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Are there any type of finger exercises I can do to strengthen my fingers? Reason I ask this is cuz my left pinky finger tends to lock up a lot when I'm playing, especially after long periods of practice where my fingers are starting to fatigue. It's pretty much the only finger that locks up so I'm thinking it needs to be strengthened more.

Hanon

It's doesn't sound good.

Here's one I made based on Schuman. Do some flat finger work with finger 5; it shouldn't 'lock'.

If you've got a few hours to spare read the 3/4 threads at Pianist's Corner Forum.

Here's a recent tread about the same subject.

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/2/10911.html


Matt

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I've had a Hanon Book for a while, but I just haven't used it as much as I do my Alfred Books. I guess I'll really start practicing those exercises from now on. I think doing those Trill exercises mentioned in that other thread by Debussy20 should help as well! Thanks!

z32, what do you mean by "lock up"?

By lock up, I mean my pinky finger straigtens out and gets locked in that extended position. I should add that I'm double jointed(fingers hyperextend beyond normal range), so maybe that adds to my problem. But if it does, then for some reason it doesn't occur in my right pinky finger which remains in that curved piano position without trouble. With my left pinky finger, I actually have to think about keeping it curved instead of it naturally doing so, and this is especially the case after a long period of practice.

I am a right handed person naturally, so my right hand being perfectly fine is probably due to that hand having more strength than my left. That's why I came to the conclusion that I should strengthen my left.

Z32, the 'lock up' sounds like your tensing it while trying to attend to all the other parts of piano playing. Put more effort into noticing what it's up too while you play. NOT moving fingers is sometimes harder.

do 4-5 or 3-4 finger trills with either hand regularly (on piano or desktop). just remember to keep your hand relaxed, your trill fingers naturally curved and close to the surface without being lifted high.

z32, some ideas:

The funny thing about this is that the problem may not be with your pinky but with some of your other fingers, especially nos. 2 and 3.

Or, the problem could be with the way you hold your wrist. You're not 'ulnar deviating' are you? That means turning your hands outward from the wrist. Check that.

As an exercise you might try placing all five fingers on the keys--touching them but letting the fingers rest in place. Trill with your 2nd and 3rd fingers slowly but ALL THE WHILE making sure your pinky stays relaxed and resting on the key--not lifting up. Try alternately playing fingers nos. 2 and 3 and thumb--ALL THE WHILE making sure your pinky stays relaxed (and it won't hurt to imagine someone massaging your shoulders at the same time). If you feel your pinky wanting to lift up, see if you can find where that impulse originates. Eventually, you may find it somewhere between your shoulder blades.

It will take a lot of focused work -- maybe five minutes at a time.