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Automatic Finger Control

U.S. School of Music

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Automatic Finger Control

Automatic Finger Control

A Scientific Method that gets at the very foundation of Musical Skill. Discloses fully the secrets that make it possible to learn to play any instrument easily and quickly. Taught only by the U. S. School of Music. For beginners and advanced pupils. Can be used in conjunction with any method of instrumental instruction. There is one point which I wish to stress at this appropriate time. It is something that will prove of great aid to every student of this advanced, intensely practical, time savi

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CHOOSE A DEFINITE PRACTICE HOUR

CHOOSE A DEFINITE PRACTICE HOUR

It has been suggested in the course, that you practice the exercises outlined night and morning. This is my best advice on the matter. There is a definite reason for this. The things which you do just before you sleep at night are more apt to be remembered than those which you do at odd times during the day. That is the reason for choosing bed time for one period of exercise. You will find that if you have given concentrated thought and attention to the bed time work, that in all probability AUT

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FAVORING THE MIND

FAVORING THE MIND

The mind is a most wonderful thing. One could devote years and years to its study. Indeed, many people already have, and even yet, we know very little about it. But out of all of the maze of study and experiment, we have discovered that the mind responds best under certain definite circumstances. It is particularly interesting to note the little foibles of composers and writers. Some authors only write at night. Some only when standing at their desks. Some do their best work when out in the open

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AN AID TO CONCENTRATION

AN AID TO CONCENTRATION

And yet, we must concentrate on these AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL exercises if we are to get the best and most out of them. Experiment shows that if we plan to study at some definite time each day, the mind gets into the habit of responding at this particular time and is more ready to work than if we take up the practice at irregular intervals. So choose some definite practice periods—bed time, and the first thing on arising if possible, but some definite time, at any rate. Then, once you have set

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U. S. School of Music 225 Fifth Avenue NEW YORK CITY

U. S. School of Music 225 Fifth Avenue NEW YORK CITY

It is indeed gratifying to report the remarkable success of the Course in AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL. The Sixth edition is exhausted, and I am placing a requisition for the Seventh. There was never any question as to the unusual benefits that each student would derive from this new, quick way of learning his instrument. It is a fact established by tests and experience that training the muscles to work as fast as the brain—and training them away from the instrument so that the pupil has only this o

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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

There are fifty-nine muscles in each arm, including the hand, which the Musician is called upon to use in his playing. If each of these are trained to the proper degree, the heaviest part of the task is accomplished, for not only does the control thus derived perfect technic and touch, it also helps to overcome nervousness, develops a velvety touch, becomes an invaluable aid to sight reading, and assists the student in gaining the power to accompany sympathetically and accurately at sight. It is

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LESSON 1.

LESSON 1.

You are starting something new—something that is going to play a BIG part in your musical success. The degree and speed of this success depends on one thing—YOU. Take warning from the old adage—“A new broom sweeps clean.” You must strive for moderation in all things. During the first few weeks, you will be tempted to give too much time to the following exercises. During the later weeks, you may be tempted to neglect them because of the marked improvement which you have already received. But be d

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LESSON 2.

LESSON 2.

How are the fingers this week? Did they feel effect of starting regular practice? Even if they did, the temporary lameness should be gone by now. And we must continue these same movements another week. Pluck, remember, is that spirit in man which fails to understand despair—which keeps a man up even when he seems to be down. Do not falter. Keep everlastingly at it. We add, in this lesson, an exercise for the forearm. This is the next territory of importance to be brought under control. You will

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LESSON 3.

LESSON 3.

You should be coming along in good shape, now, so you are to have two new exercises this week. One of them is particularly for the hand. It is barely possible that this exercise of snapping the fingers open will cause the wrists to tire. Do not be discouraged by this. That is a sure indication that you are in particular need of strengthening of these muscles, and once they are built up, you will find yourself doing constantly better work on the instrument. The second of the new movements is for

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LESSON 4.

LESSON 4.

Are you in tune? The finest Stradivarius is only a sounding board and four strings—unless it is in tune. And then, it becomes a messenger of the soul, indeed. So is it with each one of us. If we are in tune with the Infinite, the sky is blue vaulted above us; the birds cleave the sky with sweetest of music; there’s a song in the heart, and a smile on the lips. How can we hope to interpret the secrets of the Master-workers in Music unless we ourselves are in tune? Take stock of yourself each day

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Lesson 5.

