My Townie came with a Shimano twist gearshift integrated into the right handgrip. This configuration caused my right hand to be supinated at an awkward angle (who thought that was a good idea I ask you?). As our rides lengthened my right thumb began to hurt so badly that I literally couldn’t squeeze the brake lever at the end of a ride.

So, back to the shop I went to purchase a new Shimano thumb shifter and new grips. The tech re-angled the brake levers so that it wouldn’t put pressure on my wrists and make my hands fall asleep. During the next ride, the new shifter, handgrips, and my thumb worked marvelously but my hands were asleep in 10 minutes flat. We immediately stopped and put the brake levers right back where they had been.

Very well you say, but what has all this got to do with playing & teaching the piano?  Well, I realized that the angle that my wrists and hands needed in order to be comfortable and functional on my bike were virtually identical to the angles I used to play large intervals and octaves, that’s what.

Over the past two weeks, in a spate of luck, cosmic unity, or perhaps early semester syndrome, I have encountered a rash of octave problems among my college students. I have continuing students plus quite a few transfers as usual (I am QOTS after all). Some are still in their teens and others are adults with children (and grandchildren) of their own. Many have reached the point in their studies where octaves and large intervals are used more frequently, in new configurations, and for longer periods of time.

We have been experimenting with angles. Since each body and each configuration is unique, this is a process which must be aided by the student. There are general guidelines (using the thumb properly, making sure the wrists are not too low or locked, not going to fast initially, etc) but those who want definitive answers—who want to be told what to do—are finding this process frustrating.

For me, the hardest part is to help the student experience the octaves without tension but with strength. Some are so used to the tension that they don’t even recognize it until stiffness, soreness, and finally pain kick in. We discuss the signs and symptoms to watch for but they need to be able to turn the tension on and off at will in order to truly be in control.

I stumbled upon a solution which worked so well and was so simple that I was amazed. As a student was struggling with a wrist that was too tight and too low, I suddenly heard myself say, “stand up and play it.” She did and it was an unqualified success. I tried it with more and more students and it worked for both octaves, intervals of 6ths and 7ths, and large chords.

On my 2.5 hour drive home I thought about why it works and what had prompted me to say “stand up” in the first place.

As to the first question, I think standing works because your hands are suspended and free to work with gravity at the end of your arms. It is natural to just get out of the way and not try to hold them. Once students felt that natural technique then they could find the angle that allowed them to duplicate it when they were sitting by adjusting the bench and their bodies.

As to the second question, the only thing I can think of is that the good teaching fairy must have sprinkled some mighty fine fairy dust on this Queen of Transfer Students.

 

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