PIANO TECHNIQUE

Lessons

Courses

Your Teacher

Home
Piano Technique

Wrist and Forearm Tension

Question: Ive been having some tightness and tension in my wrists and forearms lately. Im aware that you
struggled through similar problems with discomfort.
Read more
Thinking Fingers Piano Exercises
Question: Do you know of Guy Maier? If so do you know the piano exercises he and Bradshaw co-authored,
Thinking Fingers? The authors advocate practicing
Read more
Thumb Accuracy
Question: Hello Albert, Thank you so much for the lessons. I am practising the scales as you suggested, e.g.,
started with B major and want to ask you for a
Read more
Strengthening the Left Hand
Question: Hello Albert, Since I started playing the piano, Ive mostly played Romantic-era music, where the
left hand is just accompanying. In January I
Read more
The Most Important Rule of Piano Technique
There is a rule of piano technique that is sure to do more to advance your piano playing than any other. All
amateur pianists I have ever witnessed break this
Read more
The Role of Piano Exercises
Question: I am in my early 50s, an amateur pianist of intermediate skill level (e.g. I can play Griegs Holberg
suite; I doubt if I could play Beethovens
Read more
Playing Without Looking at Ones Hands
Question: How does a pianist learn to play the piano without always having to look at his hands as he plays as
well as make those octave leaps on the piano
Read more
Practicing Technique vs. Music
Question: Can give us an idea how to go about the mastery of technique? Is practicing technique more
important that practicing songs?
Read more
Scales in Thirds and Sixths

Question: Hello Albert, Thank you for your reply mail regarding the fingering for playing descending
chromatic minor 6ths. It is most helpful and is going to
Read more
Small Hands
Question: Hi Albert, I am a retired female who has returned to the piano about three months ago. Havent
found a teacher yet so dont have access to answers
Read more
Piano Scales: 10 Expert Tips
New: Major Scales for Piano for free download! A thorough study of piano scales is vital to playing musically
and with confidence. Nonetheless, while virtually
Read more
Piano Technique
Piano technique is the ability to get the right sound at the right time out of the piano. It is the ability to realize
music, how we interact with our
Read more
Piano Wall (Fallboard)
Question: Hello Albert, First of all, thank you so much for this website I appreciate the work you put into all
this just to help us!
Read more
Playing Chords Together
Question: I wonder how I can practice playing chords with both hands so the notes sound together. Im
talking about complex chords which need to be played with
Read more
Piano Pedal Problem
Question: How would you stop a pupil lifting their heel when using the pedal? Alberts reply: To resolve this
pedal problem youll need to show your student
Read more
Piano Exercises for the Left Hand
Question: I would like to know what exercises I can do to strengthen and train my left hand. I have been
searching the internet and have only found a few, but
Read more
Piano Exercises
There is no more necessary evil in piano playing than piano exercises. I would love to be a musical idealist
and deem all such exercises superfluous, as what
Read more

Piano Fingering
Piano fingering is one of the most crucial aspects of learning the instrument, yet it is among the most
overlooked. Here are seven of the most important rules
Read more

Piano Hand Position

Question: How should you place your hand while youre playing the piano? Alberts reply: The hand should
be curved in a smooth arc, roughly forming a
Read more
Piano Hand Positions
Question: Where do your hands go when you are beginning to play a song? Alberts reply: Youre referring
primarily to hand position here, and secondarily to
Read more
Improving Piano Technique
Question: I have been playing piano since childhood. I am a mediocre jazz player, strong harmonically, but
weak technically. I dont play classical music.
Read more
Legato Octaves
Question: In bars 5-7 of the Capriccio in D minor by Brahms, the right hand is supposed to play legato
octaves (the melody) while holding down a middle voice
Read more
Non-legato Scales
Question: Hello, Have you any tips on developing a non-legato touch when playing, for example, Mozarts C
major Sonata K. 545? I can only manage a very uneven
Read more
Piano Chord Voicings
Question: Hello Albert, Often bringing out or emphasizing particular notes within a chord is required, as in
e.g. Schuberts Moment Musical, Op. 94 (D.780),
Read more
Piano Exercises for Finger Independence
Question: Hello Albert, Firstly, many thanks for the positive feedback you have given me to my questions
which is a tremendous help. My question today relates
Read more
Fingering Myths or Facts?
Question: My question is, how important is correct fingering when playing? I recently downloaded (THANK
YOU) your scales reference, which showed all twelve
Read more
Hand Span and Technique
Question: Hello. I too am a late beginnerstarted just before I turned 18. So far I have managed to play
Mozarts Rondo Alla Turca and some other easy
Read more
Horowitzs Octave Technique
Question: Mr. Frantz, Id like to start by mentioning how impressed I am with your website. It is extremely
informative and comprehensive.
Read more

