Every video you make is great, i think what is special about your videos is that you transmit a great energy and you stay very natural. Keep it up, cause in my opinion its the best videos out there.
I love your videos! I often send them to my students ("Look, - I tell them - I'm not the only one saying you should be doing this!"). This is great material.
I was given a couple of lessons from a guy who lives the side of the country.. literally everything you've said was in that lesson.. from loud, high fingers.. to well not quite a trill but semiquaver-quaver pattern .. 1 fast note followed by a slow note.. may'be even a swing! .. incredible :) thanks again
Thank you Josh! Even as an adult beginner, I pick up such useful information from your videos. I have a wonderful teacher that I work with weekly. You are one of two professionals that I subscribe to their you tube channels (there are so many videos out there by others that are not helpful in my opinion) and I am always stoked to see another video from you.
This is something I realized I needed to do a while ago while practicing a certain piece. It really helped, and it's cool to see that what I did naturally ended up being a good technique. Something that always makes me feel at home in piano is how simple and intuitive it is as it is complex.
Josh- I've been listening to all the interviews of Horowitz and Rubenstein. I recommend them highly because they have fantastic insights. I love your videos!
I loved this video. It was short but full of good stuff. The forte practicing, Trifonov's trill tip, playing with eyes closed. It feels to me when I hear this like I'm learning from these pianists you're talking about. I like that.
I'm a fan!! It's great watching you share playing tips, and watching you demonstrate them. You go a long way towards making advanced classical piano seem achievable.
I just recently started watching you and already 2 of the videos you made featured Chopin ballade no. 3, the piece I'm working on rn!! What a coincidence and great surprise. Love your vids!!
I think I originally learned it in a way that did not set up a good foundation. Only after I started watching Josh’s videos did I learn how to properly learn pieces. So right now I’m going back and spot practicing all the hard places. But this piece is really allowing me to find my musicality again! I love Chopin. How is yours going?
@@lucy7574 im doing pretty good, to be honest i feel like for someone like me (a self taught for almost 1 year) im doing pretty good technique and emotion wise, and as you can tell i couldn't stop myself from learning it (even though i'm self taught for only 1 year) because i just LOVE it too much - not like any other peice i've seen yet. Right now i have learnt everything perfectly until the arppegios in the middle of the piece and its going pretty good. I will probably upload a short progress video on this account as soon as i finish with the arppegios so if you sub to me you could watch it when i upload (i dont care about subs, i would just be happy if you could see it and tell me what you think 😁). And if you do go to my channel, please dont judge me on the technique on my video because i had an injured pinky and i also think i improved a lot from then. THANK YOU if you actually read it. I really appreciate it😊
How wonderful that you are teaching yourself and have already learned a chopin ballade! I am also currently teaching myself because I don’t want to pay for lessons anymore haha. I will definitely take a look at your progress video and let you know what I think. Would you do the same for me if I upload a recording of my Ballade? I’d love to get some feedback
Hi Josh. Good advice! I remember being advised by Clarence Adler to do just what you advise, but, in addition, to once in a while practice depressing each note of an entire piece without letting the note sound. This also helps "set" the finger memory.
great reminder! My teacher Esther-Lee would tell me to do all you mentioned - and as I bring back repetoire and start to add to it - I appreciate your vids very much!
I’m just now coming across this video. What a helpful technique! I understand completely what you are saying and I’m going to start employing this in my practice time. Thank you!
I just found your videos tonight and I can’t wait to practice tomorrow. And if Kevin Kenner does the eyes closed slow forte, then I’m extra down with it. He played the all-time most beautiful C#6 (measure 18) in the Chopin first concerto, 2nd movement.
Excellent advice. Although I've been using this technique before, it's always great to be reminded. The Like/Dislike ratio on this video is insane, probably the best I've seen on youtube for a video with >1000 likes. Not surprisingly!
I cannot remember ever hearing my teachers talk about using arm weight during my private lessons and during my study at the conservatory. After having not really studied since I graduated in 1990, my interest in working on my technique started again after I came across a book titled "Fundamentals of Piano Technique, the Russian Method" by Leon and Olga Conus. How important is using arm weight and should it be used during every note, even in fast passages? And is it possible to even completely ignore that aspect in piano playing? Maybe I simply didn't pick it up during my music study times.
