Chordal Tremolos - How To REDUCE TENSION & Play With More Freedom!

[@user-nm6dr4uy3d]

The idea of jumping over a cone was really helpful. Lots of tutorials show the quick shaky motion and you think you need to somehow make the hand rotate in a still position. The shaky motion is more what it looks like once you get to a certain point: at first, when you do it slowly, it looks more like hopping from side to side. I actually watched la Campanella played by Lisitsa at a slow motion. At the normal speed, it looks like she's just shaking her hand out, but when you look at the slow motion version, you see that she's actually moving her hand/arm both by turning from side to side AND hopping from side to side.

[@KingstonCzajkowski]

The passage at 8:17 should feel like the easiest thing in the world if you have the right motions. Things to doublecheck: 1. The walking hand and arm has a down-down motion and is in free fall, as well as a rebound that occurs at the moment you reach the keys. Aim to the point of sound. 2. The balance of the rotation on each interval is to the left (since all chords rotate toward the thumb in the moment of playing). In other words, double rotation, connecting from the top notes. If you connect from the bottom note as you seem to recommend then the top interval would be a hybrid rotation which makes your life unnecessarily difficult. 3. The interval with the thumb plays forward and in while the interval without the thumb is an out-forward (come out, with a forward stress in the moment of playing). This looks wrong in your playing. 4. The interval with the thumb is lower. 5. The shaping is a 7-note overshape across the big beat, restarting on the beat. The shape is very slight. 6. The thumb plays forward while the other fingers play toward the body (thus, even though the 1-4 interval is forward overall, it feels like 1 and 4 are playing towards each other). You seem really knowledgeable so you may already know all of this, but if the passage is still uncomfortable then one of these elements must be in the wrong size or improperly timed. I hope this reminds you of something you may have forgotten to check, good luck making the passage a breeze.

[@JaySuryavanshiMusic]

'We're going to hit that Beethoven Pathetique" lol

[@batboy5023]

i loved that XD

[@DHPianist]

Wish there was a close up view of your hand

[@Torebordalpiano]

Interesting point from Durso. I realized this yesterday actually, I've been playing octaves a bit wrong all the time. My hands are big, so I've been playing octaves (and tremoli, chords etc.) with a straight hand, since I could. But that way the pinky plays further in onto the key, but it's harder to play there than on the edge of the keys. Octaves instantly felt easier when I turned my hand a little, like Dr Durso explained.

[@penelopesalord1745]

Really great tips ! I love the image of the cone that we need to rotate above. I was getting some painful tension in my hand while trying to voice out the top notes with fingers spread out. Will try this, thanks !

[@thebloodye]

Could you do a tutorial on Beethoven's Waldstein sonata itself?

[@Murcielag0scuro]

I needed this. I was working in Liszt's Nuages Gris and there's a chordal tremolo on left hand once.

[@m.a.3322]

Chasse neige is another killer in terms of chordal tremolos

[@Murcielag0scuro]

@@m.a.3322 Definitely, but that's a Transcendental, which I shouldn't attempt yet. I made that mistake when I tried learning Mazeppa after 2 years because I thought what people said was just exaggerated nonsense. I learned the hard way.

[@lucasdelliosiv7493]

The tremolo section in the Waldstein sonata was one of my weakest spots. Now I can fix it

[@kimdeguzman6218]

that is one of my problems im searching it on youtube and I dont know what it's called and finally this video came out it ses chordal tremolos perfect

[@TemplePiano]

Thank you, hope it helps me to manage those tremolo animenz puts in. However, I suggest to use a more close-up angle in the future.

[@thegameplanapp7756]

Agree- kinda defeats the purpose of the whole video if you can’t see him playing!

[@erckupazo]

Exactly why I watched this video

[@kiliankraus]

Thank you for this, I’m very beginner so this was like a big crash course

[@HKLee-dn1fh]

This was what I needed for my hands relaxing Thank you!!!!!

[@EscapeLimitations]

Thank you. This helped a lot

[@DrMd-jr3xt]

Thank you! I’m working on Dohnanyi’s rhapsodies, and the beginning of the second one gives me hell.

[@privateperson8289]

Liszt 14th Hungarian Rhapsody also has a nice start with tremolos

[@ryanxu288]

Thank you! I needed this! There's a section in the Mendelssohn Piano Concerto with a bunch of chordal tremolos where I always tense up. I'll definitely try out your tips! :D

[@giovannakarenvagata407]

Thanks a lot! I have this issue in many spots of Liszt Vallee d'Obermann..I will try to use your tips!

