Hi guys! Don't miss the free resources from the Description Box above: my ebook "A New Perspective on Piano Phrasing" - and the 7 video episodes from the "Piano Myths" series. Enjoy! 🥰
Hello Ilinca, thanks for sharing your well thought out perspective on learning to play the piano. It's such a relief to hear this through all the propaganda of today's fast food solutions. I would like to ask you two small questions. As a beginner player I try to follow the suggested fingering in Nikolaev's book and I saw that you are using a different fingering (for example in playing piece nr 58.). Of course you can use any fingering that suits you best, but it is something that, as a beginner, I watch when observing your playing. And when learning a new piece I like to get congruent information (fingering in the sheetmusic and the same fingering in the video). My second question is an extension of my first question. I saw that in this video you used a second overhead camera which makes it perfect to watch your playing. Thank you so much for doing so. I was a member of PCA for a short time and had troubles to watch your hands in the beginner video's. I saw you started only later to use those overhead camera, which is great. But as a beginner I would like to see this camera view from the first video's that you have made. Thanks again for posting this video as well as your Piano Myths series. I have seen them several times and continue to look at them as an antidote to the hamburger solutions I see in most other youtube piano video's.
Hi! I'm happy you enjoyed this video! 🥰 I will try to quickly answer your questions: 1. Music is a flexible art, not a rigid science. Editors and composers often suggest a fingering that works for THEM - but this doesn't mean we need to follow it to the letter. The 'perfect congruence' you are looking for is not possible in our art - seeing that no two people can play a piece EXACTLY the same. I have a very detailed article on this topic in the Members Area of PCA, where I explain what music is all about, what things are 'set in stone' in classical performance, and what can be changed by the performer. The article is entitled "Why I Sometimes 'Stray' from the Musical Text in My Tutorials: a Holistic Investigation". Fingering is just about physical comfort, having very little to do with the music itself - so it makes no sense to 'torture' ourselves with an uncomfortable fingering (which makes our playing sound worse and causes tension) simply because some editor with big hands suggested it 100 years ago. Sure, if I (as a teacher) created my own method book, then the fingering from the score would match the fingering I use in my demos. Even so, as a student you would still have to ADAPT this fingering to your unique hand shape, size and physiology - making changes when required. This is a wonderful exercise that helps us to be creative, insightful, and find unique solutions in the present moment (instead of learning fixed formulas by rote). I explain this concept in most videos - often sharing several fingering versions to choose from. 2. Our Beginner Course comprises 100 lessons, and it took me more than 10 years to complete. The first 40 lessons were recorded with one camera. Recording/editing/publishing all those lessons again would take me several years of work - forcing me to stop all my current projects (including our new Intermediate Course, which most of our members are following at the moment). This is not physically possible. Plus - even more importantly - it is not necessary. The 'overhead' camera only shows the notes and fingers (which is the LEAST important aspect of our art, and can be easily read from the score). What really matters is to see the movements of the ARMS and WRISTS - which is why the 'side' camera will always remain the primary angle 😎. Yes, I included the 'overhead' angle after a few years of running PCA to 'please' our members - but I still don't think it has any real value 😊. Learning the notes/fingers is very, very easy. Playing expressively and with technical freedom - this is where 99% of our focus should be 😎.
@@pianocareer Dear Ilinca, thank you very much for your detailed answer. It makes everything completely clear. I will join PCA again after my holiday travels and will read the aforementioned article first. For the time being, your answer will allow me to continue practicing with book 1 by Nikolaev and focus more on playing expressively while using my own fingering.
Thank you! This is very helpful and, as a self-taught ''beginner'' (going on 6 years now lol).... I'm definitely guilty of most of these!! :D It was also a good reminder for me to put emphasis on checking my posture each time I sit down to play. Thanks for all the helpful information!
@@andreabalsimelli7446 Hi Andrea! There is no 'one answer' to this questions, because of several factors: 1. Brand and model availability (certain brands and models are not available in every country or city). 2. No two acoustic instruments are the same (there can be differences of sound and feel even between two models of the same type and brand). 3. Our skills are often more important than the mechanics of the piano. For example, a good pianist can create a noble, deep, warm and non-metallic sound even on a bad instrument; while a beginner who uses a 'percussive' finger technique can produce an ugly and harsh sound even on the best concert grand piano. This being said, I really like Yamahas because of their responsive mechanism. However, some people say that their sound is too 'bright' (which is not my experience, because I know how to 'soften' the sound of any instrument). Others prefer Kawai's or Bluthners (while for me, their mechanics can be a bit heavier and harder to control - but not always). Steinways are great, but I don't know if they have upright models (I only played on Steinway grands). And, of course, there are many brands out there I have never personally tried 😅. The way I choose a piano is simple: I go to all the music shops in my area, and play all the available upright instruments on display. I film my playing, so that I can compare all the pianos at home, and listen to their sound as many times as I wish. Then I simply choose the instrument that A) fits my budget, and B) feels and sounds the best. I also take into consideration its construction and durability (and other 'tech' factors) - but ultimately, the sound and feel are my two main criteria 😉. And, as I mentioned above, I've never encountered two instruments that sounded exactly the same.
