Progressive exercises for building up speed and strength?

Hi Dawn,

Wow I'm so inspired to see a parent so involved in their kids musical education!

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but in my studies of the Taubman approach, they always emphasized not using exercises. In fact, they can be detrimental if performed with incorrect technique, as they ingrain bad habits.

This matches my experience. I stopped doing all technical exercises and scales (save a ton of time actually!) and my hand strain has disappeared. 

There is no one size fits all thing, and it's not about being "stronger" but using your hands more efficiently. While there are some foundational principles, figuring out how to play faster is something that depends on the situation; you use a different strategy depending on the passage you are trying to play more quickly. 

Of course working directly with a teacher would be most beneficial. But to get him unblocked, maybe you can share a specific part of a piece and/or a video of playing and the community could chime in?

I thought Taubman was more about the concept that the music itself was the exercise. Perhaps I am wrong about that.

Hi Dawn, 

As a physical therapist, I would echo Tim's great advice, in that technical exercises are not the answer to your son's frustration. Piano keys are thankfully not very difficult to depress, and strength in the hands is really not something that is needed to play fast (coordination) or for long periods (endurance). Technique in my opinion is best acquired by practicing consistently (nearly daily) for years, and by playing a wide variety of repertoire. One of my teachers who was lauded as a great technician played only Bach for the first several years of his life...a practice that he didn't recommend, but what a technique! I feel that your son would get a lot of technique out of moving beyond 2 part inventions, looking at some Scarlatti sonatas (a great wide range of difficulty), play some Bartok.  Mostly, I'd be reminding him that he's only 9...

As a pianist, I would say that it is a huge leap from where he is currently to anything in Opus 25. He's jumping from Little League to Division I College Ball, and you should monitor his frustration level.

It’s all about relaxation. You can’t have opposing muscles activated at the same time and not have tension, which is the nemesis of easy fast technique. I feel it is more important to focus on the concepts (weight, rotation, etc) and how it feels.  Choreography is also important as minor shifts in hand position and subtle circular movements can make an awkward passage very free (eg, Chopin Scherzo #3 Coda). Awareness of these mechanics is the exercise it can be done with any piece or even Hanon if it allows you to focus on the concepts.  Repetitive patterns like Hanon make it difficult to stay focused on what’s important and it’s easy to get into a trap of mindless practicing. As for practicing repertoire, always be aware of tension. The more you practice with tension the more difficult it will be to unlearn it. 

Hi Dawn,

As a piano teacher, I'm going to chime in.  Has your son taken any piano exams such as Royal Conservatory of Music or Certificate of Merit if you live in CA?  Is there any reason that the teacher is pushing your 9 yo son to learn those advanced pieces when his technique is not quite ready yet?  Are the teacher and your son preparing for a competition?  Those piano exam programs are good places for any student to start.

I believe in the technique exercises. They help the student reach the higher level of technique faster and easier. I do use Schmitt exercises for the elementary level, but not too extensively. I have my students play them as they are written in C Major, going by the 8th note (playing two notes per beat). I use Hanon for the intermediate and advanced levels. I use them as tools. That being said, this is not something one should rush beyond the student's musical and physical ability.  

A student started the lesson with me when she was 12 yo.  She nailed everything I taught her.  After just 3 months, she was already in the intermediate level and playing Hanon exercises.  After 4 years, she has won her first competition and is working on advanced repertoire such as Chopin Ballade and Beethoven Sonata.  

Another student studied the same concept but could not make the same speedy progress because his hands were smaller, and his fine motor skills were not developed as much as those of older students.  But that is fine.  In his time, he is going to grow his technique and musicianship eventually.

The technique training must cater to each student's needs and capabilities, IMHO.  It sounds like your son has been studying the technique a lot.  How long has he been working on both Schmitt and Hanon?  Please watch your son's physical well-being as well.  As he gains the speed/technique, he must learn how to release the tension.
 

There isn't really any reason for him not learning Op 25 No 2 if it excites him musically.  It doesn't have any stretches (only leaps) no chords, no octaves.  Someone with small hands should be fine,  Even the overall range is restricted, so it doesn't require long arms.   The only downside I can think of is that all child pianists that I have heard play this piece turn the 4 triplets per bar into 6 duplets,  and this may be impossible to eradicate when they grow up.  So, learning this piece now could lead to him never being able to play it properly, but not because of physical demands, as there are none, to speak of. 

Hi, Dawn,

I usually use passages from the repertoire I'm learning to create the exercises that I want to practice. I think of the motives as patterns that can be repeated in multiple keys. For example if you take a small section of one of the Bach two part inventions And Transpose it by circle the fifths, you'll create a pattern your son can use for improvisation. Those repetitions strengthen the musical facility while also strengthening the hands.