Week 1: Improving Your Right-Hand Thumb Technique with Piotr Kozłowski
Welcome to Week 1 of the latest Two-Week Intensive!
For Week 1, Piotr has curated an assignment to work on below.
1. Please view Piotr’s video
2. Work on the exercises!
3. Post your progress and video so that Piotr can observe and provide further feedback!
Video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoyLJR3UVYo
Attached above, are two samples and downloadable exercises from the “School of Virtuosity!”
Thumb Exercise:
Record yourself playing the thumb exercise (Sample No. 1), cycling through all the keys starting from C Major.
Use the following fingering:
- For C–Eb: 12121
- For E–G: 13131
- For Ab–B: 14141
Stretching:
Stretch before and after the exercise using Sample No. 2.
Practice Tips:
Practice daily, and monitor your progress, focusing on the movement and how you're using your thumb, especially on black keys.
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Hi Piotr!
Here are my videos after 1 day trying to follow your advice re exercise 2. I have only included short sections so as not to bore you with too many mistakes, but hopefully these will be adequate to gain some feedback.
Thank you!
Michele
Exercise 1, with 1-2 fingering
https://youtube.com/shorts/95srCJJwgPo?feature=shared
Exercise 1, with 1-3 fingering
https://youtube.com/shorts/bRxej6dckp8?feature=shared
Exercise 1, with 1-4 fingering (obviously a lot more practice needed!)
https://youtube.com/shorts/VtCVcX34bEo?feature=shared
Exercise 2, first few - feeling looser on these compared with my first attempt.
https://youtube.com/shorts/O9QDSBfIWi0?feature=shared
Exercise 2, really really awkward when thumb is on black key and index finger is on a white key!
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Michele Yay! Great! In exercise 1, try not to "land" too much on the thumb but rather keep it bouncy so there is more action in the joint. Otherwise, great! Your wrist action is exemplary!
How does it feel afterwards?
In the exercise 2, try doing staccato for the second time through :)
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I have a max span of a ninth on white key edges. The stretch exercise is 100% tension, it doesn't feel save at all! Already after 3 times my hand hurts. I will not do that, are there any adjustments that are save for women and smaller men?
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Dagmar Skip it all together if it you only feel tension and no stretch, you can simply stretch the space in between the fingers using your other hand. Feel free to stick to the first exercise only :)
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Hi Piotr,
Here are my videos. Thank you for taking a look. Look forward to your feedback. (Sorry for the extra space below. Having formatting issues.)
1. Exercise 1: I have small hands. But I gave this a try. I wish I had less tension.
https://youtube.com/shorts/60-jbsa84wM?feature=share
2. C major - 121 finger numbering
3. C major - 131 finger numberinghttps://youtu.be/ce0ZjGZODAQ
4. C major - 141 finger numbering
https://youtube.com/shorts/qz_eS4Bt8ds?feature=share
5. All keys with alternating finger numbering
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Helen Lee
Exercise 1 – Looks great!
Exercise 2 – I love the elasticity in your wrist! Just pay attention to maintaining an even rhythm—sometimes the middle note leans a bit longer, while the thumbs are shorter. Otherwise, it’s excellent!
Do you feel more freedom in your thumb now?
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Piotr Kozłowski Thank you so much for the feedback! My thumb does feel a bit more flexible. 141 feels awkward still, and I noticed my #2 finger extends when I'm playing 141. Is that a sign that I'm not fully relaxing that finger? When I try to curl the #2 finger in, I notice more tension. So I've just been letting it be.
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Helen Lee yeah, just let it be :) as long as you feel more or less comfortable overall
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Hi Piotr,
May I please check with you if it's ok and in good form that I have to move my hand so much for the D major scale? I have attached the video. Doesn't look like you move your hand this much in the demo?
https://youtube.com/shorts/rwPzCxbXfxI?feature=share
Thanks!
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Natalie Peh Yes, movement is good for wrist elasticity but you won't be able to play fast... So, I would recommend landing on the black key a little closer to the edge so the movement in and out is a little smaller. You are doing great though!
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Hi Piotr Kozłowski! Thanks, for the feedback. I have tried to play closer to the edge of the black keys. Like this-
https://youtube.com/shorts/yun4xPgxdq0?feature=share
Is this better?
Thanks much!
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Natalie Peh Excellent!
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Thank you for the video, Piotr! I love the Jonas books--they're the first technical exercises I actually like and find really helpful.
I'm late to the game and gave these my first try Wednesday...here are the videos from then. I am not particularly proud of them, but I'll practice daily and post an update this weekend hopefully.
For the chord one I was still getting on what notes to play sometimes, so that will take some more mental work in addition to physical work. https://youtu.be/gz1cSBG1-uw
For the thumb one I found the 1-4-1 ones extra tricky. Doing them all at once I could notice my thumb getting tired. https://youtu.be/lzL0yYn1GlM
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Marc M Hi Marc, the exercise 1 sounds good! Just one thing, try focusing also on how you are getting to the next two notes, meaning the movement of the fingers to the new positions is also important. This transition gives you time to think while maintaining continuity of the movement.
Exercise 2 is excellent is well! I know it's easy to say, but try limit jumping between 4 and 1 finger, ideally we would connect these, maybe play a little closer to the edge of the black key. Try to speed it up now :) It looks like you are having fun, which is the point!
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Here is my Day 6 practice of Exercise 1, using 3 different scales with 12, 13, and 14 fingerings.
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Ellen Weaver These two look and sound excellent! Good job!
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And here is my Day 6 practice of 3 dom 7th chords.
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Thank you Piotr, fun exercise. I only post a video of the scales and pardon scales mistakes (great refresher on my scales generally!)
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Sara Thank you, Sara! Such a good recording, I like that you play softly and quite fast! Do you feel more flexibility in your thumb after a week of practice?
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Posting two attempts in E and A-flat. I feel my wrist is twisting too much and my pinky sticks in a weird way when doing the A-flat exercise.
What is the secret to happiness here? Keep wrist straight and slide hand forward and back when going between black and white keys?Oldish hands starting to get a little arthritic. I find the whole thing rather painful.
https://youtube.com/shorts/FAsl60Sy_Gg
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Dana Hi Dana, sorry to hear it was painful! Even if it felt uncomfortable, your thumb moved into positions you didn’t expect it to, which is progress—that’s a plus.
Try to keep your wrist flexible to allow movement in all directions—forward, backward, and sideways. I hope that helps! Overall, it looks good. Thanks for joining the challenge!
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Hi Piotr,
I'm kind of late in posting my practice videos, though I have started some practicing last week.
The first 3 videos are for exercise 1. The 1414 fingerings are very hard. My thumb will be tired very fast.
https://youtu.be/W2X8AevUqfU?si=eMnOqCC1lJKkdj0T
https://youtube.com/shorts/e0GkLlijl7Y?si=bOYFj0deVshcKlkt
https://youtube.com/shorts/-3RJ1UBdHZY?si=AiuesTTZDBLZJ46z
For the exercise 2, my hand (5th finger) cannot reach note. So I have to lift the thumb somewhat and stretch.
https://youtube.com/shorts/_Qph4L-pWCA?si=HKQncu2S-U_Flqt2
Thanks a lot for your sharing !
