Welcome to LivingPianos.com! I’m Robert Estrin. If you’re looking to improve your piano playing quickly, I’ve got a tip for you that’s simple, effective, and can yield results right away. You might be skeptical, and that’s understandable, but trust me—this tip really works. It’s something that’s helped countless students I’ve worked with, and it’s something I use myself regularly. If you’ve never tried it before, it’ll give you a noticeable boost, and if you’ve done it before, it will serve as a valuable reminder of how important it is to your progress.
Slow Down and Focus on Details
The key is to take a piece you can already play, and slow it down to refine your playing and take it to the next level of performance. Play the piece slowly with the score in front of you, paying close attention to every detail.
Here’s what you need to do:
Take your foot off the pedal so you can hear everything clearly.
Go through the piece slowly, focusing on every single detail of the score.
Exaggerate everything—the dynamics, the accents, the phrasing.
At first, it may feel strange, but this is exactly what you need to do to uncover nuances in the music that you might have missed when playing up to tempo. You’ll be able to hear every note, every accent, and every subtle dynamic shift with clarity. In one sitting, you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn and how much more secure you’ll feel in the piece.
Why This Works
When you slow things down, you give your mind and fingers the time they need to really process the music. You begin to notice details that you might overlook when playing at a faster tempo. And even more importantly, this practice solidifies your understanding of the piece, reinforcing the phrasing and expression that make the music come alive.
You could go further by gradually increasing the tempo notch by notch with the metronome, but surprisingly, just this one step of slowing down and focusing on the details will give you instant results.
The Immediate Impact
If you’re doubtful, I encourage you to try this with a piece that’s not quite at the level you want. Maybe it’s something you’ve played before but feels a little lacking right now. Slowing down and focusing on the details will instantly improve your performance. Even without taking additional steps, just this one technique can give you noticeable results. It’s a simple and effective technique that can help you unlock new layers of expression in your playing. Leave a comment and let me know how it works for you! And, if you enjoy videos and tips like this, be sure to check out the description below to find more resources to help you take your playing to the next level.
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