Piano and Music Videos

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. The piano is one of the most enduring instruments ever created, and in many ways it has remained remarkably consistent for well over a century. But that may be starting to change. Today, I’d like to explore three innovations that could reshape what a piano can be: smaller keys, foldable designs, and aftertouch. And later, I’m going to show you one of my two prototype modular piano systems that delivers a virtual concert grand experience in a completely different way. These are not gimmicks, nor are they replacements for traditional pianos, but they raise fascinating questions about where piano design is headed, what problems are being solved, and what the piano of the future might look like.

Smaller Keys: Expanding Accessibility

Let’s start with smaller keys. The standard piano keyboard was established a very long time ago, and pianists have largely accepted it as fixed ever since. But of course, hands are not all the same size. As a student, I struggled to develop strength and to play large chords effectively because of my hand size. It wasn’t until years later, working with students who had larger hands, that I realized how significant this difference can be. Some pianists are able to master certain repertoire much more easily simply because of their physical advantage.

For many players, standard-sized keys can make intervals like octaves and tenths, as well as big chords and wide stretches, difficult or even impossible. This is where smaller or scaled keyboards become so compelling. This isn’t about making the piano easier. It’s about making it more accessible. If a different keyboard size allows a pianist to play with greater comfort, less strain, and more freedom, it opens the door to more repertoire and a more natural playing experience.

Foldable Pianos: Rethinking Portability

Next, let’s consider foldable pianos. One of the piano’s most obvious limitations is its size and weight. A concert grand is enormous, and even an upright is extremely difficult to move. The idea of a foldable piano is really about rethinking the physical form of the instrument. I’m not referring to inexpensive folding keyboards you might see online, which are not true substitutes for pianos. Rather, I’m talking about the possibility of a serious instrument with a satisfying action and full musical potential in a form that is dramatically easier to transport.

This could be a game changer for performers, teachers, and traveling musicians. When traveling by car, bringing along a digital piano is manageable. But flying with a high-quality keyboard instrument is another matter entirely. Personally, when I’m on vacation and have some free time, I want access to a piano! If there were a high-quality digital instrument that could fit in carry-on luggage, I would be first in line to get one. It’s a radical idea, but also a very practical one.

Aftertouch: A New Dimension of Expression

Now let’s turn to aftertouch, something many traditional pianists may never have encountered. This concept comes from the world of electronic instruments. On an acoustic piano, once the hammer strikes the string, your control over that note is essentially set. Aftertouch changes that by responding to pressure applied after the key is already depressed. This means a note can continue to be shaped even after it has begun to sound. Depending on the instrument, that additional pressure can influence vibrato, dynamics, tonal color, or other expressive elements.

I remember playing a Yamaha GS-1 in the early 1980s. It was an advanced 88-key synthesizer with touch sensitivity and polyphonic aftertouch. That meant you could apply pressure to individual keys after the notes were sounding and bring out different voices independently. The level of control was remarkable. Will every pianist want this? Probably not. But it does suggest a future in which keyboard expression extends beyond the initial attack in ways that acoustic pianos cannot offer.

What These Innovations Suggest

So what do these three ideas point to? To me, they highlight three important directions: greater accessibility, greater portability, and expanded expressive potential through hybrid and digital technologies. None of this suggests that the concert grand piano is going away. Far from it. The acoustic grand remains one of the most extraordinary instruments ever created. However, the definition of what a “piano” is may continue to expand. With advancements in player technology, performances can take place simultaneously on multiple instruments in different locations. You can even experience your favorite pianist playing on your own piano. The possibilities are extraordinary.

We will almost certainly see more hybrid instruments. Alternative key sizes may become more widely accepted. Perhaps one day, concert halls will offer multiple keyboard sizes to accommodate different pianists. We may also see entirely new physical designs and instruments that preserve the essence of piano playing while adding capabilities earlier generations never imagined.

A Glimpse Into Modular Piano Systems

This brings me back to the prototype modular piano systems I mentioned earlier, which are designs I personally developed. What excites me about these is their ambitious goal: to create a virtual concert grand experience in a completely new form. These systems are not intended to replace traditional concert grands. Instead, they offer a fascinating new direction, allowing pianists to enjoy a highly sophisticated playing experience with greater flexibility and adaptability. Imagine having the experience of a 9-foot concert grand anywhere, even in a small apartment, and even being able to play with headphones.

As you consider these developments, think about what they represent. Not just new products or novelties, but a broader vision of where piano design may be headed. The future of the piano may not be defined by a single innovation, but by several paths evolving at once. Some will remain niche, others may become mainstream, and a few may fundamentally change how people think about the instrument.

What do you think? Which of these innovations interests you most: smaller keys, foldable designs, aftertouch, or modular hybrid systems?

And if you want to learn more about pianos and hybrid instruments, visit us at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today I’m addressing a thoughtful question from a viewer named Jay about memorization and whether it’s really necessary for pianists.

