Tag Archives: pianos

7 Piano Techniques Every Pianist Should Know: Russian, German, French & More!

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today, we’re diving into the intriguing world of piano techniques. Over time, various philosophies and methods have emerged, each highlighting unique aspects of piano playing. Let’s explore some of the most renowned schools of piano technique and their distinctive characteristics.

The Russian School

The Russian school of piano technique is renowned for its emphasis on weight transfer, relaxed arm movements, and natural hand positions. This approach encourages pianists to utilize their entire arm, resulting in a rich, powerful tone. Esteemed pianists like Sergei Rachmaninoff, Vladimir Horowitz, and Sviatoslav Richter exemplify the strength and expressiveness that this technique can achieve. My own background is influenced by this tradition, as my father, Morton Estrin, studied with Madame Vera Press, a student of Russian technique. This foundation has greatly shaped my teaching approach.

Rachmaninoff – Prelude in C Sharp Minor: Op. 3: No. 2

The German School

Known for its precision, clarity, and finger independence, the German school of piano technique focuses on firm finger action rather than arm weight. This technique is exemplified by the works of Carl Czerny, Ludwig van Beethoven, Clara Schumann, and more contemporary pianists like Wilhelm Kempff. The German approach is particularly effective for mastering intricate finger work and clear articulation, making it ideal for the contrapuntal works of Bach.

Beethoven’s Tempest Sonata mvt. 3 — Wilhelm Kempff

The French School

The French school is celebrated for its emphasis on lightness, clarity, and finger dexterity. Pianists trained in this tradition often produce a refined, delicate touch, as seen in the ethereal tones of Claude Debussy’s music. Key figures such as Alfred Cortot and Walter Gieseking have demonstrated the shimmering, impressionistic sound characteristic of French pianism. This technique is especially suited for impressionist compositions.

Maurice Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit – Walter Gieseking

The Italian School

Distinct from other schools, the Italian school emphasizes lyricism, expressive phrasing, and a beautiful, singing tone on the piano. This technique, inspired by the operatic tradition, aims to achieve a cantabile style. Notable proponents include Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and his student, Ivan Moravec. Their performances are known for their highly expressive and vocal-quality.

Chopin, Ballade in G minor, Op. 23 – Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

The English School

Similar to the French school, the English school often highlights a more rounded, legato style. It focuses on clarity of tone, rhythmic precision, and expressive phrasing. Pianists like Myra Hess and Clifford Curzon have incorporated these elements into their performances, resulting in music that is both fluid and lyrical.

Myra Hess plays Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

The American School

The American school represents a blend of various European traditions, including Russian, German, and French techniques. This approach creates a versatile and individualized style, allowing for a broad range of interpretive choices. Prominent pianists such as Van Cliburn and Murray Perahia embody this eclectic approach, which reflects a synthesis of different techniques.

Van Cliburn – Liszt: Un sospiro

The Taubman Approach

Although not a traditional school, the Taubman Approach, developed by Dorothy Taubman, focuses on ergonomic, injury-preventive piano playing. This method promotes natural, coordinated movements, aiming to make piano playing easier and free from tension. It’s particularly beneficial for pianists seeking to minimize physical strain and improve overall comfort.

Dorothy Taubman – The Taubman Approach

Conclusion

In summary, there are seven notable schools and approaches to piano technique, each with its own philosophy. Many modern pianists draw from multiple techniques, blending elements to develop a style that suits their individual preferences and repertoire. Which technique resonates most with you? Do you favor a particular school, or do you incorporate elements from various traditions? Share your thoughts in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and on YouTube! I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. Thanks for joining me!

For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel! www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrin

Contact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com

Top 5 Piano Teaching Myths

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today I’m going to tell you the top 5 myths about piano teaching.

Myth 1: Great Teachers Don’t Take Beginners

It’s a common belief that top-tier piano teachers only work with advanced students. While it’s true that many high-level instructors at conservatories focus on refining the skills of already proficient players, this doesn’t mean they don’t teach beginners. In fact, teaching beginners can be immensely rewarding and crucial for a student’s development. Many skilled teachers are adept at guiding students from their first notes to advanced techniques. The foundation laid by a dedicated beginner teacher can pave the way for future mastery.