[@henrydenner5448]

I thought you might talk about the weird tremolos in Gaspard de la Nuit - Ondine.

[@katharina_klotz]

Omg That's my piece thanks a lot 😍

[@BobMazzo]

thanks for another great lesson

[@AntiquatedApe]

Errol Garner's Penthouse Serenade inspired me to learn this technique

[@m.a.3322]

This is exactly what I was waiting for, another video from you on complex tremolos! Priceless advice right here ❤

[@Sammy-tk4ei]

Very helpful currently learning op 15 no 1 and the nocturne is so beautiful and the only thing I’m struggling with is those tremolos my hand just is too tense and I feel like I can’t keep up with the left hand so the tremolos start to become louder than the melody

[@puriaqara2086]

Thank You...

[@jbw53191]

I can play all kinds of tremelos quite easily. It's only when I have to play them in rhythm like in the Pathetique or Waldstein that I tense up. It's been a lifelong struggle that I have yet to solve.

[@ralphwang1434]

On the Beethoven Pathetique: I try to keep the left hand quiet, but when I do that, it becomes uneven, with the lower note much louder than the top note. I suspect I just need a stronger left pinky, but might there be other causes and solutions I could try?

[@fergusbyett8088]

Go to the Golandsky Institute channel and watch the recent livestream they did - Mary Moran talks about the Pathetique tremolo

[@pilman9429]

You don't need a stronger pinky! Try thinking of "lifting your arm with your fingers" instead of "holding your arm still and pressing with the fingers". You'll notice your pinky is capable of producing enough force to support the weight of your arm and more. This sensation is key to playing a relaxed (and even) tremolo.

[@kathrynkaren1024]

These tips might help if my left/right hand was in the bass/treble area, but when the chordal tremolos were played with the right hand and in the bass area, I can't seem to rotate my wrist a lot (or am I just still too tense?), and I would always play the note that's played with the thumb a lot louder and heavier, making the chord uneven. Is there a way to overcome these problems? (I'm referring to Beethoven's The Tempest, 1st movement, starting from bar 99)

[@alperenyelkovan5525]

Ty!

[@IEEMAZ_Convoluted_14.2.8.5]

Nice tip

[@theiveytwinsgabyandlexi1922]

Hi I’m lexi I really want to learn and master the piano I was wondering if there is a way that you can privately teach me all the basics if you can that would be amazing, please get back to me soon

[@bjornviir3333]

Liszt Dante Sonata has lots of tough tremolos.... anyone have any tips on those...they are quite long too.

[@SuperDieu_6666]

@@bjornviir3333 make sure your thumb especially isn’t too tense,but that must apply to all fingers in the middle and the 5ths. Your arm as a whole has to rotate, but if you put your energy into the wrong articulations then you’re going to have a hard time (that’s what she said hahaha😈). The part where you must concentrate your energy into are not the wrists, fingers, forearm or arms, but into the knucles. Everything else will rotate naturally if the knucles turn efficiently, but never in any case put energy into previously mentioned wrong articulations, otherwise your forearm is gonna suffer. This applies for the 2 types of tremolos, both are equally hard/easy for me :)

[@jonasvorka5991]

Hey, I wanna know your opinion... What's harder: Revolutionary etude or Black keys etude

[@peterkovacs9951]

12

[@Ariana-dn4mm]

black keys, revolutionary is pretty easy lol

[@peterkovacs9951]

@@Ariana-dn4mm :O

[@KarMa-lx6oq]

Lol haven't played either, black keys looks harder

[@manuel-et4he]

I 've played both. For me op10 n°5 is harder.

[@DevinWardMusic]

How do you mic your piano??

[@doccharlie2000]

What nocturne does he play at 8:07 ?? And what does he play directly after?

[@michieldolfing]

Chopin Nocturne Op. 15 No. 1 Chopin Etude Op. 25 No. 8

[@doccharlie2000]

@@michieldolfing thanks!

[@thegameplanapp7756]

Yes I was looking for that too! Ty!!!

[@Daniel32396]

My left hand can not do that at all.

