Tag Archives: piano lessons

Is There One Right Way to Play a Piece of Classical Music?

When it comes to classical music, there are typically countless details written directly into the score including dynamics, phrasing and more. Some musicians see this as a challenge in creating their own interpretation of the work. On one hand, you want to remain faithful to the composer’s intention. Yet, you want to put your individual mark on each piece you perform. So, how can you interpret classical scores to be your own and not have them sound like everyone else without deviating from the score?

Think about Beethoven playing one of his sonatas. Do you think he would play them the same way every time? I have performed certain pieces for decades – sometimes thousands of times – and yet every time I play them they are unique experiences. If the notes, the rhythm, phrasing, and expression are already written in, what can you possibly do to make it different?

Some works of art like paintings or films are works of art that are complete expressions. You can do certain things like change the lighting or setting to influence the work slightly, but generally, they are finished works which don’t allow for interpretation. On the other hand, you have literary works of someone like Shakespeare, plays that have been around for centuries and have every line of dialogue and stage direction written directly into the text. Yet every performance can be dramatically different and unique in substantial ways. Even the inflection of every word is left up to the individual actors!

A musical piece is a lot like a play or a screenplay in that it’s written down as a blueprint but it’s up to the performer to interpret and bring it to life. Just as no line of dialogue would be read the same way by two different actors, a section of music could be performed dramatically differently from musician to musician. Even the balance of a single chord on the piano can be dramatically different from pianist to pianist and from performance to performance. Even though there are some dynamics written in, how you play each note from phrase to phrase is impossible to indicate with notation alone. If you’ve ever played a score on a computer with MIDI, the results sound like a machine is playing it – there is no life to the music! This is because the score is merely a skeleton for the performer to flesh out the music and bring it to life.

As a musician who uses a reed with their instrument, the particular reed they are using, how it feels that day, and many other aspects can alter a performance dramatically. As a pianist, the sound of the piano you are performing on – even if it’s the same piano you always use – can differ from day to day. The acoustics of the room, the mood of the audience, the ambient noise, all these things factor into the sound and end result of the performance. Even your own mood can inspire different realizations of the score.

As you continue to play and perform music you will see how each piece can be interpreted differently and how each performance can differ dramatically from one another.

Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions about this topic or any others, please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

What is the Best Age to Start Music Lessons?

This is a very difficult question since no two people are the same and different instruments have unique challenges.

The piano is a classic instrument that many people start learning when they are very young. The same thing applies to violin and cello. Other instruments take time to grow into. You could not expect a small child to play the trombone and reach all the outer positions or to hold a flute properly until they are old enough (and have long enough arms) to hold and play properly. Some of these instruments just have natural disadvantages for young children and are simply not possible for them to learn until they are big enough, perhaps 9 or 10 years old.

When it comes to instruments that younger children can play, such as the piano or string instruments, age is not as big a factor when it comes to physical limitations. If you search online you can see videos of children as young as three or four playing on a high level on the piano or string instruments. So, knowing that a child can achieve this level of success, when is the right age to get them started learning a musical instrument?

When it comes to learning an instrument, one size does not fit all and the individual child is the determining factor in whether or not they are ready to learn an instrument. Some kids will simply be drawn to an instrument and no matter what you do, you simply can’t take them away from it. If you have a very young child who seems drawn to an instrument and has a willingness to learn and play you shouldn’t stop them from learning. What’s more important than allowing them to play though is finding the right teacher for them.

Most teachers do not specialize in teaching very young children how to play musical instruments. Even if they are a very accomplished teacher and have many great students, it can be a real disaster to have them teach a child younger than they are used to teaching. It takes a very special teacher to teach a young child in a nurturing, enjoyable way which engages them and encourages their progress.

In addition to having a good teacher, a younger student should always have a parent or other adult in the home who is willing to play and learn with the student when they are not at their lessons. It is not reasonable to expect a child of 4 or 5 to work independently. They will need someone to guide them in their learning and help them along on a daily basis.

The keys to starting at a very young age are:

– Willingness to play and learn an instrument
– Finding a good teacher for their age level
– Having a parent or guardian who is willing to practice with them

So what is the proper age to start learning a musical instrument?
Starting to play the violin or other string instruments is something a child can start learning as early as 5 or 6 years old. String players and pianists can potentially start younger if they are in a special program geared towards very young children like the Suzuki program which has them working together in groups to learn and share – it becomes more like playtime with music which enforces the activity as being enjoyable rather than a chore.

In my experience with teaching piano, the lessons should start when the child is ready to take direction independently. I find that when kids can start doing homework on their own they are generally ready to start learning piano. If I had to put an age on it I would say around 6-9 years old depending on their patience, willingness to learn and ability to work independently.

As for starting an instrument at a later age, there are no limits! You can start learning piano or any instrument in your teen years or even as an adult and become a very accomplished musician. Keep in mind though, starting early in life (just like developing language skills) increases the potential for development. Parts of the brain develop much more quickly and easily at a younger age and as you get older it can become a greater challenge to begin learning a musical instrument.

If you have any questions about this topic or any others, please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

How to approach the Ocean Etude Op. 25 No. 12 by Chopin

Today we have an answer to a viewer question about how to practice Chopin’s Ocean Etude. Chopin wrote two books of etudes, brilliant works. Incidentally, there are two types of etudes in this world, those that strictly exercise, and those that explore technical problems in great pieces of music. And the Chopin etudes are certainly in the latter category of monumental compositions that tackle different technical challenges.

