Midrange of Movements for the limbs used in Piano Playing

The midrange of movements of the limbs used in piano playing represent those movements which do not represent the outer extremes of motion. The "midrange of movements" in piano playing refers to the range of limb and finger movements that avoid the extremes of motion, such as fully extended or fully contracted positions. These movements are typically more efficient, precise, and conducive to maintaining control and flexibility while playing. Utilizing the midrange allows pianists to:

1. Optimize Mechanics: The joints and muscles operate most efficiently when they are not at their limits. The midrange supports smoother transitions between keys and reduces unnecessary strain.
2. Maintain Relaxation: Playing within the midrange helps prevent tension, as the hands, wrists, and arms are not overstretched or over-contracted.
3. Enhance Accuracy: A neutral position allows for better accuracy and consistency, particularly in passages requiring speed or dynamic control.
4. Promote Longevity: By avoiding extremes, the likelihood of overuse injuries such as tendinitis or carpal tunnel syndrome decreases.

This concept is fundamental in developing a healthy and sustainable piano technique, particularly for extended practice or performance.

To gain utmost efficiency and balance, all limbs should be kept in the midrange of their movements. The second set of muscles controlling finger movement is the abductor-adductor set. The abductors move the fingers laterally away from each other; the adductors move them together again. The action is similar to that of a pair of scissors.
In human anatomy, the adductor pollicis muscle^[1] is a muscle in the hand that functions to adduct the thumb. It has two heads:

1. transverse and
2. oblique.

It is a flat, triangular and fan-shaped muscle deep in the thenar compartment ^[1] beneath the long flexor tendons and the lumbrical muscles at the center of the palm. It overlies the metacarpal bones and the interosseous muscles.

Any type of stretching exercise is totally destructive, for when the finger is moved to the extremity of its range, an antagonistic muscular pull is created. Ortmann devoted almost half of his book to the description and naming of the muscles and nerves in the piano playing limbs. The old premise that virtuosity depends on maximum muscular velocity has been disproved and muscular grinding is a destructive practice which is to be avoided. The making of a pianist requires no special type of hand, as long as it is in normal condition. All hands have basically the same muscular system, with similarly structured bones and joints that operate in the same way. The problem of the small hand is no different than the problem of the large hand, for it is not the structure of the limbs, nor the condition of the muscles that obtain results. It is understanding what to do with the laws of motion and gravity which will be discussed on the next page.

[1] : Adductor pollicis Adductor pollicis is a triangular intrinsic muscle of the hand. It belongs to a group called thenar muscles, along with abductor pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, and opponens pollicis.

[2] thenar compartment: the lateral compartment of the palmar surface of the hand.