How to Play Fast

Question: I have problems with fast, scale-like, semi-quaver (16th notes) passages, which are typical in
Mozart sonatas for example. I cant control them at a
Read more
How to Play Piano
Question: Dear Albert, The seems a pretty dumb question, but its one of my major problems playing the
piano: How do I play piano, without losing security?
Read more
Dynamic Balance and Voicing
Question: Whats the best way of practicing to make the left hand give a lower sound than your right hand?
And to make a lower sound in one finger of another in
Read more
Fast Octaves
Question: I have problems with playing the fast octaves at the end of the third movement of Schuberts
Sonata in A minor D. 784 (Op. 143).
Read more
Finger Speed
Question: Ive read a few times on your site about how everyone has a limit to how fast they can play. This
really bothers me. Like I know its about playing
Read more
Finger Staccato
Question: Hi Albert, My question relates to staccato double notes played softly. Is finger staccato the best
technique for this? Alberts reply: Its not
Read more
Finger Suppleness
Question: Hello Albert, Firstly, thanks for the lessons and advice coming in regularly, it certainly is a great
help and also scary to realize how much I
Read more
Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4
Question: Hi, I would like to have some explanation about the third measure of the Chopin Etude, Op. 10,
No. 4. I already play it up to tempo, but only on this
Read more
Chromatic Minor Thirds
Question: I am in urgent need of the finger settings for the following scale: A-sharp chromatic majordouble
note thirds for both hands. Can you please
Read more
Chromatic Sixths Fingering
Question: Hello Albert, Its good of you to help me, thanks. Like you, I am an extremely late starter but I feel
this is my time now to achieve my dreams. I
Read more

Collapsing 5th Finger Joint

Question: As I depress the piano key using the 5th finger, the 2nd knuckle (middle knuckle) collapses and the
first knuckle (nail knuckle) over-curls to
Read more
Developing Fingering Confidence
Question: I am a senior citizen who has dreamed of learning to play the piano since childhood. I have learned
a lot on my own, and started taking lessons two
Read more
Accuracy on Black Keys
Question: As an adult (aged 54) student of the piano, I have encountered lots of difficulty achieving stability
(and/or a firm grip) on black keys and have
Read more
Becoming a Confident Performer
Question: Hi, I am a pianist and also a student, and I wonder every day in my life, why dont I get there? I
mean, I play the pieces, I play recitals and
Read more
Brahms 51 Exercises
Question: Any fingering suggestions for Exercise 1a and 1b? Alberts reply: This exercise is designed to be
played with a consistent fingering, even though it
Read more
Building an Advanced Piano Technique
Question: My technique goes just so far and then I get stuck. What can you offer in the way of determining
fingerings, being able to move about the keyboard
Read more
Changing Hand Positions Without Looking
Question: I am trying to learn how to move from octave to octave without looking at my hands. For example,
I begin with both hands on the keyboard with the
Read more

Piano Blog

Ear Training (25)

Piano Chord Chart (27)

Piano Practice (53)

Piano Technique (45)

Piano Theory (51)

Reading Music (43)

Sheet Music (16)

The Piano (28)

Uncategorized (39)