Piano and Music Videos

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. This story might sound a little dramatic at first, that my students forced me into selling pianos. But there’s a real story behind that idea, and it all began with my early days as a piano teacher.

Getting Started as a Teacher

I started teaching piano when I was still in high school, assisting my father with his teaching as my sister did before me. He would give me his beginner students, and throughout my conservatory years, teaching and accompanying became my part-time work. After graduation, things took an interesting turn. I was making my living primarily teaching piano, along with accompanying and doing some recording work.

The Question That Changed Everything

People would call me for lessons, and the first question I asked was: “Do you have a piano?” About half the time, people would say no. I would tell them honestly that they were better off having a piano and no lessons than having lessons without a piano. I wouldn’t take on students who didn’t have an instrument to practice on. Even if they had access to a piano somewhere else, it just wouldn’t work. You really need to live with a piano to make meaningful progress. So I came up with an idea. I found an old upright piano at a reasonable price and had my technician fix it up. The next time someone called for lessons and didn’t have a piano, I told them I had one available. They came over, tried it, liked it, and bought it. That’s when a light bulb went on.

Taking a Risk with More Pianos

Encouraged by that success, I decided to get a couple more upright pianos. These were large, old uprights, and I even moved some of them myself, which is a story in itself. But then I ran into a problem. I had checked the soundboards, tuning, and hammers, but I made a critical mistake. I didn’t remove the kickboard to inspect underneath. As it turned out, both pianos had cracked bass bridges! I was devastated. I had invested money into these instruments and didn’t have extra funds to fix them. So I contacted another technician and proposed a deal. He would do the repairs, and once the pianos sold, we would split any profit. If there was no profit, he would take all the proceeds.

A Turning Point

He repaired the bass bridges and refined the pianos, and remarkably, both instruments sold very quickly. That’s when I realized this approach could actually work on a larger scale.

At the time, we were living in an 1,100-square-foot house with a walkout basement where I had my recording studio. Before long, we had 27 pianos in that house, including six grands! What started as a way to help my students had turned into something much bigger.

A Shared Passion for Pianos

What I love most about this journey is working with people who share a passion for pianos. It’s incredibly rewarding. Pianos have been in decline for over a century, so building a community of people who care about them is deeply meaningful. This is what makes me excited to get up in the morning. Creating videos, practicing, working with technicians, writing articles, and helping preserve these instruments all contribute to keeping piano alive, and preventing pianos from ending up in landfills.

Rescuing and Restoring Instruments

We receive offers for pianos every single day. In fact, just recently, someone offered 35 pianos from a company that was no longer in the business. These included instruments from well-known makers like Steinway, Baldwin, Yamaha, and Kawai. Of course, we can’t take them all, but we do what we can. It truly is a labor of love.

The Reality of Moving Pianos

As I mentioned before, I got into moving pianos myself early on, which, looking back, was quite an experience. My technician had built a trailer that allowed an upright piano to be strapped onto a platform and winched into a flat position for transport. I would deliver pianos myself, often relying on someone at the destination to help unload. These were usually heavy old uprights, and I sold them at very modest prices. They weren’t concert-level instruments, but they were perfectly serviceable for beginning students. This was decades before digital pianos offered an inexpensive option. Eventually, I realized that moving pianos long-term takes a physical toll. Many professional movers develop back or knee problems, so I made the decision to stop doing that work myself. And I have never had any back pain!

Sharing the Love of Pianos

This journey into selling pianos grew naturally out of teaching. It combines everything I love: performing, teaching, creating content, and connecting with others who appreciate the piano. It’s incredibly fulfilling to build relationships with people who share this passion and to play a role in keeping these beautiful instruments in use for future generations.

Thanks again for joining me. I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com Your Online Piano Resource.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today I have something a little different and a lot of fun for you. In this video, I put your ears to the test with a musical guessing game. I play short excerpts from some of the most famous classical piano works ever written, and your challenge is to identify each piece as quickly as possible. Some may be instantly recognizable from just a handful of notes, while others might take a few more seconds before everything clicks into place.

This is more than just a trivia game. It is a wonderful way to sharpen your listening skills and discover how deeply these great works are etched into your musical memory. You might surprise yourself by recognizing a piece from its harmony, rhythm, or even just its texture before the main theme appears. See how many you can name within ten seconds, keep score if you like, and share your results in the comments. I would love to hear which ones you knew right away and which ones kept you guessing.

Let us know how you did on this listening test!

Leave comments about pieces you would like full tutorials on.

