How to Play Piano Fluidly
Written by Nicole Sin
Perhaps the beginner pianist’s greatest difficulty is drifting away from robotic finger movements. Playing the piano cannot be equivalent to typing on a keyboard (although it does seem to improve typing speed). Playing beautifully is not limited to the professionals, however. This is good news for the rest of us and here are tips to get you started.
- Position your wrist and do wrist exercises on the piano to maintain control of the intensity you are using the press on the keys. Rather than bouncing your wrist, make sure you are utilizing your fingers and your wrist is in control. The weight between each of your fingers should be equally transferred. Do not accent any notes unless otherwise stated as this ruins the fluidity of the piece.
- Phrasing, or the breakdown of a musical sentence, is essential. The key is to progressively build intensity in the middle of your phrase and dial down the intensity towards the end. Sing the melody and determine how to phrase the notes based on where in the music piece it would be natural for you to take a breath.
- Make sure the transfer from thumb to finger is smooth as your thumbs operate differently and tend to transition to notes slower, which requires a faster reaction rate. Ensure that your thumbs are not accented.
The most important technique to keep in mind is self-awareness of your own music; noticing accent points and missteps that disrupt the flow of music.
Resources
- Witt, Lisa. “Tips For Playing The Piano Beautifully.” Pianote, 30 Apr. 2020, http://www.pianote.com/blog/playing-piano-beautifully/.
- Graham. “Q&A: How to Play Fluently.” Practising the Piano, 21 July 2014, http://practisingthepiano.com/qa-how-to-play-fluently/.
- George, Georgina St. “The Best Way to Learn How to Play Piano in 2021.” Piano Blog by Skoove – Piano Practice Tips, 2019, http://www.skoove.com/blog/how-to-play-the-piano/