Whether you want to learn to play the piano as a hobby or pursue it as a career, you need to perfect your techniques. Along with other important techniques, you must have heard about how important it is to learn to sit properly and have a good posture while playing the piano. What is the proper piano posture and why is it so important?
As a beginner who is trying to learn an instrument, it is important to form good habits at an early stage by learning the techniques properly. A good piano posture helps the pianist to play the piano comfortably for a long time without any body pain. It helps the pianist to have better control. Start sounding better on the piano by achieving the proper piano posture with the following tips-
Position your body properly
Maintaining a bad posture can lead to body aches in the long run. It can cause injuries too. Here is how you should position your body to ensure good posture-
Neck– Align your neck to your spine. Make sure your neck is not leaning forward. It is common for you to bend your head forward when reading piano sheet music. However, try not to bend forward. Your eyes should move to read the music. When your head bends forward it can cause strain to your neck and this can lead to body pain in the long run.
Spine– Our spine naturally has a curvature that needs to be maintained while playing the piano. Make sure you don’t bend forward or sit stiffly in an upright position.
Shoulders– Relax your shoulders and keep them in a natural position to have better control while playing the piano.
Elbows– Your elbows should be away from your body but at a distance that is comfortable for you. This will help you move freely. Also, ensure that your forearms are parallel to the ground.
Wrists– Loosen and relax your wrists. Your wrists need to be above the keyboard.
Fingers– Except for the thumb which should be straight, keep your fingers curved.
Knees– Your knees should be under the keyboard and should be positioned comfortably to reach the pedal. If your knees are placed properly at the right distance from the keyboard at a comfortable position, it indicates that the upper part of your body is also positioned properly.
Feet– Your feet should always be flat. If needed use a footrest. They should not dangle or be placed under your piano bench. If you are using piano pedals, then place them in front of the pedals. Positioning your feet properly will give you good stability while playing the piano.
Choosing the right piano bench height
You don’t want to use an armchair or any other available chairs when playing the piano. Using a piano bench chair with a height that will suit you is extremely important. You can get an adjustable piano bench where you can adjust the height based on your needs.
Distance between you and your piano
You should position yourself a little away from the piano so that you can move your arms freely. Make sure your knees are right under the keyboard. If they are away from the keyboard, it means you have positioned yourself far from the instrument and if your thighs are under the keyboard, it means you are very close to the instrument.
Placement of the piano sheet music
In some pianos, the music stand will be placed right in front of you and in some, it is placed a little higher and away. In the latter case, you may need to adjust the height of the piano bench.
When playing the piano make sure you don’t move around the piano bench. You should only stretch your arms to reach for the keys and turn your torso when needed. Having a proper piano posture has numerous benefits. You will be able to play the piano healthily, be able to move your arms freely, sound better, and express yourself better.
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Although self-learning is not a bad idea, an experienced piano teacher can help build a strong foundation and give you the right amount of guidance and support throughout your piano training. Check out the various piano teachers at Music4humans who teach online piano lessons and enroll yourself now!
When learning any instrument, it is important to identify your mistakes in the initial stages of your training and correct them before they end up becoming bad habits. If you don’t know how to identify your mistakes, try enrolling yourself in music classes taught by good music teachers who can help you identify your mistakes and also guide you. At Music4humans, you can find a wide range of online music courses taught by an experienced and skilled set of music instructors from all around the world. Book your favorite teacher today!