Here are the pieces heard in the recording:

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. If you are considering putting a piano into storage, this is something you absolutely need to think through carefully. I have seen this scenario play out time and time again, and it can end in a way most people never expect.

Climate Control Is Not Optional

People are downsizing, they cannot sell their piano, or they think they may be moving. So what do you do? You find a place to store your piano. If you ever have to do this, make absolutely certain that it is climate controlled storage. I remember having pianos at a storage facility and only later being told that winter was coming and we had better get the pianos out of there. So double check. Make sure the facility is truly climate controlled. This is critical for the health and longevity of your instrument.

The Hidden Costs of Storage

Here is what often happens. You pay month after month to store the piano. Eventually, you have paid so much that you start to wonder what to do next. If you decide to try to sell the piano, good luck. In many storage facilities, pianos are stored on their sides to maximize space. Just to have someone come and look at the piano, you may have to pay hundreds of dollars to have it set up properly. And of course, it will not be tuned because it has been sitting in storage. It can become a nightmare situation for so many people.

What Happens When Payments Stop

Now here is the part that may really shock you. After paying month after month, sometimes for years, people reach a point where they simply stop paying. They do not know what to do with the piano. Often they have already moved, which is why the piano went into storage in the first place. Storage companies will make a good faith effort to contact the owner. But if they cannot reach them, they sell the piano. So after spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars in storage fees, the piano may ultimately be sold by the storage company. I know this for a fact from at least two companies I am intimately familiar with, and this is something that happens on a regular basis.

Think Long Term Before You Store

The lesson for today is simple. Before putting a piano into storage, think long term about your end goal. You do not want to be stuck spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a piano you may never get out of storage again.

If I can be of any help to you, please reach out to me at Robert@LivingPianos.com. We have many resources available for you here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.

Working My Way Up to Something Special

Over the years, I gradually worked my way up through different pianos. At one point I had a Young Chang 6’1″, and from there I upgraded to a Baldwin L. Each instrument was a step forward, both musically and personally.

Then something unexpected happened. My top piano technician, who was a concert technician, owned an older Mason & Hamlin BB. For those of you who may not know, the BB is a 7-foot grand known for its massive construction and rich tone. Mason & Hamlin pianos have a distinctive depth of sound, and this one was particularly special.

What made it extraordinary was not just the design, but the care it had received. It belonged to a master technician. The regulation and voicing were superb. Everything about the instrument felt refined and responsive. When he decided to move away, he asked me to sell the piano for him. The moment I played it, I knew I wanted it myself. So I sold my piano and bought the Mason & Hamlin. I truly believed I had found the ultimate instrument.

An Offer I Did Not Expect

Not long after that, a concert pianist came in looking for a piano for a friend. At the time, I had a Baldwin L for sale. He tried it and liked it. Then he sat down at my Mason & Hamlin. I told him it was not for sale. He understood, but he kept playing it anyway.

A few days later, he returned and played both pianos again. This time, he made me an offer to purchase both instruments. It was not an easy decision. The Mason & Hamlin was supposed to be my piano. But the offer was significant, and I reluctantly agreed.

Almost immediately, I felt what you might call “seller’s remorse.” I realized that if I ever wanted something equal or better, I would have to look for a 9-foot concert grand. So that is exactly what I did.

Searching for the Ultimate Concert Grand

I brought my technician with me as we searched far and wide for the right instrument. At one point, I even purchased a 9-foot Baldwin in San Francisco. We brought it back and worked on it extensively. It was a fine piano, but it was not quite the extraordinary instrument I was hoping to find.

Then we discovered a Baldwin SD-10 concert grand in the San Fernando Valley. This is a 9-foot concert grand and one of the great American pianos. From the first notes, it was clear this was something very special. My technician told me it was one of the two or three finest pianos he had ever encountered, and he had worked on countless concert instruments. I absolutely loved that piano.

A Piano That Inspired Pianists

We used that Baldwin SD-10 for a concert series, and pianists who performed on it consistently praised it. Many told me it was the best piano they had ever played. It had power, warmth, and remarkable control across the entire range of the keyboard. It was everything I had hoped to find.

A Change of Circumstances

At the time, we were in a loft with 19-foot ceilings, and the piano filled the space beautifully. However, when we moved to a smaller location, it became clear that the instrument was simply too powerful for the room. It was more piano than the space could comfortably handle.