It was very hard to understand what "flow" of energy means... But I think the gel reference might help me. If I'm touching gel, or dough, or wet sand, I HAVE to use my back. I HAVE to use my hips, knees, legs, if I want to hit the keys in Fortissimo. With those examples, I can understand why the piano is body involved, not finger involved. I hope I can implement this method. Thank you!
Energy flow, gel, dough etc. - all of these are just metaphors that help us to understand the needed sensations 😊. You only need one of them to 'click' for you - so it's ok if 'energy flow' doesn't work. You could also imagine that a powerful stream of water flows from your back through your arms and into the keys - while the keyboard itself is a soft pillow into which you can 'sink' your entire weight 😉. Whole-arm action is also taught from scratch, in a step-by-step manner, in our Courses at PianoCareerAcademy.com.
@@pianocareer thank you! At the moment I'm going through the 7 video series sent by email, and all beginning videos in the playlist you've created. I hope to go through all videos then check out the website. Thank you for your work!
Madam, thank You for motivating us ❤❤❤ I want to praise so much of what You explained, but in short I love the picture of the *DOG* 🐶 staring at the notes. I come all the way from *D-Rex* (short for DOG-REX 😂)
Wow, this is the best tip I received in a very long time! 😃 Thank you so so much! 🥰 I always include timestamps in the Description of my videos, but didn't know the 00:00 trick (I usually start with 00:02, as this is when the actual talking begins). Awesome, now you can see all the timestamps in the video! 🥳
My mistakes, I didnt learn weight playing, you raise the finger and let it down with its own weight, do not press, just relax. I try to play to hard pieces way above my level. My fingers hurts and back. Thats my main mistakes. Go for any piano school, for example Buegmuller op 100 combined with technical tutorials and exercises.😊
Dear Llinca, I put the bench to have the elbows a bit higher than the keys as you suggested and showed in the video when you put a book on the bench, but I felt a bit pain on my shoulder and scapulas, especially the right one, like they had not much power to sustain the weight of the arms, so for me that position was a bit uncomfortable. Do you think that at the beginning is normal and with the practise I will learn to feel comfortable in that position ? Or is it a problem putting the bench a bit down, maybe with the risk that there is a sharp angle on the elbow, with a lost of flowing energy from shoulders, or also that the elbows was a bit under the keys level ? Thank you.
Hi Andrea! I recommend to start with the standard posture (not the elevated one). Simply make sure your elbows are in LINE with the keys (and adjust the bench accordingly) - as I demonstrate in the main frame of the video (not in the B-roll with the books). Yes, the slightly elevated angle can be great for small people who need more leverage (like me) - but it's important to NOT exaggerate 😅. A straight line is usually enough for men. You also don't need to lower your elbows below the keys - this would be the other extreme. Just keep them level and make sure you're not sitting too close. However, the MOST important thing in this case is your technique - as 99% of pain and injuries are caused by an incorrect tensed technique. You can watch my free video "How to Avoid Piano Injuries | Get Rid of Tension and Pain" to learn more: th-cam.com/video/tf2rbCjOpfA/w-d-xo.html
@@pianocareerI tried several heights and I found that yes, with elbows a bit higher there is more control of the dinamic of sound and the key attack. Thank you very much Llinca.
Are you talking about Mistake No. 5 (only focusing on the notes) - or just making a general observation? Indeed, singing or playing a wind instrument can be incredibly useful for our phrasing. However, not everyone can 'take up' a wind instrument. Singing is more accessible, and equally beneficial. Still, none of these additional activities can replace the actual art of piano phrasing, which anyone can learn 😉. I have an ebook on this topic [ www.pianocareer.com/piano-expression/piano-phrasing/ ] - and countless tutorials on PianoCareerAcademy.com. Phrasing is also taught in a step-by-step manner in our Beginner Course - along with all the other elements of our art 😎.
This is great for adult learners, but I wonder how you can communicate these points effectively to a young child. After all, we pretty much assume that all virtuoso players need to start very young.
