Hi I have been playing piano for several years and currently grade 5
I noticed that my fingers are too stiff (I'm 20 btw ) and have a hard time playing running notes
In fact, my fingers are quite "hard" when playing any songs, like my fingers are forced to press the keys until can see some of my veins
Because of that people comment that I always play without emotion and its very "flat"
Is there anything that I can do to smoothen or to make my finger play "softer" besides doing scales?

in technical speaking, to do the fast notes, you have to practice the notes really slow, with constant speed (practice with metronome if you don't get what i mean). practice with slow speed over and over again, then engage the running notes again.

if still not working, there's another way to practice. play the running notes in "long, short, long, short" form instead of even rhythm, and vice versa (short, long, short, long). then play it normally and see.

regarding to "soften" your fingers, i'm afraid that's a long term things to do, and you have to be patient. it's like, i'm asking you to learn and speak german. to speak like a native german, imagine how much time you're going to take.

Thats an interesting idea you have there to play running notes, I'll give it a try!
If I plan to "soften" my finger in the long term, what can I do to train my fingers?

it's not my idea, my teacher taught me how to practice running notes in this 2 ways. both also good, the play it slow practice is especially useful for playing long passage/song with lots of running notes.

if you want to hardcore practice to free up your fingers, play hanon. technically it's dead easy to play. but it's HARD to maintain your patient. the trick is to (as mentioned) play them in a constant speed, and slow (around 100BPM +-, slower than that you'll fall asleep halfway ) . normally many people play hanon until sien liao and start to play in fast speed. that actually kill the purpose of playing hanon.

apart from speed, every note you hit has to be firm (not exactly hit hard, but firm). that way, you also strenghten your fingers too, and you'll notice your fingers can move more freely if you do the practice for 30mins~1hour a day, after about a month, the result is pretty significant. mind you, playing hanon constantly for 30mins is like you're sitting in front of piano for like, years.

PS: btw this should be discussed in the dedicated thread for piano/keyboard.

This post has been edited by little ice: Apr 20 2008, 12:50 PM

Hmm Hanon? I will try to look for it and give it a try, hope its not as boring until able to fall asleep
Gosh we have a dedicated thread for piano?
Sorry I'm kinda new here, and thanks for telling

sorry to disappoint you, hanon is dead easy but at the same time dead BORING. in fact, you'll know once you hear the ver first few notes (it's everywhere!). you know, (C E F G A G F E) (D F G A B A G F) (D G A B C B A G) and so on, both hands playing the same thing.

but if you willing to do it, you'll see improvements in short period. it'll drill your finger exercise. i personally know a jazz pianist from australia (he came to malaysia), he also do hanon practice for hours a day before his gigs/performances.

if you want alternatives, play a lot of mozart piano pieces. lots of scales for you to drill. they usually looks easy but if you want to play them evenly and steady it's actually no difference than those higher level pieces.

PS: here's the piano/keyboard thread http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/664336 .

This post has been edited by little ice: Apr 20 2008, 01:27 PM

I guess I'll just have to be patient to be good in my piano
Just need to wait and test my patience when I try playing Hanon pieces

Thank you so much for the link, I have been looking all over!

practise your scale repeatively.

or buy HANON, these book has ALOT of fingering exercise.

or you can learn all chopin op 10 and 25 etudes, and your fingerwork will be very awesome. ( except that chopin's etude works are hard XD)

I just found a video showing Hanon exercise on YouTube
At first when I listened to it I don't think its that boring.
But when he goes for the right hand, left hand, and then both hands.
Thats when I realize its DEAD boring! (you are right, little ice )
I give them a try anyway as my daily practice

I'll find chopin op 10 and 25 etudes and give them a try too.
The only Chopin's work I can play is Prelude Op. 28 No.7

go play chopin's etude op 25 no 12!

it trains both of your hand running difrent notes at a accelarating speed faster than a scale and with accidentals not belonging to the diatonic key.