Piano Lessons- Music Theory Lessons

I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. Improving your piano playing doesn’t have to feel mysterious or overwhelming. When you understand the core elements of the process, real progress becomes not only possible but enjoyable. We’re going to break it down into the essential elements: reading music, learning music, refining music, and developing your technique. If you embrace the process in each of these areas, you can make huge strides in your playing in a short amount of time.

The Problem: Wanting It All Now

Here’s the problem. You sit down to practice or play something, and you just want it all now. The temptation is to try to skip the steps, thinking that you’ll get there faster. But in fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Let’s start with reading. You want to develop your reading so you can sit down and enjoy playing music at sight. And what a joy that is! You see people do this and think, “I should be able to do that.” So you take out your favorite Chopin or Debussy or Beethoven, and you struggle. You don’t get to the enjoyment part. It’s deflating. It makes you feel like you just can’t do it, and you put it away feeling dejected. The good news is, while there’s a lot of great and very complex piano music, there’s also great music at a simpler level that you can enjoy right now. If you start playing music on your level, you’ll build up gradually. Play something you can feel the satisfaction of doing well. Do that every day, and your reading will grow. Try reading with other musicians. That’s a great way to improve. Eventually, yes, you’ll be able to read the music you’ve always wanted to play. But start at a realistic level, and don’t feel it’s beneath you to do simpler music. Don’t think you won’t gain anything from it. You absolutely will if you play it well. That’s the key to developing your reading.

Learning Music

Learning music is much the same idea. Choose music that won’t take you six months or a year to learn. You could learn dozens of pieces in that time. That way, you’re incrementally increasing both the difficulty and your command of the music.

When you sit down to practice, you see a whole piece with several pages and think, “Oh my gosh, I better learn as much of this as I can.” So you work through the first page again and again, trying to take it all in. But that’s way too much to absorb at one time. Worse, you start developing bad habits by playing music again and again—not the way you want it to sound—thinking you’ll make it sound better later. That’s a big fallacy. Instead, take tiny chunks of music. If you watched me practice, you’d be astounded at how small the sections are that I work on. I break things down into digestible pieces, work hands separately, then together—methodically. I resist the temptation to just read through the piece again and again when it’s not sounding the way I ultimately want it to. I read through the piece only on the first day. After that, I get right down to work. You should do the same. Don’t feel like you’ve wasted time just because you’ve only learned four measures in a practice session.

Look through your music. You’ll be amazed at how much repetition there is. Repetition and development are the foundations of music composition. So by learning thoroughly, you allow the story of the music to unfold naturally. Like reading a book, one part leads to the next. Learn one small section. Understand the logic of that section. Perfect it. Move to the next section. Connect them. Each day, reinforce what you learned the previous days. Instead of trying to take on more than you can absorb in one sitting, try this method for just one week. Resist the urge to read through everything. Limit yourself to small sections at a time, and you’ll see real growth.

Refining Your Playing

Now, what about refinement? You might think, “I’ve got all this music—I’ve got to get it to a higher level.” So you try to go through everything just to keep it in your fingers. But if you’re not careful, that can work against you. If you’ve already learned the music but it’s not where you want it yet, go slower than you think you need to. Anything you play wrong, you’re going to have to unlearn later. So go very slowly. Better yet, focus on digestible sections of music for refinement. Maybe the first few lines of your piece are fine, but when you get to the fourth or fifth line, there’s a four-measure phrase that just isn’t coming together. With laser focus, practice just those four measures. Use your metronome. Find the speed at which you can play it absolutely perfectly and with confidence. Once you can do that, increase the tempo one notch at a time. You won’t even feel it! You’ll get those four measures up to speed, then connect them with the previous section. Move on to the next part that needs attention. Don’t work scattershot. Focus 90% of your effort on the 10% of music that needs it most. You’ll make far greater progress, and the quality of your playing will soar.

