This article is aimed at cultivating a practice routine to help you warm up your hands, wrists and fingers before starting a regular piano practice. It should take just a few minutes and ensure that your fingers especially are ready to stretch and move with maximum flexibility at the piano keyboard.
The most obvious method to use for warming-up your fingers is to play some scales. Many pieces of music will include scale runs, if not of an entire scale then at least of a section of one. Playing scales, therefore, is an excellent way both to prepare your fingers for playing as well as becoming familiar with the kinds of note patterns you will come across in written music. You will get into the habit of fitting your fingers around patterns of notes almost without thinking and be able to recognise key signatures in written music so much more easily.
One useful method to use is to play a major scale, immediately followed by its relative minor scale. This is done by counting up the major scale to find the sixth note. For example, the sixth note of the C major scale is A, so this is its relative minor key. Likewise, the sixth note of the G major scale is E, so this is the relative minor scale for G major.
However, since there are different configurations of minor scales, you need to make some adjustments. For example, in the case of harmonic E minor, you must also raise the seventh note one semitone or half note, so the D becomes D#. The complete notation for E harmonic minor is:
E - F# - G - A - B - C - D# - E
In the case of E melodic minor, the ascending and descending scales are different to the melodic minor and to each other. So, when playing the ascending scale, you must raise the sixth and seventh notes a half note, and when playing the descending notes, you lower them by a half note.
If you have studied scales to any extent you should already be familiar with these formulas. However, an article will appear soon on how major and minor key signatures relate to each other.
When doing these finger exercises, pay special attention to the movement of the thumb under the hand and of the middle finger over the hand. It is important to achieve a seamless continuity during these movements, so practicing them separately can be especially beneficial.
Although you will come across patterns of notes that follow sections of scales, you still have to take account of tempo and mood, so being able to read music and understand the way a piece is to be played is still important.
If you have a piano teacher, you might want to discuss suitable exercises for developing appropriate techniques. For those who are not taking lessons from a teacher, look out for exercises that include patterns of repeated notes, as well as chromatic and extended sequences of notes.
Other practice exercises can be found that are designed to stretch you hands. For example, even pianists with small hands can usually reach an octave from thumb to little finger. Stretching any further, however, is often difficult at first. But with the right exercises, you should be able to extend your reach to tenth notes, i.e. an octave plus 2, over a period of time.
As with any other kind of exercise, start off slowly and gradually increase the speed as you become more familiar with the notes. Don't associate these exercises with the drudgery of boring practice routines. Some of them can be extremely rewarding and can assist you in improving your range and speed very quickly. Many are extremely satisfying to play.
Tony Dunne is an internet marketer with a passion for pianos and all things connected to them. Although not a talented musician, he is dedicated to helping others learn to play the piano, whatever their musical tastes or ambitions. Click here for more information.
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