Mastering Trills in Piano Playing

In this short lesson I explain some basic tips about mastering trills, and some important interpretation aspects when using them.
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00:24 Playing trills using finger movements
01:28 Playing trills using forearm rotation
02:09 Mastering trills: a simple practice method
03:41 Supporting the finger/weight management
06:15 stylistic tips
07:23 Playing trills efficiently in the context of a musical line
08:26 How fast trills should be?
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[@edgarsnake2857]

Your technique is dazzling. And this lesson is very helpful. Thanks.

[@robertdyson4216]

Very useful. I have to accept that old age is now a big factor in my playing. I am OK with fast passages, but trills have become tricky. I will work a bit every day on forearm rotation for trills.

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Small steps do wonders over time!

[@robertdyson4216]

​@@DenZhdanovPianist Sadly time is not on my side but I will do my best. You are an inspiration to see and hear.

[@tiamat1628]

One of the best teachers on YT for real. Detailed explanation for every step.

[@ignaciogianola4338]

Your videos are amazing! Can you make a video explain articulations tips.? Thank you!

[@thepianocornertpc]

None of the others are on Denis' level. Some of the others shouldn't be teaching at all.

[@sualee890]

I find 1-2 trills in the first movement of the Schumann Fantasie challenging! 1-2 is definitely not the most effective trill fingering… I am still working on 1-2 trills, but my trills with other fingers have improved a lot, thanks to your methods!

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Thanks for a feedback!

[@christophernorman8127]

More usefull than the often seen " pedagogue " style master classes, the gems from which are, for me at least, "too hidden" .... i.e. really you would need to have a course of lessons from these teaxhers to understand what they are on about.. Denis's videos are, in contrast, less esoteric and therefore more suited to the utube format.. Methinks

[@luctorres9161]

Interesting to learn that our hand axis is indeed not the third finger but the 2nd finger ..... thanks Denis !!

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Yep..

[@LiliVG]

Excellent explanation of how to approach trills. I am now working on Mendelssohn’s Venetian Boat song opus 30 no 6 and there are some pretty long trills. I have played trills before but never such long ones as written by the composer. Thank you Denis. You are a concert artist and years of experience playing and teaching has allowed you to break concepts in little segments. Thank you!

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Thank you! There is another video and a comprehensive course on this piece: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIDKfYunn7iVj6Msi=Yinu5Eza5X1up7qj

[@gergerklekle9400]

Yes, Denis is very very very good -- I am really impressed and glad 💯❣

[@homayousefzadeh3635]

Thank you so much,very helpful.

[@thomasford8197]

These are outstanding videos, certainly among the very finest but clearly at the top. One or two things I would love for you to post would be on double trills and trills with auxiliary melodic notes (see Beethoven op. 53, op. 109, op. 111, mvmt. II). Another particularly troublesome trill issue is at the recap. of op.57, mvmt. I , rh trilling with C & Db chords in the same hand. Thanks.

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Thanks, will keep it in mind!

[@mabdub]

Thank you for the tutorial, very helpful.

[@fionanogawa1730]

So helpful to have such detailed explanations - thank you!

[@vanewfies]

I do love your video! You always put things in a very clear and simply way, with a very modern and physiological approach! If one day I should decide to resume my piano playing I will contact you for piano lessons!

[@Basti4231]

That one day, is today my friend! You are watching this video, not randomly. So align yourself with that feeling and get your dream going!!! Happy practicing.

[@nelsonjoseperez-sosa8809]

Wonderful explanation!

[@velcroman11]

This was a very interesting video and I did get much from it. I did feel frustrated that there was no video over the piano so that I could actually SEE your fingers actually moving. I felt this was necessary as you said trills where better when using the thumb and another finger while applying wrist rotation.

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Thanks, sorry that you feel dissatisfied. Next time!

[@williammanico2359]

What a wonderful lesson and insights and demo

[@suzanneroyce9300]

Thanks!

[@etudeando]

Working on 12 Mozarts variations and found that everyone makes different trills😆

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Yep

[@RUT812]

Oh yes!

[@NimeuMusic]

Denis, what is your favourite book on piano playing or piano practice?

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Probably Chang’s book, the link is in the description of this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHO0oICwrKhle8U

[@NimeuMusic]

@@DenZhdanovPianist I like that book too! It seems to be pretty controversial somehow but it’s solid advice in my opinion. My piano teacher is from Russia and her teachings are pretty in line with Chang‘s book.

