How to Take the Most Out of Hanon Exercises
And boost your finger technique!
Are Hanon piano exercises outdated relics or a valuable tool for pianists for improving piano technique? This question sparks debates among music teachers and enthusiasts alike. In this article, I delve into various approaches to practicing Hanon exercises, shedding light on their effectiveness and dispelling common myths.
Who is Charles-Louis Hanon
Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900) was a French pianist, composer, and pedagogue, primarily remembered for his significant contribution to piano pedagogy. Born in Renescure, France, Hanon demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for music from a young age. He received his early musical education at the Royal Conservatory in Paris, where he studied under renowned instructors such as Pierre Zimmerman, who was also the teacher of Charles Gounod and Charles-Valentin Alkan.
Hanon's enduring legacy lies in his work, "The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises," published in 1873. This collection of exercises, designed to develop finger strength, agility, and independence, has become a cornerstone of piano technique worldwide. Hanon's piano exercises are revered by pianists of all levels, from beginners to virtuosos, for their effectiveness in building foundational skills essential for mastering the instrument.
Rachmaninoff explained in an interview with James Francis Cooke, about how Hanon exercises have developed his piano technique: Every student in the Moscow conservatory had to learn all the exercises played in all the tonalities in high-speed tempos up to 100 for the half notes; i.e., 8 notes per beat. Only then was a student allowed to proceed to the next stage of learning repertoire. The great pianist Josef Lhevinne tells the same.
Yet, the Hanon exercises are debated today by some as being ineffective or even claimed to be harmful. I think that is utter nonsense. First of all, no exercises can be harmful if employing the proper piano technique.
One thing I do agree with is that the exercises are for ninety percent treating the same finger technique using different patterns of a similar passage. A few of the exercises also involve tremolo technique, scales, arpeggios, and some double notes.
Below, I'll talk about more ways to transform the same Hanon exercises into highly effective exercises for all kinds of different techniques. From stretching between fingers, double notes, and octaves to articulation. In the VIDEO you can see some examples as well.
9 Ways of Practicing Hanon Piano Exercises
1.
Traditional Approach
I begin with the traditional method, which involves practicing the exercises as written, focusing on finger dexterity and coordination. It's essential to engage in slow, deliberate practice with relaxed wrists and engaged arm movements.
2.
Exploring Different Tonalities
Practicing Hanon exercises in various tonalities challenges to learn scales and transposition, enhancing the understanding of music theory and keyboard feel. Using the black keys in the different scales forces you readjust the form of your hands with every step up.
3.
Incorporating Sustained Notes
By sustaining certain fingers while practicing Hanon exercises, one develops finger independence and strengthen the muscles, essential for precise and controlled playing. It also helps to learn and think in divisions and hand positions rather than note to note.
4.
Utilizing Chords As A Grid
Using chords as a framework for Hanon exercises adds complexity and versatility, encouraging us to navigate the keyboard with precision and adaptability. We must think quite a bite here in order to have the correct distance between each note as we advance up and down the scale. The distances between the notes is excellent for developing finger strength and stretch.
5.
Play The Exercises In Octaves
Playing Hanon exercises in octaves in different tonalities using various fingerings makes for excellent octave exercises. Octave exercises are often simple and dull, but using Hanon and play these in octaves makes it more interesting and effective.
6.
Working In Parallel Thirds Intervals
To play the piano exercises in parallel thirds is challenging, because thirds are difficult for most pianist. Playing Hanon in thirds creates difficult situations that require an inventive piano fingering.
7.
Working in Parallel Sixths Intervals
Working in parallel sixths is daunting, and yet they sound so beautiful. Experiment with playing the upper voice "Molto Legato" which requires a good fingering and playing with a good stretch when playing the interval of the sixth with the fingers 1-2.
8.
Experimenting With Different Rhythms
Varying rhythms within Hanon exercises promotes finger agility and encourages efficient use of arm movements, vital for expressive and dynamic playing. Work with fingerings such as dotted eighth note with a sixteenth or a long note followed by a burst of a group of very fast notes. The sky is limit!
9.
Employing Different Articulations
Practicing Hanon exercises with different articulations, such as legato, staccato, and portato, cultivates control and expression, enriching my palette of techniques. Also try to play different articulations simultaneously in both hands: left hand 'Staccato', right hand 'Legato' etc. Very good for hand independence at the piano.
