Figure 7 shows the C Major scale in relation to the Circle of Fifths, which once again reveals an impor- tant harmonic aspect. Like the Pentatonic scale, the notes of the Major scale form a continuous segment of the Circle of Fifths. This time the seg- ment occupies not one third, but one half of the full circle, and ‘comprises the harmonic sequence : VII-II-VI-H-V-L-IV. From a harmonic view point one can therefore conclude that the Major scale is a development of the Pentatonic scale. This devel- ‘opment can be considered as an extension , where a fifth is added at both ends of the Pentatonic sequence : (VII)-III-VI-II-V-I- (lv). But it can also be regarded as a complement, for if one takes all the black notes (F# Pentatonic) away from the piano, all the white notes forming the C Major scale remain, In other words : any Major scale plus a Pentatonic scale with its tonic a tritone away form together a twelve tone Chromatic scale. Placing all the 7th chords belonging ("diatonic") to the Major scale (Fig. 6b) in their proper harmonic order according to Fig. 7 t produces : Figure 7 VIlp - [m7 - Vim? - Im? - V7 - 1a -TVa The Circle of Fifths ‘This pattern is reflected in the chord qualities of many shorter chord sequences in Jazz. Prime examples are of course : IIm7-W7, IIm7-V7-Ia ,and V7-Ia. Bach chord of such a sequence fits a different mode derived from the same Major scale. For IIm7-V7-Ia in the key of C for example : Dm7 (D Dorian ) - G7 (G Mixolydian )- C4 (C Major scale). Figure 8 shows the interlocking relationship between the Major scales of adjacent keys on the Circle of Fifths. Each Major scale consists of two four note segments, "tetrachords", with identical note to note intervals (tone - tone - semitone). wv) Each scale shares its lower tetra- 6 Major chord with its left hand neighbour on the Circle of Fifths (a Sth down) and its upper tetrachord with its neighbour on the right (a Sth up). Starting on C for example one can play a continuous sequence of Ma- ( a) jor tetrachords through successive igure 8 keys around the circle, finally re- turning to the starting point C, Use of the Major scale and its modes in improvisation : This aspect applies also to the two = modes with identical upper and CHORD: SCALE lower tetrachords : the Dorian C, Ca, C69 € Major , C Lydian mode consisting of two "Minor C7, C7sus4 C Mixolydian tetrachords"(tone-semitone-tone), Cm, Cm7 C Dorian ,C Aeolian ,C Phrygian | and the Phrygian mode which is Co CG Locrian formed by two "Phrygian tetra- chords" (semitone-tone-tone), Fingering charts for the Major scales and Dorian , Lydian, Mixolydian, and Locrian modes in all keys are included in Part II. Use for the two remaining modes (Aeolian and Phrygian) the same fingering as for their corresponding Major scales.ml 5. The Melodic Minor Scale ‘The Melodic Minor scale and its modes is probably the second most used scale system in Jazz. Unlike in classical mu- sic the Melodic Minor in Jaz is used in its ascending form only, both as- cending and descending (Figure 9). The Melodic Minor was originally derived from the Aeolian mode (or "Natural Mi- nor" scale) by raising the b6 and b7 , but it is easier to visualize the scale in ones mind by regarding it as a Major scale with a flattened 3rd. Because of its b3 the Melodic Minor bs 4t8 email Sat C Melodic Minor Vie Vtg im? 1v7 Im? M7 51 ny zas: v7 Figure 9 breaks away from the rigid harmonic pattern which underlies the Major scale, and this is precisely its at- traction. The Melodic Minor and its modes are therefore predominantly used to provide extra colour t0 Commonly used names for the Melodic Minor modes are : MODE FIG.10 OTHER NAMES. I a Javanese scale bu b Lydian Augmented (see Chapter 9) IV c__ Lydian Dominant, Overtone Dominant | ¥ d- Hindu scale | VE © — Locrian #2 VU f-_—_‘Super Locrian , Diminished Whole Tone ‘Tonic Chord SCALE TmM7 Mel.Minor scale Tm? TI Mel. Minor mode Lz, IV Mel. Minor mode T7alt_ VII Mel.Minor mode Te ‘VIMel.Minor mode Ta#5 BINT Mel.Minor mode Altered Dominant , b5 Lydian Dominant Use of the Melodic Minor and its modes in improvisation : , VMel.Minor mode , VII Mel. Minor mode Jazz improvisation, Figure 10 shows the other six modes of the scale. Several are very popular, but because they are generally known under such names as Super Locrian, Diminished Whole Tone, Overtone Dominant, their Melodic Minor ancestry is often disguised, Some of the names are however very descriptive and in that respect useful. ‘The two adjacent tables show respec- tively some of the most commonly used names for the modes, and the Melodic Minor application in Jazz. improvisation. (T= Tonic chord for the mode) Fingering charts in all keys for the Me- lodic Minor, the Super Locrian (VII mode) and the Lydian Augmented (bIII mode) scales are included in Part II, For other modes use the fingerings for the comesponding Melodic Minor scale. = m7 Il mode Mel.minor Sy. 1imF® PII mode Mel.minor 1V2_ | mode Mel.minor = “ot a. = V mode Mel.minor Via VI mode Mel.minor Vile Vil mode Mel.minor Figure 106. The Harmonic Minor Scale ‘The Harmonic Minor scale in Jazz is exactly the same as its equivalent in Classical music. The scale was originally derived from the Aeolian mode by raising the b7, but is perhaps easiest to visualize as a Major scale with flattened 3rd and 6th. i Re Figure 11 shows the Harmonic Minor and the 7th chords which can be constructed from it. Besides its use as a colouring de- vise the Harmonic scale also has a basic harmonic function , especial- ly in Minor -V (-I) cadences : Ilg-V7- Im dass pete Src A tors C Harmonic Minor L Ime? brity lla biter. IV y2, Vie aller ah oi carte ie oe Figure 11 used over the entire cadence. Harmonic Minor modes are also important in Jazz, _Use of the Harmonic Minor in improvisation : improvisation. ‘The uses of the scale and its modes are shown in the adjacent table (T = Tonic chord). SCALE. Notice that the Harmonic Minor scale contains all Harmonic Minor scale five basic qualities of the 7th chords : Major, Domi- II, IV Harmonic Minor mode nant, Minor, Half Diminished and Diminished, and BLL Harmonic Minor mode also an important variation, the Minor Major 7th. TV Harmonic Minor