Some Notes: Practice *everything* hands separately. Consider the two hands as two different pianists; each hand must study by itself. Memorize the exercise--focus must be on the technique. Focus on (1) relaxation of the arm and hand, (2) keep pinky down, (3) thumb down, (4) natural position of the hand. Practice for relaxation: play one group and then set arm down to relax (conscious rest); play up to quick speeds, pausing for relaxation; add a group every few days and keep going until all can be played without any pain or tension--THERE SHOULD BE NO PAIN OR TENSION. Play as fast as possible as soon as possible. First 31 exercises are for fast playing; practice fast thinking. Starting Regimen: For 1-2 months (depending on the student), the first 20 exercises every day--as fast as possible, right hand first up and down exercise 1, left hand up and down exercise 1, then on to exercise 2. Practicing Hanon as written is NOT going to improve technique or warm you up--it's a waste of time. Should we practice Hanon in all the keys? Why would we do this? Since C Major works only white keys, next do C# Major, but after this there will be little improvement in technique by playing other keys. Small adjustments in the way of playing can be made for different styles (with more intensity or less, staccato or legato, etc. as oriented toward different pieces). Can Hanon cause an injury? As instructed here, no; the consistent relaxation provided in hands separate helps to alleviate this. To help with relaxation, move elbow while playing quickly (can only be done if you are relaxed). Later, the scales: still hands separated. Four octaves up and down twice, then arpeggios twice at the same tempo. C Major, then A minor (harmonic), then down through the circle of fifths (F Major and D minor next). Emphasize evenness, don't focus on "collecting," but focus on more "staccato" flow (will sound disconnected at slow speeds but not at fast speeds).
Hi Greig, I was supposed to practice this and give you a feed back of my practice, following your advise. I managed to start a few days ago, mainly with my left hand , as that is my weakness. Your tutorial really works well, and although I just did the first 6 , but the idea of doing separate hands is amazing. I have not played Hanon since I was 20 years old, (many years ago) but I can already see the change in my left hand. I recommend for everyone to watch your Hanon tutorial. Thank you so much. I am late in reporting my progress, but Better Late Than Never. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
@@gregniemczuk thank you for your encouragement. I will send you more reports. At the moment it is left hand , 6 excercises, metronome 80 , 2 beats a measure.
Firstly, This is solid gold content, Greg. Great work and thanks for your sharing and knowledge! Secondly, I realised I have asked you random questions in your other episodes and you just answered them (and more) in this clip. I have saved this and I am sure I will revisit this and incorporate this into daily practice. The takeaway for me are 1) hand separately, 2) relaxation, 3) neverpractice without thinking. Thank you so much Greg, you are such an inspiring teacher❤❤
Very good about practicing separately with the hands. The left hand will often gladly follow along quickly but when asked to perform by itself is slower. Hanon said to do the whole book every day,taking an hour, which is not a good idea and impossible for many! I think it is better to pick and choose some exercises and stick with that. Also what you said about it being boring helps to focus on technique is something I’m going to tell my students now.
I'm so glad to hear such positive points of view about Hanon and to learn new ways to practice it. As I used Hanon when I was a kid, I believed that Hanon was a must to improve technique, but as I heard lots of negative opinions and chriticisms, I started having a doubt. Thanks to you, I learnd new ways to practice today. I'll start doing everything what you explained in this video!! Thank you so much!
Vladimi Horowitz volle essere seppellito con il libro di Hanon perché, disse, che lui non iniziava nulla senza avere prima fatto gli esercizi di riscaldamento!
Very interesting aproach! Thank you! Just recently i realized that Hanon is a sort of "neutral stuff" that can be used in several different ways for several different aims.
Thank you so much Greg. I started Hanon 1-38 almost all of variants all major keys 2 1/2 years ago because of Covid isolation. Excited to start immediately with no variants , and just C/C#! Thank you!
This is an amazing technique. I have been practicing with two hands for years with HPE, and now I find that I'm less fatigued and actually have a much better technique. :) Thank you for all that you do!
Writing as an organist and wannabe pianist, I heard Hanon coming from practice rooms from some pianists, but only recently started working on it on my own. I'm looking forward to trying out some of the suggestions you made, especially regarding relaxation (and and flexibility of the elbows), as well as holding the 5th finger or thumb down with each exercise fragment. Also, it surprised me a bit to hear you say that practicing hands together is a waste of time, but your argument makes perfect sense: it is quite uncommon that both hands are truly moving in exact parallel motion, especially for longer durations. Thank you for sharing this wonderful guide!
Hello Greg! I am so pleased to have found you online. I am 74 years young and started playing the piano when I was 25. I had a 25 year hiatus and in 2020 knew I had to get back to my love of classical music. I started studying myself and am progressing well. I had excellent teaches early on. I am playing at the early intermediate level now. I enjoy your historical accounts of Chopin, but I especially enjoy your analysis of pieces. You present these analysis with interest and emotion. I also enjoy you explanations of technique; so many different approaches that are so helpful to me. I have just subscribed and am looking forward to watching all of your videos. Thank you for sharing your love of music, Chopin and teaching. Lynn
Hello dear Lynn. So good to hear from you. Good luck on your journey with piano! I'm sure it makes you happy. I have one online student who is 82! That's wonderful!!!!!
Excellent advice to think of the hands as two separate entities. Make the brain work! Here is a teacher who has distilled his teaching from his own practice. As always thank you so much.
stunning lesson on practice. Glad I found this video, I know it will make all the difference in my enjoyment of the process of learning. Thank you for sharing this important information.
You are the only person that I have seen on the web who thinks about Hanon the same way as I do. I would like to add that Hanon also improves sight reading. It is indeed difficult to read horizontal musical lines as of Bach and every other composer. Hanon exercises helped me a lot in sight reading and key touch for Bach's music. So, I would suggest that Hanon exercises should be done reading from the sheet for improving sight reading rather than just mugging up one bar and repeating it one different octaves. Nice information, keep up the good work. 👍
I returned to piano a few years ago after a nearly 40 year hiatus, and only learned of Hanon then because of UA-cam creators saying it was terrible. I love it because it was the first thing I used to get my fingers back on the keyboard and the structure of it just made sense for me. I think your practice suggestions here are so helpful to get the most benefit from these types of exercises.
