Why crossing your thumb under in piano playing will SLOW you down

[@lakmalnishanta637]

very useful tip. Thankyou

[@musical_lolu4811]

I remember reading this in the Chang book years ago. Changed my scale playing forever. He called it the 'thumb over' for want of a better term.

[@MargaretWacyk]

That is awesome ! It is powerful stuff... so happy to hear💕

[@SpencerRaybourne]

I wish I could see a video of someone demonstrating parallel sets from the Chang book.

[@M7M777777]

whats the name of the Chang book?

[@rodrigogb6022]

@@M7M777777 yes,,,, what is the name of the “Chang” book?

[@phangb580]

Fundamentals of piano practice

[@lakmalnishanta637]

Couldn't find the link to the training on "Golden Tone Technique". Kindly help

[@jeffh5388]

Thank you!!. Bravo

[@MatthewWright001]

LOVE this video! Way to think in 3d about piano playing..

[@MargaretWacyk]

Matthew Wright thanks a ton Matt! You’re so right... it’s totally a different dimension.

[@rogeralleyne9257]

Great video lesson!!!

[@MargaretWacyk]

Thanks so much Roger. So happy you liked it 🙏

[@mickey11011]

Brilliant thanks so much.

[@MargaretWacyk]

Thanks so much Mick. I am so grateful for your words!

[@tmalsbary]

I realize this is an old video, but could someone comment on the left hand motion?

[@eldridgedavis]

Thanks for this. I'm going to test it out on my keyboard right now 😛

[@MargaretWacyk]

Awesome! Thanks Eldridge!

[@alexgoriatchenkov]

Hello Margaret. Nice explanation and nice of you. One question; IF arpeggio key after third finger farther then next key, how to reach them without turning the hand ? Thank you.

[@The1980Piano]

I don’t really get where 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock are positioned. It looks like the thumb is not positioned to go under the hand when the 3rd or 4th finger plays.

[@ER-bg9bo]

Thanks, the same as jordan rudes says... Can't be wrong😊

[@matiasschwarzhaupt9746]

Very good video and explanation! I always have the issue that when my thumb passes under it strikes the key harder and the scale sounds with a "step", and I cannot control it, do you have any suggestions to solve this? Kind regards

[@MargaretWacyk]

Thanks Matias...The thumb is strong and heavy in comparison to the other fingers. The easiest way to 'equalize' all the fingers is to have it prepared (I have some videos about that on the channel) and be mindful of vertical velocity of how the key is struck. The faster it goes down, the louder the sound is. Hope that helps!

[@DAB-2023]

Very useful information, but the autofocus on the camera is a massive distraction. The camera keeps shifting from your face to your reflection and in some places it's impossible to see your fingers properly. I would get rid of the mirror behind you, then I would use fixed focus on your fingers.

[@southpark4151]

Nice video. True ---- minimising source of time delay or time lag, and maximise performance, reliability and efficiency is beneficial. Maybe the 9-o'clock and 3-o'clock needs to be defined --- such as - for 9-o'clock --- which part of the hand is the reference ? That is ---- for 9 o'clock position, what does it mean -- in terms of visualisation (which part of hand)? Assuming 9-o'clock is pointing to the left. Thanks Margaret!

[@MargaretWacyk]

Yes, the nine o clock is to the left (from the perspective of the pianist at the keyboard)...A slight rotation to the left, middle is 12 o'clock and right is 3:00. The range can be exaggerated at first to get the feeling, but thereafter minimized. Hope this helps!

[@southpark4151]

@@MargaretWacyk Thanks very much Margaret for mentioning those details with the directions of orientation. Much appreciated. Your technique is excellent. I'll pay attention to those teachings. Thanks again!

[@clkvlk]

I have this uneven accented phrase every time I play a scale and pass under my thumb. How to beat this?

[@MargaretWacyk]

The thumb is a heavy finger and the anchor of the hand. Often it could be louder than the other fingers because it can initiate the vertical velocity of the piano key faster than the other fingers. Subduing the thumb volume has more to do with slowing down the stroke when initiating the key. I hope this helps.

[@petermcmurray2807]

Thank You for a beautiful demo. I have discussed thumb under with teachers who are vehement about it - there is one dreadful youtuber , heart of the keys, who claims to be a Chopin pro who actually recommends right thumb on A and 2nd on Ab at the same time for speed up the keyboard using only the tips of the keys both black and white AAAArrrgghh! However I have been working on your style since seeing Edna Golandsky and I am now happily traversing 4 octaves two hands both ways. Your cross hands is well beyond me at the moment.

