Piano lesson on how to avoid tension in your playing

[@JoelAWeiss]

"Let me see if I can do it." And he nails it!!!

[@buk1733]

Joel Weiss he did pretty well actually

[@GordonCooperPiano]

Of course he nailed it, he is Graham Fitch.

[@jmt1335]

I had the unparalleled musical blessing of being one of Graham's students years ago.... Not a day goes by that I don't share something with my students that came from his lessons and piano teachings!!!!!

[@JoelAWeiss]

What an aweseomely nice thing to say.

[@nathangrant1824]

he has a very appealing manner. i don't feel at all patronised, i feel like he is discussing idea and techniques with me as an equal which would be absurd because i am a rank amatuer. i would love to have a teacher like him. you were most fortunate.

[@Tousanx]

thank you for sharing. you are definitely lucky.

[@nerilcatte0931]

You are so lucky

[@skateata1]

Tension was the bane of my existence when I was playing. I was so anxious about getting anything wrong.

[@CaptainCaveman782]

I get more from Graham Fitch video's than my expensive teachers. I asked my teacher about repeated octaves too and she just told me "try to relax". For weeks i got nowhere and now after trying this technique suddenly a breakthrough!

[@popqueen77]

Countless hours of practice and tons of money already spent, yet some of the advice here was still an eye opener! Thank you so much! Mr.Graham is one of the most amazing teachers for me. Logical, precise, meaningful, and clear guidance is hard to get. And his character is just so graceful and elegant. I wish I could take his lesson in London... It is nice to realize also that regardless of where we live, we all practice the same exact piano pieces. I felt the deep connection to the people who have dedicated their time and sweat for practicing the same pieces created by great composers. Lots of appreciations to them.

[@andrewinkelman376]

A tremendously helpful, intelligent, communicative and understanding teacher ; had I only heard/understood these important insights some 50 years ago, my finger joints would be in a very much better state... Take great care, all my dear friends pianists....

[@user-uu5xf5xc2b]

Can't tell how much I appreciate for these being available on KZbin for free

[@angieshyrenergy]

Just discovering this magnanimous treasure of Graham Fitch teachings! Seconding everyone's comments about Graham Fitch's graceful ease of teaching, effervescent encouragement and learning countlessly more in 1 video than years of piano lessons! Thank you!!!

[@michelleyb.9709]

To be able to access absolutely phenomenal players and master instructors is the best reason for yt

[@cjimcook]

Thank-you Graham. I'm only a beginner, but I can still appreciate everything you have to share.

[@hkuntun2313]

Thanks for sharing excellent tips. Your youtube postings are highly educational. I wish it was available 20-30 years ago , people may not realize how it is easier to learn piano today because of video like this.

[@nikolaacimovic8854]

There is certain amount of knoledge one can get from good teacher,like good habits on piano etc...That can learn almost everyone who has even small musical talent.So anyone can learn propper "body" language of piano music and there is a stop.Each indidual must explore then his special approach to his artistic vision...There can not help even the best teacher of the world....Without that,noone can hope to become a serious performer...That can not be "learned", it is own expirence and own vision...

[@russellwilson1584]

Thank you, this was eye-opening

[@jbertucci]

I sincerely and deeply thank you for making this available for free. Blessings!

[@kamnovak5268]

you rock graham!!

[@lucianasser]

Graham Fitch's explanations are impeccable! He's brilliant at explaining his concepts (not to mention at playing). His videos are gold! Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge!

[@matthewdavar]

Dear Graham, You are amazing teacher and pianist. Much appreciated all your excellent videos.

[@eleven864]

You're my hero. Nowhere near the level of the questioners but you're helping me so much regardless.

[@jundrix3675]

The last tip was amazing! I think it solves many problems for me.

[@HatakeHyei]

Finally understood my hand pain, i'm training octaves ALWAYS with the pinky out waiting to play the next note. Gonna change that next practice. Thank you so much.

[@GuyMannDudeTheOnly]

Love your videos Graham! Great information !!

[@ruthlx596]

Love Mr Fitch's tutorials. Late to the table but glad there's always space in a digital class! He's taught me more in the last two videos than I've learned in 15 years of formal weekly lessons, so thank you so much, Mr Fitch!!!

[@luigipati3815]

Excellent lesson, I hardly see anything better around. I bought his ebooks a while ago and gained some powerful knowledge, especially about practicing. In 30 minutes a day I am getting more from the piano now than I did with 3 hours a day a year ago. And of course Pianist Magazine is second to none.

[@rachelmoran3175]

Hi! Do you remember the name of the ebook that helped you with your practising? I'd love to read it!