Myth 2: Every Other Week Lessons Are Ineffective

I used to think that having piano lessons every other week could hinder progress due to a lack of consistency. However, my experience teaching online has shown that bi-weekly lessons can be highly effective. Students who are committed and manage their practice well can thrive with this schedule. The key is ensuring that students are motivated and make the most of the time between lessons.

Myth 3: Great Teachers Are Strict

Many parents seek out strict teachers, believing that rigid rules and discipline will lead to better outcomes. While some students may respond well to a strict approach, effective teaching generally involves understanding and communication. It’s important to tailor your approach to each student’s needs and personality. A successful teacher builds a relationship with their student to address any obstacles and support their growth.

Myth 4: Great Teachers Have A Well-Formed Lesson Plan

Another misconception is that exceptional teachers adhere to a fixed lesson plan. While it’s essential for teachers to have a structured approach that includes progressive repertoire, technique, and theory, flexibility is crucial. Each student is unique, and teaching should be adapted to fit their individual needs and goals. A good teacher listens to their students and adjusts their methods accordingly, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all plan.

Myth 5: Students Must Always Follow a Prescribed Path

Finally, the idea that there is a single correct path for all piano students is misleading. Effective teaching involves collaboration between teacher and student. Teachers must be adaptable and responsive, creating a learning experience that aligns with each student’s personal journey. I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. Thanks for joining me!

For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel! www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrin.

Contact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com.

How to Recharge Your Piano Playing

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today, I’m going to show you how to recharge your piano playing. Have you ever gotten a piece to a really high level and played it on a regular basis, but somehow it goes stale? It’s just not quite there. It’s not like there are trouble spots you can practice. The whole thing just doesn’t have the spark that it once had. How can you get it back into shape? I’m going to show you today. There are some very basic techniques that are going to do the job for you.

Slow practice is one of the most important aspects of piano playing.

I have had the opportunity to study with some absolutely stupendous piano teachers, including my father, Morton Estrin, Ruth Slenczynska, Constance Keene, and John Ogden. They all practiced slowly. Every fine pianist I have ever met practices slowly. Even when you can play something up to tempo, going back and practicing slowly is absolutely essential on the piano. You should also take your foot off the pedal. Listen to what your fingers are doing. The pedal covers so much. I can tell you that these two tips I have just given you are so fundamental that every great classical pianist uses them.

Use the score.

Even if you have a piece memorized, it’s not good enough. You have to reinforce your memory. Do you think you can remember every single detail, like where a slur ends, where a crescendo begins, or the exact voicing of every chord? You must constantly reinforce your memory!

Use the metronome.

Practice with a metronome to keep yourself honest. Put the metronome on a nice, slow speed. Play with no pedal and keep your eyes on the score. The amazing thing is that just going through it slowly like that a few times will already clean up your playing enormously. But if you really want to develop a stellar technique, you can do all the speeds in between, where necessary. You might not have to do all the speeds everywhere. But any place that doesn’t come out consistently or feel comfortable, do progressively faster metronome speeds on those sections.

I remember watching my father practice when he was preparing to record his Brahms album. I used to watch my father practice all the time. I loved it! It was really enriching. I remember he got to a point where he was playing through everything just slightly under tempo without the pedal. It was totally relaxed and clean. That’s what you want. You want to get to the point where you get it up to tempo and it’s all comfortable. The notes are just there. You don’t have to work to make it come out. And because you study the score again and again, slowly seeing every detail, you really perfect your performance.

This is a great way to get any piece back into shape!

If you have a piece that’s gone stale or a piece you’re performing and you want to make sure it’s still in good shape, this technique is bulletproof. Practice slowly, with the score, no pedal, and using a metronome. Try it in your practice! You’ll be amazed at what this can do for your playing! I hope this is valuable for you! Let me know in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and on YouTube! Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin, here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.

For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel! www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrin

Contact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com

All Beats are NOT Created Equal

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. The subject today is about how all beats are not created equal. This almost sounds like blasphemy, but it’s absolutely true! What am I talking about here? Well, it depends upon the nature of a piece of music, the time signature, the period style, and so many other things.

There are different types of emphasis within a time signature.

