4. The Chopin Method: the fingers 

"Chopin is the greatest of them all, for with the piano alone he discovered everything." - Claude Debussy

As a guitar player, I found this video fascinating. The idea that we should not train our fingers to simply be equal, but lean into their unique voices is beautiful.

As an intermediate piano player, I've played a couple of Chopin pieces and i feel like they always 'feel' good to play. The the hands match the piano and the piano matches the hands in a natural way. Maybe its because of Chopin's theory of not going against nature but being in harmony with it?

If You learn this technique at a young age, you can literally become a classical pianist. It literally links your brain to your fingers like a wifi signal. Feels like I have Violet Evergarden's hands. This is crazy!

Chopin, also known as the final boss for most players. I love his music but I have hardly any time to practice with life going on, so I often end up giving up on learning his pieces because I end up making so little progress it’d take way to long to get to the final.

Chopin was a genius. if you understand this, your entire approach to technique will change. that's why slow practice is so important. it allows you to be able to quickly recognize what sort of intricate movement is needed from all the fingers, entire hand, and arm, just to play a set of 3 notes. of course, at high speeds all this intricate minute movements cannot be seen. only the chef knows what's in the soup. mean while the spectators think the pianist is gifted, or a genius.

Chopin opened the world of finger technique over 30 years ago when I was only 6 years old, and my grandmother showed me how Chopin utilized the piano.

I am fascinated by this. I am a senior self-taught pianist with no talent but lots of interest. I have had some very challenging movement problems with my right hand that I originally ascribed to a focal dystonia, but I no longer believe that’s the case. Now I think the problems are mechanical, not neurological. Sometimes I have thought it would be useful to really study the biomechanics of the piano, but really do not have the time or the right medical training for that. Now, out of the clear blue, this video has popped onto my screen. All of this must be written somewhere, but I’ve never been able to find it. Exercises are good, but intelligent exercises are far better. In my own case, I have found that slow and deliberate practice is far more helpful than I ever imagined it would be. Now I think with sorrow how I used to be criticized for slow playing when I tried learning the piano. Another discovery that is contrary to what I taught is that watching my hands during slow play also makes practice far more productive. If there are resources regarding the biomechanics of playing the piano, I’d love to know about them. Not that I hope to gain much personally (I’m 73), but because knowing this might help some younger learner.

Best Fingering tutorial on YT

This instantly fixed my hand speed and my staccato. My hands can fly over the keys now! Time to practice scales. Thank You and Chopin!!

I never thought that a piano can reach to a degree of details like this. Will be extremely helpful.

Not everyone can play Chopin. His music and technique are brilliant. Only very gifted pianists can play as soulfully as Chopin. Now there are many pianists who technically play fast, but how little soul there is.

Wow! I was just reading today letters from Chopin to his students on posture and such, and to come across this channel immediately after is amazing. Not to mention the great editing and presentation, thank you and I hope to see this channel grow.

Ergonomics and an understanding of biomechanics/anatomy is an under-appreciated aspect of all musical endeavors. Excellent video!

Thank you so much for these lessons, it helps self-taught pianists like myself a ton and shows how important relaxation is and how to achieve it. Much love from Brazil!

Everything we're talking and learning about is a gift of God!

Having not heard of this hand/muscle theory before, it’s kind of blowing my mind. Now it’s making me think much more about HOW I play instead of just making the piano sound like another piano in a recording

For each note, there are as many sounds as fingers in the hand

I am only a self-taught beginner, and it's great to see that I am experiencing the same type of finger comparisons you describe on this video. I'll stop blaming my fourth finger for it's lack of strength.

I have played piano fot two days, except for two years training 50 years ago, and not touching a piano since. This video came up as recommended, and I understand why. It should be something every pianist should see. Chopin did what every dedicated craftsman does when he knows something so well there is hardly more to learn. They go and dig for more knowledge, knowing you are never finished learning. It is natural to speculate on the fingers role in music to perfect your playing.

Love how many different fascinating ways musicians convey emotions

На выпускном экзамене в музыкальной школе я играла одно из известных сочинений Шопена. Помню, как мне нравилась именно свобода пальцев рук, и насколько прекрасно звучала музыка. Я тогда не знала про метод Шопена, но сейчас, при просмотре вашего видео, я вспомнила все свои прежние ощущения... Повторюсь, именно в его произведениях ощущается эта свобода и индивидуальность каждого пальца. Больше нигде, ни в одном другом произведении других композиторов, я не смогла почувствовать этой лёгкости и раскрепощенности.

Your videos are very valuable! Thank you for all your hard work! It is a great contribution to the teaching of the piano arts!

this is incredibly helpful! it always excites me to understand more about the composer’s true intentions. thank you!

I don't even play piano, bit your teaching abilities kept me captivated all through, keep up the good work man!

Brilliant videos, research, and animations! Thank you very much!