Children learn intuitively, through imitation - so the best teaching approach is demonstration. For example, if we talk about posture (Mistake No. 1 in the video above), you don't need to explain the entire science of ergonomics to a 6 year old 😅. Instead, simply make sure that the student's bench is adjusted properly, that they don't slouch etc. - and make gentle corrections each time they sit too close or too low, drop their wrists, glue their arms to the torso, break the natural alignment and so on. And, most importantly - demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate! 😇 If you play for them a lot, if you show them how to sit, how to practice, how to create a beautiful sound, they will simply imitate you. This, by the way, is valid for adults as well, not just children. The main difference is that adults also require lots of explanations (as their logical mind needs to understand the WHY, WHAT and HOW of everything they do), while most children will simply follow your lead. And, of course, when you do explain something to them, adjust your vocabulary to their age. Fairytale characters, animals, natural events make for wonderful metaphors. Why do you think I used the 'dinosaur' example in my video? 😁 Realizing that lots of beginners are children, I did my best to make the 'incorrect posture' sound funny and memorable to them as well 😉. And, last but not least, seeing that you mentioned 'virtuoso players' - don't forget that playing music is not always about becoming a virtuoso. Sure, you DO need to start very young to become a world-class concert pianist. However, most players out there (especially adult students) learn how to play simply because they love this art. They don't aspire to become professionals - but they still deserve access to high-quality information. They might never play "La Campanella" - but they can still become skilled musicians with a well-rounded set of artistic, expressive, aural and technical skills 🥰.
Hi guys! Don't miss the free resources from the Description Box above: my ebook "A New Perspective on Piano Phrasing" - and the 7 video episodes from the "Piano Myths" series. Enjoy!
🥰
Thank you, Ilinca. No matter how advanced we think we are, it pays to review fundamentals.
So happy you enjoyed this video, Richard! 😊
Thank you so much i never had this things explained so well, even with a teacher
Glad it was helpful! 😊
You have such a great posture and a great technique. Thanks for the helpful information.👏👏
So happy this video was helpful! Thank you for your appreciation! 🥰
very good instructions, not only for beginners. Thank you.
You are very welcome! 🥰
Excelentes clases! Cada detalle y la forma. Muchas gracias. Son de gran utilidad. 😊 Siga a delante !
Gracias! 😊
Hello Ilinca, thanks for sharing your well thought out perspective on learning to play the piano. It's such a relief to hear this through all the propaganda of today's fast food solutions. I would like to ask you two small questions. As a beginner player I try to follow the suggested fingering in Nikolaev's book and I saw that you are using a different fingering (for example in playing piece nr 58.). Of course you can use any fingering that suits you best, but it is something that, as a beginner, I watch when observing your playing. And when learning a new piece I like to get congruent information (fingering in the sheetmusic and the same fingering in the video). My second question is an extension of my first question. I saw that in this video you used a second overhead camera which makes it perfect to watch your playing. Thank you so much for doing so. I was a member of PCA for a short time and had troubles to watch your hands in the beginner video's. I saw you started only later to use those overhead camera, which is great. But as a beginner I would like to see this camera view from the first video's that you have made. Thanks again for posting this video as well as your Piano Myths series. I have seen them several times and continue to look at them as an antidote to the hamburger solutions I see in most other youtube piano video's.
Hi! I'm happy you enjoyed this video! 🥰 I will try to quickly answer your questions:
1. Music is a flexible art, not a rigid science. Editors and composers often suggest a fingering that works for THEM - but this doesn't mean we need to follow it to the letter. The 'perfect congruence' you are looking for is not possible in our art - seeing that no two people can play a piece EXACTLY the same. I have a very detailed article on this topic in the Members Area of PCA, where I explain what music is all about, what things are 'set in stone' in classical performance, and what can be changed by the performer. The article is entitled "Why I Sometimes 'Stray' from the Musical Text in My Tutorials: a Holistic Investigation". Fingering is just about physical comfort, having very little to do with the music itself - so it makes no sense to 'torture' ourselves with an uncomfortable fingering (which makes our playing sound worse and causes tension) simply because some editor with big hands suggested it 100 years ago. Sure, if I (as a teacher) created my own method book, then the fingering from the score would match the fingering I use in my demos. Even so, as a student you would still have to ADAPT this fingering to your unique hand shape, size and physiology - making changes when required. This is a wonderful exercise that helps us to be creative, insightful, and find unique solutions in the present moment (instead of learning fixed formulas by rote). I explain this concept in most videos - often sharing several fingering versions to choose from.
