Developing finger dexterity & strength

[kokopellime]

I'm curious if anyone in this community has any suggestions or thoughts about building finger strength and dexterity. I realize that one way to do so is by practice and playing, but I’m speaking about additional methods. Pianists have the Hanon and Czerny system, which provides drills on a keyboard; there's a bunch of books for guitar players and drummers, but I’m not aware of similar exercises for whistle players.

I came across one method on a saxophone forum known as the Orosz technique (http://www.magicmusicianfingers.com/) that has slews of finger patterns to develop strength, dexterity, muscle memory and rhythm. This might be the one I’m seeking but there was some give and take in favor and against the method; a lot of opinions but very little actual experience. Her system supposedly done 'offline' (not on an instrument) can allow you to develop finger skills at times other than formal practice. Something I’d like to do when not having a whistle in my hands. I also hesitate since the system is not cheap, putting me in a quandary – “buy the method vs. buy a new whistle”

I also came across a guy on YouTube, Greg Irwin, who created his own hand system, that can be applied (at least as far as I can tell) to playing. His system develops nimbleness in finger manipulation for folks like computer operators, people needing hand therapy, magicians and yes musicians. See his site http://handhealth.com/ for details. Mr. Irwin has some exceptional hand flexibility, quite interesting to watch (check out his hand dance videos), some of it seemingly beyond my need in terms of playing.

I have no affiliation with either of these people, so I’m not recommending them but curious as I seek a method to increase my finger abilities in conjunction with regular practice.

I already do a few warm-up exercises, stretching my fingers, wrist loosening, tapping my thumbs and each finger in routine and random patterns, table-top finger push-ups and similar stuff, but I’d like something more systematic.

Does anyone have experience with these methods or suggestions on developing finger skills?

[Feadoggie]

There is no secret to building dexterity and strength. It comes from playing - and playing - and playing. Start slowly and comfortably and increase the tempo as you become more and more relaxed and confident.

I am not a fan of systems, methods or exercises. But I do not come from a classical or "teaching" background but rather a folk tradition. This is music, the stuff of your heart and soul. It's the voices in your blood. All that the methods and exercises are actually doing for you in the long run is giving you more time playing. Tunes will provide you with great diversity in melody and timing. So why not play tunes instead of empty exercises. Play the tunes, play the tunes, play the tunes.

I'm sure other may have different opinions but it's worked for me on many instruments over many years.

Feadoggie

[R Small]

I'm with Feadoggie on this. Practicing tunes slowly and carefully with good timing and steady tempo should give you all the excercizes you'll need to develope good technique and facility on the whistle. Now, if you found some finger excercizes that were actually enjoyable to do, so that you didn't find it a chore to do them, they might be of some benefit. But anything that's tedious and boring I would avoid.

[mutepointe]

Maybe it's because I do so much with my fingers already, nose picking and all, that I've not found a need to develop dexterity and strength for whistle playing. I've had to work on finger stretching and endurance for guitar and piano but unless I'm missing something and please tell me if I am, I'm only lifting my fingers up and down and a bit sideways too.

[Peter Duggan]

Since two of my biggest bugbears in whistle playing (including my own) are sloppy rhythm and sloppy grace notes, I'd endorse the recommendations above for slow, steady practice. But I'd also suggest trying to keep the grace notes as snappy as they'd be at full speed, always treating rolls (for example) as rhythmic main notes separated by snappy cuts and strikes (ie not just continuous 'diddles'), aiming to maintain this crispness as you work up the tempo and not being afraid to take tunes new and old (or simply tired) back to this stage to keep them tidy.

[kokopellime]

I'd never heard of the Snot Method, but I think that I know the rudiments of the technique.

I hear the sage advice of practice, practice, practice...and I do and will continue. In asking about techniques/exercises I was thinking about those non-whistle moments i.e. siting in a less than interesting meeting, while watching TV (I snatch moments to practice on commercials); at stop lights and the like.

I thought that there also might be a bit of value in taking advantage of these idle moments when a whistle between my lips is not available or practical; adding variety to my routine.

Thanx folks!

[mutepointe]

I'd never heard of the Snot Method, but I think that I know the rudiments of the technique.

'snot what you think it is. Dig deeper.

One thing I thought about later is finger speed. I live in the slow lane and I can think of only one song where I had to develop speed to play well. Most songs requiring speedy playing are beyond my abilities and usually beyond my interests as well.

[nickthepiedpiper]

I do a lot of finger exercises at times when I can't play, but I do them with a whistle, or I simply make the movements of a tune with my fingers. I like to play tunes without blowing just by tapping the holes to make the sound. I also recommend some of the exercises in my tutorial section on ethnicwind.com. Most of these will help your breath control and build the muscle memory in your diaphragm and fingers.

Remember to practice right... practice makes permanent, not perfect!

[Peter Duggan]

One thing I thought about later is finger speed. I live in the slow lane and I can think of only one song where I had to develop speed to play well. Most songs requiring speedy playing are beyond my abilities and usually beyond my interests as well.

Whereas I'd argue that slow tunes benefit from fast fingers too...

Remember to practice right... practice makes permanent, not perfect!

Hadn't seen that particular wording before, but agree 100% as a teacher who's always reminding his pupils to slow things down, break them apart and learn the moves right!