AMA on piano- What do you want to know?

Do you have a question about piano or music that you've never fully found an answer to? Ask me! AMA. Really. Anything. Watch. Subscribe. Comment with your question and I'll make a video to answer your question.
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Check out the Faber Follow-Along Piano Course, Book 1 here:
www.pianoroadmap.com/store
If you've ever wondered how, what, and when to practice as a self-learner, this series is for you. We go through the entire Faber book together, step by step. I also give you supplementary exercises and pieces that go hand in hand with book 1.
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[@camillesindell2740]

Would love a video about your journey into online teaching. I watch soooo many piano tutorials and am so curious about the process. I am not an aspiring teacher, just curious about the industry. What surprised/frustrated you? You have an excellent channel!

[@maksymiliansroka]

I don't have any questions yet, I just wanted to say that your piano course is awesome and I'm making progress with each lesson :) Thanks for all your work!

[@PianoRoadmap]

Thank you!! Glad it's been helpful.

[@edwardhenderson3580]

As an older beginner piano student, who began studying after retirement, I want to know what can I do to get at a level where I can enjoy playing the piano without it seems like a chore to practice, but can't get to the music I want to play. I have taken lessons and gone through some method books. I've devoted time for the past 10 years, and now on the verge of ending piano study. I love music such as, gospel, blues, and jazz. I even like the classical pieces I tried playing . Lastly, I just want to become good enough to sit down a play some things I like, and just maybe please some others. Help,Edward.

[@PianoRoadmap]

Since you love music, I hope you won't end your piano study. You said you've devoted time for the past 10 years to learning the piano. Can I ask what a typical week of piano practice looks like for you (how much time in each practice session, how many days per week, etc)?

[@camillesindell2740]

Love your teaching style! I have watched soooo many you tube piano tutorials and paid for many courses. I am so interested in the stories behind this huge niche on KZbin. Could you share your journey into on line teaching and what has surprised you about the process? A video would be appreciated. And do you collaborate with other teachers? Is there a support group for on line teachers? I imagine the learning curve is steep and time consuming. I don’t want to teach, just interested in your experience. Thank you!

[@PianoRoadmap]

That's a great idea for a video! I will definitely make one related to this, probably sometime in the near future (beginning of 2024). Thank you!

[@nelsoncolereis4058]

I would like to know more about why certain chords and voicings are chosen in a piece. For example a 5th in the bass instead of the root. Like what is the function. I know tension and release and subdominant/dominant but there's probably more to it than that basic stuff. Maybe a dissection of a piece on a chord voicings level. To better understand voicings and choosing chords for writing my own music.

[@PianoRoadmap]

That's a great topic! While it's quite advanced (basically 4-part voice leading is 2nd Year Music Theory in college), but I'm planning a video on hymns (how to practice, play successfully, etc) and I'll also try to answer your question. Thanks!

[@nelsoncolereis4058]

@@PianoRoadmap Wow! Thanks!

[@DesertRat332]

I don't think you have covered pentatonic scales? I know how to find the major and minor pentatonic scales for any key, but my question is which one do I use for a particular key? Do I use the A minor pentatonic if I am playing in the key of C major? Do I always use only minor pentatonic scales for jazz and blues songs? Which pentatonic scales should I learn first? Can a particular pentatonic scale be used for more than one key? I know I can use the 5 notes (and maybe a blues note) to improvise a solo or an accompaniment to a pop song, but how do I know which one to use? Thanks!

[@PianoRoadmap]

Thanks for your question! I will be responding as soon as I can.

[@MegaPaul88]

Could you do a video on stretching/strengthening exercises for playing larger chords? I’m really struggling with 10s! Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@PianoRoadmap]

By 10s, do you mean chords with an interval of a 10th? I will definitely do a video on this! Curious to know what your range is - what is the biggest interval you can reach comfortably? 9th? 10th?

[@MegaPaul88]

@@PianoRoadmap thanks for the quick answer! Yes thats exactly what i meant, i didnt know the english word for intervals over an octave haha. I can reach a 9th comfortably, a 10th barely. The piece I'm learning has a F min chord, that is stretched to F, C, G# and there is now way i can play it without hitting somethind else..

[@PianoRoadmap]

@@MegaPaul88 Ah, I see. This happens to me all the time. I'd suggest NOT trying to stretch. Just in case it's a bit before I can make a video on this, you have 2 options: 1) Roll the chord from bottom to top. You'll want to do it quickly and time it so the TOP note lines up with the beat. The other notes come before it. WIthout seeing the exact context, I can't say if this solution will work well. OR 2) Revoice the chord. Put the Ab/G# in the middle so it's F, Ab, C. If you want to post a pic of the actual music, I'm happy to give you more specific advice!

[@pissfloyd5790]

I would like to know if you have any tips to find level appropriate pieces. I followed Alfreds books but the third one has pieces way out of my reach. Throwing myself into the deep with moonlight sonata doesnt seem productive to help my playing. Other than that I'd love for you to tell about your own piano journey. Did you go to music school, have you had any great teachers or memorable performances? That would be a massive motivation. Thanks for what you're doing with the channel, it helps a bunch.

[@PianoRoadmap]

Finding appropriate rep is a GREAT question. I will definitely make a video on that and maybe also one to to introduce myself a little. 😃

[@mixcamp2279]

Hi Susan. I would like to know if I wanna learn how to make techno music in the future , learning piano and classical would help? Thank you

[@PianoRoadmap]

Hey, that's a great question! Short answer here, yes, it would help. The more you know about music, harmony, rhythm, and what "the greats" have done in the past, the more creative and inventive YOU can be as you make your own music (not to mention note input in your DAW is SO much faster when you have some facility at the keyboard!). I'll link a video here in the near future!

