5 Things You NEED to Know to Practice Hanon on the Piano

[@aBachwardsfellow]

The reason so many people play Hanon wrong (i.e. by lifting the fingers high) is because the instructions on the first page of Hanon tell them to play it wrong ("Lift the fingers high") -- and too many (so-called) "teachers" don't know any better than to tell them NOT to lift the fingers high.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Good video, opening up the can of worms contained in Hanon. I've also tried Phillips exercises and haven't seen many quality videos explaing these exercises. Another are Dohnanyi exercises.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Oh good call! Maybe I can do videos on those. Thanks!

[@MrYuryZ]

Thank you for your tips and knowledge. I really appreciate that. So far I've learned and been practicing only no.1 and no.6 Hannon exercises with no lifting fingers after pressing and until it's term to do so. If I press the key with the 2nd finger it stays on the key and waits, then I hit the next key with the 3rd finger and it waits too, and so on. Each finger works independently while other fingers keep holding keys. I deliberately played it very slowly. The point of that technique is to learn how to hold your fingers on the pressed keys while at the same time another finger working independently. It is uncomfortable at first because when the other finger goes up other fingers that already pressing and holding keys want to go up as well. It really strengthens my fingers and helps me play more accuratelly and with more control over keys. Anyway thank you again and may God bless you and your loved ones.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Yes this is a really great idea in the short term when you’re focusing on a specific technique like you described! I always warn not to do that for too long as ultimately it won’t serve most of your piano playing in the long run - but great for the isolated instance you described!

[@LV-rf1kv]

Thank you Ashley. Very helpful and kind for sharing tips

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

You’re very welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@D29.H45]

i forgot about these. this is why it's important to get back to the basics every once in a while.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Yes definitely!

[@giovannipepe5945]

Hello Ashlee. I just came across your channel. I totally take on board your Hanon practice tips. For years I am guilty of many of the things NOT to do. I thought I was imprroving because I was nearing 104-108 bpm. But due to bad posture, bad finger position etc, I experienced tension in the forearms, irregular playing, etc. Basically I actually experienced a slight feeling of dread each time I sat down to do my Hanon exercises. I then slowed down to 80bpm. And I'm actually enjoying the execises for the first time in decades of playing them. I shall now also be applying your precious advice to push ahead on imprroving the flow, precision & musicality. I'm a new subscriber. I look forward to watching your previous as well as any new ones. Excelkent stuff. Thank you so much. Regards. Jon

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

This is such a huge deal that you’re slowing down and feeling the difference! Congrats on making some changes for the longer term benefit. This is so awesome. Thank you for letting me know! Also, if you’re not already in the free community you might really benefit from all that goes on over there too! Lmk if you need the link.

[@JD-72191]

I also use the same technique of letting one hand lead the other. I’m glad that is a good thing!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

It is indeed! I’d also recommend switching the hand that leads occasionally because sometimes it’s surprising that the weaker hand needs to lead!

[@JD-72191]

@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio I am left handed so I am used to having to do things with both hands and do this instinctively!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

@@JD-72191 so perfect!

[@jaytsecan]

Really enjoyed the tips presented and find them quite useful and practical. Thank you so much!

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Oh good, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know! 🙌🏻

[@aarontaylor8574]

Brilliant tutorial really impressive 🙏

[@aBachwardsfellow]

"playing musically" -- I like to do two things that help in this respect: 1. combine two exercises - alternating one measure of each. My favorite combination is #1 and #5 -- I'm sure there are other combinations which would work as well ( . . .dare we combine 3 or more exercises ??? ) 2. play the exercises in 10ths (and 6ths) For example -- play alternating one measure each of #1 and #5 in 10ths (LH 5th finger starts on C, RH thumb starts on E a 10th above (instead of C an octave above) La voila! -- instant Hanon/Scarlatti or Hanon/Mozart (can be an interesting challenge in other keys ...) I'd be interested to hear your thoughts about this after you've tried it ...

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Love this idea! Thank you for sharing! I’ve noted them to try at some point :)

[@aBachwardsfellow]

@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio SaweEET! I hope you find them as enjoyabe as I have! 🙂

Great tips! Although I'm only a beginner, I would say that lacking the right technique introduces a lot of unnecessary tension. This, in turn, greatly limits smoothness and the speed of execution.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

YES exactly!

