PIANO PRACTICE
A selection of articles and features on all aspects of practising the piano.
Memorising your piano pieces
‘Who developed the concept of playing from memory?’ This question is often the one asked by many piano pupils, conservatoire students, and professionals. Memorising a work, or playing without the score, certainly puts extra strain on an artist. Every note must be meticulously rehearsed and learned to the point of distraction. In some cases, might…
Piano Duets: sociable and satisfying
I’ve been enjoying piano duets over the past week, both four hands at one piano and works for two pianos. Piano duos can take two forms. Two pianists at one piano being the most popular, that is, the first player, or primo part, plays at the high pitched side of the instrument or the right…
Practising Piano Scales: 5 Top Tips
Whether you are taking Grade 1 or Grade 8, you will probably need to practice your scales regularly. There is always a strong temptation to just play them through quickly moving on to more interesting parts of your exam. Try not to do this. Scales can be both fun and rewarding as well as a…
Structured piano practice in 5 simple steps
This is a well-worn and popular topic! It’s too easy to sit down at the piano and play without much thought or adherence to any real practising schedule. There is nothing wrong with this and we all do it at some point. However, it’s a good idea to incorporate some kind of structure into your practice regime….
Sight Reading: 6 helpful hints
Sight reading is certainly a hot topic amongst those taking music exams and it simply means the ability to play a piece of music on reading it for the first time, or reading at sight. It’s the part of music exams that many students find a challenge, but it is possible to learn how to…
Piano exam success: 9 key points
I examined for the ABRSM (The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) for 5 years both in the UK and abroad, and I’ve compiled the following list of important points to remember when preparing for your music exam. 1. Preparation is the key to success. You have a very short time to make…
Scales & Arpeggios: 6 reasons why you need to practice them
‘Now for the scales and arpeggios, C major hands together, please.’ The examiner smiles and then glance at the student who is waiting with bated breath. This is a typical scenario when pupils are faced with scales and arpeggios in an examination. Most pianists don’t like them. Some ask if they are really necessary. For…
Piano Practice – how much should I do?
My last blog post focused on the amount of time it takes to learn to play the piano. I had some thought-provoking comments from readers and a couple of pianist friends informed me that 30 years is more appropriate! They do make a valid point… Here are some recent suggestions (below) as to the time…
How long will it take to learn to play the piano?
It’s a difficult question to answer but it’s one that most prospective students ask. 5 key points to remember 1. How much time do you have to dedicate to studying the piano? A child who is just starting to learn may only be able to concentrate for 10 minutes per day, especially if they are…