Piano and Music Videos

Welcome to LivingPianos.com! I’m Robert Estrin. If you’re looking to improve your piano playing quickly, I’ve got a tip for you that’s simple, effective, and can yield results right away. You might be skeptical, and that’s understandable, but trust me—this tip really works. It’s something that’s helped countless students I’ve worked with, and it’s something I use myself regularly. If you’ve never tried it before, it’ll give you a noticeable boost, and if you’ve done it before, it will serve as a valuable reminder of how important it is to your progress.

Slow Down and Focus on Details

The key is to take a piece you can already play, and slow it down to refine your playing and take it to the next level of performance. Play the piece slowly with the score in front of you, paying close attention to every detail.

Here’s what you need to do:

Take your foot off the pedal so you can hear everything clearly.

Go through the piece slowly, focusing on every single detail of the score.

Exaggerate everything—the dynamics, the accents, the phrasing.

At first, it may feel strange, but this is exactly what you need to do to uncover nuances in the music that you might have missed when playing up to tempo. You’ll be able to hear every note, every accent, and every subtle dynamic shift with clarity. In one sitting, you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn and how much more secure you’ll feel in the piece.

Why This Works

When you slow things down, you give your mind and fingers the time they need to really process the music. You begin to notice details that you might overlook when playing at a faster tempo. And even more importantly, this practice solidifies your understanding of the piece, reinforcing the phrasing and expression that make the music come alive.

You could go further by gradually increasing the tempo notch by notch with the metronome, but surprisingly, just this one step of slowing down and focusing on the details will give you instant results.

The Immediate Impact

If you’re doubtful, I encourage you to try this with a piece that’s not quite at the level you want. Maybe it’s something you’ve played before but feels a little lacking right now. Slowing down and focusing on the details will instantly improve your performance. Even without taking additional steps, just this one technique can give you noticeable results. It’s a simple and effective technique that can help you unlock new layers of expression in your playing. Leave a comment and let me know how it works for you! And, if you enjoy videos and tips like this, be sure to check out the description below to find more resources to help you take your playing to the next level.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com! I’m Robert Estrin. Today, we’re diving into a concept that could truly change the way you approach your music. It’s about learning to control your thoughts, so you can better express your emotions through your playing. Sounds intriguing, right? Well, let’s explore why this matters and how it can take your musical expression to the next level.

The Freedom of Thought

One of the most powerful freedoms we have is the freedom of our own thoughts. While many people try to control their emotions, I believe it’s not about suppressing or controlling your emotions—rather, it’s about expressing them fully. Emotions should be felt and expressed freely. But when it comes to our thoughts, that’s a different matter entirely. In fact, practicing itself is a form of thought control. You might be thinking, “Isn’t practicing just about building finger strength and improving technique?” Yes, physiology plays a role, but there’s a deeper, more profound aspect of practicing—the thought process behind it.

The Power of Thought in Practice

Think about those incredible young pianists you see on YouTube. They’re barely big enough to reach the pedals, with tiny hands and fingers. And yet, they play complex pieces by composers like Chopin with ease. How is this possible? Physiologically, they don’t have the advantage of strength or hand size, yet they manage to learn and perform music at an extraordinary level.

This is because practicing is driven by thought. The process of learning music is a mental one, not just a physical one. Even when the body may not be physically capable of performing certain tasks, the mind can overcome these limitations. These children figure out ways to navigate and perform pieces, which proves that practice is, first and foremost, a thought process.

Memory and Music: A Shared Process

It’s a bit like memory techniques you might have heard about, where people can recall hundreds or even thousands of digits of Pi. How do they do it? Often, they create elaborate mental images—like envisioning a house with rooms filled with items that represent different numbers. Everything connects in a logical sequence, and by following these associations, they can recall vast amounts of information.

Learning a piece of music is no different. Each note, phrase, and motif connects to the next in a logical sequence, much like a story. You can think of a musical composition as a narrative where everything leads to something else. Just like remembering a detailed story, once you start learning a piece of music, the connections between the notes make it easier to remember the whole.

A Sequential Approach to Learning

For me, learning music has always come more naturally than other subjects. I remember struggling with non-sequential subjects in school, like social studies. Dates, battles, and names felt disconnected and hard to remember. But music? Music made perfect sense. One note leads to the next, and each section of a piece connects naturally to the next. It’s almost like a puzzle, and every part fits together in a way that makes learning it feel organic. That’s the power of thought control in practicing. It’s not just about the mechanics of playing; it’s about understanding the flow of the music and connecting the dots in your mind.