mode 17, T 70509 \V Harmonic Minor mode Fingering charts for The Harmonic Minor scale are | Ty bVI Harmonic Minor mode included in Part IIl. For all modes use the fingering | 97 Il, IV Harmonic Minor mode for the corresponding Harmonic Minor scale. bVI. VII Harmonic Minor mode 7. The Bebop Scales In the Bebop era the basic phrasing of improvisation shifted from crochets to extended quaver patterns. This caused a problem with the traditional 7 note scales, as these did not fit readily into patterns of 8 quavers to the bar. To overcome this problem new "Bebop scales” were formed by simply adding an Sth note to some of the existing scales, and so bringing them in phase with the new thythmic pulse. Figure 12 shows the Bebop Major , Bebop Dominant, and Bebop Minor scales. They are resp. the Ma- Jor scale with an added b6, and the Mixolydian and Dorian modes each with and added 7th. 1 2 Say Ae CEG 6 E 1 Bebop Major scale bz. Bebop Dominant scale 1 2 vb 5 6 be at 1 Bebop Minor scale Figure 12The choice of these three notes is critical. For they were selected so that, in a run of quavers, the chord tones of the scale all fall on a down beat in the bar, while the none chord tones occupy off beat posi- tions, generating a strong feeling of forward motion, (Adding the b6 to the major scale produces the CEG A major 6th chord notes on the down beats). ‘The Bebop scales can be used in exactly the same way as their corresponding major scale or mode. Fingering charts for the three Bebop scales in all keys are included in Part III. The fingerings are in most cases substantially different from their respective 7 note ancestors. Good facility over the Bebop scales is extremely useful in Jazz improvisation, 8. The Symmetric Scales The twelve notes of the Chromatic scale occupy all positions of the Circle of Fifths, forming a continuous circle. There is however a significant difference between this scale and the two others based on Circle of Fifths segments, the Pentatonic and Major scales (Figure 13). For in order to produce continued harmonic movement these two scales have to cut back across the Circle (resp. from I to IIL, and from IV to VII) to return to their start- ing point. These imperfect circular movements create a point of gravity , a key centre , tonality. With the Chromatic scale this "problem" does not exist, harmonic movement is continuous around the Circle. There is no beginning, no end, and therefore no sense of tonality. This is a characteristic of all symmetric scales. Figure 14a shows the Chromatic scale, which consists of all twelve notes spaced at equal ("symmetric") intervals a : semitone apart. Figure 13 By selecting only the odd numbered notes of this scale the 6 note Whole Tone scale is formed. The intervals between all notes are also equal, this time a whole tone. A second Whole Tone scale is formed by the remaining 6 even numbered notes. Two additional types of Symmetric scales can be formed by deleting one note of every group of three notes of the Chromatic scale as shown in Figure 14b. This produces two modes, each with alternating steps of tone - semitone - tone - semitone : the 8-note Dominant scale starting with a semitone inter- val (¢.g.C-C#-D#-E-etc.), and the 8-note Diminished scale which starts with a whole tone interval (c.g C#-D#-E-F#-etc.). Instead of deleting every third note as in Figure 14b, one can of course delete every first or second note. This forms two more sets of 8 note scales, creating in total three 8-note Dominant- and three 8-note Diminished scales. (The four notes deleted in this process each time, form a Diminished 7th chord (07), which also, characteristically, lacks. tonality.) Each note of a symmetric scale can be selected as the "Tonic" of the scale, but the feeling of tonality is of course always missing. VeN2953 te anig5 6 O62 8. 95510 eh Memitor <2 Chromatic scale & Whole Tone scale 455, Figure 14 10Use of the Symmetric scales in improvisation Tonic Chord SCALE ‘Any chord Chromatic scale T47 Whole Tone scale T 75 Whole Tone scale T6 ,T7 — 8-note Dominant scale T7 8-note Dominant scale | Tm7 8-note Diminished scale | Te 8-note Diminished scale To? 8-note Diminished scale Fingering charts for all Symmetric scales are includ- ed in Part II]. Vary practice routines, starting on Figure 15 different notes of the scale. An important concept in Jazz harmonisation is the Principle of Tritone Substitution. Any Domi- nant 7th chord can be replaced by the Dominant chord a tritone (3 whole tones) away. The C7 chord for example can be replaced in any situation by the F#7 chord. This is so because both chords have the two notes in common that determine their dominant quality , the 3rd and b7th (E and Bb). When this princi- ple is applied to the Circle of Fifths, substituting alternate positions around the Circle, a complete Chro- matic scale emerges, descending in anti-clockwise direction (Fig.15). This highlights the principle that in Jazz harmony, Dominant - Tonic movement and descending Chro- matic movement are identical (e.g.: [1lm7-VI7-Um7-V7- I = 1im7-bI017 -Iim7 -b117- 1). 9. The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Improvisation The Lydian Chromatic concept of improvisation was developed by George Russell in the late 1950s. Its main principles are briefly discussed here. The system uses six scales. They are the Lydian , the Lydian Augmented , and the Lydian Diminished scales shown in Figure 16, and the Symmetric 8-note Diminished, 8-note Dominant, and Whole Tone scales. (The Symmetric scales are resp. called the "Auxiliary Diminished" [8-n.Dim.] , the "Auxiliary Diminished Blues" [8-n.Dom.], and the" Auxiliary Augmented" scales [Whole Tone].) Of these the Lydian and Lydian Augmented have already been introduced as resp. the IVmode of the Major scale and the bIII mode of the Melodic Minor. The symmetric scales were discussed in the previ- ous Chapter, which leaves the Lydian Diminished (Fig. 16c). 1 This scale is best described as a Lydian mode with flattened @ 3rd., but one could also regard it as a "Harmonic Major" of the dominant (G). Notice that the six scales all contain the #4, a main factor in producing the Te 2 3 typical bright Lydian sound. 