Subject: Re: Muscles/Fingers (was Re: Hanon)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano
Date: 14 May 98 08:29:21 GMT

I missed most of this thread also. It sounds as though some people were
discussing (arguing) whether or not building muscles (strength) in the
fingers was a good idea, or necessary for good piano technique. I would
argue that most of us have as much finger strength (even though it is
really based in the forearm) as we need, just from our daily activities,
including typing here at the computer keyboard, tapping on the table when
we're bored, etc. What is lacking in beginning piano students is awareness
of the amount of weight in the arm, and how that can be transferred from
note to note, and secondly, the connection from a thought in the brain to a
specific muscular action, (in this case, getting the correct finger over
the correct note, and aimed in the right way so that a specific amount of
the weight of the arm can be dropped onto the note we want to play). Some
exercises are useful for training this brain-muscle connection, and
probably, some of the people advocating exercises have noticed improvement
based on them, but ultimately it is a matter of working slowly, with
incredible concentration, but no tension, until the connection becomes
automatic. Of course, it is more rewarding to do this with real music, but
it's easy to be distracted by the temptation to make it sound pretty,
before the other steps of building awareness have been followed. A good
part of my professional musical life has involved working with dancers, and
they have to work for this same kind of awareness. The muscular strength
and agility they need comes quickly if they work slowly and with
concentration. Otherwise, they develop muscles they don't need and waste
precious time- ultimately having to unlearn a lot of bad things and getting
rid of muscles they have developed in the wrong places that hamper their
ability to move quickly, efficiently, and smoothly- which are also our
goals as pianists. My opinion.      Greg Presley