Forearm Angle: What About the Elbow?

     

Berlin, Germany

From a correspondent in Berlin, one of my favorite cities: "How do you recommend the angle of the arm should be (specially on high tones)? Should the elbow be close to the body or perpendicular to the keyboard, (meaning the elbow is held away from the body)?

     

The elbow can act as a hinge.

My response: The fingers/hand/forearm alliance can be at any angle with the piano as long as it is straight with itself. The elbow shouldn't feel as if it's being held either against the torso or away from it. Holding implies extra tension, an unnecessary effort.

     Find the position by dropping your arm straight down your side, lift up the forearm to the playing position and that should be a good location for the elbow. It hangs from the shoulder. This is not to say that it can't move outward, but take care not to involve the upper arm (bicep) excessively, as that is a slow movement. Imagine that the elbow is a hinge

from which your forearm can swing from side to side, describing an arc. (Remember the circular piano keyboard?) If necessary, lean with the torso to the right.