Piano Lessons- Music Theory Lessons

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today we’re going to uncover a powerful secret that can transform the way you approach your piano playing—how to truly relax at the piano. To demonstrate, we’ll take a look at Chopin’s Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 34 No. 1. But before jumping into the music, let’s lay a foundation with some essential principles.

Strength Is the Foundation of Relaxation
There’s a common misconception that relaxation at the piano is all about letting go and staying loose. But as my father used to say, “The secret to relaxation is developing strength.”

If your hands and fingers are weak, you’ll find yourself contorting your body to make the music come out. Think about trying to lift something heavy—if you don’t have the strength, you’re going to strain, and strain is the opposite of relaxation. But if you’re strong, lifting becomes fluid and easy. The same concept applies to the piano. Without strength, you can’t play with control, and without control, there’s no real relaxation.

Sit Right, Play Right
Before even playing a note, your sitting position can make a huge difference. It’s easy to overlook—maybe you’re in a rush and just sit down without thinking. But the bench position should be precise. You don’t want to be too close, with the bench pressed against the back of your legs. You also don’t want to be too far away. The height matters too—your arms should be relatively parallel to the floor. A proper setup makes relaxed playing possible just like the precise embouchure of a wind player is critical.

The Practice Habit No One Talks About
Here’s something I do all the time when practicing—and I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned it before. When playing a passage, I intentionally give my hand micro-breaks. I let it go completely limp in between small segments of notes.

Let’s look at this Chopin Waltz. There’s a passage that’s long and flowing, and if you try to play it all at once, it can feel tight and awkward. It can even sound forced! But instead of tackling all eight measures at once, break things into small groups. Take just the first few notes. That’s it. If that’s still difficult, break it down further, making sure your fingers are comfortably in position over each next group of keys. Eventually, your hand learns the patterns and positions, and the notes just fall into place.

Let Your Hand Go Limp
Now here’s the secret—when moving from one group to the next, let your hand go totally limp. No tension. But—and this is key—be exactly over the next notes. That’s what keeps you from reaching and straining, which is where tension creeps in. When your hands land already in place, the next group of notes can be played effortlessly. You’re not stretching or fighting the keyboard. You’re just flowing from one hand position to the next.

Build Passages the Smart Way
This technique works throughout the passage. Take the next segment and break it down the same way. You can go as small as you need to. Practice until each group feels totally natural, with no excess effort. Eventually, you’ll have seven little passages that make up the full section. When putting them together, allow that moment of complete relaxation between each one. That’s what makes it all feel light and fluid. Even at full tempo, your hand remembers the shapes and motions. You’re not thinking of an eight-measure phrase anymore—you’re just playing short, relaxed bursts of notes.

Shrink the Space, Keep the Ease
First, take all the time you need. Really let go in between each note group. As you improve, you can shorten the space between them until it flows naturally. Try practicing just two groups at a time. Make the space between them smaller with each repetition. You’ll build control and ease step by step.

Practice Relaxation
This is the secret: Practice relaxation as part of your playing. Don’t just power through long passages. Break them into manageable parts, and insert moments of complete relaxation between them. Of course, make sure you’re sitting properly and continue to build strength—that’s essential. But right now, start practicing these built-in moments of relaxation, and you’ll notice an immediate difference. You won’t feel like you’re struggling through long lines of notes. You’ll be dancing through them in small, comfortable phrases.

Give it a try, and see what a difference it makes in your playing! Let us know how it works for you in the comments here at LivingPianos.com Your Online Piano Resource.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. I recently injured my thumb playing ping pong, of all things! Can you believe it? It’s one of those unexpected turns life throws at you. I practice piano every day, so naturally, I found myself wondering: what could I do with a sore thumb?

Discovering the World of Left-Hand Piano Music

It turns out there’s a remarkable wealth of music written for the left hand alone. I always knew about it, but I never explored it. Why? I never had any issues with my right hand before. But since I have no left hand music repertoire, last night, I sat down at the piano and began to improvise—just with my left hand. It was a new experience, and I found it surprisingly satisfying. I wanted to share that moment with you. Check out the video to hear it!

More Music Than You Might Expect

There may actually be more repertoire written for the piano left hand than some instruments have in their entire solo literature! We pianists are incredibly fortunate in that way. I don’t expect this injury to last long, so I probably won’t be tackling Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand or other major works, although they are worthy compositions in their own right. But as worthwhile as those pieces are, for now I’ll stick to improvising and exploring new musical ideas with my left hand.

