Piano Instrument Conclusion

We must not press the key upon its bed since the key-beds will not be able to alter the tone of the string.
The main difference between other forms of "aiming" and that required by the pianoforte-key is that we must employ our sense of hearing to guide the muscles that fulfill the required movement of the key. When we employ the eye to guide our muscles in the case of the

1. tennis-racket,
2. billiard-cue,
3. pencil or
4. brush,

we focus on the movement of the tool at the end and there is no associated sound as in the case of the piano.

There are many analogies in the use of the piano-key to that of the racket, golf-club, or other speed-tools. For instance, we must in all cases 1) weigh, 2) balance, or 3) judge the weight or resistance of the tool itself, before we can successfully supply the requisite energy and aim the key towards the point in sound. We do not aim such a tool as a whole as we would a ball or stone when throwing it. On the contrary, we aim with the end of the tool which is furthest away from us. We want to focus our attention on that end of the tool, when we wish to project a ball or a string by means of such a speed-tool. Therefore, it is with that end of the tool that our mind must focus on. Moreover, it is not enough merely to aim the piano-key so that the string shall be reached and moved. If we mean to "play" effectively, we must see that the energy we supply to the ball (in the case of a tennis racket) or string (in the case of a piano) is carefully directed to a definite purpose. If we merely press our keys down without paying attention to how we set the keys in motion, we may obtain a tone of some kind, but it cannot then be in accurate response to our musical feeling. The law applies to all tools that require any accuracy in their use. We must be careful when applying energy to the surface of the key, which is the object which must be set in motion.

Thus, we must feel a time and tone as imperatively due, owing to our musical perception being directed upon the work under interpretation. The pianist must place keys into intimate connection with his brain through the muscular sense. We must then use the key in accordance with the laws of its application. Specifically, we must remember to move the key while it is movable and obtain from the key (during the short space in which it is movable) the consummated degree of speed, that our inner ear demands in tone-value.
Once again, in a word the key-descent must be aimed or directed to that point in descent, where its culminating motion initiates tone. This spot in key-descent being made to correspond with the point in 1) time and 2) tone dictated by our musical conscience.