I am writing to get some ideas on how to solve two problems I have noticed with my hand positioning, which I believe are related.
The first is that I tend to play with my fingers, especially the middle finger, too curved, reaching a point where I press the keys vertically if not having the nail touch, while the other is that if I play, especially with the left hand using the pinky and ring finger, the index finger lifts and the thumb tends to move backward on the keyboard.
If I pay close attention, I can control the first problem and extend my fingers, whereas the second problem is difficult for me to control.
Furthermore, during lessons, it is pointed out to me that I am making mistakes, but at home, I don't know how to monitor myself and understand if I am doing it correctly or not. And the following week in the lesson, I am back to square one.
I would therefore need some ideas or things to do for self-control. Any idea is welcome.
At the beginning, one must try to avoid tension and the "desire to do".. at all costs. The fact that the index finger lifts indicates stiffness and anxiety. Every hand has its own posture, within certain limits, naturally. Nothing must be unnatural, and the Teacher must follow this principle. Relaxation will allow you to gravitate on the keys and teach your hand to feel to the bottom of the key. At first, the sound will result a bit loud, but it doesn't matter. Gradually, one will learn that not only do the fingers play, and not only do the small muscles work. The coordination between the small muscles (of the fingers and the hand) and the large ones (of the forearm, the arm, and the shoulder) is not immediately perceived by the brain. Furthermore, one should not observe the position of the hand as an end in itself. Every pianist "assumes" their posture according to their own stature and the conformation of the hand. Finally: for many years it was thought that the fingers had to be strictly kept from being extended to have more energy. This is not always the case; in fact, often it is not so. The fingertip, instead of the tip. One can also observe this in the greats like Michelangeli, especially in a video recorded in the last years of his life. Sandor also says, in his splendid "manual" "how to play the piano", that more than muscular development, what achieves equality between the fingers is a cerebral matter. Even if the 5th finger will never be as strong as the 3rd, for example, the brain will learn to treat the first with different energy, even in the search for optimal posture.
So: control yes, but do not make it, at the beginning, a reason for "total" distraction. Attention to Music and expression will surely help the hand put itself in a position to resolve the most difficult technical moments, offering a sure reason for growth.