@@gregniemczuk To, co jest przeciętne lub dobre, może być dla wielu, ale to, co naprawdę niezwykłe i wyjątkowe, jest zawsze dla nielicznych! Ale proszę Boga, aby Twoja praca bardzo się rozwijała, bez zatrzymywania się!
Hi Greg! I started Hanon according to your method 1 month ago. So today is the 1st milestone i reached. Now I decided to add 15' for left hand to 30' morning Hanon routine. I reached exercise #18, but quality first! Thanks again for your mastery and inspiration!👍🎹💝🔥
It's like a time machine😮. I used to look up lots of practice routines on the internet, UA-cam, when I was practicing the piano by myself, but Mr.Greg uploaded a master key that was compressed 30x50x in time, without exaggeration. It was just what I needed. Thank you so much!! Mr.Greg😊
Amazing tutorial, many thanks indeed! I laughed when you mentioned Cmaj and then C#maj - this is exactly the conclusion I came to when doing pentascales. Maximum white keys then maximum black keys! Love the advice when you say play a little section then shake the tension out of your arm, then play more. Within only a few days this has transformed my playing. Thank you!!!
Hi Greg, Thank you for this. After three weeks of (mostly) daily Hanon I can now manage the first run down Chopin Fantasie Impromptu smoothly and at speed. I’ve always stumbled on that bit up until now. Brendan.
This is so useful! Thank you so much for your generosity and enthusiasm in sharing your knowledge! And hopefully, in one month, I’ll have gotten rid of the problem with my out of control little finger… I was glad to hear I’m not the only one with this issue :-)
Wow!. I have just started Hanon Exercises. I had begun to play both hands together. Now I will start again practising Hands Separately. Your video is extremely helpful and clearly explained. I also appreciated your tip about how to practice the Scales by going around the Circle of Fifths. I really appreciate your Masterclass given here. As you say, it helps with technique and efficiency. Thank you Maestro!
There are many great pianists and piano teachers on line but you, Mr.Niemczuk are the best!! Your passion for teaching is so inspiring and motivating that practicing technique have never been so fun until now. Thank you so very much for your generosity! Your videos are always incredibly interesting. Your delivery, captivating! All the best to you Greg!! your delivery,
Dear Greg, if Teaching is ardour ignited by love, 💖 then that's where your method is based on! Thank you so much for your stunning musical instructions!
Hi Greg, I’m trying my best, it’s so lmportant, to practice, you will be sorprice, sometimes we neglected for different reasons. But I will try to follow your good example. Thank you
Thank you, Greg for sharing your expertice. Your advice is spot-on my current issue. I struggle with phrase such as in Mozart Sonata facile, playing Scales nice and clean. I hoped daily practice of all Scales and and Arpeggios will solve problem, but it does not, as long as I practice them hands together. Hanon no.1 to 20 hands separate will be my daily routine 2023.
Great! So I have never done any exercises but I played Op45 Prelude, and for a month before I started on the music I just practised the cadenza, nothing else. It worked for that one piece, which I performed for some friends not long ago. Actually the cadenza taught me a lot about control, even quiet(ish) chords, singing the top line - the notes took a third of the time, the rest was making it sound decent. But for some of the Nocturnes I think it is less clever, as there are multiple issues in, say, Op9#3 Nocturne which I cannot just practice to death individually (I gave up on that piece - for the time being - due to too many bits taking too long to learn). Now I want to improve technique and learn properly, so this is ABSOLUTELY information I need right now, I think. All your tips are amazing. For example, the one hand at a time is definitely something I wouldn't have got right on my own. Can you also suggest a good edition of Hanon (preferably one that looks a bit tidier than your one! LOL...)?
Hi Greg. At 13:20 you said, “Keeping the thumb UP”. Did you actually mean to say, “Keeping the thumb DOWN”? Also … You are a fantastic teacher and I like the way you teach. You teach from experience and your sincerity shows in the video lesson. I am an adult studying piano and while watching your tutorials I am inspired to continue watching your videos and learn! Thank you!
I am a med student and playing piano. I've never had a piano lesson and seeing these techniques from a great teacher means really a lot to me. I'd give everything to be one of your real student. Thanks for the videos and everything🤍🙏🏻
Merci for this. I was a little intimidated when I saw your fast exercises at the beginning, but your explanations made so much sense that I've already implemented it in my practice routine. I will let you know how it's going after one month. Hopefully my video on exercises for the pianist to help with back pain and to help the shoulders and hands will be out by then. Stay tuned.
Thanks a lot, Greg. I love to watch your fantastic and inspiring videos. I have start and stop studying piano since 1980. In the beginning, I’ve studied the first 11. It helped a lot. Now I will begin again using your technique. Thanks again!!!
What an amazing video, thank you so much. I will try to find time to play Hanon separate hands and will follow your advise and will report in a month of my progress. I really would love to watch a video to improve technique for playing trills… that would be awesome. As always your videos are full of good ideas and excellent techniques. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤❤🙏🙏🙏
Thanks you mr greg, panduan anda benar-benar sangat membantu, saya 2 bulan berlatih hanon setiap hari, dan ya saya mencederai diri saya karna belajar dengan asal-asalan, dan ya saya tidak mempunyai guru, Subscriber baru
Merci Greg pour le bon cours que tu viens de nous présenter. Je confirme que Hanon nous fait gagner du temps et ça n'est pas désagréable ! D'ailleurs çà m'a donné envie de m'y remettre ! Merci encore !
Only good stuff here in this video !! I dissent however about lifting fingers at all times: it is also useful to avoid lifting fingers for pp and ultimate speed 🤩
Mr Niemczuk, I have been experimenting your aproach to Hanon during the last two weeks and, well, it seems to work well for me. Left hand is more solidly settled on the keyboard and speed has qickly increased. At present, I'm trying to rise from 90 to 120/130, that is my actual limit in synchronizing the two hands. Working on little fragments helps a lot in perceiving the weight and this is crucial for the solid settlement of the hands.
