Today you’ll learn about a little technique I call “Machine Gun Chords” that I used for the song, “The Machine,” one of the most popular songs on my “Dark Ivory” album. I basically wrote the entire composition based off this one concept, just moving it around to different chords. To demonstrate we’ll take an A Minor Chord, A-C-E. Your right hand will play the top two notes of the chord… continue reading
Today you’ll learn how to compose piano music in the style of Chopin, my favorite composer. I’ve learned a lot of his pieces over the years and when I started composing my own songs I wanted them to have that dark, Chopin feel to them. Since I’ve played so many of his songs, I’ve figured out the little tricks and techniques he uses to get his sound. To explain this… continue reading
Today I’m going to go over the #1 best chord progression for beginners to learn on piano. First, I’m going to tell you why it’s the best and why you should learn it before any other chord progression. Then, I’m going to tell you about some simple variations you can add to the progression. Next, I’ll tell you about some very easy ways to improvise over the progression. To hear… continue reading
How long does it really take to get good at piano? I’m going to answer that question today and break piano up into three categories: Technique, Play by Ear, and Learning Songs. I’m going to be very specific in answering this question and explain how if you practice for a certain amount of time, using specific routines, for a specified number of weeks, you’ll get a particular result. At the… continue reading
Today I’m going to talk about the dreaded topic of networking! I know as musicians, especially as piano players, a lot of us hate the concept of going into a random room of strangers, talking to people, and getting gigs. However, I actually think networking is more important than your piano ability in terms of your ability to get gigs and get paid off of your music. If you’re interested… continue reading
Today you’re going to learn about a jazz improv chord progression that you’ll be able to play within a week. If you’re a beginner, it’ll look hard initially, but once I break it down for you, you’ll see that it’s much easier to learn than you think. In the video above, I demonstrate this easy jazz piano improvisation, and I’ll explain exactly how to get to that point in this… continue reading
If you’re looking for a way to add some extra beauty and sensitivity to your piano playing, I think that you’re going to love this left hand pattern. I use this pattern in so many of my tutorials and song covers on YouTube- it’s simple yet amazingly effective. In this article, I’ll explore the key points you need to be aware of to learn this left hand pattern, and how… continue reading
With just 10 minutes per day of practice I’m going to show you how you can absolutely dominate your piano scales. You’ll develop smooth, even, fast piano scales without all of the frustration. After reading this blog post, get right to a piano and start practicing. The sooner you can apply these lessons, the better. You’ll get way more out of this if you take action right away. Why Piano… continue reading
Today you’re going to learn how to cut your piano practice time in half and double your results using accelerated learning techniques. We’re going to go through how to work smarter, not harder, and get more from each minute of your piano practice time. Also, I’m going to discuss the crazy thing I learned from accidentally recording my piano practice session. The results from this absolutely shocked me and I’ll… continue reading
What separates good piano players from GREAT piano players? After working with more than 100 students I’ve learned what makes certain piano players standout. I’ve seen how some piano players slowly progress over time while others seem to have their piano skills ramp up and develop MUCH faster. Today I’m sharing those insights with you. The Two Things That Separate Good from GREAT Piano Players Becoming a great piano player… continue reading
