Water Pianism

A Companion

by

Daniel Bennett
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More Information
danthecomposer@gmail.com
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***
© Copyright, 2016.
Daniel Bennett, Budapest
 Author’s Note

As with all my books, the motive is simply to

encourage and inspire the reader to achieve their piano
ambitions without believing or feeling it necessary to
only sit at the piano to make progress.

Unlike other texts, Water Pianism encourages

more focus on the Mind and the Body than only the
Piano and theoretical matters; what may have been
considered impossible at the piano is thus made
possible when attention is shifted in this way.

Over four chapters, ‘Water Pianism – A

Companion’ simply provides those who have already
read the main book with even more thoughts whilst
acting as an introduction to those currently unfamiliar
with the teachings and philosophies.

The most difficult mind-block to overcome for

newcomers to the teachings is that they are so
unorthodox. Do not be put off.
 Traditionally, one is encouraged to sit at the
piano for thousands of hours to make progress, usually
following a variety of impersonal and wholly unsuitable
method books and playing music not truly enjoyed,
usually for the purpose of exams or at least to satisfy the
teacher.

Very often, when the highest grade exams have

been passed or a method book course has been
completed, the pianist feels lost because they have
never been encouraged to look inwards and discover
their musical personality or to calm their minds, not to
mention strengthen their bodies to be able to tackle
even greater pieces or even compose.

One of the most exciting philosophies of Water

Pianism is the concept of the ‘You’ method through
which one goes on an ego-quietening, destinationless
journey to identify and then expand upon what is
naturally enjoyed and to enhance natural talent in
whichever ways necessary to or desired by the
individual, without detrimental comparisons to others
or negative external influences.

As a Water Pianist, one takes to trusting in the

teachings, fully aware that they exist only to encourage
freedom of playing, fluency of execution and calmness
of mind. That they come from the inherent teachings
observable in nature means they apply to everybody,
are superior to any method but are not in themselves a
method, rather a source of light to shine upon one’s
own Way.
 Water is fluid, soft and yielding yet will wear
away rock which is rigid and cannot yield.
As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft and yielding will
overcome whatever is rigid and hard.
So, what is soft is strong.

Lao Tzu
 Importance of ‘3’

Water Pianism is heavily influenced not only by

the three teachings of Water and Nature but also by the
significance and teachings of the number Three; these
three things themselves containing three things.

To the Water Pianist, Water teaches unceasing

continuity, pace and acceptance.

By unceasing continuity, one understands the

concept of a destinationless journey; after all, what
would one do upon finally arriving?

By pace, one does not use force to achieve

desired results; water flows at a speed best suited to its
current environment, no faster and no slower.

By acceptance, one enjoys current abilities;

water is virtuous because it is happy to be where others
do not wish to be.
 To the Water Pianist, Nature teaches patience,
steady persistence and the permanence of
impermanence.

By patience, one is to observe the flower

growing from a seed; it does not rush to bloom, it is
perfect at every moment.

By steady persistence, one is to water the flower

every day; without regularity in action, the flower will
wither.

By the permanence of impermanence, one is to

recognise that the flower will one day die; despite this, it
remains positively beautiful, colourful and grateful for
every drop of water until its very end.

To the Water Pianist, the number Three appears

in the Three-Fold Path to Water Pianism, the Three
Energy-Channel Components and the Three Great
Misconceptions.

The ‘Three Paths’ has its own chapter since it is

not unique to Water Pianism philosophy.
 By the Three-Fold Path to Water Pianism, it is to
be understood that an adherence to continual study and
awareness of Water, the Mind and the Body is
paramount to becoming a Water Pianist and travelling
Your path with the least struggle and greatest
satisfaction.

The teachings of water are vital to bringing calm

to the mind and must never be neglected. Constant
effort to repel the Ego, as well as daily muscle and
tendon training are equally vital to the Water Pianist.

By the Three Energy-Channel Components, one

understands that true pianism comes from a calm and
balanced Mind, which contains three parts, passes
through a trained and maintained Body, which contains
three parts, and finally manifests on the Piano, which
contains three parts.

The three parts of the Mind component are

identified as the Mind Triangle. It contains the Ego,
being the negative component inflicting doubt,
frustration and impatience; the Inspirational Source,
being the positive component introducing wisdom, truth
and creativity and the Conscious Mind, being the
observer of these and having freedom of choice to
either be encouraged or demotivated.

