Stretching for leaps greater than an octave #piano #pianoteacher #pianomusic #pianolessons

[DogeDoggoDogeDoggo]

watching these videos, I'm realizing most of piano technique can be simplified to 1) having natural hand position and 2) getting good at being accurate and precise with your hand, fingers, and arms so that you can have a natural hand position

But being accurate like that takes time. You have to spend hours practicing so that you can confidently play the note you intended to play without needing to even look at the piano. Muscle memory!

[alc]

I did something like this and my teacher couldnt get me to do it right, eventually she told me to pretend im playing basketball and that did the trick

[xwyvernx]

This was the reason I stopped playing the piano more than 6 years ago, even though I love to play the piano, I felt that my hands were too small and it was painful to play octaves constantly. This might have change my mind, thanks!

[TraneFrancks]

Yep. Newbie pianist here at 63 y.o. I struggle with tension especially in my left hand.

[Someone-wbeq]

Interestingly enough, this technique is applicable in playing cello (and, as I imagine, other string instruments) too! Things such as shifts, staccato, and just general technique are easier, more efficient, and more consistent when you have relaxed fingers, hands, arms, and wrists.

[PK-cgej]

Wow. I took lessons for 8 years and didnt know this. I'd completely given up playing certain songs because my hands were too small. That will certainly still be true for large chords but this changes a lot!!

Thank you

[thatgamerboy]

tried this, suddenly it feels a lot better with my hands relaxed thanks

[FlameHeart]

I think this is some kind of an universal law in all instrument, you gotta have a relaxed position at all times, eventhough the piece seems fast af, its incredible how having a relaxed position helps, still baffles me

[tiamelancholyjeoncockity]

Wow so the Tom and Jerry animations weren’t lying, they were accurate 😭

[dencon]

Also a complimentary way of practicing this that really helps with teaching to not stretch as well as to get familiar with the distance is to practice 1) maximum half tempo, 2) not opening the hand at all, and 3) land in every note before bouncing of. My teacher allways said that jumping two octaves should not feel different from jumping one. It really feels that way now.

[myradharmadhikari]

As a pianist, this is amazing. My hands would always get sore. This is amazing for me. Thank you so much 😁😁.

[kently]

What I learned was that, you should keep your fingers loose, and move your wrist, not your hand. Loose hands, control and movement on the wrist when doing leaps.

[thelittlestoryteller_]

I know she didn’t mention this but also where your wrist is placed and also STARTING SLOW because once you get it slow you gradually increase your speed and then boom you’ve got it

[lawrencelikaiso]

If you want to be even faster, the most efficient technique is to use the center of the forearm as a fulcrum. The elbow will flap out and in to counterweight the hand.

[George-jomi]

Love these tips. I drastically improved my sax playing by not lifting fingers off the keys. Took the strain out and helped me relax to play much faster but of course practicing slowly and being more patient goes a long way. Keeping in mind it's a marathon not a Sprint!

[zareien]

Id also add that your precision does Not come from your elbow. It comes from your fingers. If you are locked out in your fingers, you lose your ability to use them for fine adjustments. You are essentially trying to aim for those jumps using elbow adjestments.

By keeping your fingers relaxed, you can do the macro movements from the elbow, and adjust your landing with your fingertips

[GodGames]

yeah whenever you play, it always feels hard until you practice enough so that your movements and hand positions are naturally in place making it way easier

[vitoriajurema]

My piano teacher once said that once the hand is tensioned, then you're doing it wrong. For this specific technique, you don't need to stretch your hand. Keep it in its max but without tensioning, and then move the hand to the other key, like a ping pong ball going from side to side.

All theses things were told by my teacher 😊i really apreciate how she explain things

[RodrigoRaez]

Thank you very much for this information. This has been a common problem in my playing.

[slushieeyt]

Im a beginner and ive been having trouble with this stuff, this is so helpful, thank you!