Qualitative Content Analysis Examining the Biomechanical Implications of Curling and Keybedding in the Taubman Approach

• Main Author: Sabo, Jeffrey
• Other Authors: Comeau, Gilles R.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa 2021
• Subjects: piano technique; piano pedagogy; Taubman Approach; musicians' injuries; Qualitative Content Analysis; biomechanics; Curling; Keybedding; pedagogical language
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/41612; http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-25834

Many pianists are impacted by playing-related pain and injury, but a great deal is still unknown about the development and prevention of these problems. Several approaches to piano technique have been developed to provide technical recommendations based on scientific ideas. The anecdotal success of some approaches suggests that understanding the biomechanical concepts underlying them may be beneficial. However, these approaches are rarely discussed in the literature, in part due to linguistic inconsistencies among pedagogical and scientific disciplines. This has created obstacles to scientific evaluation of the claims made by pedagogues, and it has limited the degree to which knowledge transfer can occur among different fields. One approach that has been anecdotally successful in alleviating and preventing playing-related problems is the Taubman Approach, which aims in part to identify certain “sources of tension” that may increase the likelihood of developing physical problems. This study used Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) to examine sources on the Taubman Approach in order to identify claims about biomechanics underlying two different “Sources of tension:” “Curling” and “Keybedding.” The results from each QCA were then used to propose a biomechanical explanation of these concepts in language that is consistent with current scientific literature. The results of the analysis on “Curling” suggest that actively flexing the DIP/PIP joints requires activating multiarticular muscles, which can lead to increased muscle contraction, forces, and stiffness across multiple degrees of freedom when playing. Motions and positions proposed by the Taubman Approach as alternatives to “Curling” were also examined. The results of the analysis on “Keybedding” indicated that using excess fingertip force once the key is depressed may be problematic. Relevant aspects of the piano mechanism were identified, as well as recommendations for the proper setup at the keyboard that may impact muscle contraction, forces, and stiffness once playing begins. Subjective terms were analyzed to differentiate biomechanical aspects of the recommended way to keep the key depressed from other ways that may be problematic. The hand and forearm were said to have an important role in generating the necessary fingertip force to keep the key depressed without using excessive muscle contraction across the finger joints. Both analyses also identified technical and physical problems that may be relevant to each concept. The findings in this study yielded insights into important issues related to the terminology used to describe piano technique in different contexts. These insights included the need for clear differentiation between subjective and objective language, as well as the need for understanding pedagogical language in context before knowledge transfer can occur.