Lesson 5.

Test out your ideals. What is it you have in mind to accomplish? Unless you have the way plainly charted before you, unless you are guided by the ever glowing light of a great ideal, you are almost certain to be dashed upon the rocks of failure. We graduate from the School of Life only with the coming of Death. To some of us, Death comes early; to others, long years are granted for delving into the ever changing mystery of being. But withal, what we accomplish, is dependent on the ideal that gui

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LESSON 6.

LESSON 6.

You must take particular care with the wrist exercises in this week’s lesson. Study the cuts until you are thoroughly acquainted with what is required, and then put considerable “steam” behind the movements. The exercise for both hands together will call into play certain of the finger muscles and strengthen them to the necessary degree for playing. They will also help to free the transverse ligaments and thus relieve the fingers of stiffness. In this exercise, as in every other, a feeling of fa

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LESSON 7.

LESSON 7.

Do you ever stop to think how truly marvelous is the Music of Nature? The babbling brook, the murmuring trees, the singing birds, the ocean’s roar, the peal of thunder, the crash of storm, the lowing cow, the rustling grass;—all Nature sings. But how often we hear and failing to understand, miss much of the joy of life. It is only as we understand Nature, and our Brother, and Ourself, that we begin to understand God. With that understanding we begin in reality to live and to acquire. “He who com

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LESSON 8.

LESSON 8.

Irresolution is a worse vice than rashness. He who shoots worst may sometimes hit the mark, but he, who shoots not at all can never hit it. Irresolution loosens all the joints of a state; like an ague, it shakes not this nor that limb, but all the body is at once in a fit. The irresolute man is lifted from one place to another, so hatcheth nothing, but addles all his actions. It will pay you to think carefully on the above quotation from Feltham. Also, consider the following beautiful paragraph

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LESSON 9.

LESSON 9.

Do you make it a point to keep physically fit? We are learning that Music has a great deal to do with health, and surely health has much to do with your ability to produce Music. Music is being used more and more in the hospitals for quieting and cheering the patients. Music played an important part behind the lines in the great war in the way of lending support and courage to those so sorely in need of it. What, on the other hand, has health to do with Music? Music is self expression. If that s

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LESSON 10.

LESSON 10.

It is necessary to train the muscles to act quickly, accurately, strongly, and without easy tiring if you are to be a super-musician. In order to acquire the independent, individual movement of the fingers, they have to go through the “awkward squad” stage, it is true; but with the proper, thoughtful drilling, which these lessons, like an understanding officer gives, they soon become familiar with the commands and learn to obey orders. Obedience is of absolute importance in learning AUTOMATIC FI

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LESSON 11.

LESSON 11.

Sometimes, as we go along in a course of lessons, we are inclined to lose sight of the original purpose. It often is well to look back and see what we set out to do, and what we are accomplishing. In the first place, we started out to develop strength, flexibility, freedom of movement, independent action, and perfect control of each one of the fingers. Our purpose in doing these things is to enable one to save time in learning to play any musical instrument through specializing on the finger wor

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LESSON 12.

LESSON 12.

Great thought precedes all greatness. No man is great whose thought is not great. A pessimist and an optimist were discussing life from different angles. “I really believe,” said the former, “that I could make a better world myself.” “Sure!” returned the optimist; “That’s just what we’re here for. Now let’s get together and do it.” If you will get the right thought, and then get to work, you will accomplish your part in making a better world yourself. One of the things that the world looks to yo

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LESSON 13.

LESSON 13.

FRIENDS! Much has been said about friends—many beautiful things, many apt phrases rich with understanding. To me, a friend is one who understands me—and loves me in spite of that fact. One of my dearest friends is my piano, and I feel that every musician must consider his instrument in this light just as I do. When I am tired and discouraged, or when I am joyful and full of hopeful expectation, it makes no difference what the mood, my piano responds to my every touch. It sings with me when I wou

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LESSON 14.

LESSON 14.

Let me call your attention to the new exercise. Its particular purpose is the strengthening of certain of the finger muscles which will be used quite often in playing, the limbering up of the fingers, and the stretching of the muscular covering of the palms. This exercise is not a difficult movement, by any means, but if you do it with considerable muscular resistance by the opposing sets, you will bring a large number of muscles into play at one effort. The mind is a wonderful, yet peculiar thi

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LESSON 15.

