Here’s the first of my three part series on piano technique! Remember to comment below and let me know about yourself as well, how long you’ve played, and especially one thing that you’d like help with (even if it’s just knowing how to get started). Cheers!
Oh and as promised, here’s a video of one of my students, Trevor, back when he was only 15 years old. What I love about Trevor’s playing is how grounded he is physically and how he’s able to produce a beautiful rich sound in this Debussy Prelude through relaxed controlled technique. Notice his excellent posture and how that allows him freedom of movement!
Remember to comment below!
I’m 83 and took lessons from a teacher for about 18 months then she retired. I’ve always enjoyed classical music and my first jazz artist was Dave Brubeck.
I enjoy making music on the piano but not serious enough to play classical. I like music from the 40’s and 50’s.
Thank you Dave – enjoy the lessons!
Hello from Turkey 🙂 I took piano lessons when I was a kid but stopped after a year or so, and have restarted 5 decades later after retirement. Ive been playing for over a year now, and my biggest problem for now is coordinating 4th and 5th finger. My right hand gets in a weird shape, totally stressed when I try playing double thirds. I even have problem playing 8th notes, can’t seem to get equal times with those fingers. My teacher tells me I don’t have flexible enough fingers, but I think my problem is lacking the technique as you mention in your videos. I have been trying to find good demonstrations on how to use the forearm and wrist movements, how to relax etc. So far your videos seem to be the best ones addressing my problem. I would be delighted if I could overcome this challenge, thank you very much for sharing your great tips!
Great advice. I’ll have watch again and take notes.
I left music school before finishing the degree. As a selftaught pianist, i had very poor technique. Ceased for 7 years. Looking to start fresh.
You sound like a very wonderful teacher.
Glad you enjoyed the video Kristin!
I want to improve my level of piano playing. I hear beautiful and wonderful classical music and I really wish I could play music like that. I have playing for some time and would like to improve significantly.
I wish to thank you for lesson on posture and hand position. My name is Anne. I first took lessons when in secondary achool. However I stopped for years. I returned approx 2 years ago . I found it good. However my tutour went on studying for MA. I always played out to near outside. I did find my left hand a bit weaker but was improving. I can play but havent learnt enough scales in minor. I also did violin first time 2years ago. Its a lot harder. I like it . However my classes ceased due to Covid. I feel piano lessons were so differnt then. I may need to change this class if too advanced. I read music ok. Always find left hand or base cleff more difficult. Hope u can understand this. Anne
I was force fed piano lessons as a youngster, but always avoided practicing. And yet got away with it? Now 50 years later, I regret not “learning”. So now I would like to play for pleasure, but hate making mistakes!
1 year experience in piano lessons
Thanks Advi I hope you enjoy the technique lessons!
Enjoyed your first lesson! I am looking forward to all of them! Have been learning piano now for about 6 months. Have been learning by ear.
Thank you for sharing you video and teaching us, I started learning piano one year ago is new to me was kind of complicated to understand because everyone teach different but i trying my best to learn I love piano music just I feel like is going to take me years to play a song .
Thank has been very helpful.
I can read and play music but the tension is very high. I need to work on my posture
Looking forward to learning new techniques.
I learned as a child, but never got to play anything I knew while at lessons. I cannot reach an octave, so that is a problem, and would love to just play by ear. I am 86 so forgot quite a lot until I tried again.
Fantastic Lois 🙂
Excellent! Amazing!
Thank you really helpful, never considered posture before it really height of stool. Feels much better already
Thank you Kath – I’m glad you are enjoying the lessons!
Matt thank you so much for your excellent video. I am 86 and I’ve just started to learn piano from videos. My main hobby since retirement has been woodworking (furniture making) but I have been persuaded to give that up now as it was getting to be a little too heavy for me. Learning to play piano is something which has eluded me for years, although I played saxophone at school in a military band (70 years ago!) and trombone in a town brass band some 30 years ago. Nothing since then.
