No Piano? How to Practice Anywhere!

No Piano? How to Practice Anywhere! PianoCareerAcademy.comShould we stop practicing if we don’t have access to a piano?

Absolutely not!

A temporary separation from our instrument could have many causes. Some of them might be pleasant, while others – sad or even tragic:

  • a planned vacation
  • traveling for work
  • relocating to a new city or country
  • losing your possessions because of a fire or flood
  • fleeing from a war zone

No matter the cause, when we are away from home and our piano, we need to make a decision: do we take a longer break (allowing our skills to deteriorate) – or do we keep practicing anyway?

But wait! you might say. How can we practice piano without a piano?

Well, my friends, if there is desire, we will find the means – and human resourcefulness has no limits!

In this improvised video I show you how to practice on any hard surface, so that you can stay in shape (and even make progress!) no matter where you are. During my adventurous life, I made use of this method more times than I can count!

NB: This video was recorded during the heart-breaking Ukraine war, while we were very far away from our home, studio and professional recording equipment. All I used was an iPad – and my big desire to contribute.

No Piano? How to Practice Anywhere!

Video highlights:

00:02. Introduction. Why am I recording in a hotel room? The useful ‘practice surfaces’ you can find anywhere!

01:23. Let’s begin! Finding an appropriate surface. Correct posture and elbow alignment.
02:26. Starting with a warm-up. Tips for late beginner, intermediate and advanced players. Scale practice.
03:24. Warm-up tips for absolute beginners. Non-legato exercises and the fundamental whole-arm key attack.
05:59. The importance of learning how to use the arm as one unit before focusing on separate finger movements.
06:59. Additional scale practice recommendations for intermediate/advanced students.
07:48. What about the exact distance between keys? The best solution for this problem (especially if you are a beginner).

09:02. Moving on to your pieces. How to learn a brand new piece without a piano – a short step-by-step guide:
09:41. Step No. 1: listening to a good professional recording (and why you need to do it).
10:12. Step No. 2: analyzing the piece (and the main ‘clues’ you need to pay attention to).
11:33. Step No. 3: deciphering the piece and practicing it by using the ‘magnifying glass’ method.

13:57. Conclusion.
14:21. If you would like to study all the topics I mentioned today in a detailed step-by-step manner, join PianoCareerAcademy.com! πŸ™‚

Start your journey to piano mastery today by joining my Piano Coaching Program at PianoCareerAcademy.com! ;)

In the Members Area you will discover many hundreds of other exclusive lessons for all levels (including step-by-step courses and interactive projects) that will help you to play freely, expressively and brilliantly!

It’s time to hear your playing come alive and shine! 8)

Recommended free tutorials:
No Time to Practice? 5 Powerful Solutions for Lack of Time.
The Power of Perseverance in Learning to Play Piano: Why Musical Progress is Not Linear.

Recommended tutorials (available on PianoCareerAcademy.com):
Practicing Away from the Piano. Resuming Our Practice After a Vacation.
How to Get Back Into Shape After a Long Break. Real-Time Scale Practice.

Keep rocking 8),
Ilinca

P.S. Many new online piano lessons and video tutorials are coming soon on PianoCareer.com! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Pinterest to get instant updates, support and motivation! ;)

8 Responses to “No Piano? How to Practice Anywhere!”

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  1. AMS says:

    Thank you for the video. Hope you and family and everyone stay safe during this difficult time.

  2. JLS says:

    I have thought about you and your family ever since Russia invaded Ukraine. I know that Moldova borders Ukraine and I was worried. I am happy that you and family evacuated before things became nasty.

  3. Nesip Aral says:

    Hi Ilinca, I am happy to hear from you and learn that you are safe.
    Your video reminded me of a YouTube video below by Daniil Trifonov.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAPEvEIENGo

  4. Linda Brann says:

    Thank you! I always appreciate your teaching!

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