How to Play Quietly on the Piano: A Lesson

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I'm Robert Estrin. The subject today is about how you can play really quietly on the piano and have all the notes play. I'm sure you've experienced some frustration trying to control the tone of a piano at some point. You're playing a beautiful melody, trying to craft things just the way you want, and then notes drop out. Is there anything you can do about that? The simple answer is yes, as long as you are playing on a well-regulated piano. If you're playing on an instrument where some notes don't respond equally to other notes, it's going to be impossible to play delicately, and have all the notes play just the way you want them to. But assuming you're playing on a piano that is regulated properly with all the myriad adjustments of each key, then yes, you can get every note to play as softly as you like!
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[@GabrielVelasco]

Wow! Fast, loud, aggressive playing can be exciting, but light delicate playing takes so much concentration and control. It's more engaging.

[@thewoodnote7660]

So important to have this technicality of the instrument explained to help achieve the sometimes difficult task of soft playing. Thank you!

[@THEcucufate]

Funny you should make this video now- I myself "refurbished" a Baldwin from the 50's someone gave to me. I learned and mastered action parts, what needs to be done, and the tools and how to do it. But in the end, there are just some things I am not willing to do. Unfortunately, my knowledge of piano repair now has led me to conclude that the felts inside the pivots of the action parts like elbows and hammer butts, any of the felts inside the holes that allow for a pivot of a part, are all different and worn out. I'm sure some may just have lost the fuzz whereas others may just have dirt or expanded. The point is that this is where I draw the line, since these are tiny pieces of felts which have to then kinda be rolled up, stuffed in a tiny hole, and then a pin goes in that hooks to another part of the action-- 88 times over! This video confirms my concerns of my playing unevenly. I need to play quietly sometimes, because I have apartment neighbors. During the day and early evenings is fine, but sometimes I get obsessed with a song and if I'm up at midnight all I want to do is just play and play. But due to the condition my action is in, playing quietly, with some key'e letoff, timing, and pretty much all being unevenly regulated, is just impossible. I fear I might actually be causing myself damage since my finger muscles are getting used to a piano where some keys need a different effort than other keys. Like I said- I've repaired and replaced everything that is accessible- including hammers, heads, butts, springs, jacks, long felt strips, pads where elbows push on jacks, key pads, and I have all the keys beautifully balanced and leveled-- but it's like you say, the action is presumed to be regulated in order to be able to use this quiet, soft technique. In my case it's not so much to learn the delicate touches, which I feel are harder to master than any other ones. For me- it's about being able to play even at 1am in the morning if I get the urge and inspiration. Thanks! I like your videos!

[@hithr8155]

This video is motivating. I can't play piano the same as you can quietly do. Like, in the bass part, it sounded so quiet. But mine, it is like a rock. Thanks for the video!

[@Jim0i0]

Perfect timing Robert! I just started working on playing quietly last week. As a ham fisted beginner, this video is really on point for me. Love your prototype digital concert grand skeleton BTW.

[@davidavanderburgh]

Love the technical aspects of your videos Robert! Also, seeing carpeted walls is a first for me 😊

[@area49g12]

Carpeting walls is low cost method of sound dampening, whether you live in an apartment and do not want to disturb neighbors or a casino trying to reduce sound reflections from all the electronic cacophony, etc.

[@YoToddYo]

It's the keeping my fingers down long enough is the problem! Especially with the pedal

[@andresfriant-hm2ot]

i wasn't expecting the start

[@Darkosa1234]

Thank you Robert for the demonstration and explanation! I was curious about that myself and I'm going to try using your advice today!

[@apontel]

Please do a video talking about this piano! Never seen anything like it!

[@annulrsolformrkelse4023]

From what I can see it's just the action of a grand piano taken out and instead it has sensors underneath the keys which now makes it a digital piano.

[@apontel]

@@annulrsolformrkelse4023 I kinda got the same idea from just looking as well, but I would love to see him talking about it, why he made a custom one instead of buying a good digital piano, how he got that bar that appears to have sensors in it, what kind of sound engine/ VSTs he uses, whether it is plugged into a computer...

[@annulrsolformrkelse4023]

@@apontel True. The bar itself probably doesn't have any sensors. I guess it just has felt to dampen the noise. The sensors are usually underneath the keys. The big advantage of this custom piano is that it's a literal grand piano action. It's perfect for professional pianists.

[@apontel]

@@annulrsolformrkelse4023 You're right, the sensor doesn't have to be where the hammer hits. I was just curious about details on the hardware, and would like to hear Robert talk about it. On another previous video some time ago he said he'd do a video specifically about it, but nothing so far 😔

[@mfurman]

It is probably the same concept as hybrid pianos of Kawai and Yamaha but different action. I would love to hear about it as well. Fascinating - This is exactly what I would like to have (Robert uses Pianoteq)

[@bme7491]

Yes even on my Yamaha P515 I can feel a slight bit of resistance about half way down and from that point you get no sound no matter how hard and fast you push the key.

[@hollyavillella554]

Thanks for the education you provide! Did you and anyone here watch the recent Chopin Competition in Warsaw? I noticed the winner, Bruce Liu had depressed a key in the treble/r. hand and then moved his hand/wrist on the depressed key the way a string player would ~ back and forth as if for vibrato or some other sound effect? It's been bugging me because I have no idea of any piano sound that can be achieved once the key is sounded Just because I don't know doesn't mean someone else doesn't know. Anyone? I have an electric Yamaha YPG-535 with some sensitive action, but certainly not like a regular piano. I have Raynaud's and some wrist issues and got the YPG- 535 to be able to practice some. I like the Yamaha very much as the alternative is not to practice. My original piano was a Janssen spinet. At the time no one in our family had any experience of pianos which also was a very high-priced item. The piano served me very well though. Even so, I still struggle to master acquisition and performance. I've learned so much from you and a few other online instructors! What an invaluable resource you are! Thanks much! Happy Thanksgiving, too! 🎶🍂🎶🍁🎶🦃🎹P.S. Beethoven in particular seems to want the impossible when he directs an entire section "p" then "pianissimo" with a crescendo periodically but mostly in the softer range. My question is how to graduate those crescendos without exceeding the "piano" dynamic.

[@samueloey5970]

Where can I purchase the hybrid piano you are playing on. It's cool not to have the cabinets

[@apontel]

I'm very curious about it too!

[@kyleplayspiano]

What kind of piano is that? Would love to know.

[@apontel]

Me too!

[@sparklingwiggle]

The example he used would have been more credible on an acoustic piano.

[@madonobel]

I heard about playing above the escapement, is it an extra level between pp and ff, when, why, how to use escapement, why it is even designed, I have digital piano Yamaha dgx-670 with no escapement, and no access to grand piano, it would be nice if you explain more on this topic, respect, 42 years, Cairo, Egypt

[@lucaszimbar4381]

Hi Robert, can you make a video to help me with the moonlight sonata 3rd movement: measures 19 to 22 I have troubles especially in the number 19 and 20 where it is all on black keys… Can you give me some tricks for fingering. Thank you

[@tiffanyholmes4960]

In a perfect world all pianos would be perfectly regulated. So, how about 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and fluttter pedalling to aid in delicate playing anywhere?

[@ParadNorthProd]

I thought it was possible to press the keys so softly, all the way to the bottom, and NOT have the hammer hit the string. I can do that on every one of my keys. (But of course, I'm pressing VERY slowly.)

[@widitruth]

Not understand, since I just have digital piano.. Casio PX760

[@Daniel_Ilyich]

Robert, why the Hawaiian shirts?