Even in 4/4 time, the beats are not always evenly emphasized. Instead of a monotonous sequence of one – two – three – four, the emphasis can shift and create rhythmic diversity. Oftentimes, the “1” is the strongest beat, the “3” is the second strongest beat, and the “4” is the weakest beat. By playing with emphasis on the “1” and “3,” you get a more elegant sound.

There are many dance forms in music, and they are a great way to demonstrate this concept.

What better way to show how beats are not equal than in a dance movement? When people are moving to music, they’re making different motions depending upon what beat is playing. A waltz, for example, Chopin’s B minor Waltz, is in 3/4 time as all waltzes are. The “1” is the strongest beat, and the “3” is the second strongest beat. Just imagine a ballroom filled with people dancing the waltz. The “1” is the big motion, and the “3” is the second biggest motion, bringing it back to the “1.” This can help you intrinsically understand the idea that not all beats are created equal watching the motion of dancers. Some beats involve more movement than others.

Interestingly, other pieces in 3/4 time have different emphasis.

For example, in the famous Mozart C Major Sonata K545, the second movement is in 3/4 time. There is a little bit of emphasis on the one, but not like a waltz. Another example of this is the last movement of Mozart’s C Minor Sonata K457. This one is faster, like the Chopin waltz, but with a completely different emphasis of beats. It’s really two-measure phrases with emphasis on the first beat of every two measures! So beats aren’t created equal, not just in emphasis, but even in the amount of time they get, to some extent.

There’s a certain style to dance movements in particular that creates energy and emotion.

This is true of just about all music. It’s very unusual to have a piece where all the beats are exactly the same. It’s a rare quality in music. It’s akin to your speech. When you’re speaking, your intonation isn’t the same for all words. You have natural emphasis for some words. It’s the same with music. So start thinking about where the strong beats are in your music. Usually “1” is the strongest beat in most music, but even that is not always true. You will discover this as you experiment with your music trying to feel where the strong beats are!

Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin, here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.

For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel! www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrin

Contact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com

Why Not Playing is Practicing

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. The subject today is about repetition in your piano practice. Repetition is an essential part of piano practice, but did you know that the essential element of repetition is not the repetition itself? It’s the time between the repetitions. All too often, I’ve seen students fall into a trap. If you don’t take the essential time between each repetition, you can fall into an endless loop of missing things over and over again, essentially practicing playing badly. That’s what you want to avoid!

There are myriad ways you can practice.

I would suggest practicing slowly. You can turn the metronome on at a comfortable speed, and do progressively faster metronome speeds. You can work on note groups. You can do rhythms. You can do so many things! But that’s not what I’m showing you today. I’m showing you how to deal specifically with just repeating something until you get it right, which I’m sure all of you do on a regular basis in your practice. But you have to remember that the repetition is not where the value comes in.

The time between the repetitions is the practicing; the playing of the passage is not the practicing.

The playing is only a check of your work. The work happens in your head between each repetition. So if you play, and something isn’t clean, identifying the correction is number one. Find where the correction is. Focus your attention on the correction, and then you can come up with a strategy for cementing it. You want to find a spot to start just before it so you can repeat the correction. Once you get the correction solidified, go back and see if you can put it into context by starting at the beginning of the passage. Each time you play it, take a moment to think about what you just played. If it comes out absolutely perfectly, see if you can repeat it perfectly again. If there’s anything that isn’t quite right, identify the specific correction before you repeat it. This is essential. Each time you play it, stop and think about what you just heard.

Take the time between repetitions to mentally study what you just played.

Find the correction in the score, then implement the correction by starting strategically at the exact right spot before it at the beginning of the phrase. You don’t want to start right on the correction. However, initially, just to know what the correction is, you might play the notes you are having trouble with, but then find where you can start just before it. You have to be able to get into it in the context of the piece. You want to find the closest spot before the correction to start from. You can either land on that note or land right after that note, then cement it and go back. Initially, you may even want to stop just before the correction, then play the correction so you are sure to play it accurately from the get go. With each repetition, you must analyze your work and think about what you want to accomplish. If you fall into mindless repetition, where you are just repeating things without listening to what you did and coming up with a strategy to improve it, you are not practicing at that moment.

Remember, practicing is a thought process!

