Abstract
The present study aimed at assessing effects of daily piano practice on kinematics and muscular activity of the finger movements while musically-naive individuals played the piano. Six participants were asked to play a short melody with metronome with the non-dominant left hand (no explicit FB group). Another six participants were provided visual feedback regarding rhythmic accuracy (accuracy FB group). In no explicit FB group, the mean angle at the PIP and DIP joints became more extended with practicing. The amount of co-activation of the finger flexor and extensor muscles also decreased particularly at the late stage of the practice. In accuracy FB group, the amount of muscular co-activation did not changed with practice. The results provided evidence demonstrating that the daily piano practice reorganizes the hand posture in playing and economizes the muscular work for stiffening joints, and that explicit feedback regarding rhythmic accuracy of movements impedes the economization process.