I've recently started implementing Hanon (5.5 year pianist) as a warmup. I often had collapsing wrists while playing hard passages (think first mvt of Beethoven op 2/3 with those huge FF arpeggios for example). I do have to say that my hand definitely feels more stable and stronger. As you mentioned, particularly the left hand feels really great
Hello, Greg! Thank you very much for your pieces of advice in this video. Even first day I could realise that thay “work.” My question is: what is by your opinion a metronomic tempo, in which we can say that an exercise is mastered, and we can move onto the next one? Hannon himself recommends tempo 108 for quarter note, but that is definitely out of date nowadays. Best regards from Serbia.
Thank you for this video. I’ve noticed that when I play hanon hands together, I can actually go faster than my left hand alone. I realize that that’s because my left hand is being disguised by my right hand as good technique.
I was so happy when I found an old hanon book for $2 at the flea market! I'll try your tips!! Dziękuję bardzo i szczęśliwego nowego roku Panie Niemczuk!
Thanks for this informative video. Right now I have only been practicing about 1/3 of the exercises hands separately and the remainder hands together. I have found that this change has helped me make definite improvements. I will let you know in a month's time the results of completely changing my practice. Thank you fir the wealth if detailed advice.
Thank you for the lesson :) For a person who plays piano only as a hobby, Hanon is just enough :) Probably we would not play any exercises at all if these were harder to learn and remember :D
Thank you so much Greg! I have been wanting to ask questions about Hanon to my teacher for over 7 years, but the problem is she lives in Japan and I only got to see her a few times per year. So my improvement as been very slow. What's worse is I haven't seen her for the last 3 years because of Covid and those questions have been on my mind as to how to use Hanon as well as how to imrpove >
@@gregniemczuk Many thanks! My teacher is of the older generation and does not do online lessons. Looking forward to more of your videos and thanks again Greg!
Pamiętam doskonale podczas analiz utworów Chopina mówił Pan o Hanonie i teraz pełny materiał. Faktycznie powtarzanie tego samego nie przyniesie innych rezultatów. Trzeba przyznać że forsowanie tempa w graniu czegokolwiek jest "bolesne" ale przynosi mozolne efekty.
Although Liszt was proud to declare, “I am no piano professor!”, stayed aloof from methods and systems, and was the sworn enemy of conservatories, it is clear that he often meditated privately about the physical requirements of piano playing. His Italian student Giuseppe Ferrata once engaged Liszt in conversation about piano technique, and later wrote: “More than once I accompanied him to the Church of S. Carlo al Corso, Rome, to hear Mass. We would often walk from the Hotel in Via Aliberti to the Church, a little distance off, arm in arm, and once he said to me, “Many students of piano run up and down scales for hours every day, thinking they will reach the heaven of technical attainments, but athletes develop their muscles and get resistance and control of them by exercises that are based on sudden contraction and expansion. These principles should apply also to students of piano, who should formulate exercises for sudden expansion and contraction of the muscles of their arms and hands.” LL, p. 362; letter from Giuseppe Ferrata to Carl Lachmund, dated December 5, 1917. Alan Walker - Reflections on Liszt-Cornell University Press (2017)
Would the same principles used for arpeggios at speed apply to scales? That is, getting beyond the fixation of getting the thumb under third and fourth fingers? Great presentation. And I say the right proportion of talking and playing.
Dear Greg! Working for >2 weeks 30' gaily - I feel improvement! In Chopin etude 4, Beethoven sonata 10 p1, Brahms op79-1! I'so inspired! Thank you many-many times! Now my dreams can come true ❤️
Dear Greg. Thank you so much for this video. I’m practicing Hanson quite regularly since I started playing piano three years ago. But apparently I was practicing the wrong way (hands together). So from tomorrow, I will start practicing following your recommendation and I will give you my feedback in a month time. I just have one additional question, you did not speak about the time for practicing (daily). What would you recommend for an amateur that wants to improve his technique ? Thanks again for all your contributions to the piano playing. Best regards from Belgium.
Dear Greg. As promised, I’m coming back after one month of practice following your recommendations. Definitely I’ll continue practicing hands separated. As you explain, it’s a great improvement in terms of focus on each hand mouvement and what is missing or need improvement. I would add to practice as much as we can eyes closed, it helps in even better focusing on rhythm and mouvement. Thanks again for your great contribution !
my Beethoven-line teacher (I went to Kissin's 'Gnessin' music school in Moscow) says that Hanon are absolutely necessary for beginner (not Czerny - even though she was from the Beethoven, Czerny, Lechitizky, Nikolaev line). She also always said you have to practise with SEPARATE hands. However, the speed you suggested starting at (as a beginner, I assume) at 12:45 would be 3 or 4 times faster than what my teacher said I must play at. I was beginner at the time (though I started at 23 years old with her). She also said to raise each finger really rather high and in COMPLETE separation from the next finger. I was learning the Beethoven Moonlight sonata (all movements) with her (and Schubert g flat major impromptu).
@@gregniemczuk that's great - I am rubbish at the piano - I play guitar better (I used to play flamenco - for bout 5 years with Francisco Clinton in London). But anyway - if you have time please tell me what you think about this video where I do right hand only the Moonlight 3rd movement and left hand only the Rachmaninov g minor prelude (then I spend the next 30 minutes practising just the hardest bits of the other 15 or so pieces I would like to play well at some point in the future). I just haven't got time to or desire to go back to Hanon (I only ever did the first and second exercises or soa nyway) Here is video of my parctise - and the other link will show my teacher from Gnessin: ua-cam.com/video/dtr9Zs8f5ZQ/v-deo.html and ua-cam.com/video/Uue6q_41JJQ/v-deo.html
I've found that, for saving time, I can combine two Hanons. For example, I play 1 measure of #1 alternating with the next measure from #5, then a measure from #1, then #5, etc.
Hello sir I am so grateful to have found you and this incredible tutorial. I am 67 and a complete beginner, I have been fooling around with different online classes and teachers etc. for a year. I recently realized that there are no shortcuts and when you say learning this way saves time, I 100% believe you. I wish I had found you a year ago. I would be much farther along. QUESTION: I read through all the comments and I did not see this one come up so maybe it’s silly! Here goes! What do you think about when you are playing these exercises and scales? Especially when you are first learning and sight reading, do you say the names of the notes in your head as you’re practicing? I find I can go fast if I don’t say the notes or try to read once I have it memorized. Yet then I feel like I’m cheating somehow. But my speed decreases tremendously the moment I try to read or silently say the notes while I am playing them. Do we want to strive for a Zen state of flow and have our inner chatter silenced? Thank you very much❤
Dear Susan. Thank you for your comment and question. No! You're not cheating! Of course you don't have to say every note when you play fast! No pianist in the world is doing that! If you want some online tuition, I'm here to help. I love doing this!
