Practicing Piano
Piano Practice and the Brain
One thing I’ve been fascinated by in my 20ish years of teaching piano: why is it that some people seem to be way more efficient at practicing? You can have two people at the exact same level, and give them a 30-minute practice session. Person #1 might make some very modest gains. Person #2 might…
Read More2 Ways of Speeding Up a Piece
There are two ways I use every time I want to speed up a piece on the piano, which I call “walking” and “flying.” In this episode, I outline what these methods entail, and how to implement them in your practice sessions. If you want to support my video podcast project, come on over to…
Read MoreYou’re an ear player if…(7 problems and solutions)
Hey all! Today’s video outlines seven signs of being an ear player. If you relate to any of these, don’t worry! There are some fixes you can implement. 🙂 Sight readers will be on the chopping block next week! (The music I play in this video is “February Sea” by George Winston.) -Allysia P.S. All…
Read MoreCommon Piano Problems #4: Perfectionism
In this video series, I’ll discuss common problems I see adult learners face at the piano based on my experience teaching online courses these past few years. The first video in the series can be found here. The second video can be found here. And here’s the third! If you’d like to join the music…
Read MoreCommon Piano Problems #3: Reading Rhythms
In this video series, I’ll discuss common problems I see adult learners face at the piano based on my experience teaching online courses these past few years. The first video in the series can be found here. The second video can be found here. If you’d like to join the music theory webinar series, head…
Read MoreCommon Piano Problems #2: Avoiding Reading Music
In this video series, I’ll discuss common problems I see adult learners face at the piano based on my experience teaching online courses these past few years. The first video in the series can be found here. If you’d like to join the music theory webinar series, head here. To learn more about my piano…
Read MoreCommon Piano Problems #1: Overdoing It
In this five-part video series, I’ll discuss common problems I see adult learners face at the piano based on my experience teaching online courses these past few years. If you’d like to join the music theory webinar series, head here. To learn more about my piano classes, and to sign up for a waitlist,…
Read MoreMemorizing a Piece: Building Muscle Memory
Memorizing a Piece: Building Muscle Memory We’ve talked about four different types of memory on this channel before: tactile, aural, visual, and analytical. Today, I wanted to hone in on a specific discussion of tactile memory, which we also typically refer to as “muscle memory”. When I think of muscle memory and music, I think…
Read MoreThe Best Way to Learn is in Layers
We learn naturally in layers. When we learn to walk, we don’t master walking right away. We learn to walk alongside other skills like eating and throwing balls (or food). As we age, we get better and better at walking – and then later on, we’re able to run and jump. If we just laser-focused…
Read MorePractice with no progress? (Four reasons and remedies)
Hey friends! It’s been a while since I sat down and chatted with you about piano player problems and challenges that adult learners in particular tend to face. Today I want to talk about the very common problem of practicing without feeling like you’re making any progress at all. Here are four reasons you might…
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