Practicing Technique

Now let’s talk about pure technique. Scales, arpeggios—you might think, “I hate doing that. I don’t want to spend hours on this.” The good news is, you don’t have to! Just spend a few minutes a day. Maybe you’ve worked on scales and arpeggios before, but they’re rusty. Or maybe you’ve never learned all of them, and now it feels overwhelming. After all, there are 12 major keys, 12 minor keys, harmonic and melodic minors, and arpeggios. It’s a lot. But don’t be overwhelmed! Focus on one scale for a whole week. What’s the hurry? You’ve got a lifetime to develop your playing. That’s really the point of all of this: embrace the process. Don’t feel rushed. Don’t feel like you have to accomplish everything every day. Focus on a small amount of music. Bring a high level of playing to just a little bit of music. That mastery will carry over to everything else you play. You’ll gain insights into how to conquer music. You’ll feel the comfort that comes from truly being in control of your reading, your learning, and your technique. Take it one bit at a time. Build day by day. Don’t feel overwhelmed. Focus on what needs the most work. You’ll see your playing rise to a level you never imagined.

I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. If you’ve been studying piano for any amount of time, you’ve probably asked yourself this question: Why is the left hand so hard? Well, you’re definitely not alone. It’s something pianists on all levels wrestle with. Let’s dive into the reasons why the left hand tends to feel more difficult and what’s really going on under the surface.

Right-Hand Dominance: The Most Obvious Reason

Most people are right-handed. That means the right hand is generally stronger, more coordinated, and more naturally adept at fine motor movements. So it makes sense that the right hand feels easier at the piano. But that’s just the beginning.

The Melody is in the Right Hand

When you’re learning a piece like Mozart’s Sonata in C Major, K. 545, what stands out? The melody. And where is the melody? Almost always in the right hand.

The left hand, in contrast, often plays the accompaniment—the harmonic and rhythmic foundation. Try playing the left hand of that piece by itself. It might not even sound like much on its own. That’s because it’s not designed to stand alone. The melody is what we latch onto by ear, and learning something tuneful is always easier.

Reading the Bass Clef: An Early Challenge

When you’re just starting out, reading notes in the bass clef is a challenge on its own. It’s generally easier to count up the musical alphabet from middle C than it is to go down into the bass register. That alone makes the left hand harder in the beginning. But even after you become fluent in reading bass clef, the left hand still often feels more difficult. So while reading may be part of the initial struggle, it’s far from the whole picture.

The Left Hand Plays Larger Intervals

I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. Are you struggling to break a bad practice habit? Science might have the answer for you. Let’s explore how to replace detrimental habits with effective techniques.

Understanding the Habit Loop

Understanding the habit loop—cue, routine, reward—can help you identify and alter unwanted behaviors. Replacing a bad habit with a positive one that offers a similar reward is key. Let’s discuss strategies to rewire your brain for better practice habits.

Implementing Change

By applying this approach, you can transform detrimental habits into productive ones, paving the way for continuous improvement. For example, if you find that you aren’t implementing practice of scales and arpeggios in your practice, but you see the value in this, try putting your Hanon book right in the center of your music rack and make it a new daily routine to start with just five or ten minutes of scales and arpeggios. It’s simply the act of starting that makes all the difference in the world. Once you do this for several days, it becomes routine, which is exactly the point! You can do this with almost anything in your piano practice, as well as in your life.

By understanding and applying the science of habit formation, you can effectively overcome bad habits and cultivate a more productive and fulfilling practice routine.

I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. Want to improve your piano skills overnight? Literally? Let’s discuss how sleep plays a crucial role in musical learning.

The Role of Sleep in Learning

Sleep is essential for memory consolidation. Scientifically proven, practicing before sleep can improve retention and enhance skills. We’ll explore how to align your practice schedule with your sleep patterns for optimal learning.

Optimizing Practice and Sleep

By ensuring adequate rest, you’re not just recharging your body but also solidifying your musical learning, making sleep an essential part of your practice routine. This doesn’t mean that you have to hold off on practicing until just before bedtime. Instead, keep your normal practice regimen. Then, sometime before going to bed, revisit what you have practiced and played during the day. Your music will permeate your brain while you sleep and help with retention. By prioritizing sleep and aligning it with your practice schedule, you can enhance your learning efficiency and overall performance quality.

I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. Have you ever found that despite hours of practice, your progress seems to plateau? What if the key to more effective learning isn’t practicing longer, but practicing differently? Today, we’re exploring interleaved practice—a scientifically backed method that could revolutionize your approach to learning music.