Amazingly informative!! Keep them coming

Very interesting and informative. I don't play piano, but as a guitarist, the information is absolutely "need to know" primarily for the left hand, but also useful in right hand technique.

These videos are very informative and very well made!

Merci, an excellent presentation on the biomechanics of the hand and fingers. I have to smile at the opening biomechanical movments of your "players".

Thank you so much for sharing this marvel of curated knowledge

brilliant videos just finished watching all of them. finding many applications to all sorts of arts. i am not a piano player yet but in simply understanding the relationship an artist has with their tools, and the importance of understanding more deeply how to command said tools effectively, you can have a much deeper connection with your expression.

What and amazing explanation of the anatomic and mechanical factors on why certain fingers on a particular piece

Absolute and mesmerizing video.

This video is great, the animations, and the story background, plus the information. Also enjoyed it because I'm a Chopin fan myself. Thanks for the content ;)

Can't wait for the next one!! Subscribed!!

A really interesting and enriching video, thank you.

great video! very useful and well-made grafics

The graphics in this video are really cool

This is one of the best RU-vid recommendations that I received so far. I didn't expect I would learn a lot about this today. Thank you :]

Amazing! Thanks for this videos

Fascinating video!

Thank you for the video! Great content. I'm finally being able to retake my piano studies, and always on the lookout for interesting channels. Immediatly favorited.

This is an incredibly helpful series, thank you!

very useful content, thanks for the subtitles!

Excellent video! Learned a lot!

Thank God you uploaded! I thought you were going to stop. You’re disseminating quintessential information for us all. Thank you.

extremely underrated channel!!! this teaches so much!!!

Very well done. Congratulation. Looking forward to watch your other videos

This was great! thanks for posting

Very interesting video.I enjoyed the illustrated explanations of how each finger functions relative to the hand and keyboard. I actually watched it three times because it was a lot to take in. Thanks very much for this presentation and best wishes from New Zealand.

A pleasure to meet you today, Claudio! Marvelous information on the topic.

Thank you for the info. Very educational

This channel is way too underrated! Love the video keep it up.

Completely fascinating!

I know the chopin method, but it's just refreshing seeing someone teach it again

Really fun to watch this as a medical student and hobby pianist.

i'm a piano player myself and I did not know that the fingers of a hand are so special made as you explained, thankx for that. I'll pass this video to my musical friends. My best musical regards Joost Verhoeven. from the Netherlands. 🎶🎹

Insightful! thankyou!

an interesting video! as a pianist, i have never thought of my fingers with this much depth.

Very helpful, thank you

Very well explained with historical example!

I like Chopin; I find this very educational. Thank you.

Awesome, thank you

Thanks a lot to U tube as well to this video Sir. Happy day.

I can't wait for the next video, thank you Dr. Claudio very much for these preeminent tutorials.

For us, the musicians, this type of research made by people centuries ago is the key to going forward and also to have better ways to express ourselves.

This series is amazing keep them coming!

Wonderful - Thank you 🙏🏻

Interesting educational video. Thank You. When i get a piano i follow this learnings

Super insightful, I'm fascinated to find such great information! Keep educating

Wow! I never knew the 4th finger had a ligament to the 3rd and 5th. Knowing the bone, muscle, and ligament structure really helps. I like Chopin's method. Calling the 4th the siamese of the 3rd is brilliant. Sometimes my 5th finger goes way up off the keys - especially on turns and trills with the 2nd and 3rd finger, but watching your video I am bringing in the 5th finger closer to my body with a bit more curl and making it a temporary anchor, that helps. When I play trills with my 3rd and 4th, both my 2nd and 5th rise up... I hate that. I wish Chopin was here... I can see him slapping my fingers with a ruler every time they rose too high.

Thanks! This helped a lot! ❤

Great video!

This video is just excellent.

Thank you for posting such an informative video, loved watching it.

Wow this is a very in depth video. I’ve never seen such a correlation 😮

It's very helpful to me. Thank you 😊😊

Very useful. Thx :)

this method changed my life. i’m a self thought pianist and i’ve been playing for three years now. I’ve only ever learned Chopin pieces (and i’ve been told i play them well), I wonder how they’ll sound now that I know this technique!!!

Tysm! Now i know more about chopin!

Thank you for such a remarkable video!

love this channel !! hope you continue posting videos for a long time :)

Thanks for this video....

I am glad to have found this thank you

Extraordinario muchas gracias !

Excellent 👌🏻

Perfect video Educational explanation Nice structure Informationally Accurate Super entertaining

Loved it! I never thought I'd see anything remotely to this in regards to music. 😊

very informative!

interesting look into chopin's thoughts! I've never looked at all into his personal life so this was a neat introduction

thank you very much!!!!

VERY INTERESTING! i wish to see more videos on this!

THANK YOU CONGRATS! 🎹🙌

Great work , wish to see more of this type of videos ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Incredible video, merci bcp

Thank you so much for these lessons.

O maior pianista de todos os tempos!

Very good

This was very informative :D