This was my father’s first recording which he made when he was in his young 30’s. I have recently revisited the 4th Ballade of Chopin which I have never performed. I plan on recording it and have listened to a number of recordings. Then I remembered my father had recorded this and after listening to this performance, it is truly inspiring.

Hi, this is Robert Estrin from Living Pianos. I had the pleasure of visiting the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, and I wanted to share a quick glimpse with you. It’s a fascinating place that celebrates the rich history of recorded music, with exhibits showcasing legendary artists and groundbreaking innovations. As a lifelong musician and piano enthusiast, seeing how music has evolved was truly inspiring. Join me for a brief tour and experience a bit of this incredible journey through musical history!

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Have you ever wondered how to make large jumps on the piano with confidence and accuracy? It can feel almost impossible to land on the right notes, especially when you’re playing fast or under pressure. Fortunately, there’s a simple, effective way to practice these leaps that can give you the security you need.

Let’s look at how this works, using two examples: a student-level piece by J.S. Bach from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena, and a much more advanced passage from Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor — which I consider to be the most difficult part of the piece.

Start Simple: Bach and Basic Jump Technique

The Bach Musette may seem straightforward, but it includes some tricky jumps across the keyboard. If you’ve played something like the Minuet in G, which stays in a single hand position, this is a step up. You might find yourself wondering how to quickly and accurately move from one area of the keyboard to another.

Here’s the key: practice the jump without playing the next notes. Just move your hand to the new position and stop, making sure you’re directly over the notes you’ll need to play. Once you can consistently land in the right spot, you can start playing the notes — but only after your hand is in position.

Building Accuracy: Isolate the Jumps

At first, you might overshoot or undershoot. That’s part of the process. You may go too far one time, and not far enough the next. What you’re doing is training your hand to land exactly where it needs to be. Stop over the notes. Check your hand. Then try again. Once you’re confident you’re landing over the right spot, you can start playing it. Take extra time at first to get over the keys before you play them. You can straighten out the rhythm after you have performed this crucial step. Security comes first. Gradually, you shorten the pause between the jump and the notes. You can reduce the time little by little until there’s no pause at all. But in your mind, you’re still thinking of that quick, deliberate move to land exactly where you need to be.

Work on Each Jump Separately

If the piece has multiple jumps, don’t try to tackle them all at once. Work on each one in isolation. Take the time to land over the target notes of each leap before moving on to the next one. This step-by-step approach helps you build accuracy without practicing mistakes.

Now the Real Test: Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2

Let’s turn to something much more demanding: Chopin’s Scherzo in B-flat minor. There’s one passage that’s absolutely filled with jumps. It’s a section that gives even experienced pianists trouble. But the same principle applies. Take each jump and practice getting over the notes first without playing them. Maybe the left hand doesn’t quite reach far enough on the first try. That’s fine. Try again until you can consistently stop over the next notes. This builds accuracy.

Don’t Practice Mistakes

One of the biggest pitfalls in learning big leaps is trying to play them too soon, before your hand knows where to go. If you miss the jump repeatedly, you end up reinforcing the mistake. This is what you want to avoid. Instead, train your hand to land correctly before you ever play the notes.

Apply this Method to Any Music

Whether you’re working on Bach, Chopin, Liszt, or any other composer, the same approach applies. Start by isolating the leap and practicing the motion of moving your hands to the new position without playing the next notes. Make any necessary adjustments until you can consistently land in exactly the right spot. Once that becomes reliable, begin adding the notes, even if it’s delayed at first. Gradually reduce the pause until you can play the leap smoothly with total confidence.

That’s how you make big leaps at the piano with security. It takes patience and careful observation, but the payoff is worth it! Using this method, you’ll find yourself landing leaps cleanly and confidently, even in the most technically demanding music. I hope this helps you in your practice!

If you’re curious about how I teach these concepts in more depth, click here for more resources.

Once again, I’m Robert Estrin, and this is LivingPianos.com—Your Online Piano Resource. Thanks so much for joining me.

Imagine walking into the future of piano playing and finding a keyboard that finally fits your hands. That’s exactly what I’ve discovered with the Athena digital piano that features narrower keys. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, and now, it’s finally here. Why is this so significant? For pianists like myself who can’t quite reach a tenth, this opens up a world of new musical possibilities. If you’ve ever wished you could comfortably play those big, rich chords, you’re going to love what’s happening in piano innovation today.