Excelent!, thank you so much for this video, I'm very conscious of this "reset button" you mention, but it's always easy to forget to go back and play note by note, slow and forte. (even knowing that by alone that is a wonderful teacher for our fingers). In two days I'll give a concert with some difficult works (chopin, liszt etudes, etc) and I feel insecure with certain passages. Now i've seen your video I remembered what effective was when I did this practice more often. This video was like a reset button for me to remember to keep going to the very bottom of the keys, because with time we tend to start playing "from above" the keys and lightening our touch and losing trust in our hands (it's like our fingers start to lose the road). I very much appreciate that a pianist of your caliber give us this videos. Thanks again and keep the good work. Greetings from Argentina.
Josh, thanks for the really helpful tips and insights. It's inspiring to see how you practise. I step up, walk to my piano and start studying straight away. :)
Hi Savio - (Sorry, it would let me reply to your comment, so hopefully you see this) - here is a link for Thematic Catalogues en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_catalogue. For the etudes, I think a good one to start with is Op.25 No.2
Josh Wright Hello Josh, great video - this reminded me of when I first attempted to play Chopin Etudes - I was self taught and read music poorly so I thought the easiest ones to start with would be in C and what looked like C - the first two of opus 10. Ah the bliss of ignorance!
Hi Josh. That Was really good. Have not worked at all with Chopin But really want to begin. have the Book Chopin Etudes for Piano. Can u Guide me with 2 things? what is Thematic Index? Wat would be the best way to approach the Etudes in this book.
Thank you very much for all your videos! It's really helpful and, always makes me want to practice more! PS: Congratulations on the national chopin piano competition !!!
Great video Josh. I have a concert on Monday where I have to bring back some old pieces that are kind of rusty, so in the future, do you think you could do a video about bringing pieces back that aren't what they used to be?
Hey Josh, your information and methods are great, but the way you're teaching is even greater. I hope you continue your lighthearted yet concise way of conveying principles! a quick question: does this method also apply to passages with skips? e.g. in pieces like la campanella would you practice the first part also forte? is that even possible with such rapid hand motion? I always find some notes rather flimsy and blurry in fast skips due to the fact that I don't want to lose tempo. Does it make sense to practice very slow and forte in those passages?
Thank you very much for this video. This makes the piano world "a bit"easier. I bought a roland piano months ago to start a study of this instrument. I have played percussions for years and i always wanted to learn the piano, so now i´m on my way. A Cuban friend of mine adviced me to study on the scales and arpeggios first before attempting anything else (i´m also doing the first Hanon´s exercises) so that´s what i´ve been doing in the last months ( 4or 5 so far). Sometimes i feel like shouting and running away but my last experience with drums with me the encouragement to go on... is there anything else i should be doing? i mean like trying to play simple songs or chords? I spend aroung 3 hours a day on scales and sometimes gets a bit tired! Thanks again!!!
Yes, I practice finger articulation all the time and it's very good, however you forgot to mention not to apply arm weight or the playing will suffer horribly and ruin the lightness.
cfcup2004 Thanks for the input...I actually covered the concept you're referring to in the video I posted two weeks ago. Armweight actually helps even with a light touch if you know how to control it well.
Josh Wright I must disagree with you, what might "feel" like arm weight is actually the momentary release of the arm muscles because if there was no release there would be tension and cramp. A "floating" arm with "weight release" rather than "arm weight" is what we should all be striving for :)
Really good video, as usual. I'm too tense when I play piano. Every time I see a professional pianist playing, I see his hands, and his fingers very bent (as you), essentially the little finger. For me, everything I try to do, my little finger is not bent enough, and it's not natural. I know I'm too tense.. From my back to my fingers essentially when I have to play faster,.. My piano teacher, even if she says that I have made progress, this thing doesn't progress enough for me. Maybe your video about nerves will help me. If not, can you give an advice, please ? *Sorry for my english... I hope you understood me
Nodame Hi Nodame - Just try relaxing your hands down to your sides, then from that position, put them onto the keyboard. Our hands naturally curve when they are relaxed. Also, try scooting your hand a bit closer to the black keys. This way, your pinkie does not have to flatten or extend in order to hit the black keys. Best of luck in your studies
Josh, I think you should start with instructing how to even sit at the piano. The whole foundation of playing smooth seems to be based on that. It looks as if you sit rather low. That might make it easier to play faster..