[@mikaelhellstrom2411]

Hi i have played piano for 2.5 years i try to practise for at least 30min a day. I find it hard to get my pinky finger up to speed when its suposed to do a quick note. As an expampel when playing rivers flows in you. Its mostly in 16ths notes but sometimes its in 32nd notes. if its several 32nd nots gruped its easier but when its only two 32nd and 16th notes around it gets tricky. Do you have any exercises to get the pinky finger fast as lighning!!! ... and if possible accurat :) hope this made sens. 🤔

[@PianoRoadmap]

Hi, Mikael. This totally makes sense and the short answer is working on finger control and depending on the context, a little help from your hand and wrist movement. I will definitely make a video on this and try to get it out in the next month or so. It would be helpful if you could email me a picture of the score and circle the exact part(s) that are giving you trouble. [e-mail]. Thanks for your question!

[@stephendodson9334]

Great piano lessons, and I will be joining the classes in April. I do have one question . . . I am a beginner and have small hands, in fact I cannot hardly reach a full octave . . . and then when I do I cannot play any of the notes. This also causes the back of my hands to ache when I try to stretch them out to that extent. Obviously, I know that children play the piano successfully, so there must be some method for people like myself who do not have the reach. Can you help?

[@PianoRoadmap]

ABSOLUTELY! I have small hands as well and I've been meaning to address this. There are some pieces that are really just out of our reach (pun intended 🤪) like some Rachmaninoff, Schumann, and Chopin pieces, but for 98% of all rep, us small-handed pianists are fine! In a nutshell, the key is to let your hands return to a neutral position as often as possible. It's very difficult to write out and describe, but I'll link the video here when I make it. Thanks for your great question!

[@PianoRoadmap]

Hi, Stephen! I hope this video helps you. I could be more specific if I could SEE you play, but hopefully this will at least give you some points to start. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpPdhJltbNV7b7c

[@BalatonDreamer]

When I’m practicing a study with fingerings, exactly what am I supposed to be learning with the fingerings? For example Burgmüller Op 100 #4, La Petite Réunion, bar 2 vs bar 10. My edition (Oesterle) has fingerings for the thirds that are inconsistent between those two sections. I’m happy to practice it exactly as indicated, but what am I supposed to be learning? Is there some reason why the inconsistent fingerings are actually the best fingerings for each specific section? Or is the purpose to practice flexibility to handle fingerings in a variety of ways, and/or to practice reading the fingerings from the page just as I read the notes from the page? This last reason seems like an especially good one for me. Both my muscle memory and my reading comprehension are slow to learn fingerings, especially when it’s seemingly inconsistent as in these two sections. So I can use the practice, if that’s the reason. Maybe you have tips for learning fingerings faster?

[@PianoRoadmap]

Why don't you email me a picture of the exact parts you're talking about, and we can go from there! [e-mail]

[@BalatonDreamer]

@@PianoRoadmap I think I over-complicated the question. It comes down to: How can I more quickly learn the fingerings indicated in studies? I read notes OK, but my fingering reading speed and fingering muscle memory are both poor, so fingering seems like a stumbling block to learning a piece. But I'll send that specific example to your email. Thanks!

[@PianoRoadmap]

@@BalatonDreamer Got your email and will be able to reply next week!

[@vikrantvortz5838]

How I can play by ears only👂. Can you just tell me some exercise so that I can practice🤗. How long does it take to become like you😍. I tried choosing a song and its key and I sat down to figure out what note to play to get the melody but I couldn't do it😢. I have no experience and I have just played piano for 1 month. I know all the major keys and its fingering. You can just reply to my comment you don't have to make a video for it unless you want it😊. And once again thank you soo soo much for making these can't tell you how much these mean to me🙏.

[@PianoRoadmap]

Hello! Thanks for your questions and kind words 😃 How to play by ear is a great video topic and I will be addressing this in a future video. I'll link the video here when it's out (probably in a month or so). Thanks again!

[@vikrantvortz5838]

@@PianoRoadmap Thank You very very much ❤

[@PianoRoadmap]

@@vikrantvortz5838 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fF6WkKx6qNeYncU Hope it helps!

[@dwarf9151]

Hello Iam facing problems with my fingers My fingers just dont listen to me. If there is a piece that i need to learn, i feel like my fingers are stuck. I found out that it needs finder independence exercises but those exercises on youtube are lacking a bit of explanations and techniques i guess. Like repeatedly playing c scale wont improve and its boring. I want know about your exercises while you started piano. I want to play music, And same goes with rhythm exercices And one big problem is Hand independence. I bought my keyboard a year ago But i gave up because i cant move my fingers And i still cant learn fur elise I can only play sea mist by james bastien Thats my level My suggestion is that Make a course over how to have independce over fingers and hand So that we can play pieces after the course Please help me This is my request Thank you

[@PianoRoadmap]

Hi, and thanks for your question! This is a huge question and frustration for MANY pianists, so I will definitely make a video on this. So you have been playing for a year? Can you give me an idea of how much time and how consistently you are able to devote to the piano? Thanks again!

[@dwarf9151]

@@PianoRoadmap oh my god, thanks for reading. I play for about 30 mins for every 4 days in a week. And then i felt frustrated, Only thing i want to do is play some pieces . Thanks for responding, finally im getting some help.

[@PianoRoadmap]

@@dwarf9151 Ok, thanks for the info. That helps! And I am sorry you're feeling frustrated. Let's get you some answers! I'll link the video here when I'm able to make the video.

[@PianoRoadmap]

@@dwarf9151 One last question as I think of the best way to help (and there's no "right" answer). Do you feel more comfortable reading music or playing by ear?

[@dwarf9151]

Reading music Thanks