Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. A question I get all the time is: How do you know when your piano needs to be tuned? There’s actually a wide range of answers, so I’m going to give you the essential information so you can properly maintain your piano.
How Often Should You Tune Your Piano?
The Piano Technicians Guild recommends tuning your piano four times a year. That might sound excessive, especially if you haven’t tuned your piano in years. For most people, I suggest at least twice a year. Seasonal changes, like switching between heating and air conditioning, can cause the pitch of your piano to shift. The entire instrument can go flat or even sharp depending on environmental changes.
Checking Your Piano’s Pitch
One simple way to check your piano is by using a tuning app on your phone. Play an A and see if it’s close to A440. If it’s hovering around 440 or 441, you’re in decent shape. But if it starts drifting lower, that’s a sign your piano needs attention. It’s also important to check different registers. Sometimes the middle of the piano may be in tune, while the upper octaves have dropped significantly in pitch.
It’s Not Just About Pitch
Pitch is only part of the story. Most piano notes have three strings, and the first thing that goes out of tune are the unisons. That means those three strings are no longer perfectly aligned with each other, even if the overall pitch seems correct.
When a note is perfectly in tune, it has a pure, steady sound. But when one string is slightly off, you’ll hear a slow wave in the sound. As the strings drift further apart in pitch, that wave becomes faster and more noticeable.
Listening for “Waves” in the Sound
You can test this yourself by playing slowly through the keys. Listen carefully for any notes that sound like they’re pulsing or beating. That pulsing is caused by slight differences in vibration between the strings. For example, if one string vibrates at 440 cycles per second and another at 441, you’ll hear a beat once per second. The greater the difference, the faster the wave.
Upper notes tend to go out of tune more quickly and can be harder to keep stable, so you may encounter these waves there more often. However, this can occur anywhere on the piano, so it’s important to listen carefully across the entire keyboard for any notes that don’t sound perfectly pure.
Why Regular Tuning Matters
You might wonder why technicians recommend tuning so frequently. It’s not just about business. Regular tuning actually helps your piano stay more stable over time. In fact, the more often a piano is tuned, the better it holds its tuning. Consistent maintenance keeps the instrument closer to proper pitch, reducing large fluctuations. For example, in conservatories, concert grand pianos are often tuned daily. These instruments become extremely stable as a result.
What Affects Your Piano’s Stability?
Several factors influence how quickly your piano goes out of tune:
Temperature and humidity changes
•How much the piano is played
•How forcefully it is played
•How regularly it has been tuned in the past
•Heavily used pianos, like those in practice rooms, can go out of tune very quickly, sometimes in just a single day of intense use.
New Pianos Need Extra Attention
If you have a new piano, or one that has been recently rebuilt or restrung, it will require more frequent tuning. The strings are still stretching and settling, especially during the first couple of years.
To Sum it Up:
There are two main things to watch for: overall pitch and the purity of individual notes. If your piano is noticeably off pitch or you hear wavering in the sound, it’s time for a tuning.
There’s a lot to this subject, but these guidelines will help you stay on top of your piano’s care and keep it sounding its best. If you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask me. Thanks again for joining me here 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.
Jay, thank you for your excellent question! If you have questions you’d like me to address, feel free to reach out to me – Robert@LivingPianos.com
Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today we are diving into part three of the Chopin G minor Ballade, focusing on the coda of this monumental work. If you have been following along, you know just how challenging and exhilarating this final section can be.
Start the Coda Early
One of the most important practice tips is to begin working on the coda early in your learning process. Do not wait until you have learned the rest of the piece. The coda can take a significant amount of time to develop, and if you leave it until the end, it may delay your overall progress. By starting it early, even before reaching the halfway point of the piece, you allow it to grow alongside the rest of your interpretation.
