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What if Beethoven had YouTube?

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today, we’re exploring the question: What if Beethoven had YouTube? At first it might seem like a frivolous idea, but there are profound implications here. Beethoven would have had exposure to music from all over the world. What would that have done for his compositions? Composers were so isolated in those days. Sure, they made every effort to learn the great works of others, but with YouTube, we literally have the world’s music in our pockets at the click of our fingers.

Global Access and Musical Innovation

Think about all the other composers around the globe who might have created far greater works if they had been able to hear the masterpieces clustered in Austria and Germany—Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert. Access to all those works could have dramatically reshaped music history. Bach is a key example. He didn’t travel much, but he made an effort to attend concerts by any musicians who came to his home in Leipzig, Germany. Through that effort, he was able to compose in the Italian, English, and French styles, creating phenomenal music.

If you know a lot of Bach’s works, you realize just how unique his Italian concerto is. He also embraced the English and French styles, as you can hear in his Suites. These styles are dramatically different from one another. Imagine the exposure he could have had to Spanish music or the music of the Americas. Even so, he produced fantastic compositions simply by attending concerts and learning from others.

Beethoven and the World of Music

Now imagine Beethoven with access to all the musical styles and cultures around the world. The possibilities are staggering. Composers of his time lived in relative isolation. Franz Schubert was obscure to the world until after his death! You can see a parallel in the early 20th century. Listen to recordings of pre-World War II artists like Rachmaninoff, Hofmann, Paderewski, Levine and other pianists from that age. They all had dramatically different styles from one another. With recordings, musicians could hear each other, and today, everyone can hear everyone, and performances have become more homogenous. Listening to those old recordings, even with the scratchy sound, you can hear individuality that far surpasses the variety of performances today.

More Creativity or More of the Same?

Would the presence of YouTube in Beethoven’s time have created more homogeneity, or would it have inspired the same kind of individuality and variety we hear in Bach? In the 20th century, the Beatles provided a great example of global musical influence. George Harrison studied with Ravi Shankar, the great Indian musician, and you can hear that influence in songs like Within You, Without You. Their music reflects a fusion of styles from around the world.

Creativity or Distraction?

So here is the question I leave you with. If YouTube had existed in Beethoven’s time, would it have sparked more creativity through exposure to new sounds and styles, or would it have led composers to sound more like each other? The answer is unknown, and it is fascinating to ponder. One last thought: if YouTube had been around, would Beethoven have spent too much time doom scrolling and not enough time composing these great works? These are the kinds of questions I think about when imagining this alternate history. Let me know your thoughts about this in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and on YouTube!

Beatles: Within You Without You

Ignacy Paderewski plays “Menuet” in G

Josef Hofmann

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Josef Lhevinne

Why You Must Practice Your Scales and Arpeggios in 4 Octaves


Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today we’re talking about why it’s so important to practice your scales and arpeggios in four octaves. You might think playing scales is just the same thing over and over again. If you can play them in one octave, can’t you just repeat that pattern in another register? It might seem that way, but the reality is more nuanced.

The Angle of the Hands Matters

When you play in the lower or higher registers of the piano, the angle of your hands changes. This shift impacts your technique. If you only practice in one part of the keyboard, you’re not fully developing the flexibility and control needed to navigate the entire instrument. Practicing across all four octaves helps you gain fluency moving up and down the keyboard smoothly and confidently.

Posture and Bench Positioning Are Key

To practice four-octave scales and arpeggios effectively, make sure you’re sitting properly. If you’re too close to the piano, your arms and wrists are forced into awkward angles, making it difficult to play evenly across the keyboard. Sit back far enough so your arms can extend comfortably in front of you. This posture allows for better movement from one end of the piano to the other. Many students make the mistake of sliding side to side on the bench as they play. While this might help you reach the keys temporarily, it’s not a sustainable solution. Instead, find a central position on the bench with the correct height and distance so you can access the full keyboard without shifting your body constantly.

Use the Metronome and Take Your Time

When you’re ready to begin, start slowly with the metronome. Work through your scales and arpeggios at a comfortable tempo. Focus on accuracy and evenness. Gradually, you’ll build speed and confidence. Practicing all major and minor scales and arpeggios over four octaves might seem overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Take one scale per week. If you stick with it, you’ll eventually cover them all. There’s no rush. You have your entire life to enjoy playing the piano! And the benefits of mastering these foundational exercises are enormous.

The Long-Term Rewards

If you’ve already gone through the process of learning all your scales and arpeggios, you know how transformative it can be. It dramatically improves your technique, your sight-reading, and your overall ease at the keyboard. Share your experience in the comments on LivingPianos.com and YouTube. Your journey can help encourage others who are still working toward this goal. For those of you still in the process, be inspired by those who have completed it.

