Finger versus Hand Movement

Now, with this muscular combination (consisting of finger-force and hand-force) you have two optional movements available.

1. A movement of the finger alone while the exertion of the hand remains invisible, or,
2. a movement of the hand instead, while the fingerexertion may here remain quite hidden from view.

When the finger provides the movement, this is called "Fingertouch," although the action is here compounded of exertions both of the hand and the finger; the first invisible but the second visible. Whereas, when the hand provides the actual movement, then it is called "Hand-touch," prior to Matthay analysis, "Wrist-touch," although the action is here comprised of both finger and hand exertions the first here invisible, but the second visible. Such difference in movement is determined by one of these two exertions being slightly in excess of the other; thus when the hand-exertion is slightly in excess of its fellow, we have "Hand touch"; whereas with the finger-exertion in excess, we have "Finger-touch."

NOTE. This difference in movement has little influence on the actual tone. It is merely a matter of convenience. Thus, for the quickest passages, the shortest lever, the finger, can more easily be reiterated than can be the hand along with the finger, since this forms a far longer lever. When the tempo of the passage is slow enough to allow of it, we may use movements of those longer levers. Namely, the forearm or the whole arm. But the longer and heavier the lever, the heavier also is the mass of inertia you have to cope with. Since more force is required to overcome the sluggishness of a larger mass than that of a smaller mass, and this materially affects the problem of choice of movement.