The UP-DOWN Exercise - The Greatest CHORD Exercise I've Ever Learned - Josh Wright Piano TV

[@joshwrightpiano]

I've been meaning to upload this video for years. I know I've mentioned this exercise in passing in other videos, but it is so helpful that I needed to dedicate a video just to discussing it. Originally taught to me by Sergei Babayan, this exercise changed my life at the piano...it helps SO much to get around the keyboard with ease and improve accuracy. I hope it helps!

[@pianodudeler]

This seems to relate to a common way of teaching 'wrist' or 'hand' staccato but I can't recall a clarity of detail and richness of demonstration in any other lessons I have seen. Thank you!

[@joshwrightpiano]

pianodudeler thank you so much!

[@dedeedo9355]

@@joshwrightpiano Wow it's amazing how much lighter, fast and tight it feels to play now using this exercise, I'm even kind of weak right now because I'm practicing at night but it revitalized my hand right away! It's almost like my wrist just found out it can move upwards and downwards rapidly without tensing up, thank you so much.

[@CarlosRA69]

Hi, I like yours videos. Will it be possible to have spanish subtitles?

[@MrMyneworld]

@@CarlosRA69 los subtítulos de yt funcionan bastante bien, siempre que el audio sea claro, aunque erre algunas palabras, se capta lo suficiente para entender. Espero lo hayas aplicado. Yo los uso en todos los videos en inglés, aunque pocas veces uso el traductor porque entiendo bastante el inglés escrito. Para traducir es un poco fastidioso porque hay que configurarlo siempre, pero vale la pena. Y si quieres guardar los subtítulos traducidos, está la página Downsub.

[@mariamorando6130]

Thank you Josh. You are more help than you know. I am a true beginner at having only been playing 4 months. I am 67 years old, and I hope to be able to attain a beginner/intermediate level at some point in the not-too-distant future playing classical. I practice 3 or more hours a day. As an older adult, we can more easily cut our careers short by playing with too much tension. So, this information you share is even more valuable for us older folks. I not only get to avoid making a basic mistake that builds tension early on in my pursuit, but I also get to save my hands, and everything else attached to them!

[@peechykern9705]

Tons of respect and well wishes coming to you Mariam! I’ve started late as well. Enjoying every minute of it!

[@bjb0808]

I think your videos may be the best out there. You are SO sincere and helpful, modest and just so professional, yet friendly, not intimidating for hopeless types like me. If not hope, you give me inspiration to carry on.

[@2liter8]

So much thanks to Dr. Josh for his online teaching that is of such a high level. He's a great pianist and a great teacher. As Adrien Brody of the movie Pianist said "learning to play the piano made me a much better person."

[@dr.brianjudedelimaphd743]

So talented and yet so humble ....

[@loveispatient0808]

Josh seems like a nice guy ! I wish I could have studied with him!! Anyone knows where is he teaching?

[@NadyaPena-01]

I love that you teach us these techniques that aren't obvious. It's apparent that you are an expert teacher.

[@brannonrushing1993]

I found this video and started this exercise only three days ago, and it has completely transformed how I will view chords in pieces forever. I am an adult learner that has been taking piano for a little over a year (I took about four or five years as a child). I was having trouble finding my chords in a Czerny exercise and this corrected much of the problem in the first practice using this method! Thanks, Josh!

[@LeVezz]

best video i've ever seen piano techniquewise. Greatest musicality and gentlemanism. Well done !!

[@carinaalexandrasimoes89]

Josh I swear to God your hand ability.... drops my jaw right on the floor! Lol. Speechless! *gonna cry 😭😂

[@aleatoriac7356]

Just loop 2:39 Excellent exercise though, I'm adding this, thank you!

[@aculeah]

Thanks for this video, as I need help with my wrists. My teacher, who is very Russian school, calls them "breathing wrists". I think that flexibility in her wrists is a big part of why a piece sounds alive when she plays it. I saw Babayan in concert a year ago--amazing!

[@DynamicMateTV]

Should be grateful for this guy posting these! Thank you sir!

[@janeladney]

you have transferred your optimism to me...everything is going better! Thanks for sharing your brilliance!

[@saleenapiano]

Hi Josh, I'm intermediate, trying to progress. I've been working on Clair de lune, was having problems with the lh arpeggios on black keys; tried the gaps and they worked! thanks so much! you're brilliant! and you play like an angel. thanks so much for the posts

[@deananightingale8197]

Thank you so much for this exercise. I'm a beginner. Been playing for a year and a half, so I definitely need to work on lessening tention in my wrists.

[@foshizy]

This man has revealed everything!!!!