2 3 “4 5 6 7 1 Lydian scale “7S 6 a 1 ‘The Lydian Chromatic Concept is based on two principles. Firstly all improvisation is based exclusively on the six j= scales, and secondly the note that characterizes the quality of © the 7th chord determines the foniG'of the scale Gked, Lydien Diminished scale Figure 16 Lydian Augmented scale #4 5 6 Bi 1 11HARACTERI. TE EXAMPLE Major chord = I (tonic) Ca 1=C, useC Lydian scale Dominant 7th chord = b7 C7 67 =Bb, use Bb Lydian scale Minor 7th =b3 Cm7 63 =Eb, use Eb Lydian scale Half Diminished 7th = bS Cs bS =Gb, use Gb Lydian scale Altered 7th =3,0rb9, or b7 C+7 3=E , use E Lydian Augmented scale Best Scale - Chord fits : The adjacent table lists the best scale-chord fits and tonic notes, Talt But in principle the improviser Fingering charts for all scales of the Lydian Chromatic system are included in Part II a Lydian scale 1 bo may select, according to his taste, Lydian Augm. - b7 # bs 3,b9 | any of the six scales over any Lydian Dim. - - - b3 b9, b7 chord in order to produce a great- S-noteDim, we - 3, 9,07 | er variety of colours. 8-noteDom. — - : b3 bs ‘Whole Tone 10. Seventh Chords and Arpeggios Figure 17a shows seven important 7th chord arpeggios . They represent the five basic qualities of the ‘7th chord : Major 7, Dominant 7, minor 7, Half Diminished 7, and Diminished 7, plus two variations : the minor Major 7 and the Augmented 7 chord. In modern chord voicings however these root position chords are only rarely used, and generally re- placed by the higher chord extensions : 9th, 1th and 13th Figure 17b shows that the C Major 13th chord (with #11) contains within its structure the Em7 , Ga , and Bm? chords. These 7th chords have therefore a double function (e.g.Em7 functions as Em7 chord but also as a C major 9th chord). Similar "pluralities" occur in Dominant and minor 11th and 13th Substitutes for Tonic chords on the basis Shots (Fig.17b). a f Plurality « ae 'S This plurality forms the basis for modern chord voicings : Desuualiny the original basic 7th chords remain the ae as before but their functions are changed. This is Mm? Va — Vilm7 achieved by simply playing a different root Rien tthe 7 Tg Vmm7_ bv ilai#5 chord (e.g.Em7 is Em7 with an E root, but becomes Ca9 Im7 = bila Vm7— bvia with a C, or All (or AmI1) with an A Toot). Yore btn > ee ‘The basic 7th chord arpeggios remain therefore important, (1 is always used in Maj.11 and 130 chords, | 254 ey poly in beat teaser tals toe ion eT) me ing chat seven 172 ae octet a hows) inall keys are included in Part II. Ia 1357 13557 1 3 5 67 163 b5 b7 1b3bsbb7 1535 7 13 #567 Ca c7 Cm7 Ce Coz Cmm7 C7 a. Seventh Chord Arpeggios Bm? Bba Gm7 BbA cars Em? G4 cis © arm) bats) cmis FDA b. Plurelity Figure 17 12The quality of a chord is determined by its root, 3rd and 7th. The root (always played by the bass) can be omitted by the pianist, but his voicing should include the 3rd and 7th of the chord, This necessity to- ‘gether with the element of plurality determine the modem piano voicings. (Ayres (Ay? (ayzalt AA B ii caniincsotB, C Major C Dominant A A B B A A B B C Minor C Half Diminished Figure 18 Figure 18 shows the so called "A" and "B form” voicings. The A form is built on the 3rd, the B form on the 7th of the chord. Alternating forms are used in II-V(-I) sequences to achieve smooth transitions from chord to chord. For example either : Dm7(A)- G7(B) - Ca(A) , or: Dm7(B) - G7(A) - Ca@B). Modem A and B form voicings : Note that the 769 is voiced as a Diminished 7th chord , and the altered 7th is the standard A or B voicing of the substitute Tritone FA). Maj.7 Dom.7 min7_—-H.Dim.7 Aform 3572 36672 b35b72 b3b5b72 ~ 63562 b3b5b71 372 3b72 b3b72— = 362 3b742 b362 9 - The adjacent table lists popular A and B voicings. The three note voicings have a Bform 7235 b7236 672635 b72b3b5 | lighter effect and are therefore preferred for 6235 — 35 b71b3b5 | slectric keyboards, os 735. »735 5 The Dominant 3 b7 #2 voicing, also called 136 3 6 C form or Gershwin Dominant, is in fact the B voicing of the substitute Tritone (b7 3 6). 11. Review ‘The Major Pentatonic scale can, from a harmonic point of view, be regarded as the basic scale from which all other Jazz scales (and Classical scales) are developed. ‘As we have seen the Pentatonic scale represents a con- tinuous segment of one third of the Circle of Fifths. ‘Successive extensions of this segment to one half, and to the whole of the Circle produce resp. the Major scale and the Chromatic scale. In order to produce continued circular harmonic move- ment the Pentatonic and Major scales have to cut back across the Circle to return to their starting point.This imperfect circular movement establishes a key centre, tonality. The Chromatic scale on the other hand has perfect circular harmonic movement, which results in a lack of tonality. Notice that the "short circuiting” of the Circle of Fifths (from I to Ill in the Pentatonic and from IV to VII in =IV the Major scale), occurs between substitute chords yy (Figure 19). I1lm7 is a substitute for 149 based on plu- “SHORT CIRCUITS* rality, while IV7 and VII7 are tritone substitutes. Figure 19 13From these three "Parent Scales", derived entirely from continuous Circle segments, other scales are de- veloped through one or more of the following three processes : 1. Displacement of the tonic, producing the various modes (e.g. Min.Pentat., Dorian, Phrygian, etc.) 2. Alteration of scale tones (e.g. Harmonic and Melodic Minors) 3. Addition (Blues, Bebop scaies),or Subtraction of tones (Whole Tone, 8-n Dom. and 8-n Dim). Below two Review Tables. Table I shows the successive intervals that make up each scale. Table II combines all scale-chord relationships listed in the previous pages. The Roman numerals indi- cate the appropriate mode of the scale. (Tonic of the mode is the chord root, unless otherwise indicated.) For the Lydian system the chord note indicated (b3, bS, etc.) is the tonic of the scale. ‘TABLE Wepaqines bg > 3g ae*t oe, Se ee 7 Maj. Pentatonic amma! ————~\ leer ——!