@@gregniemczuk dear Grzegorz, thank you so much for your speedy and wonderful reply. I have taken down your information and I will likely be getting in touch for an online lesson or two when I get a little clearer with my needs. I started out thinking I could just play lead sheets, left hand cords, right hand melody. The online guy made it look so easy L O L, and I was plotting along with Jingle Bells, and When the Saints Go Marching In and then all of a sudden he tossed inversions into the mix, and my brain exploded. 🧐 So I found another class that specifically focused on cord inversions, but it was all with the right hand so another pow!🤯 Then I realized I need to start learning how to read music and found some other online resources and tried practicing scales, but with two hands, so your information on just using one hand at a time is such a healing balm. After your tutorial today, I found a free online resource for 240 Hanon exercises. Here is the link so you can share with your other students and followers if you’d like …. www.hanon-online.com/all-piano-exercises/. One can also download the whole book as a PDF for US $7.50. www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PIANO-The-Virtuoso-Pianist-by-C-L-HANON-Part-1-transposed-in-all-keys-3972784 Thank you again, I am so thrilled to v-meet you!
Thanks very much Greg. This seemed to me to be excellent (very practical and sensible) advice on how to get the most out of Hanon exercises. I'd never heard anyone recommend playing technical exercises and scales with one hand only, but that also makes good sense. I'd be grateful if you could elaborate briefly on what you mean when you say to play the exercises as fast as possible? I presume that accuracy is more important than speed, and that evenness of sound and tempo are also important. So when you say to play as fast as possible you mean to continually push your speed whilst maintaining accuracy, evenness etc. (and not to bother with plodding along at 60bpm)?
Hi Greg, I'm Alessandro from Italy, I'm fond of Piano and I'm very beginner. Nice tutorial! I would ask you, if Hannon exercises are good also for beginner students, where the great problem is to go fast on the keyboard. Do you recommend to use Hannon and try to go so fast anyway?
Ciao Alessandro! Thanks for asking! NO!!!! Absolutely not! Not so fast!!!! Of course, Hanon is the best for the beginners but forget about this tempo for at least 3-4 years!
![Don't play HANON before watching THIS [Piano Exercises Demystified]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/76gVBrwNx08/mqdefault.jpg)
Some Notes:
Practice *everything* hands separately. Consider the two hands as two different pianists; each hand must study by itself.
Memorize the exercise--focus must be on the technique. Focus on (1) relaxation of the arm and hand, (2) keep pinky down, (3) thumb down, (4) natural position of the hand. Practice for relaxation: play one group and then set arm down to relax (conscious rest); play up to quick speeds, pausing for relaxation; add a group every few days and keep going until all can be played without any pain or tension--THERE SHOULD BE NO PAIN OR TENSION. Play as fast as possible as soon as possible. First 31 exercises are for fast playing; practice fast thinking.
Starting Regimen:
For 1-2 months (depending on the student), the first 20 exercises every day--as fast as possible, right hand first up and down exercise 1, left hand up and down exercise 1, then on to exercise 2.
Practicing Hanon as written is NOT going to improve technique or warm you up--it's a waste of time.
Should we practice Hanon in all the keys? Why would we do this? Since C Major works only white keys, next do C# Major, but after this there will be little improvement in technique by playing other keys.
Small adjustments in the way of playing can be made for different styles (with more intensity or less, staccato or legato, etc. as oriented toward different pieces).
Can Hanon cause an injury? As instructed here, no; the consistent relaxation provided in hands separate helps to alleviate this.
To help with relaxation, move elbow while playing quickly (can only be done if you are relaxed).
Later, the scales: still hands separated. Four octaves up and down twice, then arpeggios twice at the same tempo. C Major, then A minor (harmonic), then down through the circle of fifths (F Major and D minor next). Emphasize evenness, don't focus on "collecting," but focus on more "staccato" flow (will sound disconnected at slow speeds but not at fast speeds).
The smart kid who has a bullet for every idea mentioned who I copy off of. Thank you 💯
Thank you, thank you for this useful info on practicing HANON! 80 year-old getting back into practice. 🎹
Wow! Great!!! Good luck!
I'm 74 and doing the same😁👍
And I thought I was too old with 46....
Amazing 🤩!!!
Just being enthusiastic to start at 70
Thanks
This has to be one of the most informative videos on piano I have ever watched.
Aww, thank you for these words. They make me happy and mean a lot. I tried to do my best
This is truly one of the best piano channels on UA-cam.
Thank you Marcus
It's truly great to finally encounter a competent teacher who draws conclusions based on their own research and critical thinking.
At last someone produced sensible tutorial on Hanon! Thank you, Greg
Thank you Monika! Share it wherever you can 🙂
Hi Greg. Really like how you explain from the bottom of your heart. Lost of greets.
Hi Greig, I was supposed to practice this and give you a feed back of my practice, following your advise. I managed to start a few days ago, mainly with my left hand , as that is my weakness. Your tutorial really works well, and although I just did the first 6 , but the idea of doing separate hands is amazing. I have not played Hanon since I was 20 years old, (many years ago) but I can already see the change in my left hand. I recommend for everyone to watch your Hanon tutorial. Thank you so much. I am late in reporting my progress, but Better Late Than Never. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I'm so happy!!! Keep going! You'll experience miracles!
@@gregniemczuk thank you for your encouragement. I will send you more reports. At the moment it is left hand , 6 excercises, metronome 80 , 2 beats a measure.
You are indeed a very good communicator and teacher.
I really enjoy listening to your instruction.
Thank you
Thank you so much!
