Picture this: you’re playing a beautiful piece. But every time you need to move to a new chord, there’s an awkward pause that breaks the musical flow. If you’re an elementary or late elementary piano player struggling with choppy transitions between positions, you’re definitely not alone. The good news? Two simple adjustments to your piano hand position can completely transform how smoothly you move across the keys.
Why Proper Hand Position Changed Everything for Me
When I was younger, I didn’t always pay attention to how my hands and fingers felt as I was playing. Unfortunately, it meant that by university, I was running into major issues. The kind that meant I couldn’t use my right arm for two months at all. Fast forward decades, and I still have to be careful which types of tasks I do. Plus, the moment I feel tension, it’s time to change things up.
It’s why I ensure we talk about having a relaxed body and how you use your body as you play right from the first lesson. I don’t want my students to have the same problems I’ve had.
Moving smoothly between piano positions is honestly one of the biggest challenges for elementary and late elementary piano players. Most students stay in one hand position or move by octaves with obvious breaks in their playing.
But as you progress, your music expects you to move more like a spider. Smoothly from position to position without the listener realizing how far you’ve travelled.
You can hear what this sounds like when it’s choppy versus when it flows beautifully here.
1. Build Relaxed Hand Position
The foundation of smooth piano playing starts with a relaxed hand shape. Using the three-black key group can be a great option for this!
Can You Wiggle Yours Fingers?
Here’s what most piano players get wrong: they try to move with straight, rigid fingers that create immediate tension. When you wiggle stiff fingers, you can actually feel how tense and unnatural that movement becomes. (Try it out to feel.)
Instead, create a gentle hand curve that follows the natural shape of your relaxed hand. Put your 2, 3, and 4 fingers on a 3-black key group with your 1 and 5 fingers on white keys. Or, put your hand on your knee and lift to see the hand shape. They should both match.
The difference is remarkable. When you wiggle your fingers in a curved position, the movement feels completely natural and effortless.
Can Your Wrist Roll?
Your wrist position makes a huge difference, too. If your wrists drop below the keys, it’s like you’re a rock climber hanging from a ledge. When you try to roll them in a circle, you’ll create instant tension throughout your arms.
But when your wrists sit slightly higher than the keys, that same rolling motion flows naturally without any strain.
Use Your Big Muscles
Here’s something that surprises many piano players: your bench position can make or break your hand position success.
Sit too close and you’ll develop what I call “T-rex arms”. A cramped position that prevents free movement from low to high notes. Try moving your bench super-close to the piano. Notice your T-Rex arms? Try reaching really low or high notes on the piano. You will feel tension almost everywhere.
The solution? Position your bench so your arms are straight when you make a fist and reach for the fallboard. This gives your elbows and arms room to move freely (almost like a relaxed ‘funky chicken’ move). You can even lean slightly forward for louder playing, using your whole body instead of just your tiny finger muscles.
Think about it – which muscles are bigger, your arms or your fingers?
Exactly! Use those stronger muscles to your advantage. Want to see exactly how this looks and feels? Click here to see.
In my online studio, start creating your own music with relaxed hand positioning from day one. My neurodivergent-friendly approach adapts to how YOU learn best. Set up your Meet ‘n Greet today!
2. Choose Smart Fingerings
Once you have a relaxed hand position, it’s time to move beyond basic technique fingerings. Most students stick rigidly to traditional root position fingerings. Even when they create awkward jumps and breaks in the musical line.
Black key pieces, like “Sunbeams Through the Canopy,” make it easier to feel these hand shape changes initially. When you keep your hand rigid in one shape, your hand has to jump around between chords. This creates those choppy pauses that break the musical flow.
Here’s the secret that changes everything. You can actually keep your familiar fingerings if you’re willing to change your hand shape. Contract your hand shape for the next chord. Move like a spider to the new position, then immediately relax back to your natural hand shape once you’re there. The difference in sound and feel is dramatic. You can see what this looks like here.
Alternatively, you can experiment with fingerings like 1, 2, 4 instead of the traditional 1, 3, 5 pattern. Both approaches work beautifully! It’s about expanding and contracting your hand shape. This allows you to play a wider range of notes before needing a break in the sound.
This becomes especially important for teens going through growth spurts. One week, the keys fit perfectly under your fingers, the next week, it feels like a toy piano!
That’s why checking all your foundation elements – relaxed fingers, proper wrist height, and bench position – each time you sit down to play matters. It helps you figure out whether you need alternative fingerings or if something else in your setup needs adjusting.
This isn’t about breaking rules. It’s making musical choices that serve the music in a way that works for your body. The goal is always smooth, connected playing that sounds effortless to your listeners.
3. Experiment With Inversions
The best way to solidify these hand position concepts is through experimentation with chord inversions. Take any chord sequence and try moving each chord through different inversions while applying your new hand position techniques.
Start with the original broken chord pattern for a quick review, then move each chord to first inversion. Notice how your hand position and fingering choices naturally adapt to create smoother connections.
Next, try the second inversion for each chord. You’ll feel how different the hand position becomes as you maintain that relaxed, flowing quality.
This kind of experimentation builds your instincts for smooth position changes. There’s no wrong answer here. You’re developing the skills to make these musical decisions naturally in all your future pieces.
Try mixing and matching inversions as you play through any chord sequence, always focusing on maintaining that relaxed hand shape and smart fingering choices.
The beauty of this approach is that it turns technical practice into musical exploration. Instead of drilling boring exercises, you’re creating music while building essential skills. You can see exactly how this improvisation process works here.
Transform Your Playing Today
These two fundamental changes – building relaxed hand position and choosing smart fingerings – form the foundation for confident, flowing piano playing. When you combine proper physical setup with musical fingering choices, those awkward pauses between chords disappear. Instead, they’re replaced by smooth, professional-sounding transitions.
The techniques might feel different at first, especially if you’ve been playing with tension or rigid fingerings. But with consistent practice using these principles, you’ll develop the natural instincts that make smooth position changes automatic.
What’s your biggest challenge when moving between different positions on the piano?
Is it maintaining relaxed hands, choosing the right fingerings, or something else entirely?
Ready to explore more with your new hand position skills? Check out these tips for relative Major and minor keys to discover even more exciting musical possibilities for your practice!
Ready to explore personalised piano lessons that celebrate your unique learning style?
Book your Meet ‘n Greet and discover how accessible, neurodivergent-friendly lessons can help you create your own musical magic from day one!