The three parts of the Body component are

identified as core strength, arm-muscle power and
tendon flexibility.

By core strength, one understands that proper

eating and moderate water consumption are key to
good overall health. The mind and body are very
sensitive to diet and it is for this reason that the Water
Pianist takes care in consuming well.

By arm-muscle power, one understands that the

upper-arm muscles are only beneficial to the forearm
muscles if they are both exercised regularly. As a unit,
they provide a greater range of performance ability and
give the fingers more freedom of movement and speed
due to the tendons being connected to the arm-muscle
network.

By tendon flexibility, one understands that the

fingers move in ways on the piano not required in any
other sphere of life. Not doing regular tendon flexing
exercises is not necessary detrimental to the pianist but
puts a limit on what is physically possible, no matter the
strength of the arm muscles.

The three parts of the Piano component are

identified as chromaticism, broken chords and leaps.

Chromaticism is the smallest of the three Piano

component parts. Major scales and thus chords are
built on the chromatic scale which itself is made up
solely of semi-tone (or half-step) intervals.

Each next note in either direction from any note

has the same pitch difference as any other next note
from any other note. C to C# has the same pitch
difference as E to F and it is from this chromatic scale
that we get our twelve keys.
 The non-existent 13th key would again be the
same as the first, starting from any note and moving in
either direction (ascending or descending), thus we stop
at twelve.

Two semi-tones (or half-steps) create a whole-

tone (or whole-step) interval. C to D is what E is to F#
and from this get the whole-tone scale.

Simply speaking, the chromatic and whole-tone

scale are the only scales which do not come from a
modification of a major scale but instead appear in a
fixed combination to form the major scales: whole,
whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half; the final ‘half’
landing on the note from which counting began.

C, D (whole), E (whole), F (half), G (whole), A

(whole), B (whole), C (half).

Chords are the result of selecting a group of at

least three degrees from a major scale and naming
them. Almost all the chords one can play include either
a major third interval or a minor third interval from the
root.

Water Pianism puts broken chords above what

may be called ‘block chords’ because in actual pieces,
the notes of a chord are far more commonly played
individually than together, in either the lower or upper
register of the keyboard.

Common examples of this are: most of Chopin’s

compositions, the infamous Third Movement of
Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and perhaps everything
Debussy ever wrote. Broken chords are also required in
every grade exam at every level. Do note, however, that
sometimes the lower register may require block chords
whilst the upper register requires broken chords, and
vice-versa.

Therefore, one does well to spend time playing

around with broken chords at least just as much as their
block forms. This also benefits dexterity and precision.
 Leaps include any interval greater than a whole-
tone (or whole-step); in other words, a minor third from
a root up to as far as the score or improvisation
demands, perhaps even going outside the octave and
requiring a large arm movement rather than a little wrist
action or less.

Franz Liszt’s ‘La Campanella’ is perhaps the finest

example of seemingly in-human leaps, not to mention
the requirements of many of his Hungarian Rhapsodies,
especially Number 6. Recordings by Georges Cziffra are
highly recommended to best demonstrate this point.

By the Three Great Misconceptions, one

understands that it is detrimental to progress and
fluency to believe that one plays with two separate
hands, that the piano contains ‘black and white’ notes
and that some keys are considered more or less difficult
to play in than any others.

By not playing with two hands, it is to be

understood that, should we as humans be equipped
with an asymmetric finger layout, it would still be
possible to play the piano.

By not seeing the notes as two colours, the

Water Pianist understands that they are so only due to
tradition and that they could all be black, white or multi-
coloured yet their place and note value on the keyboard
would remain unchanged. Some pianos and organs of
the present day have inverted colours already!

By seeing all twelve keys as equal in terms of

ease or difficulty, it is to be understood that a major
scale follows the template of: whole, whole, half, whole,
whole, whole, half steps, no matter the starting note.

There are twelve of these and the only difference

is layout. Some keys which are traditionally ‘harder’,
according to the exam board syllabuses, are actually
physically easier to play, such as B, which falls under
anybody’s fingers very comfortably and was the key
Chopin used to introduce people to the piano.
 Alas, the Water Pianist spends much time
understanding, mastering then maintaining the three
parts of the three components of Water Pianism and
strives to share them with piano enthusiasts they feel
are ready to accept them.
 The Three Paths

Because Water Pianism is a philosophy based on

the natural way of the mind and body, as well as taking
many teachings from nature, it inherently applies to any
path one chooses to take; patience, steady persistence
and no final destination are three fitting examples to
which any pianist following any path would do well to
adhere.