Learning for 20 years still very slow. 71 now so better hurry up
I love playing…started at age 65! I’ve studied theory and done trinity exams to grade 4…but I find memorizing a piece really difficult. Some passages slot into place with muscle memory and some I still need the music no matter how many times I play it. I practise every day but would love to feel more confident and maybe try playing sometimes by ear.
Thanks Eileen! I hope you enjoy the lessons 🙂
Hi, I learnt piano in my Year 5 and took both practical ams theory exams up to Grade 6. I stopped because I was time poor and had to concentrate on school work .
Although I have always scored near perfect scores for Theory , I have never been talented in playing. I would like to learn techniques to play by ear , learn how to add chords on my left hand to accompany the tune .
I am now a retired senior
Regards,
Angie
Thank you Angie I hope you enjoyed the technique lesson!
hi,I bfound your lesson very informative.I am returning to piano aftrer years of keyboard and organ playing ,so my left hand technique for playing runs etc is very strange after years of playing chords.
Thank you for the free lesson on posture this was very informative.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Cecelia!
Hello Matt. I am self taught and I know it’s “wrong” but I go straight to classical simple pieces. I’ve just finished Chopin’s Prelude in E minor. My issue is when I get to the Streto section and rapidily play my fingers slip off the keys. How do you rectify this?
Cheers Ingrid.
Your comments re: natural positioning were refreshing.
The motivation for me is to learn to do things correctly and effortlessly.
Thanks for information on posture. Looking forward to lesson 2.
I play pieces from JohnThompson Book one through 3, also James Bastein Beginner Level one and two but can’t seem to go beyond.
I have difficulty recognizing the notes on the base clef.
I have taken lessons in the past for a little while. Always wanted to play but I have trouble with left hand. Enjoyed lesson, never taught correct posture at piano.
I have been playing for a year now…. but I have issues with co-ordinating my left hand with chords with my right hand for the melody.
Thank you so much for the lesson on posture. I had no idea posture is so important. I’ve recognise the importance of the hand posture and relaxation. I use to sit on the side which cause tension to my back, but after this lesson I’ll improve my ways.
Hi Matt,
I purchased a Casio keyboard about 20 years ago. I use it for playing melodies and backing tracks. I haven’t memorized the scales but can play from the piano charts. I have chord charts, too but am not fluent in memorizing chords. I have a lesson from another piano teacher about building chords from theory, but have not completed it. Thanks for your free lessons!
Bob
I was given a few lessons when I was 6 or 7, forced to practice and gave up, never touched a keyboard again until three weeks ago, I have all the scales almost up to scratch, and can play one handed a few chords. I do play the guitar and have been semi pro for 50 years, I find it difficult to get both of my hands working together. Help please.
Lewis
Hi Matt,
As a child I’ve dreamed to be a pianist someday but never came through. I’m 64 yrs old now without knowledge of reading notes. I took a piano lesson 3 yrs ago driving back and forth to get to my teacher’s home but still failing. I was so frustrated so I quit. My practicing was so painful to my arms and fingers that I don’t have the proper technique… Now I started pounding my piano again listening to all kinds of videos, tutorial, all different strategies then I’ve seen your video this might be helpful to me as a beginner. I’m excited to watch your next video on fingering technique. Since it is too late for me to became a pianist on my age, my desire is just to learn few songs that I can play comfortably. Thank you for the video you shared.
I know the bare basics just self teaching myself I know notes on piano and want to learn by ear for my own enjoyment.like I said I known piano notes and in process of learning major scales and also just stating to learn both hands not getting very far .maybe I should have signed up for basics wasn’t sure..anyway I am 60 hoping can still learn…
Hi, firstly thanks for posting the videos and lessons, I’m looking forward to seeing them all. I have played keyboard on and off for a number of years (badly) and decided to now do it properly! I am starting piano lessons with a view to taking the grades. One thing I am really struggling with is getting a consistent volume when I play notes, even for example when playing scales. I have looked at dozens of videos on wrist flexibility/movement, transferring weight from one note to the next etc and still can’t get a consistent sound! Any help would be appreciated. I saw your video on dynamics and was inspired to go to your website.