Jay’s Question About Memorization:

I know that you’re an advocate for memorization, and I continue to be amazed at the depth and breadth of your repertoire. We recently heard Daniil Trifonov play the Brahms 2nd Concerto from memory. Amazing! The reason I’m writing is that we’ve heard other performances where the pianist used a tablet. Lang Lang played the Bartók (with the Vienna Philharmonic in West Palm Beach). We’ve also heard Yuja Wang and Simone Dinnerstein, and they all were using tablets.

My teacher, Dr. Marshall Griffith, has instilled in me the number one goal: to make beautiful, meaningful music! Especially as a 74-year-old, I’m not able to memorize the complex music I play. My question: Is there an unwritten “rule” that pianists play from memory?

This is a terrific question, and the answer might surprise you.

When Playing from the Score Makes Sense

Playing with the score on the piano is not only acceptable, but essential in many situations. For example, a pianist performing within an orchestra will almost always use the score. The same is true in chamber music, where the pianist’s part includes all the other instruments. In these cases, having the score is not just helpful, it is necessary.

A Look Back at Performance Traditions

Interestingly, memorization was not always the norm in keyboard performance. In the Baroque and Classical eras, much of the music did not require extreme movement across the keyboard. There are exceptions, of course, such as some Scarlatti sonatas and certain works by Mozart and Haydn. But generally speaking, the music lay comfortably under the hands, making it practical to perform while reading the score.

Why Memorization Became Standard

As we move into the Romantic period, everything changes. Composers like Liszt and Chopin wrote music filled with large, fast leaps and expansive gestures across the keyboard. In this repertoire, memorization became a practical solution. It allows the pianist to focus entirely on the hands and the keyboard, rather than constantly shifting the eyes between the music and the keys.

What About Modern Performances?

It has become accepted to use the score when playing complex contemporary music. Even so, in solo piano performance, playing from memory is still generally the standard. This isn’t just tradition for tradition’s sake. It comes down to practicality and musical freedom. When a piece is truly memorized, you can devote your full attention to shaping the music, rather than navigating the page.

Can Anyone Learn to Memorize?

If you feel that you can’t memorize, it may simply be that you haven’t been shown how. Memorization is not a passive process. Many people think that if they play a piece enough times, it will naturally stick. In reality, effective memorization requires a deliberate and structured approach.

The Three Essential Skills For a Pianist

In my teaching, I emphasize three essential skills that every pianist should develop: memorization, sight-reading, and improvisation. It’s quite common for pianists to become strong in one or two of these areas while neglecting the others. Each skill has its own methods and benefits, and together they create a well-rounded musician.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Did you ever want to be able to know what notes you’re hearing? And have you wondered how some people are able to play by ear? Well, today you’re going to learn how to identify notes by ear with a simple and effective technique that can open up a whole new way of understanding music.

Perfect Pitch vs. Relative Pitch

Let’s start by understanding two types of pitch recognition: perfect pitch and relative pitch. Perfect pitch is the rare ability to identify any note without any reference. If you have perfect pitch, you can hear a note and intuitively know what note it is. It’s as effortless as seeing a color and knowing what it is. Some people are born with this skill, and while early musical training can help reinforce it, it’s not something that can truly be learned from scratch. It’s estimated that only about 1 in 10,000 people have perfect pitch. But there’s good news for those of us who don’t have perfect pitch: relative pitch is far more useful for most musicians. With relative pitch, once you know one reference note, you can identify the rest of the notes by their relationship to that reference. More importantly, relative pitch helps you understand the function of notes in a musical context, which is key to real musical understanding.

Hearing the Notes Between the Notes

Let’s say I play a few notes for you. If I told you the first note is middle C, that’s your anchor. Now you can begin to figure out the notes that follow by thinking in terms of intervals. The secret is listening for the notes between the notes. For example, if you hear a perfect fifth, you might be able to identify it because you’ve internalized how many notes (or scale degrees) fit between the first and the second note. This is why singing is such a powerful tool. When you sing the notes, you’re training your ear to recognize these relationships.

What If It’s Not That Simple?

Now, not every example will be as straightforward as starting on the tonic (the first note of the scale). Suppose I give you a B as your starting note, and then play another note that doesn’t fit naturally into a B major scale. That could throw you off if you’re only thinking diatonically (within the key of B major). But what if you’re actually hearing a different scale structure—maybe starting from B but functioning in a different key? Instead of just trying to fit the notes into a particular scale, focus on the intervals between them—the distances in pitch. This way, even if the first note isn’t the tonic, you can identify how far apart the notes are and what their relationship might be.

Try It Yourself

One of the most effective ways to develop relative pitch is to use a reference note and sing through the scale from there. For example, if you know a note is middle C, try singing up the C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, and so on. As you sing each note, listen closely to how each one relates to the others. If you’re trying to identify an unknown note above or below that C, singing the scale can help you locate it by ear. You’re training yourself to recognize scale degrees — the position of each note in the scale — which forms the foundation of relative pitch.

Sometimes it’s easier to start on the upper note and start singing down the scale to the bottom note finding the notes between the notes.