Firstly, This is solid gold content, Greg. Great work and thanks for your sharing and knowledge! Secondly, I realised I have asked you random questions in your other episodes and you just answered them (and more) in this clip. I have saved this and I am sure I will revisit this and incorporate this into daily practice. The takeaway for me are 1) hand separately, 2) relaxation, 3) neverpractice without thinking. Thank you so much Greg, you are such an inspiring teacher❤❤
Very good about practicing separately with the hands. The left hand will often gladly follow along quickly but when asked to perform by itself is slower. Hanon said to do the whole book every day,taking an hour, which is not a good idea and impossible for many! I think it is better to pick and choose some exercises and stick with that. Also what you said about it being boring helps to focus on technique is something I’m going to tell my students now.
Yes! Tell them! I do hope it will help!
I am very grateful for this video thank you very much.
Thank you for the comment. I'm so glad!
Th most useful piano video I have ever watched.
Thanks!
I'm so glad to hear such positive points of view about Hanon and to learn new ways to practice it. As I used Hanon when I was a kid, I believed that Hanon was a must to improve technique, but as I heard lots of negative opinions and chriticisms, I started having a doubt. Thanks to you, I learnd new ways to practice today. I'll start doing everything what you explained in this video!! Thank you so much!
Vladimi Horowitz volle essere seppellito con il libro di Hanon perché, disse, che lui non iniziava nulla senza avere prima fatto gli esercizi di riscaldamento!
Very interesting aproach! Thank you!
Just recently i realized that Hanon is a sort of "neutral stuff" that can be used in several different ways for several different aims.
Thank you so much Greg.
I started Hanon 1-38 almost all of variants all major keys 2 1/2 years ago because of Covid isolation.
Excited to start immediately with no variants , and just C/C#! Thank you!
This is an amazing technique. I have been practicing with two hands for years with HPE, and now I find that I'm less fatigued and actually have a much better technique. :) Thank you for all that you do!
Great!
I am an older student. I have the book HANON. But as a little girl, I did learn the exercise you showed us. (an easy one). Thank you Greg.
Absolutely amazing instruction! I'm going to watch this video over and over again. Subscribed.
! Thank you! I appreciate it!
Writing as an organist and wannabe pianist, I heard Hanon coming from practice rooms from some pianists, but only recently started working on it on my own. I'm looking forward to trying out some of the suggestions you made, especially regarding relaxation (and and flexibility of the elbows), as well as holding the 5th finger or thumb down with each exercise fragment. Also, it surprised me a bit to hear you say that practicing hands together is a waste of time, but your argument makes perfect sense: it is quite uncommon that both hands are truly moving in exact parallel motion, especially for longer durations. Thank you for sharing this wonderful guide!
Hello Greg! I am so pleased to have found you online. I am 74 years young and started playing the piano when I was 25. I had a 25 year hiatus and in 2020 knew I had to get back to my love of classical music. I started studying myself and am progressing well. I had excellent teaches early on. I am playing at the early intermediate level now. I enjoy your historical accounts of Chopin, but I especially enjoy your analysis of pieces. You present these analysis with interest and emotion. I also enjoy you explanations of technique; so many different approaches that are so helpful to me. I have just subscribed and am looking forward to watching all of your videos. Thank you for sharing your love of music, Chopin and teaching. Lynn
Hello dear Lynn. So good to hear from you. Good luck on your journey with piano! I'm sure it makes you happy. I have one online student who is 82! That's wonderful!!!!!
Excellent advice to think of the hands as two separate entities. Make the brain work! Here is a teacher who has distilled his teaching from his own practice. As always thank you so much.
stunning lesson on practice. Glad I found this video, I know it will make all the difference in my enjoyment of the process of learning. Thank you for sharing this important information.
Perfect, I've been practicing hanon, you answered a lot of my questions! Thank you!
Really love this content about practising Hanon. Absolutely useful! Thank you so much Greg for sharing. 👏👏👏👌
Thank you Vivien!!! Hope it will help!
You are the only person that I have seen on the web who thinks about Hanon the same way as I do. I would like to add that Hanon also improves sight reading. It is indeed difficult to read horizontal musical lines as of Bach and every other composer. Hanon exercises helped me a lot in sight reading and key touch for Bach's music. So, I would suggest that Hanon exercises should be done reading from the sheet for improving sight reading rather than just mugging up one bar and repeating it one different octaves. Nice information, keep up the good work. 👍
Thank you for this ! It indeed enriched this video. Sight reading! Amazing idea!!!!!
I returned to piano a few years ago after a nearly 40 year hiatus, and only learned of Hanon then because of UA-cam creators saying it was terrible. I love it because it was the first thing I used to get my fingers back on the keyboard and the structure of it just made sense for me. I think your practice suggestions here are so helpful to get the most benefit from these types of exercises.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us here!
Thanks for your useful suggestions on how to practice Hanon. Your lecture demonstration is is fabulous.
I thank you so much for this very helpful lesson ❤❤.
I'm so happy it's useful!
Boleję nad tym, że tak profesjonalne filmy mają tak mało wyświetleń. Życzę Panu w nowym roku zwiększenia widowni. Dzięki za materiał
Dziękuję!!! To jest proces. Oczywiście, że bez reklamy jest to trudne. Ale rośnie. Ja cieszę się z kilku tysięcy!!
@@gregniemczuk To, co jest przeciętne lub dobre, może być dla wielu, ale to, co naprawdę niezwykłe i wyjątkowe, jest zawsze dla nielicznych! Ale proszę Boga, aby Twoja praca bardzo się rozwijała, bez zatrzymywania się!
Hi Greg! I started Hanon according to your method 1 month ago. So today is the 1st milestone i reached. Now I decided to add 15' for left hand to 30' morning Hanon routine. I reached exercise #18, but quality first! Thanks again for your mastery and inspiration!👍🎹💝🔥
Wonderful!!! I'm waiting for your feedback about how it affects the pieces which you play
It's like a time machine😮. I used to look up lots of practice routines on the internet, UA-cam, when I was practicing the piano by myself, but Mr.Greg uploaded a master key that was compressed 30x50x in time, without exaggeration. It was just what I needed. Thank you so much!! Mr.Greg😊
Wow! Thanks!!!! You make me so happy with this comment
Kolejny użyteczny materiał! Dziękuję, bo sam korzystam z ćwiczeń Hanona! 😀
Amazing tutorial, many thanks indeed!
