Articulation

Performance Techniques in Piano

In this third section, we are entering into performance. This is now taking improvisation to that level, where it is really helping us as pianists to:

• Project our musicality
• Express what we want to do at the piano
• Enjoy and explore the piano
• Experience all of those colors and textures

For those of you who really want to take your piano playing to the next level, whether it's sitting on a stage to perform, taking a grade exam, or pursuing any other performance opportunity, this section aims to provide tips that can boost your confidence and enhance your performance technique.

Mixing Techniques

In this section, we're going to mix it up a little bit. We'll be using some of the different techniques we've been exploring in Sections 1 and 2, combining and applying them in varied ways.

Vital Elements of Performing

We'll start off by discussing some vital aspects of performing at the piano. First, let's think about articulation:

• This refers to how we play the notes.
• It includes which notes we join, how detached or smooth they are, and the wide range of combinations within these elements.

Going right back to the start, consider our little note pattern with the five notes. Our hand position with that very first improvisation, perhaps with the pulse hand as well, allows us to start exploring different articulations within the same improvisation.

Experimenting with Articulation

This process is all about experimenting and learning as you go, from the inside out. Here are some pointers on varieties of articulation using the aforementioned technique:

• Combine the right hand and left hand sides of the techniques we discussed in the second section, where the hands can start imitating each other.

As ever, engage with this when you feel ready. Don't necessarily launch straight into it, but if you follow each section as we go, you will soon reach a point where you can execute these ideas effectively.

Within that slight mix of left hand and right hand, phrases, pulse, and different hands performing different actions, I also introduced a bit of the cluster. This involved adding two notes at the same time to the pulse, mixing that up a little bit as well.

Key Takeaway

Overall, even within the most simple five-note pattern, we can start exploring and experimenting with different articulations. Articulation is a massively important element to include in the mix of performance technique.