Hi Richard – Thank you for your comment! That could come from several underlying issues. (The first question would be, is your piano well regulated because of course that will change everything.) Besides just generally good technical habits like I talk about in my videos and courses, there could be a specific underlying issue but I’d have to actually see you playing to give my own opinion. Please e-mail me and I would be glad to watch a short clip of you playing and give you some brief thoughts as well if you like. Cheers – Matt
Thank you for your nice description of posture and hands formation. I have played piano for 2 years and i try to keep my posture as you described but at first it is easy but after awhile i changed it inevitably my another problem is Dechiffrer or seeing the note and playing at the same time .
Thanks again
Thanks much, Matt for sharing your excellent knowledge on how to play the piano perfectly. I enjoyed it and hope i will learn all the techniques and apply them the proper way.
Thank you Faye — I’m glad you found this lesson helpful 🙂
I am a beginner.
Great! You will find these techniques helpful 🙂
Thank you Matt,this is amazing.Ive never thought of posture as important.This is quite helpful as my approach was to get close to the piano also the relaxed hand technique is helpful as I was just about to give up on learning to play as my hands were getting tired quickly from the way I was using them.Will go try these right now and give you feedback.
Thanks
God bless
Thank you Zanele – I’m glad you’re finding these lessons helpful!
Hi Matt.
Thanks for the intro into technique and posture. I am getting on in age being nearly sixty five but I have been playing the guitar (especially the bass) for many years in various bands. It has always been my desire to play the piano but, like many people, I didn’t have the time to devote to the necessary practice. Now I find I have time on my hands so I have bought a keyboard and try to practice at least an hour a day. I have had no technique or posture training so I find your lesson invaluable and will take it on board.
What I would like to know is what to practice daily to improve my ability. I hear people talk about scales and such but I don’t really know what that means. Hopefully you will cover that somewhere along the line.
Thanks again, Rob
Hi Matt
I’m Karo from New Zealand. New keyboard purchased just before lockdown. Had a year of learning piano as a 13 year old … now 58 and hoping to do justice to my purchase.
I am starting your beginner lessons and jumped on these technique lessons at same time.
For technique I remember always having problems with small hands and left hand working at odds with the right.
What makes me excited about piano is being able to jump on and play popular songs that friends and family can sing to. I have learnt to do this with the ukulele in the last 3 years and hope to up my skills to the piano.
Your lessons will hopefully be a great guide to achieve this.
Cheers KARO
Hey Matt
I am back into regular practice, and I realize my technique is poor. I am interested in your topics and I will work through your suggestions. To jump ahead a bit, I saw your Alberti bass lesson and I like the thwack. It reminded me that I have problems with several octave broken chord practice. What should the motion of the pinky be like in a 4 note broken chord sequence of several octaves? Should I thwack it, or should there be distinct pinky finger action?
Oh yeah, and thanks for the detailed presentations.
Cheers GR
Hi Gary — thanks for your comment! This would really depend. By “4 note broken chord sequence” do you mean something like an arpeggiated chord that is inverted? As a general rule you can use a fast rotation (“thwack”) in many instances like that depending on what you have in mind but whether or not you use a separate pinky motion as well has a lot to do with your context and your hands. For example I have smaller hands and very small pinkies so I have to accommodate more with rotation or I will overtax the smaller muscles.
It’s very helpful to hear another teacher’s approach to piano teaching……sometimes my own views are reinforced and sometimes I learn something quite different. In your first video I learned that it’s important to take the time to teach students how to sit at the piano to optimise their performance. I agree totally with the relaxed ”natural” hand position on the keyboard…not a clinched hand position. I will be very interested to find out how you teach finger action. Many thanks for how clearly you explain your methods and for giving the reasons behind your methods.
Nice!…valuable info Matt. Posture is the key to almost any physical, even mental performance I’d say. Its importance is too often overlooked.
