To anyone who gets here: this project has been hanging fire almost since its inception and outline. It's taking forever. My apologies for the delay and *very* slow progress.
This is the original outline, written in September of 1997, of an essay on piano technique, that deals mostly with mental aspect of its existence and acquisition, but also then deals with the physical aspects that have been written about by others and finally deals with methods of practice and memory integrated with mental aspects.
So much has been said about physical aspects of practice and memorization, much of which has clear merit that in these matters I will have practically nothing to add. I will say when I think a mythology, over simplification or nonsense is being perpetrated,
OUTLINE Paradigms - Forms - Right Hemisphere - Visualization Slowness of multisynaptic neural conduction rules out purely conscious control from the motor cortex. Monosynaptic training. ------------------------------------------------------------ Hand Structure Intrinsic Muscles Extrinsic Muscles Brain Structure Sensory and Motor Cortex Intrinsic proprioception Visual proprioception Internal Control Image and its refinement Physical position Sense of static position attenuates Requirement of motion (slight) to maintain correct position sense Tension Configuration Seems not to attentuate in static position Cerebellum Preparation in Control Image Preparation of Physical Position Occipital Lobe of the Cerebrum Visualization Monosynaptic reflexes of the Spinal Cord Training thereof Tricks: Avoiding the completion illusion. Seaming - Extending object of focus & control Prolonging static position feedback through tension. Preexecution and postexecution neuronal potentials. ------------------------------------------------------------ Minimal Motion Not always used but normative. Divergence from minimality has a purpose Fingers Closeness to keyboard Accuracy and speed Hand-Wrist-Forearm-Arm complex Minimal Tension Practised Exaggeration maintaining independence and minimal tension Finger Independence Three motions: Attack, Release, Lift Flexion Extension Sequencing Hand and Wrist Positions Given Notes Hyperposition of 'all' hand configurations for given note configuration Chord and block arpeggio hyperposition Complex position by subdivision Finger isolation within position Position of minimal tension Speed and smoothness Horizontal Alignment Transport Block transport Continuous transport as smoothing out of block sequence The visual image as aid in block change and leaps Weight Touch, Variety of position within note structure Internal Image generalizes to the set (Hyperposition) of possible positions among which one may be cognitavely chosen ------------------------------------------------------------ Metaprinciples of physiology and neurology: Generalized Imaging or Visualization (The overall paradigm) 'Geomtery' + 'Tension conguration' Tension minimization as normative Principles of Development: Isolation Conjunction Hyperposition Degrees of freedom: finger curl depth on keyboard wrist angle wrist height wrist rotation Transport and Smoothing ------------------------------------------------------------ Exercises Single finger isolation The Limp finger configuation, slightly curled. Back of the hand as horizontal plane. The Hinge image at first phalange joint SLOWLY & JUST AUDIBLY Mental rehearsal of every movement before execution Compare rehearsal image to experiential image Minimal overall tension eliminates counter tensions that mask lack of independence Increasing stability Three movements Separately & in sequence Support by one finger with weight Complementation image and articulation Motion + support as 'weight playing' Slight flattening of fingers on black keys Resting on keys with fingers in position With keys depressed Finger isolation in sequencing. Individual fingers Again imaging and movement rehearsal using the image. Isolation relative to the otherwise immobile and relaxed hand Complementary fingers Local = adjacent Global = full complementary set Two movements keeping key contact Minimize lift, the third movement in three movements Consecutive fingers are slow 'trills' others are 'tremelos' Double trills and double tremelos Scale positions Major Harmonic Minor begins stretched positions other than scale positions Chordal positions (Foundations for arppegios) Other arbitrary five finger positions Full finger independence is within arbitrary hand positions not just scale and chord positions Positions with (1, 2, 3, 4) key difference E.g. c# Db (transition to chords) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chords Getting into chords Object: preformed hand position that drops into chordal position on keyboard Pick a central note or two notes in the chord. Get it right with that, not worrying about the remainder of the notes. When that feels secure add another note, contunuing in this manner until you have the full chord. Solidity (simultaneity) The various positions of minimal tension. A subset of these will be of minimal tension in playing the chord. Picture internally the hand position for the chord. Slowly place the hand into the chord. When in position, close your eyes and picture the hand in position on the keyboard. Pay attention to the feeling of the hand in this position. Keeping the hand completely at rest and immobile. After a while the feedback from the hand will no longer supply the information for correct position; proprioception will be dimished. Move the hand very very slightly and very very slowly, while keeping the finger tips always in contact with their keys. Use all the degrees of freedom available This allows a more general concept than a single hand position to form (hyperposition) that is attached to a chord or key group. Articulation All possible permutations of all possible groupings in any chord into (fixed & moving) Orchestration (varying dynamics of chordal constituants) In other than five fingered chords, there are one or two fingers not engaged. It will probably be positioned over some note. Use this as a pivot which remains quietly fixed resting on the note. The notes of the chord can be divided into two groups in various ways. Play the notes of the chord Pick a central note Use five finger exercises, playing one note at a time and sequencing them in various permutations and combinations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [By Interval and position] Introduction of tension counter to independence when speed is premature Five finger exercises Seconds Diatonic scales Chromatic scales Liszt's fingering for chromatic scales One finger at a time, isolating the three motions All sequences and all scale positions (French fingering) One finger scales Two finger scales Isolate finger alternation (trills as subcase) Two fingers at a time as before using all combinations and sequencing. Thirds Diminished Sevenths Chopin Etude in g# Op. 25 Liszt's fingering for chromatic thirds Fourths Fifths Sixths Chopin Etude in Db Op. 25 Sevenths Octaves Chopin Etude in b Op. 25 Ninths Tenths Chopin Etude in C Op. 10 The Technical Sudies of Liszt
Email me, Bill Hammel at