GLISSANDO on Piano

by Neil
(Brecon,Powys,Wales)

I would like to know how to play glissandos.

Every time I try to play them it hurts my fingers.

What's the right technique for it and how do you play a glissando on the black keys?

How to Improve my Overall Piano Technique?

by Danny
(United Kingdom)

I love the piano, I'm practicing sometimes up to 8 hours' a day. I was wondering, do you have any tips for how to improve my overall piano playing technique?

I'm currently learning piano on a digital piano with fully weighted proper piano keys.

I can't move fast yet like a piano player. I start off always with a metronome and go slow & then go fast. I know all major scale's: C,F,Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,F#,Bmaj,Emaj,Amaj,Dmaj,Gmaj (Sorry I just always write /say them out ha-ha)

I'm learning chord's now and minor scale's, all chord's, aug, dmin, major, minor, and I can play octave to octave scale's (just about, very roughly) and also do a few run's. Just today I was playing arpeggios for the first time smoothly...ish with my right hand, but very weakly with my left .

I guess this is down to me being right handed but I love working the left-hand out to get it up to speed.

I'm self teaching myself at the moment, I had a few lessons but nothing really major, and the rest? I've been teaching myself.
I play everything by ear and I know some basic theory, such as the bass, clef, the staff, ledger notes & where the note's are on the staff.

How can I make my fingers independent so I can play the bass and a chord at the same time instead of being only able to play the bass and chord together?

When I try to add a ‘groove’ the left hand & right hand always play together it’s like they are joined together and don’t want to be separated, it's very frustrating sometimes, so I take it slow it work’s a bit, but when I go to speed it up? It all goes wrong:-(.

I’'m trying so hard to get my piano playing up; I’m putting in my work every single day!! And I’m just learning and trying my best to become a better player.

Also I have trouble finding the chord's in a song.
Do you have any advice on how to pick out the right chord's, the right chord progression?

I can find the melody but I can never play them together and my fingering goes all muddy!! (LoL).
I can never get the correct right hand fingering for the melody and the correct left hand fingering for the chord or bass, but when I practice major scales? I can always do it sometimes, ‘perfectly’.

What can you advise?

Exercises For Both Hands in an Unsynchronized Mode

by David
(Madrid)

Playing the same thing with both hand at the same time is easy, but unsyncronized playing is tough.

Any specific exercise to start cheating your both half of your brain?
Is there any Hanon of the 60 better for this purpose?

Thanks
All the best!
Regards
David

How can you sing while you play the piano?

by AJ
(Berlin, Germany)

Do you have any tips on how to sing along with a song while playing the piano at the same time?

Do you focus more on the chords or on the melody and singing the correct lyrics?

Singing vs. playing piano

by Lipsika
(Hyderabad, Andhrapradesh, India)

Hi David, I'm from India, I am 17 yrs now.

I am very good at singing as I started learning Indian classical since 3 years of my age. Now I am very passionate to sync my voice with the piano while I am playing.

I am going through the basics at present, and I can play songs without much difficulty. My interest is to use both right and left hands while I am playing.

I can't sync both the chords the melody at the same time...

Please suggest some tips. And HATS OFF off to your idea of launching this site. You really made piano playing at doorsteps.

God bless us all.
Cheers

The Right Distance Between the Left Hand and the Right Hand

What would be the proper musical distance between the left hand and right hand on the keyboard?

Let's say,if i am playing "D" with my left hand,how far in the keyboard can I go with the right hand Before it sounds "wrong"?

playing a long trill on the piano

by Monique
(Ontario, Canada)

What's the best way to play a long trill? I am having trouble with the trill section in Venetian Boat Song. Any suggestions would be great! When I play the trill my fingers are so tensed.

Arm weight technique for scales

by Richard Wong
(Canada)

Hi,

I am having difficulty incorporating the arm weight technique while playing scales. I would like to know how to do a crescendo/decrescendo while playing a scale. Should I drop my arm more etc... Please and thank you.

How do you play a repetative note

Hi David:
I am an older beginner and have been following your lessons. They are great and have truly got me started on the road to learning to play my keyboard.

I have one major priblem, which is repetative notes. In Few of the tunes I would like to play are numerous repetative single notes, I guess when someone is talking or some such thing. How can you make a part such as this sound good?

Piano Lessons with Technique, Posture and Fingering.

by Irina Vesterberg
(Stockholm, Sweden)

I always say to my pupils while learning to play the piano that posture, just like breathing, is very important, especially if you are practicing long hours at the piano. Also, getting your body balanced and upright allows you to play softer and harder without using the muscles from your wrists or arms.