Hello Matt! I’m in Central Florida and have been teaching piano for 5+ years now. Watching your technique series is so exciting because you are taking the words right out of my mouth!! 😀 I have found other teachers that disagree with many of my personal technique tenets, and it is exciting to find so many similarities in a fellow pedagogue. My greatest struggle as a pianist is with arpeggios in one hand–I spent my first 10 years playing with horrible technique (I didn’t even know what technique was ha!), and I have never fully shaken some aspects of that tension, even though I improved immensely while studying with Daisy de Luca Jaffe in Pensacola for my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. I am hoping you address this specific later in your series. I also am loving your organization, and hoping to structure my thoughts systematically. I never studied pedagogy, and find I often float through lessons, following the method books rather than taking the reins on our direction. I try and try to organize myself, but life is life, and I never seem to create a real sequence in lessons like I wish to. I would greatly appreciate any tips you have–let me know how I can support your online following!
Thanks..it was useful.
Thanks Matt. Was sitting much too close to piano. I am 77 and did take some lessons when I was a kid. Only remember the price, 50 cents. Wow. Times have changed. I know how to read the notes, key signatures flats, sharps and can get through a begnner book, ok. But I am in no hurry (except maybe before I die) and would like to be able to site read and playi “nice” music whatever that is. I did buy your 96 dollar deal but was not successful getting it. Yes, I’m the one. I am not techi. Bet you’ve heard that before. But I plan to do better.
Hi Matt, I thank you so very much for your videos, they are really of much help to me. I´m really enjoying learning to play the piano, although slowly due to my busy working time. I´m also trying to play easy musics which I find important just for the fun of being able to produce some nice melody. Both hands coordination when playing is always the most difficult part.
Regards,
Maria
dear Matt
hi ! thank you for helpful points.
I started piano when i was 12 . I continued training and playing piano up to 22 but there was pause among these years. From 22 until 42 , there was no practicing or playing . I started again after twenty years while I had more enthusiastic to play. It is seven years I am learning again , i play Mozart , Bach , Chopin,…
I eager to do something , i mean find some simple tecnique for those adults who want to play piano. i studied your topics in piano blog
i believe posture and hand position are very important. i sent you a video of my playing to check my situation
thanks a lot
wishing you the best
Afsan
Hi Afsan – Thank you! I hope you found the rest of the technique lessons helpful!
I just turned 56 and have always wanted to play the piano. I have had several tutors, for shor periods, but still cannot play and am beginning to feel like I would never learn to play. This is one of biggest dreams and I do not want to give up!
Hi Rosemary – I hope you find the lessons helpful. Keep practicing!
My very much stumbling block of the piano is keeping the time signature as I play.The most exciting thing about the piano as I sit is learning all about the piano.Especially writing my own songs working on now.
Thanks for the lesson.
I just turned 70 a few weeks ago and will in the next year or so be retiring and want to learn the piano.
I did take lessons when I was 11 and 12 but then got into sports but always wanted to learn.
I still work so time is limited; however, want to start. I know it will be slow but I want to begin now.
Love that you cover fundamental form. Basics some overlook
Thanks Sherry – yes these are really helpful if you can make them habits!
I know posture and placement are very important. It’ll become habitual the more I practice. I’m looking forward to becoming at least intermediate since I know music and need mostly to learn about this instrument. I want to excel.
Thanks Marie – happy practicing!
Hi Matt,
My main frustration is that I have great difficulty in increasing the temp of a fast piece without it all falling apart. I’m still having issues making a lot of mistakes, hitting the wrong key, especially with jumps, and difficulties with my right hand more when I’m at the left part of the piano. Suddenly things get painful. I would really love it if I could play lightning fast scales with both hands and arps, but thus far, I can’t get that speed that I’d love to have to feel more mastery over the instrument. One problem that bothers me quite a bit is when I play staccato I suddenly feel a lack of control, as if I’m not connected anymore to the keys, and I’m going to fall off the keys, and I”ll get more tension than I want. If staccato is not marked in the left hand, then I have no idea what to do with the pedal, because if I don’t pedal, it sounds like too much staccato, but if I pedal, it kills the staccato, and also this is the place where I might get mud developing.