[@okno2277]

@@rachelmoran3175 did you find it??

[@rachelmoran3175]

@@okno2277 no I never did 😅

[@okno2277]

@@rachelmoran3175 oh alright 😢

[@zarabwz]

For the left hand in Czerni etude op.740 there is an exercise which is particularly helpful in speeding up- starting playing with the top three notes and then rapidly reaching for the bottom note and back. So your hand is positioned on the 1st and 2nd fingers, when the 5th finger is a last minute addition.

[@brog534]

This is an eye opener thank you so much bless🙂

[@PianistMagazine]

We're glad you are enjoying it!

[@esmeraldalowry2836]

This is awesome ! I love the way you make those songs feel so easy to play. Without tense. Thank you professor Fitch.

[@yicantong2299]

Thank you so much ,sir ,that's realllllllly helped ! I was very tired and desperately about my octaves and tremolo today ,but now i feel I can play all day to improve it ! Best wishes to you!

[@donsquillace277]

such good teaching. you are giving the world so much

[@andreamyob9458]

Lovely clear, unambiguous explanation!

[@JaakSikk]

Actually an excellent video! What you are talking about here (the coordination and the wave in your wrist) is finding a good cooperation between finger technique and wrist technique simultaneously. I use the same thing but I have tried to explain it exactly why does it work and how to cultivate it step-by-step. Thanks for great videos!

[@capuano3d]

4:35 pathetique 8:17 czerny 740 nr8

[@markleepotter6685]

Awesome! Fantastic tips, thanks! 👍

[@frankytumbuan4493]

Thanks Mr Graham...you are my inspiration...

[@talasadaqa5452]

Thank you for your great advice! I was having trouble playing a Czerny study but this really helped me.

[@dinorivera9153]

Thank you so very much your extremely helpful God Bless

[@mokhtarpiano1187]

Very helpful, thank you.

[@denisekarenhenderson9070]

Marvellous teaching

[@PIANO_LAB]

Another great video as always!! Thankyou!!

[@SewTexas]

Much appreciated, you play beautifully

[@myroslavadanilova771]

Love your lessons!

[@PatchworkJazz]

A video on practicing difficult polyrhythms for example 5:4 realising the ornaments with good rhythm in Chopin would be amazing

[@artygunnar]

thank you Professor Fitch!

[@mattdevereaux4550]

What a great fellow. Inspiring AND practical ! M

[@kenra2964]

Thanks a lot!

[@bikedawg]

Fantastic video on technique! Breaking it down like that is so very helpful--thank you so much!

[@XxD3vaAtaToR]

Greetings! Perhaps you could discuss about the C#minor section of Chopin's Ballade No.3? some notes in my RH is usually hit or miss when playing in faster tempo.

[@Ogaitnas900]

Thank you for these lessons!

[@ccsv10]

That was a fantastic video, thank you.

[@waltherpari5103]

nice explanation, thank you very much!

[@ishagshafeeg]

Quite useful, thanks

[@PinkPianist]

So helpful! Thanks!

[@NganNguyen-hm5qc]

thanks so much for sharing those things for us...

[@rachelmoran3175]

The advice on the repeated notes was exactly what I was looking, pity I didn't see it sooner and my practice sessions would have been much more productive 😭 had to keep stopping because my hand was getting fatigued playing repeated 4-note chords , so glad I found this now, hopefully I will be ready to accompany a singing exam next week 🤞

[@drbekken]

Excellent.

[@bruno.virgilio]

a so nice video! thanks for sharing

[@MichaelClark-zc7ht]

Brilliant video! Appreciated :)

[@prod.retrix4935]

This is going to help le so much when I game

[@dianneanderson216]

Yes I found these tips very helpful👏

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Awesome! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@martaordonez1072]

nice I like the way you teach, thanks

[@GerardvanR]

Graham, can you tell me something about the metronome indications of the etudes by Czerny? Are they to be played as fast as indicated? If not, why did Czerny give us such "impossible" metronome figures? In his Pianoforte School op. 500 he insist to follow these MM marks very carefylly.

[@ChopinIsMyBestFriend]

I don’t know where to ask but I would definitely like to see a walkthrough and how to smoothly play the second cadenza of liebestraum

[@avocadodelphinus1184]

i've played piano for 7 years now and tension is driving me crazy

[@valeriocadeddumezzanotte]

Bravo

[@alimohammadinezhad8010]

thanks for teaching this important thing . what's first song you're playing?

