Piano technique, technical studies and developing greater freedom at the keyboard
In this Ask the Faculty video, Fred Karpoff responds to five questions on aspects of piano technique, from navigating large left-hand leaps and coordinating unison passagework to choosing technical studies, balancing studies with repertoire and making fingering decisions.
Fred demonstrates his approaches at the keyboard throughout, drawing on examples by Joplin, Mozart, Czerny and Chopin:
Questions answered
00:00 – How can I navigate large left-hand leaps more securely, as in stride-like passages?
06:13 – In Mozart’s Sonata in F, K.332, how can I improve evenness and coordination in the downward unison semiquaver run and later unison trills?
15:45 – With so many technical studies available, how do I know which are worth practising and which are right for what I need?
23:56 – How much time should I spend on exercises and studies rather than learning pieces? Can you develop all the technique you need through repertoire, or do studies still have an important place?
34:22 – When several fingerings are comfortable, how should I balance preserving the overall gesture of a movement against minimising unnecessary motion?
Related resources
If you’d like to go further with Fred’s approach to technique, Mastering Intermediate Technique develops these ideas systematically through a whole-body approach to movement and sound. His Czerny Eight-Measure Exercises series also shows how short studies can be used to address specific technical challenges and develop effective practising strategies.
Explore Mastering Intermediate Technique >>
Explore Carl Czerny: Eight-Measure Exercises, Op. 821 >>