Playing is not practicing! It’s the analysis of what you’ve played that is going to improve your playing. That’s the lesson for today! If you have any questions, you can ask them in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and YouTube. I hope this has been helpful for you! Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin, here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.

For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel! www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrin

Contact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com

2 Essential Tools for Musicians

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today I’m going to talk about two essential tools that every musician should utilize. You practice hard to improve your playing. Is there any device that can help you with your practicing? There are two tools that are absolutely essential, and I’m sure you’re already familiar with them. But I’m going to tell you how you can make the best use of them.

The first tool is the Mighty Metronome!

Love it or hate it, the metronome really is essential in your practice. Why is the metronome so important? You might think that if you have a good sense of rhythm, you don’t need a metronome anymore. Maybe you even practice while tapping your foot, so you think you’ve got it covered. First of all, on the piano, you need to use your feet for the pedals. Not only that, but tapping your foot is distracting for the audience. Now, there are certain styles of music where tapping your foot is accepted and maybe even beneficial. In hard-driving jazz, you’ll see great players tapping their feet because it’s such highly energetic, rhythmically oriented music. But in classical music, this really takes away from the experience. Also, you want to have an internal clock. There are also nuances of tempo such as the use of rubato.

The metronome can help you get particularly difficult passages up to speed.

If you have a tough section and you want to get it up to speed, working with the metronome doing progressively faster metronome speeds is a great technique. You can also use the metronome to check your work to make sure you’re playing everything at the same speed. Maybe you worked really hard on a difficult passage that you never could get fast enough, but you don’t even realize that now you are overcompensating. Now you’re playing that section faster than the rest of the piece! None of us has a perfect clock in our heads. This is why the metronome is absolutely essential.

Is it better to use a physical metronome or an app on your phone?

Metronome apps are great in some respects, although there are some that default to having an accented beat. I have a pet peeve about these accented beats. Why? First of all, it’s completely unnecessary. If you don’t know where the first beat of the measure is, you better check your score! But worse than that, it wastes your practice time because you have to wait for the accented beat every time you start playing. So find an app that doesn’t have an accented beat, or one that can be turned off. A little hack you can use if your metronome doesn’t have that feature is to set your time signature with the top number being one. If you’re in 1/4 or 1/8, every beat will be accented because there is only one beat in each measure. Metronome apps can go slower and faster than an old-school metronome. But you generally never need to go below 42 or above 208. If you need it to be faster, you can just set the metronome at half the speed and achieve the same thing. There is one benefit to using a metronome app, which is that you can tap in the tempo. This is valuable for quickly setting the proper speed on your metronome.

When practicing using progressively faster metronome speeds, a physical metronome has a major advantage.

Digital metronomes always seem to have all the numbers. So if you’re at 60, the next number is 61, then 62, 63, etc. On physical metronomes, they go from 60, 63, 66, to 69, etc. And most importantly, if you’re at 120, it doesn’t go to 123; it goes to 126, which is double 63. So it’s progressive in a logical fashion. If anyone knows of a metronome app that has the real speeds of a physical metronome, let us know in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and YouTube!

The second tool that is essential for musicians is an audio or video recording device.

If you’ve never recorded yourself playing your instrument, you owe it to yourself. You will learn so much! Think about the first time you ever recorded yourself talking; it probably sounded strange when you listened back. Well, guess what? When you hear a recording of yourself playing the piano, you will learn so much about the way you sound. I was talking to one of my students the other day. I told him to exaggerate the dynamics because, when you are playing, you are only two feet from the piano. You don’t hear it the same way a listener in the room is going to hear it. So he played for his girlfriend and exaggerated the dynamics to the point that he thought it was grotesque, but she said it sounded absolutely beautiful. So you could put your recording device across the room to hear what your playing sounds like to somebody listening to you.

Recording yourself is a great way to practice performing, because the first time you play for people, you may get nervous.

Recording yourself gives you a little try out before performing for an audience. You can listen back, and with a pencil, you can mark places on the score the sections you need to work on. You will be amazed at how much perspective this gives you!

So these are the two indispensable devices for musicians: the recorder and the metronome. I hope this has been helpful for you! Let me know your thoughts about these tools in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and YouTube. Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.

For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel! www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrin

For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel! www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrinContact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com