[@germanpenn]

"It looks ridiculous when you do it... and you feel like an idiot when you do it" I LOLed at that part. Thanks for your videos, they are crazy good and helpful!

[@jonasencio]

Wow! Thank- you! Your videos are really great and helpful!

[@giorgosboultadakis4592]

Clicks video, Me:"Woah, something's different" Josh: "I hope you're enjoying the new lights" Me:"Oohh"

[@bryangl1]

Josh: thank you, this is excellent advice and will help as I'm very aware of tightness in my wrists. Unfortunately the level of your playing and the musical examples you use are WAY ahead of my level of playing so I don't think I can benefit from your videos generally. But thank you, the few I have watched have shown how much I could learn if I was more advanced. I have been playing the piano all my life, but just casually as my career etc have never allowed time for consistent practice (even though now, in my 70s, I'm trying to rectify that).

[@scottjames9057]

Love your detailed and thorough explanations of everything. Rock on, brotha 🤘🏻

[@arthouston7361]

This is another nugget I am storing away for when I reach the point where I can put it to use. Thanks!

[@lindyl9486]

This is fantastically helpful, thank you SO much! I applied to my left hand for Chopin Ballade 1 measure 138 to 144. It worked wonders👍🙏

[@CJScrol]

Thanks! Great technique to develop speed.

[@Irciafermin]

Wowwwww that's so freaking cool!!! I'll try!! Thanks Josh!

[@rogeralleyne9257]

Great video lesson!!!!

[@Thiago-px9ev]

Thats exactly what I need, thank you Josh! Im recovering from a wrist/thumb tenosynovitis and I will definitely practice that to reduce tension and avoid a possible comeback of the problem

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

You should also massage your subscapularis muscle. I find it's the most neglected and important muscle for the upper extremity.

[@JazzLoverKhurram]

The hair looks too good Josh👌😊

[@joshwrightpiano]

Khurram Aziz haha thanks, thought it was time to bring back the long hair!

[@loveispatient0808]

You have natural curls! Does that help in playing piano?🤔😀🤔😀

[@jamien.5528]

“I haven’t played this for forever so this might be a disaster but-“ *proceeds to play better than me after a month of practice* “So definitely not clean but um”

[@psirus89]

lol its so often, that I come to your videos because I have troubles with some particular pieces. I watched your "uneveness" video when I practiced Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 4 and you used it as an example. Now Im playing Grande Polonaise brilliante and you use it as an example. Its really funny and thank you for your tips. My Uneveness is still there but I hope that I can improve my chord playing.

[@kaylee6335]

Thank you 😊

[@johnmitchelljr]

Great lesson. This is why sharing is great. Thank you.

[@kwekuhaizel2999]

Thanks Josh, will do more of these. My wrist is super tight

[@rahulbaruah4587]

Brilliant....idk how my KZbin knows what i want at this moment.... actually this is what i wanted to learn. Thanks man!

[@GrahamC808]

Fantastic thanks

[@wordysmithsonism8767]

a great lessson!

[@thomasicekeys]

Great idea! Can't wait to try it out. Also, love the lighting

[@joshwrightpiano]

Thomas Eisfeld thank you so much Thomas!

[@thegreenpianist7683]

I have learned this from one of your older videos, it's been quite revolutionary for me since then, it's amazing how it works! Thank you so much!! Also, I really hope you post the Saint-saens Concerto :D

[@prs_81]

TheGreenPianist you're everywhere.

[@thegreenpianist7683]

Paarsiya ikr

[@joshwrightpiano]

Thanks so much! I’m so glad to hear it’s helping you :)

[@ronhimi4100]

Love your videos ! Always helpful and inspire ! Thank you !

[@joshwrightpiano]

Ron Himi thank you so much for your kindness Ron!

[@bradleydahl5191]

Gave this exercise a try - and yes, it helped! Thanks Josh.

[@beckywallenborn8307]

Super advice! Thank you!

[@jeffh5388]

Josh, thank you for that clear explanation. Is this technique sometimes referred to as “chord attack”?

[@livelaughlego1665]

Excellent work Mr. Wright your a magnificent pianist.

[@xandertreffers]

Super exercise, thanks! I find it even useful for anything you might practising, also fast runs, scales, etc.

[@gregorylacomble7091]

Nice! I think this exercice can also be useful for octaves, like the octaves in the « epic » section of the chopin’ first ballade :)

[@41_balisingh20]

Great Video Josh ! Charismatic as Always..👏👌

[@joshwrightpiano]

Bali Singh thank you Bali. I appreciate your friendship

[@geoffgrigg]

New lighting is very smart.