A Solid Foundation for Musical Freedom

Learning all your scales and arpeggios is a game changer. When you’ve already mastered them, you don’t have to relearn them every time they appear in your pieces. And practicing in all octaves gives you a solid technical foundation. You’ll be amazed at how much easier music becomes when the patterns are already second nature. The time you invest in this kind of practice pays off many times over, giving you a sense of fluency and freedom at the keyboard that far exceeds the effort you put in.

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

How to Change Your Piano Playing and Your Life

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

Choose Realistic Repertoire

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

Focused Practice Yields Greater Results

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

Practice Consistently

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

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

Don’t Abandon Old Pieces

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

Daily Choices Shape Your Progress

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

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

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

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

A Bit of History

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

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

The 2025 Lineup

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

  • Steinway
  • Shigeru Kawai
  • Fazioli
  • Yamaha
  • Bechstein

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

How Did the Choices Break Down?

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

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

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

What Can You Learn From This?

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

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

So, what do you think? What’s your favorite piano from this year’s competition? Join the conversation right here at LivingPianos.com and on YouTube. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Golden Rules for Perfect Chords on the Piano

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Have you ever heard someone play the piano and every chord just sounds beautiful? Whether they’re reading written music or improvising, the chords seem rich and perfectly balanced. Yet when you try to do the same, the chords might sound cluttered or harsh. Why is that? It turns out, the secret to beautiful-sounding chords lies in something deeply rooted in nature: the overtone series.

What Is the Overtone Series?

The overtone series is the natural phenomenon that gives sound its color and character. Any musical sound—whether from a piano, another instrument, or even a non-musical source—contains more than just its fundamental pitch. Overtones are additional pitches that naturally occur above the fundamental note. They’re what give sound its richness, just like how a color is often made up of many different shades. A pure sine wave with no overtones sounds flat, lifeless, and boring. When overtones are present, the sound becomes full and musical.

You can even observe overtones on the piano. By silently pressing a high C key (lifting the damper without making sound), and then firmly playing a lower C, the higher string will begin to vibrate sympathetically. This demonstrates that the higher C is part of the overtone series of the lower C.

The Pattern of Overtones

The overtone series begins with notes that are far apart and gradually get closer together. Starting from the fundamental tone, each successive overtone comes closer in pitch to the next. After a certain point, the overtones are separated only by half steps. This pattern is crucial because it explains why some chords sound better than others. When chords are constructed in a way that aligns with the spacing of the overtone series, they naturally sound pleasing to the ear.

Spacing Is Everything

Here’s where this becomes especially practical for piano players. Chords voiced with wide spacing between the bass and the upper notes tend to sound much better than chords that are clustered closely in the lower registers. For example, if you play a chord in the left hand using tightly packed notes, the result is often muddy and unpleasant. But if you space the bass note well below and place the rest of the chord in the right hand, the result is far more pleasing. This principle isn’t just for improvisation or modern styles. It has deep roots in Western classical music.

The Influence of Bach and Western Harmony

Western harmony, as we know it, evolved from vocal writing, particularly in the chorales of Johann Sebastian Bach. These chorales consistently show that the bass note (the lowest note) is spaced significantly below the upper voices. This spacing mirrors the overtone series and results in a resonant, clear sound. Even in simple tunes like “Happy Birthday,” when chords are voiced with space between the bass and the upper notes, the result is much more satisfying.

Beethoven and Beyond

This approach to chord voicing is not limited to Baroque music. Take, for example, the second movement of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata. When the arpeggios in the left hand are reduced to block chords, you can see how Beethoven employs the same concept. The bass notes are separated from the other tones, allowing the chords to breathe. This is a continuation of the harmonic principles established through centuries of musical development, rooted in the overtone series.

Applying This to Your Playing

Whenever you play chord progressions, remember to space your chords so that the bass note stands apart from the upper notes. Let the right hand handle most of the chord tones, especially when supporting a melody. Whether you’re playing simple triads or complex harmonies, this approach creates a much more rewarding and musical sound. Compare this to playing everything close together in your left hand and it usually results in a cluttered mess. Giving your chords room to resonate in line with the overtone series is key to making your playing sound professional and beautiful.

A Universal Principle

This concept of voicing chords according to the overtone series isn’t limited to classical music. From Bach to Beethoven and into contemporary styles, it’s a universal principle of good voice leading and harmonic balance. By understanding and applying this natural spacing, you can dramatically improve the sound of your chords. I encourage classical players to study their scores and observe how often composers use this technique. It’s everywhere, once you start to notice it. Thanks for joining me. I’m Robert Estrin, and this is LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.

