Seated Posture | Piano Blog Academy

Autoplay
Autocomplete

Previous Lesson Complete and Continue

Fundamentals of Piano Technique Course

Unit 1 - Centering and Setting: Posture at the Keyboard

Back to Basics #1: Posture and Centering Overview (6:41)
Introduction (0:47)
Distance from the Keyboard (1:43)
Height of the Bench (1:05)
Seated Posture (3:09)
Disconnected Body (1:40)
Unit Assignment (3:04)

Unit 2 - The Piano Hand and Arm: Hand Structure

Introduction (0:57)
The Natural Hand Position (3:25)
Expanding From the Palm (1:31)
Hand and Wrist Position at the Keyboard (4:21)
Quiet Hand with Supple Forearm (0:46)
Finding an Active Hand Position (3:59)
A Note on Lifting vs. Rotation (2:10)
Proper Alignment of Fingers and Arm (4:46)
Finger Alignment and Thumb Placement (2:58)
An Exercise for Supported Hand Structure with Relaxed Forearm (5:29)
Examples and Applications (5:45)
Unit Assignment (5:24)

Unit 3 - Perfect Sound Control with the Drop

Introduction (0:53)
Movement From Different Joints (4:54)
Relaxing the Arm and Shoulder (2:17)
Key Descent and Letoff (2:02)
Finding a Neutral Hand Position (3:10)
Drop and Release in Slow Motion (2:22)
A Note on Releasing the Wrist (1:53)
Student Example: Practicing the Silent Drop (2:47)
Drop and Release With Minimal Force (3:42)
Some Final Notes on the Drop (4:34)
Examples and Applications (3:17)
Unit Assignment (4:49)

Unit 4 - Expanding your Sound Palette: Accelerating the Key

Introduction (0:52)
Playing From the Key vs. Above the Key (3:03)
Preparing and Dropping the Wrist (3:20)
Escaping the wrist (2:12)
Throwing the Wrist Upward and Full Arm Push and Pulls (3:23)
Using Larger Muscle Groups From the Key (3:50)
The Throw From the Key (3:53)
Dynamic Control Exercise (2:09)
Examples and Applications (4:06)
Unit Assignment (3:06)

Unit 5 - Travelling Hand: Rotations, Sweeps, and Basic Two-Note Movements

Relaxed Rotation (7:36)
Rotation - Above View (2:48)
Rotation With Active Hand (Above Keys) (5:24)
The "Thwack" Between Two Notes (1:36)
Sweeps (1:40)
Sweeps - Above View (1:20)
Sweeps and the 5 Finger Pattern (Preview) (2:31)
Sweeps with Rotation (1:15)
Twosies (2:31)
Thumb Drop and Release (5:29)
Examples and Applications (4:47)
Unit Assignment (4:51)

Unit 6 - Passagework with Ease: The Five Finger Pattern

Overview Of Five Finger Pattern Elements (3:21)
Fingers 3-4-5 (2:28)
Five Finger Patterns From The Thumb Outward (2:30)
Fingers 3-2-1 and 5-4 Coming Inward (3:24)
The Five Finger Pattern Coming Inward (3:31)
The Thumb as Extension of the Arm (2:19)
Open Thumb and Closed Thumb (1:12)
Five Finger Pattern - Above View (1:31)
Integrating the Sweep and Five Finger Pattern (1:08)
Economy of Motion with Speed (4:45)
Examples and Applications (3:02)
Unit Assignment (3:43)

Unit 7 - Freeing the Hand: Passing Below and Above the Thumb

Passing the Thumb Under (3:19)
Passing the Thumb Under with Rotation (2:30)
Passing Over the Thumb (2:48)
Passing Over and Under - Above View (1:34)
An Exercise For Passing Over and Under (2:46)
Passing Under With Larger Distances (2:44)
Unit Assignment (7:36)

Unit 8 - Scales Without Tension

Passing the Thumb Under in a Scale (3:20)
Boundaries for Passing Thumb Under in Scale Practice (3:19)
The Scale Going Outward - Above View (1:33)
The Scale Going Inward (2:44)
The Scale Going Inward - Above View (1:14)
Scales Starting on Black Notes (2:21)
Scales Starting on Black Notes - Above View (0:48)
General Concepts of Scales Review (2:07)
Examples and Applications - Tchaikovsky's "June" (2:35)
Unit Assignment (4:08)

Unit 9 - Expansive Movements: Principles of Arpeggio Technique

Arpeggio Technique Overview (3:03)
Arpeggios Moving Outward (2:46)
Arpeggios Moving Inward (3:32)
Arpeggios - Above View (1:31)
Student Example - Arpeggio Going Inward (0:59)
Arpeggios Starting on Black Notes (2:55)
Releasing the Thumb Onto a Black Note (0:39)
Arpeggios Including the Fourth Finger (1:23)
Overview of Principles of Arpeggios (1:31)
Unit Assignment (3:37)

Unit 10 - Movement From Above the Key

Movement From Above The Key (3:00)
Movement From the Knuckles Above the Key (1:02)
Movement From the Wrist Above the Key (1:04)
Movement From the Elbow and Shoulder Above the Key (1:11)
Throwing From Above the Keys (1:41)
Unit Assignment (3:30)

Bonus: Some Overarching Principles of Piano Technique

Introduction (1:37)
The Importance of Time and Repetition (3:05)
Being Specific Instead of Vague (3:47)
Avoid Overgeneralizing a Technical Approach (2:29)
Taking an Inductive Approach to Technique (1:25)

Teach online with

Seated Posture

Lesson content locked

If you're already enrolled, you'll need to login.

Enroll in Course to Unlock