What is a time signature? If you look at a piece of music you will notice that at the beginning there are some numbers which sit on top of each other. This is a time signature, and tells the reader how many beats per bar there are. But what does the 4/4 mean exactly? The […]
FAQs
Got a question about our piano lessons, or piano tuition in general? You'll likely find the answer in our FAQs section!
What do the pedals do on a piano?
There are typically three pedals on a piano. From left to right, the first pedal is called the soft pedal (or una corda), the sostenuto pedal (usually found in American-made grand pianos), and the sustain pedal (or damper). On some pianos the middle pedal is used as a muting function (not sostenuto), so the keys […]
How do you improvise on the piano?
Learning to improvise is typically quite difficult on any instrument, and if you want to be able to improvise naturally to a high standard, you will need to practice the piano for many years. Some may argue that this isn’t true, and it’s possible to improvise much sooner. This may be possible, but not to […]
Why are your fingers numbered when learning the piano, and how does it work?
Your fingers need to be numbered primarily to help identify which fingers should or could be used on a certain note, or set of notes. For example, typically when reading from sheet music the composer will indicate some of the notes with the use of numbers instructing you of which finger should (or could) be […]
How important are scales when learning the piano?
Although scales may seem rather boring, they are extremely important. To be able to play the piano well you need to have good dexterity in your fingers, and the best way to build up that strength is by practicing scales. I think what a lot of people tend to do is react negatively to the […]
Do I have to practice the piano every day?
No, you don’t have to practice every day, and it’s important you give yourself a break! Practicing every day doesn’t allow your brain to have the rest that it so desperately needs. Your brain needs time to recuperate and acknowledge the new information it’s been taught. I’ve experienced this myself many times in the past, […]
Do children learn piano faster than adults?
Not necessarily, no. There is a big misconception that children will learn quicker than adults, but the reality is that it is really down to the individual. An adult for example will have a lot of distractions and things going on in their life that may hinder progress – family issues, work, school etc. A […]
Do I have to study classical music to learn the piano?
No, it’s not essential but it is extremely helpful. If you wanted to play other styles like pop, jazz, blues etc, then you could maybe consider learning classical alongside the style of your choosing. When you first learn to read music and play notes on the piano, my advice would be to focus on learning […]
How to get better at the piano
The obvious answer is to practice – and the more you practice the better you will get! However, although this is easy to say, it’s not so easy to do. There is a lot more to learning the piano than the application of practice, and there are many effective ways to get better a lot […]
How difficult is it to read music?
Well, it’s actually a lot easier than most people realise! When you first look at a sheet of music it’s easy to think that it’s way beyond comprehension and impossible to learn. But once you are taken through the basic explanation of what each note means, where it’s written on the music and where it’s […]