Thought Control in Performance

But the role of thought control doesn’t end with practice. It plays a crucial part in performance as well. I remember the great Olympic figure skater, Sasha Cohen, commenting after a flawless performance that everything went exactly as she had imagined it. This is a prime example of visualization, which is a form of thought control.

In performance, you need to control your thoughts to avoid distractions and anxiety. A common approach is to imagine performing in front of an audience, even while you’re still practicing at home. You don’t want to block out the idea of an audience—rather, you want to include that idea in your practice. Visualizing the nerves, the excitement, and the energy of performing will help you feel prepared when you’re actually in front of an audience.

When the time comes to perform, you won’t be caught off guard. Instead, you’ll feel comfortable because you’ve already “experienced” that situation in your mind during practice. This is another example of how controlling your thoughts can ease the stress and help you perform at your best.

Meditation and Relaxation: Another Form of Thought Control

Meditation is another great example of thought control, though in a more relaxed context. Many people practice meditation to clear their minds and enter a state of relaxation. By blocking out the constant inner dialogue, they’re able to create a sense of calm and control.

In a similar way, when we’re preparing for a performance, it’s helpful to have a relaxed, focused mind. It’s about managing your thoughts to avoid stress and anxiety so you can perform with full emotional expression. Whether it’s focusing on your breath or imagining a peaceful place, managing your thoughts can help you feel centered and at ease.

The True Freedom of Thought

Ultimately, the freedom of thought is one of the most important freedoms we have. When you learn to control your thoughts, you gain the ability to truly express your emotions in your music. You’re no longer at the mercy of distractions or anxiety; instead, you can focus entirely on the music, allowing it to speak through you.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to develop this kind of thought control and take your piano playing to new heights, check out the resources in the description below. These tools could be game changers for you as you continue to grow and express yourself through your music.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com! I’m Robert Estrin. If you’ve ever wondered how professional pianists seem to sit down and play entire pieces from memory, the good news is: it’s not all inborn talent. Sure, it can seem like a natural ability at first, but there are practical techniques you can learn to make memorizing music a whole lot easier. In this article, I’ll walk you through the key strategies that will help you remember pieces, so you’ll always have music at the ready whenever you want to play.

1. Play Through Your Music Regularly

This might seem obvious, but it’s worth emphasizing: consistency is key. If you don’t play your pieces regularly, it’s no surprise that you might forget them. Just like any skill, memory improves the more you practice it. Set aside time to revisit your pieces, even when you’re not performing them. The more frequently you engage with your music, the more likely it will stick.

2. Understand the Structure with Music Theory

One of the most powerful tools for memorization is understanding music theory. Without this, you’re left trying to remember a series of random notes with no clear structure. But once you grasp the underlying structure of a piece—such as its key signatures, chords, progressions, and patterns—it becomes much easier to commit the music to memory. When you know the theory behind the music, you begin to see connections between the notes and understand why certain sections of the piece work together. This deepens your memory and allows you to anticipate what comes next, which makes playing from memory much more natural.

3. Learn the Music Correctly from the Start

It’s crucial to start off on the right foot. If you initially learn a piece incorrectly, you’re setting yourself up for difficulty later on. This means learning the music in manageable chunks, paying attention to dynamics, articulation, and phrasing from the start. And if you’re unsure how to go about this, I’ve shared plenty of videos on my channel about effective practice techniques for memorization.

When I was at the Manhattan School of Music, my fellow students would often ask how I managed to memorize music so easily. The answer? My father, Morton Estrin, taught me memorization techniques from my very first lesson. So yes, there is a system that works for everyone—no matter your age or experience.

4. Slow Practice: Reinforce Your Memory

Slow practice is a game-changer for reinforcing your memory. When you practice slowly, you have time to really internalize the score. Even if you think you’ve learned a piece, it’s easy to drift away from the score if you’re not referencing it. Slow practice forces you to pay attention to every note and detail, helping you avoid those little memory gaps later on. I personally use this technique with all of the music I play. When I practice slowly—often without the pedal—I can take a closer look at the score and discover new nuances that I might have missed in faster practice sessions. It’s amazing how many subtle details you can uncover, even in pieces you’ve known for years!

