Playing the Piano

What are Modes?

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Modes are types of scales that date back to Ancient Greek times, making them much older than our very familiar major and minor scales, which date back to about 1690 when they were regularly used as a basis for many musical compositions. There are  7 modes in particular that are still used and they are: … Read more

Are You Practicing Too Much?

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I know it seems like a crazy question to ask, but are you practicing too much? Even though the vast majority of piano students don’t practice enough, there are some that are practicing too much. I am not suggesting that this happens very often at all, but there are some circumstances where a person is … Read more

What is the Sustain Pedal and How to Use it Effectively

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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

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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

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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

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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

How Important Is Your Hand Positioning?

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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