No matter how much of the vast field of music

theory is acquired, one’s chosen path will always and
only be fruitful if the Mind is calm and the Inspirational
Source is listened to. Theory is beneficial and useful but
it pales into insignificance if one is impatient, following
the wrong path for the wrong reasons or unprepared to
discover the all-important musical personality.

In other words, knowing all the major scales,

understanding notation to a high level and being able to
identify complex time signatures are put to waste if, for
example, one is being forced to play music not in
harmony with the natural Self or if one heartlessly takes
exams just to be able to show off framed certificates on
a wall.

For this reason, the Water Pianist has made a

conscious choice to silence the Ego and look inwards,
seeking answers to the questions: “What do ‘I’ naturally
like about music and what do ‘I’ want to do about it?”

Three paths are available to the pianist, each one

having many smaller paths to explore and each one with
its own set of technical and theoretical requirements.
However, no matter the path, major scale mastery and
regular use of the internal piano are paramount to
maximise results.

The Three Paths are as follows:

1. Standard Repertoire;

2. Improvisation;

3. Composition.
 To the Water Pianist, Standard Repertoire spans
from the Baroque period to the latest Pop hits. It
implies that the music has been written down and can
be learnt through sight-reading or following the chord
chart.

A general and very brief timeline of piano-

orientated composers found within the standard
repertoire path would go something like: Bach, Mozart,
Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Scott
Joplin, Cole Porter, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Elton John,
Einaudi and pretty much anything from the turn of the
century because it has been printed in sheet music
books for piano.

The most common path selected by pianists,

standard repertoire is what most exam board syllabuses
focus on (especially 19th Century works) and what is
most widely available in music shops, and for good
reason!
 Compilations are rampant, being full of
Broadway tunes, film soundtracks, girl/boy band
number 1’s as well as the most famous pieces ever
written by the great composers such as Beethoven’s Fur
Elise, Chopin’s Nocturne in Eb, Liszt’s Hungarian
Rhapsody #2 and Debussy’s Claire de Lune.

Reasons people choose this path are because it is

the most accessible and because their favourite songs
appear in it, sometimes in simplified-score versions, and
nowadays, computer-generated tutorials are easy to
find online. In the past, one was required to acquire a
sight-reading ability but that is now considered far too
much work for many who just want to press some
chords and play a one-fingered melody.

Of course, one may choose to become a concert

pianist rather than a hobbyist. This is a long and
extremely demanding path but it is made all the more
enjoyable if one applies the teachings of Water Pianism!
 No matter the depths of pianism to which one
travels on this path, there is a lot of choice and a vast
amount of technical demands just waiting to be
discovered, not to mention a lot of self-discovery! Just
remember to be true to the Self, the musical personality
and the Inspirational Source and not to let the Ego win.

To the Water Pianist, Improvisation includes

both embellishing standard repertoire and creating a
completely new melody over set chords à la jazz piano.

Although the best advice is to listen to the greats

of the past to see what is possible and what has been
done, further advice would also be useful for fear of
becoming carbon copies of those greats and putting the
Self second.

One example of additional advice, as obvious as

it may seem but so often is it neglected, is to sit down
and improvise! Discovering one’s natural style is far
more important than being able to replicate other’s
styles; further, it does not require, as is so often
assumed, a huge knowledge of chords and scales.

The improvising Water Pianist understands that

even one finger playing one kind of scale over one triad
chord is very revealing of inherent style, especially if not
confining the output to one octave.

This may be likened to painting on canvas with

one colour; there are still many kinds of straight lines
(e.g. thickness), circles (e.g. circumference) and random
shapes (e.g. trapezoid) possible to be painted however
the Inspirational Source so desires, not to mention
where they may be placed on the canvas itself, with just
one colour.

By embellishing standard repertoire, one

remains somewhat faithful to the score (or any piece
from any genre) but decorates it depending on how the
moment feels.
 Examples of decorating a piece may be repetitive
notes of or not of the melody, extended arpeggios and
chord reharmonisation or substitution.