First, sit on the edge of your seat and stick your bum out a little. Now, place your hands on the keys - if you're chair is too close or far away, then adjust it accordingly so that your hands rest comfortably on the piano keys.

Relax those fingers and have one foot in front of the other for more balance. Try to use a piano stool if possible, instead of a chair with a back. I would always recommend a proper padded chair as well (stops the legs going numb!). Being comfortable will enhance your practising by allowing you to play the piano longer!

I have some free blank manuscript paper if anybody wants to print off - it's a pdf download.

http://www.swedeninternational.se/spela-piano/pianonoter.html

Irene Vesterberg

How to play Ornaments

by Hamid Elyahyaoui
(Meknes/Marocco)

Hi David! I would like to thank you for your nice work. I'm following all your lessons in order to learn to play the piano.
I wish you'd be able to add a special lesson on how to play ornaments on the piano like: Trills, mordant,arpeggio, apogiature...ect. Thanks in advenced. sorry for my bad english!

Playing Octaves With One Hand

by Emma

Hello David,

Thank you so much for answering my previous queries with such clarity. I really appreciate your help.

I am in need of your help once again. I seem to find it very difficult to play octaves with one hand i.e if I have to play two C's, an octave apart, using my fifth (pinky) and first(thumb) finger then going from C's to two A's using the same two fingers or any other two keys an octave apart.

If I concentrate on the thumb, the pinky hits the wrong key and vice versa. My fingers are quite long so I have no problem in stretching to reach the keys. Only when I have to move from one octave to another octave, I end up either over-stretching or under-stretching and hitting the wrong key.

I would really appreciate your advice/tip on how to correctly play these notes. Should I keep my hand stiff or relaxed?

Thank you so much
Emma

Problems to keep my fingers under control

by Stefan
(Germany)

Hello David, I,m from Germany and enjoy your tutorials. I have a Problem with playing with both Hands.
I started to play Keyboard by ear since I'm 12 years old. Now I'm 23 and trying to learn to play better piano with both hands. I've only used the right one before. Now I tried to play the Zelda Theme Song, as shown on your tutorial. I can play the first part of the hands only with the left or the right hand.
If I try to combine both, I have problems for example to keep the finger 2 on the right hand up, if I'm falling down with finger 2 on the left hand. so It's like a bockade. Do you have any good idea oder methode to turn it off?
Thank you in advanced for your Help!
Sincerely yours Stefan

Playing with Eighth and Sixteenth Notes with the metronome

by Bob Young
(Randolph, Ma.USA)

Do you have tips on playing with a metronome? Especially with eighth and sixteenh notes.

Advanced Piano Practice Techniques

My name is Brian and I have been playing piano for 11 years. I have progressed a lot in these 11 years and I only practice one hour a day 5 days a week. My teacher says that I should practice for at least two hours a day, but I can't seem to focus for that long.

I am curious as to what really advanced concert pianists do during their 4-5 hour practices sessions. If anyone is or knows a concert pianist I would love to hear some tips they have. Right now I am playing the "Black Key" Chopin Etude, Beethoven Sonate Op. 14 No 1, and the Prokofieff prelude op12 no7.

Multi- arc slurs

how do u play a multi- arc slur?

Emphasizing The Melody Note When Playing the Melody and Chords With the Right Hand

by GEOFFREY
(MODESTO, CA)

David,-HELP!
I Love your site!!!
My problem is in "VOICING"(Bring out/ playing louder) a specific melodic note when playing an interval with the same hand.

How do I fall faster to a key while playing other note simultaneously with the same hand at the same time? Does it have to do with playing with "Active fingers", with the "Whole arm technique?" or a combination of both of them?

I'm very frustrated!

Thand you! Geoffrey

Speeding Up Familiarity of Piano Geography

by Ken
(Singapore)

Hi David and Ido,

Would first like to thank you for your generosity in sharing so much of your musical knowledge with us, and for the effort you two have put into making this site so comprehensive and beginner-friendly:) I learned a lot of theory, and other piano fundamentals I had always wanted before, but never seemed to be able to get hold of -- all from Piano Play It:)

I have actually only been playing for 7 months. After an absolute-beginner's course, I started a pop piano improvisation course, which without knowing much chord theory, I was quite lost at. After studying your chord theory section, I managed to score a perfect score on a chord-theory test on another site! I have you two to thank for that:) (and to think less than a week ago I only knew the majors and minors!

I have a question though...

I'm legally blind, which means improvising needs me to either take a long time feeling my way around the piano, or having to take time out to look really close at the keys to find the right one to harmonise.

Is there some sort of exercise or technique that could help one to speed up the familiarity process of the geography of the piano? Or is the only way of achieving that to keep playing until I get it?

