UK Piano Page Piano Forum

Learning the spacing of piano keys is making me ask how much should you try not to look at the keys when reaching out for a distant note. Reading the music as I play seems more natural even playing a classical guitar. With a violin I never look at my fingers. I have started practising spaced out notes , over an octave apart and just listening for the notes. Not using any music , just testing the distance . Is that a good standard thing to do on a piano?

There is a good book that covers the basic of "blind leaps" - under the heading "Training the hands" - and its the very first exercise (of 22).

I think the book is out of print now (or not in stock), however, worth a try:>>

"Help yourself to Sight-reading" (A practical tutor for pianists) by Daphne Sandercock.
Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) (First published in 1979)

The book provides the pianist with systematic practice in the various skills needed for fluent sight-reading, and ideal to use in conjunction with piano lessons.

Here is an example: (Exercise 2)
Place LH 5th finger on Middle C.
Close your eyes and then leap down to C, one octave lower, then next C - using the same 5th finger. Hold each key down until ready to move then move smartly, trying to visualise each note. Remember that the position of your hand is being recorded in your memory and that hesitations will weaken the impression.

Now try the same ex. with your right hand.

The book also covers a series of 5 finger exercises, leaping from one octave to the other "blind".... repeating each one until it is accurate.


I myself am rewriting some of the book, incorporating my own techniques - then moving onto chord progressions, inversions, dominant 7ths & their inversions, LH figures in Chopin waltzes, chromatic alterations.... and so on. It will be printed hopefully around June 2012 - but sold privately.


Colin

Thanks .Very helpful.