COURSE SUPPLEMENT

WEIGHT, MASS, AND SPEED

WATCH THE LESSON
AT TONEBASE.CO

SOUND AND TOUCH: LESSON 3

BORIS BERMAN – INSTRUCTOR

“Usually, when you play legato, the juices from bigger levers are poured
into the fingertips.”

There are several variables in the pianist’s touch that influence

the sound. One of them is weight. The more weight is applied
to the key, the fuller the sound is. .

The pianist must know how

and when to use the full
weight of fingers, hand,
forearm, and upper arm. The
weight should not be
confused with pressure,
which usually constricts the
sound and should be avoided.

Another variable is mass, i.e., how much of the arm and body
is involved in playing at any given time (also called the lever).
Usually bigger levers create more sound.

In legato playing, the juices from

bigger levers are poured into the
fingertips. Sometimes it is helpful to
think about the “long finger”, which
extends in to bigger levers, or the
“long neck” -  feeling the muscular
flow that starts behind the ear and
continues all the way to the fingertip.

Watch the lesson at tonebase.co Berman 1

 An important variable is speed with which we activate the
key. Speed changes the articulation. It is not the same as
playing "in" or "out".

Describing the “out” movement,

Berman may talk about “taking” the
sound from the key, “pulling” the
sound, “tearing” it from the key, or
“plucking” the key. We react to all
these images with a progressively
faster motion.

If they're playing a dull piano, some

pianists use too much force and
pressure. This results in a strained,
unpleasant sound and frequently
causes tendinitis. The correct
approach is to use a fast and light
stroke. In contrast, if the piano is very
bright, a slower speed of the stroke
and a light touch prevents the sound
from being ugly.

Watch the lesson at tonebase.co Berman 2

 Prokofiev Sonata 7, 1st movement, mm. 124-128

Brahms Op. 119 No. 4 mm. 1-4

Chopin Concerto No. 2, 1st Mvt

Watch the lesson at tonebase.co Berman 3

 Mozart K. 333 1st mvt mm. 1-4

Beethoven Concerto No. 4, 1st movement, mm. 1-5

Watch the lesson at tonebase.co Berman 4