A Pianist's Secret

lies in the palm of his

hand
(adapted from my Piano Course Lesson 2)
1. Introduction
2. The Flexor Digitorium
System
3. The Interossei
4. The aim of good Practice
5. Fundamental Guidelines
Piano Course on CD-ROM
Jazclass Links
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PS 1 - Introduction
Dr. Graham Williams, my former piano teacher and co-author of our Scales &
Arpeggios Book, commenced his Classical piano studies at an early age. After 22
years of study and performances (including recitals on Australian National radio)
he obtained his PhD with a thesis on the piano music of the famous contemporary
French composer and (the late) Head of the Paris Conservatoire Olivier Messiaen.
This thesis earned him a 3-year scholarship in Paris to study under Messiaen and
his world renown piano teacher wife Yvonne Loriod. After greeting him on his
arrival at the airport they immediately took him to the studio, placed him on the
piano stool and explained (as Graham years later with a great smile related to me) :

"Now, Graham, the first thing you need to do

piano !"

is to learn to play the

"I almost fell of my stool!" Graham confessed to me.

"But you know what?!" he continued, "they were absolutely right!!"
For a full year Graham was confined to the small practice studio and not allowed
to make a single performance. During this period he learnt the piano technique
developed by Franz Liszt and passed on and kept alive in France through renown

teachers like Yvonne Loriod and Germaine Mounier.

The results were nothing less than spectacular : the birth of a rich and beautiful
crystal clear tone, an effortless fluidity and a rhythmic capability with which he
could master even the most demanding and complex Messiaen compositions.
Years later I myself had the great fortune to learn this wonderful technique from
Graham , be it at a much more modest level of expectation and competence. As a
relative beginner it took me about 3 years (instead of 1) to develop the technique,
with greatly pleasing results in terms of touch, fluency and tone.
Being a creative, research oriented thinker, I could follow and acknowledge the
various stages of development I went through and recognise the results. But the
question for me always remained : I understand what to do and how to do it, but
why is this so ?
For a full year I kept searching for the answer, questioning professionals from the
medical and physiotherapy fields and roaming through various books and articles.
The answer which I finally arrived at is as simple as it is conclusive.
I have always believed that understanding is the greatest motivator. Once you
understand why you should practice this or do that, you become deeply motivated
to follow through. This is the basis for both my Piano Technique Course and my
Saxophone Course.
For the Piano the secret to a fluent technique and strong, crystal clear tone, lies in
the palm of your hand, as I will explain to you below.
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PS 2 - The Flexor Digitorium System

Finger movements are largely controlled by two muscle systems.
The first system, the Flexor Digitorium system, is located in the upper
part of the forearm near the elbow. These muscles extend with long
tendons that run along the forearm, under the wrist all the way to the
knuckles and finger joints.
This muscle system enables us to have a firm hand grip, strong enough to
carry a suitcase, or even hold our entire body weight when hanging from
a horizontal bar (or tree branch).
This Flexor Digitorium system consists of :

the Flexors Digitorium Profundus, which run from the elbow along the
lower arm, through the 'carpal canal' under the wrist, to the 1st finger joint

(nearest the finger tip) of each finger.

the Lumbricals, branch off from the Flexors Digitorium Profundus at a
point within the hand palm and run to each knuckle joint.

the Flexors Digitorium Superficialis, also run from the elbow, along the
forearm, under the wrist, to the 2nd finger joint of each finger. (They split
near the end to let the Flexor Profundus tendon pass through to the 1st
finger joint.)

Above muscles are used to curve (and close) the fingers of the hand.
To do this however another set of muscles (the Flexor & Extensor Carpi) must
hold the wrist firm (therefore stiffen the wrist), otherwise the Flexor Digitorium
muscles would roll up the fingers, hand and wrist like a bamboo curtain.

(The Extensors Digitorium muscles (not shown in above diagram) are

used to straighten the finger and knuckle joints, opening the hand. These
muscles and their tendons run from the elbow, over the wrist and the
back of the hand to connect with the knuckle and finger joints via the
Extensor Expansion sheet, that extends over the back of each finger.
More about this muscle system below.)

The Flexor Digitorium muscle system is very powerful and we use it

continuously for most of our finger movements.
However these muscles are not suitable for a good piano finger
technique, because :
1. the muscles are located largely outside the hand, too far away
from the required delicate finger action.
2. they cause a degree of stiffening of the wrist.
3. the key stroke becomes a pushing action rather than a freely
rebounding gravity stroke.
This results in a lack of tone quality, resonance, clarity and fluency
.
4. excessive use of these muscles in piano playing can easily lead to
repetitive strain injury (rsi) and inflammation of the wrist.

