Dude, same here, 58. 7 months ago I hired a concert pianist who is a DMA and etc. He is showing me these same things and literally had completely changed how I play notes and basically anything by these types of lessons. I can't believe the difference. Like this lesson here on the bridge...I'll come back in three weeks, and he's like, no you are still dropping the elbow too much - 2nd fingers isn't sounding, thumb too strong, etc. It's hard but simple.
Dear online piano teacher! I couldn't thank you more for this reminder. Thank you for giving us such a powerful point in supporting our piano playing. I pray for your health and happiness! God bless!
Thank you again from us out here. Knuckle bridge maintenance is one of the several basic pillars of piano playing. Your talk, with analogies as teaching aids, and demonstration give us the ability to determine if we are doing it right or not, for best results. We have confidence in it when you have this kind of quiet confidence in it. Kudos from Oregon. Dave M
Reviewing again, 5-6 months on. I started working on this aspect very consciously, slowly at first, to see if was maintaining the prominent, strong knuckle bridged at all times. Now it is second nature. If knuckle bridge is prominent and showing strong, it is the last and big support of the 4 fingers to twiddle up and down with the greatest control and freedom. I watch Martha Argerich, big "brass" knuckle bridge always very apparent. Then she can do what she wants with all fingers, straight, curved, even pinky, whatever, delivery for her expressive purposes. My sense comes as I think of hand shape like palm infilling of a round object, without squeezing it, someone keenly called it "parachute hand." The knuckle bridge holds the shape, which with practice seems to naturally form some roundness of hand when playing close fingered. All these teachings have been important for my very recent, accelerated progress; this one is indispensable from the integration. So, Thank you Craig and all contributors of good will.
Reviewed again as trying to remember to ALWAYS maintain that bridge, which for me and my wrist anatomy means a higher bridge than most of what I see you doing. 2 things that didn't stick with me from my first time through this lesson were: 1. Practice maintaining knuckle bridge VERY SLOWLY from note to note, position to position, watch it for signs of collapse. 2. Pinky 5 should not play with fingers curved like 2,3,4, straighter, you show virtually no curve, per the answer to the title of the video, especially for Mr. Pinky. I have been trying to play 5 curved like middle fingers. That's something to watch for. And will, I sense, take some time with deliberate work to habituate in muscle memory. Continued thank yous, Dave M
@@smoothlikebutter3977 Don't know your story exactly but, perhaps: take left hand alone and go very slowly to a beat. Higher wrist position-means sitting higher on the seat, perhaps farther away from the keyboard-hands and fingers sloping down a little. If you bend the fingers down from the knuckles, the bony bridge becomes prominently visible. This is what needs to be maintained for strength of hand structure. From behind you can see the "brass knuckles" form a bridge for the best hand position-from which more things can be done, then the supported fingers can twiddle lightly or bear more arm weight. Good-strong and prominent knuckle bridge is essential for the most flexible playing and stamina. Look at the greats, heavy to lightweight, even dainty body structures: Rachmaninoff, Argerich, Wang, Mortensen-you will see knuckle bridges you could drive a truck over-it's that strong. Discipline. 1. L hand(s) alone. 2. Proceed at snails pace if necessary on easy material like scales. 3. Watch the left hand alone and use Professor Harold Hill's "think method." 4. Only speed up tempo slowly when really slow work is getting habituated in muscle memory. E Goldansky: "If you get it slowly, you can do it fast(er)." Not the other way 'round. Most progressing pianists don't work enough hands alone, and slowly enough for long enough. Check your RH alone as issue seems to be with L. Work it several times a day with discipline each time. It will come. Ego issues: We would all like to think of ourselves as better than we are-at any level. Ego and lack of patience are deterrents. Thanks, this is fun.
Working scales, arps and pieces very slowly so I can not only get any complicated rhythms right, but can also watch my hands for these elements of efficient movement. Your teaching on Pinky was helpful. I had teachers formally tell me to curve 5 ala 2,3,4; playing with this clearly demonstrates how, when the 5 plays curved the 5 knuckle must collapse and some of that side with it. Even if the knuckle sandwich does not show knuckle 5 up with the rest, it can still be played straight, flapping up and down, and the 5 knuckle is still noticeable. I found some comfort with this in the first couple hours of practice. Improving but these new moves and approaches need to be worked in, habituated in muscle memory, over some time. Speed limit starts at 5 mph, slowly picks with mastery at slow tempi. Lots of new stuff for me, working it, finding progress. Dave M
This video has critical impact to my career. Oh God. I am an autodidact piano teacher. I went to ortopaedic for trigger finger surgery, it was done successfuly but the result remain the same, until a well educated pianist told me that i have Sunken Knuckle. This video must be talk about it so much. Now i have a question. Can my hand fully restored by practicing right habit?
