• Store
  • Sign-up
  • Sign-in
Menu
Practising the Piano
  • Home
  • Resources
    • Multimedia eBook Series
    • Online Academy
    • Video Lessons
    • Annotated Study Editions
    • Repertoire Resources
    • Piano Technique Resources
    • Amateur Piano Groups & Clubs
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Online Events
    • London Piano Courses
    • Practice Clinics
    • Online Performance Workshops
  • Blog
      • Practising
      • Learning Pieces
      • Technique
      • Performing
      • Teaching
      • Archive
  • About Us
    • Help & Support
    • Contact us
HomeTechniqueTips for a Natural Hand Position

Tips for a Natural Hand Position

By Graham Fitch, 2020-05-28 Posted in: Technique

My approach to piano technique is based on using movements that are most natural to the body, movements that are free, loose and that feel good. It is most important that we are in touch with physical sensations as we play – our feet in contact with the ground, freedom in the legs and thighs, support from the piano stool, mobility in the torso, looseness in the shoulders and arm, and not least the absence of tension from our wrists, hands and fingers. Touching the keyboard can feel delicious and sensual, or strong and energetic. It should never feel tight or awkward.

Hand position

I have read elaborate descriptions for the correct hand position for piano playing, but finding the position is actually surprisingly simple. If you stand up and allow your arm to swing freely from your shoulder, you will discover your palm is facing behind you. Swing your arm up to a table or your piano keyboard and land there. Provided you have not tensed up or done anything to change the hand shape, you will have found your ideal hand position. There will be a natural curve in the fingers, and all the knuckles will be aligned and supported. 

Finding your natural hand position

Curved, not curled

We avoid the two extremes, flat fingers and overly curled fingers because they tend to lead to tension. The natural curve is the best default position for piano playing as it encourages the best coordination. 

Don’t isolate the fingers

Traditional pedagogy supplied the pianist with copious finger exercises in which each finger was to be lifted high in isolation from the other fingers, which were to remain on the surface of the keyboard. Modern thinking has moved on, and we don’t do this any longer. The fingers lift together as a unit, often assisted by rotational movements from the forearm. 

Stretching out

I inherited the tradition of extension exercises (stretching between the fingers) but as I have  evolved as a pianist and teacher I consider these not only unnecessary but potentially harmful. I no longer use such exercises nor would I recommend them. The hand can open quite wide between the thumb and the 2nd finger, but not so far between the other fingers. As a general guideline, we close the hand up as soon as possible after a stretch.

Online Academy Technique Library

I have recently launched the first few modules of a technique library that will expand over time (further information on these resources is available here). In this brief video, I look at some of the points I cover on hand position in the Elementary Technique – Introduction & Basics module:

***

Elementary Technique – Introduction and Basics is available for once-off purchase here or with an Online Academy subscription. Please click here to find out more about subscription options, or click here to view the module index if you are already a subscriber.

Be sure to sign-up to our newsletter for further updates and subscribe to our YouTube channel for previews and video excerpts!

Tags: fingershand positiontechnique

Related Posts

Five Fingers

Five Fingers

By Graham Fitch, 2013-10-25
Posted in: Practising

My piano chum, Leon Whitesell, has a brand new Facebook group called Piano Playing Questions. In a recent post, Leon referred to the five-finger exercise formulae of famous Russian teacher, Vasily Safonov (who was the teacher of Scriabin, Medtner, Josef and Rosina Lhévinne, amongst many others). This reminded me that…

Read More

Tags: fingersfive-finger exercisesHanonJosef and Rosina LhévinneLeon WhitesellMedtnerpeter feuchtwangerpractice toolsQ&AScriabintheoryVasily Safonov
Five Fingers
Feeling Comfortable in All Keys

Feeling Comfortable in All Keys

By Graham Fitch, 2018-05-29
Posted in: Technique

Do you feel comfortable playing in all keys? Are you able to transpose technical exercises without notation? The ability to play by ear in every key is an important musicianly skill, one that cannot be developed soon enough. When we transpose technical exercises not only do we develop our aural…

Read More

Tags: exercisesHanon The Virtuoso Pianistmemorisationtechnique
Feeling Comfortable in All Keys
Online Events & Workshops

Online Events & Workshops

By Informance, 2020-05-19
Posted in: News

April saw the launch of our first online events and workshops. We have been delighted by their reception and thrilled to welcome participants from almost all corners of the globe! The following are the initial events that took place in April and early May: Practice Tools Online Workshop – Based…

Read More

Tags: eventsonline eventspractice toolstechniqueworkshop
Online Events & Workshops

Previous Post

A Fantasy Analysis of Brahms Op. 118 No. 2

Next Post

New Practice Tools Workshop!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*

Sign-up To Our Mailing List!

Sign-up to our email newsletter for free resources, news updates and special offers!

TOPICS

  • Practising
  • Learning Pieces
  • Technique
  • Performing
  • Teaching

LINKS

  • Online Academy
  • Informance
  • Help & Support
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Practising the Piano All Rights Reserved

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Privacy Policy
  • T&Cs
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.OkMore Information