# Warming up/improving dexterity at the keyboard



## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

Lately I've gotten hold of, and started working through, the Hanon book of exercises. The book is around a hundred years old, and has a progression of finger exercises designed to improve dexterity at the keyboard (a total of 60 exercises). It's been giving me a really good workout because it mercilessly brings each finger (and especially the weaker ones) of each hand under the microscope, and forces them to develop some muscle! addle: They're also a really good warm-up.

What do you people use to warm up/build up strength at the keyboard?


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

spacedout said:


> Lately I've gotten hold of, and started working through, the Hanon book of exercises. The book is around a hundred years old, and has a progression of finger exercises designed to improve dexterity at the keyboard (a total of 60 exercises). It's been giving me a really good workout because it mercilessly brings each finger (and especially the weaker ones) of each hand under the microscope, and forces them to develop some muscle! addle: They're also a really good warm-up.
> 
> What do you people use to warm up/build up strength at the keyboard?


Hi spacedout,
as soon as I will have my piano fixed (it's from 1904!) I will use the same book as you! It's sort of a classic exercise book in the italian conservatory in the first years of piano education. I can tell you it's pretty much hated too... :rofl:

Have fun with it!:devil:
Marco


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

Lucky you... I've never had the opportunity to do much on a real, live piano :sad:

I'm self taught so I have no idea what's normally used in classical education, but I'm certainly developing a healthy dislike of it already - if I was being forced to work through it by a teacher I'd probably rebel... :rant:


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

spacedout said:


> if I was being forced to work through it by a teacher I'd probably rebel... :rant:


That's in fact what I did :boxer:
Continued classical composition, but finished the studies as electronic music composer :nerd:


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

marco_ktl said:


> Continued classical composition, but finished the studies as electronic music composer :nerd:


How are the mighty fallen... :R

So what's your preferred warming-up method?


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## marco_ktl (Sep 6, 2009)

spacedout said:


> So what's your preferred warming-up method?


I'm tempted to say the Jerry Lee Lewis piano warming... but seriously, I'm just playing some scales, chords and arpeggios; going from slow to semi-fast. That's no brainiac warm-up, but it works for me. Usually I will do that cycle 4 to 6 time, maybe spending 15/20 minutes.
Let's see how it gets when I have my piano working again. It's five years ago since last time!


Cheers,
Marco


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

marco_ktl said:


> I'm tempted to say the Jerry Lee Lewis piano warming...


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## suniil (Jul 24, 2006)

Grip Master is very good in building strength for fingers. 



spacedout said:


> build up strength at the keyboard?


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## immortalgropher (Feb 16, 2010)

suniil said:


> Grip Master is very good in building strength for fingers.


I've considered buying one of those for guitar, but I dunno what color I need lol. I know different colors = different tensions.


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## spacedout (Dec 17, 2007)

I actually use a Powerball for that kind of thing


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