Encouragement to Play the Piano

Life is Not a Competition and Neither is Playing the Piano

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So often in life we consciously or even sub-consciously  compare ourselves to others and think that just because someone is more skilled than us, we may think that we are not able to achieve anything. Take myself for example. I started learning the piano at the age of six and knew by the age of … Read more

How to Kill Off Your Ability to Learn to Play the Piano

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Over the years I have met many people that have always wanted to be able to play the piano and despite their wish to be able to play, there are a few things that can permanently get in the way of mastering the instrument. There are a number of obstacles that can kill off a … Read more

Forget Practice Makes Perfect, Think Practice Makes Progress

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We have all heard the expression that practice makes perfect, I believe that the goal is not to become a perfect piano player but rather an improved piano player. Sometimes the focus of practicing to make perfect a piece of music should not be the goal because it can induce anxiety and foster a belief … Read more

When Learning Piano Chords, Which Should Be Learned First

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While I have definite opinions on this subject, I fully acknowledge that there could be other writers that completely disagree with what I say. Because I know that this particular subject has no particular consensus, I will endeavour to explain why I have the opinions I do. When learning about chords and how they are … Read more

What is the Difference Between a Grand Piano and a Baby Grand Piano and What Should You Buy?

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Grand pianos and baby grand pianos both are stunning looking musical instruments, especially when the lids are propped open and they both look very much alike. Both a grand piano and a baby grand piano have the same number of notes and therefore have the same width as each other. Clearly, it is the length that … Read more

Writing in the Note Names is NOT Good Practice but…

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There is one practice that a lot of piano students make that is not a tool I would use. Some students think that they will learn to read the notes quicker if they write the names of the notes under every single note. I understand that they all genuinely want to maximize their efficiency by … Read more

What is a Silent Piano and Are They a Good Option?

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A silent piano from a distance looks like any normal modern upright piano. Up close it also looks like a normal upright piano except their might be a small screen positioned unobtrusively and a spot to plug in headphones. A silent piano starts with all the mechanisms of an upright piano – keys, hammers and … Read more