5. Mental Practice: Play Through the Music in Your Mind

Another highly effective method for retaining music is mental practice. This means thinking through the piece when you’re away from the piano. Picture yourself playing it in your mind: hear the notes, the phrasing, and the dynamics. This type of practice is incredibly powerful because it helps solidify your memory without actually being at the keyboard. You’ve probably experienced this yourself—sometimes you find yourself mentally “playing” a piece while you’re doing something else. That’s not just idle thinking; it’s actually a form of practice. The more you can “hear” and “see” the music in your mind, the stronger your memory will be.

6. Holistic Practices: Take Care of Your Body and Mind

Finally, don’t forget about the importance of overall well-being. Your brain is an organ, and just like the rest of your body, it requires proper care. Regular physical activity improves blood flow to the brain, which in turn helps with memory. And let’s not forget the importance of a good night’s sleep—without it, your memory won’t function at its best. A balanced diet also plays a role in maintaining optimal brain function. When you take care of your body, your brain is in a better position to retain and recall information. So, make sure to prioritize exercise, sleep, and a healthy diet if you want to improve your memorization abilities.

Master Memorization and Play Without Limits!

By incorporating these techniques into your practice routine, you’ll be able to memorize your pieces more easily and confidently. With a little time and consistency, you’ll find that you can play from memory anytime you want—without frustration. If you’re looking for more tips to take your piano playing to the next level, check out the link below!

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today, let’s talk about one of the trickiest aspects of piano playing: the fourth finger. If you’ve ever struggled to get this finger to cooperate, you’re not alone! The fourth finger is often a challenge for many pianists, and it can make some passages more difficult than they need to be. But why is it so tricky?

Why Is the Fourth Finger So Difficult?

Try this: lift just your fourth finger while keeping the others on the keys. It’s harder than it sounds, right? The fourth finger is naturally weaker than the others, and it doesn’t move as independently as the thumb or middle fingers. This can be especially challenging when you’re trying to play with evenness and precision. In fact, even great composers like Robert Schumann were frustrated with their fourth finger. Schumann struggled with its weakness so much that he used a contraption to try to strengthen it. Although the details of the device are unclear, it was said to involve pulleys and weights—but unfortunately, it caused more harm than good. So, let’s not take extreme measures like Schumann did! There are better ways to strengthen the fourth finger without causing any damage.

Strengthening the Fourth Finger

The good news is that there are ways to work on strengthening the fourth finger that will help improve the independence of all your fingers. One of the unique challenges of piano playing is that the strongest fingers (the thumbs and middle fingers) are in the middle, while the weaker fingers (the pinky and fourth finger) are on the outside. This imbalance can create problems when you need to achieve even voicing in your playing. For example, if I let my hand fall naturally onto the keys, the sound might end up uneven. The result is an imbalanced sound, with the stronger fingers dominating. To fix this, you need to shift the weight of your hand toward the weaker fingers—especially the fourth and pinky fingers. This will help you balance out the sound and create a more even tone. By practicing this, you’ll learn how to distribute the weight properly, which is crucial for bringing out both the bass and the treble lines in a piece.

Clean Scales: Focus on the Release

Another issue pianists face is sloppy scale playing, which can often be traced back to poor finger release. If your fourth finger doesn’t lift cleanly from the key, it can leave an unwanted sound behind, making the scale sound messy. To improve this, focus on the release of each note so that the note is cleanly released from the key. You can practice this by slowing down your scales and exaggerating the release:

1.Set your metronome to a slow tempo.

2.Play one note per beat, making sure to lift each finger high enough to clear the key, especially the fourth finger.

This slow practice will give you the time to pay attention to your hand and make sure the notes are released cleanly. Over time, this will help you build strength and control in your fourth finger, and your scales will sound much cleaner.

Developing Control Over Melody and Harmony

Your thumbs are naturally stronger, so when you’re playing, the tendency is for them to dominate the sound. But to bring out the melody clearly, you need to practice controlling the strength of each finger and where the weight is placed. A good exercise is to practice bringing out each voice in a chord progression. For example, take a simple chord progression and focus on each voice: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. This can be a good way to practice controlling the strength of each finger and ensuring you can highlight the important voices in your music. By practicing this way, you’ll get better at controlling each voice in more complex pieces, too. Whether you’re playing a simple hymn or a more intricate score, you’ll be able to express each line clearly and evenly.

