Category Archives: Practice

Effective practice is a key to faster progress. it is important to focus on how to practice, not just what to practice. The following core principles are useful: To sum up, good practice habits help accelerate your progress and achieve your goal quicker.

The musicianship components- both sight reading and ear training are very important for the overall development of a music student. Playing by ear can be very rewarding for students who like to play their favorite tunes. Ear training should be included in the lessons from the very beginning. Few exercises that students can start withContinue reading “Tuning Your Ear for Piano Mastery: Developing Aural skills at the Piano 🎹”

Piano lessons are a valuable addition to a child’s education in many ways. But just taking lessons and not practicing at home enough can lead to loss of interest and motivation in students. It is a very passive way to learn, and will not lead to any real proficiency. In order to see progress inContinue reading “Is it possible to learn the piano without practicing between lessons?”

‘Etude’ is a French word that means ‘a study’. Etudes are technical exercises presented as musical pieces. They are incredibly important for piano students of all levels. Etudes often feature demanding passages that push pianists to their limits, gradually increasing strength, stamina, and overall technical proficiency.  Each etude focuses on a specific technical challenge (e.g.Continue reading “Understanding Piano Etudes”

In this article, I would like to highlight the benefits of taking piano lessons, and mention the risks associated with self learning. In today’s world of social media, self learning piano is mostly associated with the use of some kind of online platform such as YouTube videos, self-taught courses, etc. Though they might sound likeContinue reading “The Effectiveness of Piano Lessons vs. Independent Study”

Piano Pedal technique is fundamental for students right from the elementary stage of learning. A comprehensive grasp of pedal technique is indispensable for pianists. Students develop pedal skills progressively, from beginner to advanced levels. Pedal adds depth, color and expressiveness to your music. We will examine piano pedals in detail in this article. Let’s learnContinue reading “Unlocking the Secrets of  Piano Pedals”

New year resolutions are a great way to cultivate new habits in  students’ practice routine. A few important things to consider in order to succeed in the endeavor of changing habits are: Dedication fuels progress in piano. Every student must consider writing down the *why* for learning to play the piano. This can help themContinue reading “What new year resolutions should musicians/music students make?”

1. Have a plan for practice before diving into it- Examples of having a plan can be practicing a particular technical exercise, repertoire and being able to achieve specific things such as practice hands separate, work on voicing of a repertoire and so on. 2. Don’t skip the warm-up at the piano- Warmups should beContinue reading “Piano Practice Strategies”

✓ A completed Program form on your RCM dashboard at least a few days ahead of the exam ✓ An appropriate instrument- a digital or a tuned acoustic piano ✓ Laptop with mic and camera access ✓ Reliable Internet access ✓ Any repertoire you are not performing from memory ✓ Sight reading sheet (RCM uploadsContinue reading “RCM Certificate Program- Checklist for the Remote exam:”

Piano playing involves use of intricate gestures and complex choreography. A good warm up routine can enhance your technique at the piano and help you play with a relaxed posture. Healthy technique comprises many aspects such as sitting correctly at the piano, using various touches on the piano with ease, playing different scale, chord andContinue reading “What does healthy piano technique mean and how to develop it?”