Stephen Russell
Published: 2021-01-18
Total Pages:
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Steve Russell has worked for thirty years to provide pianists and keyboardists with a pathway to virtuosity free from pain and injury. His endeavours are now brought together in Calm Hands. Whether a beginner, an advanced player seeking technical improvement, or one suffering from repetitive strain injury, Calm Hands can help you develop a safe and efficient technique.In Part I, Steve explores the physiology of the arms and hands to explain how they function most efficiently and powerfully at the piano keyboard. A set of simple exercises is provided to convert this understanding into elegant and effortless playing habits. These habits are vital to accurate rhythm and agility of dynamics and articulation, but more importantly they can protect pianists from repetitive strain and carpal tunnel injuries.Part II is a comprehensive series of exercises designed to help improvising keyboardists habituate efficient fingering strategies. As you discover the ease with which your hands can negotiate apparently complex combinations of black and white keys, you will begin to absorb the underlying principles of efficient fingering that enable smooth and powerful legato execution without strain.