—— jl Min. Pentatonic mmm i "pd Blues scale a —— ll | Whole Tone scale [Slaaaammmmmmsl ju nd Major scate mn gy ——- pl ——— Harmonic Minor |mmmmmmnt —— jmmmlmy ———"———g———— Melodic Minor nt le "ed Lydian scale re eee | Lydian Augmented SSS ee ee Lydian Diminisd Bebop Major ae a Bebop Dominant | ~*~ es "| Bebop Minor ie ee S-note Dominant ————— nt rl} | 8-note Diminished |S! en ~~ J Chromatic scale hammer fer —| TABLE II Maj. m om? mM7 7 +7 Tat 8 OT Maj.Pentat, I onSth VI VI ~ I ~ — onbs — Twith b3-- Biiecsoitey a= I I = I ——— i = Major scale JUVE TYE — Vv - = VI -- | Mcl.Minor Tscy TL I V,vV - va Vivin- | HarmMinor Lv vs. Vv - Vv HIV ILIV, Whole Tone ~ 8-note Dom. ~ 8-note Dim. = Lydian scale 10 1 Lydian Augm. (_ Lydian Dim. 14PART II Basic Principles for a Fluent Piano Technique (by Graham Williams) ‘The classical technique of piano playing, developed in the 18th and early 19th centuries by Clementi, Hummel and Czerny, was entirely based on finger technique. The older teaching methods using this technique tended therefore to lead to a rather stiff approach to piano playing, In the latter half of the 19th century, a method evolved in teaching which incorporated the deliberate use of the arm. This development was based on the playing of Liszt and Chopin. The principles of relaxa- tion, hand movement and rotation, the positioning and coordination of the finger and the arm were intro- duced. Unfortunately, as this style became fashionable it swung to the opposite extreme of the older methods, and the importance of finger technique was either underestimated or ignored. Itis basically this style of teaching which the 20th century inherited. Good piano playing, however, must embrace both aspects of technique. This is evident in the playing of all great pianists. Contact with the keyboard is through the fingers, they are the foundation which support the arm. This means that the finger exercises of Czerny and Clementi still hold an extremely important place in the de- velopment of piano technique, but with a different emphasis. The function of these exercises in modern technique is to develop the strength and independence of the fingers, so that they can support the arm as it directs the movement of the hand across the keyboard. Good finger technique is also essential when a crisp and brilliant, or dry and percussive sound is required. 1. Objective The aim of studying piano technique is to gain fluency, speed and accuracy , allied with a good tone quality and a wide dynamic and timbral range. The piano is basically a percussion instrument and the tone quality depends therefore on the way the key is struck. A good key stroke generates a clear resonance in the string, and it is this resonance which gives a rich and colorful sound to piano playing. Correct key attack also brings the music into focus. For each individual note can be heard clearly and separately no matter how quickly or slowly it is played. The playing then becomes vital and alive. Another important aspect of piano technique is the development of an even, flowing quality in the playing. This depends very much on a good finger technique, allied with the ability to use and balance the hand and the arm over the keyboard. Evenness in playing also relies on a steady rhythmic pulse. ‘The fingers must therefore have the strength to maintain a firm, steady rhythm, Rhythm is the foundation of all musical performance and musical confidence depends on the ability to feel and sustain a strong rhythmic flow. As well, all rhythmic and interpretive subtlety depends on a clear, steady rhythm. The principles of technique outlined here are basic, on the understanding that subtlety in playing cannot be truly developed until the foundations are solidly laid down, It is impossible to realize the fine detail in any work until the broad outlines are taken care of. Therefore this section will concentrate on the devel- ‘opment of a confident approach to the keyboard through : * the physical feeling of the fingers on the keys, * the development of the strength and independence of the fingers, * the sustaining of a steady rhythmic pulse, and * the use of the hands, wrists, arms and shoulders in playing. 152. Method ‘When a piano key is struck it pivots on a fulcrum throwing the hammer at the string, and when released (through the release mechanism) returns by the force of gravity. ‘The fundamental principle of a fluent technique is to work in conjunction with gravity, by complement- ing the gravity release force with a gravity attack. This enables the pianist literally to feel with the mecha- nism of the keyboard and the hammer. The principal energy for the key attack is derived from gravity ; from a controlled drop- ping of the finger, hand or arm onto the key. This can be complemented, if necessary, by the muscles of the arm or back to increase (or reduce) the velocity of the attack. But all muscle tension must be released the moment the key is struck. There is no need to force or push the hand into the key, for all strength, volume and tone come from the natural fall of the passive weight of the finger, hand or arm. And the dynamic level of the resultant sound depends on how much weight is brought to bear on the key : nen ger ‘forearm whole arm arm & torso ee OSS. Generally, opening the arms (by lifting the elbows) will increase the sound volume, for this brings the weight of the forearm and upper arm into play. ‘There are five parts of the body used in piano playing : fingers - hand - forearm - upper arm - torso. ‘These are connected by four sets of intervening joints: knuckles - wrist - elbow - shoulder, There are therefore four different ways of producing a sound : Firstly by moving the fingers from the knuckles. This is the most important one and forms the founda- tion of all technique. Secondly by moving the hand from the wrist. This is for example used for light, quick staccato, such as in rapid octaves, or chains of chords. Thirdly by moving the forearm from the elbow. This is used for loud, strong octaves and percussive effects, and also for rotating the hand and wrist in arpeggio figura- tions and tremolos. Fourthly, by moving the upper arm from the shoulder. This means drop- ping the whole arm on the keyboard and is used for playing powerful for- tissimo chords. If necessary it is possible also to bring the