LESSON 15.

If you use considerable muscular resistance in practicing the new exercise of this week’s lesson, you will find that the muscles used will tire quite readily. This, remember, is proof that this particular work is badly needed. As the days pass, however, and these muscles are strengthened to the required degree, you will find yourself able to perform it a greater number of times and with perfect ease. As in every other walk of life, you don’t get anything worth while without effort; but as with t

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LESSON 16.

LESSON 16.

In learning to lift weights, athletes start with a very light load, and by steadily increasing it a little at a time, they are eventually able to develop tremendous strength. You remember that old story about the farmer’s boy who, just a few years ago, made a practice of picking up a calf and carrying it across the barn yard. Of course, as the calf grew and became heavier, the farmer boy’s strength increased. It had to, otherwise he couldn’t have continued to carry the calf around. And so it wen

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LESSON 17.

LESSON 17.

ENERGY! Energy is that mysterious something that has the power to do work—to get results. We can’t see energy, we can’t smell or taste it, we can’t hear it, nor is it anything we can feel. But its results —we perceive them everywhere. The heat in our homes and bodies is the result of energy. The light that guides us by night and that brightens our daytime is the result of energy. The electricity that turns motors and carries our messages is another name for that indescribable something—energy. B

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LESSON 18.

LESSON 18.

It is true that these are days of specialization, but one must be careful not to miss anything through too narrow a field of endeavor. Take Music, for instance. You have taken the AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL Method to enable you to learn to play some instrument in quicker time than would otherwise have been expected. AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL is a specialized course. Sometimes, musicians forget that there is another instrument or branch of Music save their own. That is where they make a mistake. Eve

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LESSON 19.

LESSON 19.

If, as has been said, the purpose of words is to conceal thought, then it may be equally as well said that the purpose of Music is to reveal soul. I don’t suppose that there is a human being alive but that longs to be “understood.” There are all too few in this world who are willing to give the time and thought and heart to the understanding of others. And even if there were a greater willingness to understand, too few of us are able to express our deepest thoughts in words. But Music is the Uni

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LESSON 20.

LESSON 20.

I sometimes tremble when I realise how slight is the difference between success and failure. Success is the child of Audacity. Failure is the offspring of discouragement. There was a great inventor, once—great not because of his worldly possessions, but because he dreamed the most beautiful visions of helping humanity to bigger and better things. He had worked long and arduously on one of his ideas hampered by lack of funds, lack of friends, and (I am sorry to say) lack of food. All the night th

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LESSON 21.

LESSON 21.

Half the giant’s strength is in the conviction that he is a giant. The strength of a muscle is enhanced a hundred-fold by the will power. The same muscle, when removed from the giant’s arm—when divorced from the force of the mighty will—can sustain but a fraction of the weight it did a moment before it was disconnected. If you have been studying these lessons aright, you have not only developed strong muscles, but you have also developed an understanding of the tremendous power you wield over th

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LESSON 22.

LESSON 22.

Candidly, there is lots of room at the top in the world or music, just as in any other line of endeavor. On the other hand, there is a clammering, cluttering turmoil down at the bottom. Your own position is like that of a sensible tourist in the Alps who hires a competent guide and provides himself with the necessary trappings for safe climbing. There is no law to prevent this traveler inviting the guide to sit down with him at the hotel in the valley and play pinochle. True, he pays pretty heav

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LESSON 23.

LESSON 23.

Suppose you do make mistakes sometimes. Is that anything to be discouraged about? Not at all. If only you learn by your mistakes and do not repeat the same one too often, you are well on the road to improvement. The only person who never makes an error is the person who never does anything. Steer clear of such a person. But you who have practiced the Method of AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL faithfully have less to worry about as regards making mistakes than the average student. Your fingers are especi

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LESSON 24.

LESSON 24.

With this lesson you end your first reading of the Method of AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL. I trust that none of you will consider the work finished, however, because you have only done the primary work. With the greater strength of muscle and the broader understanding of the Method itself, you are now in a position to reap even more astounding benefits than you have already experienced. There is no extra charge for this privilege. All that you are required to do is to start at the beginning again an

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EXERCISE 1.

