Piano Exercises For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Breathing is an integral part of piano exercises — after all, it's the model for fluid motion where the end of an inhalation is the beginning of an exhalation. When you play the piano think of the music, your body, and your mind as part of this constant, fluid motion. To create the smoothest, most luxurious breathing cycle you can imagine, follow these steps: Stand with your shoulders and arms relaxed at your sides as you develop this slow cycle of inhalation and exhalation.

Before you begin piano exercises, warm up your wrists, shoulders, and other body parts. Doing so helps the physical component of playing the piano by heightening awareness of your body and the way you move. After a few stretches and warm-ups, you can bring a relaxed awareness to the piano when you practice. Follow these steps for an effective wrist warm-up: Hold your hands in front of you, palms facing away, as if you are pushing against a wall with both hands.

Aspire to play chords with a relaxed approach — that is, don't hold tension in your hands, arms, and body. You do need a certain amount of muscle tone and firmness in the finger joints to play nice, solid chords, but you also want to build in the habit of releasing tension while you play. Start with this simple two-chord progression, and put the following steps into a cycle for each chord: With your hands held slightly above the notes in the chord, imagine the shape of the chord in your mind and feel (but don't play yet!

Piano exercises can improve the way you play and heighten awareness of your mental and physical approach to the piano. Warm up before piano exercises by stretching and contracting your wrists; and then try your hand at chord relaxation and playing with one hand on top of the other. And remember to incorporate fluid breathing as you play.

Try these two piano exercises, which give you some practice with top/bottom hand positions. The exercises are fun to do on the piano and provide a visual treat, yet they can be tricky and challenge your hand independence. Your hands should be in a nestled position, with some air space in between to allow independent movement.