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Breathing, Listening, Moving – Three Essential Elements of Good Technique

by Doug Hanvey | August 20, 2016 | Learning, Practicing & Playing Piano

Three essential elements of good piano technique that are sometimes neglected by both teachers and students are breathing, listening, and (surprisingly) moving. Breathing Like any athletic exercise, a pianist’s mental …Share...

The Checkered History of Piano Technique

by Doug Hanvey | February 20, 2016 | Learning, Practicing & Playing Piano

Some piano students think of technique as dull and dreary. Maybe that’s because they’ve been assigned monotonous études (studies or exercises) such as the famous ones by Hanon. Fortunately, technique …Share...

Becoming a Self-Learning Pianist

by Doug Hanvey | December 12, 2015 | Learning, Practicing & Playing Piano

Unlike K-12 school students, piano students usually spend just one hour per week with their teacher. The time between lessons is spent practicing what has been discussed in the lesson.…Share...

Is Mindfulness Relevant to Piano Playing?

by Doug Hanvey | August 29, 2015 | Learning, Practicing & Playing Piano

From 2007 to 2014, I taught an undergraduate course on mindfulness at Indiana University Bloomington that was academic yet also highly experiential. (Not surprisingly, a number of talented IU Jacobs …Share...

The Architecture of Piano Technique

by Doug Hanvey | May 2, 2015 | Learning, Practicing & Playing Piano

What can architecture teach us about piano playing? One of the most fundamental building structures is the arch. The arch is an incredibly stable structure that has allowed buildings …Share...
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Recent Posts

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  • Mindfulness of Thoughts for Musicians (Part 1 of 2)

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