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Any piano teaching is controversial from another perspective. We can more-less agree only on basic amateur level things (and yet not always), but as higher you go, as less musicians and approaches you are fully agree with.

[@windfishletusdream]

I'm having issues with long trills that contain a black and white key (eg dead things by philip glass), any advice on this?

[@elizabethasenova3166]

Hello Denis, I played the piano for 8 years in my childhood. I stopped playing in grade 8. After almost 20 years of not playing, during COVID, I bought an old Baldwin and now I am practicing every day. Right I am learning Chopin' s famous nocturne in C- sharp Minor and I am having troubles with the second embellishment at the end of the nocturne. Do you have any suggestions on how to achieve this vertiginous speed. I would really appreciate if you make a video on the Nocturne C-sharp Minor embellishments. Thanks.

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Hi Elisabeth, I have a comprehensive tutorial on this piece here: bit.ly/3vOoqp2

[@m.a.g.3920]

L'isle joyeuse beginning trills...😅 Those are incredibly exhausting

[@coralreef909]

Mordents? Like occurs frequently in Bach,Mozart and Haydn written for the fortepiano or harpsichord with very light action ? Modern instruments like Steinways and bösendorfer present new challenges and problems unique to their actions.

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Modern mordents’ mordant mordacity. 😅

[@mitchnew3037]

Hi Mr Zhdanov , there are trills in Mozart Sonata no.8 1st movement that use the fingers 3 and 5 and for me , they are always uneven . How should I practice them? Thank you 🙏

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

I’d first see if there are other fingering options. But you can apply same practicing strategies and additionally prioritize the evenness, not the speed. Those trills were meant for lighter instruments which sounded even if you’d barely touch the key.

[@cesaralves2303]

Great video Denis! Any tips on controlling the trill loudness as you increase their speed?

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

After you implement correct motions as explained you’ll be able to gradually play a trill lighter, by controlling the strength of the hit. Staying really close to the keys helps here

[@coralreef909]

Care to give some advice on the cadential octave tremolo trills in the first movement of the Brahms piano concerto No. 2 in B Flat opus 83 ? Fingering suggestions or other technical advice ?

[@DBoudewijnAussems]

What about double trills in one hand? What is the best way to do them?

[@eltonwild5648]

What if the trills have an acciaccatura note before them?

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

Interpretation might depend on a specific context (for example playing on or before the beat, making it quicker or slower, etc.), but the technical approach is similar.

[@bzeliotis]

Great , thanks for the excellent video! Question: If one uses a combination of thumb and fingers, does the forearm move in and out so that the thumb can play easily? (For instance in the G major menuet by C. Petzolt (Bach), on the 2nd beat of the 3d bar if one uses right hand fingers 321 to play the trill)

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

I personally wouldn’t use much of a forearm in out motion for trills, but such things need a personal approach.

[@magicmoths6018]

Hi Denis, My trills are terrible.. my fingers just seize up… I am learning the Italian concerto and there are a couple of very long trills in the first movement… perhaps I am aiming too high for an intermediate player who just returned to practice after many years.. I am 53 😬

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

😅 good luck!

[@pianoforte17xx48]

Same technique applies to left hand trills as well?

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

If the left hand has a significantly different physiology, like fingers are growing right from the elbows, etc, then of course not!

[@pianoforte17xx48]

@@DenZhdanovPianist ha ha.. very funny...

[@RUT812]

@@DenZhdanovPianist 😂

[@ScruffyTubbles]

I have an Oxford University Press edition of "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" and in the first few bars (number 5 I seem to recall) the letters 'tr' appear over two large chords (left and right hand) so any tips how to play that !!!!? Denis.?

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

I would have to see the score in order to suggest anything… if you can upload it somewhere like google drive and drop the link to the file here, I’d be glad to tell you what I think

[@radoslavdragnev8797]

Piano actions used to be lighter ? WhAT? REally? So why does everyone suddenly prefer heavy actions over lighter ones? Especially pro pianist they say that light action keyboards are not real pianos they are toys. I'm confused. A medium heavy action works best for me. To Allow for technique development , but also not so heavy and stiff to damage and hurt my fingers and feel fatigue after I play for awhile

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

If you will find some access to try historical pianos of the 18-19th century, it might be a revelation experience. It’s not the same as modern days unweighted e-pianos, that’s a different issue.

[@christophernorman8127]

* teachers...!

[@SulaimanAlgouzi]

👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽

[@DenZhdanovPianist]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