I've been wondering just the same thing. In these videos at the practice room, he does sit low, but not in other videos. is there some benefit to be had by practicing at a low height?
what was the name of the blind boy who won the Van cliburn with his etudes? wanted to c if I could c some vids. btw, typing like this because of poor piano practicing technique, nerve damage :( lol
I find it bizarre how different you look in your thumbnails. I expect a 40 year old Paul McCartney, I get a 20 something Tucker Carlson/Tom Cruise hybrid. Trips me out.
Every video you make is great, i think what is special about your videos is that you transmit a great energy and you stay very natural. Keep it up, cause in my opinion its the best videos out there.
I love your videos! I often send them to my students ("Look, - I tell them - I'm not the only one saying you should be doing this!"). This is great material.
I always practice forte. It has always helped me develop technique. Nice tutorial.
Many thanks, Josh. Hope you're well.
I’ve recently come across your channel and found it has all the answers or solutions to my questions. Thanks a lot!!
Thanks for the video. I am going to give this method a go. I have signed up to your newsletters and video.
I was given a couple of lessons from a guy who lives the side of the country.. literally everything you've said was in that lesson.. from loud, high fingers.. to well not quite a trill but semiquaver-quaver pattern .. 1 fast note followed by a slow note.. may'be even a swing! .. incredible :) thanks again
Powerful video. Thank you so much.
Thank you Josh! Even as an adult beginner, I pick up such useful information from your videos. I have a wonderful teacher that I work with weekly. You are one of two professionals that I subscribe to their you tube channels (there are so many videos out there by others that are not helpful in my opinion) and I am always stoked to see another video from you.
april m Thank you April! Best of luck in your studies
This is something I realized I needed to do a while ago while practicing a certain piece. It really helped, and it's cool to see that what I did naturally ended up being a good technique. Something that always makes me feel at home in piano is how simple and intuitive it is as it is complex.
Josh- I've been listening to all the interviews of Horowitz and Rubenstein. I recommend them highly because they have fantastic insights. I love your videos!
I loved this video. It was short but full of good stuff. The forte practicing, Trifonov's trill tip, playing with eyes closed. It feels to me when I hear this like I'm learning from these pianists you're talking about. I like that.
I'm a fan!! It's great watching you share playing tips, and watching you demonstrate them. You go a long way towards making advanced classical piano seem achievable.
DrQuizzler Thanks so much for your kindness.
I just recently started watching you and already 2 of the videos you made featured Chopin ballade no. 3, the piece I'm working on rn!! What a coincidence and great surprise. Love your vids!!
Thats awesome! How is it going for you? Im practicing the chopin ballde no.1
I think I originally learned it in a way that did not set up a good foundation. Only after I started watching Josh’s videos did I learn how to properly learn pieces. So right now I’m going back and spot practicing all the hard places. But this piece is really allowing me to find my musicality again! I love Chopin. How is yours going?
@@lucy7574 im doing pretty good, to be honest i feel like for someone like me (a self taught for almost 1 year) im doing pretty good technique and emotion wise, and as you can tell i couldn't stop myself from learning it (even though i'm self taught for only 1 year) because i just LOVE it too much - not like any other peice i've seen yet. Right now i have learnt everything perfectly until the arppegios in the middle of the piece and its going pretty good. I will probably upload a short progress video on this account as soon as i finish with the arppegios so if you sub to me you could watch it when i upload (i dont care about subs, i would just be happy if you could see it and tell me what you think 😁). And if you do go to my channel, please dont judge me on the technique on my video because i had an injured pinky and i also think i improved a lot from then. THANK YOU if you actually read it. I really appreciate it😊
@@lucy7574 oh and by the way, i myself watch a LOT of Josh's videos on technique so i hope im doing alright technique wise
How wonderful that you are teaching yourself and have already learned a chopin ballade! I am also currently teaching myself because I don’t want to pay for lessons anymore haha. I will definitely take a look at your progress video and let you know what I think. Would you do the same for me if I upload a recording of my Ballade? I’d love to get some feedback
It is working method! I resently discovered it and was very surprised! Thank you Josh!
thank you thats what i need :) i hope you will never lose the love for this videos :) i wish you a wonderful day
gerhart schulz He does it for the love of his instrument and instruction of it and i learned good advices from him.
+DER ENGEL DER EINFRIEREN Jaman ich hoffe er verliert nicht die Lust Videos zu machen:) aber er hat mir auch schon geholfen.