Playing Schumann’s Carnaval Like Never Before

One piece I’ve always had to adapt is the beginning of Schumann’s Carnaval. Traditionally, I break the large chords to make it work convincingly on a full-size keyboard. But for the first time, on this narrow-key digital piano, I can actually play those large chords solidly without breaking them. That’s a game-changer for me. Now, I won’t say it’s easy—it’s still a stretch. But I can reach them. That’s the power of this new design.

What Are Narrow Keys?

This particular model is called the Athena, and it follows the DS 5.5 standard—meaning the keys span 5.5 inches per octave, compared to the traditional standard 6.5 inches per octave. There’s also a 6.0-inch standard available. These innovations are part of a movement supported by the DS Foundation, led by Christopher Donison and David Steinbuhler, who are pioneers in the world of alternatively sized keyboards. The DS Standard Foundation played a key role in founding PASK (Pianists for Alternatively Sized Keyboards).

For me, the 5.5-inch octave is ideal. I can just barely reach tenths—but I can reach them! Better yet, the black keys are proportionally narrower, so I can easily maneuver between them without struggle. That’s an important design feature for pianists with broader fingers or limited reach.

Are There Acoustic Pianos with Narrower Keys?

Yes! A few manufacturers and innovators are already making this a reality:

Hailun offers uprights with the 6.0-inch standard.

Hannah Reimann creates custom keyboard sets under the Stretto Piano label.

Some Steinways have been retrofitted with custom keysets.

Josef Hofmann, the legendary pianist, had a specially made 7-foot Steinway with narrow keys back in the early 20th century!

In Europe, Kaduk Musical Technology provides key design software and advanced innovations in this field. Stateside, companies like Reyburn Piano Works in Michigan and David Rubenstein in Los Angeles can perform custom key conversions.

Even the respected German maker Steingraeber & Söhne offers custom-sized actions upon request.

Time for a Level Playing Field

Consider this: at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, pianist Magdalene Ho made waves with her profound musicality, despite not advancing in the competition—a result many found baffling. Interestingly, she also plays with a smaller hand span. There’s a deeper point here: the standard keyboard size is simply not suitable for everyone. Just as we wouldn’t expect everyone to wear the same shoe size, pianists deserve instruments that fit their hands. Watch Magdalene Ho’s brilliant rendition of Carnaval.

Celebrated pianist, Daniel Barenboim has recently revealed that he has been playing a smaller keyboard for years!

Lessons from Typewriters and Forgotten Designs

This isn’t a new concept. Think about your QWERTY keyboard—it’s not the most efficient design, but we’re all used to it. The Dvorak keyboard was invented to optimize typing speed, but it never gained traction.

Even more fascinating: in the late 19th century, Paul von Jankó created a keyboard where octaves moved vertically, not horizontally. It allowed players to leap octaves seamlessly. Why didn’t it catch on? Perhaps because audiences loved watching pianists like Liszt make dramatic jumps on traditional keyboards.

Playing Experience: Instant Comfort

You might think it takes time to adjust to narrower keys. But the transition? Practically seamless. I started playing Mozart on this new keyboard, and it felt instantly familiar. Honestly, it’s like slipping into a pair of shoes that finally fit. For my hands, 5.5 inches per octave is perfect. I can manage ninths on a regular piano, but tenths were always out of reach. On this keyboard, I can finally play them solidly—something I never thought I’d do. For pianists who struggle to reach an octave, anything larger than the 5.5 size keys would be of little value.

The Road Ahead: What Needs to Happen

So what’s next? For this movement to grow, we need to agree on a standard alternative size—just one. My vote is for the 5.5-inch octave. Any smaller, and we run into limitations like overly cramped finger spacing. Any larger, and we lose the benefit for small-handed pianists.

Imagine if all major concert halls had two action sets available: one standard, and one with a 5.5-inch octave. Think about the opportunities this would unlock—especially for women and others with smaller hands who’ve historically been at a disadvantage. If Yamaha offered U1 uprights with a narrow key option, or if Steinways in every major hall had a second action set for smaller hands, the playing field would be transformed.

Athena’s new digital piano with narrow keys is, to my knowledge, the first of its kind. And it could be the beginning of a revolution in piano accessibility.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave your comments on LivingPianos.com and YouTube to keep the conversation going! I’m Robert Estrin, and this is LivingPianos.com—Your Online Piano Resource. Thanks so much for joining me.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. This is one of the most important concepts you can apply to your piano practice: you need to think in words. That might sound strange at first. After all, when you’re playing music, especially in performance, you want to let go of verbal thought and just feel the music. You want to be in a state of flow. But when you’re practicing, it’s a different story.

