Finger Exercises

Like anything else, exercising your fingers will help break the stiffness and build dexterity. When you sit down at your keyboard, you will want to warm up with a finger exercise. Here are some general tips for how your exercie should be:

• Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes
  
• Start with one hand at a time
  
• Go slow, try and focus on each key as you play
• Think about control, the idea is to discipline and control each finger
  

As for what to do when you're warming up, I've created some exercises that you may want to consider. Just make sure to refer to the exercise tips I've posted in order to get the most out of your warm-up!

Exercise #1: Using your Right hand, start with your thumb at C. Play from C to G, making sure only one key is pressed down at any time, and then play back down to C slowly.

Exercise #2: Using your Left hand, start with you thumb at G. Play from G to C, making sure only one key is pressed down at any time, and then play back up to G slowly.

Exercise #3: Place both thumbs on the same C key. Play outward in each hand at the same time. Your Right hand will be playing C to G, and your Left will be playing C to F. Make sure only two keys are played at any time, and then play back up to the C where your thumbs are.

These are just some basic ideas. What you want to do is get into the habit of giving each finger a respective key to play. The first songs you'll learn on the piano when you're reading sheet music will normally give each key one finger without any movement. As you become more and more advanced, you'll have to lift your hand to reach more keys.

For now, it is important to get some life and control in those fingers! When you've got those exercises down, we'll talk about scales!

And remember: Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect!