Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Have you ever wondered how to make large jumps on the piano with confidence and accuracy? It can feel almost impossible to land on the right notes, especially when you’re playing fast or under pressure. Fortunately, there’s a simple, effective way to practice these leaps that can give you the security you need.
Let’s look at how this works, using two examples: a student-level piece by J.S. Bach from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena, and a much more advanced passage from Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor — which I consider to be the most difficult part of the piece.
Start Simple: Bach and Basic Jump Technique
The Bach Musette may seem straightforward, but it includes some tricky jumps across the keyboard. If you’ve played something like the Minuet in G, which stays in a single hand position, this is a step up. You might find yourself wondering how to quickly and accurately move from one area of the keyboard to another.
Here’s the key: practice the jump without playing the next notes. Just move your hand to the new position and stop, making sure you’re directly over the notes you’ll need to play. Once you can consistently land in the right spot, you can start playing the notes — but only after your hand is in position.
Building Accuracy: Isolate the Jumps
At first, you might overshoot or undershoot. That’s part of the process. You may go too far one time, and not far enough the next. What you’re doing is training your hand to land exactly where it needs to be. Stop over the notes. Check your hand. Then try again. Once you’re confident you’re landing over the right spot, you can start playing it. Take extra time at first to get over the keys before you play them. You can straighten out the rhythm after you have performed this crucial step. Security comes first. Gradually, you shorten the pause between the jump and the notes. You can reduce the time little by little until there’s no pause at all. But in your mind, you’re still thinking of that quick, deliberate move to land exactly where you need to be.
Work on Each Jump Separately
If the piece has multiple jumps, don’t try to tackle them all at once. Work on each one in isolation. Take the time to land over the target notes of each leap before moving on to the next one. This step-by-step approach helps you build accuracy without practicing mistakes.
Now the Real Test: Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2
Let’s turn to something much more demanding: Chopin’s Scherzo in B-flat minor. There’s one passage that’s absolutely filled with jumps. It’s a section that gives even experienced pianists trouble. But the same principle applies. Take each jump and practice getting over the notes first without playing them. Maybe the left hand doesn’t quite reach far enough on the first try. That’s fine. Try again until you can consistently stop over the next notes. This builds accuracy.
Don’t Practice Mistakes
One of the biggest pitfalls in learning big leaps is trying to play them too soon, before your hand knows where to go. If you miss the jump repeatedly, you end up reinforcing the mistake. This is what you want to avoid. Instead, train your hand to land correctly before you ever play the notes.
Apply this Method to Any Music
Whether you’re working on Bach, Chopin, Liszt, or any other composer, the same approach applies. Start by isolating the leap and practicing the motion of moving your hands to the new position without playing the next notes. Make any necessary adjustments until you can consistently land in exactly the right spot. Once that becomes reliable, begin adding the notes, even if it’s delayed at first. Gradually reduce the pause until you can play the leap smoothly with total confidence.
That’s how you make big leaps at the piano with security. It takes patience and careful observation, but the payoff is worth it! Using this method, you’ll find yourself landing leaps cleanly and confidently, even in the most technically demanding music. I hope this helps you in your practice!
If you’re curious about how I teach these concepts in more depth, click here for more resources.
Once again, I’m Robert Estrin, and this is LivingPianos.com—Your Online Piano Resource. Thanks so much for joining me.