Learn to Play Piano – Chopin Prelude No. 6 (B minor)

Welcome to my second part in a series offering tips for the Chopin Preludes. Last time we covered Prelude No. 4 in E minor. This lesson I will be exploring the Prelude No. 6 in B minor.

In the last lesson we discussed how to bring out the melody in the right hand by achieving a true legato utilizing a constant weight of the arm. Today’s lesson is similar but reversed; in this prelude the melody is in the left hand!

This lesson will require you to incorporate the weight of the left arm primarily in order to create a lush and fluid sound while bringing out the melody. When it comes to playing a string or a wind instrument, there is a natural progression of ups and downs. Whether it’s the continuity of the breath or the draw of a bow, the music must always be going somewhere, either growing or dying away. This is possible to achieve on the piano by increasing and decreasing the weight of the arms.

Rather than relying on calculated movements to get louder and softer, use the weight of your arms to recreate the sensation of breathing or using a bow. When you play a note, press into the key and make yourself believe that it’s going to sustain the note like a wind or string player does. You might be surprised at the results you achieve. In the video accompanying this article I demonstrate this technique.

As with any music you are performing, using the pedal as a crutch to cover up sloppy playing should never be an option. If you intend to learn this piece correctly and make it sing, you will need to achieve a true legato in both hands without the use of the pedal. Because of this, you will want to practice, learn and memorize this piece without using the pedal at first. Later when you feel confident in the sound you produce, you can add the pedal to create an even richer sound.

Another practice method (that we also discussed last time) is holding out the chords wherever possible. Instead of playing all the chords as written, hold the repeated chords out instead of replaying them – so you can get a sense of the best fingering when switching between chords. You will find ways to maneuver your fingers and hands in ways that will connect the notes much better and create a seamless sound. It’s always a great idea to reduce your music to chords first – this way you can get a better idea of the fingering while gaining a better understanding of the harmonies.

Thanks again for joining me. If you would like more information about this piece or any others, we are currently in the midst of producing some thorough tutorials instead of just these helpful pointers. If you would like to be notified about these lessons please send me an email requesting more information at Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

Piano Lessons: Chopin Prelude No 4 (E minor)

Welcome to my ongoing series dedicated to specific pieces of repertoire. Today we will be covering the Chopin Prelude No. 4 (E minor). This was actually the very first piece of Chopin I ever studied so it holds a particularly special interest for me. As a kid I remember thinking that this was the most beautiful piece I’d ever heard and I couldn’t imagine playing anything better. Of course as time went on my tastes expanded, yet this piece is still one of my all-time favorites.

This is actually a very odd piece of music. If you just play the melody without the chords you will notice that it’s surprisingly simple. The real genius of this piece lies in the harmonization; the left hand has some truly exquisite chords. While the chords are extremely important, you will still want the melody to sing above everything else.

A very big mistake when it comes to playing the piano is continually using the pedal as a crutch to cover up sloppy playing. If you intend to learn this piece correctly and make it sing, you will need to achieve a true legato in both hands without the use of the pedal. Because of this, you will want to practice, learn and memorize this piece without using the pedal at first. Later when you feel confident in the sound you produce, you can add the pedal to create an even richer sound.

Another practice method is holding out the chords with the left-hand. Instead of playing all the chords as written, hold the repeated chords out instead of replaying them – so you can get a sense of the best fingering when switching between chords. You will find ways to maneuver your fingers and hands in ways that will connect the notes much better and create a seamless sound.

When combining the hands, you will want to make sure you get an extreme legato. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people playing this piece by simply using the pedal and playing short chords. While it might sound OK, it’s really not the best sound. You will create a much better sound if you use an extreme legato in both hands to allow the melody to sing above the thick chords. Use a constant arm weight supported by your fingers to bring out the melody in the right hand.

There really are dozens of different ways to perform this piece. If you search on YouTube you can find a number of different interpretations from incredible pianists. While the phrasing can change, you will always want to be rising or falling; the music must always be going somewhere.

Thanks again for joining me. If you would like more information about this piece or any others, we are currently in the midst of producing some thorough tutorials instead of just these helpful pointers. If you would like to be notified about these lessons please send me an email requesting more information at Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

How to Improvise With Christmas Music

Happy Holidays everyone! If you’re a pianist (or a musician of any sort) you may be called upon by either family or friends to perform something for them this season. It might be fun to be able to accompany as people sing holiday favorites! While you may not have time to practice Christmas music, I have a simple solution for you!

Find some of the easiest Christmas music you can and make it your own by improvising! This is both an easy and fun way to present some holiday cheer as well as a way to practice your improvisation skills. In the video attached to this article, I use a song you can find on Virtual Sheet Music. There is a wide selection of Christmas songs available on the site and they have different arrangements for each of them (ranging from very easy to very difficult).

When it comes to improvising, the most important thing is being intimately familiar with the song. The great thing about using Christmas music is that you’ve heard them so many times; it’s perfect to improvise with!

In the video, I use the song “Greensleeves” (commonly known as “What Child is This”). I chose the easiest possible arrangement so it’s easy to read. You will hear an example of the music played exactly as written first and then a few improvised versions to see what is possible.

But how can you improvise on the written music? The beauty is that you can embellish any way you like! Don’t be afraid to experiment adding notes and altering rhythms. Then you can try to use play the left hand descending harmonies and make up a totally new melody on top! Or have someone play the left-hand part while you make up a melody. The only rule when it comes to improvising with this type of music is to have fun. Everyone you’ll play for will appreciate your efforts, so enjoy!

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729