So true.

One thing that really helped change my hand shape and approach on the piano was when I added the Hammond Organ. Had to learn that the organ is not touch sensitive. Also had to learn that the better way to play fast lines on the organ keyboard involved keeping the top of the hand rather flat in shape, rather than curling fingers to be ready to articulate velocities. That, BTW is the awful sign of a pianist who just encontered the organ. She's up there pounding away -- but the dynamics are static. Takes some practice to be able to use that Expression Pedal while playing a line.

The old tried and true pipe organist's method of placing a largish coin on top of each hand while practicing the organ scales and runs without letting those coins drop from outlandish hand curling and pounding can really go a long way towards getting through that period of adjustment.

Then, I found that I had to be thinking hard about which was which when having to play gigs where both the Piano and Organ were the issue. After awhile, though, like all things involved with the manipulation of our various instruments, repetition, the embarrassment of bad mistakes, all goes towards the place where something like this becomes a matter of rote. Today, it is the sound of the instrument that leads me to play it one way or the other. It is also the big reason that I don't like to play organ patches on weighted MIDI piano keyboards.


--Mac

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