Cracking the Code - for Pianists?

General Music Discussion
#1

This is a very interesting book about Frederick Chopin’s fingering system for piano. It explains why many of his pieces are in “weird” keys like A-flat and E-flat.
Chopin felt that the hand was most efficient when it covered white notes as well as black notes, and felt that the C-major scale was the most difficult scale for beginners because of thumb cross-under, and that they should start out with other scales (like Ab and Eb). He also gives some alternate fingerings for scale which are definitely not standard academic practice.
Apparently, the book has gone out of print and WAY up in price, so sorry about that. I just think this is an interesting example of how accepted academic practices might be outmoded, and gives a fresh perspective on the general approach to things, as Troy Grady has definitely done with his guitar mechanics: approaching things from square one, questioning everything, taking nothing for granted, and as they say in Zen, having a “beginner’s mind.”

ISBN-13: 978-0195181845

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#2

Whoa this is fascinating, great find. Love the cover illustration and subtitle, seeing “topographical approach” makes me think of “fretboard mapping” / navigation in a new light…fingers trekking across the musical landscape etc etc :slight_smile:

The hardcover looks super expensive but FYI seems Amazon has the paperback for a pretty reasonable price (~$35) at least for the moment!

From the description:

Author Jon Verbalis develops principles for a topographically-based fingering strategy that reflect a surprising compatibility of this fixed symmetrical organization with the most efficient biokinetic capabilities of the pianist’s playing mechanism. He addresses previously neglected or overlooked technical aspects of pianism as they relate to movement in keyboard space generally as well as fingering specifically.

Seems super aligned with the sort of investigation we do…he’d probably be really interesting to talk to!

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#3

Indeed, he is famous for advocating the key of B major as a beginner’s key. Hilariously, since the staff notation is five sharps which looks crazy when you see it. It’s really not a common key in popular music for paino. Did nobody listen to Fred??

But I can confirm, it’s comfortable! The layout of the black keys vs white keys is almost like an ergonomic keyboard. I do feel like it’s harder to target black keys in some types of phrases though - there’s less surface area and it’s easier to miss or slide off. I sometimes end up hitting them diagonally, with flat fingers, almost like a guitar barre, to increase the surface area.

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#4

Thanks, Brendan, for your positive feedback. At first I wasn’t sure if this would be of interest to a bunch of guitar players.

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#5

Wow, the man himself replies! You and your team are doing important work for the advancement of the plectrum-style electric guitar.
Troy, your “Cracking the Code” story is very entertaining. I watched them in sequence all the way through, which I suggest to all.
I’m thinking that your studies at Yale (packets) and maybe in biomechanics are being put to good purpose. You yourself seem to be a very good guitarist, and I hope you make an album.
Your thoughts on Eric Johnson, and analysis of his playing were of great interest to me, since I used to go see him way back in 1973. He played at “Mother Earth’s” for a fifty-cent cover charge. I saw him in small settings, playing late into the night. He had the first Mesa Boogie amp I ever saw. I knew he was a genius then, and kept waiting for him to become famous. The first sign was when Steve Morse mentioned him in a Guitar Player interview (as ‘ridiculously good’) and then I knew it was only a matter of time. But he has struggled and worked hard, for years. When he played in Odessa, Texas at ‘dos Amigos’ (a barbeque place with an outdoor stage), he requested a vegetarian meal. The owner, Ronnie Lewis, did not know what to do, so he got my (now) wife, Cindi-o, to make him a vegetarian meal, which was a hot and sour soup. He left word with Ronnie that he liked it. So that’s my Eric Johnson story.
If I can get to the point you are at in my playing, with your pentatonic demonstration, it would be the accomplishment of my life. I hope to use your methods to do this.

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#6

If I recall correctly, a lot of Tori Amos’ first several records were in B (5 sharps) and D-flat (5 flats).

I agree. Surprisingly comfortable.

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