How to Take Your Piano Playing to the Next Level

[@gabr.lomb93]

The only way I can play on next level is moving the piano to the second floor.

[@jadeothen6057]

haha that's so funny

[@PianoCSXY]

LOL, my piano is already on 2nd floor, guess I need to play it on the roof to reach next level.

[@CarNerd7]

Lmaoo

[@amystruble4730]

I'm dead! Hilarious!

[@ValConB]

I'd argue if I could - I too am second level impaired after 35+ years!

[@Meyerhof]

Spot on, Robert. Mastering piano is quite similar to mastering a foreign language. I studied German 4 years in high school and 4 years in college. Then after graduation I worked in a small village in Northern Germany, immersed in the language 24/7 without hearing a word of English for 1 year. Believe me that 1 year abroad was the critical mass that let me hit escape velocity to a whole new other world of language and cultural fluency!

[@JayMSinger]

After preparing for my senior recital on piano I stopped lessons for >40 years. I'm taking lessons again and slowly, slowly regaining my long- neglected chops. The wonderful thing is, that at age 70 the desire to improve is innate inside my soul and not just to fulfill a degree requirement!

[@g.970]

I started lessons at age 35. 20 years later I downsized house and had to sell my grand piano. At 72 I realized how much I missed it. Bought a new, but slightly smaller grand, and now practice every day. I’m finding I’m picking it up much faster this time. I wish I had never taken that 15 year break.

[@jewelmarkess]

I am 63, had lessons on and off between 5 and 15 (don't remember how many "real" years of lessons excluding a couple of breaks), but was lazy and didn't practice enough. Didn't play for a number of years after that then took some lessons at a local community college in my late 20s, drove there during my lunch hour, but then transferred to another location for work, and this was no longer possible. Played on an off since then, but mostly pieces I knew, nothing new, just played not really practiced. Now, that I am retired, I have all the time in the world, and I am trying to get back and really improve. Sometimes I think "if only I practiced that way when I was a kid..." Doing it on my own now, I think I improved a lot during the last few months, but not as fast as I'd have liked. I seriously think of getting a teacher.

[@scubababe8109]

@@g.970 You should get a teacher. Like you retired, I got a teacher and taking ABRSM exam grade 6 piano. Then Grade 7 I come...

[@DandGBears]

So I didn’t start playing the piano until 40 and I also work 45 to 50 hours a week delivering mail. I always strive for at least an hour a day usually finishing up around an hour an half. If I have a busy day at work no practice. So I understand what Robert is saying and why progress feel so slow at times. My teacher has been playing since she was 4 and has a masters in piano performance and Doctorate in music. She plays at a very high level (like Robert) but she told me even though she has played her whole life she practiced every day 12 hours a day for a year to prepare for piano performance degree. She always tells me just enjoy the journey of discovering new things and growing as a person. That playing the piano on a high level is one of the most difficult things you can do so don’t be so hard on yourself for not mastering it in 15 years.

[@ckpiano9016]

This really resonates with me. I spent a lot of my life in front of the piano and I’m now realizing how much it’s paid off. When I sit at the piano, it feels completely natural, as if there is no stress in my body at all. This is from 13+ years of playing and studying. When asked by others, I agree with you: you need to put in the years of practice, and that’s just naturally easier to do when you’re a kid rather than later in life. Great video! (I watched them when I first started over a decade ago!)

[@Dominique632]

Thanks Robert! What great advice, I never knew this! Definitely gonna try and spend more than 2 hours a day behind the piano now

[@lshwadchuck5643]

As a lifelong illustrator who went through this total immersion at art college, I know Robert speaks the truth. Now that I'm old and have, as another commenter wrote, 'all the time in the world', I've thrown myself into learning to play piano for four plus years. My attitude is I'm investing in the possibility I could live decades more. I practise as much as my focus allows, two hours or so. When I was working through the Alfred's book and learning pop pieces in the first two years, I could spend four hours a day. But all I was getting was a small set of pieces I could play haltingly. Now I have a wonderful teacher and I'm training in fluency like a toddler learning to speak. I don't expect virtuosity, but I do expect that within reasonable limits of simplicity and brevity of pieces, I will be evenyually equipped to play relatively well. Patience and humility are required.