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PS 3 - The Interossei
The second muscle system controlling finger movement is located
entirely within the hand.
It consists of the Palmar and Dorsal Interossei muscles. These are grafted
on either side of the metacarpal bone (palm bone) for each of the four
fingers and run to the finger bone (phalange) just past each knuckle.

Used individually the Palmar interosseus pulls the finger sideways in one
direction, the Dorsal interosseus sideways in the opposite direction.

When used simultaneously the Palmar and Dorsal Interossei flex the
knuckle joint forward (or, when the hand is in a horizontal position,
downward).

Most importantly these muscles are located entirely within the hand palm,
and therefore can flex the knuckle joint (and achieve a proper finger
action) without stiffening the wrist.
For a good finger action in piano playing we must therefore use the
Interossei muscles and flex the fingers from the knuckle joints. This
leaves the wrists relaxed and flexible.
There is however a problem
In every day finger movement the Interossei play only a secondary and
supportive role in flexing the knuckles.
The prime movers in knuckle flexion are the Lumbricals, for two
reasons :
1. When the knuckle joint is fully extended the Interossei are parallel to, and
in line with the palm and finger bone.

In this position the Interossei cannot start to flex the knuckle joint forward
(or downward).
The Lumbricals approach the finger bone at a larger angle than the
Interossei.
This means that they can flex the knuckle joint even when the knuckle joint
is fully extended.

The Lumbricals are therefore the starter muscles for the knuckle flex
action.
2. The Lumbricals, being an offshoots of the powerful Flexors Digitorium
Profundus are much stronger than the Interossei muscles.

We therefore rely on the Lumbricals to do most of the knuckle

movements throughout our daily activities, including our finger actions

on the keyboard.
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PS 4 - The aim of good Piano Practice

It now becomes clear that in order to develop a good finger technique on
the piano it is necessary to reverse nature.
You must upgrade the Interossei from weak supporting muscles to
become the Prime movers and learn to trust and rely on them in that
dominant function.
As this starts to happen the role of the Flexors Digitorium and
Lumbricals will gradually diminish to a secondary function involved
mainly when special play techniques require this.

To develop the Interossei muscles you must :

1. Always play with a good hand position.
The knuckle joint is not straight but slightly flexed.

In this position the Interossei can function as starter muscles.

2. Develop Interossei muscle strength.
Through regular technique practice as outlined in my Piano Technique
Course.

Gradually the Interossei will become stronger. You will notice this by a
most peculiar feeling within the palms of your hands : the interossei, as

they become thicker, are pushing out the palm bones widening your
hands.
Once the interossei have become strong enough to support the hand and
arm it is time for the flexors and lumbricals to phase out their action.
This mental step of trusting your fingers was for me at the time the most
difficult process.
Sooner or later however the brain will get the message and gradually
diminish and relax the flexors and let the interossei do the work . This
then frees up the wrist, enabling the development of tone, resonance,
clarity, great evenness and fluency in your playing.
Just playing piano regularly does not necessarily strengthen the Interossei
muscles.
But sustained regular practice of the right exercises in the correct way
will.
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PS 5 - Fundamental Guidelines
Good piano technique maximises the use of two sets of muscles.
1. The Interossei, to support the weight of the hand, arm or body and to assist
when required to the gravity keystroke.

2. the Extensors Digitorium, to lift the fingers off the keyboard after they
have played each note.
(Extensor Digitorium actions do not stiffen the wrist, as the natural weight
of the hand prevents any upwards flexing or instability of the wrist.)

For a good finger technique follow these simple guidelines :

1. Keep the hands always over the keyboard (not in front of it) with

the thumbs pointing downwards, so that the weight of the hand is

supported by the fingers (Interossei).
2. Keep the hands balanced on the fingers, with a slight forward
pressure towards the piano. (This keeps the finger joints locked in
position.)

Never pull the hand backwards, for this either causes the fingers
to collapse, or, in an attempt to prevent this, will bring the Flexor
Digitorium muscles into action causing stiffening of the wrist.
3. Use the knuckle joints for all finger action.
4. Use gravity, viz. the natural drop of the finger, hand or arm, as the
main source of energy.
It is most useful to have some understanding of the the muscle actions for
a good finger technique.
However do not become obsessive about it while practising.
Just follow the simple instructions, lesson schedules and exercises
provided in my Piano Technique Course (at your own pace) and things
will fall into place and develop naturally.
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2004 Michael Furstner (Jazclass)