How To Play Piano By Ear In 6 Steps

Posted by on 11/23/2011
Playing piano by ear can be a source of enjoyment, both for you and for those you accompany. Imagine being able to sit at the piano and play any popular tune. Learning to play by ear doesn’t replace the ability to read music, but the two skills complement each other. Playing by ear requires an intuitive knowledge of notes, chords, scales and rhythm. Mastering these piano basics will improve other aspects of your piano playing, as well. Learn to play by ear with these 6 steps:

Play Piano By Ear

12 Piano Theory Tips

Posted by on 11/9/2011 to Piano Lessons

12 Important Piano Theory Tips

Learning to play the piano is a bit like learning a new language. Music is governed by rules and patterns, just as language is. Memorize and master the basic rules and you’ll find your playing improves more quickly.

Piano Theory Tips
  • A scale is a progression of notes that may be ascending or descending.
  • Key is the diatonic scale most obvious in a piece of music. For example, music written in the key of C Major uses notes close to that scale. The key signature is indicated by the sharps or flats placed after the clef at the beginning of a stave.
  • Dynamics are the seasonings of a musical composition. Dynamic markings give direction as to how loud or soft to play a passage.
  • Chords are simply the simultaneous playing of notes of different pitch.
  • The formula for Major chords goes like this: start with the root note, go up four half-steps for the mid-note, go up three more half-notes for the top note. Major key has a happy, upbeat sound.

Piano Duet - Four-Hands Piano Playing

Posted by on 11/5/2011 to Learn To Play Piano

Four-hand piano music has been around for a long time: Mozart and Beethoven, Ravel and Stravinsky - among many - wrote music for piano duo performance.  The lasting popularity of four-hand piano music more than likely stems from the desire of music lovers to hear symphony or opera, even when they lived prohibitively far from any concert hall. Four-hand piano reductions of symphonic and opera scores were the way they could bring the magic of the concert hall to the parlor of a private residence, via a couple of talented players.

10 Tips To Improve Your Left Hand Piano Playing

Posted by on 11/2/2011

10 Piano Tips to Improve Your Left Hand Playing

  1. If you find a new piece challenging, try playing each hand separately first. Play the right hand part until you have mastered the melody, followed by the left hand part for the harmony. This practice allows your brain and your fingers to focus just on the left hand piece.
  2. Try a few exercises to strengthen the muscles in your left hand. For example, play two notes repeatedly, playing the notes fast and slow, loud and quiet. With time and practice, you’ll have better muscle control.
  3. Watch the fingering marks written on the composition. These marks may not be the only possible fingerings for the music, but they usually offer logical suggestions.
Left Hand Piano Playing Tips