Tips for Playing Naturally

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1.  Check the height of the bench.  Play so that the elbows hang easily from the shoulders and are even or slightly higher than the keys.  If the elbows are lower than the keys it puts pressure on the forearms or elbows.

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2.  Play with the fingers in the edges of the black keys.  Playing with the fingers close to the edges of the white keys causes the weight of the hand to fall and the wrist to droop.

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3.  For a strong, rich tone, allow the wrists to go down.  For a weak tone, allow them to come up.  For a free "staccato" play in a "down" motion and allow the rebound to keep the muscles free.

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4.  Sit on the edge of the bench.  Balance the weight of the body on the feet.  Don't allow the arms and the legs to stretch to reach the keys and the pedals.  Sit as if you were sitting at a table.

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5.  As you play a single finger, don't allow other fingers to rise above the keys.  This causes tension in the wrist and uneven runs.