The Fundamentals of Piano Practice

Rickard send andrew another message ..if he didn't reply to the first one you sent send him another message ,, I like his videos in u tube , but i just wish he wouldn't talk so dam much and get on with the lesson

[ they go up to exercise 20 is there more exercises somewhere . it's great , I'd like the 21-60 exercises as well , i'm in no hurry . It will take me a while to learn these .....
quote="ionas"]About Hanon: http://www.hanon-online.com/part-i/exercise-n-1/[/quote]

jazzylady wrote:i have just downloaded the fundamentals , I haven't read it right through .
the author is not a teacher .. i will go through the book and decide if what he says is of any use , or maybe some parts of it ..... I have bought the hanon book -- 60 exercises .
this book is desiged to get the fingers working ...there is another teacher on u tube-- mron58 , he has been teaching piano for many years himself playing piano from a very early age .. These piano teachers have gone on to university . most of them here in melbourne have gone on to the conservatorium of music ...If you asked the author of fundamentals about the different scales , you can bet your boots he couldn't answer any questions about scales or anything else -- So you doubters about hanon -- ask questions , chase all the information -- I have learnt heaps of theory , on utube -- I also have pen and paper ,take notes I chase any info that will benefit me ----

The author of The Fundamentals of Piano Practice has gone to university too, sure not a music university but he probably knows more about piano scales than most of us here do. He does know more about the piano as a instrument and practice methods than most piano teachers. Don't ignore this book. Btw he does write about how to practice scales and why Hanon exercises are bad for you. Check out pages 91-106 of the book (http://c0431582.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/book.pdf) for how to practice scales (and arpeggios and some other stuff like for example about when and why to use thumb under or thumb over). And check out pages 141-144 to see why Hanon exercises are (really) bad for you. I recommend that you read sections I and II of chapter 1 first.

I am totally in favor of this book. I has helped me A LOT. Besides I appreciate the fact that it was written for a scientific because of the attention to detail. I myself studied physics at university and I know he wouldn't say anything unless he was sure about it and was able to prove it. I really love the book.

I may have a search for the book. Although a competent and trained pianist myself, it would seem quite an interesting read regardless of standard

I am reading the book from time to time a litlle bit every day or every couple of days. It really helps a lot. I improved in a week of reading it, I was making always the same mistakes and didn't know how to errase them. Making lots of bad habits, etc.
My opinion is don't take all the things, as the 1000 times faster, (although I'm thinking may be close, it really improved my playing) just read it, it will make your playing better specially if you are a begginner because you realize things you did bad and can correct them easily before you get accustomed.
In that of playing musically, it described me completely I can't play when I know someone is listening. Make errors I've never done before, play all weird. And making a different aproach whil playing I am getting better at that. But it was all in he book, I thought I was getting nervous or something but it was deeper than that, I never thought in the music itself, only finger here, finger there, now G, now D, E etc.

So, read it, al least some parts, you can't get worse, only improve

If you read any methodology book, I guess you will never agree with 100% of the content. As it is a free book, I think it is worth reading it and pick what interests you.

Personally, I have not understood what he means by "thumb over". If anyone could explain it in a video, it would be useful... My thumb is too short to go over my finger...

I'm having some trouble with Thumb Over too. The thing I understand is that the normal way in for example C mayor scale is thumb under. To name it someway. After your middle finger you pass the thumb under to press the next key. In order to do that you have to move your thumb up, right and down. The thing is that moving the thumb sideways makes like a distracting movement, you loose some control.
The thumb up method is not literal, it to put a name opposed to tumb down. I understand you have to move your tumb under the third finger to the next key, but without moving it sideways. I don't understand it right, because in order to do that I rotate the whole hand (kind of not practical) or make like a quick jump but it's not comfortable either, so I have the same doubt. The book has a video but it's too quick and I really don't see the magic.
Here is the link of the video in the book in case you didn't see it

Video of FoPPlaying

I hope I helped you a little at least, if someone knows please explain!!

Edit: I press the bar in that video and see it kind of slow motion, he makes like a little jump, I sometimes do that to play fast scales but it didn't seem right to me, it's not that easy to measure the landing of the thumb, the speed, to be equal regarding the other fingers.