I laughed when you mentioned Cmaj and then C#maj - this is exactly the conclusion I came to when doing pentascales. Maximum white keys then maximum black keys!
Love the advice when you say play a little section then shake the tension out of your arm, then play more. Within only a few days this has transformed my playing. Thank you!!!
Thanks!!! Yes, relaxation is crucial. I'm so happy it's helpful!!!
You are amazing, Grzegorz. My old self with thank me for starting to practice this way early.
Thanks and congrats!
Hi Greg, Thank you for this. After three weeks of (mostly) daily Hanon I can now manage the first run down Chopin Fantasie Impromptu smoothly and at speed. I’ve always stumbled on that bit up until now. Brendan.
Wow!! You made my day! Bravo!!!
Greg, you are insightful and practical on piano practicing; you are also enthusiastic and entertaining as well in teaching, wonderful❤
Thank you so much!
This is so useful! Thank you so much for your generosity and enthusiasm in sharing your knowledge! And hopefully, in one month, I’ll have gotten rid of the problem with my out of control little finger… I was glad to hear I’m not the only one with this issue :-)
Greg, you are one in a million! Thank you for your videos! I respect you! I hope everything in your life goes as you want, because you deserve it.
Thank you much! Same to you!
Wow!.
I have just started Hanon Exercises.
I had begun to play both hands together.
Now I will start again practising Hands Separately.
Your video is extremely helpful and clearly explained.
I also appreciated your tip about how to practice the Scales by going around the Circle of Fifths.
I really appreciate your Masterclass given here.
As you say, it helps with technique and efficiency.
Thank you Maestro!
Thank you!
You are a dedicated piano teacher, thanks for this golden lesson. I am a contemporary pianist in a Cruise ship. This is big help for me Greg 😊.
Wow, what a fantastic profession you have! Thank you!
There are many great pianists and piano teachers on line but you,
Mr.Niemczuk are the best!! Your passion for
teaching is so inspiring and motivating that practicing technique have never been so fun until now. Thank you so very much for your generosity! Your videos are always incredibly interesting. Your delivery, captivating!
All the best to you Greg!!
your delivery,
Wow! You just made my day!!!
Thank you for this amazing free lesson. I will make an effort and try (again) with Hanon while using your strategy!
Kolejna fantastyczna dawka wiedzy, tym razem paktyczej i bardzo użytecznej wyłowiona w tym morzu informacji, czy dezinformcji 🤔 Dziękuję.
thank you so much for your thoughts on building piano technic. It was very informative,
I am new at hanon, but I will continue to watch your videos.
Thanks a million times ❤❤
Dear Greg, if Teaching is ardour ignited by love, 💖 then that's where your method is based on! Thank you so much for your stunning musical instructions!
Thank you!!!
Hi Greg, I’m trying my best, it’s so lmportant, to practice, you will be sorprice, sometimes we neglected for different reasons. But I will try to follow your good example. Thank you
Your advice is always a help. I will be back with you shortly after I have studied. It is a pleasure to study with you. Thank you so much Greg.
Thank you, Greg for sharing your expertice. Your advice is spot-on my current issue. I struggle with phrase such as in Mozart Sonata facile, playing Scales nice and clean. I hoped daily practice of all Scales and and Arpeggios will solve problem, but it does not, as long as I practice them hands together. Hanon no.1 to 20 hands separate will be my daily routine 2023.
Yey. I'm sure it will work!!!!!
Great! So I have never done any exercises but I played Op45 Prelude, and for a month before I started on the music I just practised the cadenza, nothing else. It worked for that one piece, which I performed for some friends not long ago. Actually the cadenza taught me a lot about control, even quiet(ish) chords, singing the top line - the notes took a third of the time, the rest was making it sound decent.
But for some of the Nocturnes I think it is less clever, as there are multiple issues in, say, Op9#3 Nocturne which I cannot just practice to death individually (I gave up on that piece - for the time being - due to too many bits taking too long to learn).
Now I want to improve technique and learn properly, so this is ABSOLUTELY information I need right now, I think. All your tips are amazing. For example, the one hand at a time is definitely something I wouldn't have got right on my own.
Can you also suggest a good edition of Hanon (preferably one that looks a bit tidier than your one! LOL...)?
Fantastic!!! I highly recommend!!! Of course LOL, check on imslp.org - there you will find the good score!
@@gregniemczuk Thank you so much!
Hi Greg. At 13:20 you said, “Keeping the thumb UP”. Did you actually mean to say, “Keeping the thumb DOWN”? Also …
You are a fantastic teacher and I like the way you teach. You teach from experience and your sincerity shows in the video lesson. I am an adult studying piano and while watching your tutorials I am inspired to continue watching your videos and learn! Thank you!
Yes! Thank you so much. Keeping the thumb DOWN!!!!
THANKS for your words!
@@gregniemczuk
… ok, thank you Greg.
Thank you 💕 Greg! I'll practice Hanon scales with your help. I just found you online.
Hello! Welcome to my musical world!
Thanks! Keep doing what you do Sir🙏🏾
Thank you!
I am a med student and playing piano. I've never had a piano lesson and seeing these techniques from a great teacher means really a lot to me. I'd give everything to be one of your real student. Thanks for the videos and everything🤍🙏🏻
Thank you so much! I really appreciate these words and comment. Good luck! I hope all my videos will be helpful and easy to understand. Good luck!
Merci for this. I was a little intimidated when I saw your fast exercises at the beginning, but your explanations made so much sense that I've already implemented it in my practice routine. I will let you know how it's going after one month.
Hopefully my video on exercises for the pianist to help with back pain and to help the shoulders and hands will be out by then.
Stay tuned.
Wonderful! I'm looking forward to both your feedback and the video!
Thank you Greg! 🙏I’ll let you know!
im starting right now :) Thanx a lot !!!!
Happened to see the Video and found it very very helpful. Thanks for sharing!!!
Very clear,methodical and useful for students and teachers! Thank you 🙏
Thanks!
Thanks a lot...
Thanks a lot, Greg. I love to watch your fantastic and inspiring videos. I have start and stop studying piano since 1980. In the beginning, I’ve studied the first 11. It helped a lot. Now I will begin again using your technique. Thanks again!!!
Good luck!!!!!
