As a musician, one of the best parts of playing music is adding your own spin to the notes and markings on the page. Here, Seattle teacher Amber A. explains her interpretation of Beethoven’s "Fur Elise", an ever-popular piece for piano students: Fur Elise, one of the most beloved piano pieces by Beethoven is often a favorite of many piano students. There are a few different performances of this piano music available on the Internet. My favorite performance is the one played by Ivo Pogorelich.

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and schedule your first piano lesson? Congratulations! If you’re feeling a little nervous, you’re not alone. It’s totally normal to get the jitters when you’re about to do something new for the first time. Preparing for your lesson is a great way to banish your nerves, plus you’ll show up to your lesson primed for success. Follow these 5 steps and enjoy the excitement of your first piano lesson! 1. Ask Your Teacher Before lessons begin,

We all know that pianos are for more than just playing classical music in a concert hall. They can also be used for some pretty crazy stunts.  From smashing them to shreds to playing upside down, these five performances will have you wondering what else the piano is capable of. Check them out! Who is World’s Best Piano Player? When it comes to choosing the world's best piano player and finding the best piano performances, there is no clear consensus. However, some of the best piano pl

Have you ever wondered which famous classical pianist you resemble the most? Take this fun quiz to find out whether your personality and musical traits have more in common with Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, or Chopin! Which of These Classical Pianists are You Most Like? To this day, famous classical pianists such as Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, and Chopin are regarded as some of the pioneers of classical music. Students around the world are still studying and performing the works of these four

With the spread of the coronavirus, life as we know it is moving indoors. In many major cities, schools are closed, restaurants and bars are shut down, events are postponed, and employees are working from home. The goal is social distancing in order to flatten the curve and reduce the impact of Covid-19 in our communities. We are all sacrificing our individual freedoms to help the common good. As we self-quarantine and spend more time inside, there is a growing need to occupy our time in

As you're playing the piano, does it feel like your left hand just can't keep up with the right? Here, Corona, CA teacher Milton J. shares a few left hand piano exercises to add to your practice to target this common struggle... The dreaded left hand. The hand with a mind of its own, the hand that lags behind the right, and the hand that does not seem that smart. While all of these conjectures are common, it stems from a lack of detailed attention to developing the accompanying left hand in c

Sifting through digital piano reviews can be a time-consuming task, but it's important to find the right fit when you're purchasing your first piano or keyboard! Whether you’re a pianist without the space for an acoustic piano, you want something portable, or you just prefer the bells and whistles of a keyboard, it can be difficult for pianists to find keyboards that really fit all of our requirements. In this article we’ll look at recommended digital pianos for all different types of ne

As you learn how to read piano sheet music, a whole new world opens up! Instead of just black dots on a page, you'll see beautiful melody and chords right before you. Here, piano teacher Nadia B. takes you on a helpful visual tour...    One of the most interesting things about learning piano is that it’s truly like learning a new language – just as you learn how to decode words on a page to read them aloud, you are learning to unlock the symbols on the page to play music. It’

As a beginner learning to play the piano, you might feel overwhelmed by all of the new information -- major scales, minor scales, and triads, oh my! How do you remember it all? Start with piano major scales by using these 3 easy tricks from St. Augustine, FL piano teacher Heather L... Are you wondering how to learn piano scales fast? It can be tough to see which keys belong in that specific order. ("Where's the black key, again?") When you can visualize piano scales, it’s easier to learn an

Can your favorite contemporary songs help you learn how to play piano by ear? They sure can! Check out how to get started in this guest post by Corona, CA teacher Milton J...   Recently, I started teaching a new piano student who simply wanted to play his favorite pop songs by both ear and sight to not only become a better pianist, but to be the life of the party for his friends. I loved his goal and made sure he knew about the great ways of learning how to play piano by ear using the pop