A Cascade of Techniques
Much like the middle section of the Ballade, the coda presents one technical challenge after another. It is a continuous stream of different techniques, each requiring careful attention. One particularly tricky aspect is the rhythmic interplay between the hands. This takes time to internalize, so be patient and methodical. Pay close attention to the articulation in the coda. Only the single notes are marked staccato. Many pianists mistakenly play everything short, but that is not what Chopin wrote. Let the chords have more length. This creates a richer, more beautiful sound and brings out the musical phrasing more effectively.
Slow Practice Is Essential
Slow practice is your foundation. Take the time to articulate everything exactly as written, including accents and note lengths. This ensures clarity and control as you gradually build speed. Practicing hands separately is also invaluable here. Each hand has very different technical demands, and isolating them allows you to master their individual roles before combining them. Experiment with different rhythms. Try dotted rhythms, reversed dotted rhythms, and varied groupings of notes. These approaches help you gain control and evenness. You can also practice passages as chords to better understand the harmonic structure, then return to the written figuration with greater confidence.
Accents Shape the Music
Accents are crucial in shaping the music. They help define the structure and give the illusion of power without requiring you to play everything loudly. Reserve your strongest playing for the most important notes and phrases.
Endurance Through Relaxation
One of the biggest hurdles in any intense coda is simply lasting until the final chord. The key is learning to relax within the music. I recommend experimenting with different note groupings to find the natural “pivot points” where your hand can breathe. By practicing intentional stops to release tension, you’ll develop micro-relaxations that occur naturally as you play. This lets you conserve energy and avoid the “wall” of fatigue. Great piano playing isn’t just about power; it’s about the efficient use of every ounce of energy.
Build Speed Gradually
For fast passages, use a metronome and increase the tempo gradually. Work in small sections and aim for precision at every stage. In unmeasured or freer passages, focus on hand positions and groupings. Break them into small units, practice each group, and then connect them. Always think of these passages as melodic, even at high speed. They are not just technical exercises but expressive lines.
Scales and Pedaling
The scale passages require solid technique. When starting a scale, hold each note long enough at the beginning, and start gently so you have time to build volume as you ascend. It doesn’t need to be loud from the very bottom. Many pianists blur these passages with the pedal. My father, Morton Estrin, would always lift his foot off of the pedal entirely on these runs. Another approach is to use subtle pedaling, perhaps refreshing it with each octave to maintain clarity while adding resonance.
Octaves and the Role of the Wrist
The final section with octaves demands proper technique. Octaves should be played primarily with the wrist. A flexible, controlled wrist is essential. The arms are too slow, and the fingers alone don’t have enough power. You need to isolate the wrist motion from the arms to play the octaves cleanly and with control. This will give you both speed and endurance.
Experiment and Discover What Works for You
There is no single way to master this coda. Try different practice techniques, dynamics, and articulations. Play one hand louder than the other. Change rhythms. Explore new approaches. The key is to listen carefully and remain open to experimentation. Through this process, you will discover what works best for you.
The coda of Chopin’s G minor Ballade is as thrilling as it is demanding. With thoughtful practice, attention to detail, and a balance of strength and relaxation, you can bring it to life with confidence and musicality. The primary practice that will solidify this coda is working section by section, both hands separately and hands together, playing progressively faster with the metronome.
I hope you find these insights helpful in your practice. Let me know what you think in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and on YouTube!
Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today you’re going to get a deep dive into how to play the Chopin Ballade in G minor. This is a piece that I absolutely love, and so many of you have asked for a tutorial on it. I thought, yes, let’s do it. I even have a complete performance that I’ll reference throughout this discussion. You can find the full performance here.
There are many brilliant performances of this piece available online. I was fortunate enough to hear Vladimir Horowitz perform the Chopin G minor Ballade live on more than one occasion. You can also listen to great interpretations by Arthur Rubinstein and countless others throughout history. Today we’re going to go bit by bit through the first section of the piece. This will be the first installment of a three-part series. As always, feel free to share in the comments which pieces you’d like to see covered in future videos like this.
Let’s get right into it. I’ll start at the beginning and talk about how to approach each of the unique sections in the opening part of the Ballade.