Liebes Grüßle
Glad to hear some of the older videos
Hi Josh. Good advice! I remember being advised by Clarence Adler to do just what you advise, but, in addition, to once in a while practice depressing each note of an entire piece without letting the note sound. This also helps "set" the finger memory.
thank you so much. this is such BASIC stuff that i need constant reminders of!!
thanks Josh. The 'resetting' idea is so helpful to me. Just the right thing for me at the moment!
great reminder! My teacher Esther-Lee would tell me to do all you mentioned - and as I bring back repetoire and start to add to it - I appreciate your vids very much!
I’m just now coming across this video. What a helpful technique! I understand completely what you are saying and I’m going to start employing this in my practice time. Thank you!
Thanks for the video, really helpful reminder of stuff I've heard in lessons throughout the years.
Very very very helpful!! Absolutely 🤩🤩🤩 Thank you!
These videos are really helpful!
Thanks, Josh! I've found your tips on efficient practice invaluable.
I just found your videos tonight and I can’t wait to practice tomorrow. And if Kevin Kenner does the eyes closed slow forte, then I’m extra down with it. He played the all-time most beautiful C#6 (measure 18) in the Chopin first concerto, 2nd movement.
great points, Josh. Thanks so much1
Yo this is acctually genius! I suspect it's exactly what I needed
So many advices in one vidéo. Thank you.
wh hw I appreciate your support :)
Excellent suggestion.
awesome.. . very helpful Thankyou Josh
Thank you. I find this to be the case, too. So good to see this as a real world tip.
Excellent advice. Although I've been using this technique before, it's always great to be reminded. The Like/Dislike ratio on this video is insane, probably the best I've seen on youtube for a video with >1000 likes. Not surprisingly!
This is very helpful to me, thank you very much
Michelle Z You're welcome Michelle. Best of luck :)
I cannot remember ever hearing my teachers talk about using arm weight during my private lessons and during my study at the conservatory. After having not really studied since I graduated in 1990, my interest in working on my technique started again after I came across a book titled "Fundamentals of Piano Technique, the Russian Method" by Leon and Olga Conus. How important is using arm weight and should it be used during every note, even in fast passages? And is it possible to even completely ignore that aspect in piano playing? Maybe I simply didn't pick it up during my music study times.
Thank you Josh.
Many great concepts here! Thanks so much!
Christopher Brent Thank you for your kindness Christopher!
Excelent!, thank you so much for this video, I'm very conscious of this "reset button" you mention, but it's always easy to forget to go back and play note by note, slow and forte. (even knowing that by alone that is a wonderful teacher for our fingers). In two days I'll give a concert with some difficult works (chopin, liszt etudes, etc) and I feel insecure with certain passages. Now i've seen your video I remembered what effective was when I did this practice more often. This video was like a reset button for me to remember to keep going to the very bottom of the keys, because with time we tend to start playing "from above" the keys and lightening our touch and losing trust in our hands (it's like our fingers start to lose the road). I very much appreciate that a pianist of your caliber give us this videos. Thanks again and keep the good work.
Greetings from Argentina.
I'm really enjoying those videos, thanks for them :)
federfuchsCh Thank you!
Josh, thanks for the really helpful tips and insights. It's inspiring to see how you practise. I step up, walk to my piano and start studying straight away. :)
Wouter Hermeling Excellent - glad it helped Wouter.
This is sure to help me on my current piece ^-^
Adam Leslie Thanks Adam!
Josh Wright No, thank you! ^^ I've put this technique to work, and the 16ths I've been working on feel and sound much more fluid now.
Adam Leslie So glad to hear it. Have a great week!
Hi Savio - (Sorry, it would let me reply to your comment, so hopefully you see this) - here is a link for Thematic Catalogues en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_catalogue. For the etudes, I think a good one to start with is Op.25 No.2
Josh Wright Hello Josh, great video - this reminded me of when I first attempted to play Chopin Etudes - I was self taught and read music poorly so I thought the easiest ones to start with would be in C and what looked like C - the first two of opus 10. Ah the bliss of ignorance!
Great video! Your videos are very helpful, thank you very much for taking the time to make them. Your Awesome!!!
Excellent video!
Ron Setiawan Thanks Ron
Great videos, thank you!
Brilliant.
It WORKS!
I will be trying it when I wake up!
Hi Josh. That Was really good. Have not worked at all with Chopin But really want to begin. have the Book Chopin Etudes for Piano. Can u Guide me with 2 things? what is Thematic Index? Wat would be the best way to approach the Etudes in this book.
thanks. looks like a really helpful approach [going to check it]..and what was that piece you're taking about at 4:35?
