Many pianists wonder what is the difference between jazz vs. classical piano. Are the two styles really that different? Are there different techniques involved in classical vs. jazz music styles? Are there different approaches to music in jazz piano vs. classical piano? What would I need to learn in order to switch between jazz and …
Jazz piano vs. classical piano: a tale of two genre Read More »
Classical music is all around us. We hear it in supermarkets, restaurants, films, television adverts, and in so many more places. From the monastic monks’ chants of medieval Europe to Chopin’s strikingly beautiful piano melodies; from the elegance of Mozart to the film music of Star Wars, classical music has influenced life for centuries and …
Classical music eras: what are the seven periods of music history? Read More »
The best part of learning to play the piano is when you can finally find piano chords for popular songs and work them out yourself. There’s great joy in playing a fun song with a simple piano arrangement, or looking through simple chord charts and making something up. Finding songs to play on the piano …
5 piano songs with easy chords to impress friends and build knowledge Read More »
“Do re mi fa so la ti da” is an instantly recognizable refrain. This is especially true if you have ever watched “The Sound of Music”. This is an example of solfege patterns being used to help teach a musical scale. For most musicians who take up an instrument, one of the first things you …
Solfege in music – What is solfege and how can you use it? Read More »
Learning about a diverse range of musical artists is a great way to expand your knowledge, gather new inspiration, and experience new worlds and ideas. The universe of music is so vast and encompasses so many styles, cultures, and traditions that it would take several lifetimes to explore and appreciate all of it. Fortunately, we …
Explore the piano all over the world for Diversity Awareness month Read More »
“Moonlight Sonata” by Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the staple pieces of classical piano music. Its haunting melody, darkly dreamy tempo, and characteristic chord progression make it a piece that is both well-loved and often played. Like other standard pieces of classical piano music, beginners might not know the history and stories behind the …
Play piano favorites: Moonlight Sonata Read More »
Learning how to balance your hands on the piano is an important skill to develop. Developing solid and consistent control over your tone, dynamics, and articulation is a skill that is not built overnight. It takes months and years of practice to build a strong sound on the piano. Fortunately, having an awareness of this …
It’s all in the hands: balance, dynamics, and tone Read More »
Memorizing music as a pianist is an important skill to develop. It is extremely easy in our modern world to simply access information via phone or computer and retain very little. Memorizing helps us to build a base of knowledge that we can use and extrapolate to other dimensions of our lives, helps us to …
How to memorize music as a pianist Read More »
Practicing the piano should be a fun, exciting, and enjoyable experience. However, it is useful to take a step back on occasion and examine the habits you develop around piano practice. How often do you do this? This week, we will explore a range of bad habits that you can develop on the piano so …
Learn to identify bad habits on the piano Read More »
Like many pursuits in life, progressing in your piano practice requires consistency and discipline. It can feel easy at the beginning to make huge leaps in your skills. However, after some time you may feel like you start to hit certain plateaus. Feeling like you are hitting plateaus in your practice presents a chance to …
Simple strategies to improve your piano playing Read More »
Join in the fun and celebration of World Music Day this month with Skoove. Music is a wonderful and beautiful force and what better way to celebrate the power of music than with an all-day celebration around the Summer solstice! Learn more about this wonderful day, some of the history behind the idea and event, …
Join in the fun of World Music Day Read More »
The whole tone scale is a surreal and enigmatic sound that often feels ambiguous and unanchored. The scale is perfect for creating dream-like passages and is commonly found in the work of Impressionistic composers like Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. However, examples of the scale date back to the 17th century. The whole tone scale …
Dreaming with the whole tone scale Read More »
World Piano Day Sale. The world is playing – are you in? 🎉
Get a 7 day trial of Skoove Premium piano lessons