[@sholemgimpel6050]

Excellent narration, but how can one understand your hand-wrist-and-arm movements while they are concealed underneath your coat sleeve?!

[@crehenge2386]

How would you adress a heavy thumb in Chopins drills?

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

What about upright pianos with no repetition mechanism? Repeating will take more effort on a regular upright piano I guess.

[@pattieharley1563]

What would you recommend for Mozart Sonata C KV 545 - bar no 11 / the arpeggios in left hand - playing them slowly doesn't hurt but it's not the point;-) how to play these quickly without tension in forearm? When I try to speed up they became sloppy, not even in sound and rhythm, and the hand is sore.

[@hollyt73]

Yes Fitchy!

[@vincectec]

But how can you play with relaxed hands when a stretched hand is required, as in the Chopin 10/3 con bravura passage?

[@diegovillacrez8349]

You need to let go of the outter notes as soon as you play the chord.

[@roadguide123]

@@diegovillacrez8349 hi... I'm learning Chopin B minor prelude and it's making my lower right pinky hurts...do you have any advice on this? Thanks in advance for your help

[@jukkageisler2312]

@@roadguide123 Try to always keep your wrist behind the playing finger. Think about the notes one by one and rest on every single one. This should release the tension.

[@roadguide123]

@@jukkageisler2312 thank you very much for the advice... I will follow it during my practice sessions...God bless🙏

[@JoyAndWhimsy17]

When I practice Rachmaninov’s concerto 2, second movement, bars 94 to 111 are very messy and make my wrist hurt, also a couple days after I metronome practice a section, I can barely play it. How can I fix that?

[@ryzhendrix8224]

helps alot

[@andrewporter1348]

Oh my god what is the name of that masterpiece that played in the intro of this video?

[@matthewschubert4954]

Der Erlkonig by Franz Schubert

[@andrewporter1348]

Matthew Schubey I thank you deeply.

[@PianistMagazine]

The piece on the introduction of this video is 'Variations on a Theme of Rode' by Czerny!

[@fletcherwadsworth1634]

What is the intro piece? Not der erlkonig, the one playing during the Steinway hall walkthrough?

[@PianistMagazine]

It's "Variations on a Theme of Rode" by Czerny

[@sanchopansa1950]

what piece is he playing around 9:00 ? Sounds like Bach .

[@williamfitzgibbon1031]

I was wondering if you give me your suggestions for pedaling on the prelude in G major by Chopin

[@rooo1014]

4:37

[@amolkakde5751]

With left Hand and missing top camera angle. I couldn't see properly what he was doing.

[@junchengchew9790]

My left were so tense when playing the revolutionary etude

[@rohannabendiola9897]

True it hurts

[@premierepasta1562]

That Schubert is being played quite exquisitely in that intro.

[@beth9603]

I'm learning that exact piece and came.onto youtube in search for help with it :D

[@andrewporter1348]

What exactly is the name of that song?

[@MrBnnashton]

The Erl King

[@Fazorification]

What is the name of it? Noone seems to know.

[@Fazorification]

What piece is that, exactly? Noone seems to be able to give any other answer than "Der Erlkonig", which isn't in the intro.

[@Fazorification]

I seriously need to know the piece in the intro... Everyone keeps saying Erlkönig but i mean the one before that, with the cinematic view of the piano shop. Can anyone help?

[@panwathammaraks3585]

When I play Fantasie impromptu my arm stings what should I do

[@pjbpiano]

Your arm is too tight. You need to loosen it up.

[@panwathammaraks3585]

Thanks

[@asylumrain]

So how does having your wrist up and arms swaying help?

[@FromG2eminor]

Keeps you from tensing or stiffening up. Effects the tone quality too, in a positive way.

[@yudipitre5720]

This happens to me, to much tension and my wrist hurt.

[@hanukuo8088]

Which allegro did he play ?

[@randomcubing7106]

Steinway Quality.

[@paolashiadani1046]

What is the piece of the beginning????

[@PianistMagazine]

It's "Variations on a Theme of Rode" by Czerny

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

This is out of my pay grade as a pianist, but I do appreciate seeing the techniques and I've been trying several exercises for finger independence with no tension. Gosh, those fingers can be difficult, n'est-ce pas? But I'm not a stranger to helping people with pains and tensions. I have a video on exercises for the low back but also shoulders and arms. Oh My Aching Bach. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnycpJZmmNCGptk

[@user-ws3sl9xi7y]

Like dribbling a basketball. You're welcome.

[@RanBlakePiano]

Harder then throwing ball in basket

[@OsakaJoe01]

40 seconds later... 😒

[@senorserrano2597]

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