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Hello teachers,

This is an excerpt of my posting on two other PW forums.

For now I am going back to the Hanon exercises which I haven't done for two or three years and I have a question for you all.
Each Hanon exercise is shown for the scale of C+.
Now...should I go thru each exercise, including the different rhythm patterns, in the C+ scale until I've done them all or should I stick with one exercise and do it in all the major and minor scales before I move onto the next exercise?
Of course I don't mean all in one sitting but say one day in C+, the next day in D+, etc.?
In one sitting how much Hanon is too much, when it becomes "un-beneficial" (is that a word?)?

Thank you for your suggestions.

It is good to do other keys as you go, in my opinion. I would use a "goal-driven" strategy. For instance, try go get #1 up to some particular tempo (start slow) in all keys. Start with C. When you can play it at the tempo you want, move to the next key. You'll find that closer related keys, like G, don't take much work, while more distantly related keys, like C-# will take more. This will cause you to focus on your weaknesses rather than your strengths. When you can play in all keys at that tempo, move the metronome up a notch and go 'round again.

By setting very specific goals and moving on when they are reached, you won't waste too much time spinning your wheels in one spot.

-Mark


-Mark

Some might argue that any Hanon is too much. I've practiced Hanon in the past and it did help my technique, but now I hardly do any technical work outside of the pieces I learn. You should probably ask yourself why you are doing Hanon. Is there a deficiency in your playing you are trying to address? If so, you might want to take a look at playing some Bach keyboard works that will give the same benefits. Some of the preludes from the Well-Tempered Clavier are particularly good in this regard. I actually found this better for my technique than Hanon, plus I got to learn some great music in the process.

About the only time I do technical work these days is to address a problem area in my playing. You might want to consider adopting a similar philosophy. Learning real music is much more fun.

Hi,

I wasn't introduced to Hanon until I was about 18, which was 13 years too late in my opinion. I think the Hanon exercises were the most beneficial technical exercises I ever did.

I think, to agree with a previous reply, it's all about WHY you are practising Hanon in the first place. I don't think it's necessarily a good idea to open the book at exercise one and then just work your way through - you'll eventually get really bored and not want to work on it again.

I remember when I was working on a Beethoven sonata (I forget which), I was having trouble with a particular couple of bars...and the best thing for me was to go back to Hanon and find the most corresponding exercise and do that one. Remember, at the end of the day, your goal isn't to play Hanon beautifully in every key -it is to play your Beethoven beautifully. If Hanon can help, great.

Hope that helps
Hilary

Thank you for your responses.

I think I like to do the Hanon exercises because I don't have to "think" about what I am doing.

That probably doesn't sound correct...I like the fact that it's straight forward and with all the different rhythms for each exercise, I just go thru one a day as a warm up.

My first teacher introduced my to it to help me improve my finger agility. Being an adult beginner my fingers just didn't want to try any new moves and I especially found that the exercises for the 4th & 5th fingers beneficial.

Hilaryemma, you have pointed out the most important question and that is "WHY you are practising Hanon in the first place"

Before, I was practising it for the above reasons but now I see what you mean...the only problem is that I don't think I have enough experience to figure out which corresponding Hanon would be helpful to me at any given time.

Do you have some suggestions on how to go about doing this?

In the meantime I'll probably continue to go thru it one exercise at a time (I've just started doing them in the C+ scale and I'm on exercise 10) and I don't find them boring yet.

I think once I start adding the black keys it will become more challenging, I'm also working on developing good tone.

Hi,

I just wanted to say that I'm not a beginner but I've recently gone back to Hanon for a new and annoying reason. I'm getting older (ouch) and I find that I have to warm up everything more than I used to. I used to be able to fall out of bed at 6.30 and be singing the Queen of the Night at 8.00 am at an elementary school. Now I need that much time to find my glasses :-) Hanon helps me get my ancient synapses firing. I think there's something to what you said about not having to "think" about what you're doing. Sometimes, particularly when sight-reading, you don't have time to stop and think about it, you just need your fingers to go there and do it. I find that starting out with "no brainer" finger warm-ups helps me do that.

Life gets more hilarious with each birthday!

Hi,

In terms of "which" Hanon exercise to choose, it's about figuring out what technique you need to work on. So, for example, if you're having trouble with trills, find a Hanon that works your first and second fingers. I'm sorry I can't pick out individual exercises for you, but if you look through the book, you'll probably find that there is one that will help with that.

Good luck!

