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Is it possible to trill faster by building more muscle?
I think if anything you could have a better trill by having less muscle, not more.
Oh -- you said "faster." My bad.
So I take that as a no? (Sorry I'm new to playing piano.) I simply wish to trill faster; could you elaborate on what is a better and faster trill? I simply would like some advice on adding a new utility to my technical arsenal.
My older brother owns one of those grip weights, I've already started but I don't know if I'm actually helping anything.
Strengthening your grip is not going to help you play trills faster. The following will help :
- Keep your fingers close to the keys (if possible, do not lose contact with the keys while trilling) - Make sure the trilled notes are absolutely even; to achieve this, practice your trills by accenting odd-numbered notes in a trill. For example, a trill on C and D : C, D, C, D, C, D, C, D, C, D, etc. and C, D, C, D, C, D, C, D, C, D, C, D, C, D, C. etc. - practice in bursts : C, D, C, (pause); C, D, C, (pause); and C, D, C, D, (pause); C, D, C, D, (pause); and C, D, C, D, C, (pause); C, D, C, D, C, (pause), etc. - Developing your trill by practicing slowly and evenly; it's not going to happen overnight.
So I take that as a no? (Sorry I'm new to playing piano.)
So....it really was serious. I wasn't sure.
Let's see what other people think, but to me, that's right -- it's a no. And even if it were sort of a yes, I'd say it's an unnecessary emphasis.
Quote
I simply wish to trill faster; could you elaborate on what is a better and faster trill?....
A couple of things:
"Faster" isn't the only thing about a better trill and probably not even the main thing. I think you should put at least as much emphasis on whether the way you're playing it makes musical sense. That includes things like whether it's even; or, sometimes you don't want it to be 'even,' but to have an ebb-and-flow, and then, are you achieving that; and whether you're succeeding at making the notes "blend" together, which usually we do want in a trill, and which depends on things like loudness or softness and touch.
And even if we do want to talk about pure speed, I think muscle strength has little to do with it. More important than strength is how you use your arm and hand, especially involving "rotation" as well as movement of the fingers.
I've been trying to develop a more even and faster trill in my left hand for "pictures at an exhibition." I've also been working on left handed tremolos, and encountering the same issues.
One idea that has helped is to articulate the trill as a triplet. I don't know that that in itself helps in making it faster, but it sure seems to even it out. If I articulate it as a duplet, the longer of whatever two fingers I'm using will dominate the sound, and it is quite unattractive. It also seems to me that if my trill is even, a slower trill may do just as well.
Tomasino
Last edited by tomasino; 07/30/1211:48 PM.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do so with all thy might." Ecclesiastes 9:10
I am glad this topic was asked... I wanted to ask about trills myself, because my trills are terrible, and one of my dearest, dearest (and most beautiful) friends has some unbelievably great trilling technique. I asked her the secret to her trill practice, and she said she has always been naturally good at them, just like my own octaves and leaps. Which, I am proud of.
But BruceD's advice sounds amazing... Also, one of my friends told me about an exercise the great Anton Nel once prescribed. And I'm sure Hanon's trill and tremolo exercises work, too. And countless others from great technicians.
I will continues doing those exercises. Please PM me if you want to talk about improving trills.
Strengthening the muscles in your hands and arms is never a bad thing (provided you use proper technique for the strengthening), but as it has been discussed previously: you must use proper technique to gain more speed in your trills. If you cannot play them as fast as you like, there is something with your technique that is not quite there.
Muscle training helps prevent damage to tendons/ligaments/muscle groups, but does not help to improve technique. Technique is not about muscle strength, but rapid firing of the muscles in the proper way.
Every day we are afforded a new chance. The problem with life is not that you run out of chances. In the end, what you run out of are days.
no you cannot use grip weight like that to make your trills faster... it will make you better at dynamics (makes your finger stronger, so it can handle piano key's press, but no more than that) it's based on my own experience..
to practice trill (for example trill 2-3), try to do trills with metronome on piano... first slowly, then make it quicker and quicker.. please pay attention to the volume of the 2 notes.. it must be even.. and your finger and entire lower arm MUST BE RELAX! otherwise you will get some pain..
pop and beginner jazz pianist, played for 3 years.. now trying classical music..
"And if we look at the works of J.S. Bach — a benevolent god to which all musicians should offer a prayer to defend themselves against mediocrity... -Debussy
"It's ok if you disagree with me. I can't force you to be right."
There's this great device you can use: it holds selected fingers in place so you can separate your fourth and third digits' reliance on each other, it'll really boost their trilling capabilities...um...I don't think Schumann ever even patented it so feel free! Xxx
Sometimes, we all just need to be shown a little kindness <3
I haven't yet read the other replies to this thread, but my best advice would be that if you want to trill faster, then start trilling slower! Go really slow to start with and listen very carefully to the sound you produce to ensure that the trill is completely even. When you can pull that off, practise trilling each day with many different finger combinations; start with VERY slow trills played whilst a metronome is beating away in the background and just increase the metronome speed by 4 or 5 marks each day. You will get there...