Optimizing Pianism

Cameron Roberts

doi:10.5771/9798881807801

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Copyright year: 2025
ISBN-Print: 979-8-8818-0778-8
ISBN-Online: 979-8-8818-0780-1
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 278
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Acknowledgments No access
3. Introduction: Myth-Busting Piano Pedagogy No access
1. 1. I Feel It: It’s True—Mistaken Truths No access
  2. I Can!—Reframing Beliefs No access
  3. I’m Right Because . . . —Cognitive Biases No access
  4. Notes No access
2. 1. Reality Evasion #1—The I’m Right Pianist No access
  2. Reality Evasion #2—The I Could’ve if I’d Wanted TO Pianist No access
  3. Pianistic Implications of Your Beliefs No access
  4. Notes No access
1. 1. Tone Quality—What Determines Tone Quality? No access
  2. 1. Quality Depends on Your Finger Shape and Position No access
    2. Quality Comes from Your Arm Weight No access
  3. 1. Quality Depends on the Key-Surface Contact No access
    2. Quality Depends on the Velocity of the Key’s Descent No access
    3. Quality Lies in the Keybed No access
  4. Pianos, Piano-Technicians and Acoustics—Where Does the Quality Come From? No access
  5. 1. Quality Lies in the Metaphor No access
    2. Quality Lies in the Eye of the Beholder No access
  6. Re-Defining the Touch-Tone Debate? No access
  7. Notes No access
2. 1. 1. 1. Hard-Hammer-Bright-Tone Reality Meets Piano-Pedagogy Beliefs No access
    2. The Hammer Shaft: Flexing and Wobbling No access
  2. 1. The Keybed No access
    2. The “Thump” No access
  3. 1. Embodiment and the Feel of the Gesture No access
    2. Gesture, Pleasure, and Meaning No access
    3. Metaphors, Reality, and the Single Mental Representation No access
    4. In the Eye of the Beholder No access
    5. Mirror Neurons: Learning Meaning No access
  4. Notes No access
1. 1. 1. The 3M Triangle Explained No access
2. 1. The Piano Action No access
  2. The Window of Opportunity No access
  3. Pressed Versus Percussive Notes No access
  4. Sliding Off the Knuckle No access
  5. To Hit, or Not to Hit, the Keybed No access
  6. Optimizing the Body’s Movements No access
  7. Mass Bridging, Partial Bridging and Effective Mass No access
  8. Inertia and “The Inertia Problem” No access
  9. 1. Key and Hammer Facts No access
    2. Momentum and Vectors No access
    3. The “Momentum Chain” of Touch No access
    4. Touch Angle and Momentum Transfer No access
    5. Benefits of Mechanical Inefficiency No access
  10. 1. Coordinated and Uncoordinated Movements No access
    2. Elastic and Inelastic Collisions No access
    3. Minimal Volatility—an Ideal Playing Zone? No access
  11. Force and Rebound Force No access
  12. 1. Arches and Domes No access
    2. Hammers and High-Knuckle Positions No access
    3. Gravity No access
    4. Optimizing Mechanical Efficiency: The “Triple-Stroke” No access
    5. 1. Forearm Muscles No access
      2. Hand Muscles No access
      3. Juncturae Tendinum No access
      4. The Hand as a Functioning Unit No access
    6. Joint Positions and Muscle Strength No access
    7. Sitting Postures No access
  13. The Five Fingers—Strengths and Weaknesses No access
  14. 1. Repetitive Motion Disorder, Focal Dystonia, and Chronic Pain. No access
  15. Notes No access
3. 1. 1. Visualization No access
  2. Anticipatory Images No access
  3. 1. Associations, Learning and Memorising No access
    2. 1. Body Language No access
      2. Body Movements No access
      3. Gestural Movements No access
      4. “Learned” Emotionalized Movements No access
      5. Mood and Movements and Expression and Pain No access
  4. 1. Empowered Learning. Deliberate Practice. Growth Mindset. No access
    2. Quality Practice No access
    3. Effort and Quantity No access
  5. 1. Leverage and Compensation Errors No access
    2. Incremental Gains and Compound Interest No access
    3. Reward-to-Risk Ratios No access
  6. Notes No access
4. 1. 1. Listening Boosts Your Learning Efficiency No access
  2. Be a “Sound Chef”—Mix-ing and Max-ing the Elements No access
  3. 1. Pianist-Piano Interactions No access
    2. Pianist-Audience Interactions No access
    3. Pianist-Music Interactions No access
    4. Pianist-Pianist Interactions No access
  4. Aesthetics and Your Pianism—Sharing Expectations No access
  5. Notes No access
5. 1. The “Triple-Stroke”—“FALL, PLAY & ROLL” No access
  2. The Butterfly Exercise No access
  3. What Leap? Just Play! No access
  4. Chopin’s Triple-Stroke and Sideways Glide No access
  5. Optimizing Pianism—a Working Checklist No access
  6. Notes No access
Appendix A—Case Study 1: Playing mf with Different Touch Masses No access Pages 249 - 250
Appendix B—Case Study 2: Comparing Momentum Transfers forElastic and Inelastic Collisions No access Pages 251 - 252
Appendix C—Ideal Touch Masses (and m-v Zones) for Different Dynamics No access Pages 253 - 254
Bibliography No access Pages 255 - 272
Index No access Pages 273 - 276
About the Author No access Pages 277 - 278