Hallo Jane, 1. I do hope that your essay will be accessible for interested people. I am!
2. I have searched but could not find a clear description of wheel technique anywhere. Obviously it is rather difficult for players to describe exactly what they do to accelerate the wheel. Delfino and Loibner in "Drehleier spielen" first seem to suggest that the main push is done from the wrist ( p.26) but later they talk about pulses from the arm (p.52). Moreover, they talk about the kicking of the knob in the innerside of the partially opened hand (p.51), but previously they tell that the pulses can be played with a closed hand as well. Others are still more indefinite. Anyhow, just imagining or praying that a pulse will come does'nt do: the arm or the wrist or the hand must do something in order to accelerate the wheel. 3. I have invented and am learning my own personal technique. Something like that might be used by some others as well, I don't know. Essentially, it is based on movements of fingers, hand and wrist. For instance, if I want to play regular 4 pushes in one turn, I start with a lash down from the wrist, then give contract forefinger and middle finger for the second pulse, then contract my hand for the third pulse and turn it a little left, then turn the wrist very fast to the right for the last pulse. I know that some people disapprove of this technique, but it has an advantage over giving pulses with the arm: wrist, hand and fingers are esentially much faster than the arm. Good luck with your reseach! Ernic