[@geoshebalin2693]

I’m really surprised at how much this has helped me . I’ve always struggled with confidence an spontaneity. Now my accuracy , tactile sense and flexibility has dramatically improved. I’m also so excited how I’ve improved with my double 3rds and 6ths In both hands in al keys major and minor. Thanks . I didn’t get it till I watched this video a second time

[@dawntaylor-moate5490]

Awww haha I scared my dog doing this up down method. I think I'm getting it. Just need to keep at it. Thank you for sharing this method.

[@RobyMBeki]

Thank you ;)

[@spyderbyld2509]

Can somebody please tell me the name of the piece he plays from 3:41, I know he says ist but I can't understand it.

[@joegarves1618]

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #3

[@spyderbyld2509]

@@joegarves1618 thank you very much :)

[@3linx]

The cadenza in the first movement to be precise!

[@haelscheirs_haven]

I find that my last piano teacher, prior to my ceasing said lessons and relying on teaching myself advanced pieces, had done well to drill into my mind and hands the principles of playing in a relaxed manner, particularly, the ability to strike a key with structure and ideally at every stage immediately relax the wrist so as to be able to "jiggle" the wrist with slight nudges to the forearm while the finger or hand remains well supported. He particularly had me practice this in my execution of Hanon etudes or doing relaxed "finger drops" where I left my hand fall with a supported finger without tensing the wrist. By this principle, I came across a natural solution to executing the rapid four to five note chords on both hands in the coda of the first movement of Alkan's Symphony for Solo Piano comprising of rapid but controlled "flicks" or bounces between chords in which a temporary amount of structural tension is applied only upon immediate contact with the keys and relaxing upon hitting the key bed, the tension being balanced between the fingers to achieve voicing, though I guess there would be some inherent tension during the flight as various muscles activate in preparing the wrist and fingers to contact the keys in the optimal position. Otherwise, from the combination of what my last piano teacher could teach me in two years (accelerating on top of level 5 RCM and some self-teaching experience), I have found that in complement to most of the "piano technique" videos I've come across, my fundamental guiding principles are those of: - playing with minimal tension or no unnecessary tension, - applying only the pressure required to achieve the desired hammer velocity and articulation while maintaining structure, relaxing "when the job is done", and - acknowledging and taking advantage of all degrees of freedom within the hands, arms and body in order to achieve the optimal, most efficient and expeditious movements to solve the problem at hand, be it through fingering optimization, note redistribution (between the left and right hands), rotational movements, or controlled but structured/supported "flicks". Then from this, ideally everything else is implied. Nonetheless, as always, various passages may require much more mental fortitude to learn, but I guess what is important is that when mastered, it is these principles that are being expertly applied to execute said difficult passage with minimum effort. As for the aforementioned coda, I still find myself memorizing a segment and knowing every note intimately so as to be able to execute it find at slower tempos while struggling with accuracy at speed, which is most probably expected of this kind of piece, so I hope that at this point, it mostly demands a lot more repetition or smart refinement than I'm currently giving it.

[@loveispatient0808]

Why didn’t you continue with this teacher, seems to be a good teacher to you?🤔

[@haelscheirs_haven]

@@loveispatient0808 A combination of limited time and money, my transitioning to university, and his moving out of the country for some time.

[@downpatmusic]

Touch, play, off the keys. Yes. But I like that little extra effort throwing the hand back down. Clever. Also, a great teacher used to say, like you said, take your time once you land to play the chord. It is much better to play the correct voicing, correct chord notes, rather than rehearsing a wrong note. He'd say the mind is like a computer. It does not care how fast you input the notes, the data on the computer. If inputted correctly, the mind will allow the body to play back the correct notes. One wrong data point, and the computer will spit it back with an error like a wrong note. :-) Nice tip and thank you. I do think I automatically throw my hands back down though mentally I don't think about it. I have practiced many jump pieces like this and it works well.

[@ThePianoFortePlayer]

I'm currently working on Chopin's Opus 10 no 7 and it's giving me wrist problems. I will definitely try this exercise out, I'm sure it will help Thanks

[@AndrijaMamutovic]

I just discovered your channel. thank you for posting videos about technique! please tell me do you think that it is possible to straingthen particular finger? I play piano for 15 years, and my 3rd finger is weaker than 2nd and 4th. It makes some passages and scales difficult... I dont want to work on other fingers, because I find them active enough. sorry on my bad english

[@joshwrightpiano]

Andrija Mamutović absolutely. Although, I would suggest strengthening your technique holistically, not just trying to isolate your third finger for exercises. You can check out my ProPractice Technique Series for some of my favorite exercises for scales, arpeggios, triads, and 7th chords. Good luck in your studies

[@theoooms7277]

great playing! How do you achieve the loud dynamics, Is it some kind of gripping motion, coming from the surface of the keys?

