Is Technical Work = Good Technique?

What is TECHNICAL WORK?

In the UK-Based Exam Systems (Trinity/LCM/ABRSM) that we largely follow here in India, the Syllabus of each Grade prescribes specific set of 'Technical Work' to be studied and performed by student.

Doing the 'Technical Work' means learning to play

- Scales in Similar and Contrary Motions (Major and minor)

- Chromatic Scales

- Arpeggios

- Dominant and Diminshed Chords

- and others 3rd Apart, Scales in 3rd, etc

These are to be prepared with specified Parameters, such as

- Number of Octaves to play

- Metronome Marking to Play in

- Are the Hands Separate or Together?

- What kind of Articulation to use

- What kind of Dynamic to use

Depending on the Board that is followed, 'Technical Work' might also include Etudes or Finger Exercises.

I definitely see a benefit for doing the 'Technical Work'

- They are good as warm ups

- They help develop Key Topography

- They help develop Fingering required for Scale Passages in Music

And it is easy to tell when a student has done significant Technical Work. For example, when a Transfer Student walks in for an Interview with an experienced teacher, the teacher can easily predict the Board under which the student might have previously studied just by observing the authority with which the student plays the Technical Work.

Teachers might also prescribe other Technical Exercises, such as those by Hanon, Czerny, Burgmuller, Schmidt, etc in order to develop Technique.

But, does TECHNICAL WORK foster GOOD TECHNIQUE?

Two Questions come to mind

1) Can a Student Play all the Prescribed Technical Work and still have Bad Technique?

2) Can students develop Technique without playing the Technical Work?

The Answer to both the questions is YES

WHAT IS TECHNIQUE?

TECHNIQUE is the Study of the Physical Movements and Coordination that is required in order to play the Instrument Fluently and with good Quality of Sound.

WHAT DOES PLAYING GOOD TECHNIQUE CONSTITUTE?

A - FOR BEGINNERS

- Sitting with Body In Alignment with the Instrument

- Sitting at Correct Distance from Piano

- Sitting at Correct Height

- Not Raising one or both shoulders while Playing due to tension

- Feet Firm either on the floor or on the Footstool

- Elbows Not Sticking out from Body

- Wrists in alignment with the Hand and Arm

- Playing with Natural Curve of the Hand

- Not Playing with a Tight Hand

- No Tightening of the Non-Playing Hand due to tension

- Not Playing with Tip of Thumbs

- Not Playing with Isolated Fingers

- Supporting the Fingers with the Arm

- Not Playing with Fingers sticking Out

- Not Playing with outside of fifth Fingers

B - FOR INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED PLAYERS

1 - AVOID REACHING : Often Students have the tendency to play the Black Key Notes by Stretching the Finger Muscles ALONE to REACH them. This needs to be avoided by Supporting the Hand with In-Out Movement of Arm

2 - AVOID TWISTING - In order to REACH the Black Keys to be played by the shorter Fingers, students often TWIST their Wrists Laterally Sideways. Again this can be avoided by supporting the Hand with IN-OUT Movement of Arm in order to Better Align the Hand to play the Notes

3 - AVOID TIGHT STRETCHING - When playing Chords or Intervals in Advanced Repertoire, students often Tighten as they Stretch their Hands. Playing this with ease requires training of the motions of the Hand, Arm, Wrist and develop a feeling of the Palm opening the Hand (instead of the Fingers being opened by Top of Hand)

4 - AVOID HITTING, STRIKING or PUSHING - Students DO NOT think about how to approach the Keys while playing difficult passages. They are usually in a rush to just get the work done. and they end up using Force instead of Speed and Energy to play Loud or Fast

5 - AVOID LOCKED ARM MOTION - Advanced Repertoire requires a lot of Movement other than the 5-Finger Shapes used in Beginner Repertoire. This requires active and intelligent use of Lateral, In-Out, Walking and Rotational Arm Movements to support the passage

6 - AVOID PRE-FORMING - In order to play Chords or Leaps accurately, Students may Tighten their Hand Shape way before actually playing it, it leads to wooden Sounds because the Hand Stays tensed for long periods of time, and they don't know when and how to Relax

7 - AVOID KEY-BEDDING - This Typically Happens while Holding Notes down with Tension at Bottom of Key - in Loud Passages or for Long Notes or when one hand has to play multiple Voices. This again requires Active Training

8 - AVOID HOLDING BREATH - This can lead to non-expressive playing, irregularity of Tempo and Rhythms and Harsh Sounds

IN CONCLUSION

When we look at TECHNIQUE from the above Lens, doing 'Technical Work' doesn't Guarantee Good Technique.

In fact, students can risk developing Bad Technique due to multiple mindless repetition of the Technical Work.

Conversely, Teachers can help Students develop their Technique through the diverse Repertoire they're Learning, each with unique Technical Challenges of its own.

In Conclusion, doing Technical Work is Not Equal to developing Technique.

Developing Technique requires being mindful of the demands of the Music being performed and helping student achieve that with ease