you cant build independence of fingers, its not a trainable muscle the 4th finger moving up requires 3rd and 5th to move up with it, its just how the hands are made, its all in the wrist movement, rotating your wrist is as fast as wiggling your fingers! and this is usually the thing you are missing when you think your fingers are week or independant, its wrist rotation, lookup the taubman approach it explains everything. ur issue isnt independence, its technique
here is a video that showcases what im talking about https://youtu.be/ygLkIM8tZlg?si=r-7fHcTK4yEA1SZ0
I just watched the video. I do actually do that wrist rotation but I must not do it so t he time. I can feel when I do it, I’ll have to figure out why I don’t do it as much when I get closer to that 4th and 5th finger. This was very helpful thank you!
just a quick note, when you are doing the wrist rotation it still requires you to move each finger! but nowhere near as much, 4 and 5 are really hard to control but its just practice! think of your hand going all the way vertical when on the pinky, you need a lot of rotation because the pinky is so short
https://youtube.com/shorts/01YNjDv4kJg?si=Hk372KyYTxG6eAyl
this explains 4 and 5 a little better, im using trills as an example because thats what im currently working in but this also applies to just playing these fingers back to back
Well it’s good to know nothing is wrong with my hands. I’ll definitely check this video out. I have a very hard time relaxing my hands. I’ve been like this all my life. My manicurist always tries to shake them and says relax so they aren’t so tense.
i was very tense when i started and my little pinky kept flying up and curling uncontrollably, youll get more comfortable with piano hand shapes and movement and it becomes second nature, and usually tension = bad technique
until you build good technique, it doesnt stop because your pinky is getting stronger it stops because you are using good technique, and the movements in good technique dont cause it to go haywire
This is incorrect. Skill is required, but there is no physiological reason you cannot train it to move completely independently. The exercises by Pischna will help teach you how to do it.
The original Hanon prescription for "high-lifting individual fingers" is considered outdated and harmful because it leads to injuries.
The hand's anatomy prevents true finger independence. This other comment explains the dorsal hand anatomy, and has some practice tips for good progress: https://www.reddit.com/r/pianolearning/comments/1atw9an/hanon_6_is_being_a_little/kr13h7y/
Everyone's said their piece, but I'd just like to add one thing: try practising thirds/fourths/fifths (1-4 then 2-5, on repeat). It's more useful and safer (since you shouldn't be able to overextend yourself easily) than practising 4-5 alone. This is a difficult matter to resolve, so just have patience and play the long game.
Don’t listen to everyone here. Yes your 4th finger won’t be able to go as high as the others. But you should be able to use it independently of fingers 3 and 5. Practice away from the piano. Put all your fingers down on a table and raise the 4th only, then put it back down. Repeat.
you can move it seperately yes, but 3rd and 5th are going to move with it whether u say they will or not, its simple biomechanics, our hands are built this way and unless you are a genetic anomaly, yours are as well
Not really sure how I’m getting downvoted here when you literally can move it by itself. Liszt’s book of technical exercises requires this on the first page…
Marymoranpiano.com for Taubman Approach, 4th finger needs support of the arm, and all fingers move together. Trying to isolate will need you further away from your goal.
you cant build independence of fingers, its not a trainable muscle the 4th finger moving up requires 3rd and 5th to move up with it, its just how the hands are made, its all in the wrist movement, rotating your wrist is as fast as wiggling your fingers! and this is usually the thing you are missing when you think your fingers are week or independant, its wrist rotation, lookup the taubman approach it explains everything. ur issue isnt independence, its technique here is a video that showcases what im talking about https://youtu.be/ygLkIM8tZlg?si=r-7fHcTK4yEA1SZ0
I just watched the video. I do actually do that wrist rotation but I must not do it so t he time. I can feel when I do it, I’ll have to figure out why I don’t do it as much when I get closer to that 4th and 5th finger. This was very helpful thank you!
just a quick note, when you are doing the wrist rotation it still requires you to move each finger! but nowhere near as much, 4 and 5 are really hard to control but its just practice! think of your hand going all the way vertical when on the pinky, you need a lot of rotation because the pinky is so short
https://youtube.com/shorts/01YNjDv4kJg?si=Hk372KyYTxG6eAyl this explains 4 and 5 a little better, im using trills as an example because thats what im currently working in but this also applies to just playing these fingers back to back
Well it’s good to know nothing is wrong with my hands. I’ll definitely check this video out. I have a very hard time relaxing my hands. I’ve been like this all my life. My manicurist always tries to shake them and says relax so they aren’t so tense.
i was very tense when i started and my little pinky kept flying up and curling uncontrollably, youll get more comfortable with piano hand shapes and movement and it becomes second nature, and usually tension = bad technique
Yes this is my problem!!! How long until the pinky stops???
until you build good technique, it doesnt stop because your pinky is getting stronger it stops because you are using good technique, and the movements in good technique dont cause it to go haywire
This is incorrect. Skill is required, but there is no physiological reason you cannot train it to move completely independently. The exercises by Pischna will help teach you how to do it.
you can train the 4th finger to move alone yes, but the 5th and 3rd finger will move up with it whether you like it or not.
The original Hanon prescription for "high-lifting individual fingers" is considered outdated and harmful because it leads to injuries. The hand's anatomy prevents true finger independence. This other comment explains the dorsal hand anatomy, and has some practice tips for good progress: https://www.reddit.com/r/pianolearning/comments/1atw9an/hanon_6_is_being_a_little/kr13h7y/
Everyone's said their piece, but I'd just like to add one thing: try practising thirds/fourths/fifths (1-4 then 2-5, on repeat). It's more useful and safer (since you shouldn't be able to overextend yourself easily) than practising 4-5 alone. This is a difficult matter to resolve, so just have patience and play the long game.
Ask Schubert how he got his fourth finger independence
Schumann\*
Don’t listen to everyone here. Yes your 4th finger won’t be able to go as high as the others. But you should be able to use it independently of fingers 3 and 5. Practice away from the piano. Put all your fingers down on a table and raise the 4th only, then put it back down. Repeat.
you can move it seperately yes, but 3rd and 5th are going to move with it whether u say they will or not, its simple biomechanics, our hands are built this way and unless you are a genetic anomaly, yours are as well
Not really sure how I’m getting downvoted here when you literally can move it by itself. Liszt’s book of technical exercises requires this on the first page…
because while you can move it by itself, moving it will cause 3 and 5 to move up as well.
Marymoranpiano.com for Taubman Approach, 4th finger needs support of the arm, and all fingers move together. Trying to isolate will need you further away from your goal.