Query for piano players/teachers about technique?

Hah! Those are the 2 schools of thought. I personally learned mostly through the music. As a teacher, however, I find that most of my student benifit a great deal with some technical studies. I tend to use Hanon for the younger ones--just to develop their basic technique. I try not to bore them to death, though. As soon as they're ready, I switch to Czerny. That way, they can work on their technique as well as basic musical ideas (phrasing, articulation, balance) and even develop some reading skills. I have them play 2 or 3 exercises each week. I overlap them; they learn a new one (or two) each week, but still work on the previous week's exercises for another week...if that makes any sense.

I try not to dwell on absolute perfection with these exercises. I look for improvement and development, speed of learning/reading, and basic fundamentals.

To each their own, though. Every student learns differently; both mentally and physically. Sometimes, I'll do a few weeks that are very technical-heavy if the student is looking physically funny. Most of the kids actually seem to enjoy it from time to time...it's less thinking and more "doing." But I ALWAYS try to enourage them to play technical exercises fairly musically...which is why I use Czerny most of the time. (Go to imslp.org for free Czerny.)

Also, with my teenagers, I like to assign pieces to teach a specific technique. Like, an easier Chopin Nocturne for theh sole purpose of working on sound production, balance, pedal, and legato; or some Bartok dances from Mikrokosmos to teach rhythm, arm weight, etc.

I'm playing Chopin Etude Op 10 No 4 now, and the climbing and contractions of fingers is certainly tough and involves alot of practice to play accurately. Improving piano technique would involve very good warming-up, I should say. Even if I am pressed for time, at the very least I run through the first 20 Hanon exercises and usually this preps my fingers for fast-moving pieces like the 10-4. Playing dotted rhythms may help, but in the end you'll probably have to play them evenly to get the piece to sound like it should be. I suggest playing slowly first, then building up the speed, which will come naturally. When it comes to exercises, focus on exercises building that particular exercise you're having difficulty with. Do them in simple keys first (e.g. C) then go to the hard ones (F#), and the speed and accuracy will naturally come. BUT always remember to take a break. Continual practice of exercises - no matter WHAT exercises - will hurt your fingers and your playing will deteriorate, not improve. Do it diligently and smartly and your piano technique will improve by leaps and bounds!

I may not be more experienced than you (I've been playing for about 10 years) but I definitely have an opinion on this subject: I think it depends largely on the pianist. Someone with a very systematical and disciplined approach to technique might value Hanon, while a person with a more "romantic" musical bent might not.

Great pianists have also taken differing approaches to this question. I read that Rachmaninoff would power through the Hanon exercises before each concert. (On Wikipedia, I think.) But I heard that Horowitz had a technical philosophy quite similar to the teacher of the student in question, and Rubinstein also neglected technique until well into his performing career.

I personally don't practice Hanon, although many teachers have told me I should, and I know pianists who sing its merits. A couple of things that have recently helped me get better technique are learning difficult pieces, like her teacher said, exercising before practicing and learning about the anatomy of the hand. I like this website:

http://www.musicandhealth.co.uk/stress.html

If she is like me, the techniques on that sight might work for her. Or, Hanon might work for her. And she can always give it a "trial period" to see how it feels.

I find Hanon to be useful to a certain extent.

No doubt that it is somewhat mindless but you can practice efficiently with it as well.

The earlier studies feature themselves in the key of C major but it would be beneficial if you could play them in a different key say F minor or A major.There are so many different ways to practice Hanon to avoid that "mindless" loop of exercise.

The advanced studies are very helpful too.Preparation for a bigger work say a Chopin's Etude would be advised and it does not actually hurt you to practice them to get a stronger technique before advancing to it.One may also argue that by practicing the "bigger" work at a slow pace would build up technique.Yes I agree with that too but after a while you may lose interest with it.

Overall,I find Hanon to be useful to me although I'm gifted with technique.Still,I believe that overpracticing Hanon might be bad.It depends on the way you practice it sadly enough.

"The only thing Hanon teaches you is how to play Hanon" is a fairly short-sighted view of technique books. I assign Hanon to my younger students whose hands are not yet developed enough to work on finger independence exercises. There is a lot to be gained from Hanon, particularly the more advanced studies in parts II and III.

Anything can lead to repetitive stress injuries if done improperly, no matter what the piece. The thing about Hanon is that you can't just tell your student to simply do it, but you must show them the proper way of practicing as far as the body is concerned. They have to be shown how to play without tension and by using arm weight as opposed to finger height in order to avoid injuries, and something simplistic musically like Hanon is the perfect thing to work on that. Scales work well for this too, and as you may know, they're included in Hanon! If your brain isn't too preoccupied thinking about what note comes next, you can work on body issues instead, which Hanon provides the perfect opportunity for.

Sometimes over-practicing Hanon can tire the fingers before you've practiced the songs. But doing a quick run-through of a section in Hanon is a great warm-up and stretch before playing.