I know that having your fingers curved so they have the same length is really essential in piano playing. But after watching a close up of my hands that I recorded myself it turned out that my fingers were flat just like my teacher said! Even at the very curved video the 4th finger sometimes straightened for a splitsecond, visible if you pause the film. Is there any suggestions to make them curved? My teacher says that she can't play without curved fingers, while I have to really work hard to get curved fingers while playing.

Properly curved fingers as you say are really essential, and they need to be slightly bent at BOTH finger joints, otherwise the joints are unsupported and weak, and this will affect your technique. It's easy to think they are rounded when in reality they are rounded only some of the time, or some fingers only at the middle joint and not at the end one.

Try slow finger excercises or scales one hand at a time and really concentrate on the shape. It's not easily something you can check in the middle of a grade 8 piece, and really needs to be established in the early stages of learning if possible.

Maggie

Yeah, I've been doing that sort of thing...really carefully and recording it with my digital camera, then I look at each frame. It seems better if I really concentrate just on the curved thing.

By curving your fingers,it builds up your technique and velocity,also it looks better viewed by an audience

hehe i curve all my fingers. but not my thumb as my thumb isn't my finger

I also have the same problem as you. I've been playing piano for 12 years, and I still have trouble with it.

I found that doing simple exercises like playing scales, made my finger smore 'nimble' and so I found it easier to bend my fingers...

It also depends on if you play another instrument. I play the clarinet, and 9 other isntruments, which all rely on different finger techniques, which can also cause problems with the piano...

Wow guitargirl - what are all the instruments you play??

here you go- i answered for her!

QUOTE

Piano (I've been playing for 12 years, and I'm working on my grade 4 pieces) Clarinet (I've passed grade 4, and I'm working on grade 6/ 7 pieces) Guitar Keyboard Flute Electric guitar Bass guitar occarena Descant recorder Tenor Recorde Mouth Organ

how on earth did you remember all that?

i didnt. i copied it from another post she made

wow, clarinet lover , did u just mentioned that u played piano for 12 years and have just worked til grade 4?is that true?or maybe u learn for a few years and continue it some time later?

no that was guitargirl03, i answered for her. sorry for confusion

Well, if you want to progress more quickly don't learn too many instruments at the same time if you haven't mastered any of them.

Luckily my problem is getting better!

QUOTE (DGA @ Mar 19 2005, 07:08 AM)

Well, if you want to progress more quickly don't learn too many instruments at the same time if you haven't mastered any of them. Luckily my problem is getting better!

Yeah but you cannot stop someone who likes every instruments..
Or they can do well in all instrument.....but usually ignored school work and get really bad marks for school work....(hehe, like me )

QUOTE (BabyBanana @ Mar 12 2005, 12:55 PM)

hehe i curve all my fingers. but not my thumb as my thumb isn't my finger

im takin sats soon too!
iv chosen gcse music but hope i there are enough people!

QUOTE ('*~ iluvpiano ~*' @ Mar 17 2005, 06:23 PM)

how on earth did you remember all that?

where was einaudi i luv his music im so jealous!

U LIKE EINAUDI!!!! YAYYYY!!!!!


we saw him in liverpool

Who is Einaudi?

Sorry, showing my ignorance.

oh my.....cant believe you asked that!

he's a pianist/composer. and he's just amazing! heard the piano music on the John Lewis advert? he ocmposed that, its called Le Onde....m..m..mm....

Oops, sorry Nat.

QUOTE

I also have the same problem as you. I've been playing piano for 12 years, and I still have trouble with it.

Is this because, in all that time no one ever pointed it out to you or that you did nothing about it when they did?

'Hand shape' is probably one of my most used phrases when i am teaching beginners.