2. Our Beginner Course comprises 100 lessons, and it took me more than 10 years to complete. The first 40 lessons were recorded with one camera. Recording/editing/publishing all those lessons again would take me several years of work - forcing me to stop all my current projects (including our new Intermediate Course, which most of our members are following at the moment). This is not physically possible. Plus - even more importantly - it is not necessary. The 'overhead' camera only shows the notes and fingers (which is the LEAST important aspect of our art, and can be easily read from the score). What really matters is to see the movements of the ARMS and WRISTS - which is why the 'side' camera will always remain the primary angle 😎. Yes, I included the 'overhead' angle after a few years of running PCA to 'please' our members - but I still don't think it has any real value 😊. Learning the notes/fingers is very, very easy. Playing expressively and with technical freedom - this is where 99% of our focus should be 😎.
@@pianocareer Dear Ilinca, thank you very much for your detailed answer. It makes everything completely clear. I will join PCA again after my holiday travels and will read the aforementioned article first. For the time being, your answer will allow me to continue practicing with book 1 by Nikolaev and focus more on playing expressively while using my own fingering.
Hmm,... A beautiful piano teacher.👍🏼
❤
Thank you! ;)
Thank you for the very informative piano tutorial. Continue speading the knowledge and piano technique. Excelent job!
Thank you so much! I'm really happy this video was useful! 🥰
Nuevamente digo que su fluidez es más que admirable.
Gracias por sus palabras inspiradoras! 😉
Thank you! This is very helpful and, as a self-taught ''beginner'' (going on 6 years now lol).... I'm definitely guilty of most of these!! :D It was also a good reminder for me to put emphasis on checking my posture each time I sit down to play. Thanks for all the helpful information!
You are very welcome! I'm so happy this video was useful! 🥰
So helpful!
Another excellent video.
Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Hi
You are the best teacher.
Thank you so much! 😃
Hi
I’d like to ask you a suggest on which upright piano to buy that has a warm and non-metallic sound.
Grateful for your help
Andrea
@@andreabalsimelli7446 Hi Andrea! There is no 'one answer' to this questions, because of several factors:
1. Brand and model availability (certain brands and models are not available in every country or city).
2. No two acoustic instruments are the same (there can be differences of sound and feel even between two models of the same type and brand).
3. Our skills are often more important than the mechanics of the piano. For example, a good pianist can create a noble, deep, warm and non-metallic sound even on a bad instrument; while a beginner who uses a 'percussive' finger technique can produce an ugly and harsh sound even on the best concert grand piano.
This being said, I really like Yamahas because of their responsive mechanism. However, some people say that their sound is too 'bright' (which is not my experience, because I know how to 'soften' the sound of any instrument). Others prefer Kawai's or Bluthners (while for me, their mechanics can be a bit heavier and harder to control - but not always). Steinways are great, but I don't know if they have upright models (I only played on Steinway grands). And, of course, there are many brands out there I have never personally tried 😅.
The way I choose a piano is simple: I go to all the music shops in my area, and play all the available upright instruments on display. I film my playing, so that I can compare all the pianos at home, and listen to their sound as many times as I wish. Then I simply choose the instrument that A) fits my budget, and B) feels and sounds the best. I also take into consideration its construction and durability (and other 'tech' factors) - but ultimately, the sound and feel are my two main criteria 😉. And, as I mentioned above, I've never encountered two instruments that sounded exactly the same.
It was very hard to understand what "flow" of energy means... But I think the gel reference might help me. If I'm touching gel, or dough, or wet sand, I HAVE to use my back. I HAVE to use my hips, knees, legs, if I want to hit the keys in Fortissimo. With those examples, I can understand why the piano is body involved, not finger involved. I hope I can implement this method. Thank you!
Energy flow, gel, dough etc. - all of these are just metaphors that help us to understand the needed sensations 😊. You only need one of them to 'click' for you - so it's ok if 'energy flow' doesn't work. You could also imagine that a powerful stream of water flows from your back through your arms and into the keys - while the keyboard itself is a soft pillow into which you can 'sink' your entire weight 😉. Whole-arm action is also taught from scratch, in a step-by-step manner, in our Courses at PianoCareerAcademy.com.
@@pianocareer thank you! At the moment I'm going through the 7 video series sent by email, and all beginning videos in the playlist you've created. I hope to go through all videos then check out the website. Thank you for your work!