After much thought, I decided to put it up for sale. There was strong interest from around the country. Two different concert organizations were seriously considering purchasing it, and we even discussed the possibility of my performing a dedication recital when the piano was installed. It seemed like the perfect way to pass along such a remarkable instrument.

An Unexpected Buyer

Because those organizations needed board approvals, the process took time. Meanwhile, one Sunday afternoon, an elderly couple came in from the desert. They had seen the piano listed online and wanted to see it in person.

The gentleman sat down at the piano and played just one thing. He stood up and said, “I’ll take it.”

The one piece he played on that piano was Chopsticks!

Where It Ended Up

After all the performances, all the praise from accomplished pianists, and all the discussion of concert halls and dedication recitals, the greatest piano I ever owned ended up in a private home in the desert… For Chopsticks. So I have some mixed feelings about the sale of that piano.

How to Play Trills on the Piano – Piano Lessons with Robert Estrin

I’ve had quite a few people recently asking me for tips on how to play trills on the piano. It’s no easy task – or is it? This video and article will provide a few tips and techniques you can use to help master trills. The first thing to do is make sure you play your trills with minimal arm weight. If you’ve watched some of my other technique videos you know that I emphasize arm weight as a very big component in tone production – especially when it comes to slower melodies. The challenge with trills is playing lightly, almost floating your hand above the keys to allow the notes to flow with minimal effort. The next thing in playing trills is keeping your fingers very close to the keys. Trills are played so fast that there is not a lot of time for movement, so it’s best to keep your fingers very close to the keys – so close you remain in contact with the keys! Another thing is to make sure your fingers are rounded. It’s nearly impossible to play fast with outstretched fingers; keeping them rounded will help improve speed dramatically allowing more than just one joint to execute the trill. These are some of the most important aspects when it comes to hand position. However, there is something fundamental about approaching trills. Even if it sounds like just a bunch of notes, you need to figure out exactly how many notes you are playing as if it’s written out. Learn trills like you would learn any other fast passage in your music working with the metronome increasing one notch at a time as you gain confidence. Another big question is how to know how many notes to play in a trill. One valuable technique that I use frequently is to play just one note of the trill. For example, if you are playing a trill and starting on the upper note, just play that upper note. You will get an idea of how fast you can play the trill by only playing one note of the trill first, either the top note or the bottom note – whichever one you are starting the trill on. This brings up an important subject in trills, what note does it start on? This could really be a subject for an entirely separate video but I am going to provide some basic information here. As trills are written, you will usually start on the auxiliary (the note above the written note of the trill; the next note in the scale of that key). For example, if you have a piece in C major and you have a D trill, you would start on E. Can you start a trill on the note written? For example, if it’s written as a D can you start on a D and move up to E? Yes; it depends on the context. There are different schools of thought on this but generally, I would say a trill is basically a long appoggiatura (a non-chord tone resolving into the harmony). So starting on the auxiliary generally makes musical sense. However, in different period styles and in shorter trills, use your judgment as to what sounds best and what you can execute with confidence. The last thing I want to address with trills is one of the biggest challenges; how to end them! If you don’t know exactly where you are it can be difficult to end them smoothly. The good news is there is a great practice technique for this. I always like to play the trill right up to the point before it ends, and then stop in a relaxed manner over the keys. Keep doing that until you have a good grasp on where you will be right before the last notes of the trill. Keep playing that passage over and over and eventually add the last notes of the trill. But don’t play them right away; pause in a relaxed manner before you play the last notes. At first, make the pause as long as you need it; eventually, make the duration of the pause smaller and smaller; until the pause is imperceptible to the listener but guides the ending of the trill for you!

What’s the Difference Between a Mordent and a Trill?

Mordents and trills look so similar on the page. You usually find these in Baroque era music of Handel, Bach, Scarlatti and other composers from that time. I want to show you one specific difference that’s very important. The beginning of the Sarabande movement of the 5th French Suite of Bach starts with a mordent. You can hear me play it without the mordent on the accompanying video first. Shortly after, there is a trill so you can discern the difference. You will hear it played first with no ornamentation. Mordents and trills differ from each other in two interesting ways. Bach wrote a mordent on the first note in the right hand which is a “B”. The secret to a mordent is you add the note below and then go back to the note that’s written so when you have a B you’re going to play B-A-B. So what’s different about trills? Right after that, you have a trill. Trills start on the upper note. Typically trills can have more than one or two notes and this is for freedom of expression. In fact, the whole Baroque era is noted by its ornamentation. And it isn’t just music. Take a look at the architecture and the art of that period. It’s noted for the filigree and all the beautiful fine detail. Ornamentation is an opportunity for the performer to add their own expressive element. That’s why if you listen to different performances of the same exact pieces of Bach, Handel, Telemann, and other Baroque composers, the ornamentation can be quite different. You can listen to how it sounds with the ornamentation. You have to watch the squiggly lines: the mordant has often has one less than trills and have a vertical line.