I see this mentioned a lot, but to me it seems impossible to maintain this hand structure while playing in octaves or large spread arpeggios. Is this a valid thought or am I wrong?
Great tutorial. Explaining that the base of the arch is in the elbow really helped me finding the right balance and finally feeling the arm's weight on the keys. Thanks!
Very good point, pinky must be curved to meet demand at "hand." Watch Martha Argerich, all manner of curved, straight up and down from height, whatever she needs for the passage. Pinky is almost a separate case, not as much as thumb, but different for several reasons. No way I can play my arranged jazz scores with out curving pinky often or playing on edge of keys, reaching some 10ths, etc.
Was it that bad? Did you have injuries, or no progress at all? I'm reworking my piano technique after entire decade of stagnation, and realised this was one of my weaknesses.
As the fifth finger is on the side of the hand, it plays a little more on the right side of the tip than fingers 2, 3 and 4 and so it can feel a strong as the other fingers. Check that it isn’t pressing at the bottom of the key so that weight is distributed between the hand and forearm. Check that the thumb stays naturally long and fingers 2, 3 and 4 do not curl under when playing the little finger nor stretch apart uncomfortably.
I see this mentioned a lot, but to me it seems impossible to maintain this hand structure while playing in octaves or large spread arpeggios. Is this a valid thought or am I wrong?
These videos are revolutionising my piano playing. I'm 57 and have been playing the piano with bad technique since I was 12.
Dude, same here, 58. 7 months ago I hired a concert pianist who is a DMA and etc. He is showing me these same things and literally had completely changed how I play notes and basically anything by these types of lessons. I can't believe the difference. Like this lesson here on the bridge...I'll come back in three weeks, and he's like, no you are still dropping the elbow too much - 2nd fingers isn't sounding, thumb too strong, etc. It's hard but simple.
Dear online piano teacher! I couldn't thank you more for this reminder. Thank you for giving us such a powerful point in supporting our piano playing. I pray for your health and happiness! God bless!
Indonesia kah kak?
Ia.
@@anggunnenohai3870 oh..maaf nda bisa basa inggris
I add my sincere and intentional wishes and ...s for Craig and his. Really nice guy. Big and generous heart. From Oregon, USA. Dave M
Thank you again from us out here. Knuckle bridge maintenance is one of the several basic pillars of piano playing. Your talk, with analogies as teaching aids, and demonstration give us the ability to determine if we are doing it right or not, for best results. We have confidence in it when you have this kind of quiet confidence in it. Kudos from Oregon.
Dave M
Reviewing again, 5-6 months on. I started working on this aspect very consciously, slowly at first, to see if was maintaining the prominent, strong knuckle bridged at all times. Now it is second nature. If knuckle bridge is prominent and showing strong, it is the last and big support of the 4 fingers to twiddle up and down with the greatest control and freedom. I watch Martha Argerich, big "brass" knuckle bridge always very apparent. Then she can do what she wants with all fingers, straight, curved, even pinky, whatever, delivery for her expressive purposes. My sense comes as I think of hand shape like palm infilling of a round object, without squeezing it, someone keenly called it "parachute hand." The knuckle bridge holds the shape, which with practice seems to naturally form some roundness of hand when playing close fingered. All these teachings have been important for my very recent, accelerated progress; this one is indispensable from the integration. So,
Thank you Craig and all contributors of good will.
Reviewed again as trying to remember to ALWAYS maintain that bridge, which for me and my wrist anatomy means a higher bridge than most of what I see you doing. 2 things that didn't stick with me from my first time through this lesson were: 1. Practice maintaining knuckle bridge VERY SLOWLY from note to note, position to position, watch it for signs of collapse. 2. Pinky 5 should not play with fingers curved like 2,3,4, straighter, you show virtually no curve, per the answer to the title of the video, especially for Mr. Pinky. I have been trying to play 5 curved like middle fingers. That's something to watch for. And will, I sense, take some time with deliberate work to habituate in muscle memory. Continued thank yous,
Dave M
hey, thanks for reviewing but I'm not able to do this with my left hand, any tips?
@@smoothlikebutter3977 Don't know your story exactly but, perhaps: take left hand alone and go very slowly to a beat. Higher wrist position-means sitting higher on the seat, perhaps farther away from the keyboard-hands and fingers sloping down a little. If you bend the fingers down from the knuckles, the bony bridge becomes prominently visible. This is what needs to be maintained for strength of hand structure. From behind you can see the "brass knuckles" form a bridge for the best hand position-from which more things can be done, then the supported fingers can twiddle lightly or bear more arm weight.
