Body Mechanics at the Keyboard (feat. wrist, forearm, and back!)
IMPORTANT! RESCHEDULED FOR
June 20th at 11am PT!
Today we will talk about efficient and intelligent ways to use our body at the keyboard: featuring the wrist, forearm and back! Different kinds of music require different bodily focuses. Join us as we discuss the variety of best use cases!
Follow this event link to tune in!
https://app.tonebase.co/piano/live/player/pno-using-body-at-keyboard-wrist-forearm-back
We are going to be using this thread to gather suggestions and questions!
- What questions do you have on this topic?
- Any particular area you would like me to focus on?
19 replies
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I need to listen to this very much :) looking forward to it!
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A study in which EMG readings of muscular activity from shoulder to finger found that in conservatory students there was a greater preponderance of activity in the hands and fingers relative to the upper arm. In contrast, more seasoned professional concert pianists had relatively more muscular activity in the upper arm area, and less in the hand and fingers.
Do you thank that over years of playing, technique evolves towards greater biomechanical efficiency by redistributing the work of playing farther away from the fingers into the upper arm? Should that be a goal?
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One rich source of information on “arm powered technique” is Victoria von Arx’ monograph on Arrau’s technique (with online video demonstrations), and as demonstrated in an online video lecture by Bennett Lerner. Von Arx also discusses the technique primers by Rudolf Breithaupt (1873-1945) who espoused “weight theory” as opposed to “finger technic” which had been the rule before the heavy modern piano prevailed. I suspect some overlap with Taubman’s ideas too. Judging by the Tonebase presentations of, say, Biegel, Durso, Roskell, it seems like the “finger powered” and “arm weight—“hand-arm-unit” powered) approaches persist as two fairly distinct schools of pedagogy and method. Is that true?
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It’s difficult fully to understand what proponents of “arm weight” (like Arrau) are doing, but three components to depressing the keys seem to be: Downward force is transmitted by momentary/pulsatile/gradated relaxation of the biceps muscle (rather than active contraction of the triceps), accompanied by similar relaxation at the shoulder—together bringing the hand downward away from the fall-board. The second is propulsion of the hand downward towards the fall-board from the shoulder, together with active extension at the elbow. The third is “flapping” of the outwardly-pointed elbow, which in effect rotates the hand while generating downward force. These ideas seem similar to Taubman’s (Durso even describes the motion of the mechanical arm that adjoins the wheels on an old steam-engine train.)
Do you think in terms of using these techniques?
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It seems that one technical goal of arm and body motion is to minimize “twisting” (radial and ulnar deviation) of the wrist. How far do you go to avoid “twisting”? What amount of side-to-side angulation of the wrist are you comfortable with? When playing near the middle of the keyboard, do you allow your elbow to point outward and your fingers to fall so that the index finger is closer to the body and the little finger closer to the fall-board (not parallel to the key ends)?
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Hi everyone! It seems as though this presentation is more concerned with aiming to achieve the most efficient use of your body, rather than things like building muscle tone. However....
I wondered whether is it worthwhile to incorporate physical conditioning into piano training (as athletes do)? Specifically going to the gym or physio/pilates-style exercises aimed at strengthening and building muscle tone.
If so are there any areas to focus on or avoid? (Grip strength exercises or bicep curls feel to me like they could cause reduce dexterity and freedom, whereas core/back exercises could allow for greater stability...)
Also , although sports can be brilliant for mental and physical well-being, do you have any advice for looking after the hands? Things like bouldering or kayaking have caused me issues in the past - loss of finger dexterity and freedom of movement in arms from bouldering, and increase in tension across chest and arms for kayaking. Is this inevitable, or is it possible to retain dexterity/freedom while playing whilst also doing this kind of activity?
Thanks so much.
Looking forward to it!
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Looking foward to this Dominic! Just curious--what type of tablet and software do you use for yourself and your students? In iPad Mini? thanks!
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Don Calvert I actually use an iPad Pro! 12.9 inch size!
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Dominic Cheli thx!!! Have a great day!!
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That’s my Yamaha Clavinova 809GP.
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Hello Everyone!
My apologies but this livestream will be rescheduled for June 20th at 11am PT!
The link above will still work, just please tune in on the 20th if you would like to join this VERY important topic!
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Hi, I am encountering some gnarly passages in Mozart's Piano Concerto, K.488 in the third movement at mm. 287- 293, mainly in the left hand at high speeds. With relatively small hands, what is your suggestion for negotiating the broken octaves in the left hand at mm. 163-166 and later in mm. 399-400 when the RH plays along in broken octaves?
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This was very engaging and insightful. Thank you, Dominic!
