(10) Parallel Sets Catalogue

A unique property of Parallel Sets (PSs) is that they are both diagnostic tests for discovering weaknesses and methods for correcting them. A beginner should fail all the tests! Even for advanced players, PSs are used only when they fail the test. They are not exercises in the conventional sense to be practiced repeatedly, wasting time. They are used only when necessary to solve problems. Once solved, you have gained a technique for life — you never have to repeat that procedure again, unlike the Hanon type exercises that are repeated all your life with little assurance that they will solve your problems. Below are the major PSs listed in order of complexity with explanations of their properties and how to use them. They are listed using a representative member, such as 1111 (four repeats, a "quad" , of the thumb), representing all repeats.

There is no need to practice all the PSs because you create just the PS you need depending on the problem, and there are too many of them. Study a few until you understand the concept.

PS #1: 1111, the repetition. This "PS" is somewhat of a misnomer because it contains no PS, but is a necessary member of the family of PS exercises.

It is the simplest, but is the most important. Because of its simplicity, it is too often ignored, and therefore not understood. It is used at the beginning of practically every PS session to separate out the motions of the large members (arms, hands, body, etc.) from the smaller motions of the fingers. Practice it as quads of quads: 1111,1111,1111,1111, four quads in rapid succession (no rest between quads) followed by a brief pause. Difficult material requires a series of PS sessions such that each session prepares you for the next, and this is the starting PS.

Diagnostic test: increase speed to more than one quad (1111) per second, playing comfortably, relaxed. Then two quads in a row without any pause between them: 1111, 1111, accenting the first of each quad, then three, etc., until you can do four quads. Next, do two 4- quads in a row with a pause between them, then three, and finally four (16 quads in all, or about 16 seconds). If you fail, practice it. The passing criteria depend on the individual and degree of difficulty. Thus beginners playing slower pieces may pass at one quad per two seconds; set the test speed according to the required final speed.

Example: use PS #1 to start a two-note PS session with PS 23 of RH (fingers 2 and 3). For actual applications, see (35) Trills and Tremolos.

Test using PS #1: play this: 2.3,2.3,2.3,2.3; the 2.3 notation means that 2 and 3 are played simultaneously, as an interval, not a PS. Play one quad at faster than one per second. Then four quads in rapid succession in four seconds. Then, up to four 4-quads in 16 seconds. There is a tendency to play louder with increasing speed, but they must be played softly. If you fail any of these, practice them. One might think that once you practice PS #1 for, say, one finger, you have acquired the repetition skill so that you will never need PS #1 again. This turns out to be false. There is a large number of PSs, as we shall soon see, and the different fingers required for each PS necessitates that you start with PS #1 all over again, especially at the higher speeds. And, you will be increasing that maximum speed all your life! If you fail, how do you practice?

Solution: Shorten PS #1 to just two units: 2.3,2.3. If satisfied, do three, then a quad. Then two quads, etc., until you can play 4-quads, comfortably, softly, relaxed. To increase speed, keep the fingertips close to the keys and play each quad with one down motion of the hand, and a flexible wrist. As you increase speed, stress will build up and the quads will start to slow down; the slowing down is a sign of fatigue – it is time to switch hands. The motions must originate in the body, near the diaphragm, with small contributions from every connecting member up to the fingers. You fail unless you can play relaxed, see Relaxation . For advanced material, you may need weeks of work — you need to build stamina, etc. Without relaxation, this can create (12) Speed Walls.

As the repetition speed increases, the fingers/hands/arms will automatically go into positions that are ideal; PSs will make sure of that; otherwise, you will not attain the required speeds. These positions will resemble those of concert pianists -- after all, that is why they can play it. Bring your opera glass and watch the motions of advanced pianists after you have read this book. To the untrained observer, a concert pianist may seem to be doing nothing unusual, but if you know the hand motions as explained here, you will see them executed beautifully. If you pass the 4-quad test, you should be able to play the quads as long and as fast as you want, with control and without fatigue.

This exercise is important for practicing accurate intervals and chords, and this accuracy determines the fastest PS speed you can play. Since you can always increase the speed no matter what your skill level, PS #1 can be useful to everyone at all times.

PS #2: 123, linear sets.

There are many of these, such as 234, 543, 135, 1354, 12345. When practicing one PS, practice its reverse also. To practice 123, practice 321; otherwise, you tend to develop unbalanced technique; that is, the inability to play 123 well may be due to the fact that you cannot play 321 well. A right handed golfer should also practice lefty swings. Otherwise, the body will become unbalanced, the left hip bone will weaken while the right will be stronger than normal, which can result in osteoporosis of the left hip or bone fractures and other injuries. Massage therapists know that unbalanced bodies can cause numerous problems such as pain and injuries.

PS #3: 1324, alternating sets.

These are practiced by breaking them down into smaller PSs; eg, 1324 is practiced as 13, 32, and 24, or as 132, then 324.

PS #4: 1.3,2.4, compound sets, where 1.3 is an interval.

These are very difficult. To practice them, simplify them to 1.3,4, then 1.3,2, then 1,2.4 and 3,2.4.

PS #5: HT PSs

PSs can be used to practice HT and to synchronize the two hands. See how this is used to practice the end of (57) Beethoven's Pathetique, Op. 13, First Movement. In this application, the RH plays normally because it is easier, but the more difficult LH is simplified into PSs. Note the importance of PS #1 in this example. Thus PSs can be used as part of an outlining program [ (38) Outlining, Beethoven's Sonata #1, Op. 2-1 ].

PSs #1 to #5 are just samples of the most common ones. There is an indefinite number of them and, within each type, there are many subtypes. This shows how inadequate older exercises such as Hanon and Cortot are, in addition to the fact that they do not apply directly to the music you are practicing. By contrast, the relevant PSs are generated directly from the music you are learning.