Fingers Raising

[FireSpirit]

Hello guys! I have a problem with my fingers when i play or exercise scales, etc...
My fingers are raising, if I play the note G with the little finger, the middle finger raise. It's "normal" or acceptable or not? How I fix this?
I attached a video

 

[JIM D.]

Not a problem - My fingers react exactly the same and have observed many others that have the same finger action.

 

[debra]

The amount your fingers are "raising" looks just right to me. You don't want to stay too close to the keys (to avoid pressing them partway when you don't intend to) and not too high as you might then lose track of where you are. You are doing just fine!

 

[mgavrilov]

I see your wrist is bent at almost 90 degrees. You should aim to keep it as straight as possible. Your position is like playing the piano with bent wrists - no one does it, because you just can't play in that position. So in summary, imagine that there is a straight line running from your elbow to your metacarpophalangeal joints (some even say the proximal interphalangeal joint) - this should be your default playing position (of course it changes while you play, but never bending the wrist to such extend)

 

[JeffJetton]

I see your wrist is bent at almost 90 degrees.

That was the first thing to jump out at me too! Yikes!

I imagine trying to turn a doorknob or screw in a lightbulb* (or wave like Queen Elizabeth). If my wrist is bent too far to do that comfortably, I know I've got to bring my elbow out.

Many a tricky passage has gotten miraculously easier to pull off just by poking out my elbow a bit more.




* How many accordion players does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Two: One to screw it in with his left hand and another to disagree with him about the fingers he's using.

 

[JerryPH]

Raise that elbow or you won't have to worry about your fingers because left long enough, you'll induce tendon damage in the wrist that hurts so bad you eventually won't want to or be able to play again. Most important in this stage, use proper fingering for the scales... it makes it easier.

The raised finger issue? It is going to work itself out. As you get more and more comfortable, you will naturally start to speed up more and more, and your fingers, all by themselves, will rise just the perfect amount to meet the needs of the speed you need to play that scale at.

BTW, so happy to see you working on scales, so many people just don't get the importance of scales and arpeggios and it does affect their growth.

If I may also suggest, as soon as you can, start the Hannon exercises start doing them all in the key of C, and later, go right for repeating those same exercises in all the other keys... you will thank yourself later when you start picking up more technically challenging pieces faster and easier.

Funny but true story... I cannot tell you how many times I got whacked across the tricep by a short baton and my teacher pretty much barking out an "UP... UP... raise that elbow!" at me... easily has to be in the hundreds of times, at least it felt like it! Sometimes the bruises from the last class weren't quite healed before he added another line!