Technique Series: 2. How do we really play softly?

[@mariagalloway2972]

Good evening, I am an 80 year old Lady in Texas and begging to refresh the piano classes of my teenage years. It has proven a little difficult to restart but I love it. Therefore I absolutely love the way you explain the subtle things we have to learn to play decently. I am looking forward to be more than a keyboard player. Thank you so much!!! Maria Galloway From Texas

[@pianoweighttouchbrianking809]

I love your explanation here Kris. I am a registered piano teacher and I rebuilt pianos all my life so I can really relate to and appreciate your accurate analogy! I can use this approach in doing my Martinus Sieveking finger exercises as well balancing the full weight in the pad of the finger in my heavy practice.. So thank you so much. Brian

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Merci beaucoup, bien expliqué. In French they call the see-saw a balançoire, a balance. Kids call it a tappe-cul, smash the butt. First time I've seen your channel, very impressed. I laughed my whole life that I was born with two left ears. In choir class I was the one that teachers told to move my lips and not make a sound. So at 65 years old I bought a piano (like my Mom did) and wandered around on You Tube videos and dived in with a Faber book. But since I live in a French area, I also bought La Méthode Rose, bilingual French-British. I finally started with a teacher, earlier this year. I bought a John Thompson book (in French) and that helped me make better progress. But I was having problems with sightreading and especially Alberti Bass since I have an inner ear problem. Last week I decided that I should be more musical, and so started on page 1 of LMR, doing each exercise striving for musicality and to really learn what it means to play. My teacher noticed the difference after a couple of days. This week we went over several of the Thompson songs, working on dynamics. I'm excited to soon really finishing the Level One books, but if I ever feel the need I will do it again. I had the same approach when I started learning Applied Kinesiology to help in treating patients. I took a 100 hour basic course in America, and never used it. I took another one from David Leaf in Europe, and then started his advanced refresher courses he gave once a year. But I went back and took the basic course 8 times. I have a video of my exercises and treatments for the low back, as well as the upper extremity. Oh My Aching Bach And if anyone is near Suisse Romande and wants to really evaluate why they might have aches and pains that are rebellious to treatments....

[@kpunkt.klaviermusik]

The see-saw is such a cute analogy to pressing a key at the piano! I never thought about it that way. Another way of thinking about it is trying to play a soft but LONG sound. Not just the moment when the hammer hits the string - but the full time the tone is ringing. Like a magician :-)

[@Nadzap]

Awesome analogy. Thank you for this.

[@satomlin1]

Thank you. I played piano some years ago. Church pianist. I learned hymns on my own. I begin studying classical music of which I am a huge fan. One of the things I realized was I did not have skills to play the notes in a certain way. I’m learning. Thank you

[@me_607]

Wonderfully explained!

[@stevenbeer6005]

Well explain! Cheers!

[@ciararespect4296]

Waste of time