Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum A Hanon challenge anyone?

Are these exercises suitable for a complete beginner?

The Hanon book suggests starting the exercises at about a year of playing - musically, the exercises are very simple, I think its more the hand strength that complete beginners have yet to develop that is the main reason the book suggests waiting that year or so. Maybe overstrenuating early can be negative in the longer term injury wise?

I certainly don't think it would hurt an absolute beginner to start the exercises AT A SLOW PACE and start developing right hand left hand co-ordination.

just wait till we get to 30-40! those freak me out with the thumb under whooshes and the other things... (you can tell a 13 year old didnt want to get out of bed this early....school - and no music class this semester!!!)

Regarding starting, I'm excited to do this, but just read the post from stephenc about waiting a year. I don't want to criple my (almost) 50 year-old hands, but I've been typing for nearly 20 years on computers, and juggling even longer (though you wouldn't know to watch me).

Does anyone really think I need to wait?

Thanks, Mark

No, no reason to wait. You've probably got a reasonable amount of strength from the typing (not sure about the juggling though!). The principle difference would be the stretching required for the Hanon but if you take it slowly you should have no problems.

Hi. I am new to this forum and have only been taking lessons for 4 months. I have no idea what Hanon is as my teacher is very relaxed about technical practice as I am only in this for the enjoyment of playing and have no intention of taking exams or giving recitals ( ).

Just picking up on the info from stephenc (a fellow aussie!) about waiting for a year. I can play scales fairly fast with both hands using the entire length of the piano. Please excuse my ignorance but is that enough training to try hanon? I am looking for any exercises that will help me improve.

Welcome shimmer,

great to have another aussie on board! Judging by your ability to play full length scales, I would say your hands are good and ready for Hanon. Basically, the exercises are repeating patterns (different for each exercise) moving up and down the keyboard. They aim to build finger strenght speed and wrist flexibility and from what I can gather are very popular worldwide for achieving this purpose - I think I read that Rachmaninoff made them mandatory for his students. So, please join us for this journey!

Hi everyone. I would love to be a part of this challenge even though I never have done any kind of technical exercises before... But, I guess Hanon is the perfect place to start? Anyway, can I join? I haven't any recording stuff but I have a digitalcamera, I suppose I can use that. Thanks anyway!

//Charlotte

Great idea! I've started Hanon recently and reached # 2, so it's a valuable additional motivator.

Not sure about sending in recordings, definitely not in the beginning, maybe later - but as I'm the one gaining most by me sticking to the excercise, no motivation to "cheat".

Just noticed I didn't say it specifically: please count me in.

welcome seraf and Piano&Violin - thanks for joining!. I'll add you both to the list in the week 1 exercise one thread

I just ordered Hanon from Amazon. I tried using the pdf printout, but as I figure I'll use the heck out of the Hanon, I thought a "real" copy was in order.

I may not get the first couple uploaded, but will figure that out in time. Do you want recordings or MIDI files? (not that I really understand the different procedures yet.)

Please add me to the Week #1 challenge. Thanks!

done Hobo57!, as far as the upload goes - audio recordings would be preferable, but midi would suffice if this is easier for you.

I'm going to start this series of exercises too, so please count me in - but I have a problem! I've only just taken a first cursory glance at exercise 1 - how do you finger it? I don't understand the fingerings given for the successive octaves...

Hi Cruiser - good to have you in!

Right hand - 1 (thumb) on C, 2 on E, 3 on F, 4 on E, 5 on A, 4 on E, 3 on F, 2 on E then repeat (i.e thumb (1) on D etc.

Left Hand - 5 (pinky) on C, 4 on E, 3 on F, 2 on G, 1 on A, 2 on G, 3 on F, 4 on E then repeat (i.e pinky (5) on D.

once you get the hang of it you'll race up and down the keys!

Thanks Stephen! I'd initially interpreted the instructions at the top to mean play the ascending section (to measure 14) with the left hand only and the descending part with the right hand, somehow!
Now I'm away...

emm....count me in please...
i need to practice again, after about 10 months not doing this..so..what should i do?
i dont know if i could post a record of my exercise, but i'll find a way..and where should i post it?
Thank you again...
God Bless

irvine_86,

Welcome to the forum and to the Hanon challenge. Although posting a recording is encouraged, it is not required. What is normally done by those who do post recordings is to upload it to a free service such as box.net and then post a link. stephenc starts a thread each week (we're on Hanon Challenge Week 9 now) so you can either just reply to the thread with an "I'm done" or post a link to your recording of exercise 9.

Get practicing!

hello.
C7 Players. I have a recorder, but i dont think you guyz have the plugin to play my recording from WMP. or, whats the program to record something from computer?i really want to do this, because of my abstain from piano for about 1 years, now my hands so stiff and cant relax...hiks..
thank you...
appreciate it
God Bless