Tips for Playing the Piano

There is One Rule That Should Never Be Broken

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If you have followed my blog much at all, you probably realize that even though I have formulated what I think is the ideal way of learning to play the piano, I am flexible and I think that there are many circumstances that require a different approach or a different mindset to tackling an issue … Read more

How to Improve Your Timing

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If you are anything like I used to be, getting your timing right is not exactly the easiest thing for you when it comes to learning a new piece of music. Just like everything else, there are strategies that you can use to help improve your timing of a piece of music. The first step … Read more

The Importance of Fingering

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No matter what style or what genre of piano playing that you are in to, you need to be mindful of the fingering that you use. This doesn’t mean that there are a rigid set of rules that must be adhered to. Actually the only rule that I have ever heard is one that actually … Read more

Why Getting Notes and Timing Right, In the Beginning, Is Important

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If you are learning to play the piano by reading the written music and not by chords, then I think it is very important to try and get the notes and the timing learned at the same time from the outset. Even though I have had piano students debate this point with me, I think … Read more

Positioning Yourself Correctly at the Piano

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Positioning yourself at the piano, including having your hands in a good shape, is a topic that doesn’t get talked about much, but I think it is important. It’s important because if you are not positioned correctly, you could be causing soreness somewhere in your body, or worse, you could end up doing yourself an … Read more

What To Do If You Don’t Feel Like Practicing, But You Know You Should

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It happens to everyone that sometimes we don’t feel like playing but we also know that we should. There might be a few very rare exceptions to this, but everyone I know has had a day or two, here and there where they really don’t feel like practicing. I know I have experienced this myself … Read more

Why 3/4 Is Not 4/4 and 4/4 Is Not 3/4

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Time signatures are important and while 3/4 is obviously 3 crochet (or quarter) beats in a bar is not the same as 4/4, which is obviously 4 crochet (or quarter) beats in a bar. Clearly, they are not the same. So if you are playing a piece of music that is in 3/4 time, then … Read more