Adult beginners often notice that the index finger lifts easily on its own while the ring finger pulls the middle and little fingers with it. This is then treated as a lack of strength, leading to forceful high lifts or attempts to pin neighbouring fingers down. Yet the hand is not five fully separate mechanisms. Researchers call the unintended action of other fingers “enslaving”. The ring finger is usually less individuated than the index because of both mechanical links among tendons and multi-finger muscles, and shared features of neural control.
Independence at the piano does not mean keeping every other finger absolutely still, nor making every finger rise to the same height. In a short passage shared by the middle, ring and little fingers, the useful goal is for the ring finger to arrive at the right time, produce a clear sound and preserve the rhythm. Small accompanying movements need not disturb the music. Trying to make the ring finger “independent” by lifting it high may instead tighten the back of the hand and forearm while increasing the distance to the key.
ScoreFlow
Piano practice can improve individuation: studies have found reduced movement covariation, particularly around the ring and little fingers, after training. Laboratory single-finger tasks are not complete musical performance, however, and do not promise identical movement for every player. A more practical test is the audible result, with wrist, forearm and hand position helping the ring finger reach its task rather than isolating it. When working on such a passage, ScoreFlow can help keep the practice segment and tempo consistent, so attention stays on duration and continuity rather than lift height.
Sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34530403/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24973654/
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