The Periods of Classical Music Part 1: Baroque Era

The Baroque era pretty much extends from around 1600 to the mid-1700s. What distinguishes this era of music from others? Baroque music, much like the art and architecture of the time, is very ornate. There are a lot of different textures and the music is very linear. The music often has several lines of music that intertwine. One of the paramount musical forms is the fugue – which has a subject and counter-subject that develop in an intricate fashion. It’s very important in Baroque music to not favor the top line of music as is typical in other periods of music. Baroque music is much more like a tapestry of sound – it should all blend together well. I perform an example of this in the video above with the fifth French Suite of Bach. Notice how even though there is a melody, I allow the other parts to have equal say. The other thing that is a vital component in Baroque music is keeping a steady beat. There is little give and take as in other period styles of music; you should be very clear and be able to hear the lines and allow the counterpoint to come through. You should also employ a minimal amount of pedal when it comes to the piano. When you are playing with other instruments, articulation is vital to getting a clear sound and style. Another thing to keep in mind with Baroque music is the ornamentation involved. You might notice a bunch of ornamentation markings sprinkled around Baroque scores and there are countless ways to interpret these. Ornamentation includes things like trills, mordants, turns and other techniques that are used to embellish your music beyond what’s written on the page.

What Are The BEST Trill Fingers?

I’ve talked before about how trills must be measured. You have to know exactly how many notes you’re playing in a trill. Even though when you listen to a trill it sounds like a free form explosion of notes going back and forth, trills have to be measured so you know exactly how many notes you play. Otherwise, ending a trill is impossible because you’re leaving it to chance whether you end up on the right note or not! You don’t always get to choose your trill fingers. There are some instances, for example in Bach Fugues, where you must trill with four and five. These are the worst fingers to trill with! Try to avoid four and five as trill fingers. A lot of people think three and two are the best trill fingers. And indeed, three and two are pretty strong trill fingers. But the best trill fingers are actually three and one! Three and one are the strongest fingers. Your thumb is the strongest finger and the third finger is probably your second strongest finger. Three and one are terrific for trills. Four and two could work nicely as well. There are a lot of different possibilities. Three and one are great when you have that possibility. Three and two are good too. It depends where you’re coming from and where you’re going in your score to determine what the right fingering is. Not only that but if you have other lines within the same hand, sometimes as I said, in contrapuntal writing in fugues particularly, you might not have much of a choice as to which fingers to use for trills. I’m going to give you one final trill fingering tip.
I’m going to show you something that’s really interesting and it ties right in with the idea of measuring your trills. If you measure your trills, you might want to try alternating three, one, three, two. By using those fingers, you actually reduce the load of the trill to three fingers so none of the fingers have to work quite as hard. Not only that but it helps you to measure your trills. Even if you don’t end up using three, one, three, two as trill fingerings, it will help you to make sure that you’re playing the right number of notes in your trills, which is the most important thing! You never want to think of trills as something abstract from music. Just imagine that every single note is written out and play it as it’s written in the score. If you’re figuring out your own trills, find something you can play reliably. Don’t worry about trying to make the fastest trill. What’s important is that it’s musical, repeatable, and dependable. If you can use three and one, or at least three and two, you’re going to be way ahead of the game.

