Waves. The word immediately triggers images—motion, undulation, sweep, curve. It’s natural to describe waves as rolling in. The perfect wave is every surfer’s dream, the anticipation of the buoyancy supplied by the wave that carries you into the shore. Surfing the keyboard begins as early as Level 1. Learning to…
Technique and Artistry
Flying fingers! Who isn’t thrilled hearing a rippling succession of notes? Who doesn’t imagine that playing a smooth and fluid scale is a pianistic ultimate? And who doesn’t assume that the fingers must, indeed, “fly?” Well, here’s a surprise, explained and demonstrated by Dr. Faber. The fingers themselves don’t need…
The flowers that bloomed in April and May provide renewed hope and fresh delights. And the butterflies are here to sample the sweets! It’s tempting to chase them in order to admire their own special beauty. Just as a butterfly flits among flowers to “choose” a preferred nectar, students working…
At the Primer Level we lay foundations. We are beginning everything that will follow. And, in the words of Plato, “You know that the beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing.” Guiding a young student to form a…
Nature offers wonderful contrasts. Dramatic red flowers emerging from rich, black earth. Subtle shades of green in a deep forest. Pianistic artistry also involves dramatic and subtle contrasts. As Dr. Faber points out in Sunshine, Raindrops from Technique & Artistry Level 2B, it is the balance between melody and harmony…
March is “madness” time—at least for basketball fans. We can imitate the idea of a basketball dribble at the piano. By bracing finger 3 with the thumb a student can confidently bounce his/her own “basketball” up and down the keys. As the coach, our young player is “in training” for…
As we watch the Olympic athletes during these coming weeks, we pianists have some idea of what it means to train. Practice, prepare, warm up, and perform! Whether a skater, skier, or pianist, how to practice for technical excellence is key. That’s where the Technique & Artistry secrets are so…
Snowball Scales opens the Technique & Artistry 2018 calendar. What do scales and snowballs have in common? Let’s find out! This rolling scale exercise from Level 2B applies the essential Technique Secret #3, Light Thumb. Dr. Faber demonstrates how to align the thumb behind each finger for tension-free preparation. The snowball…
At first glance, Spindler’s two Preludes in G present a flurry of eighth notes—first in the treble line, then the bass line. However, if we look through our “theory glasses,” patterns emerge! This video explains how grouping the 8th notes into chords allows us to see the harmonic structure of…
Throw snowballs, dribble a basketball, chase butterflies, and travel to the North Pole — all with a bit of technique & artistry. Here’s how! The 2018 Year of Technique & Artistry Calendar presents twelve engaging images of children, animals, and nature matched playfully with the Piano Adventures Technique Secrets. Major holidays…