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It's fundamental to learn how to keep a relaxed hand posture, as well as how to sit with the correct posture when learning to play the piano, to develop proper piano technique.
In a previous lesson, I wrote about how to sit at the piano with the correct posture. Equally important is how we keep our hands in the proper hand position while playing. This is important for two main reasons;
This might take some time to build up, but an advantage as an adult beginner is that our hands can keep the desired “cupped” position easier than a child’s hand!
Even though we as adults can feel a bit stiff at first, be patient! It will improve with practice.
Your knuckles should form an arch that supports your fingers and help you balance the weight all the way out to the fingertips for dynamic control, among other things.
Your wrists should be neither too high, neither too low, aligned with your arms and the keyboard.
The proper hand position for playing the piano is also the most relaxed.
Try this: Let your arms hang down totally relaxed. Observe how your fingers naturally curve. When your hand is at ease, the fingers curve naturally into the cupped position we want when playing the piano.
Do this simple exercise each time before you start playing (make sure to sit at the correct height):
The previous exercise was easy, right? Now, the problem, in the beginning, is how to keep your hand posture as you are playing.
Well, just be patient with that. It will take a little time before you can naturally keep this position when you play, and it is important not to force anything!
Keep in mind that your hands want this position. They "like it" since it is both the most relaxed position and gives you the most strength and control.
Oh, and yes- Remember to keep your fingernails short! Paint them any color you like, but to learn the proper piano technique, you need short nails, no exceptions! :)