[@MargaretWacyk]

Dear Peter- wow! Thank you so much for writing and I’m so happy that the thumb crossing approach is helpful. It’s true- there are so many schools of thought on this- for a long time I was told as a student that without twisting the hand in a crossing there would be an unmusical gap in the music but it’s not so. The natural position keeps the flow so much more efficiently. So great to hear from you and so happy about your successes at the piano. Keep me posted! I’m so happy for you 😀

[@JoseFuentes-fn3dl]

Very interesting technique. I will try this. In defense of heart of keys pianist, she is only pointing out that the key has a sweet spot to depress the key which makes playing most efficient. Hense heart of the keys.. To me that is common sense as you don't see pianist playing up high on the keys. Lol I'm not sure what you are describing during the thumb transition? If you could explain that differently. Would be appreciated. Thanks

[@dovane9932]

Incredible! Does it means that on a two octave scale, you use this move to play thumb after the fourth finger? (I am a very beginer but i feel this move seems to be more natural than the crossing thumb).

[@Wolffilmproductions]

I played the video real slow and she indeed crosses after the fourth finger.

[@dovane9932]

@@Wolffilmproductions Thanks !

[@Wolffilmproductions]

@@dovane9932 your welcome :-)

[@MargaretWacyk]

Yes Dovane...It works great when you cross the thumb under the 4th finger. I hope this helps. Keep me posted!! All best!

[@dovane9932]

@@MargaretWacyk Thank you lady. As a beginner, thumb crossing feels more easy.

[@ghousti719]

what about arpeggios?

[@MargaretWacyk]

Hi Ghousti...Hope you're well...this concept will also work with arpeggios. Take care!

[@PawsAndKeys]

Margaret's technique is also dependent upon her posture and distance from the piano. You'll see she is sitting quite close to the piano, which brings in the elbow much closer and changes the anatomical movement required for thumb over and thumb under. I sit much farther and I'm a larger guy, so my elbow tends to move a lot less. Thumb over, in my experience, is useful for additional volume at speed (see scales at end of chopin ballade 1). I wouldn't recommend flailing your elbows to any player, which may partially be a result of her close sitting position.

[@MargaretWacyk]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write...I agree that the distance away from the piano will change depending on the height of the player and adjustments made accordingly. I also wouldn't recommend flailing elbows to anybody, just like you said....All the movements I believe should be natural and efficient so that there isn't any wasted energy. Thank you so much for your thoughtful commentary!

[@IPoopOnYouEveryLastOneOfYou]

I watched this so many times I had to burn 9 o clock and 3 o clock off all my digital clocks and computers

[@MargaretWacyk]

Lol!

[@guygatineau281]

Went to the link and nothing to watch...sadly! Anyway...will try when l woke up!

[@MargaretWacyk]

Sorry Gary- do you mean the link to this KZbin video?

[@seppokoskenranta5016]

The hand rotates around second finger, not middle finger. Try rotating and see yourself.

[@MargaretWacyk]

Thank you Seppo. All the best

[@KeepingOnTheWatch]

Yes, you’re correct. However, for the purpose of this technique specifically we consider the hand pivoting about the 3rd finger.

[@southpark4151]

@@KeepingOnTheWatch Thanks Walter. So if Seppo is correct, then does that mean that the hand pivots about the second finger? If that is so, then which finger should really be considered as the pivoting one? The second one? Or the third one? Thanks!

[@GwennDana]

@@southpark4151 I'd be careful with that. A lot of players have their wrists wrongly aligned, so the thumb and forefinger are unnaturally forward. This probably results from the outward position of the elbows while wanting to align the hands straight with the keyboard. If you align the little finger side of the hand straight with the lower arm, then you will see that you actually rotate around the middle finger. Also, in that position the ring- and little finger have much more natural elbow weight while playing, without "pressing" from the wrist. Try to keep the angle between wrist and arm at a minimum, even if that sometimes means that your knuckles are not parallel to the keyboard. Natural wrist position is more important than that little angle. You can still play the keys.

[@southpark4151]

@@GwennDana Thanks Gwen. How about this video here? kzbin.info/www/bejne/apiQoZqpiL92f7s

[@RebekahMaxner]

You are right, angling the hand differently like that when the thumb goes under will slow anyone down in piano, that's why no one teaches to play that way. There is so much tension in your hands. :( Look how tightly you hold your fifth (pinky) fingers. When not playing, they should be resting quietly on the keys, not held up tensely against your palms. First, no high-level teacher ever teaches a student to angle the hand differently when the thumb goes under, and doesn't teach rotation during scales, either, as that produces unevenness in tone and is simply unnecessary extra movement. Time for more piano lessons, my friend. Choose your teacher wisely.

[@caravaggio-wf7ox]

this lengthy, fast explanations are starting to aggravate me a bit, why is there no slow motion demonstration,instead of all that exhausting words?