[@joshwrightpiano]

Theo Ooms i try to think of the weight of the entire upper body being transferred into the keys. Therefore, no matter what loud passage you’re playing (I’m not referring to soft passages with this advice) your fingertips must remain strong. But, the hand, wrist, arm, and back remain loose. I find the biggest culprit for tension is my wrist

[@theoooms7277]

Josh Wright, clear, thank you so much for your reply. Appreciate it!

[@schiiiei]

just wow. this exercise helped me so much, thank you josh!!

[@schiiiei]

Damn! cant calm down, i am improving on a daily basis with this exercise, this is insane!!! THAAAAANK YOU JOSH!!!! :)

[@dixjambaro4022]

Love your vids josh!

[@joshwrightpiano]

Dix Jambaro thank you so much Dix!

[@jamien.5528]

I’ve noticed that in 99 percent of all your videos you mention “Sergei Babayan” 😂

[@nicb4589]

He’s one of the greatest teachers for piano alive, so I’m not surprised he picked up a lot of valuable stuff studying with him

[@DentGal83]

Eddy??

[@justapersonontheinternet1515]

Ah, a fellow LingLing wannabe.

[@aaaaaa665]

if you're reading this it means YOU ARE NOT PRACTICING

[@manuel-et4he]

White Mashmallow It´s 2:00 PM 😂

[@gjeacocke]

Hey Josh or however you like to be addressed Thanks for this i applied this to my playing and even if i am doing it wrong, it has certainly improved my fluidity in chromatic passages essentially at 6 finger rhythm connecting 5+6 finger. I might upload a video for you to criticise but i understand this is your job and i thought maybe i could receive a little tab if you decide to comment until such times my position changes and i can pay you.

[@MyTube4Utoo]

Very interesting. Thanks Josh.

[@providief]

Hi Josh. What is the piece you stat playing at 4:54? I can't make out what you say just before. Many thanks for he great vids

[@PIANO_LAB]

Like the lights :)

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Thanks for this. I'm a 65 year old beginner, but coming to the piano with a major orthopedic problem in my shoulder. I will try this, but it actually scares me a little. I know my limits though.

[@andrewsmith4356]

Thank you for this tutorial, Josh. This seems like it could be super helpful. About 5 years ago I was working on the solo version of Rhapsody in Blue (piano and orchestra reduction by Gershwin) and found it quite difficult --it was the most jumpy + chordal thing I had played, but I can see how this would help.

[@joshwrightpiano]

Andrew Smith thanks for your kindness Andrew!

[@diegopenablamey2742]

Hey Josh, i’m a piano student in my local music school, and i have been always studying with a digital piano, but when i change to a real piano it seems like my playing turns very clumsy, should i buy a real piano? Sometimes i think my digital piano doesn’t give me all the piano characteristics that i need to play in a real piano... i hope you could answer me, thank you! Thank you for your videos, always good content!

[@joshwrightpiano]

Diego Peña Blamey that’s a great idea Diego. Regardless of how “weighted” a digital piano is, it cannot perfectly imitate the mechanism of actually lifting a hammer that hits a string. I think practicing on a digital is a million times better than not playing piano at all, but whenever possible, try to play and practice on a grand piano, or an acoustic upright piano. Good luck to you!

[@diegopenablamey2742]

Thanks four your answer!

[@newgeorge]

Actually Josh, my experience is that, if you have a really good digital piano (I especially like the Roland models) they are much closer to the action of a fairly heavy grand than a cheaper upright is. Practising on an upright and then moving on to a grand can be a daunting and humbling experience. It would be interesting to hear you speak about this . . . .

[@Martinullis]

newgeorge one of those would cost more than a very decent secondhand upright though.

[@passage2enBleu]

Hi Diego. I'm new to playing, and recently bought a 108year old Bechstein upright. After tuning, I am so in love with her sound, and every morning when I sit to practice, it's a communion with an new old friend. The nuances of feel are very special, something I cannot imagine experiencing with a keyboard.

[@cwright3834]

Hi someone, what was the (what I think was) Saint-Saëns piece? 4:46 I couldn't catch it.

[@el-sol-mi-suelo]

4:43 does anyone know what song he is playing here please?

[@freddiempanga5513]

Good video. Thanks.