Understanding the Opening Harmony
Right at the beginning there is something fascinating harmonically. The Ballade is, of course, in G minor. So what is that A-flat major chord in first inversion doing there? If you know some music theory, you’ll recognize it as a Neapolitan sixth chord. This is a major triad built on the flatted second degree of the scale. In G minor, you go to the second note of the scale which is A, flatten it to A-flat, build a major triad, A-flat-C-E-flat, and place it in first inversion with C on the bottom, C-E-flat-A-flat. That gives you the Neapolitan sixth. It’s a brilliant harmonic idea. When you consider that Chopin was in his early twenties when he composed this piece, it becomes even more impressive that he completed this work around the time of his twenty-fifth birthday.
Establishing the Pulse and Using Rubato
It is very important to have a steady beat in this piece, but there is also plenty of room for rubato. Rubato is the give and take of tempo. You never gain or lose time overall, but there is subtle speeding up and slowing down, almost like a car cresting a hill. It creates a wonderful expressive effect. The secret to effective rubato is thinking in terms of the long beat. If you try to think of every eighth note individually, rubato would be impossible. Even thinking in quarter notes can feel restrictive. But if you think in larger units such as half notes, you create a slower underlying pulse that allows freedom within the beat. When you maintain that broader pulse, you can shape the tempo expressively without losing the listener. In fact, a good test is this: if someone cannot tap along to your playing, you are probably using too much rubato. There must always be a pulse or the music dies.
Shaping the Opening Phrase
The opening section ends with a long note that must be held long enough to sustain the tension before the tempo change that follows. Count it carefully so the phrase breathes naturally. When the new section begins, it is important not to stretch the rhythm excessively. Sometimes you hear performances where the timing becomes overly flexible, and the music loses its majesty. If you listen to Arthur Rubinstein’s performance, you’ll hear the grandeur that comes from maintaining rhythmic integrity. Let the story unfold naturally. You don’t have to manipulate the theme too much. When played with a strong underlying pulse, the melody reveals its beauty on its own.
Learning the Piece: Memorization First
This tutorial is not about the basic mechanics of learning a piece, since I have many videos devoted to that topic. But I do want to give a brief overview.
You will never play the Chopin G minor Ballade comfortably if you are constantly reading the score. There are enormous jumps later in the piece, particularly in the coda. It is nearly impossible to look at the music and your hands at the same time during passages like that. Instead, read through the piece once or twice to become familiar with it. Because it is so long and complex, you may not read it all in one sitting. This initial reading will also help you decide whether it is the right time for you to tackle this work. If you have not played much Chopin yet, such as preludes, waltzes, or mazurkas, this may not be the best place to start. The Ballade is a monumental and virtuosic composition.
When you begin learning it, take very small sections. Work hands separately first. Learn every detail: notes, rhythm, fingering, phrasing, and expression. Memorize the right hand, then the left hand, and only then put them together. Memorize that as well before moving on. Do not practice the entire piece repeatedly and then try to memorize it later. That approach often ingrains mistakes that are extremely difficult to undo. Study the score carefully from the start.
Bringing Out the Melody
In the next section, the melody must clearly sing above the accompaniment. One excellent practice technique is to play everything staccato except the melody notes. This helps train your hands and ears to distinguish the melodic line. However, if there are half notes in the tenor voice of the left hand, those should be held because they form an important counterline. Practicing in this way creates clarity so that when you return to normal playing, the melody naturally stands out.
Another useful method for bringing out the melody is to practice the accompaniment with a light finger staccato while playing the melody legato. This contrast trains your hands to separate the musical layers. Later you can control dynamics more effectively, allowing the melody to project while the accompaniment remains supportive.
Measuring Your Trills
Even though a trill may sound like a flurry of notes, it must still be measured. Decide exactly how many notes you will play. It does not need to be an enormous number. Choose something comfortable, but make sure you know precisely how many notes there are. That is far better than leaving it to chance and risking an awkward ending to the trill.