This same idea works with chords. If you hear a chord and aren’t sure what it is, break it down into individual notes. Use the scale to identify each note, and listen for the intervals between them. Over time, this approach allows you to figure out melodies and harmonies simply by hearing them.

Diatonic Thinking Is Key

The magic lies in diatonic thinking. Stick with the notes of the scale, and you’ll be amazed at how much you can figure out. Start with tunes you know well—maybe a nursery rhyme or a favorite melody—and try to figure them out by ear using this method. Think of the notes between the notes, and your musical ear will begin to open up.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today, I’m going to show you how you can change your piano playing and your life. You may have heard the old saying: “One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” There’s real truth to that. In piano playing, just like in life, it’s the daily habits that make all the difference.

Choose Realistic Repertoire

A key element to meaningful progress is selecting music that’s within your reach. It’s tempting to latch onto that one dream piece, but you may struggle for months or even years without ever getting it to the level you want. There’s nothing wrong with having long-term goals, but if you’re dedicating most of your practice time to a piece that’s beyond your current capabilities, it can be discouraging. Instead, focus on building a repertoire of pieces you can master. As you play more music successfully, you’ll grow technically and musically, eventually reaching that dream piece much sooner than if you tried to tackle it prematurely. Take it step by step with progressively more challenging repertoire.

Focused Practice Yields Greater Results

Another important concept is how you structure your practice. Trying to cover as much music as possible in one sitting can be counterproductive. By working on smaller sections, you give yourself the chance to really concentrate and improve. It’s much easier to focus your ears and your mind on manageable chunks of music rather than on an entire movement or long section.

Practice Consistently

This is one of the most critical aspects of piano playing: consistency. People often ask how much time they should spend practicing. The truth is, it’s not about how much time, but how often. Practicing every day, even if only for short periods, can make a huge difference. In fact, breaking up your practice into multiple short sessions can be even more effective.

Take breaks. Go for a walk. Let your mind process what you’ve worked on. You’ll find that the music continues to sink in even when you’re not at the keyboard. Cramming hours of practice into one day and skipping several days afterward not only leads to forgetting what you’ve learned, but it can also kill your motivation.

Don’t Abandon Old Pieces

Here’s another trap to avoid: learning a piece and immediately moving on to something new. If you never revisit what you’ve already learned, you’ll end up with a bunch of pieces that are half-baked and nothing you can play confidently. You should aim to maintain pieces you can play well at any time. How do you keep them fresh? By playing them every day and occasionally practicing them just like new pieces. Take out the score, play slowly without the pedal, and use a metronome. This kind of maintenance can really solidify your repertoire.

Daily Choices Shape Your Progress

Everything you do at the piano—what you practice, how you practice, how often you practice—adds up over time. So choose wisely each day. Work on the right pieces, focus your efforts, keep your older pieces alive, and above all, be consistent. And it’s not just true for piano. Regular exercise will make you feel better and keep you in shape. Contrarily, if you eat donuts every night, you are likely to put on a few pounds. It’s the things you do every day that make the difference, both in your piano playing and in your life.

I hope this is helpful for you! Share your thoughts in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and on YouTube.

What is the Best Piano at the 2025 Chopin International Piano Competition?

A Bit of History

Let’s first take a look back at how the competition has evolved in terms of the pianos used. Before 1980, Steinway dominated the competition, along with some appearances from Bösendorfer. That was about the extent of the choices. Then in 1985, the landscape changed dramatically. Contestants were offered a selection of Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai, and Bösendorfer pianos. This marked a new era in the competition, giving pianists the freedom to choose the instrument that best suited their individual style.

By 2010, Fazioli made its debut as one of the official choices. And in the 2021 competition, there were even two different Steinways available, alongside Yamaha, Kawai, and Fazioli.

The 2025 Lineup

That brings us to this year’s competition. Although only about half of the contestants have chosen their pianos so far, we already have a good sense of how preferences are shaping up. This year, the available instruments include:

• Steinway
• Shigeru Kawai
• Fazioli
• Yamaha
• Bechstein

Contestants are given time to try each piano and select the one they feel most comfortable with. And that decision can have a huge impact on their performance.

How Did the Choices Break Down?

Here’s a look at how the selections stand so far:

• Steinway was the most popular choice, selected by about 25 pianists.
• Shigeru Kawai came in second, chosen by roughly 12 pianists.
• Fazioli was picked by 7 contestants.
• Yamaha was selected by 3 pianists.
• Bechstein was chosen by just 2 pianists.

It’s worth noting that Bechstein is still relatively new to the competition. In fact, they weren’t even present in the 2021 edition. So it’s not entirely surprising that only a couple of pianists chose Bechstein this year.

What Can You Learn From This?

If you’re passionate about the piano, I highly encourage you to watch the performances yourself. One of the best parts of this competition is that many of the pianists play the same repertoire. That gives you a rare opportunity to hear how different pianos respond to the same music, as well as how each pianist brings their own interpretation.

And beyond the technical aspects, it offers a glimpse into how piano manufacturing has diversified and how performers today have more choices than ever before to express their musical vision.

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!