EXERCISE 1.

Hold your right hand before you, double up your fist tightly, thumb on the outside of the fingers. The hand turned with the palm side facing you. Open the hand briskly and with considerable effort, letting it turn around, so that the back of the hand is now turned toward you. Be sure to get this point and turn the hand around as you open the fingers. As you open the hand, be sure to keep the fingers stiff and bend them back from the wrist as far as possible. Repeat this exercise twenty times....

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EXERCISE 2.

EXERCISE 2.

Lift your elbows nearly as high as your shoulders. Lay your left hand, palm up, straight across your chest, so that there is a straight line from the elbows to the finger tips. The fingers of the right hand with the palm turned down are laid on the fingers of the left. Twist the hands and forearms in opposite directions, until the hands come again into a similar position, but with the palm of the right hand up. Reverse the action briskly. Go through the cycle twelve times....

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EXERCISE 3.

EXERCISE 3.

Open the left hand out flat with the fingers loosely apart. Grasp the little finger with the thumb and fingers of the right hand. Very gently bend it backward, as far as it will go without straining. You must be careful not to overdo this at first. Now bend it forward to the palm; back again and to the right and left. Do this six times, allowing the little finger to move freely. Now repeat the exercise, only instead of allowing the little finger to move freely, try to hold it rigid and immovable

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EXERCISE 4.

EXERCISE 4.

Lay the left hand flat palm down on a table, book, or other smooth surface. Open the thumb out of the way of the fingers. Grasp the index finger of the left hand with the thumb and finger of the right hand. Allowing the finger to move freely, draw it along the surface as far as possible without straining the muscles. Do this five times. Now with the finger muscles resist the movement, and repeat the exercise five times more. Allowing the finger to move freely once more, lift it from the table in

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EXERCISE 5.

EXERCISE 5.

Put your right hand and arm down at your side, fingers extended. Keeping the elbow and upper arm close to the body, bend the arm briskly at the elbow, still keeping the hand open, and in a straight line with the forearm. Repeat this exercise twelve times with the palm of the hand turned toward the shoulder, and twelve times with the palm of the hand turned away from the shoulder. Now raise the upper arm, so that the elbow bends slightly upward from the shoulder. Repeat the same bending action of

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EXERCISE 6.

EXERCISE 6.

Hold your left hand up in front of you with the palm facing you. Press the index finger and the middle finger tightly together. Bring the two still held tightly together down to the palm, and then back straight again, quickly, briskly and with muscular resistance. The motion should be from the knuckle joint. Naturally the other fingers will have a tendency to curl. It makes no difference if they do. Repeat this exercise twenty times. Next practice this exercise using the middle and the ring fing

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EXERCISE 7.

EXERCISE 7.

Bring the finger tips of the right hand together with the tip of the thumb, spreading the fingers at the middle knuckle and rounding the whole back of the hand. From this position snap the whole hand out flat, with the fingers spread wide apart. Do this forcibly. Quickly return to the original position and repeat the exercise twelve times. This same exercise is to be performed with the right hand....

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EXERCISE 8.

EXERCISE 8.

Raise your left arm so that the elbow is sticking out in front of you almost as high as the shoulder. Bend the arm at the elbow, so that the forearm reaches straight up in the air. Close your hand loosely. With a rotating movement of the upper arm, bring your fist down as low as it will go, still keeping the elbow at the same spot. Return to the original position. Repeat this exercise twelve times. At first it will be advisable to do this rather slowly and without too great effort, because of co

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EXERCISE 9.

EXERCISE 9.

Stand straight with the arms down at your side. Double up your right fist. Keeping the arms straight, swing it back as far as possible and then front until it is directly overhead. Just the same as you do when you swing your arm in walking, only more so. Continue swinging the arm this way, but instead of swinging it back at your side, move it around, so that your arm finally swings up across the chest to the overhead position. The idea is to swing it, changing the plane gradually so that you pas

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EXERCISE 10.

EXERCISE 10.

Open out the left hand before you, with the fingers close together. Hold the thumb apart. Move the first finger as far toward the thumb and away from the other fingers as possible, and back again. Do this gently and easily five times. Now let the muscles of the hand and fingers become tense, so that as you draw the finger over towards the thumb with one set of muscles, the opposing set resists the motion. Repeat this ten times. Go through this same movement with each of the other fingers of the

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EXERCISE 11.