weight of the torso to bear on this action, These four different ways of producing and controlling tone colours and dynamics provide the pianist with an enormous range of possibilities. shoulder torso ‘The most difficult of these four actions, and the one which requires the most practice, is the ability to keep the fingers firm and stable while allowing the wrist to be flexible and mobile. Finger movements are basically controlled by two muscle systems. The first system is located in the up- per part of the forearm near the elbow. These muscles are connected to the two finger joints of each fin- ger through tendons ; one set passing underneath the wrist and hand palm to bend the fingers , another set passing over the back of the wrist and hand to straighten the fingers. This muscle system is poorly suited for piano playing , as the tension in the tendons. passing over and under the wrist obviously inter- feres with loose and relaxed wrist movements. A second muscle system is located within the hand and around the knuckles. These muscles control the movements of the knuckle joints. They are ideal for piano playing for they do not interfere with the wrists. Correct finger aétion is therefore from the knuckle joints. 16Always direct your hand and fingers towards the back of the keyboard while playing. ‘This keeps the finger joints locked in position. Never pull back, for this either causes the fingers to collapse, or, in an attempt to prevent this, will bring the forearm muscle and tendon system into action causing stiffening of the wrists. In summary, for a good piano technique : 1. use gravity , viz. the natural drop of finger, hand or arm, as the main source of energy, 2! use the knuckle joints for all finger actions, 3, direct the hand and fingers always towards the back of the keyboard, never pull back, 4. this leaves the wrists, hands and arms loose and relaxed, and free to "shape" the music. ‘The first objective in piano technique is to strengthen each finger (through strengthening the knuckle muscle system), develop its independence, and to establish the upper and lower levels of the finger movement. ‘Asa first exercise push one key of the keyboard down very slowly. About halfway down you can feel the resistance of the action mecha- nism, Push beyond this point to the bed of the keyboard, It is necessary in the beginning of training to play always to the bed of the keyboard, so that the hand and fingers get used to playing past the resistance of the action. A pianist who is not physically aware of the feel of the keyboard and not used to playing to the bottom of the keyboard is invariably insecure in his playing. Having established the lower limit of the finger movement it is equally important to establish the upper limit, To do this lift each finger up off the key immediately after playing the note until the first finger joint ( the one nearest the knuckle) is at least level with the knuckle. In all slow practice as soon as the next note is played the preceding finger is lifted immediately off the keyboard. Practicing this consis- tently in slow motion will ensure that in fast playing each note is clear and not interfered with because another finger has been left lying on the keyboard. All of this movement occurs from the knuckle. Slow, steady, firm practice of scales and exercises in this way will develop the strength and indepen- dence of the fingers. When practised correctly it will produce a physical sensation of tension in the mus- cles around the knuckles and between the knuckles and the first finger joint. This is a sign that the fin- gers are being strengthened. knuckle Upper Limit In order to develop a clear and precise rhythm always accent firmly whatever you play. Practice scales rhythmically by dividing them into groups of twos, threes, and fours : > > in threes in fours Accented scales When learning any exercise practise it slowly and firmly with an accent on each beat. This is the quick- est way to develop finger technique as well as learn the exercise, for the exercise is being trained into the fingers as a physical habit, The process is exactly the same as learning any physical skill such as walk- ing. ‘When you can play an exercise, or piece of music, in slow and accented motion from beginning to end without an error or hesitation the foundation of the piece is laid, You can then drop this way of prac- tice and concentrate on incorporating the musical qualities of the piece. This will be a relatively easy task 7as the foundation of the piece is firm and stable. Tn summary : | 1. Always play firmly to the bottom of the keyboard. | 2. After each finger has played, lift it up clear of the keyboard. 3. Make sure that only one finger is on the keyboard at a time (this applies to each | hand when playing scales), so that there is no interference from other fingers. | 4, Practise everything slowly and with a firm accent on each beat. ‘This method of practice builds a bridge between the physical act of playing the keyboard and the musical sound which it produces. The playing rests on a secure physical foundation, and the possibilities of de- veloping tonal, dynamic and rhythmic subtlety are then infinite. 3. Practice The study of any musical instrument should always be guided and supervised by a good teacher. This is especially important during the development of piano technique for incorrect practice habits resulting in a poor technique can creep in easily. The following is therefore intended as a basic framework to guide both teacher and student, Divide each daily practice session into two : a"technique period’ followed by a “musical period”. ‘The technique period consists of four elements : a brief warm up, scales and arpeggios (25 minutes), fixed position exercises (10 minutes) and Czerny exercises (25 minutes). Recommended length of an entire technique period is one hour . (In the early stages this may be lengthened to 1.5 or 2 hours). The technique period functions as a general warm up for the musical period. In this period the student concentrates fully on the musical aspects of play, such as practicing pieces, chord voicings and comping, and improvisation. The musical period