[@paulkramer7844]

I was able to take it to the next level on piano and flute after 20 years away from music, from 1998 - 2005; but then from 2005 to 2021, I had no regular access to a piano. I began playing again 13 months ago, and the technique is coming back much faster this time.

[@VetsrisAuguste]

I completely agree. I can go so far as to say, every quantum leap forward I have experienced in my career in ballet can be traced directly to a period wherein, whether as the result of new opportunities or necessitated by professional duty, I found myself immersed at a deeper level and more intense degree than usual. In fact, upon reflection I’m reminded that periodic episodes of prolonged intensive study are a cornerstone of ballet training. It is customary for young dancers who aspire to work professionally to spend their summers away from home attending another school. Preferably one of similar prestige to one’s home school, if not higher. Known around the globe as ‘Summer Intensive’, these summer long sessions lasting 6-8 weeks, typically comprise approximately 30 hrs/week of intense curriculum based training. Even when a student is only able to participate in their local Summer Intensive without traveling elsewhere, it is still during these 6-8 weeks of summer study that young dancers gain the most ground compared to their typical studies each year. There are other seasons of a dancer’s life when periods of immersion and intensity must be undertaken. Sometimes it’s a new role. Maybe it’s a groundbreaking world premier. Sometimes it’s a personal change of artistic direction. In any case, the gains made in these periods get taken in stride and eventually necessitate a re-immersion. Thus the cycle continues. By the way, fantastic work again, Mr. Estrin. I am an avid viewer of your channel. As an arts educator myself, albeit a different art form, I find your content full of intellectual resources and good teaching, which I always find applicable to my own craft and for the benefit of my students. Thank you for everything you are giving to us all.

[@KobyShalev]

So, Robert, what is the critical mass? Is it 5 hours a day? 10 hours? Please assess.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

The amount of time you spend is individual. However, a serious pianist working on a concerto or a solo recital will have hours of music to work on. So if just playing through the program takes an hour and a half, it's hard to accomplish much in less than 3 or 4 hours. If working on multiple programs or concertos, you can see how practicing 5 or 6 hours can be necessary.

[@pianoforte6755]

Great question and I agree with the answer! It took about 6 hours of practice a day on average for me to prepare my clarinet senior recital and audition into grad school. It is an intense and productive use of time for the desired results. Thanks so much for the video! Love all Living Pianos videos!

[@yves_auger]

I think that you’re right. I reached grade 6, 20 years ago when I was playing 90 minutes every day. I have not played as much since then, and my progress stalled at that level. I feel that I would probably need to practice about 2 hours per day to continue my progress at this point.

[@Shooshie128]

I was a concert saxophonist. I spent many years practicing to do that, and in retrospect those were some of the happiest years of my life, because each day I felt like I was moving fast and exploring new territory on my instrument. But one thing bothered me: I wanted to play authentic music. About the only things authentic on saxophone are jazz, rock and pop. Yes, I mastered much of the repertoire, and expanded it by transcribing music from other instruments, but I was never satisfied. When I was about to turn 65, I decided to switch to piano. I knew the keyboard, but was no pianist. I could not play a C scale two octaves with two hands. I began practicing 3 to 6 hours per day. Once again I began to experience that wonder as the impossible began to happen and I was learning concert piano - against all the advice and all the stories that old people can’t learn new stuff. Now I play all the great composers. I spend at least an hour on Bach alone, every day, if not several hours. Chopin, Debussy and Skryabin are my standbys. I’m playing the music I thought I’d never be able to play, and the hours practiced are cumulative and lead to some kind of critical mass, to borrow from Robert, that causes learning that you cannot explain. Things start happening, hands and fingers start learning how to sing and sustain and express, and the music that comes out is a complete emotional and intellectual experience. There is nothing like learning piano and taking it to “the next level.”

[@beethovensg]

Very well and emphatically stated concept.

[@michaelngiam6270]

How can we help a student find the instrument they'd love to devote their time to?

