One of the most neglected aspects of learning the piano nowadays is sight reading. One of the most useful, necessary skills when playing a musical instrument is sadly sidelined by most students and teachers because “it’s too hard,” or “it’s too much work to teach it properly.”Unfortunately, this has led to most pianists being unable to sight read properly. This problem is … Read more
Now, I’m willing to bet that you’ve stumbled upon this article because you’re interested in the piano, and want to learn, but you’re confused as to where to start. And I understand this, because there are so many different styles of music, so many different philosophies and theories on playing the piano and making music, … Read more
If you’re a piano teacher looking for the best instruction method for your students, often the amount of beginner books on the market can be quite overwhelming. Especially if you’re relatively new to piano teaching, where do you start? There’s a lot to worry about when choosing the best beginner piano book for your students, … Read more
Learning the piano is something lots of people express an interest in. If one sticks at it, and learns how to do it properly, it can bring a lifetime of achievement and musical joy. However, quite often, this isn’t the case, and many new learners get frustrated and de-motivated to the point where they quit … Read more
This is a common question when it comes to learning any instrument. Sure, you’ve bought yourself a piano, got a teacher, maybe signed up to an app like Flowkey or Simply Piano. But how long will it take for you to actually be able to say “yes, I can play the piano?” You’ve made a … Read more
Regular readers of this blog have often messaged me asking for my take on how hard a certain piece is, or what is the “hardest piano piece” ever? I don’t usually entertain these questions, because difficulty is one of the most subjective concepts when it comes to the piano. Just like interpretation, there is absolutely … Read more
When students get serious about playing the piano, they tend to want to practice more and more. They seem to equate longer practice times with faster progress and better playing. Indeed, if you go into a conservatoire or music college, you’ll often find students who say they practice five, six or even seven hours per … Read more
It may come as a surprise to lots of people that many famous and successful musicians actually can’t read music. It’s not necessary to read music in order to play the piano. It’s extremely helpful, and I’d advise that anyone wanting to learn the piano also learns to read music, but it’s not a requirement. … Read more