An important aspect of learning any instrument is developing the physical ability to play fast or complicated passages.
In learning the piano, it can pay to practice simple piano exercises that are designed to strengthen the fingers.
There are famous books on developing a good technique, such as Hanon's 'The Virtuoso Pianist', which takes the learner through pattern-based musical examples of increasing difficulty.
It is natural that certain fingers will be less 'cooperative' than others when you are starting out playing a keyboard instrument, especially the thumb and the little finger.
It can be frustrating when you feel that you do not have enough control over your fingers, and a great imbalance in the distribution of strength between fingers can result in uneven and clumsy scale passages.
There are simple exercises which focus on improving the flexibility of the thumbs and the little fingers, which can be found in many good instruction books.
The way Hanon focuses on developing each finger is to work through simple broken chord exercises, as well as passages where a gap is inserted between notes.
For example, an exercise for strengthening the third and fourth fingers may consist of a repeated pattern which contains a bigger gap between the third and fourth finger.
It is important to be patient when working on technique, and to build up fluency at a reasonable pace.
It is not uncommon for pianists to sustain hand injuries by overdoing it.
It may be helpful to think of developing good technique as a type of athletics for the hands - you do not want to push your muscles too far, it is best to play a little each day, rather than pursue marathon-like practice hours.
If you are having private lessons with a teacher, ask about exercises that will be good for overcoming specific technical difficulties.
In the course of learning a new piece, a pianist often encounters sections which present a challenge.
It often helps to turn such a challenge into an exercise.
For example, if you encounter a passage requiring large leaps of the hands, it may be helpful to simply practice leaps themselves out of context.
You can order books on technique online at reasonable prices, but it is also easy to develop an exercise out of a passage in a piece that you are currently working on.
You can also find free tips and suggestions via online music forums.
While an impressive technique is not something that most pianists develop overnight, a steady practice routine which includes productive piano exercises is a surefire way to improve ability and progress towards playing more advanced music.
In learning the piano, it can pay to practice simple piano exercises that are designed to strengthen the fingers.
There are famous books on developing a good technique, such as Hanon's 'The Virtuoso Pianist', which takes the learner through pattern-based musical examples of increasing difficulty.
It is natural that certain fingers will be less 'cooperative' than others when you are starting out playing a keyboard instrument, especially the thumb and the little finger.
It can be frustrating when you feel that you do not have enough control over your fingers, and a great imbalance in the distribution of strength between fingers can result in uneven and clumsy scale passages.
There are simple exercises which focus on improving the flexibility of the thumbs and the little fingers, which can be found in many good instruction books.
The way Hanon focuses on developing each finger is to work through simple broken chord exercises, as well as passages where a gap is inserted between notes.
For example, an exercise for strengthening the third and fourth fingers may consist of a repeated pattern which contains a bigger gap between the third and fourth finger.
It is important to be patient when working on technique, and to build up fluency at a reasonable pace.
It is not uncommon for pianists to sustain hand injuries by overdoing it.
It may be helpful to think of developing good technique as a type of athletics for the hands - you do not want to push your muscles too far, it is best to play a little each day, rather than pursue marathon-like practice hours.
If you are having private lessons with a teacher, ask about exercises that will be good for overcoming specific technical difficulties.
In the course of learning a new piece, a pianist often encounters sections which present a challenge.
It often helps to turn such a challenge into an exercise.
For example, if you encounter a passage requiring large leaps of the hands, it may be helpful to simply practice leaps themselves out of context.
You can order books on technique online at reasonable prices, but it is also easy to develop an exercise out of a passage in a piece that you are currently working on.
You can also find free tips and suggestions via online music forums.
While an impressive technique is not something that most pianists develop overnight, a steady practice routine which includes productive piano exercises is a surefire way to improve ability and progress towards playing more advanced music.