[@sylviavanhovell4828]

Hello from the Netherlands. I thank you for the video's. Like them a lot. I started 4 years ago to learn musik notes and playing piano. It's a proces in my brains. Conditioneren. I study every day. Lucky for me to see that I am not the only one who needs time. I wish you the best and looked forward to the next video.

[@motivationnation6969]

Robert I could't agree with you more. I once practiced 16 hours in a 24 hour period on the drums. I have been applying the same energy to the piano for the last 20 years and I'm only now starting to be satisfied with my playing . MotivationMusication

[@switchlaserflip9243]

16 hours per day for 20 years just to be satisfied with your playing? You must completely suck.

[@achaley4186]

Yes indeed, no shortcuts. Ballet was my discipline and that’s what it took. Now aged 58 I play hymns at our church but I do spend a ton of time at the piano and hope to grow way past where I am now…and my past experiences let me know what it takes. Great video 🙂⭐️🙏🏼❤️

[@dewdrops515]

This is true for any field of endeavor. I got my PhD in information theory which took five years. There were many weeks when I put around 80 hours of work reading papers, writing computer programs, preparing for exams, etc. Things I struggled with as a student are now much simpler to deal with, and I sometimes wonder why I ever had difficulty with them in the first place. So yes, achieving anything difficult in life requires intensity, and those intense efforts transform you completely.

[@qwaqwa1960]

I expect you are mostly right...though some of my biggest improvements have come from periods away from the instrument...where I've only been *thinking* about how to play & improve... Still, my playing will never be more than amateur...

[@InvestingForTomorrow24]

Fortunate to be a recluse living in the country for over a decade and access to UofA's excellent music library, skills of memorization and technique were resurrected in the 80's and 90's. By observation, I found that vastly greater talent could be realized simply by abstaining from C2H5OH. Memory, speed, and accuracy improved as well as aural and improvisational skill. Still not really famous, but I can play Ludwig's Pathetique and some of the Appassionata from memory as well as about five hours of classical, jazz, and pop. Salud

[@kittyfruitloop8264]

My piano playing improved after taking on the pipe organ for the last 2yrs, just 2-3 hrs a week bc I had to drive to the church to practice. Pipe organ is a total different feel. I started out as a beginner just playing hymns 8yrs ago on a piano bc I wanted my kids to hear all these old hymns. But now I have improved to the point of needing to step up my organ game so I just started with formal organ lessons which demands I figure out Bach! So now the venture into classical music is improving both my organ and piano playing!!! But yes, the 2-3hr thing alone at church with no distractions unlocked a lot! That's a suggestion I have for anyone, make the effort to practice somewhere with no distractions for a good 2hrs and see miracles happen!

[@billligon4005]

I had a piano teacher who use to always tell me "you never graduate from practicing hands alone". It's only now 10 years later that her words have come back to haunt me, because it's absolutely true. I heard Geiseking always learned memorized the LH first for the entire piece. I can see that helping me now, even though I only memorize the LH for the hard measures. The RH is always easier to learn.

[@Nabeel2607]

As a physics student and a pianist haha I will try to integrate this advice in my life so I can master both!

[@curtpiazza1688]

Great piano lesson! Great physics lesson! I consider myself early intermediate piano. But I try stretching myself with pieces like Claire de Lune, Moonlight Sonata, Maple Leaf Rag,and Paderewski s Minuet in G. Then the earlier level pieces look so much easier!

[@timsheffield7464]

Are you taking online students? I would be most interested to learn more. I am intermediate/advanced. I definitely learn from your videos but need some one on one help. Thank you.

[@HGCNBeauty]

glad again

[@evanackley6940]

I was hoping for practical tips on how to get there, unfortunately, that was not explained.

[@kristinamusik7414]

Its true…… I have played for 2 years now and I am unhappy with what I have learnt so far. Despite I played as a child and have some skills with me. Not sure I be able to put in so much practice because of problems with my hand. So could practice mean something more than only playing? Studying musicteori, listen to music, memorisation, and so on. I’m not ready to stop playing yet….and I only play for the love of the music But sure it is disheartening. But it has given me the greatest respect for musicians.

