Leaps
· Advanced technique · Level 5 · 13 min
A leap (bass then chord in stride, big shifts in Liszt, Chopin Op. 25 No. 4) is scary because we think we must "aim" at the last moment. The secret is the opposite: the shift must be fast and the arrival calm.
Principles
- Leave early: leave the first note as soon as it has sounded (or as soon as the pedal holds it). Don't linger.
- Travel fast, close to the keys: a low, quick, lateral arc. Big high arcs waste time and accuracy.
- Arrive before playing: the hand "touches" the surface of the target a split second before playing. That small wait makes the leap safe.
- Look at the destination: the eyes move ahead to the target. The hand follows the eyes.
- Tactile landmarks: the groups of two and three black keys can be felt.
Exercise — bass and chord (stride style)
M:4/4 L:1/4 Q:1/4=72 K:C clef=bass C,, [E,G,C] G,, [D,F,B,] | C,, [E,G,C] F,, [F,A,C] | G,, [D,G,B,] C,,2 |]
- The "frozen" leap: play the bass, jump to the chord and place the hand without playing. Check. Play. Go back.
- The lightning leap: play the bass as a quarter note, but move immediately and wait above the chord. The waiting time should be longer than the travelling time.
- Eyes closed: at a very slow tempo, to develop kinaesthetic memory of the distance.
- Finally, at tempo, keeping the feeling of arriving "early".
Common mistakes:
- Staying glued to the bass and leaving at the last moment: the leap becomes a jump into the void.
- A hand that tenses during the journey: it should travel relaxed and take its shape on arrival.
- Slowing down before the leap (it is always audible): the travel must be fast, the tempo must not sag.
Tip: practise the leap in both directions. The return (from chord to bass) is often harder than the outward jump because it gets neglected.