By creating a new melody over set chords, one

strays far from or does away entirely with the original
melody. This is what jazz musicians do: play
appropriate (or purposefully inappropriate) notes when
and however they wish, in accordance with the chord
progressions and structure of the piece.

Examples of creating new melodies might involve

focusing on particular scales (the Blues scale, modal
scales such as the Lydian or Aeolian, etc.), highlighting
note values deemed interesting to the performer (b9,
#11, etc.) or using various creative ideas such as a call-
and-response phrases and referencing other famous
melodies during the improvisation.

To the Water Pianist, Composition is the highest

form of pianism; the Inspirational Source is free to flow
and create audible representations of itself based on the
skills and knowledge the Conscious Self has acquired,
then transmit them through a trained body, all whilst
the Ego sulks over there. If composition were not the
highest form of pianism, Standard Repertoire would not
exist and Improvisation would be over chords of
nothingness. What would there be to play but for the
gift of Composition?

Consider these quotes by great artists and minds

from years gone by:

- “Others have seen what ‘is’ and asked ‘Why?’

I have seen what ‘could be’ and asked ‘Why
not?’” – P. Picasso

- “The thing is to become a master and, in your

old age, acquire the courage to do what
children did when they knew nothing.” – E.
Hemingway

- “The painter will produce pictures of little

merit if he takes the works of others as his
standard.” – L. da Vinci
 - “Do not go where the path may lead, go
instead where there is no path and leave a
trail.” – R. W. Emerson

- “The true artist is not proud: he

unfortunately sees that art has no limits; he
feels darkly how far he is from the goal and,
though he may be admired by others, he is
sad not to have reached that point to which
his better genius only appears as a distant,
guiding sun.” – Beethoven.

As a composer, one spends more time listening

inwards than hearing outwards; output is based entirely
on what has been recognised within as having come
from the Inspirational Source and not the Ego. It is not
artificially created according to rules or expectations
from the outside and in its purest form, need not be
questioned, for it carries a truth known only to the
creator; the Water Pianist calls this ‘honest execution’
and it is unchallengeable, even by themselves.
 It is suggested, therefore, to discover what one
enjoys or feels naturally attracted to the most, never
forgetting that composition is the only reason any music
exists at all and being sure to have overcome the Ego’s
desire to limit or completely restrict any belief in being
able to do so.
 Major Scale Significance

No matter which path is taken, major scales will

show themselves; composition, improvisation, modern
era songs or the standard classical repertoire, major
scales simply cannot be avoided if one is to make any
noteworthy progress with ease.

Regrettably, major scales are treated by perhaps

every source (exam board, educational institute, etc.) on
the basis of: less common is more difficult, more
common is much easier. This, of course, is nonsense.

Because there are twelve notes (keys) in the

chromatic scale and each key has its own major scale
which contains seven notes (degrees) based on the fixed
template of half and whole steps (tones), it is
completely unnecessary to label any of them as more
difficult or much easier just because they are more or
less common; they all consist of the same template,
contain the same amount of notes and sound the same.
 Each major scale has its own shape and
combination of stretch requirements, no matter how
one’s natural fingering of that scale may be, further
rendering each as unique as any other.

For example, B major, as used by Chopin for his

newcomers, just so happens to appeal to anybody’s
fingers due to its ‘2 black note, 3 black note’ layout;
once the thumb of the right hand has played the B, the
index and middle finger are hovering directly above the
C# and D#, the latter of which causing the hand to be
raised and forward a little more than if it were a ‘white
note’ being played, giving space for the thumb to swing
underneath and play the E, naturally putting the index,
middle and ring fingers above the F#, G# and A# with
once again the latter permitting the thumb to swing
under and begin the scale again. It is a very fluid major
scale to play and a logical decision by the piano poet.

However, every single book begins with C major

yet this major scale is actually quite demanding because
it forces the thumb to travel, with less freedom, under
the middle finger and its precision must be greater than
for B major to strike the F, this being even more difficult
when the thumb must go from the F to the C again to
start a new octave in terms of distance to travel (a fifth)
and now the ring finger blocking its path even more
than the middle finger was just moments before.

The Water Pianist has come to understand that

major scales are not only necessary to whichever path is
taken but that they can and therefore must be ‘used and
abused’.

