Modern Keyboard Technique

Through the intelligent study and combination of the basic laws of

1. physiology,
2. mechanical operation,
3. motion and gravity,
4. piano performance

can achieve new levels.
When a person has musical talent, a good eye-hand coordination more than likely exists. With thoughtful practicing and a basic understanding of mechanical principles, all pianistic demands can be met. Pain, insecurity, and lack of control are all symptoms of incoordinate movements at the piano. A skilled pianist has learned how to play with coordinated movements, a quality that is natural in the prodigy or instinctive genius. A coordinate movement is one which uses minimum energy to obtain a desired result. A skilled pianist uses the correct combination of movements.
These movements involve the finger, hand, forearm, and upperarm, for these are the tools needed to perform on the piano.

1. The bones within these limbs function as a series of third class levers.
2. The third class levers are connected by joints which serve as fulcrums.

A lever is any rigid body capable of swinging at a fixed point.
A fulcrum is a point on which a lever swings, for example, when using the tapping finger as single component, the hand knuckle (proximal phalanx and metacarpal head) serves as a fulcrum.

See Types of Mechanical Work for more information on levers and fulcrums.

The components can be broken down as follows.

1. The finger swings on a fulcrum at the hand knuckle (proximal phalanx and metacarpal head),
2. the hand swings on a fulcrum at the wrist,
3. the forearm swings on a fulcrum at the elbow, and
4. the upperarm swings on a fulcrum at the shoulder.

See Figure 6 from Gometry of Physiological Movement