[@SuperDieu_6666]

I HAVE FOUND IT MATE !!! So basically you have multiple parts in your body that you can "put energy into", and what might be wrong is that you use your wrists, forearm or even worse, your arm to rotate. But this is wrong as it causes tension. When you want to tremolo, use energy trying to rotate the KNUCKLES, and not the previously mentioned articulations. Be careful, I said knuckles, not fingers ! Your fingers don't have to rotate, keep them very loose, especially your thumbs. You may need to fixate a bit the fingers at both ends, thumbs and 5ths without forcing otherwise it's going to be too difficult to play with too loose fingers that have no energy. It's hard to explain, but you can experiment yourself. Try using knucles, while having all of your fingers free and loose. After you get how to rotate your wrists, you can THEN use your elbows to help you rotate easier by pivoting a bit, but remember the energy comes first into the knuckles, and this applies for all techniques, where knuckles always have a role to play in building good, healthy and common technique. Good luck ! I hope you'll keep me updated :)

[@danielstanton7084]

I’ve been trying to play like this for at least a year. I can’t do it. There is tension that builds up in my forearm when I play fast. No idea where it comes from or how to fix it. None of these videos have been any help, incredibly frustrating!

[@SuperDieu_6666]

I HAVE FOUND IT MATE !!! So basically you have multiple places where you can "put energy into" in your body, and what might be wrong is that you use your wrists, forearm or even worse, your arm to rotate. But this is wrong and causes tension. When you want to tremolo, use energy trying to rotate the knuckles, and not the previously mentioned articulations. Be careful, I said knuckles, not fingers ! Your fingers don't have to rotate, keep them very loose, especially your thumbs. You may need to fixate a bit the fingers at both ends, thumbs and 5ths without forcing otherwise it's going to be too difficult to play with too loose fingers that have no energy. It's hard to explain, but you can experiment yourself, because this time, I did. After you get how to rotate your wrists, you can THEN use your elbows to help you rotate easier by pivoting a bit, but remember the energy comes first into the knuckles, and this applies for all techniques, where knuckles always have a role to play in building good, healthy and common technique. Good luck ! I hope for a positive response now :)

[@danielstanton7084]

@@SuperDieu_6666 I'll give this a try. Thank you.

[@danielstanton7084]

@@SuperDieu_6666 I’m still having a hard time with this. Have you tried doing a tremolo between 2 notes that are a major/minor third apart? That’s where I’m running into the most difficulty. I can do the octaves sort of, but my wrist gets tired after a while. I don’t understand how you do this without rotating your wrist.

[@SuperDieu_6666]

@@danielstanton7084 Well you HAVE to rotate your wrists, but it must not be USED as the origin of the energy that will rotate the rest of the arm (and body) As for intervals, you must try first to get completely loose (as I said first in the comment), and make sure your middle fingers (lol) I mean the more centered fingers (2, 3, 4) are not tensed up and relaxed. All your hand mist be relaxed and no finger must be forcing in any way otherwise you’re eventually going to crisp up too fast. I’ll make a video for you if you want when I go back from vacation :D TL;DR : Where your energy must be concentrated is in knuckles not wrist or others, but they can ROTATE (they have to) as an EFFECT of the energy put into the kncuckles which will be the key part in doing great tremolos + make sure your venterd fingers aren’t tense (same goes for thumb and 5th). Tell me if this helped! :)

[@SuperDieu_6666]

​@@danielstanton7084​ Well you HAVE to rotate your wrists, but it must not be USED as the origin of the energy that will rotate the rest of the arm (and body) As for intervals, you must try first to get completely loose (as I said first in the comment), and make sure your middle fingers (lol) I mean the more centered fingers (2, 3, 4) are not tensed up and relaxed. All your hand mist be relaxed and no finger must be forcing in any way otherwise you’re eventually going to crisp up too fast. I’ll make a video for you if you want when I go back from vacation :D

[@lucasdelliosiv7493]

5:26 what was the example?

[@milostopalovic9765]

I think rach 3 ossia

[@lucasdelliosiv7493]

@@milostopalovic9765 me too

[@danielberry4728]

Tremolemolo

[@lminor7]

Tremolo - TremoHigh - how bout Tremolo - Figaro

[@theiveytwinsgabyandlexi1922]

Oh and am only 13

[@magik1283]

Aren't your teachers like mad that you teach us things they get paid for? regards

[@SuperDieu_6666]

Not everyone does things for money, unlike what you may think

[@magik1283]

@@SuperDieu_6666 i do not think that my question is that hard to understand

[@SuperDieu_6666]

@@magik1283 I do not think my answer is that hard to understand. I just answered for the KZbinr because I don't think his teachers care that much about money

[@magik1283]

​@@SuperDieu_6666 XDDDDDD yeah definitely they do all of that just for pure passion, thats why this "youtuber" has paid webinars because he does not care that much about the money

[@SuperDieu_6666]

@@magik1283 I did not say they teach out of pure passion, I said it wasn’t their primary objective. There are generous people in this world