Because each major scale has its own shape,

countless options are available for fingering patterns,
hand independence exercises, contrary motion
challenges, multi-key ideas, stretch repetition and
velocity work.

Further, the major scales are the absolute basis

for any other scale, not including of course the
chromatic and whole-tone scales, and is the first of the
three ways the Water Pianist takes benefit from
absolute mastery of the twelve major scales.

One would do well to see each perfectly

mastered major scale as one of twelve uncut keys on a
key ring. Each uncut physical key represents a musical
key’s perfected major scale before it gets cut into shape
to create any scale required.

For example, the descending melodic minor scale

is instantly discoverable in any of the twelve keys
because the uncut key only requires one modification.
Musically speaking, one plays the major scale exactly as
is but instead of the 3rd degree, it is lowered one half-
step (semi-tone).

Thus, to unlock the world of the natural minor

scale and its associated chords and sounds, make one
notch into the uncut key to represent the 3rd being
lowered. That is all.

What about the Hungarian (or Gypsy) minor

scale? From the root: 2nd, minor 3rd, #4th, 5th, 6th,
dominant 7th. This shows that three notes of the seven
major scale notes have been modified. The uncut key is
thus cut three times: on the third, fourth and 7 th notch.

In order not to forget that the fourth is raised

and not lowered, simply recognise the illogic of lowering
the fourth; it would simply become the third which has
already been lowered; this cannot be both major and
minor.

Once the scale has been identified, preferably on

the Internal Piano, time is spent on reinforcing its shape
and then allowing the hands to find their own natural
fingering over one and multiple octaves, preferably with
the eyes closed.

The second of the three ways the Water Pianist

takes benefit from absolute mastery of the twelve major
scales is to execute all the possible finger combinations
over them.

Most hands have five fingers but even if not, it is

still possible to perform these exercises because of the
limited number of possible finger combinations anyway,
even when using both hands.

The ultimate level of attainment is that each

finger is under absolute control and can function at its
optimum dexterity and precision for extended periods
of time. In addition, each finger is also able to operate
with every other finger without conscious interference.

This takes time but is made a lot easier thanks to

the variety of patterns and stretches made available by
the major scales.

By all finger combinations, understand that the

human hand’s generally ten fingers can only stretch so
far; of course, this varies from hand to hand but a fair
average is a third between two side-by-side fingers and
anything from a minor second to a comfortable octave
when basing the stretch from the thumbs and involving
all fingers.

By using each finger as the ‘root finger’ and

performing this exercise with a metronome, with each
hand individually and then simultaneously, even using
different major scales for further enhancement and a
greater mental challenge, simply alternate between all
the possible intervals for extended durations and at
different speeds.

Note that it is incredibly common that both

hands’ complete finger combinations’ interval stretches
match due to their symmetric size and shape.

For example, place the index finger of the right

hand on any F#. Choosing different starting points
across the keyboard forces the wrist into different
positions and is also very beneficial.

Descending, alternate the index finger with the

thumb as it goes as far as possible down the major (or
chromatic) scale and back again. Starting slowly,
increase speed until comfortable and error free and the
hand begins to ache.

For a second example, place the left ring finger

on any A, again choosing different starting points to
force the wrist into different positions for greater
benefit.

Ascending, alternate the ring finger with the

middle finger as it goes as far as possible up the major
(or chromatic) scale and back again. Starting slowly,
increase speed until comfortable and error free and the
hand begins to ache.

Almost no piece of music has ever been written

which does not involve any of the finger combinations
as performed in this exercise so making them as natural
as possible is so very important, primarily because
previously considered complex repertoire is suddenly
made much more accessible.

Once each finger combination feels very

comfortable at speed and over extended durations,
blend the hands and repeat the above but with the
‘other’ finger coming from the other hand. This can be
done within the same octave or various octave distances
apart.
 For example, the left hand little finger on F and
the right hand thumb starting on G and the two
alternated as F major is played ascending and
descending.

The third of the three ways the Water Pianist

takes benefit from absolute mastery of the twelve major
scales is to strengthen the Internal Piano.

The internal piano is simply the 12-note block

from any of the twelve roots. One is then able to learn
scores, see scales, play over pieces, work out difficulties,
transpose songs, practise improvisation, identify chords
and much more, when away from the piano.