Madam, thank You for motivating us ❤❤❤
I want to praise so much of what You explained, but in short I love the picture of the *DOG* 🐶 staring at the notes. I come all the way from *D-Rex* (short for DOG-REX 😂)
Dog-Rex! 😂 I laughed so hard reading your comment, you're awesome! 😄 Thank you so much for your appreciation, it means a lot! 🥰
If you start with "00:00 intro" or something, the timesteps will be shown in the video :)
Wow, this is the best tip I received in a very long time! 😃 Thank you so so much! 🥰 I always include timestamps in the Description of my videos, but didn't know the 00:00 trick (I usually start with 00:02, as this is when the actual talking begins). Awesome, now you can see all the timestamps in the video! 🥳
My mistakes, I didnt learn weight playing, you raise the finger and let it down with its own weight, do not press, just relax. I try to play to hard pieces way above my level. My fingers hurts and back. Thats my main mistakes. Go for any piano school, for example Buegmuller op 100 combined with technical tutorials and exercises.😊
Thank you for sharing! 🥰 Now that you have identified these mistakes, you can implement positive changes and make great progress!
Dear Llinca, I put the bench to have the elbows a bit higher than the keys as you suggested and showed in the video when you put a book on the bench, but I felt a bit pain on my shoulder and scapulas, especially the right one, like they had not much power to sustain the weight of the arms, so for me that position was a bit uncomfortable. Do you think that at the beginning is normal and with the practise I will learn to feel comfortable in that position ? Or is it a problem putting the bench a bit down, maybe with the risk that there is a sharp angle on the elbow, with a lost of flowing energy from shoulders, or also that the elbows was a bit under the keys level ? Thank you.
Hi Andrea! I recommend to start with the standard posture (not the elevated one). Simply make sure your elbows are in LINE with the keys (and adjust the bench accordingly) - as I demonstrate in the main frame of the video (not in the B-roll with the books). Yes, the slightly elevated angle can be great for small people who need more leverage (like me) - but it's important to NOT exaggerate 😅. A straight line is usually enough for men. You also don't need to lower your elbows below the keys - this would be the other extreme. Just keep them level and make sure you're not sitting too close. However, the MOST important thing in this case is your technique - as 99% of pain and injuries are caused by an incorrect tensed technique. You can watch my free video "How to Avoid Piano Injuries | Get Rid of Tension and Pain" to learn more: th-cam.com/video/tf2rbCjOpfA/w-d-xo.html
@@pianocareerI tried several heights and I found that yes, with elbows a bit higher there is more control of the dinamic of sound and the key attack. Thank you very much Llinca.
Take up a wind instrument like trumpet or clarinet. That will help you learn these secrets of phrasing.
Are you talking about Mistake No. 5 (only focusing on the notes) - or just making a general observation? Indeed, singing or playing a wind instrument can be incredibly useful for our phrasing. However, not everyone can 'take up' a wind instrument. Singing is more accessible, and equally beneficial. Still, none of these additional activities can replace the actual art of piano phrasing, which anyone can learn 😉. I have an ebook on this topic [ www.pianocareer.com/piano-expression/piano-phrasing/ ] - and countless tutorials on PianoCareerAcademy.com. Phrasing is also taught in a step-by-step manner in our Beginner Course - along with all the other elements of our art 😎.
This is great for adult learners, but I wonder how you can communicate these points effectively to a young child. After all, we pretty much assume that all virtuoso players need to start very young.
Children learn intuitively, through imitation - so the best teaching approach is demonstration. For example, if we talk about posture (Mistake No. 1 in the video above), you don't need to explain the entire science of ergonomics to a 6 year old 😅. Instead, simply make sure that the student's bench is adjusted properly, that they don't slouch etc. - and make gentle corrections each time they sit too close or too low, drop their wrists, glue their arms to the torso, break the natural alignment and so on. And, most importantly - demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate! 😇 If you play for them a lot, if you show them how to sit, how to practice, how to create a beautiful sound, they will simply imitate you. This, by the way, is valid for adults as well, not just children. The main difference is that adults also require lots of explanations (as their logical mind needs to understand the WHY, WHAT and HOW of everything they do), while most children will simply follow your lead. And, of course, when you do explain something to them, adjust your vocabulary to their age. Fairytale characters, animals, natural events make for wonderful metaphors. Why do you think I used the 'dinosaur' example in my video? 😁 Realizing that lots of beginners are children, I did my best to make the 'incorrect posture' sound funny and memorable to them as well 😉. And, last but not least, seeing that you mentioned 'virtuoso players' - don't forget that playing music is not always about becoming a virtuoso. Sure, you DO need to start very young to become a world-class concert pianist. However, most players out there (especially adult students) learn how to play simply because they love this art. They don't aspire to become professionals - but they still deserve access to high-quality information. They might never play "La Campanella" - but they can still become skilled musicians with a well-rounded set of artistic, expressive, aural and technical skills 🥰.
🦖 ...🎹❤️🤩
You've clearly never seen me try learning to play the piano or you would be listing a butt load more than just the top ten...
😂😂😂
Mistake No. 7. Sigh.