may be one, two or more hours, but take a 10 minutes break after each 50 minutes of practice to refresh your concentration and stretch the muscles. ‘This text deals exclusively with the work during the technique sessions. Warm-up ‘The quality and ease of piano performance rests on esta- lishing the correct hand position on the keyboard. It is therefore important, before beginning the practice, to place the hand correctly on the keyboard. Always sit erect but relaxed at the piano, head high, shoulders down. First let the arm and hand hang loosely and relaxed along- side the body, then raise the hand above the keyboard at about the level of the head, and let it rest there in a posi- tion as if it were holding a large orange. Now lower the hand to the keyboard maintaining that position. Both the fingers and wrist are now in the correct posi- tion for controlled, relaxed piano playing. You are ready to play the following warm-up exercise : etc. While holding all the other notes down silently, play each note in turn 16 times (accenting every first of each group of four ) firmly, steadily and evenly. Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction, from the fifth finger to the thumb. Ailow the arm and wrist to move with the fingers, don’t hold them stiffly. After establishing and consolidating the hand position in this manner for the right hand, repeat the exer- cise for the left hand an octave lower. 18Scales Initially, practice all scales slowly and firmly, and take only a limited number of scales for each session, Concentrate for the first four weeks or so for example on the Major and Harmonic Minor scales in the keys of C, G, D, A, E and B, Then gradually add these two Scales in the remaining keys, and start on other scales. Practice each scale separately for each hand, and also combined with the left hand one octave be- low the right, Practice each scale as follows : 1. In2 octaves, accenting each group of 2 notes, 2. In 3 octaves, accenting each group of 3 notes 3. In 4 octaves, accenting each group of 4 notes As the fingering for the scale remains the same, the accents fall in each case on different fingers. It is important that the tempo of the basic beats through these three exercises remains constant, so that the scales played from 1 to 3 increase in speed. While playing scales always be conscious of the finger movement and realize that this is more a physical experience rather than a musical one. Play each note firmly into the bed of the keyboard and raise the finger clear of the key immediately on striking the next note. Apply this method to all scales. Once fluency is established, increase the speed of the 7 for 8 pp. scales by playing each octave in the same beat tempo that you set for the groups of two, three and four. Play each scale over four octaves, and accent each tonic note. Once <= you can do this effortlessly, take out the accent and play os > Thor 8 the scales evenly. (But even at this stage always start each practice session with playing the scales in accented twos, threes and fours first.) AAs the scales are practiced in this way, you will find that over a period the hand and fingers evolve quite naturally through a number of stages : Stage 1: At first it will be necessary to hold the hand very firmly and the wrist is quite stiff. This is be- cause the fingers are weak, and to press them into the bed of the keyboard and then lift them clear of the keys you still need the strength from the hand and forearm. For the first 3 weeks : Hold your hand like a claw, put maximum tension in the muscles in the hand and between the knuckles, and exaggerate all finger movements. This is a tough exercise and breaks all the rules of piano playing, but heips you to "get a grip" of the keyboard. Stage 2 : As the fingers strengthen, they start to free up from the rest of the hand, and you will notice that they begin to operate independently from the knuckles, At first this may feel as though control over the keyboard is being lost, but the opposite is in fact the case : you start gaining control. Stage 3 : As the fingers gain in independence the wrist begins to loosen up. At this stage confidence in the newly won finger independence can be cultivated by consciously playing with the fingers only. All the strength that is needed for a sure, firm attack will be provided simply by allowing each finger to drop into the key and by lifting it free of the key after playing. The weight of the finger, as it is dropped, will give a clear, strong tone. And most of the physical energy applied is used for lifting each finger of the keyboard. Stage 4 : When finger strength and independence are developed to the stage that you feel a definite di- vision of labour at the knuckles, so that, from the knuckles on everything happens automatically and ef fortlessly, the aim of scale practice has been achieved, 19This leaves you then free to concentrate on the movement of the hand, the wrist and the arm. All fluen- cy, tone control and colour are dependent on this freedom, for they are achieved through the positioning and differing degrees of weight of the hand, the forearm and upper arm. At this stage, too, slightly lighten your finger touch and play to the "point of sound” rather than firmly to the bed of the keyboard. This means listening to the sound you produce and adjusting it to your ear, (instead of playing mechanically ). ‘This takes the crudeness out of the key attack. Ultimately, when playing, the arms should feel as though they are floating. The arm and wrist describe or draw the shape of the piece, as though they were dancing and thereby shaping the sound produced from the piano. You now can clearly differentiate between mechanism and music. The mechanism of playing is left to the fingers while arms and wrists shape the music. Acrude, but also effective way of further strengthening the fingers and increasing the flexibility of the wrist, is to play each scale with only the thumb and one other finger. This practice routine can only be done with a great deal of wrist and arm movement and therefore forces the player to adopt very flexible movements. Practise each scale over two octaves slowly and