Conclusion
I firmly refute the notion that some of Hanon's exercises can cause harm to pianists' hands, attributing hand injuries to incorrect playing techniques rather than finger exercises themselves. I advocate for developing strong hands and encourage pianists to embrace a balanced approach that incorporates strength, agility, and flexibility.
In conclusion, Hanon exercises remain a valuable tool for pianists of all levels. When practiced with intention and variety, they can enhance finger dexterity, musicality, and overall piano technique. Although Hanon's finger exercises are excellent, they are just one part of a complete piano technique.
For a complete piano technique, we must practice other piano exercises as well, like Brahms, Pischna, Philipp, etc. But explains to you how to work on these exercises in the most beneficial ways and without invoking hand injuries?
In my method, Super Fingers, I delve into all aspects of piano technique: fingers and arm technique. I explain every exercise, plus there is a video course showing everything in detail.
→ Learn more about getting access to Super Fingers and live coaching.
Click play to watch the video tutorial:
Hey Lars, here from Piano Fantasy! Today, we're going to discuss different ways of working on Hanon's finger exercises. As you can see, I have a whole bunch of books here. Each of these books focuses on finger exercises, and I have completed all of them. For example, I have Philipp, Plaidy, and Lilly. Additionally, we have some materials that, although not specifically for finger exercises, serve as exercises for improving pedal techniques.
We also have the first two books in a series from Alberto Jonas, in collaboration with many great pianists. These books are available only from Dover Edition, but fortunately, I managed to download PDFs of the remaining eight books. They contain excellent exercises, especially for the left hand. Gaby Casadesus, the wife of the great French pianist Robert Casadesus, has some superb stretching exercises. Alfred Cortot's "Rational Principles of Piano Technique" are also included. Pischna's exercises, though challenging with sustained notes, are highly effective. Brahms' exercises show how much I've practiced them. Then there are the three volumes of Liszt exercises which, despite being a bit boring and long, still offer great value. However, in comparison to Brahms’ exercises, they fall short. Now, let’s focus on the Hanon exercises.
Hanon exercises are sometimes dismissed by modern teachers, but I believe this is shortsighted as they are excellent for finger dexterity. Depending on how you work on them, they can be highly effective. Rachmaninov mentioned that in Russia, all young students at the conservatory had to learn all the Hanon exercises in all scales during their first two years of study. The basic method involves performing them slowly with raised fingers using both hands, which helps in building fundamental finger strength and dexterity.
The next step involves adding different tonalities to the exercises. Many students find this challenging due to a lack of familiarity with scales. It's crucial to learn the scales and understand the number of sharps and flats each key possesses. Integrating exercises by transposing them helps automate the knowledge of tonalities.
Another approach is to practice with sustained notes in various scales. For example, in C major, you let the fifth finger sustain until it has to play again. This method enhances finger independence by using one finger as an anchor point while playing. This exercise also emphasizes the importance of having free wrists and feeling the muscles in the lower arm.
Using chords as a grid is another effective methodology. Start with the scale of C major and adapt it to seventh chords. This variation adds complexity but also enriches your finger strength and flexibility. If you accidentally skip a note, you'll notice which stretches you need to work on, improving your finger independence even more.
Practicing in octaves, while seemingly simple on the white keys, becomes challenging on the black keys. This helps in practicing scales like B Major. Incorporating double notes into your practice can effectively loosen your fingers. Additionally, practicing in thirds and using intervals like sixths can assist in making finger exercises less tedious while enhancing your technical skills. Experimenting with different fingerings for each exercise helps in dealing with complex passages in actual pieces of music.
Two further techniques include using varied rhythms and articulations. Different rhythms can activate your fingers more than usual, requiring efficient use of your arms. Varying articulations, such as legato, staccato, and portato, can enhance your finger technique and overall control.
While some claim that finger exercises like Hanon can damage hands, it's important to note that playing the piano incorrectly is more harmful. Proper technique with strong fingers and free arm movements prevents injuries. I've practiced extensively, sometimes for up to 12 hours a day, without injuries because of focusing on using my arms and fingers correctly.
I hope you learned something from this video. Don't hesitate to start working on Hanon exercises using these varied techniques to keep them interesting and effective. Although they do not cover all technical aspects, you can find comprehensive guidance on my website and in the courses I offer, detailing systematic approaches on proper arm and finger use.
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