דויד שליט Thank you. It's Kreisleriana by Schumann
Great tips, I will try these when I practice. Can you recommend any jazz pieces to learn for a grade 3 level
Thank you very much for all your videos! It's really helpful and, always makes me want to practice more!
PS: Congratulations on the national chopin piano competition !!!
Jérémie Lhomme Thanks so much Jérémie. I hope you are doing great!
Wow! thanks josh. alot of work ahed of me here
:)
Great video Josh. I have a concert on Monday where I have to bring back some old pieces that are kind of rusty, so in the future, do you think you could do a video about bringing pieces back that aren't what they used to be?
TheKlutchsletsplays Good question. I will add it to my list of videos to do.
Hey Josh,
your information and methods are great, but the way you're teaching is even greater. I hope you continue your lighthearted yet concise way of conveying principles!
a quick question: does this method also apply to passages with skips? e.g. in pieces like la campanella would you practice the first part also forte? is that even possible with such rapid hand motion? I always find some notes rather flimsy and blurry in fast skips due to the fact that I don't want to lose tempo. Does it make sense to practice very slow and forte in those passages?
great video thanks...
Thank you very much for this video. This makes the piano world "a bit"easier. I bought a roland piano months ago to start a study of this instrument. I have played percussions for years and i always wanted to learn the piano, so now i´m on my way. A Cuban friend of mine adviced me to study on the scales and arpeggios first before attempting anything else (i´m also doing the first Hanon´s exercises) so that´s what i´ve been doing in the last months ( 4or 5 so far). Sometimes i feel like shouting and running away but my last experience with drums with me the encouragement to go on... is there anything else i should be doing? i mean like trying to play simple songs or chords? I spend aroung 3 hours a day on scales and sometimes gets a bit tired! Thanks again!!!
I have a bit of stiffness in my right wrist after practicing a lot and it can get a little tender. am I doing something wrong and can it be fixed?
Yes, I practice finger articulation all the time and it's very good, however you forgot to mention not to apply arm weight or the playing will suffer horribly and ruin the lightness.
cfcup2004 Thanks for the input...I actually covered the concept you're referring to in the video I posted two weeks ago. Armweight actually helps even with a light touch if you know how to control it well.
Josh Wright I must disagree with you, what might "feel" like arm weight is actually the momentary release of the arm muscles because if there was no release there would be tension and cramp. A "floating" arm with "weight release" rather than "arm weight" is what we should all be striving for :)
Really good video, as usual. I'm too tense when I play piano. Every time I see a professional pianist playing, I see his hands, and his fingers very bent (as you), essentially the little finger. For me, everything I try to do, my little finger is not bent enough, and it's not natural. I know I'm too tense.. From my back to my fingers essentially when I have to play faster,.. My piano teacher, even if she says that I have made progress, this thing doesn't progress enough for me. Maybe your video about nerves will help me. If not, can you give an advice, please ?
*Sorry for my english... I hope you understood me
Nodame Hi Nodame - Just try relaxing your hands down to your sides, then from that position, put them onto the keyboard. Our hands naturally curve when they are relaxed. Also, try scooting your hand a bit closer to the black keys. This way, your pinkie does not have to flatten or extend in order to hit the black keys. Best of luck in your studies
Which was the etude you played a few bars as 2nd piece?
Etude Op 25 no 5 Wrong Note
4:56, that is me :(
Josh, I think you should start with instructing how to even sit at the piano. The whole foundation of playing smooth seems to be based on that. It looks as if you sit rather low. That might make it easier to play faster..
YM M Great idea. I may do a video on that soon!
Fantastic, you are awesome!
Josh Wright Yes please do this! Seating position is something I would be interested to hear your opinion on.
YM M definitely !!
I've been wondering just the same thing. In these videos at the practice room, he does sit low, but not in other videos. is there some benefit to be had by practicing at a low height?
6:08 - Haha..!
what was the name of the blind boy who won the Van cliburn with his etudes? wanted to c if I could c some vids. btw, typing like this because of poor piano practicing technique, nerve damage :( lol
Nobuyuki Tsujii.
I lost it from 7.54 onwards...XD
am i allowed to be jealous of you ? lol
I find it bizarre how different you look in your thumbnails. I expect a 40 year old Paul McCartney, I get a 20 something Tucker Carlson/Tom Cruise hybrid. Trips me out.
JAMES KRAMER brilliant reply ;)
why do i see you everywhere lol.