C to B is the first 12-note block the Water Pianist

experiences. Once this is absolutely internalised, it
becomes very easy to visualise and ‘play on’. One then
simply adds however many blocks are required like Lego
to work with the exercise or piece in question whilst
maintaining a kind of orientation on the piano and not
getting lost of confused in keys.
 After a while, it becomes very easy to start the
12-note block, named after the chromatic scale within
an octave, on any note desired and be able to work in
that key as fluently as any other… because all major
scales are absolutely mastered.

Take note of this somewhat secret phenomenon:

the fingers can do what the mind can imagine them
doing and the fingers cannot do what the mind cannot
imagine them doing.

Therefore, the Water Pianist practises in the

mind at least 50% of the time on both technical
demands and to reinforce theoretical concepts. What is
then possible at the piano becomes astonishingly easier.

Imagine a computer keyboard. Because we use

them every day, we know exactly where the letters are
subconsciously, even though we never sat down and
studied them in order to type quickly. Slow typists still
know where to drift the hand to be ‘in the vicinity’ of
the correct letter.
 What is remarkable, however, is that even if a
keyboard did not physically exist, if the buttons were
lasers projected onto a table, a lot of us would have
great accuracy in typing on a blank surface and placing
our hands and fingers in generally, if not exactly, the
right position for the laser to detect the key pressed
correctly.

To take this further, imagine not even typing at

all but just thinking where the fingers would go if
actually typing but instead some electrodes were
connected to the head and fingers and it could sense the
tiny movements?

Well, without becoming a scientific journal, this

is a real science known as Brain Computer Interfacing
and uses a method known as electroencephalography:
thought alone controlling what happens on-screen,
minus any motor activity. One would also do well to
study the very real, applied science of Motor Imagery.
 Despite this extreme comparison, it proves that
it is what takes place correctly in the mind that dictates
what the body then does correctly, albeit when it comes
to pianism that a trained and maintained set of muscles
and tendons are necessary.

So it can be seen that major scales are the

foundation to any of the three paths one may choose to
take, not only for theoretical reasons but for a huge
opportunity to develop other important facets of
pianism in general.
 The ‘You’ Method

If ten thousand individuals drew a circle

freehand, the likelihood that just two of them were
absolutely identical is almost zero; such is the
uniqueness of each of us and such is the way we
approach, learn and play the piano.

Not one method book has ever been written

which applies to every learner. This means that
everybody must spend time discovering their own
unique traits and following their own natural path rather
than wasting time seeking solutions from outside.

Every pianist is distinguished by inherent ability,

life experience, piano playing purpose, hand shape,
muscle strength, span, finger size and musical
personality. To believe a book or course has been
written which suits You perfectly is very detrimental to
progress and strongly discouraged.
 By inherent ability, the Water Pianist
understands that what is technically or theoretically
easy for one is difficult for another and what is
technically or theoretically difficult for one is easy for
another.

It takes a different approach and period of time

for certain aspects of pianism to be acquired by
different individuals; there is no right or wrong method
and there is no fixed amount of time to achieve
anything.

By life experience, the Water Pianist understands

that each individual has journeyed a very different
journey and brings a unique world to the piano in both
practice and performance.

Some are very patient, others want to play fast

to satisfy their uncontrolled ego; some can play Chopin
beautifully because they know what it feels like to be
dying, others only play triad chords but sing at the same
time like Elton John because they had an inspiring
moment in their lives. No matter, accept and be
grateful for the variety of individuals taking up the piano
and do not judge them for their output.

By piano playing purpose, the Water Pianist

understands that the piano is a very personal affair for
many. Not everybody was forced to play the piano as a
child by pushy parents; they perhaps discovered it in
their twenties and wanted to fulfil a life-long dream.

Being able to play songs which have a personal

connection to the performer is a beautiful thing; usually,
the fixed exam pieces are of no personal interest to the
candidate so their enthusiasm or passion is not as high
as it could be but they are determined to get a
certificate. They are to be encouraged in their noble
endeavours.

By hand shape, the Water Pianist understands

that not one hand is the same as any other so fingering
rules go out the window.
 The obsession with strict fingering is perhaps the
greatest fallacy in pianism and is fervently discouraged
by Water Pianism and intelligently disregarded by the
Water Pianist.

Some people have enormous hands but short

fingers, others have tiny hands but longer fingers,
rendering certain traditional fingering absolutely
impossible to execute. With the eyes closed, the hands
will find their own positions at the piano without them
being forced into unnatural ways by some impersonal
method book recommendation.