Brilliant Piano Finger Technique – Piano Lessons

When I was growing up, I would listen to some of the great pianists such as Horowitz and Rubinstein. I would also listen to some of the pianists from the early 20th century such as Hoffman, Rachmaninoff, and Joseph Levine. I was always so impressed with the pristine finger work. It almost would sound like a string of jewels because of the evenness of the notes, and I always wondered how to achieve that sound. So today’s show is about how to achieve brilliant finger work. I’m going to regress a little bit more. When I first started studying the piano with my father Morton Estrin, he showed me how to practice scales with raised fingers and often times my students ask me, “Why do I have to raise my fingers?” Let me show you what I’m talking about. With slow scale practice, it’s important for strength to raise the fingers. You may wonder why you would ever want to play that way because obviously when you play quickly, you don’t have time to raise your fingers. The secret to getting the evenness in your scale work and fast finger passages is the release of notes. For example, if you were to put your hand on a flat surface and just try to lift one finger, some of them are pretty hard to lift. Lift your fourth finger with your hands on a flat surface, and it’s very hard. It’s actually the release of notes that takes more strength than the pushing down of notes! So to strengthen and then to release is the reason for practicing slowly with raised fingers so you’ll practice the release of each note and that will lead to the pristine beauty you can get in fast finger work. That is one of the secrets for achieving beautiful clarity in your playing. There are many others that I will discuss in future videos in terms of hand position and other practicing techniques. For now, I suggest that you practice very strongly. Practice your scales and your arpeggios slowly with raised fingers then work up gradually faster. As you get faster, your fingers, by necessity, must be closer and closer to the keys until you can play quickly but still have the pristine evenness, so each note is exactly the same length because the raising of fingers accomplishes the release of each previous note.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. How many of you have played that famous C major sonata of Mozart, or always wanted to play it? If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place. We’re going to take a complete deep dive into how to learn and master this ubiquitous Mozart sonata, starting right from the beginning.

A Section-by-Section Approach

We’re going to start at the very beginning and work through the piece section by section. By the end of this video series, you’ll be able to truly master this wonderful sonata. Have your score ready. There’s a link in the description so you can follow along with the music, and I’ll be here to guide you every step of the way. As we go, I’ll explain sonata allegro form so you can understand the structure, but more importantly, learn how to execute it cleanly and get that sparkle you’ve always wanted in this piece.

Exposition

Sonata form begins with the exposition, where the main themes are introduced. The opening theme is in C major, and from there the music moves into the second subject. It’s helpful to slow down here and focus on just this section so everything is completely clear before moving on.

How to Learn a Piece Like This

How do you actually learn something like this? I always recommend reading through the entire movement a couple of times first, just to get acquainted and understand the overall shape of the music. Then get right down to work in very small sections. You can learn four measures at a time, or even just two. Many people think learning two measures at a time will take forever, but it’s exactly the opposite. The smaller the section, the longer and more productive your practice sessions will be. You won’t feel overwhelmed, and you can really digest the score. Two measures at a time is more than enough to make solid progress.

Learn the Right Hand First

At the very beginning, take just the right hand. Follow all the markings in the score, including the notes, rhythm, phrasing, expression, and fingering. If you’re using an Urtext edition, you’ll notice it contains only what Mozart wrote, which means there may be no fingering included. In that case, you may want to reference another edition that includes fingering, such as editions available from Virtual Sheet Music or IMSLP.

Learn just the first two measures with the right hand. This won’t take long. Play it several times until it’s memorized, checking back and forth with the score. Once it feels comfortable, increase the speed.

Then Learn the Left Hand

Next, learn the left hand. Because it’s built on broken chords, start by learning the chords as solid blocks. This helps you understand the underlying harmony and naturally leads to good fingering. Memorize those chords first, then break them up and play them as written.

You may find that using pedal creates a beautiful sound. While Mozart’s piano didn’t have a modern sustain pedal, it did have a knee lever that served a similar function. Still, too much pedal can blur the texture. Instead, you can use what I call a phantom pedal by holding the first note of each chord. It’s not essential, but it produces a lovely effect.

Once the left hand is secure, make sure the right hand is still correct. Check all the details. For example, notice the slur in the second measure and be sure to shape it properly. You never save time by learning something incorrectly, even if it seems minor.

Put the Hands Together

The hardest part of piano playing is putting the hands together. Once each hand is securely memorized, slow the tempo way down and try playing hands together from memory. And check your work. Make sure, for example, that the C in the right hand releases exactly when the E plays at the quarter rest at the end of the second measure. Be fastidious with the details, because you will spend ten times longer fixing anything you didn’t pay attention to initially. If you’ve ever learned something wrong, you know how hard it is to eradicate it. Don’t be in a rush to get it halfway there or even 95 percent there, because that last 5 percent will take far longer than learning the whole thing correctly in the first place. Get it right from the start by breaking it down carefully.

Trills Without Stress

In the fourth measure, there is a trill. Trills must be measured, but they don’t have to be fancy. A simple trill using steady 16th notes is perfectly effective. You can always embellish later if you want, but first learn a clean, basic trill so you can move forward confidently.

This same principle applies throughout the movement. Don’t get stuck trying to execute elaborate ornamentation. Learn the movement first. Mozart gives you artistic license with trills, and simplicity can be just as beautiful.

Scale Passages and Technique