firmly with both hands as follows : RH.121212ec. RH131313e. RH141414etc. RHI LH.212121etc. LH.31313iec. LH414141etc. LHS Four scales played in this manner per session is ample exercise. Scales in Octaves ‘To help develop the movement of hand, wrist and arm the practice of scales in octaves can be used : Keep the wrist high and the hand almost as though it is locked into position. Then simply lift the fore- arm from the elbow and let the hand drop into the key. The wrist and arm are held firm. After each note is played, allow the forearm to rebound and the hand and wrist to relax.Then position the hand so that it is ready to drop into the next note. At first practise playing octaves in this way slowly and deliberately, over two octaves. Then practise moving the hand quickly into position above the next note to be played after it has re~ bounded from the previous note. Hold it above the note deliberately for a moment before playing again, Gradually increase the speed of practice. This technique will eventually give great fluency in octave playing, for all the work is done by gravity , and at speed the hand will appear to rebound from the note after playing. The hand will move effortless ly from note to note and octave passages will be conceived as a line rather than as a series of notes... Arpeggios For the playing of arpeggios the wrist and arm must be flexible and supple while the fingers are held firmly on the keyboard. As stated before, the ability to do this - keeping the fingers firm while the wrist is moving freely - is the most difficult technical accomplishment to attain, It depends, once again, totally on the fingers having their own strength, independent of the rest of the hand, For the playing of scales the wrist is held reasonably in line with the level hand. For arpeggios the wrist is held higher ; it also moves up and down considerably as the hand moves across the keyboard. The high wrist position enables the thumb to cross effortlessly under the hand. At the same time the elbows must be held out from the body to give the the wrist and hand more room to move freely. Always keep in mind when playing arpeggios and arpeggiated passages that the wrist and hand must ead the movement over the keyboard. The fingers then fall into position under the movement of the hand, and are simply used to direct and support the weight of the hand and forearm on the keys. Practise arpeggios slowly, steadily and evenly over four octaves. Practise both triad and seventh chord arpeggios. Accent each in groups of threes and fours. To supplement the practice of scales and arpeggios two types of exercises are recommended : Fixed Po- sition Exercises and Czerny Exercises. 20Fixed Position Exercises In fixed position exercises the hand remains fixed on the keyboard while the fingers move individually or together in pairs. They are used to develop strength, independence and evenness of the individual fin- fers. The "Etudes Quotidiennes de Mecanisme” (publisher's ref.nr. E.A.S. 14872) written by hharles Poisot and published by Editions Salabert, 22 Rue Chauchat, Paris, France, are excellent and strongly recommended. They are not readily available in Australia, Itis therefore best to order your copy direct from the publisher in Paris. Poisot Exercise Nr. 1 > > > > > > >. > (Illustration printed with permission from Editions Salabert.) Practise the exercises slowly (crochet not faster than 60) and steadily with an accent on each beat. Play with high finger action and press very firmly with each finger. Allow the arm and wrist to move with the fingers. Practise these exercises for 10 minutes each day. Start with Etude 1, add Nrs 2, 3 and 4 gradually over the next month or two. Start adding Nrs 5 and others after three to six months, Poisor's exercises require a fully developed hand and are therefore not suitable for young students. “LISZT, Technical Exercises" (pages 7- 26) by Franz Liszt, published by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., or "Tone, Touch and Technique for the Young Pianist” (pages 8 - 24) by Max Cooke and published by Allans Music Australia, contain good Fixed Position Exercises suitable for young students. Czerny Exercises For further development and consolidation of a variety of techniques "The School of Velocity” Op. 299 Complete by Carl Czerny published by G.Schirmer , New York / London is recommended This is available in music shops throughout Australia. Practise these studies for 25 minutes each day. Practise everything very slowly, steadily and evenly, with an accent on each beat. As your fingers get to know each study you may gradually increase the speed, and finally when fluent take out the accents and add dynamics and musical interpretation. Start with Nr 1, adding Nr 2 ,then Nr. 5 within the first three months. These are predominantly scalar studies. Once you start feeling comfortable with arpeggios add Nr 3. Work solely on the first five studies for the first year, than gradually add others. Ten or twelve pieces in all is ample practice material for at least three years. It is very important to realize that itis quality and not quantity that counts with these studies ! Good technical exercises and studies using the Jazz idiom are also written by Oscar Peterson : "Jazz Exercises and Pieces" Books 1, 2, and 3, or combined :" Complete Jazz for the Young Pianist” published by Hansen House, Miami Beach U.S.A. Conclusion Fluency of technique and quality of sound on any musical instrument can only be achieved in a condi- tion of optimum physical (and mental) relaxation. In piano playing the gravity key stroke and the finger action from the knuckle joints are practical extensions of this very principle. They are therefore the two fundamentals of good piano technique, regardless of the style or type of music, and in- dispensable for the development of fluency and a good resonant sound. 