SCALES - New Tips For Speed, Evenness, & Reducing Tension

[mabdub]

Not everybody can become a virtuoso but your tips help everybody to become a better pianist with more confidence. In the end your tips help people experience a greater sense of joy at making music. The kindness of your sharinging is much appreciated. Thank you.

[christopherzimmer]

Josh, this video might be your “Mona Lisa” of piano instruction! First, the humble and honest way that you reveal your challenges brings you enormous credibility and makes people really want to listen and learn. Second, the way that you weave in layers of psychology and biomechanics gives so much practical depth to what others might view as a “how to” video. In short: wow, and great job! 😊

[nebbykoo]

Wow! I'm so happy that this level of analysis is taking place. It helps me understand why my performance problems exist.

[luvkayakn]

I’m slowly rebuilding my piano skills after a nearly 40 year break from serious practicing, and have struggled with speed of any real temp above 100. Hence, I’m focusing on scales, arpeggios and chords. This is a fantastic tip and I can’t wait to try it.

[PhilipGarciaReacts]

Love the tip about the importance of finding the right trigger and catalyst words that cause us to react: flow, take, pillow fingers! Thank your always Josh!

[davidpickell]

I really like the intensity, tempo, and truth of how you share your engagement with the instrument!

[joshdimercurio]

I finished your video, sat down, and tried the techniques for two minutes. I then tried to play my G scale again. This morning I could barely fumble out 120bpm. I just did 152 bpm with laughable ease, AND I AM SO ECSTATIC; such an Aha moment!!


p.s. I did send you an email last week, but it was nothing urgent! If you did not receive it though, I can resend it :)

[odmusicman]

Josh my biggest take away from your lessons have been learning to relax. Relax posture, shoulders, arms, wrists, fingers. I did a lot of classical in early days then did rock/jazz for many years so the tendency of muscle memory to "slam down" on keys has been a mental journey of reversals and you have accelerated those efforts. A big sincere thank you. Joe O'Donnell

[TracingFlares]

let me take a breath and hit the replay button... this is huge. Thank you😊

[wolfie]

flow under not thumb under really helpes me. it is just different wording but it really helps haha

[jmc]

Josh, thank you so much! Taking from the keys and the thumb adjustment were an unlock for me. My scales are flying!

[chrisvalverde]

It's not 3 moves. It's 1 move. Brilliant 👏. That alone helped me so much!! Thank you sir 😊

[vergauwenmartial]

Thank you for those advises. I'm learning a Clementi sonatine right now with c major scales and my teacher just tell me "perfect, now faster". And this is when I get tension and my hands, wrist and forearm get rigid. I think a teacher shouldn't tell his student to go faster but rather show him how he can get faster. Your technical advices are precious.

[juanmanueltellechea]

Super useful! Already playing faster :) thx 🙏

[drintro]

After having been taught at an early age to "strike the keys", I'm still (at age 59) unlearning that reflex motion in my right hand that essentially caused some focal dystonia. This video appeared at just the right time today. I have to reiterate the caution against over drilling and instead taking a step back and analyzing where you're actually blocked.

[bradsims]

I play guitar and you have been such a good teacher. Very thankful, for your focus. Your awesome josh !

[BEZONANCE]

this video was super helpful in achieving even and faster scales! literally 3 days of practicing this technique and the results surprised me so much! thank you Josh

[mariacristinatangorra]

wow, mister Whrigt, you show me things no teacher ever told me before! I came back playing piano three years ago, after have played it since I was 6 until 16 years old. At that time thay tortured me with Clementi sonatas, which I much later found out beiing just beautyful, but lessons then were sooo boring for a teenager, while sun was shining outside of my room in Rome! Today, thanks to you and other great people on youtube I got rid of bad positions and habits they tought me - or just not put right - when I was young and I'm improuving every day a little more, with no fear and no tension.God bless you.

[thegreenpianist]

This exactly what I need at this moment, a rebuild like you said. I can relate to what you said about losing your way with scales.
This will be so helpful with that. Thank you for the wonderful videos as always!

[bex_lynne]

You inspire me to play more seriously again, and give me great ideas to pass along to my students. Thank you!!