By muscle strength, the Water Pianist

understands that everybody’s arms are different. Most
have a stronger side, some have injuries and some are
quite weak.

It is important to spend time researching, even

on the personal advice of a medical professional, how to
strengthen the arm muscles because they dictate one’s
endurance at the piano and are part of the tendon
network; if the muscles are not strong or tire quickly,
the finger tendons simply cannot withstand playing a
complex or long piece and this may be a great
disappointment even to someone who has all the
passion and desire to become great that can be
imagined.

This is why the energy channel is: Mind, Body

and then Piano.

By span, the Water Pianist understands that the

reach of one’s fingers differs from hand to hand. Many
cannot reach an octave yet many can reach a tenth or
even more in some unique cases!

This span effects fingering choices of pieces and

scales but also hand position at the piano; if the span is
very wide, one need not move so much left and right to
execute certain phrases, thus conserving energy and
tiring less quickly. Small spans require much more
movement, tire more quickly and often cause the upper-
arm muscles to ache, which is exactly why the muscles
should be strengthened and maintained daily no matter
the span, hand or finger size.

By finger size, the Water Pianist understands that

sometimes, the space between the ‘black notes’ is too
narrow so ‘white notes’ cannot be pressed. This is a
problem if the piece happens to require many ‘black
notes’ to be pressed and fewer ‘white notes’.

The only way to overcome this is to move the

arm backwards to play ‘white notes’ and then forwards
again for the ‘black notes’. This can become very tiring
and can even dictate what pieces one may take on.

By musical personality, the Water Pianist

understands that everybody has different tastes in
music and technique.

Within them, some like heavy operatic sounds of

Wagner, the fire of Liszt’s Rhapsodies, the poetic beauty
of Chopin, the flowing impressionistic style of Debussy,
the ragtime of Scott Joplin, the Rock n’ Roll of Gerry Lee
Lewis – it is quite an endless list of opportunities.
 What is important to the Water Pianist is a
complete understanding of what is naturally enjoyed,
knowing that this changes over time in both genre and
technique, and that playing within that sphere of
musical pleasure is incredibly important and brings
about the most marvellous results.

In addition to being aware of all the above

points, the ‘You’ method also requires consideration of
the three parts of the three components to Water
Pianism and how they apply to You.

As already presented, the Mind component

involves the Mind Triangle: Ego, Inspirational Source and
Conscious Self. Each of these three parts differ from
individual to individual, lending further credence to the
fact that not one book could be written just for You.

The Ego of the Mind component differs because

everyone has different opinions, desires and
attachments and are influenced by them at different
levels of intensity.
 The Water Pianist strives to reject the negative
involvement of the Ego so that the journey becomes
much more pleasurable and successful; it can then be
shared with others either through performance or
education.

The Inspirational Source of the Mind component

differs because what is coming in relates only to that
individual and can only ever be truly understood and
executed by that individual.

The Water Pianist strives to encourage the

positive involvement of the Inspirational Source for a
purer, more honest output; this can also then be shared
with others either through performance or education.

The Conscious Self of the Mind component

differs because of what is inherent to it and what it has
had to deal with from the other two parts until this
point.

Although we are all human, the Conscious Mind

comes in countless forms that we identify as
‘personalities’. Much like the flame of a candle, it is
recognisably a flame but it is not the same flame as that
of the candle next to it, nor any other before or after it.

Put simply, we are all different.

The Water Pianist follows the teaching of:

acquire what is required when it is required. This way,
time is not spent on technical and theoretical aspects
currently unnecessary to natural progress and instead
does spend time on those which are indeed necessary to
natural progress. These are different for all.

Play You.
 Links

To read more about Water Pianism – The Guide,

see here: http://piano-jazz.blogspot.com/p/water-
pianism.html

For a useful article on some of the topics

discussed herein, see here: http://piano-
jazz.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-pianists-checklist.html

For a video on ideas to enforce the unavoidable

major scales, see here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heEVryaj-wI

To hear my compositions, see here:

https://soundcloud.com/danthecomposer

To enjoy a Water Pianism-based playlist entitled

Ten Mins @ the Piano, see here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4cPpP-
Ua6NUFebhir7tx1CrW03zbb0d0