Piano Piano Technique & Performance 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the correct wrist position when playing the piano to prevent injury?
- Wrists dropped below the keys
- Wrists elevated above the keys
- Wrists level with or slightly above the keyboard (Correct answer)
- Wrists tilted toward the pinky side
Correct answer: Wrists level with or slightly above the keyboard
Keeping the wrists level with or slightly above the keyboard promotes free movement and reduces tension and risk of injury.
Question 2: Which pedal on a grand piano sustains all notes currently being played?
- Sostenuto pedal
- Una corda pedal
- Damper pedal (Correct answer)
- Practice pedal
Correct answer: Damper pedal
The damper pedal (rightmost pedal) lifts all the dampers, allowing strings to vibrate freely and sustaining all notes played.
Question 3: What musical term describes playing notes in a smooth, connected manner?
- Staccato
- Legato (Correct answer)
- Marcato
- Tenuto
Correct answer: Legato
Legato means to play notes smoothly and connectedly, with no silence between them.
Question 4: What does a staccato marking above a note indicate?
- Play the note very loudly
- Play the note smoothly
- Play the note short and detached (Correct answer)
- Hold the note for its full value
Correct answer: Play the note short and detached
Staccato, indicated by a dot above or below a note, means to play it short and detached, typically about half its written value.
Question 5: What hand position best prevents tension and injury during piano practice?
- Flat fingers pressing straight down
- Curved fingers with a rounded hand arch (Correct answer)
- Fingers pointing outward at an angle
- Fingers kept close together at all times
Correct answer: Curved fingers with a rounded hand arch
Curved fingers with a naturally rounded hand arch distribute weight evenly and allow flexible, injury-free movement.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of the una corda pedal on a grand piano?
- Sustain all notes
- Soften the tone by shifting the hammer mechanism (Correct answer)
- Mute the strings for silent practice
- Hold specific notes while others change
Correct answer: Soften the tone by shifting the hammer mechanism
The una corda pedal shifts the entire action slightly so hammers strike fewer strings, producing a softer, more veiled tone.
Piano Piano Technique & Performance 1
What is the correct wrist position when playing the piano to prevent injury?