Learn Piano your way with a TakeLessons expert

The history of women’s rights and fight for equality has been a long road. It is still a long road, but thanks to female leaders of the past and present, women have a stronger say now than ever before. As we head into March – known as Women’s History Month – I invite us all to consider the female pianists who paved the way for women in this field of music. The prima donna While the piano had become a household instrument by the 1800s and any gentile young lady would be expected to

Playing the piano is a skill that can be enjoyed alone or with others. If you are lucky enough to have a friend or family member who also plays the piano, you may want to try playing a duet.  Piano duets are a fun way to play together and make music. They can be challenging, but with these tips, you and your partner will be playing like pros in no time!  What is a Piano Duet Called? A piano duet is a piece of music written specifically to be performed by two pianists playing togeth

Ready to practice your piano scales? Break out that metronome and consider this advice from online piano teacher Crystal B... There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to practicing piano scales at different tempos. However, some tempos will be more beneficial than others in helping you improve your playing skills. In this blog post, we'll discuss what tempo you should practice scales at and why. Stay tuned! What Are Scales on a Piano? Here are a few basic facts about piano scales:

No matter how many times you practice a piano piece, committing it to memory is a totally different beast! Luckily, there is actually an easy trick for how to memorize piano music. Read on as Hampton, VA teacher Rachel G. explains her method...    All pianists have heard it at one point or another -- the dreaded onus for every student: "This piece needs to be memorized." You know what that means --playing it over and over and over until every drop of joy has been squeezed fro

Many people later in life regret not playing an instrument. But it’s never too late to learn! Even just learning a few notes on the piano is an excellent place to start. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of making a beautiful noise come from such an elegant instrument as the piano. And the piano is one of the few instruments that requires only a little bit of learning in order to produce music. So when you first start, remember that you don’t need to stress about mastering t

Curious about ragtime piano music? Read on as music teacher James W. shares a quick introduction to the genre, and the 5 iconic pieces you should know!  Ragtime piano music is characterized by its syncopated rhythm, which simply means that the accent is unexpectedly placed on the off beat, like the 2nd beat and the 4th beat in a 4/4 time rhythm. This “offbeat” style became famous at the turn of the 20th century with songs written by Scott Joplin like “The Entertainer” and “Map

Some of the best piano bar songs are requested at dueling piano bars. Haven’t heard of dueling piano songs yet? Keep reading! The “dueling pianos” style of entertainment (which traces back as far as the 1890s) has experienced a recent resurgence in popularity in many big cities. These establishments are typically characterized by having two grand (or baby grand) pianos placed opposite each other with two talented musicians performing and accepting audience requests for favorite songs. Be

Settling in for movie night? Here, St. Augustine, FL teacher Heather L. shares her recommendations for five piano films every musician should watch...   Movies have an amazing way of changing how we look at the world. Every once in a while, some studio will release one that has a tremendous impact on so many of us. After the Cold War fighter jet film "Top Gun" came out in the 1980s, for example, the United States Navy saw a huge increase in recruitments to their aviation program. When a

Klaus Vedfelt / DigitalVision / Getty Images Pianos have been a musical staple for centuries. The piano inspires more than just musical sounds; it also makes for a great punch line. Below are 50 of the best piano jokes, puns, and quotes of all time. Share this list with fellow pianists or your piano teacher. While we admit some of these piano jokes are a little “out there,” they’re sure to put a smile on your face. Let the laughs begin! What Are Some Cool Facts About Playing the Pi

Want to learn how to play the piano? Not all piano teachers are equal -- and different students need different things when it comes to guidance. So how do you know if you've found the right teacher? Find out in this guest post by San Antonio, TX teacher Andrew F...    When you go about your search for a piano teacher, what things do you consider? A few important things to consider could be location, experience, and affordability. I could not and would not argue against their certaint