Unlock Your Piano Playing Potential: A Guide to Healthy Piano Technique

Anon: There is simply no point in buying literature on piano technique if you are unaware of how the body is designed to work. So This is the book that any young budding pianist should seriously think about buying for it fills in all the gaps. When the body is working properly the performer
Should NEVER experience PAIN, DISCOMFORT, or TIREDNESS, which will inevitably lead to serious HAND INJURIES . For that reason I wholeheartedly recommend this book,and my reason for the (5) STAR RATING.

United Kingdom on Jun 24, 2023

DanMan: I have read a lot of reference books on various subjects over the years, but this one is truly in a class all by itself. The sheer amount of wisdom and knowledge in these pages is almost dumbfounding. This type of knowledge is indispensable to any keyboard player - regardless of age. I purchased it seeking relief from crippling tendonitis in my damper pedal foot, as well as for help with general posture to hopefully benefit my vocal tone while I sing and play the piano together. The book delivered on BOTH counts - quickly showing me my errors with how I "perceive" posture. Sitting has always felt "hard" to me...I now know why. What a truly wonderful thing it is to be able to sit for hours at the piano without fatigue or soreness!!!!!! Beyond that, the general knowledge this book delivers in all areas of human posture and balance has aided me in all areas of life.

Get. This. Book!!!!!

United States on Feb 11, 2022

Wagner: Makes total sense of a safe and efficient piano technique if you know about how the body, and particularly the shoulders, arms and fingers work.

United Kingdom on Feb 24, 2021

A. Costello: You can't just read this and fix technical etc.. issues on your own. Needs to be approached with physio, teachers etc... But very informative

United Kingdom on Jan 24, 2019

Mario Boisclair: O suppose my headline says it all. Just get this booh

Canada on Aug 08, 2018

Mainstay: Very good to inform about correct body, arm and hand positions. Would be better if there were an accompanying video download that could be bought to demonstrate the information in the book.

Canada on Aug 19, 2017

Chester Claywell: I'm not even finished with this book yet and am already writing a review...

From the outset of learning piano I've experienced pains throughout my body, no doubt attributed to poor technique. At first I thought it was normal, a beginner's way of having to "work through the pain" until the parts of my body that are used to play the piano became stronger. That was until it only got worse, to the point where I realized something was wrong and I had to do something about it.

I brought the issue up with my piano teacher, who simply replied, "You just have to loosen up!". After several more weeks of trying to figure out exactly what that even meant, my condition only worsened.

And then I came accross this book with a search on Amazon, which I eventually purchased (after much research with reviews, etc.).

Since receiving it (I'm only a little more than halfway done), I can already attribute my progressive lessening of experiences with pain at the piano to the knowledge I've gained from this book.

I quickly learned how uninformed (and sometimes, misinformed), I was in almost every element of piano playing technique. This book opened my eyes to all the...

United States on May 05, 2017

Ricky H.: Too often in many activities, people don't recognize their bad habits until attention is called to them. Such was the case with me, but studying this book and applying the knowledge therein has done wonders for my playing.

I injured myself shortly after purchasing this book (acute muscle injury to my right forearm and acute ulnar nerve injury at my left forearm - at the same time!), and a day later, after reaching the section regarding the forearms, I discovered why it happened. Since adjusting the body map of my forearms according to the information in the book, my playing - in spite of the fact that my injuries are still in the healing stages - no longer causes me pain.

No less, the proper mapping of my entire upper body has improved fluidity, speed, accuracy, and tone quality in my playing.

The book is coherently laid-out, as well as clear and concise in its descriptions. The different areas of the body are logically sectioned out, and the subsections are organized in the same manner.

The anatomical diagrams are, for the most part, very easy to follow. A few of them were unclear to me, but when supplemented by the reading, they were not...

United States on Apr 13, 2013

DW: To a rough approximation, the premise of this book is "If you have an accurate mental image of your body mechanics, you will perform better and safer." As any advanced pianist knows, you must work WITH (i.e. not AGAINST) the mechanics of your body. Pianists must become students of their own bodies, and this is the best textbook I've found to that affect.

I give it 4 stars only because I haven't found anything else that covers the same material. That said, it wouldn't be hard to make a MUCH better book (and then I'd give this one 2-3 stars). Here are the areas where the book is lacking:

1- The editing quality is terrible. All throughout, it looks like a professor's class notes: diagrams look amateurish an writing quality is unimpressive.

2- Pianistic movements are only discussed in very general terms--almost as though the author isn't a pianist. It would be so easy (and incredibly effective) to give samples of music and describe how playing it would have various affects on the body. However, this is absent and that absence is frustrating.

3- Some of the instructions seem (unless I'm doing it wrong) impossible to follow. Either the author doesn't...

United States on Mar 16, 2012