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Elements of Tone Production in Piano Playing

Understand Music

In order to understand and feel music and communicate such perceptions to others by means of an instrument, we must realize that these are two totally distinct accomplishments. They have often been confused, owing to the fact, that it is impossible to achieve a really satisfactory musical performance without their combination and coordination.
To become keyboard players, we must learn music and acquire taste, but we can only succeed in expressing what we feel musically, by means of the physical act of key depression. In short, the purely physical act of playing consists solely of an Act of Touch and tone-production. All the gradations of
  1. Agility (fleetness of finger),
  2. Duration (staccato and legato),
  3. as well as all the contrasts of tone-inflection
depend solely and directly on the nature of this act, and it is therefore upon our expertness in the Act of Touch that the whole superstructure of keyboard-playing rests. The Art of Touch may be concisely defined as "command over the means of expression".

Rational Understanding

The actual elements involving the question of tone-production must be understood by the pupil. This requires a rational understanding of the physical structure of the piano as well as the physiology of the human. This requires analyzing the subject to be taught. You must deduce the laws and rules that govern successful performance and directly communicate such laws of procedure to yourself. The formulation of the knowledge so far gained of the immediate causes that underline each effect must be comprehended.
  1. In each case, the student will be informed of the already perceived laws and rules of procedure for producing sound.
    2. IF [ You already know previously formulated laws and rules]
    THEN [You may even go further and discover fresh truths with respect to piano technique.]
  2. The pianist strives to attain a conscious sense of the laws that govern the effects of piano playing during practice. The formulation of the laws of tone-production is attempted in the "Act of Touch".
    3. The rules that govern piano playing must be made into habit of mind.
  3. The subconscious mastery of already discovered rules and facts must proceed original thought in the case of the other sciences.
  4. The forming of correct habits can at once be enforced, when the laws and rules of procedure are known.
  5. The form of attention required from a fully trained artist, must necessarily differ from that of the average student.
  6. The habits formed by the pianist in the past, which are unconsciously guided by the eye, provide all the complicated movements in answer to what is required at the keyboard.
  7. Almost everything we learn has to be done first consciously (at a conscious level).
  8. Only by habit can we ultimately succeed in naturally accomplishing the required actions.
  9. Repetition can only be assured if we have succeeded in mentally noting both the aural (sound) effect and the muscular sensations accompanying the mechanical completion of the sound.
  10. Only by having the power to recall these muscular sensations, shall we be able to ensure the recurrence of the musical effect.
  11. In the rational form of learning, every form of tone production has been analyzed.
  12. A great deal of bad playing does not arise from lack of musical taste, as from wrong mental-muscular habits.