21Recommended Daily Practice Routine : Organize your daily piano practice session as shown on the adjacent Table, ‘TECHNIQUE CONTENT 1. Warm up - ; Although initially technique practice may extend to | 2. Scales and Arpeggios 25 minutes 1.5 or 2 hours, in later stages it should not exceed | 3. Fixed Position Exercises 10 minutes 60 minutes. Spend all additional time on musical | 4. Czerny Studies (Op.299) 25 minutes r omg Sub Total 60 minutes With regular practice of 2 hours per day, an absolute beginner will master the basic techni- |_| MUSICAL CONTENT cal facilities within approximately three years. Pieces, Comping, Improv. _ 60 minutes An already experienced pianist who seeks to (ormore) master the technique as outlined here, will , using the same practice routine, succeed within about | TOTAL, 2 HOURS one year. (or mofe as required) Always study under supervision of a good teacher. It is important to have an objective observ- er who monitors your progress, steers you away from wrong practices and teaches you the finer details, and subtleties (that may vary for individual students depending on their build and temperament) that need face to face tuition, In general remember that it is much better to do short (1.5 - 2 hours) practice sessions regularly every day, than long (4 hours plus) sessions at irregular intervals. Practise each week 5 successive days, then take 2 days rest. The breaks help you to sustain your practice effort over a long period, and also make the practices more relaxed and enjoyable. | 22PART III Fingering Charts for SCALES and ARPEGGIOS in all Keys (by Michael Furstner) In the fingering charts on the following pages the right hand fingering is indicated above, the left hand fingering below the stave. Practise the scales and arpeggios with both hands simultaneously, playing with the left hand one octave below the right. Play scales and arpeggios up and down over 4 octaves. Fingerings for the Major-, Harmonic and Melodic Minor- and Chromatic- scales are identical to the clas- sical fingerings. The fingerings for the various modes follow in principle the fingerings of the scale they are derived from unless alternative fingerings are more appropriate. The 123 12 fingering patterns for the Pentatonic scales, much favoured by Art Tatum for all keys, are for long, high speed pentatonic runs. For shorter passages use any fingering that is convenient. Several fingerings can be used for the Blues scale. Some pianists prefer to reverse the RH pattern 13 1234 for some of the keys (C, G, D, A, E), playing instead : 1234 13 especially over shorter passages. This places the fourth finger of the right hand on the 5 rather than the b7, ‘The RH 1234 1234 pattern for some of the Bebop scales can also easily be shifted up or down a few notes to fit the context in which they are used. Well organized fingering patterns enhance fluency of scale playing. But also, once trained into the fin- gers, the patterns cin be readily applied to many real playing situations. ‘The principle for seventh chord arpeggios fingering is very simple. For both right and left hand : play the thumb on the first white note. This works well for all but one or two exceptions. For scale and arpeggio practice follow the general instructions from PART IL. A few comments on specific trouble spots follow below. D, A, and E Blues scales: The 31 4321 pattern for the Left Hand is easy while ascending, but when going down lift the wrist smoothly and gradually from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 (on a black note), so that the thumb has sufficient room to move underneath the hand, Bebop scales : Lift each finger clearly of the keyboard through the semitone passages with 2 3 4 fin- gerings. This also applies to some of the Blues scales, C 8-note Dom. and Bb 8-note Dim. scales : On the 121 passages, with the index finger on a black note, curve your index finger, and play towards the back of the keyboard. (Do not pull, and do not play with a straight index finger !). ‘This also applies to all B Bebop scales, the Db Bebop-Major, and the Ab Bebop-Dominant and Bebop- Minor scales. Arpeggios : Generally play with your elbows out and wrists high. Keep the fingers relaxed but firm, and let the wrists do all the necessdry movements. 23 44. Locrian tie 81 7. Super Locrian 42 Sat 2410. Bebop Dominant 1 tert a 11. Bebop Minor 1 ost 14. Lydian Diminished . io tel Pa ES ater 4 2526 5. Harm. Minor toes 1: 1 6. Mel. Minor (ascending) toot et 7. Super Locrian ween1 4, 10. Bebop Dominant S seen at 11. Bebop Minor s ary 13. Lydian Augmented ier ok 24 a 8 14. Lydian Diminished . = a $82. Mixolydian Camara? st: 3. Dorian 1 ao. 44 4. Locrian game 28244 1s, Pa 433 2 3 12 3a 442 17. Super Locrian 294 31 én 5 332) aos & ee 3011, Bebop Minor er 5 12. Lydian 1 1 14, Lydian Diminished 1 i 4 3 312. Mixolydian Lot ‘ 5. Harm. Minor 4 44 iirs.1 32eae: 10. Bebop Dominant 1 at 44 11. Bebop Minor 1 a 12. Lydian 1 ee a34 19. Bebop Major 13 saegoree sts ene 10. Bebop Dominant 33628, 2, ai ty Hebd 2 1213 oF 19° SPs) 1 se 8a St eee a Ss ot 11. Bebop Minor 312 fabio er 13. Lydian Augmented tessist 14. Lydian DiminishedF# Scales Spies elees 231 é 7. Super Locrian 24 24 eid 36F# Scales 9. Bebop Major 24 10. Bebop Dominant 124 2 asa anes} 11. Bebop Minor 234 41 12, Lydian 13. Lydian Augmented asi 4, 23 37C# Scales 44 sinh 4. Locrian Bed! 9 244 13 14 aus 1 eros 1 417% 38C# Scales 1214 4 10. Bebop Dominant 43 234 11. Bebop Minor 294 14 asd 2119-22 is 1: 4e1251: 4 za-1 fds ¥ 39Ab Scales 4. Locrian (G#) 2 A piaS.ut 3 as 6. Mel. Minor (G#, ascending) ety 12331 44 ot 33 7. Super Locrian (G#)10. Bebop Dominant 2 pit ga 24 73 > 11. Bebop Minor 291 s121 cs Sires 3 12. Lydian 3 TS 3 Ab Scales 24.2.4 14, Lydian Diminished a4 235 41Eb Scales 9 43 4 4 49 0825 1 91 Cl it Pater) _ 3. Dorian 24 a 214 13 16 iectaset Ci arr 442 24 ‘ 42Eb Scales 8. Blues 1 by 9. Bebop Major 0 24 44 ‘ 10. Bebop Dominant 7 21 42 11. Bebop Minor 24 12. Lydian 24 at Both 545: i ee44 2: 1 3 Bb ScalesBb Scales 4 2 ot 77 19.294 Se drtEa di ay vee 14 * Alternative fingering Bebop Major : RH 2.123 12 123 123, LH321 21321 321 10. Bebop Dominant 44 1 24 11. Bebop Minor 4a 1 * 4 nr 12. Lydian 13. Lydian Augmented 44-03, 1 A fc 241 44 3. Dorian 1 4 4, Locrian 5. Harm. Minor 1 a 6. Mel. Minor (ascending) 1 4 1 3-t 7. Super Locrian 13 46F Scales 9. Bebop Major 5 it 44 7 12. Lydian 5 14, Lydian Diminished s ionsegt a Ai 41Pentatonic Scales 15. E maj, 16. C# min. 3 au rect amet a Tae od a ee 48