Achieving Legato Without Overusing Pedal
Whenever possible, connect notes with your fingers rather than relying on the pedal. For example, when playing octaves, change fingers on black keys. Use the fourth finger, or even the third if your hand is big enough. This enables a smoother legato. Remember that you do not have to connect both notes of the octave. If you connect just one note, the ear will perceive it as legato. Using your fingers to connect notes allows the pedal to serve its true purpose: adding color, not compensating for incomplete technique.
Practicing Fast Passagework
Eventually you encounter the first fast cadenza passage that appears almost suddenly. This can feel intimidating if you are not prepared. There are several effective practice approaches. First, practice only the notes that coincide with the beat, particularly where the hands play together. If that is still difficult, practice the finger patterns within each hand position. Ultimately, piano technique is largely about hand positions and finger patterns. Once these are secure, fluency becomes much easier.
Building Strength and Relaxation
A strong technique requires both strength and relaxation. Sometimes it is beneficial to practice very slowly with a metronome, without pedal, articulating every note clearly from the fingers. This builds strength and awareness of the keyboard. At the same time, you must practice relaxation. Work in note groups, pausing momentarily so your hands are relaxed and positioned over the notes of the next hand position. Gradually reduce the pause until the passage flows smoothly. By working on both strength and relaxation, you build the foundation for a confident performance.
Practicing Without Pedal
Practicing without pedal is incredibly valuable. It removes the veil from your playing and reveals exactly what your fingers are doing. When you work this way, you discover whether your fingering truly connects the notes and if your technique is secure. Many great pianists practice extensively without pedal, including every teacher I have studied with over the years. Slow practice with the score and a metronome is one of the best ways to reinforce accurate playing.
Exploring the Expressive Theme
Later in the section, a stunningly beautiful theme appears. This theme returns later in the Ballade in different forms. Here it is poetic and delicate. Later it reappears heroically in A major. At the repeat of the theme, using the una corda pedal can help create a softer, more intimate tone. Maintain the larger pulse, even if the tempo flexes slightly. The audience should always feel that underlying beat.
Expressive Freedom in Chopin
Chopin’s music allows tremendous interpretive freedom. Some pianists emphasize certain inner voices more than others. Some play the passage very subtly, while others bring those notes out more strongly. There is no single correct approach. Chopin himself did not play his works the same way every time. In fact, he even had different versions of some of his pieces when performing in different countries. So rather than worrying about playing exactly what the composer intended, think of the music as a palette for emotional and sonic exploration.
Wrapping Up the First Section
As this section concludes, the pulse returns clearly. A slight ritardando and the use of the soft pedal can help shape the transition beautifully.
This brings us to the end of the first installment of this lesson.
Recap of Key Practice Strategies
Let’s summarize the main ideas from this first part.
First, read through the piece briefly, then begin memorizing right away in very small sections.
Second, think in terms of the long beat. This gives you freedom for rubato while maintaining a clear pulse.
Third, practice technical passages slowly with the metronome and without pedal to build strength and accuracy.
Fourth, work in note groups and practice relaxation before each time the hands play together.
Finally, isolate hand positions and finger patterns when tackling fast passages.
These methods will help you develop the speed, power, and relaxation necessary to play the Chopin Ballade in G minor successfully.
I hope you’re enjoying this exploration. It’s one of my favorite pieces, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store.
Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. What can you do with a piano that won’t stay in tune? There is a lot to this subject, and I want to share some tips that could really make a difference for your piano.
First, Determine the Cause
The first step is figuring out why the piano isn’t staying in tune. There can be many possible reasons. One of the biggest factors is the environment the piano lives in. Stability of temperature and, humidity can make a huge difference in how well a piano holds its tuning.
The Importance of Regular Tuning
Here is something many people don’t realize. If you go years without tuning your piano and then finally have it tuned, it probably won’t hold very long. In fact, the more often you tune a piano, the more stable it becomes over time. You never save money by putting off tuning. When a piano has drifted far from pitch, the technician may have to tune it twice in a row just to bring it back to the correct pitch level. Even then, that tuning may not hold very long. So two key principles are simple. Provide a stable environment and tune the piano regularly.
