What is the Sustain Pedal and How to Use it Effectively

The sustain pedal, is on the right, whether your piano has 2 pedals or 3 pedals. Sometimes it is referred to as simply ‘the pedal’ because it is used so much more frequently than the left pedal (known as the soft pedal) or the middle pedal ( which is only found on some pianos). As … Read more

There Are Limits to What I Can Play and No Amount of Practice Will Change This

I understand that this might seem a little strange, especially when I so often advocate that practice will equal progress. Don’t get me wrong, I still believe this – I know that this is true but there are circumstances when some things are impossible, or very much close to it. Let me explain. For as … Read more

What To Do When You Haven’t Been Able To Practice In A While

Everyone understands that to learn to play the piano, or to maintain or improve your skill level, the ideal is to practice everyday and if not every day, then several times a week. Sometimes this is just not possible, whether it is because you are going on a holiday for a week or two, or … Read more

Why Learning to Play the Piano in Retirement is a Good Idea

I get it, I really do. Most piano students are kids or teenagers. This is true not just for piano students but for anyone learning to play a musical instrument. If you think about it, it’s not just learning an instrument, it’s art, it’s sport and it’s often creative pursuits like knitting or sewing, that … Read more

Scales and What You Really Need to Know

Learning about scales or keys, especially when you are a beginner can be rather confusing and daunting. I’m not surprised that it is daunting because there is so much information on the internet and lots of people with lots of opinions about what is essential to know. It can get confusing, especially when there are … Read more

How Important Is Your Hand Positioning?

This is a topic that I am very fussy on and very passionate about. I think that it is incredibly important that you hold your hands in the correct manner, when you are playing the piano. I also think that it is really important for piano students should learn good hand positioning from the very … Read more

Are We There Yet?

How many times have we been in a car, driving a half and hour or more, or even on a road trip, a kid will ask the age old question of “Are we there yet?” and we the adults try and give a satisfactory answer. These answers can range from “we’ve only just left” to … Read more