Ignite a Passion for Practice
I have always struggled sight reading, I was better at technical exercises – like learning scales and arpeggios. So I decided I would document a sight reading challenge. My Motivation to Improve Sight Reading There are two motivators for this […]
As I prepared for college I knew I wanted to study piano. But was I good enough? Was I practicing enough? How many hours a day should I practice piano anyways? The short answer: depending on your skill level and […]
Comedian and pianist Victor Borge once said, “You know, some people have asked me why there are three pedals on these grand pianos. Well, the pedal in the middle is there to separate the two other pedals…which might be bad […]
I’ve played the piano for years, and dabbled with the guitar briefly. So when I first started crafting this article, my gut response was that guitar is easier. To make sure my biases weren’t getting in the way, I asked […]
“Diatonic chord progressions” – that may sound like an ugly theory term to you. Exploring this topic, however, leads to a deeper understanding of the larger musical phrases in your piano sheet music, and a more polished sound in your […]
I’ll admit that I don’t do nearly as much warming up as I should. So in preparation for this article I tried a lot of stretching and warm-up routines to see which ones stuck! I found two main reasons for […]
Chord inversions (not inverse chords) are helpful in learning to sight read better, and read chord sheets. In this article we will learn what chord inversions are, why they are useful and how beginners should practice them. What Are Inversions […]
Whether you are playing a cadenza in your upcoming clarinet concerto, slipping in a slick lick in your blues jam, or accompanying a music group on the piano, arpeggios are everywhere! Arpeggios are part of the fundamentals of any instrument […]
When I listen to “don’t worry, be happy” by Bobby McFerrin I can’t help but smile as I hear his expert whistling and light hearted “doot, doots.” When I listen to “Hello” by Adele I can’t help but feel the […]
A treble cleff is perhaps the most intricate music symbol. The first couple attempts at drawing a treble clef can turn out frightening, but with the right method it’s actually quite easy. In this post we explore: Quick and easy […]
A scale is a group of pitches organized in ascending or descending order. While technically this means there are an infinite number of scales, there are only a few commonly used in western music. The main types of scales in […]
Guitars are fun instruments and easy to pick up. But when a string snaps for the first time, the strings become discolored, or the guitar just doesn’t sound as good anymore you’ll need to restring it. But how much will […]
The placement of a piano in a room is critical for optimal sound production and your instruments longevity. The same instrument can sound harsh in one room and mellow in another. In this article we will explore: safety tips for […]
Pianos are expensive, heavy, and delicate instruments. Take good care of them and they can last decades, take bad care of them and they will go out of tune frequently, sustain damages, and last much less long. 3 Main Factors […]
On move day, your piano is likely to be the most awkward, most expensive, and heaviest item to move. Understanding how to move a piano safely by yourself, is critical. Unlike other DIY jobs the stakes are incredibly high; one […]
Moving a piano upstairs is a challenging task. We’ll talk about the dangers later, however, you’ll need the right equipment, people, and careful planning to get the task done. The general advice, is to hire a professional for such a challenging […]
It costs between $150 and $550 dollars to move a piano. The cost varies depending on your location, transportation distance, and type/size of piano among other factors. For example transporting a piano across the country and into a second floor […]
If your piano is starting to sound out of tune, you may be interested in trying to tune the piano yourself. You probably realize that tuning a piano is a much more complicated process then tuning a guitar. But how […]
So I tune my piano strings once or twice a year, but eventually the strings will wear out and I will need to replace them, right? Well maybe. It turns out that the cost to restring a piano is high, […]