[@aBachwardsfellow]

One fix I've found for getting both hands to play at the same time is to intentionally stagger them, then bring them closer together. For example -- using quarter notes and eighth notes in exercise #! First play the hands offset in even eighth notes -- that is, play the hands in quarter notes with the RH starting and the LH following 1/8th note later: RH: C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . LH: . . C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . Then switch -- have the LH start and the RH play 1/8th note later: RH: . . C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . LH: C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . Next do the same thing only make the distance closer -- as 1/16th notes -- like a very wide grace note: Have the RH start on the beat and the LH play 1/16th note later as a wide grace note: RH: C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A. . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . LH: C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . Then switch -- have the LH start on the beat and the RH play 1/16th note later as a wide grace note: RH: C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . LH: C . . . E . . . F . . . G . . . A . . . G . . . F . . . E . . . D . . . F . . . It can help to to think two ways in terms of rhythm: 1. the first note is on the down beat and the second note follows 2. the first note is a grace note and the 2nd note is on the down beat Repeat, making the grace notes smaller and smaller until as small as possible without playing together. Then .. voila! -- play together! This forces conscious listening and control of the hands to both sides ("strong" , "weak") of the two hands -- also works for scales, arpeggios, etc. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this ...

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Really cool idea - intentionally exaggerating in a measured way, as you describe here, can be a very effective way to achieve accuracy!

[@aBachwardsfellow]

@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio For sure! It is what is done in other ways with rhythms and accents for scales, arpeggios, etc. ...I find it really "wakes up" the listening and focus when trying to make the "grace" notes the same every time -- it's a trick I borrowed from my percussionist life to absolutely synchronize hands and feet (1/32nd and 1/64th grace notes between RH/LH, RH/LF, LH/RF, RH/RF, LH/LF, and RF/LF ... !)

[@momobit2143]

Thanks for your tips but could you give some tips for beginners who don't know sight reading and follow along tempo properly specially when it comes to the flag notes. it's really confusing to match notes and tempo correctly when you practice Hanon.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Check out my rhythm playlist! Tons of great videos that will help you with that 👍🏻

[@BsktImp]

Can you please clarify practising Hanon in all keys? One challenge is the fingering necessarily changes, but most editions present only one fingering. Thanks

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Hey there! I wouldn’t necessarily recommend practicing Hanon this way unless you had a very specific reason why you needed to learn Hanon in all keys. I’d recommend doing all scales first and then transposing pieces you’re working on or sight reading exercises before practicing hanon this way.

[@aBachwardsfellow]

​@@AshleeYoungMusicStudio Hanon in other keys introduces some added security in playing on the black keys as well as fine-tuning the micro-adjustments between the fingers over a variety of gaps. For this it is better to practice slowly and focus on total relaxation of the fingers over the keys (EXACTLY as you described - 🙂

[@bevtooth]

I play clarinet and now I've started to learn piano. I've had about 12 lessons. Do you recommend Hanon? Ive seen lot's of other composer's do these similar studies.

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

I don’t unless you have a teacher that can inform you on the way to properly practice it ✅

[@brendamengeling4653]

I have a question for you. I find myself leaning back sometimes. I sit so with my arms outstretched my fists just touch the fallboard; I had a teacher for a few months and that’s where she positioned me. I am very curvy up top, and I think I lean back to give my arms more clearance (I don’t have long arms or legs). Do you have any suggestions on how I can better deal with this?

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

I would suggest that you have your neutral position sitting up straight or even leaning in a little and then when needed you lean back - I’d have to see you play to say for sure but the key here is not to get stuck in one position that causes tension

[@annscott-p4h]

Could you speak a little slower please

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

There is a way in KZbin settings to slow it down!

[@NameBegatsName]

Try 0.75X

[@alvodin6197]

Please don't waste your time with hanon or ridiculous exercises which make zero sense. Jazz licks, runs, arpeggios and fills are ten times more useful than these boring, unmusical and non sensenical exercises. The entire premise of hanon and Czerny and all that other horse shit is wrong to begin with, so why spend so much time doing unmusical things to "strengthen" fingers than do not need strengthening in the first place?

[@AshleeYoungMusicStudio]

Hahaha did you watch the video? I touch on that and go much more into depth in other videos about hanon as well. You’re not wrong ;) However, there is a middle ground if you use the exercises sparingly and also for the purpose of practicing musicality - not finger strengthening.