Good-strong and prominent knuckle bridge is essential for the most flexible playing and stamina. Look at the greats, heavy to lightweight, even dainty body structures: Rachmaninoff, Argerich, Wang, Mortensen-you will see knuckle bridges you could drive a truck over-it's that strong.
Discipline. 1. L hand(s) alone. 2. Proceed at snails pace if necessary on easy material like scales. 3. Watch the left hand alone and use Professor Harold Hill's "think method." 4. Only speed up tempo slowly when really slow work is getting habituated in muscle memory. E Goldansky: "If you get it slowly, you can do it fast(er)." Not the other way 'round.
Most progressing pianists don't work enough hands alone, and slowly enough for long enough. Check your RH alone as issue seems to be with L. Work it several times a day with discipline each time. It will come.
Ego issues: We would all like to think of ourselves as better than we are-at any level. Ego and lack of patience are deterrents.
Thanks, this is fun.
Working scales, arps and pieces very slowly so I can not only get any complicated rhythms right, but can also watch my hands for these elements of efficient movement. Your teaching on Pinky was helpful. I had teachers formally tell me to curve 5 ala 2,3,4; playing with this clearly demonstrates how, when the 5 plays curved the 5 knuckle must collapse and some of that side with it. Even if the knuckle sandwich does not show knuckle 5 up with the rest, it can still be played straight, flapping up and down, and the 5 knuckle is still noticeable. I found some comfort with this in the first couple hours of practice. Improving but these new moves and approaches need to be worked in, habituated in muscle memory, over some time. Speed limit starts at 5 mph, slowly picks with mastery at slow tempi. Lots of new stuff for me, working it, finding progress.
Dave M
Good tip. My left hand tends to forget to do this, and I didn’t know about the pinky needing to be straight. Thanks.
Ditto. Same here in Oregon. Dave M
This video has critical impact to my career. Oh God. I am an autodidact piano teacher. I went to ortopaedic for trigger finger surgery, it was done successfuly but the result remain the same, until a well educated pianist told me that i have Sunken Knuckle.
This video must be talk about it so much.
Now i have a question.
Can my hand fully restored by practicing right habit?
3:30 Martha argerich uses that a lot (the straight finger).
I see this mentioned a lot, but to me it seems impossible to maintain this hand structure while playing in octaves or large spread arpeggios. Is this a valid thought or am I wrong?
Great tutorial. Explaining that the base of the arch is in the elbow really helped me finding the right balance and finally feeling the arm's weight on the keys. Thanks!
Thanks...your channel deserves a lot more subscribers
I really appreciate that! Thank you!
Thanks once again for tips and info!
Any time!
Cool video Craig! One question: why do you use thumb under in this video for scale instead of rotation?
I too have switched from thumb under to rotation with the arm and hand 'leading' the fingers always. And what a game changer!
Not curving the 5th finger I feel will be detrimental in technical passages.
Very good point, pinky must be curved to meet demand at "hand." Watch Martha Argerich, all manner of curved, straight up and down from height, whatever she needs for the passage. Pinky is almost a separate case, not as much as thumb, but different for several reasons. No way I can play my arranged jazz scores with out curving pinky often or playing on edge of keys, reaching some 10ths, etc.
didn't expect to see you here lol
I didn't know this and paid the price.
Was it that bad? Did you have injuries, or no progress at all? I'm reworking my piano technique after entire decade of stagnation, and realised this was one of my weaknesses.
Great info and video!! Bravo!
Thanks!
thank you so much
This is so helpful
Thank you!
Nice vid. I like to arch fingers too. Although, looks like Vlad Horowitz might not have .....
Great job! Greetings
Many thanks!
Great videos
Glad you think so!
Are you saying that the little finger is more stiff than the others - and thus does not have the same arch shape?
As the fifth finger is on the side of the hand, it plays a little more on the right side of the tip than fingers 2, 3 and 4 and so it can feel a strong as the other fingers. Check that it isn’t pressing at the bottom of the key so that weight is distributed between the hand and forearm. Check that the thumb stays naturally long and fingers 2, 3 and 4 do not curl under when playing the little finger nor stretch apart uncomfortably.
@@Sitbon08Thanks ...
@@ebbenielsen7your welcome.
@@Sitbon08 Well done. Thanks, Andrew.
You should use the knuckle to play a note
Meanwhile Horowitz 🤣
I think I've found my issue!!!
Yay! Glad I could help!
I see this mentioned a lot, but to me it seems impossible to maintain this hand structure while playing in octaves or large spread arpeggios. Is this a valid thought or am I wrong?