Where Verbal Thinking Matters Most

There is one critical time when using words can make all the difference. That’s the moment between repetitions. After you’ve played something once, before you play it again, you should pause and clearly state what you want to be different. Use real, concrete language. Say it out loud if it helps.

Too often, I see students finish a phrase, realize it didn’t sound quite right, and immediately dive back in. But they haven’t taken the time to figure out what they’re actually trying to improve. They’re just hoping the next try will be better. Do you ever find yourself doing that?

Define What Needs to Change

Let’s say you’ve just played a phrase. The notes were correct, but it sounded flat and lifeless. Before you try again, stop and think: what could make it better? You might say, “I want to add a gentle decrescendo at the end of this phrase.” That gives your next repetition a clear purpose.

Maybe after trying again, you realize it still needs work. Now you might say, “I want the phrase to start softer, build gradually, then fall away at the end.” This is how real musical shaping happens—by clearly defining your goals, one step at a time.

Repeating Without Intention Doesn’t Help

Mindless repetition is one of the biggest mistakes students make. If you play something over and over without deciding what needs to change, you’re often just reinforcing bad habits. Even if it sounds better by chance, how will you know what worked if you weren’t sure what you were aiming for? That’s why thinking in words matters so much. It forces you to practice with intention.

Practice with a Clear Mindset

Whenever you’re practicing to improve something, stop after each attempt and ask yourself: what do I want to change? Be specific. Don’t just say, “I want it to sound better.” Say, “I want a smoother legato,” or “I need to bring out the melody more in the right hand.” This simple habit transforms your practice. It makes every repetition count. You’ll waste less time, and your progress will be much more focused.

Let Yourself Just Play—But Know the Difference

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with just sitting down and playing for enjoyment. I do that too. It’s one of the joys of being a pianist! But when you’re practicing, draw a clear line. Practice is where you stop, reflect, and decide what you want to improve. Let that guide each repetition.

Try this in your next practice session. Pause between attempts, speak your intentions in clear words, and see how much more effective your work becomes. It’s a small change that can lead to big results.

If you’re curious about how I teach these concepts in more depth, click here for more resources.

Once again, I’m Robert Estrin, and this is LivingPianos.com—Your Online Piano Resource. Thanks so much for joining me.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin, and today I’m responding to a great viewer question. Someone asked if I could do an updated explanation of dotted rhythms, specifically using the first bars of Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata as an example. They mentioned still struggling to count the dotted rhythms there—and frankly, I understand. You’d be surprised how many performances of the Pathétique have imprecise rhythm at the opening!

How to Count the Rhythm Accurately

The first few measures of the Pathétique Sonata are instantly recognizable, but they require real rhythmic discipline to play correctly. Here’s the trick: you need to understand where the beats fall—and more importantly, where the subdivisions lie. I’ll often count while practicing, just to show the placement. But that’s just a means to an end. What you really need is to internalize the pulse and subdivide accurately.

Let’s say you’re just counting quarter notes—that’s a good start, but it’s not enough. If you rely solely on that, you’ll find it nearly impossible to keep tempo consistent when playing those dotted rhythms. Instead, you must feel both the main beat and the subdivisions—those quicker underlying pulses that help you place notes precisely.

Subdivision: The Key to Rhythmic Accuracy

For example, when you break down that opening rhythm, you’re really working with eighth notes. You need to feel them internally—even if you’re not playing every one. By subdividing, you’re able to execute those dotted rhythms with clarity and confidence. While subdividing the 32nd notes, you keep the larger 8th note beat in mind so your tempo doesn’t drift. That’s the balancing act: subdividing accurately while maintaining the pulse of the larger beats.

Playing Piano Is No Easy Feat!

This is what makes playing the piano so challenging—and so rewarding! You’re juggling multiple layers of awareness all at once. People often ask why the piano is considered so difficult. Well, imagine trying to keep rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, and finger technique all aligned in your two hands—and that’s just one passage!

The Secret? Break It Down

The good news is there’s a method to the madness. Whether you’re working on rhythm, sight-reading, memorization, technique, or theory, the secret is to break everything down into manageable steps. That’s the heart of my teaching: showing how to approach each of these pillars with a structured, clear methodology.

If you’re curious about how I teach these concepts in more depth, click here for more resources.

Once again, I’m Robert Estrin, and this is LivingPianos.com—Your Online Piano Resource. Thanks so much for joining me, and happy practicing!