Understanding Interleaved Practice

Traditional practice often involves focusing on one piece or technique repeatedly before moving on to the next—a method known as blocked practice. Interleaved practice, on the other hand, involves mixing different pieces or skills within a single session. This approach forces your brain to constantly retrieve and apply different strategies, enhancing learning and retention. Essentially, anything that keeps your mind engaged produces the most dramatic results in the work you do at the piano. So try mixing things up to make your practicing more engaging.

Scientific Evidence

Studies have shown that interleaved practice can lead to better long-term retention and transfer of skills compared to blocked practice. By continually switching tasks, you’re training your brain to be more adaptable and resilient, which is crucial for live performances where unpredictability is a given.

Implementing Interleaved Practice

Start by selecting a few different pieces or techniques to work on in a session. Rotate between them every 10-15 minutes, or whenever you feel a decline in the productivity in your practice. I remember listening to my wife practice for orchestral auditions. She would go through the list of music excerpts repeatedly and alternate with other practice techniques such as longtones and scales, then bring back the toughest excerpts time and time again, bringing fluency and solidity to her practicing. Initially, it might feel more challenging, but over time, you’ll notice improved recall and adaptability. Remember, the goal is to make your practice sessions more dynamic and engaging.

By incorporating interleaved practice into your routine, you’re not just learning pieces; you’re training your brain to be more flexible and responsive. This method might be the key to breaking through plateaus and achieving greater musical mastery.

The Piano Pillars System uses this technology. You can learn more about that here:

I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. Have you ever played a piece flawlessly in your practice, only to stumble through it when playing for people? It’s such a common experience that many musicians face. You should know that you are not alone! Today, we’re going to explore why this happens and how to bridge the gap between practice and performance.

Understanding the Discrepancy

In the comfort of your practice space, you often play with ease. But performing introduces variables—nerves, audience presence, just people watching you, and unfamiliar environments. You can feel this way even when playing for people in your own home! Traditional practice methods may not prepare you for these conditions. We’ll delve into how the brain processes practice versus performance and discuss strategies to simulate performance conditions during practice.

The Role of Practice Habits

Repetitive, error-free practice is the first step to prepare you for real-world performance challenges. You want to be so well prepared that you have a high degree of confidence before playing for people. Introducing variability and simulating performance conditions can enhance your ability to adapt and have resilience when you perform. This is so important because when you play for people, you introduce the fight-or-flight response. Your pulse is faster, your palms may get sweaty, and your entire physiology is heightened. Rather than being thrown off by this, you want to enjoy the ride and take your audience with you on this exciting journey into your music.

Strategies to Simulate Performance Conditions

You can incorporate methods like recording yourself, performing for friends, or practicing in different settings to mimic performance pressure. I can’t stress enough the importance of mental rehearsal and visualization techniques to build confidence and reduce anxiety. When you have any performance opportunity coming up, imagine in great detail sitting and playing for people in that specific environment. Then, when you get there, you will feel at home! So often people mistakenly try to ignore the audience and pretend they are playing by themselves. This misses the whole point of performing! You want the excitement that playing for people produces. You can utilize this energy to inspire your playing. Every performance opportunity is a new learning experience. When things go wrong, you’ll know what to practice so you will be even better prepared next time you play for people.

I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. What if I told you that taking more breaks during practice could accelerate your learning? It might sound counterintuitive, but let’s explore the science behind this approach.

Understanding Spaced Practice

Practicing in smaller chunks of time can be so much more productive than one massive practice session. Now, if you are accomplishing a great deal when practicing, there is no need to stop! However, studies show how intervals between practice sessions can enhance your memory consolidation. There is science behind the breaks.

The Science Behind Breaks

The brain processes and stores information during rest periods. Did you know that what you think about before going to sleep has a way of solidifying in your memory? You can even try taking breaks in your practice during the day and then take a walk or do another activity that doesn’t involve active concentration. Your memories become assimilated in your brain! But you might wonder how to implement effective breaks.

Implementing Effective Breaks

Try alternating intense practice sessions with other activities during breaks that can aid in mental rejuvenation, such as light physical activity, meditation, or any kind of deep relaxation where you clear your mind.

By embracing spaced practice and incorporating regular breaks, you allow your brain to process and store information more effectively. So, remember, sometimes stepping away from the piano is just as important as sitting down to play!