Piano technique: five finger exercises

Other pages about five finger exercises for piano technique:

• Five finger piano drills with four and five fingers
• Piano practice holding down three keys
• Five finger drills with sixteenth notes
• Advanced five finger exercises
• Five finger exercises in seventh chords

A daily practice of these exercises is absolutely necessary for the pupil. They are designed to develop flexibility of the hand and fingers, strength and evenness of touch, independent action of the fingers. Without practicing them no person can become a good pianist. The student should, therefore, practice them with perseverance and care. The mere playing of them does no good. A pupil may play them for hours without deriving any benefit from them. They will only prove profitable when played with a motionless hand, the fingers striking from the knuckle joints. Watch your hands, therefore, while playing them. Always raise the finger, which lies on the keys, at the same instant that the other strikes. Never allow two tones to sound together. Strike all the keys with equal force. Inasmuch as the fourth and fifth fingers are weak, greater efforts are required when using them.

Piano technique : five finger drills

Play these exercises first with single hand and very slow; afterwards with both hands and increased velocity. It is not necessary that the pupil should play all these exercises for the teacher when reciting his lesson. A few selections will enable the teacher to see what progress the pupil has made, aid in what condition his hands are.

When playing the foregoing exercises, the fingers, preparatory to striking, should be raised as high as possible. The tips of the fingers should be held about on a level with the black keys. The tie for both hands.