In this article I talk about: Pianissimo playing (very soft), forte/fortissimo playing (loud/very loud), staccato playing (detached and short) and legato playing (smooth and connected); and how these different types of touch and articulation can be used to develop technique as well as to create different sound effects on the piano. Articulation is a term used to describe the kind of touch, such as legato or staccato. Dynamics (loud and soft) are a result of the pressure of touch.
Pianissimo (very quiet) staccato exercises develop control and sensitivity.
Staccato is a kind of articulation where the notes are played detached - each key is released as soon as it is struck resulting in a short, bouncy sounding note. This is the opposite to legato where each note is connected to the next one. This is done by holding the key down and only releasing it when the next one is depressed.
Pianissimo playing helps to develop control and sensitivity because the speed at which the key is depressed (velocity) must be very carefully controlled in order to produce a very quiet gentle sound without losing the sound altogether. A higher velocity of striking the key will result in a louder sound, so the velocity of depressing keys for quiet playing must be slower and under control. Playing staccato at the same time as pianissimo helps to further develop sensitivity in the fingers because the fingers must feel the point at which the key reaches its deepest point and then release very quickly. The combination of pianissimo playing which requires low velocity depression of the keys, with staccato playing which requires high velocity release of the keys is an excellent challenge. Doing this kind of exercise regularly in the right way will go a long way towards making your touch more light, controlled and agile.
Practising forte (loud) or fortissimo (very loud) playing alongside pianissimo playing will further develop your control over the piano keys. In order to play a note loudly the key must be depressed fast - high velocity. Rather than relying solely on the strength of the fingers to press the keys hard enough, it helps to use the weight of your forearm driven through firmly held fingers to achieve the pressure required for loud playing. This is a very different technique from soft playing, so practising both will develop your versatility and ability to play music with effective dynamic contrasts.
Legato (smooth and connected) playing, as mentioned above, requires you to hold each key down until you play the next one. The key is released at the same time that the next one is depressed, resulting in a connected sound. This kind of playing is often used for smooth melodic lines or very fast runs of quavers/semiquavers etc. Even though legato touch produces a different sound from staccato touch, the kind of staccato and pianissimo practice I mentioned above can really help develop the technique needed for very fast runs of legato notes. This is because very fast runs of legato notes require a similar kind of agility and dexterity to that developed by staccato pianissimo practice. The keys must be depressed with control but released very quickly in the same way in both types of playing.
Therefore, ironically, slow pianissimo staccato practice is often beneficial for developing your ability to play fast. I would suggest using a simple technical exercise in order to practice the pianissimo/staccato techniques I have described, such as a scale. You can use this same scale to practice the other kinds of touch I have mentioned, such as legato and forte.
You may also be interested in my article on performance directions.
All articles about technique
Articles main menu
Pianissimo (very quiet) staccato exercises develop control and sensitivity.
Staccato is a kind of articulation where the notes are played detached - each key is released as soon as it is struck resulting in a short, bouncy sounding note. This is the opposite to legato where each note is connected to the next one. This is done by holding the key down and only releasing it when the next one is depressed.
Pianissimo playing helps to develop control and sensitivity because the speed at which the key is depressed (velocity) must be very carefully controlled in order to produce a very quiet gentle sound without losing the sound altogether. A higher velocity of striking the key will result in a louder sound, so the velocity of depressing keys for quiet playing must be slower and under control. Playing staccato at the same time as pianissimo helps to further develop sensitivity in the fingers because the fingers must feel the point at which the key reaches its deepest point and then release very quickly. The combination of pianissimo playing which requires low velocity depression of the keys, with staccato playing which requires high velocity release of the keys is an excellent challenge. Doing this kind of exercise regularly in the right way will go a long way towards making your touch more light, controlled and agile.
Practising forte (loud) or fortissimo (very loud) playing alongside pianissimo playing will further develop your control over the piano keys. In order to play a note loudly the key must be depressed fast - high velocity. Rather than relying solely on the strength of the fingers to press the keys hard enough, it helps to use the weight of your forearm driven through firmly held fingers to achieve the pressure required for loud playing. This is a very different technique from soft playing, so practising both will develop your versatility and ability to play music with effective dynamic contrasts.
Legato (smooth and connected) playing, as mentioned above, requires you to hold each key down until you play the next one. The key is released at the same time that the next one is depressed, resulting in a connected sound. This kind of playing is often used for smooth melodic lines or very fast runs of quavers/semiquavers etc. Even though legato touch produces a different sound from staccato touch, the kind of staccato and pianissimo practice I mentioned above can really help develop the technique needed for very fast runs of legato notes. This is because very fast runs of legato notes require a similar kind of agility and dexterity to that developed by staccato pianissimo practice. The keys must be depressed with control but released very quickly in the same way in both types of playing.
Therefore, ironically, slow pianissimo staccato practice is often beneficial for developing your ability to play fast. I would suggest using a simple technical exercise in order to practice the pianissimo/staccato techniques I have described, such as a scale. You can use this same scale to practice the other kinds of touch I have mentioned, such as legato and forte.
You may also be interested in my article on performance directions.
All articles about technique
Articles main menu