The Challenge of Resting the Thumb

Right now, it’s all about cold compresses and avoiding any strain. And let me tell you—avoiding your thumb is surprisingly difficult. Not just at the piano, but in everyday life. It’s involved in almost everything you do. So I’m being very careful and giving it the time it needs to heal. Hopefully, I’ll be back to playing with both hands soon!

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. I recently received a great question from a viewer: How much does a pinblock cost? As simple as that might sound, there’s actually a lot more to it than you might expect!

What Is a Pinblock?

Let’s start at the beginning. Your piano has an enormous amount of string tension—tens of thousands of pounds! If you’ve ever tried to pluck a piano string, you know they feel rock-solid. That tension has to be held securely, and that’s where the pin block comes in.

You might assume the metal plate on your piano is what holds the tuning pins in place, but in fact, it’s the thick wooden structure underneath the cast iron plate that does the job. That piece of wood, made up of multiple laminated layers of hardwood, is what we call the pinblock.

Why It’s Not a Simple Repair

If your piano won’t hold a tuning anymore, it could be due to a cracked pin block or loose tuning pins. So, you might wonder—can’t you just replace the pin block? How much does that cost? Well, that’s where things get complicated. Pinblocks aren’t off-the-shelf items. They are custom-made for each individual piano. Replacing one means essentially entering into a piano rebuilding process. First, the piano must be disassembled. The strings and plate need to come off. Only then can the process of fitting a new pin block begin.

A Very Precise Fit

The pin block has to fit perfectly flush against the plate, and because the shape of the plate is irregular, this takes incredible precision. A rough shape is cut, and then chalk is applied to the area where the pin block meets the plate. The pin block is pressed against it, and the areas marked with chalk are carefully shaved down. This is repeated—again and again—until the pin block sits perfectly flat against the underside of the plate. Once the fit is exact, the tuning pin holes must be drilled with tolerances down to thousandths of an inch and at specific angles. This isn’t one-size-fits-all work. Every pin block replacement is its own unique challenge.

But You’re Not Done Yet. Once the new pin block is in place, the piano must be restrung—we’re talking about 220 to 240 strings. And when you do that, the damper felt often needs replacing as well. If the dampers don’t seat perfectly, you’ll end up with buzzing or other unwanted noises. That means the damper regulation has to be redone too.

Other Work That Often Comes With It

A thorough rebuild usually involves much more. Anywhere the strings touch metal, like the bridges, may need attention. Worn bridge caps and pins can cause grooves that interfere with string termination, and that can affect the tone. There’s also the capo d’astro bar in the treble range. That’s the part of the plate that bends down over the strings. Over time, it can develop grooves too, and should be smoothed out for best performance. Then you have the agraffes—the little brass guides with holes for the strings near the front of the piano. These also wear and can cause tone issues or buzzing. Smoothing or replacing them can be necessary as well.

Why Do All This?

Some rebuilders cut corners. But if you’re going to go to the effort of rebuilding a piano, why not make it as good as it can be? Done right, a rebuilt piano can sound as good or better than when it was first made, depending on the era and original craftsmanship.

So, back to the original question: how much does a pin block cost?

Just the pin block work alone might cost under $10,000. But since it requires a full rebuild, you’re realistically looking at $20,000 to $30,000 for the complete process. Some high-end rebuilds can even reach $50,000 or more, depending on the piano and the quality of the work. It’s a complex subject, and it’s easy to see how a simple question can open the door to a deep and fascinating look into piano construction. I hope you found this information enlightening!

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

Welcome to LivingPianos.com I’m Robert Estrin. How Should You Be Practicing?
This is one of the most important questions for any pianist. There’s a lot to consider, but I’ll walk you through a simple and effective structure. I like to think of a good practice session like a well-balanced meal. Start with a warm-up as the appetizer, move on to memory work as the main course, and finish with something fun like review pieces for dessert.

A Balanced Practice Plan

To sum it up, a well-rounded practice session might look something like this:

1. Warm up gently
2. Work on memorizing new material
3. Refine what you’ve already learned
4. Do some pure technique work
5. Enjoy review pieces
6. Explore new music with sight reading

This mix keeps your mind engaged, your technique sharp, and your repertoire growing.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today I want to introduce you to Spencer Myer. Spencer is on the piano faculty at Indiana University Bloomington, at the Jacobs School of Music—one of the largest and most respected music conservatories in the country. I earned my degree in piano performance there. I’ve known Spencer for many years. He studied with my sister, Coren Estrin-Mino, from the time he was a child until after high school, before continuing on to conservatory. He’s gone on to have an impressive career.

