Twist Not, Want Not: The Work of Dorothy Taubman and Sheila Paige, Part 1

            I feel once again that I must preface this post with a disclaimer. This is my personal understanding and current experience with the work of Dorothy Taubman as presented and taught by Sheila Paige of the Keyboard Wellness Seminar (www.keyboardwellnessseminar.com). I am not a Certified Taubman Instructor, nor am I a faculty representative of Ms. Paige’s seminar. I am posting this representing my thoughts on their ideas and innovations, with heavy reference to Sheila Paige’s work.

            It is hard as a pianist to go far into the world piano pedagogy research regarding technique and not see the name of Dorothy Taubman. And rightly so; without her innovative and imaginative thinking, many pianists (such as myself) would no longer play the instrument. Mrs. Taubman gained a reputation for helping pianists (and other instrumentalists) overcome repetitive strain injuries by exploring a more coordinated use of the arm.

This coordinated technique is based upon the idea that sound on the piano is achieved by the weight of the forearm entering the keys by balancing on the fingertips, and not by the fingers exclusively "pushing" down the keys. A coordinated technique would be defined as one in which the fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms lift and drop as one unit. Essential to this unit is the concept of alignment.

Last week in our discussion of the Alexander Technique (see here) the word “alignment” was not used, though the work is about bringing the body into alignment. Once that process is established and the basic directions are in place, it is easier to focus on the arm, hand, and fingers. The most common misalignment for pianists is known as “radial/ulnar deviation” or to use Mrs. Taubman’s more memorable term “twisting”.

Hand and Arm in Alignment

Ulnar Deviation

Radial Deviation

This deviation/twist most commonly occurs when the pianist is attempting to bring the hands in front of the torso or is playing the thumb or pinky finger. For the former, the pianist must incline the torso backwards by shifting to the back of the “sit bones”. The whole arm then shifts in front of the body to keep the weight of the arm behind the active fingers. A place where this is especially troublesome to our students is the infamous "Middle C Position". If only one hand is playing in front of the torso, it is also advisable to shift the whole torso slightly to the side of the other hand.

When the twist occurs because the pianist is trying to bring the thumb or pinky to the keyboard, the solution is simple: bring the entire arm forward. The myth that the fingers must be in a straight line on the keyboard must be put to rest. Each hand has five fingers, which are five different lengths. And it works far more to our advantage, and that of our students, to let these fingers be the length they are naturally than to attempt to “curl” them into the same length.

The “twist” is a problem for pianists for two reasons. The first of these is that the long flexors and extensors that run through the carpal tunnel operate best when not pinched off. Deviating the alignment of the hand and arm causes the bones in the wrist to shift, thus encroaching of the carpal tunnel’s space. Whenever overused in this position, the pianist (or often, the computer typist!) begins to develop what has become known as “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome”. This condition is one in which the tendons (flexors and extensors), being misused, become inflamed and begin to swell. This swelling within the finite space of the carpal tunnel becomes problematic as the bones of the wrist begin to shift and press on nerves. This is why common symptoms of CTS include wrists popping, numbness in the hand/fingers, and sharp shooting pains up and down the arm.

It is important to note at this point that numbness and pain due to pinched nerves may not be occurring because of a carpal tunnel problem. There are three other “nerve bundles” that you should have examined when investigating these symptoms. The elbows, the thoracic outlet (between the clavicle and first rib), and the atlanto-occipital (AO) joint (where the base of the skull and the top of the spine meet).

When Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the issue, people are often pressured to have surgery performed. In short, what this surgery accomplishes is to cut the ligament band which forms the Carpal Tunnel. This may provide permanent or temporary relief, depending on how heavily the pianist uses it after. It will only be temporary if the pianist continues a heavy practicing/performing schedule and does nothing to change their technical habits. Most prefer to go through this surgery, rather than going to the “trouble” of retraining with a healthier, more efficient technique. Again, it comes down to deciding if one wants a long-term permanent solution or a short-term quick “fix”. We have to keep in mind that fatigue and pain are only the symptoms of a deeper problem. Solving the pain without solving the root of it really solves nothing.

Our students are especially prone to these issues due to the hours spent each day on phones, tablets, and computers. Technology is all well and good, but the body that is misused will eventually begin to protest. We have the duty of helping our students to realize that what we do away from the piano still affects us when we come back to it.

The second reason that we want to avoid playing with a twist is that it becomes impossible to balance the weight of the arm behind the fingers playing. It’s much as if one were to sit with half of their posterior on a chair and the other half hanging in the air. It feels uncomfortable and out of balance. When the arm and hand are properly aligned, it allows the weight of the arm to drop to a point of balance on the fingertips.

It is important to have an understanding of what exactly the arm is, anatomically speaking. Sheila Paige’s lecture “Anatomy for Pianists” (see preview for this lecture) is a great resource for those looking to educate themselves further on this topic.

Next week we will continue talking about the Taubman Approach and the Keyboard Wellness Seminar in terms of the for motions of the forearm and how we use them in the transfer of weight from one point of balance to another point of balance.