What an amazing video, thank you so much. I will try to find time to play Hanon separate hands and will follow your advise and will report in a month of my progress. I really would love to watch a video to improve technique for playing trills… that would be awesome. As always your videos are full of good ideas and excellent techniques. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤❤🙏🙏🙏
Wow! Thank you so much!!! Ok, I will record a video about improving the trills!
@@gregniemczuk thank you so much, you are the best. 🙏🙏🙏
Wow! Outstanding tutorial !
Thanks you mr greg, panduan anda benar-benar sangat membantu, saya 2 bulan berlatih hanon setiap hari, dan ya saya mencederai diri saya karna belajar dengan asal-asalan, dan ya saya tidak mempunyai guru,
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Merci Greg pour le bon cours que tu viens de nous présenter. Je confirme que Hanon nous fait gagner du temps et ça n'est pas désagréable ! D'ailleurs çà m'a donné envie de m'y remettre ! Merci encore !
Only good stuff here in this video !! I dissent however about lifting fingers at all times: it is also useful to avoid lifting fingers for pp and ultimate speed 🤩
Mr Niemczuk, I have been experimenting your aproach to Hanon during the last two weeks and, well, it seems to work well for me.
Left hand is more solidly settled on the keyboard and speed has qickly increased. At present, I'm trying to rise from 90 to 120/130, that is my actual limit in synchronizing the two hands.
Working on little fragments helps a lot in perceiving the weight and this is crucial for the solid settlement of the hands.
Thank you so much for this update and for sharing. I'm so happy to hear that it's helpful!
Very nice.
Thanks. My teacher used to have me play a different one in each hand at the same time. He studied with Barrre in Ney York.
Woooooooow. Insane!
thanks for this tutorial! can you do one about how to practice arpeggios next?
OK!!!!
Thank you great tutorial
I've recently started implementing Hanon (5.5 year pianist) as a warmup. I often had collapsing wrists while playing hard passages (think first mvt of Beethoven op 2/3 with those huge FF arpeggios for example). I do have to say that my hand definitely feels more stable and stronger. As you mentioned, particularly the left hand feels really great
Wonderful to hear!!!
Hello, Greg! Thank you very much for your pieces of advice in this video. Even first day I could realise that thay “work.” My question is: what is by your opinion a metronomic tempo, in which we can say that an exercise is mastered, and we can move onto the next one? Hannon himself recommends tempo 108 for quarter note, but that is definitely out of date nowadays.
Best regards from Serbia.
@@jelicamatic4421 thank you! Yes, 108 is too slow, maybe for hands together, but also too slow. I recommend 200 for each hand (maximum)
@@gregniemczuk Thank you very much. Than, I will write to you in a month to raport about the progress. :)
Thanks for this video . I just started learning Piano by Honon at late thirty. Hope to be a good pianist soon.
I believe in you!
Thank you for this video. I’ve noticed that when I play hanon hands together, I can actually go faster than my left hand alone. I realize that that’s because my left hand is being disguised by my right hand as good technique.
Wow so good way to teach
Hanon in different keys seems to educate my fingers’ muscle memory for the keyboard “landscape” much like scales and arpeggios.
Absolutely!
I was so happy when I found an old hanon book for $2 at the flea market!
I'll try your tips!!
Dziękuję bardzo i szczęśliwego nowego roku Panie Niemczuk!
Thank you!!!
Thanks for this informative video. Right now I have only been practicing about 1/3 of the exercises hands separately and the remainder hands together. I have found that this change has helped me make definite improvements. I will let you know in a month's time the results of completely changing my practice. Thank you fir the wealth if detailed advice.
I can't wait!
I wish I could have had someone like him in college. I could have gone on to be the musician I wanted to be instead of loosing my self-respect.
😞😞😞😞😞😞😞
Very useful, thank you.
I've been at Hanon since 1995..It takes time but it is worth it. Digitation is very important
Thank you so much for backing it up with your experience!
Thank you for the lesson :) For a person who plays piano only as a hobby, Hanon is just enough :) Probably we would not play any exercises at all if these were harder to learn and remember :D
Absolutely!!! You are 100% right
Thank you so much Greg! I have been wanting to ask questions about Hanon to my teacher for over 7 years, but the problem is she lives in Japan and I only got to see her a few times per year. So my improvement as been very slow. What's worse is I haven't seen her for the last 3 years because of Covid and those questions have been on my mind as to how to use Hanon as well as how to imrpove >
Happy Birthday!! Can't you make online lessons with your teacher?
@@gregniemczuk Many thanks! My teacher is of the older generation and does not do online lessons. Looking forward to more of your videos and thanks again Greg!
Pamiętam doskonale podczas analiz utworów Chopina mówił Pan o Hanonie i teraz pełny materiał. Faktycznie powtarzanie tego samego nie przyniesie innych rezultatów. Trzeba przyznać że forsowanie tempa w graniu czegokolwiek jest "bolesne" ale przynosi mozolne efekty.
thank you master...
Although Liszt was proud to declare, “I am no piano professor!”, stayed aloof from methods and systems, and was the sworn enemy of conservatories, it is clear that he often meditated privately about the physical requirements of piano playing. His Italian student Giuseppe Ferrata once engaged Liszt in conversation about piano technique, and later wrote:
“More than once I accompanied him to the Church of S. Carlo al Corso, Rome, to hear Mass. We would often walk from the Hotel in Via Aliberti to the Church, a little distance off, arm in arm, and once he said to me, “Many students of piano run up and down scales for hours every day, thinking they will reach the heaven of technical attainments, but athletes develop their muscles and get resistance and control of them by exercises that are based on sudden contraction and expansion. These principles should apply also to students of piano, who should formulate exercises for sudden expansion and contraction of the muscles of their arms and hands.”
LL, p. 362; letter from Giuseppe Ferrata to Carl Lachmund, dated December 5, 1917.
Alan Walker - Reflections on Liszt-Cornell University Press (2017)
Fantastic
Would the same principles used for arpeggios at speed apply to scales? That is, getting beyond the fixation of getting the thumb under third and fourth fingers? Great presentation. And I say the right proportion of talking and playing.
Thank you! Yes! It's the same principle!