I’m 62 yrs old, an Adult Student, but I’m not dead yet. Sometimes I’ll notice a bit of arthritic pain in my index finger if i work more than an hour, so in cases like that I’ll just stop.
Hey Garry – Your frustration isn’t uncommon. Of course I haven’t actually seen you play, but a few tips you might find helpful: You’ll find the posture and relaxation advice in these videos helpful overall (bad news – you’ll have to inculcated it slowly over time!). For speed: remember that slow is fast – so try to make sure you’re learning to use your body in the most effective way possible (again these videos have some tips on that).
For jumps, I have two videos you might find helpful as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5wkaJGIM9o&t=10s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE7kO4fBlS8&t=78s
I hope that helps!
Hi Matt, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge off and insights into piano technique!
Though I had several piano teachers over the years, who where really inspiring and motivating, I Always felt that I missed some sort of solid technical foundation. Somehow a lot of teachers seem to skip this or only give general guidelines. I like the kind of teaching in where a teacher delves into this matters in depth.
greetings,
Theo
Hi Theo – You’re welcome. I’m really glad you enjoyed this lesson! I hope you find the next ones just as helpful.
Very good, I think that Trevor plays so good is because he feels the music, he expresses also with his body.
Yes he’s really quite musical!
Hi Matt,
Thanks so much for your videos. I feel like I’m learning lots. I have a unique background in piano. I took lessons for 1 year when I was 7. Then my parents divorced and we moved away. I took lessons again when I was 9, but the teacher moved after a year. Again when I was 12, but my teacher had a baby and quit teaching after a year. I tried it again when I was 16 , but the teacher was a yeller and I dropped her. That was when I gave up on formal piano lessons. But piano has always called to me and so off and on through out my life I have practiced and played mainly to scratch the itch. Now that I’m a bit older and have more time on my hands I have made the commitment to do what it takes to become proficient, and I love it. Beautiful, contemporary piano music most excites me (think Beauty and the Beast teaser music) and my biggest challenge is sight reading. Thank you!
Hi Teresa – Thank you! I’m glad you’re finding these videos helpful. I love hearing about all the different readers and viewers here on the blog. It’s amazing to meet people from all around the world with their own unique stories.
Hi Mat thanks for your good work. i think i have a problem with my fingering because I feel that am not progressing. the chords i play are boring
Hi Laurent – Nice to hear from you. If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge of chords, you might also consider a study of music theory alongside technique. This will help in learning different chords and how they are constructed. I hope that helps!
Hey Matt
The posture info was very helpful to me.
Also the young man played very well.
Warren – Thank you! I’m really glad you found it helpful.
Hi, Matt!
M name is Sriram, and I’m a freshman at college and starting to teach myself the piano. I saw this blog whilst combing through the internet for practice videos. I’ve always wanted to learn the piano and have always loved classical music as a child, but because of my background could never get the chance to do so. Since I’m in college I have found the freedom to play the piano myself, but don’t have a teacher to teach me. I believe in proactivity, so am starting to work my way through different blogs and sites for practice. I would like to know how important a teacher is in helping you understand and play the piano, and would also like to know if you know any good resources online to help me learn the piano!
Also, I would like to thank you for the video, because of hoe helpful it was to a novice without any support! To me, every piece of advice on the internet is a precious one.
Hi Sriram – I’m very glad you liked the video and found it helpful! This question is a bit of a tricky one – and really the answer is “it depends” . . . mostly it depends on what your long term goals are with the piano. There are many things about music that can be self taught, such as theory, musical concepts, even things like ear training and so on. If you are simply looking to play for fun this might be enough for you.
However, if your goal is that someday you want to approach more demanding works – for instance a classical sonata or anything above the early advanced level, you will do well to find an excellent teacher to help guide you. (Keeping in mind of course that reaching this level requires years of study in most cases!) This will help you in developing good technical habits, and clear up confusion as they come up – as well as help you understand musical issues and so on.