Hilary

Hi all,
I'm also using Hanon to practice my finger technique. But besides finger agility that Hanon helps, can I improve my wrists by doing Hanon exerciese?
Cuz when i play Hanon exercises, i notice most of the time, my fingers are doing the work. I make sure i really raise each finger before placing finger on key.
But to improve wrist supplement...do Hanon exercises help? what other books should i look into?

I do try rotating my wrists when i play these exercises...sometimes it is hard though.

Why? That sounds like a good way to injure yourself.

cziffra I just wanted to thank you for including that link to pianophiles.I will be starting my first piano lesson in a few days and while I've learned a lot in the years that I've been waiting to take them on everything piano and music,that site helped broaden my knowledge even further. Thanks

Also my opinion on Hanon from all that I've read is that they are pretty horrid way to approach technique acquisition. The exercises-->technique concept displayed in hanon seems a bit flimsy and too gimmicky. I've read and heard of those that have used him and had wondrous results but only when they've described using him in a certain fashion and with much inventiveness on their part which I see as the reason they succeeded; in spite of the exercises!

Should I concentrate in Hanon or Bach Invention?

Which one does really help, especially for intermediate level?

My problem is in coordinating LH, RH on something like Nocturne Op 9 2(Chopin), Easy Winners(Scott Joplin) etc. `

Absolutely concentrate on the Bach Invention and ignore Hanon all together. You'll acquire the same technique and a world of other good stuff at the same time. Be sure to work with a teacher though who can guide you with Bach.

alot of Hanon is derivitive of Bach inventions anyway. Work on repertoir, not useless and potentially harmful "exercises" that are based on outdated and inaccurate assumptions about the physiology of the human hand

-Paul

That's my site. I'm glad you enjoyed the material.
I will be adding a lot to it as I have the time. Thanks again for the compliment.

I had sit in my daugher class for 3 years and able to understand notes, and scales - and actually start to play some good piece slowly for the last year or so. Due to time constraint, can I continue to play without having a teacher right now as long as I understand the music and listen to it prior using software like Scorch etc.) I have gone thru many books including CC Chang.

I know a teacher can correct your playing but just wondering if someone has been doing it by themselves without taking a lesson. Any advise?

the best teachers will teach you how to learn on your own.. The best teachers will help bring out the musicality that maybe you don't hear, or aren't hearing yet. Yes, you can progress on your own if you are already feeling/hearing the music in your head, and can remain disciplined enough to stay focused on your study/practice every day.. Perhaps you could get a teacher on a once a month basis, just to keep all the musicality in check? It's best not to go unchecked for too long I think.

-Paul

Paul,

See a teacher once a month is a good idea I think so. Any advise on what to look for in this type of teacher, questions to ask to qualify him/her, teaching style etc?

Not sure really, make an appointment with a few, tell him/her your goals, your timeline, and see which one "feels" like the best fit.. some won't go for a once a month setup, some will.

I am new here and was reading everyone's posts about the Hanon exercises. I really agree with many of them, especially with the person who said to ask yourself why you are playing them. I do want to point one thing out, however. I am 22 and have had carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists and elbows for over 2 years now. It is under control, and I have never had to have surgery for it, but I do have to be careful in my music selection. No big Rachmaninoff for me. Hanon will set it off like nothing else. There is another book of exercises though that my teacher used with me in college. They are by Ernst von Dohnanyi. These are great for finger coordination and learning to play with relaxed hands and arms. I just wanted to give you another option. Enjoy!

Hanon is good for a start. You work on reflex, dicipline and even touch if u want to.
Doing in different keys is a good idea, though I might recommend Pischna if that's your purpose. Check out the book. Do not get the simplified version which is called 'Little Pischna'.
But I'm not using much Hanon nowadays. I'm using more of Beyer and Schmitt for lower grade students. I find that Beyer works on the touch besides the reflexes which is just as equally important, and should not be neglected.

Hanon is a waste of your time and potentially dangerous because the whole purpose of it is to (naively) give every finger equal strength and dexterity, which in these modern times, we know is physiologically impossible. Don't kid yourself. You can work on reflex, discipline and touch learning actual repertoir, why waste your time on exercises that are intended to try to make your hands work in ways that are physically impossible and dangerous to try? It's archaic and should be banned!

I don't understand the pre-occupation so many people have with "exercises" - you can gain all the dexterity, focus, discipline, touch, technique etc. from learning real pieces of music as you can from any exercises. There must be alot of bad teachers out there. Isn't the point of this all to be able to play music? You're right, technique should not be neglected, but it can be acquired in more meaningful ways. I completely agree with everything cziffra has said.

just my humble opinion. Have a look Here for more thoughts on this.



-Paul