piano technique

How Music Theory Helps Decode the Bass Clef

How Music Theory Helps Decode the Bass Clef

Since beginning adult piano lessons a decade ago, I have tried to ignore my left hand. Fixated on the treble clef and my right hand, I viewed the bass clef as a nuisance, a mere accompaniment to the more seductive melody.

Bottoms-Up with Sight-Reading

Bottoms-Up with Sight-Reading

Fellow Stumblers: I suspect there are no quick answers to sight-reading classical piano music and perhaps also no magical moment where sight-reading just happens (though I sometimes dream there is). I do know that it does gradually get better.

Burgmüller’s Opus 109 Amplified

Burgmüller’s Opus 109 Amplified

In this practice video, I play the first section of The Pearls, Burgmüller Opus 109. Unfortunately, my extended pinky problem made an unwelcome appearance.

The Case of the Extended Pinky

The Case of the Extended Pinky

Last summer, when I clicked through photographs for my website, I noticed something amiss on the shots of my hands at the piano. The pinky of my right hand, rather than cupping over the keys, jutted straight out, flexed with an unnatural tension.

Using a Metronome to Master Piano Trills

Using a Metronome to Master Piano Trills

Sometimes gripping something one wants out of life is an effective strategy. But in the case of Chopin’s C-sharp minor Nocturne, my determination resulted in a tensed hand, preventing me from playing these piano trills without sufficient fluidity or speed.