How Often Should You Tune Your Piano?
People ask this question all the time. The Piano Technicians Guild often recommends tuning four times a year. Many people are surprised by that number. At a minimum, tuning twice a year is very important because of seasonal changes. When you go from heating to air conditioning and back again, the pitch of the piano can shift. Sometimes the piano might still sound fine, but the entire instrument may have gone flat or even sharp. The secret to tuning stability is staying ahead of those changes. When a piano is tuned consistently, it becomes more stable.
In music conservatories, concert pianos may be tuned every day. The two Steinway pianos on stage at one of my conservatory were tuned daily for so long that technicians told me they almost never found a note out of tune. The instruments had become incredibly stable. At my father’s recording sessions, tuners were present during the entire sessions so when even one unison went out even slightly, they touch it up immediately. My father had his own pianos tuned monthly in his studio because of the heavy teaching and practice they received.
What If the Tuning Pins Are Loose?
Suppose you provide a stable environment and tune the piano regularly, but it still won’t hold. Sometimes the issue is loose tuning pins. There are two main possibilities, and this is where a bit of detective work comes in. If you notice several loose pins forming a straight line, that often indicates a crack in the pinblock. A technician might try installing oversize pins, but this can actually enlarge the crack. In that case, the real solution is rebuilding the piano.
Rebuilding involves removing the strings, lifting out the plate, and crafting a custom pinblock specifically for that piano. The holes for the 220 to 240 tuning pins must be drilled with extremely precise tolerances and angles. After restringing, the piano must be tuned repeatedly until it stabilizes. It is an involved and expensive process.
When the Pins Are Just Slightly Loose
Sometimes the situation is less severe. Instead of a line of loose pins, you may find that a general area of the keyboard has pins that are just a little loose. If there is space between the coils of the string and the plate, a technician may be able to tap the pins slightly deeper into the pinblock to gain more traction. This must be done very carefully. The bottom of the pinblock needs proper support, or the lower layers of wood can be damaged, which would create a serious problem. When done correctly, however, this small adjustment can sometimes solve the issue.
Another possibility involves chemical agents designed to increase the grip between the pin and the pinblock. These compounds are similar to super glue, but they are not actually gluing the pins in place. Instead, they increase the surface contact slightly. The feel of the tuning pins can become a little scratchy rather than smooth, but in some cases this treatment can help a piano hold tuning for years. It can be a practical option if the piano is not worth the expense of a full rebuild but you still want it to stay in tune.
Using Larger Tuning Pins
There is one more option if the pins are generally loose but not failing in a specific line. A technician can sometimes restring the piano using slightly larger tuning pins. Pianos typically start with what are called number two pins. Each step up in size increases the diameter by one thousandth of an inch. Moving from twos to threes or even fours can provide the extra grip needed. This approach allows the existing pinblock to remain in place. The plate does not have to be removed, and a new pinblock does not need to be built.
A Quick Recap
If your piano won’t stay in tune, start with the basics. Provide a stable environment with controlled temperature and humidity. Tune the piano regularly so it gradually becomes more stable. If certain pins are slipping in a straight line, a cracked pinblock may require rebuilding. If the looseness is more general, a technician might tap the pins deeper, use a chemical treatment, or install slightly larger tuning pins. These are all techniques that can sometimes bring a stubborn piano back to reliable tuning stability.
If you have other ideas or experiences with this issue, feel free to share them in the comments here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. I’m Robert Estrin, thanks for joining me.
Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today I have a really provocative subject for you: Why You Must Learn to Fake at the Piano. Now, if you have ever had a teacher or studied seriously, you have probably been told that faking is the worst thing you can do. You want to play with integrity. You want to honor the score. So how could I possibly tell you that you absolutely must learn how to fake?
