M （我的鋼琴老師）說，自然的鋼琴彈奏法，是要整條手臂一起運動，指尖只是把力量傳輸到琴鍵上的最末端點。手的運動是整體的，而不是努力讓每根指頭分開工 作。如此一來，琴鍵可獲得整條手臂的肌肉力量，不只有指頭肌肉的力量；因而音量音質的變化範圍可以擴展，手的負擔卻比較小。
其中一項有用的 練習，是讓右手彈B大調音階（下行）。如何進行「整體」運動？首先，整條手臂是「自由」的，腋下有空氣流動，手的關節（尤其手腕）可自由旋轉。想像是手腕 及手背擔任引導角 色，向著左邊行進，而個別的手指只是 輕鬆地被牽引、「經過」那些鍵、把來自後方的力量送出去。此時B大調音階下行是空間結構上最配合人手形態的一組音階：小指和拇指管理的是白鍵，中間 三指是黑鍵。黑鍵高白鍵低，所以手的形狀成為擲出飛標一般的形狀，輕鬆地擲在琴鍵上，但產生的音量可以很大。
M引用某鋼琴家說過的話（但我忘記是誰了）：我們不應該從C大調音階開始練習。
去年首次學到這些想法時，寫了一些與認知科學相關的聯想，現在整理回收於此。
A New Experience of Piano PlayingA more traditional training for piano playing is base on the hope that each finger can move as separately and as independently as possible. Early examples of the design of robot's hand were base on the similar ideology that each digit is an independent unit. However, in actual human brain, when the fingers work independently, it requires more neurons involved than when the fingers move together. From the evolutionary point of view, this is quite reasonable: originally our hands were more likely to perform the function as grip or slap, rather than piano playing; holistic movements rather than separated ones. Biologically speaking, it suggests that more effort is needed in the traditional piano training process, and it is unnatural.
The new experience of using the fingers, hands and arms in a more holistic and therefore biologically natural way actually reduces the 'loads' in the whole body including the brain. Therefor the pianist can gain the benefit of concentrating on the flow of music itself.
Originally written on 29/11/05
新春賀年
