Comments on: 7 Easy Ways to Improve your Piano-playing Strength and Dexterity http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity Piano and keyboard information and resources Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:46:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Andy http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-170051 Andy Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:55:05 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-170051 I agree, it's a great book. I agree, it’s a great book.

]]> By: Charlotte http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-170050 Charlotte Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:55:00 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-170050 Hanon is the best way to build strength and dexterity. A bore, but a bore that works! Hanon is the best way to build strength and dexterity. A bore, but a bore that works!

]]> By: Andy http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-169712 Andy Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:48:15 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-169712 I found when I played certain types of classical music (particularly Bach) plus scales and arpeggios, my hands were of near equal strength and dexterity. They are no longer, unfortunately, but I have become lazy and don't play that kind of music much now. I'd suggest that you keep practicing challenging exercises with your right hand particularly until it becomes stronger. If it isn't your dominant hand then it may never become equally strong, but it will get close. Perseverance is key. I found when I played certain types of classical music (particularly Bach) plus scales and arpeggios, my hands were of near equal strength and dexterity. They are no longer, unfortunately, but I have become lazy and don’t play that kind of music much now.

I’d suggest that you keep practicing challenging exercises with your right hand particularly until it becomes stronger. If it isn’t your dominant hand then it may never become equally strong, but it will get close. Perseverance is key.

]]> By: danny http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-169706 danny Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:48:19 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-169706 Thanks for the tips. Really useful. i am a lefty. My left hand is more stronger than my right. Do u think by practicing different scales, i will be able to make my right hand as fast and graceful as the left? Even while playing the keyboard,if i play a guitar or a saxophone on it, sometimes i get stuck playing with my right hand as the pitch bender is on the left on the keyboard which is very useful to make the guitar or saxophone sound more expressive on the keyboard. how do i make my right hand equally good as the left? Thanks for the tips. Really useful. i am a lefty. My left hand is more stronger than my right. Do u think by practicing different scales, i will be able to make my right hand as fast and graceful as the left? Even while playing the keyboard,if i play a guitar or a saxophone on it, sometimes i get stuck playing with my right hand as the pitch bender is on the left on the keyboard which is very useful to make the guitar or saxophone sound more expressive on the keyboard. how do i make my right hand equally good as the left?

]]> By: nicholas http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-169698 nicholas Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:26:19 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-169698 poor to improve my knowledge on piano playing poor to improve my knowledge on piano playing

]]> By: Carol B http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-169691 Carol B Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:46:48 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-169691 EXcellent advice. Just what I was looking for! EXcellent advice. Just what I was looking for!

]]> By: Andy http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-169685 Andy Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:36:53 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-169685 Hi Charlee, That's really interesting, and good to know for when you're away from a piano keyboard. Thinking about those movements, I'd expect they would help. Having just tried it a little, my left hand (non-dominant) also finds this slightly easier. How strange :) Hi Charlee,

That’s really interesting, and good to know for when you’re away from a piano keyboard.

Thinking about those movements, I’d expect they would help. Having just tried it a little, my left hand (non-dominant) also finds this slightly easier. How strange :)

]]> By: Charlee http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-169676 Charlee Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:40:32 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-169676 I read in a recent unpublished story that you can increase dexterity away from the piano by: tapping your thumb to your pointing finger, thumb to your ring finger, thumb to middle finger, thumb to pinky then restarting the process, i don't know entirely if this is true but i am able to go faster then when i started and i have found myself addicted to the motion as something to do when bored or trying to think, and often when listening to music. oddly ive also noticed that though i write with my right hand, my left hand had a much easier time adapting the motion. I read in a recent unpublished story that you can increase dexterity away from the piano by: tapping your thumb to your pointing finger, thumb to your ring finger, thumb to middle finger, thumb to pinky then restarting the process, i don’t know entirely if this is true but i am able to go faster then when i started and i have found myself addicted to the motion as something to do when bored or trying to think, and often when listening to music. oddly ive also noticed that though i write with my right hand, my left hand had a much easier time adapting the motion.

]]> By: Andy http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-128081 Andy Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:42:08 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-128081 Good extra tips, Curtis, thanks. I hadn't considered that my ring finger would be weaker, but I can see what you mean. I think perhaps the little finger (for me at least) is less controlled, so while it may have a bit more strength than the fourth, it's slightly harder to control, which could affect timing rather than velocity. I like the "thirds" scale idea, too. Would certainly assist with mental recall of the notes of the major and minor scales, too. How might you transition from the third and fifth fingers back to the thumb and third fingers? Just "hop" to the next notes? Good extra tips, Curtis, thanks.

I hadn’t considered that my ring finger would be weaker, but I can see what you mean.

I think perhaps the little finger (for me at least) is less controlled, so while it may have a bit more strength than the fourth, it’s slightly harder to control, which could affect timing rather than velocity.

I like the “thirds” scale idea, too. Would certainly assist with mental recall of the notes of the major and minor scales, too. How might you transition from the third and fifth fingers back to the thumb and third fingers? Just “hop” to the next notes?

]]> By: Curtis http://pianoandsynth.com/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity/comment-page-1#comment-128057 Curtis Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:39:29 +0000 http://pianoandsynth.com/2006/01/06/7-easy-ways-to-improve-your-piano-playing-strength-and-dexterity#comment-128057 Some very good advice. I would only add that, in my experience, it is the fourth (ring) and not the fifth (pinky) which is the weakest for most players, because of the shared tendon between the third and fourth fingers. These are all excellent suggestions for improvement. A great way to develop better overall finger strength, wrist stability, and coordination between the fingers is to practice playing scales in minor and major thirds with each hand. That is, instead of just playing F G A Bb C D E F, for instance, play (F&A) (G&Bb) (A&C) (Bb&D), etc., so that you are always using two fingers for each degree of the scale. Some very good advice. I would only add that, in my experience, it is the fourth (ring) and not the fifth (pinky) which is the weakest for most players, because of the shared tendon between the third and fourth fingers. These are all excellent suggestions for improvement.

A great way to develop better overall finger strength, wrist stability, and coordination between the fingers is to practice playing scales in minor and major thirds with each hand. That is, instead of just playing F G A Bb C D E F, for instance, play (F&A) (G&Bb) (A&C) (Bb&D), etc., so that you are always using two fingers for each degree of the scale.

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