Fit 4 Piano: A Fun Resource for Establishing a Coordinated Piano Technique

Description

Happy, Healthy Piano Playing Fit 4 Piano is intended as a resource for teachers and students. While not a method, it contains technical ideas and exercises that Rae has found most useful over a lifetime of teaching. By establishing movements that are natural from the beginning of learning, progression though the grades is uncomplicated, rewarding, and pleasurable for both teacher and student. Each exercise is described and shown on video, and explanations for teachers are included in interactive pop-ups. More than 80 HD video excerpts of demonstrations and musical examples show how they are relevant whether playing the easiest pieces or advanced repertoire. These exercises have been used with the piano students at the University of Auckland for a number of years now and there has been a notable reduction in the number of injuries since their introduction. Prelude The Basics Posture Playing Postures to Avoid Falling Parachute Landings Gestures Hot Air Balloons Three-note Slurs Four-note Slurs More Four-note Slurs Advanced Exercises Legato Caterpillars Chromatic Caterpillars Five-finger Caterpillars Joint Support Monkey Pull-Ups Spy-Glasses Bunny Hops Wonky Thumbs Garage Doors The Crab A Whole Tone Scale Staccato Trampoline Bounces Sweeping Repeated Notes The Wrist Windmills Shapes Shapes with Broken Chords Shaping Over Four Notes Cantabile Jellyfish Hands Cantabile Exercises A Singing Tone Scales Wiggly Snakes More Scales One Gesture Scales Rotation Shaking Rocking Broken Chords Alberti Bass The Burglar Burglar Fingers Jumps Smiles Rainbows Flips More Flips Arpeggios Under the Bridge Windscreen Wipers Diving Aiming Further Arpeggios in Gestures More Arpeggios Infinity Chords Loud Chords More Sonorous Sounds Soft Sonorous Chords Legato Chords Voicing Colours Octaves Pedalling Releasing Brahms Exercises