Note from Emiliano (Updated April 2026): > I wrote this post and filmed the accompanying video 13 years ago. While the core patterns remain a fundamental part of my Structured Curriculum, my technical philosophy has evolved. Back then, I taught every piano finger exercise as it had been taught to me when I was 8. Today, I teach them as a whole-body coordination involving the wrist, arm, and body. I’ve kept the original video below as a reference.

In this lesson, I go into detail on the technique behind an effective legato. A basic piano finger exercise is the staple of beginning students, and the importance of the quality of these technical foundations cannot be overstated.

The Goal: Achieving a Legato Piano Finger Exercise

Legato means that the sounds are joined together with no silence between notes. To achieve this effect, the hand must coordinate in a specific manner, which I break down in the video:

  • Produce one note.
  • Prepare the next one.
  • Produce the next note and release the previous one at the exact same time.

It is crucial that as one note is depressed, the previous one is released precisely at the same moment. Release too late and the sounds overlap (blurring the melody); release too soon and there is a gap, which negates the legato.

The Non-Legato: An Exercise in Support

The non-legato—sounding each note in separation before attempting to join them—is an exercise in itself.

By dropping the weight onto each note separately and letting it rest, you develop a physical realization: the line between elbow, wrist, and fingertip must be adjusted at each note to support that weight without effort.

Let Gravity do the Work

While in the video I articulate the fingers to an extent (as I was taught in my youth), I make a vital point at the end: “Let gravity do the work.” This means allowing the weight of the arm to drop into the key through the fingertip. This weight must be supported by three “pillars”:

  1. The Finger Arch
  2. The Knuckle Dome
  3. The Wrist

Today, I would emphasize that the wrist is not a static hinge, but a shock absorber. The hand is a spring with a default state: much like a Slinky it opens, closes, reaches out and does all sorts of things, but at the end of the day it always wants to reset to its default state. The arm is a swing bridge: grounded at two points and movable in between.

Take the Next Step in Your Journey

Technical foundations are the difference between “hitting keys” and actually making music. If you’ve struggled with tension or feel like your progress has hit a plateau, Book a FREE Consultation in Cork or Online.