Whereas, with the arm fully poised or balanced on the surface of the keys, a measure of its weight may actually come to bear continuously (although gently) upon the keybeds.
This constitutes "Weight-transfer" or "Passing-on" touch.
It also thus forms the basis of "natural-legato," since it compels each finger in turn to hold down its note until relieved by the next finger.
All passages that are played at a high velocity must be played either as
- Arm-vibration or as
- "Weight-transfer" touch
Rapid finger-passages form the very backbone of all piano music.
Understanding of these matters is therefore of prime importance, and will be discussed in Module 12.
which is wholly devoted to the further clarification of the distinction between
1) Weight-transfer touch and 2) Arm-vibration touch. We will now further consider the Poised Arm Element.
With the arm fully poised (also known as balanced) the hand remains uninfluenced by its weight, and it can here lie quite loosely on the keyboard surface.
The fully-poised condition of the arm may however be slightly modified in rapid finger passages, when played forte.
A more substantial basis is then needed for the powerful finger-and-hand impulses, and the arm may then be allowed actually to rest a little on the Keyboard.
This is feasible, provided the passage is sufficiently rapid to prevent such extra weight from coming to bear solidly and continuously on the
keybeds[1].
We have seen (1f 10) that with the somewhat less fullypoised arm-condition (or heavier form of "Resting") this weight comes to bear continuously upon the key-beds, and when purely passed on from Key-bed to Key-bed forms "Weight-transfer" or "Passing-on" Touch.
Note: "Purely passed-on weight" here signifies without those momentarily applied individual impulses of the finger-and-hand which constitute Arm-vibration Touch.