No matter what, continue to read and explore on your own! The best students are the ones who are receptive to instruction and are also exploring on their own.
I hope you find that helpful!
Thank you very much for this video! I think it is very important to talk about posture. It is the first think I do with my students. And how to seat and so on. I am looking forward for your next video.
Best regards
Sonia
Hi Sonia – Thank you I’m glad you enjoyed the video! It is definitely one of the first things I work on as well. I hope you find the future videos helpful – please let me know!
I think it is very important to have a good posture and very good that you mention about it! I play a lot but I still have some technical problems. I am looking forward the next videos. Thank you so much! Best regards
Sonia
Hi matt!, im from Argentina, so sorry for mi bad english. 🙂
i play piano at least to a year, i never took piano lessons for personal reasons (i want to do it in a short time),
your video help me a lot and i get so excited to see the next one, thank you so much for do what you do! 🙂
Hi Jonathan – Thank you for your comment – I’m very glad you found the video helpful!
Hi Matt – Took my first lesson at 7 for only one year. As an adult, I took numerous lessons. However, my problem is that I was taught to keep your hand so that a quarter would not fall off. I find that when I play now, my hands and arms are quite tense so I’m hoping that your lessons can give me the relief to play freer without tension.
Hi Barbara! I’m sorry to hear your hands are so tense. Having a balanced hand (the flat tops) can often be helpful but as you’ve learned not at the expense of relaxation and fluidity! I think you’ll find a slow calm approach helpful over time.
Hi Matt,
I took piano lessons when I was a teen in the early 70’s and now I have relearned the classical pieces I was taught then and am teaching myself new pieces. I had a wow moment when you talked about curving your fingers! I was taught to pretend a tennis ball was under my hand. I have never thought much about posture so your videos will surely teach me a lot.
Thanks!
Lisa
Hi Lisa!
Thanks a bunch. I’m glad you found that helpful. Yes curving fingers can depend a lot on the circumstance but I’ve seen it cause trouble when they are over-curved and tense. (Of course flat without any hand arch at all is bad too!) I hope you enjoy the next video as well and really appreciate it 🙂
Matt
Hi Matt–
Looking forward to hearing and seeing the next installments.
I took a couple of years of lessons as a child then came back to the piano as an adult. I struggle to play with larger muscle groups, and not mostly my fingers, and have a lot of tension in my body, period, particularly with extended little fingers, which I know can come from tension and imbalance in my hands.
Hi Colleen – Thanks! Your problem is not uncommon, especially for adult students so don’t worry. I think you’re going to find the exercises I give you in the next installment super helpful for just that issue!
Thanks for the video is the next one coming soon?
Hey Jason – thank you! Yes I’ll be sending it out tomorrow. (Just make sure you’re subscribed to piano blog to get the e-mail.) Enjoy!
Hi Matt my teacher always tells me I have tension in my shoulders. Any advice?
Hi Sandy thanks for your comment! It depends on when you have the tension. If it’s from the start it could come from bad posture habits. For example sitting too low on the bench can make you subconsciously raise the shoulders. So the first thing I would do is make sure you have a good bench height like I talk about in the video. Another simple fix is the pull the shoulders toward your ears and then release them. Sometimes generating tension in a muscle group is a great way to release all of it because it lets you experience where the tension is being held.
Another great tip I learned from a teacher and use with my students is to keep a small note on your music stand that just says “shoulders” – that way as you’re practicing you’ll consciously relax them every time you see it. Usually habits like this take some time to break and if we are concentrated on the music, they creep in without us realizing it.
I hope that helps!
Hope you enjoyed this post – stay tuned for the next installment and let me know about your own technique questions below!
Hello Matt,thanks for this lesson.I have been off and on with the keyboard,but I’ve decided to be more serious with it,though I play badly. So am waiting for the next lesson
Then my greatest challenge is how to solo songs with the keyboard and how to move my hands freely with simple songs. Hope to improve with your lessons,thanks