I know being able to play without looking at the keys takes years of playing, but doing this is such a basic need of mine that I'd like to have a decent grasp on it fairly quickly.

Would really appreciate any advice you could give me on this.

Thanks in advance!

And thanks again for everything else:)

Best regards~

My legs are too long to use the pedal properly

by Sylvia
(The Netherlands)

I just started with piano lessons. This week I had to use the sustain-pedal for the first time. But my legs are way too long, they get stuck under the piano!

For a girl I'm quite tall, 181 cm (5.94 feet). If there's much pressure on my knee, I can't lift my foot properly, and can only use my toes for the pedal. Men and women have different body proportions, men with the same height as me have shorter legs and a longer upperbody.

The teacher lowered the stool, but that didn't help because the length from foot to knee stays the same.

Tall men (195cm / 6.4 ft) have their knees in front of the piano (not under) their arms are long enough to reach the keys. But I have to bend forward or stretch my arms very far and that is not a good posture.

Normally I sit down, place my feet a few inches back under the stool, resting on my toes. Then my knees drop a few inches and they fit partly under the piano. But I can't use the pedal like that.

At home I have a digital stagepiano and I can raise the stand but I don't know what to do on my next lesson with a real piano.

Purpose of Pedal in a Piano

by Ash
(Honolulu, Hawaii)

Could you please explain the purpose of Pedals in a Piano.
There is one pedal in Electronic Piano I bought. How does this replace three pedals in a proper Piano?

I truly enjoy your website and also your You tube videos.
Thank you very much!
Ash

Playing with both hands

by Andy
(Anderson)

Can you help me teach me how to play with both hands?

Coordination of the Left and Right Hand

by Abdulazeem
(Uganda)

Hi,

I have a major problem with coordinating my left hand with the right.
Do you have any suggestions?

Help me Learn to Combine the Right and Left hand

by Kathee
(Toronto)

I'm Having trouble combining the left and right hand at the same time. Are there any tricks or techniques that might help me?

How to Play Piano with Both Hands

by Aly
(England)

I am having trouble play the piano with both hands at the same time.

I have been playing at the age of 6 and so 7 years now.

I am self tought and haven't had lessons. What would help me with being able to play with two hands? Thank you

How to play the piano with both hands without getting confused.

by Ernest
(Ghana)

Hi, I love listening and watching people play the piano that it made me to want to learn myself. Over time, I've been able to play some things but I always get caught up when it comes to playing with both hands. Can you please help me!!!:(:(:(

Problems with the left hand

by Lin
(Canada)

I am an older adult I taught myself piano theory I can sightbread music very well. This site was very helpful. I can play melody with my right hand pretty well also.

When I try to get my left hand involved everything I have learned is GONE,,,I mean totally as if I have never learned anything. I have tried a few different things but to no avail. I simply become hopeless as soon as I try anything with mybleft hand. I am ready to pack it in.

Please if anyone knows of anyfhing that will work please answer. I love piano music so much and I don't want to quit,but feel I will because you don't sound very good justnplaying melody and no rhythm, like David says It is the pulse or heart beat of the music and for me I don't have a pulse.

How to Play Piano With Both Hands?

by John Richard Bissett
(North East, England UK)

Could you please teach me how to play piano with both hands?

I myself play the keyboard, but I can only play with my right hand, I’m rubbish with my left so the big question is...

How can I play piano with both hands?

Coordination and dexterity

by Chris
(Thailand)

Hi, I'm having the hardest time with coordination, I follow your exercises, but do you think everyone can achieve a good level of coordination and dexterity and if yes in how long time?
Also how many minutes shall I practice the exercises?

How to play piano keys which are far apart from each other?

by Angel

Hello,

How to play piano keys which are far apart from each other? Like playing middle C and lower A at the same time? I always end up playing only the middle C.

Thanks and hope you could help. :)

Getting left hand to play in time with right hand chords

by Phil
(Melbourne Australia)

Hi David, love your work.

Any hints on getting left hand to co-ordinate better with right hand chords etc, especially when you have to play multiple single note on bass while playing chords with and not with bass line.

I have s program called Emedia Piano, looks similar to rocket Piano, trouble with emedia and similar it is so boring plus I am not trying to learn to be a classical pianist, just want to play songs I like.

I know with practice like anything one gets better, but if you have any tricks or suggestions I am interested in hearing them,

Happy Holidays
Phil

Flucking Chords on the piano like on Guitar

by Asako Shela
(Souka City Japan)

I would like to ask how to hit guitar chords to piano.
ex. D,A,G and A chords and make it flucking like guitar.

Why don't the hammers hit the strings in the middle?

by MC
(England)

Does anyone know why the hammers don't hit the strings in the middle?