A Career of Distinction

Spencer has performed as a soloist with orchestras around the world, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, and Phoenix Symphony. He’s won several major international piano competitions, including the gold medal at the 2008 New Orleans International Piano Competition and top prizes at the 2007 William Kapell, the 2005 Cleveland, and the Bösendorfer Competitions. He also has a close musical partnership with the Miami String Quartet and is a recording artist with the Steinway & Sons label.

How Much of Piano Playing Is Muscle Memory?

In a recent video on piano practice, Spencer shared some insights that really stood out to me. One of the most striking things Spencer said in his video is that about 80% of piano playing is muscle memory. That may sound surprising—many concert pianists wouldn’t readily admit it. But when you think about playing an entire recital program, lasting an hour or more, it’s not realistic to expect 100% focused mental control the entire time. Unless you’re some kind of mental guru, it’s just not possible.

That’s where muscle memory comes in. Your fingers know where to go, and that’s what helps carry you through. I like to compare it to piloting a sailboat. The wind is like your muscle memory, which propels you forward. But your focus and concentration steer the boat, adjusting the sail and rudder. It’s a balance. And when you’re playing fast passages, it becomes even clearer. You can’t consciously think of every note in real time. Muscle memory fills in the gaps.

How Do You Develop That Kind of Security?

Spencer shared several techniques to help build reliable muscle memory. One of them is especially unusual but incredibly effective: practicing with inconsistent tempos. You might think inconsistent tempos are something to avoid, but as a practice technique, they’re extremely useful. The idea is to speed up and slow down randomly while playing a passage. If you can keep your place while doing that, then when something throws you off during a performance, you’ll know how to recover without falling apart.

It helps you simulate those real-life performance situations—like if your hand slips or your attention momentarily lapses. Practicing this way gets you used to instability, so you can stay grounded even under pressure.

Rhythmic Alteration: Make Your Own Etudes!

Another effective method Spencer talks about is rhythmic alteration. You can take a passage and apply dotted rhythms or other rhythmic groupings. For example, playing a pattern long-short, then reversing it. This forces your hands to work together differently and builds control and clarity. It’s especially good for fast passages where one hand might tend to rush or lag. And it turns any difficult section into an etude without needing to learn separate technical exercises. You can experiment with random rhythmic groupings to challenge your brain and fingers in new ways. The possibilities are endless, and it’s a great way to gain precision and deepen your understanding of passages.

Know Exactly Where Your Hands Play Together

Another tip Spencer gives is to identify exactly where the hands play together. This seems simple, but it’s incredibly powerful. When your technique is clean, it’s usually because your hands are synchronized. Isolating those points of contact can give you greater rhythmic security and better control.

Practice Skipping Around

Do you have pieces with repeated material that’s slightly different the second time—maybe in another key or with small changes? Spencer suggests jumping back and forth quickly between those sections to gain clarity and prevent mix-ups. He gives the example of Chopin’s Ballade in G minor, where similar material comes back in different forms. Or Mozart’s Sonata in G Major, K. 283—the end of the exposition is in D major, and the end of the recapitulation is in G major. The passages look and sound similar but aren’t identical. Practicing by skipping quickly between those two spots trains your fingers and memory to differentiate them clearly. This can be applied to almost any piece with similar structures—sonatas, ballades, even simple binary forms.

Don’t Let Your Pieces Decay: The Power of Slow Practice

One of the most important ideas Spencer shares is how to maintain a piece after it’s learned. Have you ever had a piece you once played confidently, only to find it slipping away over time? It’s like the game of telephone: small changes creep in each time you play, and eventually it’s not quite the piece you started with. The solution? Go back to the score and play it slowly and mindfully. This kind of slow practice is something every great pianist does. My teacher, Ruth Slenczynska, used to tell the story of hearing what she thought was a beginner student of Rachmaninoff while waiting outside of his home—only to find out it was Rachmaninoff himself, practicing at a snail’s pace.

I saw this same habit in my father, Morton Estrin, and in other top pianists like John Ogdon and Constance Keene. They all practiced playing very slowly. It’s not just for beginners—it’s how professionals keep pieces in peak condition.

To sum it all up, here are the strategies Spencer outlines:

Slow, mindful practice – essential for reinforcing memory and maintaining pieces over time

Inconsistent tempo practice – helps prepare for real-world performance instability

Rhythmic alteration – turns difficult passages into targeted technical studies

Identifying hand coordination – builds clean, synchronized technique

Skipping between repeated sections – sharpens memory and clarity between similar material

You can find more from Spencer through his website. And be sure to watch the original video, where he goes into even more detail. If you’re considering studying music at the college level, he teaches private lessons at Indiana University, and working with him could be an outstanding opportunity.

Thanks to Spencer for making these insights available! They’re practical, effective, and well worth trying in your own practice.

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!