend on
the small probability that, as you try to play that difficult passage faster, your hand accidentally
stumbles onto a motion that works. If you are unlucky, your hand never discovers the motion and you
are stuck forever, a phenomenon called “speed wall”. Most beginning piano students haven’t the
foggiest idea about the complex motions that the fingers, hands, and arms can perform. Fortunately, the
many geniuses who came before us have made most of the useful discoveries (otherwise, they wouldn’t
have been such great performers) leading to efficient practice methods.
,Another misconception about technique is that once the fingers become sufficiently skillful, you can play
anything. Almost every different passage is a new adventure; it must be learned anew. Experienced
pianists seem to be able to play just about anything because:
1. They have practiced all the things that you encounter frequently
2. They know how to learn new things very quickly
There are large classes of passages, such as scales, that appear frequently; knowledge of how to play
these will cover significant portions of most compositions. But more importantly, there are general
solutions for large classes of problems and specific solutions for specific problems.
HERE'S A DETAILED LIST OF PIANO TECHNIQUE ELEMENTS THAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING FOR BEGINNER PIANO LEARNERS. THE LIST STARTS WITH THE BASICS AND GRADUALLY
PROGRESSES TO MORE ADVANCED CONCEPTS:
HAND AND BODY POSITION:
Proper hand posture: Relaxed and curved fingers, rounded hand shape.
Correct wrist position: Level and slightly higher than the keys.
Balanced and relaxed arm position: Elbows slightly away from the body.
FINGER INDEPENDENCE AND DEXTERITY:
Finger exercises: Practicing individual finger strength and independence.
Finger tapping exercises: Developing finger coordination and control.
BASIC NOTATION AND SIGHT-READING:
Introduction to music notation: Learning to read notes on the staff.
Sight-reading exercises: Practicing reading and playing music at sight.
PROPER PEDALING TECHNIQUE:
Introduction to the sustain pedal: Understanding its purpose and usage.
Pedaling exercises: Learning to use the pedal to enhance the sound.
, BASIC SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS:
Major and minor scales: Starting with C major/A minor and gradually expanding to other keys.
Major and minor arpeggios: Understanding the structure and fingering.
BASIC CHORDS AND CHORD PROGRESSIONS:
Triads and basic four-note chords: Major, minor, diminished, and augmented.
Simple chord progressions: Practicing common progressions in different keys.
FINGER STRENGTH AND AGILITY EXERCISES:
Hanon exercises: Utilizing finger exercises to improve strength and agility.
Technical exercises: Practicing scales, arpeggios, and chords in various patterns.
DYNAMICS AND EXPRESSION:
Introduction to dynamics: Soft (piano) and loud (forte) playing.
Expressive techniques: Learning to play with control, phrasing, and musicality.
ARTICULATION AND TOUCH:
Staccato and legato playing: Developing finger control for short and connected notes.
Techniques such as accents, slurs, and trills: Adding variety to the sound.
INTERPRETATION AND MUSICALITY:
Understanding the musical style and context of different pieces.
Expressing emotions and conveying the composer's intentions.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES:
Advanced scales and arpeggios: Chromatic scales, double thirds, and octave glissandos.
Chord inversions and extended chords: Seventh chords, ninths, and suspensions.
Advanced pedaling techniques: Half-pedaling, syncopated pedaling, and pedaling effects.