The Wall Between Practicing and Performing
I have talked before about the necessity of building a wall between practicing and performing. They are completely different experiences. If you are not clear which one you are doing, you are likely not accomplishing either one effectively.
When you are practicing and something goes wrong, you must stop immediately. Find the place in the score. Identify the correction. Cement the correction. Then go back a bit so you can pass that trouble spot successfully. Finally, return to the beginning of the piece or section and integrate the fix into the larger context. That is how you prevent mistakes from becoming ingrained. You nip them in the bud. But when you are performing, the situation is exactly the opposite. The last thing an audience wants to hear is you practicing while you are supposed to be playing for them.
Why You Must Keep Going in Performance
In performance, if something goes wrong, you must keep going no matter what. You might wonder how great concert pianists can play for hours and seem flawless. Of course, nobody is perfect. There are always finger slips or momentatry memory lapses. The difference is that seasoned artists know how to recover without disrupting the flow.
When I was a child, I had the opportunity to hear the great Arthur Rubinstein in concert for his 80th birthday. I was enthralled. We even got to meet him afterward, and he was incredibly gracious. After the concert, my father mentioned that in the Beethoven sonata Rubinstein had improvised his way through a memory slip. I was shocked. I had no idea anything had gone wrong, and I would guess that the vast majority of the audience did not notice either. Only someone who knew the piece intimately could have detected it. That is the art of faking. It is not about being careless. It is about preserving the musical experience for the listener.
The Danger of Stopping
Think of watching a movie. You are absorbed in the story. If there is a sudden jump cut or the film skips backward even briefly, it is jarring. It takes you out of the magic. The same thing happens in music. The moment you lose time or stop to fix something, even listeners who know nothing about music can feel it. Suddenly they cannot follow the pulse. Instead of enjoying the music, they start worrying about you. That tension replaces enjoyment. As much as you may want to fix the mistake, you must resist that temptation in performance.
Practice Performing
There is practicing. There is performing. And then there is practicing performing. Whenever you sit down at the piano, you should know which one you are doing.
To practice performing, take a piece you feel reasonably secure with and play it through as though you are in concert. Do not stop. No matter what happens, keep going. If you lose your place, keep one hand moving while the other finds its way. Stay in time. Do not go back. Do not skip ahead. Stay where you are in the music and reestablish control. It is far better to simplify or approximate for a moment than to derail the entire performance. You can even record yourself and make a rule that once you start, you cannot stop. This is tremendously valuable training.
Develop Your Ear to Support Recovery
One of the best ways to strengthen this skill is to sing your music. The piano is unique in that you can produce a sound simply by pressing a key. You do not have to hear it internally first. But when you sing, you must hear the pitch before you produce it. As a French horn player, I can tell you that you absolutely have to hear the notes before you play them. Singing builds that connection between your ear and your fingers. If you can sing a melody and have even modest ability to play by ear, you can often find your way through a rough patch without anyone realizing it. Keep counting. Keep the fingers moving. Stay in the moment. Over time, this even enhances your musicianship. I have had occasions where I experienced a brief memory lapse and played by ear to get through it, only to discover afterward, listening to the recording, that I had actually played the correct notes! That comes from improvising and developing a strong connection between what you hear and what you play.
The Secret to Confident Performing
Prepare thoroughly before any performance. Then practice performing. Play for friends. Play for small groups, then larger ones. Use those opportunities to experiment with keeping the flow no matter what happens. When you know you can recover smoothly, much of the fear of performance disappears. And your audience will appreciate a seamless musical experience far more than a technically perfect one interrupted by stops and restarts.
So remember, build that solid wall between practicing and performing. Know which one you are doing. And yes, learn how to fake. If you cultivate your ear, practice performing, and stay committed to the musical flow, your faking can become so seamless that, just like that Rubinstein concert, nobody will be the wiser. That is the lesson for today. Embrace it, and it can be a true game changer in your piano playing.
This is Robert Estrin at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource. Thanks so much for joining me.
