Help from Keyboard players on the board

I'm no expert but my first thought was that you are too low and sitting too close to the keyboard.
You could get a proper stand and a bench for not much money that will both be the correct height. My bench is 7 1/2 inches below the top of the keys.

Terry

agreed. a folding chair and card table may be ok for a moment, but it is not proper. you are hunched and your elbows are
bent and held to your gut. not good posture.
mess around. try and open up.

+1 on being too low. Your forearms are going up to reach the keys, so your wrists are having to curve downward. On top of that, you're turning your right hand outward - trying to attack the keys with your hand pointing straight ahead at the piano... keep your wrists straight. Bending the wrist for any significant amount of time will cause pain, and it doesn't matter that it's a piano - keeping your fretting wrist bent will do the same thing on guitar.

Compare your arm positions to this guy. First off, notice how much higher he is on the bench - he's reaching down to the keyboard. (Other great pianists, like Horowitz, sit so they reach straight out; nobody reaches up like you are). Look at his wrists when he moves to keys to the left or right of his position; his wrists stay straight. That does make some things seem awkward to play, but it's like any other instrument - even guitar - what feels natural isn't always the best technique.

Thanks alot everyone, I appreciate this!

I thought that I may have been too low, one thing that I didn't know about was sitting too close to the keyboard. I'm looking at getting a keyboard with weighted keys this Friday to get the acoustic piano feel and it comes with a bench and stand so hopefully that will help.

Thanks again for the help!

Good choice on the weighted keys, you really *need* them to play proper piano. For the rest I agree with the others, your wrist angle is very unnatural and bound to give problems. I suggest you take one or two lessons with a proper teacher so you know how to sit and reach for the keys. It'll be $30 well spend, espescially if the alternative means quitting on piano due to RSI...

Thanks.

After repeating my movements at work and not infront of the keyboard I did notice that if I was higher and if I was back farther there was only some slight discomfort, which I believe my hand just needs to get used to the stretch as it doesn't do that normally, but the actually pain that makes me want to stop is gone. We'll see when I am able to get back to it.

I'll be doing almost a page by page video diary of my progress in the Alfreds Adult All-In-One Piano Books as well. Possibly doing one hand position a week before I record them. I've finished the C position and the next thing they have me going to is the G position, so I'll record the C soon.

Appreciate the help!

I've finished the C position and the next thing they have me going to is the G position, so I'll record the C soon.

OK, I'll bite, what's a 'C' or 'G' position? Or are these just inversions?

I suggest you take one or two lessons with a proper teacher so you know how to sit and reach for the keys. It'll be $30 well spend, espescially if the alternative means quitting on piano due to RSI...
+1

Piano includes a lot of technique. It seems it is only sitting and play the keys but it is very important the way in which you put your fingers, wrist, elbow, practically every joint in your body in order to avoid injuries.

Joe, are you ready for playing 'Home' in the piano? I think so, you need to practice a little bit but When the saints sounds very good! :D

I believe, if someone already didn't state it........arms are level with wrists straight & fingertips pointed down.

Your arms are pointed up dude.

OK, I'll bite, what's a 'C' or 'G' position? Or are these just inversions?

Many beginning piano books teach "position" playing, which is basically where you position your hand to get it set to play. Kind of like "one finger per fret." "C position" would be right hand thumb on middle C, giving you C, D, E, F and G with that hand, and left hand pinky on the C an octave below middle C. Remember that beginners' song don't usually have that many notes.

Trouble is with position playing that many students, particularly very young ones, learn to read finger numbers instead of notes and you can imagine what happens next...

Okay, back to the thread at hand...

Peace

Thanks again guys! I went into the local Sam Ash store where I'm going to buy my new keyboard to try out some and find ones that feel good, and I found that if I'm sitting at a piano/keyboard with an actual proper height and seat position I had no pain whatsoever. My hands were curled naturally with the keys, and everything just flowed.

Those saints were marching all day long at the shop!! :lol: I go so many weird looks from people that can actually play it was ridiculous.

Now I'm torn between just buying an expensive keyboard or a digital piano. I'm thinking that I'm going to just get me something that is going to last for a really really long time, and spend the money on a Yamaha YPG-635, looks nice, the keys are weighted and feels really good, more like an acoustic piano than anything, plus it has all the nice keyboard features that you don't get on a digital piano. It's $799, so I don't know, we'll see, it's one of four that feel good to me, but it's also the most expensive. The next one down is $699 and it's a Yamaha digital piano. The Casio PX120 is $499, and the next one down doesn't have real weighted keys, but it's the Casio WK-500, it feels okay, but not sure. It's $299.
Joe, are you ready for playing 'Home' in the piano? I think so, you need to practice a little bit but When the saints sounds very good! :D

Thanks Nuno! I've got a song written that lends itself very very well to piano. I can play it on the guitar, but I really think piano works better, so I've not brought it out in a long while. Thats one of the driving factors in learning piano, that and because it's relaxing.

I am late on this, I also agree with the keyboard being too high (or your seat too low). I am no expert at all, really quite the beginner, but I never experience pain like that. Some wide stretches like octaves take some getting used to.

And David was right, C position usually means your thumb on the right hand (finger #1) and pinky on the left hand (finger #5) is positioned on a C note. With no sharps or flats (in the key of C) you would play C, D, E, F, and G. G position your right thumb and left pinky would start on a G note.

And just my 2 cents, but it's hard to beat a real piano. We bought my daughter an old used piano (Whitney) a few years back, had to have it tuned and a little extra work, but that's the piano I play on. I also own a Casio keyboard. I dunno, once you get used to the real thing, electronic simulations just don't get it (for me). :D

Thanks for all the input, I just got a Yamaha YPG-635, and after sitting correctly and playing there is no pain in what I play. Here is a link to it, my hand still looks like it's awkward, but it feels pretty comfortable.

This keyboard has Graded Hammer Keys so that it feels like an acoustic piano. I know nothing can really simulate it, but it's close.

Just a video I did to demonstrate improved playing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOCmaGUqaLQ

Nice piano. Good form and solid timing. So are you playing/reading notes, chords, or a mixture? At some point you'll be able to mix and match and blend your guitar knowledge with your piano knowledge, which will expand your options even further.