Dear Greg! Working for >2 weeks 30' gaily - I feel improvement! In Chopin etude 4, Beethoven sonata 10 p1, Brahms op79-1! I'so inspired! Thank you many-many times! Now my dreams can come true ❤️
Wow!!! That's so good to hear!!!
Dear Greg. Thank you so much for this video. I’m practicing Hanson quite regularly since I started playing piano three years ago. But apparently I was practicing the wrong way (hands together). So from tomorrow, I will start practicing following your recommendation and I will give you my feedback in a month time. I just have one additional question, you did not speak about the time for practicing (daily). What would you recommend for an amateur that wants to improve his technique ? Thanks again for all your contributions to the piano playing. Best regards from Belgium.
Half an hour every day!
@@gregniemczuk That was already my practice schedule. So only the method will change.
Dear Greg. As promised, I’m coming back after one month of practice following your recommendations. Definitely I’ll continue practicing hands separated. As you explain, it’s a great improvement in terms of focus on each hand mouvement and what is missing or need improvement. I would add to practice as much as we can eyes closed, it helps in even better focusing on rhythm and mouvement. Thanks again for your great contribution !
my Beethoven-line teacher (I went to Kissin's 'Gnessin' music school in Moscow) says that Hanon are absolutely necessary for beginner (not Czerny - even though she was from the Beethoven, Czerny, Lechitizky, Nikolaev line). She also always said you have to practise with SEPARATE hands. However, the speed you suggested starting at (as a beginner, I assume) at 12:45 would be 3 or 4 times faster than what my teacher said I must play at. I was beginner at the time (though I started at 23 years old with her). She also said to raise each finger really rather high and in COMPLETE separation from the next finger. I was learning the Beethoven Moonlight sonata (all movements) with her (and Schubert g flat major impromptu).
Wow!! Good schooling. My professor from Katowice was also from this line. Exactly the same line
@@gregniemczuk that's great - I am rubbish at the piano - I play guitar better (I used to play flamenco - for bout 5 years with Francisco Clinton in London). But anyway - if you have time please tell me what you think about this video where I do right hand only the Moonlight 3rd movement and left hand only the Rachmaninov g minor prelude (then I spend the next 30 minutes practising just the hardest bits of the other 15 or so pieces I would like to play well at some point in the future). I just haven't got time to or desire to go back to Hanon (I only ever did the first and second exercises or soa nyway) Here is video of my parctise - and the other link will show my teacher from Gnessin: ua-cam.com/video/dtr9Zs8f5ZQ/v-deo.html
and
ua-cam.com/video/Uue6q_41JJQ/v-deo.html
Good job ,tks❤
I've found that, for saving time, I can combine two Hanons. For example, I play 1 measure of #1 alternating with the next measure from #5, then a measure from #1, then #5, etc.
Hello sir I am so grateful to have found you and this incredible tutorial.
I am 67 and a complete beginner, I have been fooling around with different online classes and teachers etc. for a year. I recently realized that there are no shortcuts and when you say learning this way saves time, I 100% believe you. I wish I had found you a year ago. I would be much farther along.
QUESTION: I read through all the comments and I did not see this one come up so maybe it’s silly!
Here goes! What do you think about when you are playing these exercises and scales? Especially when you are first learning and sight reading, do you say the names of the notes in your head as you’re practicing? I find I can go fast if I don’t say the notes or try to read once I have it memorized. Yet then I feel like I’m cheating somehow.
But my speed decreases tremendously the moment I try to read or silently say the notes while I am playing them.
Do we want to strive for a Zen state of flow and have our inner chatter silenced?
Thank you very much❤
Dear Susan. Thank you for your comment and question. No! You're not cheating! Of course you don't have to say every note when you play fast! No pianist in the world is doing that!
If you want some online tuition, I'm here to help. I love doing this!
@@gregniemczuk dear Grzegorz, thank you so much for your speedy and wonderful reply. I have taken down your information and I will likely be getting in touch for an online lesson or two when I get a little clearer with my needs.
I started out thinking I could just play lead sheets, left hand cords, right hand melody. The online guy made it look so easy L O L, and I was plotting along with Jingle Bells, and When the Saints Go Marching In and then all of a sudden he tossed inversions into the mix, and my brain exploded. 🧐
So I found another class that specifically focused on cord inversions, but it was all with the right hand so another pow!🤯
Then I realized I need to start learning how to read music and found some other online resources and tried practicing scales, but with two hands, so your information on just using one hand at a time is such a healing balm.
After your tutorial today, I found a free online resource for 240 Hanon exercises. Here is the link so you can share with your other students and followers if you’d like …. www.hanon-online.com/all-piano-exercises/. One can also download the whole book as a PDF for US $7.50. www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PIANO-The-Virtuoso-Pianist-by-C-L-HANON-Part-1-transposed-in-all-keys-3972784
Thank you again, I am so thrilled to v-meet you!
Thanks very much Greg. This seemed to me to be excellent (very practical and sensible) advice on how to get the most out of Hanon exercises. I'd never heard anyone recommend playing technical exercises and scales with one hand only, but that also makes good sense. I'd be grateful if you could elaborate briefly on what you mean when you say to play the exercises as fast as possible? I presume that accuracy is more important than speed, and that evenness of sound and tempo are also important. So when you say to play as fast as possible you mean to continually push your speed whilst maintaining accuracy, evenness etc. (and not to bother with plodding along at 60bpm)?
Yes! I mean as fast as possible with good articulation, perfection and evenness!
@@gregniemczuk Oh yes. Perfection!
Excellent question and thanks for the answer !
Thank you so much!
Nice! Now try one of my favorites -- Hanon #1 in 6ths in F-sharp harmonic minor - :-)
Hahahaha
inspiring
Hi Greg, I'm Alessandro from Italy, I'm fond of Piano and I'm very beginner. Nice tutorial! I would ask you, if Hannon exercises are good also for beginner students, where the great problem is to go fast on the keyboard. Do you recommend to use Hannon and try to go so fast anyway?
Ciao Alessandro! Thanks for asking! NO!!!! Absolutely not! Not so fast!!!!
Of course, Hanon is the best for the beginners but forget about this tempo for at least 3-4 years!
Thank you Greg.
That is wonderful and hilarious!