Embrace the Fourth Finger

The fourth finger might be a little tricky, but with patience and practice, you can gain control and strength in that finger. By focusing on clean releases, proper hand balance, and making sure you lead with the right fingers, you’ll improve your overall playing and get a more even sound. So, next time you’re practicing scales or a challenging piece, take it slow and pay attention to those little details. With time and careful practice, your fourth finger will become strong and reliable. I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you next time!

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Contact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com

Welcome to LivingPianos.com! I’m Robert Estrin. When you think of power, what comes to mind? For many pianists, the instinct is to play loudly, often pushing to the limit in order to achieve a sense of strength. But what if I told you that true power comes not from playing loudly all the time but from creating contrast? Let’s take a closer look at how this works, using the third movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata as an example.

The Fire Analogy: Power in Reserve

Imagine you’re watching a fire. If it’s just glowing embers and small flames, you feel the warmth, but there’s no real sense of danger. Now, picture the same fire, but this time, every so often, large flames burst out unexpectedly. That sudden flare gives you a sense of awe—and maybe even a little fear—because you can’t predict how much power is hidden beneath the surface. You have no idea how much energy lies in reserve.

The same principle applies to your piano playing. It’s not about playing loudly all the time. Instead, it’s about creating that same illusion of immense power by playing with contrasts—soft moments followed by loud bursts. When used effectively, this approach can make the loud parts of your playing feel far more impactful.

The Misconception of Playing Loud All the Time

Now, let’s take a look at Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata—specifically the third movement. Many pianists, when tackling this piece, struggle with the dynamics. They try to play everything with the same intensity, pushing themselves to play louder and louder. The result is often a sound that feels labored, and the sense of power is lost in the struggle.

If you take a closer look at the score, you’ll notice that almost everything is marked piano (soft), except for a couple of specific moments. By underplaying the majority of the piece and only letting the louder chords flare out, you can create the same effect as those sudden bursts of flames in a fire. When playing the third movement of the Moonlight Sonata, the key to creating the illusion of power is to lighten up everything except the moments where the loud chords come in. When you do this, the contrast between soft and loud creates a dramatic effect. The loud chords seem to explode—and this is exactly what I want to highlight.

The Secret to Creating the Illusion of Power

This technique isn’t just for the Moonlight Sonata. You can apply it to any piece of music you’re working on. If you’re struggling to achieve a sense of power or dramatic expression, try this:

• Play as softly as possible for the majority of the piece.
• Focus on achieving pianissimo (very soft) in the sections that don’t require volume.
• When it’s time for a louder section, let it truly stand out.

This way, you create a vast range of expression. It’s the difference between playing everything loud (which can wear you out and feel one-dimensional) and saving your energy for the moments when loudness truly counts. This gives the impression that your power is limitless. This technique is what many great pianists use to command attention. Take Horowitz, for instance. He was known for not playing everything loud, but when he did play loudly, it was startling. His playing gave the impression of an enormous power reserve, just waiting to be unleashed. You couldn’t hear it all the time, but when it came, it was breathtaking.

Experiment with Your Own Power

Next time you’re working on a piece, try to experiment with the power of contrast. See what happens when you reduce the volume and focus on playing softer than you normally would. Then, when you reach the louder sections, let them truly shine. With this approach, you’ll find that your playing feels more powerful, more controlled, and far more expressive. The illusion of power is all about reserve—and it can make all the difference in how your music feels to both you and your audience.

Give it a try, and let me know how it works for you. Leave a comment here at LivingPianos.com and YouTube!

Master the 5 Pillars of Piano to Dramatically Improve Your Playing

•Reading (sight-reading)
•Learning (memorizing)
•Improvising (playing by ear)
•Technique
•Theory

NEW PROGRAM

•Imagine having a step-by-step system of how to work effectively at the piano, guided by a concert pianist/educator along with a support group of like-minded individuals so you can supercharge your piano playing.

•Showing exactly how to take your reading and playing to new levels so you can play music that has always been out of reach.
Where everybody is aligned towards the same goal: dramatically improving your piano playing so you can feel confident at the piano.

•I will be coaching so you have professional guidance every step of the way. I have been teaching since assisting my father, Morton Estrin, while still in high school. Studied with great teachers from John Ogdon to Ruth Slenczynska, master classes with Byron Janis.

•Where the focus is on implementation and collaboration so you don’t have to endure long trainings all by yourself.

•It feels like hanging out with friends so you get real results in your piano playing!