[@staffordguitar]

Hello Josh, I’m a classical guitarist and enjoyed the technical elements of hand movements in this video. One thing if you have, you mentioned the new lighting which does work well however I checked your web site and there is no mention of the make/model of lighting used. This info would help a lot with my future presentation. Please 🤪

[@Nongmoblackberrypie]

I’ve been having alot of trouble with the begining chords of the andante spianato et grand polonaise played in the video, hopefully this will help!! Thank you!

[@joshwrightpiano]

We Six Peeps it will help a lot - that’s the first piece I really applied this strategy to and it completely transformed that difficult first section

[@punkpoetry]

Seems like a great exercise, reminds me of Richter's letting him arms fly all over the place

[@brianbuch1]

Going right back to Beethoven's WoO80 with this on the variation (XIV) with the staccato thirds. My edition has them played primarily with 4-2 rather than changing the way you'd do with legato, and my wrist predictably locks up. Will report on results.

[@LastCast2011]

What's the piece played at 3:41?

[@tracym4132]

Yes, I felt ridiculous doing this exercise, but I see the value.

[@craiver00]

Another great wisdom thanks again Josh, I'm currently struggling with octaves/chord jumps and this just explains everything. Throwing the tension upward and resetting your hands on the next notes calmly.

[@joshwrightpiano]

Aorfu thanks so much for your feedback. I hope it helps :)

[@souls2music567]

Amazing video brother.. If the camera is placed above the piano, while playing, it will be good for viewers.

[@tareksrhan679]

thanks شكرا

[@katherinehyk]

Does it also work with octaves? I always have a lot of tension in my wrist and arm when I do passages with octaves

[@joshwrightpiano]

Katherine Ho absolutely. Check out my most recent octaves video for a long list of tips to help with strengthening that particular technique :)

[@rubywagner3487]

Hi Josh, I have not been playing for 40 years because of the nature of my work and besides I couldn’t afford to buy a piano when I moved to Australia. I’m in my 70s and have started to get back into playing the piano, but I have a bit of a problem, my shoulders and upper arm starts aching after awhile of playing. How can I rectify it?

[@michaelnancyamsden7410]

Are you playing inversions of triads? .

[@manipir4344]

Is it through if we are playing pinao we should stope playing basketball?

[@Zakariah1971]

Nice suit Dr. Weight. You look like the GM at Prada….

[@lisahansen6014]

Would this apply to stride piano in left hand?

[@non-youtuber]

3:17 what piece is that

[@anthonyc6017]

Mendlesson concerto 1

[@yahyakhazbak4713]

i hope ur my real piano teacher because i have alot of mistakes in my hand to play and some times when i play normal peaces my hand hits some piano keys next to the key wich i tap on it

[@shaileshdeshpande8539]

I am new to piano. My hand gets kind of locked after a minute of play and my fingers start burning and full of pain. Teacher show me to play from shoulder to finger as an unit but I can't. Please help me for that. Thanks in advance. You are great pianist and teacher I have ever seen...

[@anncutler4571]

Can you list some early-intermediate and intermediate teaching pieces for which this exercise would work well?

[@joshwrightpiano]

Ann Cutler the Kabalevsky Toccatina in A minor would be a great place to start.

[@vojinljubisavljevic-origin2354]

Hi. I really find the video helpful. However I have a question. I don't know if you're familiar with the band Nightwish. Their keyboardist does a lot of fast repeated chord riffs. So, will this technique help me master those riffs?

[@harveyedward-thomas-maksag841]

How do you hit those high and low notes without messing up or striking a other key at the same time on accident. Like when I'm play a 4 octave or 3 it hit other notes in accident and it's really annoying. This also made a huge difference when I first watched this thanks.

[@jeanlucchapelon]

Thanks ! I insist all the time on the effective importance of the wrist to my pupils (excuse me i’m french...)

[@RacoonEvil]

What song was played at 3:40?

[@muffinrl]

Its the cadenza from Rachmaninoff's 3rd concerto (he mentions it just before)

[@rvkjreren9773]

4:21 nail hit Me: Ouch

[@emmanuellaforest9041]

2:38 hilarious!!

[@vitorourique5728]

Ola! Muito bom, mas muito agressivo e marteladas. O exeecicios é interessante. :-)

[@MrFunxy]

Nice

[@emo7307]

this video is for level 2001. not for beginners. it is mostly showing how good he is.

[@creativevariations210]

That additional wrong note in the saint saen is in the orchestra part.

[@DavidThackerMusic]

The new lighting really ads a lot. Thanks for the vid

[@joshwrightpiano]

David I appreciate that David. Have a good week!

[@DC-no3qt]

seems more like down - up - down - up? or, up - down - up - down - up - like a whip or fishing pole motion?