We’ll likely have come across various references to using arm weight in piano playing. Matters quickly become confusing – physiological and anatomical jargon easily gets in the way of a clear message. In essence, the objective is to use our bodies in a balanced, relaxed manner, harnessing power when it is needed without exerting force in tension-inducing ways or working against ourselves. The simile of a ‘hanging’ bridge, suspended robustly at both ends but remaining ultra-flexible in-between, can help us to conceptualise the arm from fingertip to upper body. At the instant keys are struck, especially from a greater height, the briefest of tension moments inevitably arises (somewhat like shock-absorbers on a vehicle going over a speed bump), but should just as quickly dissipate, instantly restoring the sensation of a relaxed arm, fully and freely connecting the point of contact – i.e. the fleshy pads of the fingers – to the body.
Naturally, as we move around the keyboard, our