EXERCISE 11.

Hold out your right hand, the palm facing you. Separate the little finger slightly from the rest. With a brisk, sharp movement, twist the hand at the wrist to the left, so that the little finger moves down as low as possible. Repeat this exercise twelve times. Perform the same exercise twelve times with the left hand....

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EXERCISE 12.

EXERCISE 12.

Open the left hand, thumb and fingers, all close together, turning the hand so that the thumb is towards your body and the little finger away from it. Bend the first finger at the knuckle joint, and nowhere else, and bring it down toward the palm of the hand until it is horizontal, that is at right angles to the plane of the palm and the other fingers. If it will not come down of itself, help it a little with the other hand, but be careful not to strain the left hand muscles when you are first s

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EXERCISE 13.

EXERCISE 13.

Hold the right hand edgewise before you, the thumb towards the chest. Have the fingers closed tightly together and bring the thumb firmly against the first finger. With a sharp, quick action, open the thumb away from the finger, so that it points over your shoulder; at the same time bending the entire hand sideways at the wrist, bringing the thumb still nearer the shoulder. The movement must be quite snappy to get the desired effect. Repeat twelve times. Perform this exercise twelve times with t

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EXERCISE 14.

EXERCISE 14.

Extend both hands in front of you, palms together; the fingers of each hand held tightly against those of the other; the thumbs separated from the fingers and pointed toward you. Raise the elbows from the body, then slowly and with muscle resistance, move the palms apart. Leave the fingers together from base to tip. Just as slowly and with muscle resistance, close the palms again. Repeat this exercise five times....

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EXERCISE 15.

EXERCISE 15.

Hold your left arm across the chest palm up, but with the wrist bent as far down as possible, the fingers easily curled. Place the right arm in a similar position, but with the palm down, having the wrist of the right hand bent upward and fingers similarly curled. Lay the finger tips of the right hand on those of the left. From this position twist the forearms in opposite directions until the finger tips again come together, this time the palm of the right hand bent up, and of the left bent down

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EXERCISE 16.

EXERCISE 16.

Extend the left hand and close the fingers down to the palm, keeping the knuckle joints straight and bending only the two outer joints. Holding the other fingers motionless, straighten out the index finger. You must be careful throughout the entire exercise, never to move the knuckle joint. Repeat five times without muscular resistance, then go through the exercise with the muscles tense, so that one set resists the motion of the other. Practice this exercise on each of the remaining fingers on

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EXERCISE 17.

EXERCISE 17.

Stand erect, shoulders back, and without bending forward, lean far over to the right from the waist line. As you do this, let the right hand bend toward the left knee. While in this position, make a short but strong thrust, entirely from the right shoulder which will bring the fingers of the right hand possibly an inch nearer the left knee. Straighten up, bend to the left and thrust out the left shoulder. Repeat this exercise first with the right and then with the left twelve times....

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EXERCISE 18.

EXERCISE 18.

Hold the right hand before you, the fingers relaxed, and slightly curved, palm facing you. Grasp the second, third and little fingers gently with your left hand, and bend the forefinger down to the palm from the second joint. Use considerable pressure each time you bring the finger down to the palm and repeat the exercise eight times, allowing the finger to become fully relaxed between each motion. Repeat this exercise for the middle finger ten times. For the ring finger, do this exercise twelve

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EXERCISE 19.

EXERCISE 19.

Hold your left hand before you, the fingers bent down to the palm, and reaching as far toward the wrist as possible. Extend the first finger. Open gradually so as not to move the others. Do this five times without muscular resistance and five times with. Go through the same exercise with each of the other fingers....

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EXERCISE 20.

EXERCISE 20.

Place the hand on any flat surface and keeping it straight, raise the first finger as far as you can from the table. Do not bend any joints save that at the knuckle. Repeat this ten times using increasing muscular resistance. Perform this exercise with each of the fingers....

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EXERCISE 21.

EXERCISE 21.

Place the hand on a flat surface with the fingers curved so that just the tips and the base of the palm touch the table. Raise and lower the fingers one after the other slowly and with muscular resistance. Bring the fingers down with considerable pressure each time. Repeat twenty times with each hand. With the fingers in the same position raise the thumb as high as possible, and bring it down sharply to the table. Repeat twenty times with each thumb....