[@jadeothen6057]

I kind of agree and disagree - the piano is an instrument like no other in some ways; mastery requires hours and hours per day and years of dedication. The violin is similar. However, the total immersion doesn't have to be all at the instrument. I reached next level in my oboe playing (my main instrument) by studying phrasing and interpretation and listening to certain pianists for hours every day. I have never physically practiced for more than 2 hours a day. But one day everything just clicked, and I suddenly "knew" how pieces should be played, and my technique sort of followed from there as well. Great video as always Robert 😀

[@LivingPianosVideos]

Absolutely! In fact, practicing away from the instrument can be the ultimate practicing since practicing is above all a mental process. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqaphpx_q7Wdj7s

[@FirasSawaf]

Very true, I heard that the same can be said about mastering chess!

[@dinobucz]

Loved the vid, as usual. I agree with you as far as it goes with the extremely talented population. I will have to disagree with how you phrased it in such absolute terms. There will always be the tiniest fraction of the group of extremely talented people who are the truly gifted. It does not happen often, but there are the freaks of nature where their critical masses will be much less than the other hard-working virtuosos. An example is a friend of mine who barely studied and partied his way through his engineering studies, but still finished at the top of his class. Alas, sadly I do not fall into the “truly gifted” group and need to woodshed constantly to make modest improvements! Thanks again!

[@LivingPianosVideos]

Even talented people spend a great deal of time in order to become masters in their field. However, they may attain a high degree of expertise than others who spend as much time working at their craft.

[@dinobucz]

@@LivingPianosVideos I will have to concur then Robert! You are the one with the years under your belt, while I feel as though I’m still a babe in the woods who just discovered the piano!

[@roadguide123]

talent is overrated...practice is underrated

[@TheDamnedScientist]

And that's how kids, you get carpel tunnel. Just kidding but do remember to take little breaks and perform wrist exercises.

[@manueladevilliers5301]

I practice one or maybe two hours a day and am disappointed that I cannot play well yet.

[@lshwadchuck5643]

Your disappointment is possibly coming from an improvement in your discernment. I can look back and know very clearly exactly how much progress I've made in a day, a week, a year and it's a lot... but when I look at the mass of skills I don't have yet, I can feel discouraged. I'm lucky to have a teacher who every two weeks gives me just enough more to work on that it's hard for the first week, easy for a few days and then a bit boring before my next lesson. When he started me on what he called the 'real nitty-gritty' he warned me I might not be able to spend as long at the piano as I had been. He was right. I'm playing for only an hour, but I'm so intensely focused I make definite progress every day.

[@Guidussify]

10,000 hours is what is often claimed it takes to master anything. That's 10 years of 1000 hours per year or ~20 hours per week. It's a part-time job. But that's to become a a world-class expert. Few people in music performance will get there. But many people can play and enjoy music with much less time invested. It depends on what your goals are.

[@gmwdim]

I guess it depends on your definition of "next level."

[@classicalroach]

I came here for piano and you’re triggering my chem 101 ptsd. I think the real advice is, wear a Hawaiian shirt.

[@PerfectCadence_XO]

It’s true, but I think the only caveat not mentioned is to be incredibly attuned to your body’s physical limitations.. my determination and desire to get better are strong than my fingers physical ability to actually sustain that level of use without injury. I don’t think the mind component is as pertinent, because he is right, once you do fall in love with the instrument and live that critical mass lifestyle for a moment, you’re forever changed and on the journey.. now to just make sure my fingers, wrists, etc can keep up for the long haul.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

This is one area in which physiology can make a difference in the level people can reach in piano playing or other fields. Some things come far more easily to some people, and some hands will develop problems, while others will be able to forge forward in their work without incident. Being sensitive to your body is essential, particularly for people who are spending hours a day practicing the piano.

[@stormymangham5518]

🙄👍

[@jmack619]

Robert, you are selling something I don't want or need. Want to be good, not great!

[@LivingPianosVideos]

There are over 1,300 videos, most of which are geared for people like you, which you can explore. You can search them with key words here: livingpianos.com/blog/

[@jmack619]

@@LivingPianosVideos Respectfully, Thank you for clearing that up. I felt like I should possibly quit completely unless I could go all in.

[@lshwadchuck5643]

I feel your pain. The video says 'next level', not ultimate virtuosity. Everyone's next level is different.