The Benefits of Hanon (2)

This time, the previous article

② Learn how to relax and develop a sense of rhythm

I will write about this.

When I teach Hanon lessons, I teach finger training and relaxation techniques. Even with short Hanon pieces like numbers 1 to 20, your hands and arms will get very tired if you can't relax. From number 21 onwards, the pieces are twice as long, so fatigue can build up and you may not be able to play through to the end due to pain.

It is important to have flexible wrists in order to relax well. Therefore, practice lifting your wrists softly at the points where you need to relax (mainly on the off-beats) and relax appropriately in each measure. When you can do this, the difference between strong and off-beats will come naturally, resulting in a performance with a sense of rhythm rather than a flat sound. This basic method of relaxation can be directly applied to rhythmic pieces such as those of Bach, so we encourage you to learn it using Hanon.

The previous article

③ Be able to freely use the black and white keys

I will write about this in my next article.