Playing the piano is fun. For me, it is also relaxing and therapeutic, but when you stop and think about it, your brain is doing many things at one time....
Eyes...Sight Reading on the piano involves reading two lines of music, each in a different clef.
Ears...Pianists listen to notes being played and adjust their playing accordingly.
Hands...2 hands, each often playing intricate rhythms independently from each other.
Keeping Time...Pianists accurately "keep time" by synthesizing and synchronizing all sensory input and motor activity. In addition, they are able to subdivide the beat in a myriad of ways.
Fingers...10 fingers...very few, if any, instruments require the use of all ten fingers
Spatial...Pianists know where all the keys are without having to look at the piano keyboard.
Artistic Interpretation...Pianists trasmit emotion by capturing the mood, style and tempo of a song, using performance techniques such as dynamics, articulation, rhythm, and expressive timing.
Feet...2 feet...The left foot is used to operate the left softening pedal and the right foot is used to operate the damper/sustain pedal.
Touch...Pianists use touch to determine how much force is needed to press the piano keys and foot pedals.
Playing the piano activates the brain in ways no other game, gadget, instrument or tool can. It's a total brain workout.