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EXERCISE 22.

EXERCISE 22.

Open the left hand with the fingers together but the thumb out of the way. Move the index finger so that the tip of it circles around down toward the palm, over to the thumb, to the back, and returns to the original position. Keep the fingers straight all of the time. Repeat this without muscular resistance five times. Now stiffen the muscles of the finger, so that one set resists this motion, while the other set overcoming the resistance, causes the finger to circle as before. Repeat five times

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EXERCISE 23.

EXERCISE 23.

Extend the fingers of the left hand, with the little finger away from you and the thumb opened and pointing away from the palm, that is toward your right. Bring the index finger down until it is at right angles to the palm, bending only at the knuckle joint. Let the knuckle joint straighten up again and at the same time bend the other two joints of the finger, so that the finger tip goes down to the palm of your hand. Repeat this exercise five times without resistance, and then five times with r

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EXERCISE 24.

EXERCISE 24.

Lay the right hand flat on a table or other hard plane surface, fingers and thumb far out-spread. Press firmly with the whole hand on the table. Continuing this downward pressure, exert an upward pressure against it with the finger tips, and raise the body of the hand about 1½ inches from the table top. Throughout this entire exercise try to keep the back of the hand parallel with the table. After you have reached the desired height, press the hand down to the table top again against muscular re

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EXERCISE 25.

EXERCISE 25.

Place the elbows at the side, forearms horizontal, with your hands out in front of you. Bend the hands downward at the wrist with the fingers loose and gently curved. Then bend the hands upward from the wrist as far as they will go. This exercise may be done with both hands at the same time. Repeat ten times. With your forearms extended in front of you, and the hands held straight out, fingers spread wide apart, palms down, move the hands at the wrist slowly from side to side with considerable m

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EXERCISE 26.

EXERCISE 26.

Fold the hands together, fingers interlaced. Hold them tightly closed. Now raise the first finger of the right hand and bring it back slowly with muscles tense, just as far as you possibly can, pressing the other fingers hard against the backs of the hands. Repeat this exercise twelve times for each one of the fingers....

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EXERCISE 27.

EXERCISE 27.

Extend the left hand before you, fingers close together. Moving only the joint down near the wrist, swing the thumb around in a circle. Do this five times without muscular resistance and five times with. Repeat this exercise with the thumb of the right hand....

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EXERCISE 28.

EXERCISE 28.

Lay your right hand, palm down, flat on any plane surface. Press the fingers quite firmly down on the table. Place the forefinger of the left hand on the nail of the forefinger on the right hand with a slight amount of pressure. Raise the forefinger of the right hand as high as possible from the table against this pressure. Keep the forefinger of the right hand straight, save at the knuckle joint, and the other fingers firmly on the table. Return the finger to the table against muscular resistan

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EXERCISE 29.

EXERCISE 29.

Extend both hands in front of you, palms together, the fingers of each hand held tightly against those of the other, the thumbs separated from the others and pointed toward you. Raise the elbows from the body, then slowly and with muscular resistance move the palms apart, keeping only the tips of the fingers together. Push hard with the finger tips against each other. Just as slowly and with muscle resistance close the palms again. Repeat this exercise five times....

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EXERCISE 30.

EXERCISE 30.

Extend the left hand and spread the fingers and thumb as far as possible. Slowly, and with muscular resistance, bring the tip of the first finger and the tip of the thumb together, forming a circle. Return to the original position. Repeat ten times. Do this exercise with each of the other fingers of the left hand, and then with each of the fingers of the right hand....

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EXERCISE 31.

EXERCISE 31.

Fold your hands together interlaced. Hold them together tightly. Now against muscular resistance, slowly open the palms and the base of the wrist and as slowly close them together again. Repeat this exercise ten times....

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POST SCRIPT

POST SCRIPT

You have something more today than you had six months ago before you took up AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL. You have a nest egg. And yet, it is something more valuable, even, than a nest egg in its ordinary sense of capital. You have a specific knowledge and ability and dexterity that can never be taken from you. If you have carried out the exercises of this course in accordance with the instructions, you are already far on the way toward the supreme mastery of your instrument. We are always glad to

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