Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 4

Level 1 - Isometric Exercise & Hand Massage

Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 4 is for you if you're learning to play piano with Alfred's Adult All-In-One Course -- either with a teacher or on your own. This tutorial is free, for personal use only.

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Alfred's Adult All-in-One Course - Level 1 (Book/CD) Written by Amanda Vick Lethco, Morton Manus, Willard A. Palmer. Instructional book (spiral bound) and accompaniment CD for piano. Series: Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course. 144 pages. Published by Alfred Publishing. (AP.5756) See more info...

Let's talk for a minute about hand exercises and piano playing warm-ups. Back in Lesson 1, I told you that I think warm-ups are a great idea, and to include those exercises in your daily practice routine.

I'm not going to say the same for this isometric exercise. Why?

Frankly, done incorrectly, this exercise could lead to increased tension in your hands, and even injury. Using too much pressure or having your wrists bent in at an angle are all things you might not even notice you're doing, but could adversely affect your hands.

So, I'd rather that you put your hands on the keyboard (which you'll be doing coming right up on page 12), and practice using each finger individually there. You'll only use as much effort as is necessary to press they key, so you won't overstrain, and you're practicing at the same time.

Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 4
Hand Massage

The hand massage described here is fine, just be sure to heed the warning to not press too hard!

I also like hand massages after practicing, since sometimes tension can creep in without you even realizing it. Especially if you're working on something challenging and have been practicing for a while, or getting emotional! :-)

Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 4
Keep those fingers curved!

With my younger students, I call curved fingers "playing with the tiptoes of your fingers." That might be a helpful image for you, too! If you're the analytical type, check out #3:

"Straight fingers will bend at the first joint, opposite to the motion of the key, delaying key response. With curved fingers, keys respond instantly."

Curved fingers are the most efficient way to play, delivering the most action and control with the least effort. You do want to make your playing as easy as you can, right?

And you ladies out there... I'm sorry to say that you really do need to keep your fingernails short to study piano. By short, I mean they need to be no longer than the tips of your fingers. Otherwise, you won't be able to hit the keys with your fingertips, your fingers will be forced to straighten out, and you'll hear all these annoying clicks when you play!

Sorry! :-)

All right! You're ready to turn the page and get those fingers on the keys! Good work so far. I this tutorial, Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 4, has given you some additional insight into your playing.

Don't forget to keep reviewing your finger numbers, and do your breathing and hand warmups from Alfred's Adult Lesson 1 before practicing.

Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course - Christmas Hits (Level 1) Edited by E. L. Lancaster and Morton Manus. For piano and voice. Method/Instruction; Piano - Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course. Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course. Christmas. Difficulty: easy-medium. Songbook. Easy piano notation, fingerings, lyrics and introductory text. 31 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.17108) ...more info

Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course - All-Time Favorites (Level 1) (52 Titles to Play and Sing). Arranged by Willard A. Palmer, Morton Manus, and Dennis Alexander. For easy piano and voice. Method/Instruction; Piano - Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course. Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course. Classical and Folk. Difficulty: easy-medium. Collection. Easy piano notation, fingerings and lyrics (on some songs). 96 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.3079) ...more info

Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course - Pop Song Book (Level 1) For piano and voice. Method/Instruction; Piano - Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course. Alfred"s Basic Adult Piano Course. Pop and Instructional. Beginner. Songbook. Vocal melody, lyrics and introductory text. 32 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.2463) ...more info

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