The Ideal First Piano: What You Need to Know


Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today we’re exploring an important question for anyone beginning their piano journey: What is the ideal first piano? You might wonder if it should be an upright, a digital, or something else entirely. Well, my answer may surprise you.

The Ideal Piano in a Perfect World

If we’re talking about the ideal first piano, the answer is a nine-foot concert grand — something like a Steinway or another high-end brand — placed in a concert hall. Why? Because playing on such an instrument sets you up for success in so many ways. Just like learning to drive in a large vehicle can make driving anything else feel easier, starting on a concert grand piano makes transitioning to any other piano seamless. The rich, rewarding sound, the fluid touch, the precision of the action — all of these elements encourage playing and make practice enjoyable. It’s incredibly motivating. Too often I see parents hesitant to invest in a quality instrument. They buy a cheap or poorly maintained piano, the child hates the sound and feel, and soon loses interest. Then the parents say, “Good thing we didn’t spend the money.” It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Why a Concert Grand Isn’t Always Practical

Of course, a concert grand in a concert hall isn’t realistic for most people. Aside from the cost, there’s the matter of space. Even if you could fit one physically into a room, the sound might overwhelm the space without proper acoustics. A nine-foot piano needs room to breathe. So, what’s the next best thing?

Grand Piano

A full-size grand piano, though smaller than a concert grand, gives you much of the same responsiveness and tonal quality. For many homes, this is the best balance between playability and practicality. You get that rewarding action and sound without the excessive volume of a concert grand.

Baby Grand Piano

If a full grand is too large or too costly, a baby grand can still offer a very good playing experience. The action is similar to a concert grand in design, though slightly scaled down. This is a strong option for a dedicated beginner or intermediate student.

Tall Upright Piano

A tall upright piano can be a great instrument as well. In fact, some tall uprights have better sound than baby grands! However, the actions on uprights are slower than on grand pianos since hammers go up and down on grand pianos and sideways on upright pianos. Grand pianos have quicker repetition and more nuanced control. Uprights, with their sideways-moving hammers, can’t match that level of responsiveness. This becomes noticeable as students progress, particularly with repeated notes, trills, and fast passages.

Also, the pedals on uprights don’t all function like those on grand pianos. The sustain pedal on the right is the exception and the one beginners use most. So, for early learning, a tall upright in good condition can be very close to ideal.

Console Piano

Shorter upright pianos, like consoles, can still be serviceable for beginners. They don’t offer the best sound or action, but they may provide an affordable option. If you go this route, just be sure it’s in solid condition. A poorly functioning piano of any type can hinder progress.

Hybrid Pianos

Hybrid pianos are an excellent solution for many players. These instruments combine digital sound with a real grand piano action in a more compact cabinet. While they don’t replicate the full experience of an acoustic instrument, some offer incredibly realistic feel and sound for a much lower price and smaller footprint. And they can be played with headphones.

The Absolute Minimum: 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Pianos

If you’re looking for the bare minimum instrument to study piano seriously, it’s a digital piano with 88 weighted keys. Anything less simply won’t develop finger strength or technique properly to play other pianos.

Unlike other instruments like the violin or clarinet, pianists can’t bring their own instrument with them. You’ll encounter many different pianos at lessons, performances, and rehearsals. If you’re used to an unweighted action, you won’t be prepared to handle standard acoustic pianos.

Some digital pianos also feature “graded” actions, where the lower keys are heavier than the higher ones, mimicking acoustic piano mechanics. While this is a nice touch, it’s not essential. A good weighted action is far more important than whether or not it’s graded.

Choosing a Digital Piano

When shopping for a digital piano, go in person if possible. Stores like Guitar Center or your local music retailer often have a range of models to try. Brands like Yamaha, Casio, Roland, and Kawai all make quality instruments starting at a few hundred dollars.

An added bonus of digital pianos is the ability to use headphones, which can be very convenient for shared living spaces. They also interface with music software, opening doors for creative and educational tools.

Final Thoughts: Bigger Is Better (Usually)

So, what’s the order of ideal instruments for a beginner?

  • Concert grand (in a concert hall!)
  • Grand piano
  • Baby grand piano
  • Tall upright
  • Console upright
  • Hybrid piano
  • 88-key weighted action digital piano

If you can at least provide a well-maintained tall upright, you’ll be giving yourself or your child a strong foundation. It will sound and feel good, and make practice more enjoyable, setting the stage for success.

If you need help choosing a piano, feel free to reach out to me at Robert@LivingPianos.com. We sell pianos across the country and even around the world, with free delivery in the U.S.

Check out LivingPianos.com — the World’s First Online Piano Store since 2006. Thanks for joining me. See you next time!