This is awesome! Thanks so much for sharing those tips! As someone who hasn't played the piano for almost 10 years, picking it back up is not an easy job! And your instructions help a lot in that process! :)
Here is an UPDATED ProPractice tutorial on this piece. When I originally recorded this lesson in 2013, I was just showing some techniques I would go about on how to approach and practice it from day 1, having never learned it. Here's the new link, now that I've learned and performed it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-if_tCAYB0C0.html. I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for your support over the years, and I wish you all the best in your continued piano studies!
Pianists with small hands want large hands. My second teacher could barely span an octave. Yet she won Australia's premier instrumental competition in 1937 playing Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto - which you would assume could not possibly be played well by someone with such small hands.
i can't sight read sheet music LMAO but i LOVE well played piano pieces like this. :) i wish i was better, but don't have the coordination. i'm terrible at playing with 2 hands. but I LOVE piano so lol here i am
Reminds me of how I was when I first started playing about 3 years ago xD first piece I learned was the Elder Scrolls theme, then was like ok, I want something harder, and tried learning Nobuo Uematsu's One Winged Angel xD
I won't call you an idiot, but I'll give you a word of advice: This piece is incredibly technical and it takes most people THOUSANDS of hours of practice to get to a level of competency to be able to play this. Give it a go, but don't be discouraged if you can't pull it off yet. Keep practicing.
***** Nice, man. :) I'm sure you can manage it. I got decently far with it about 5 years ago but stopped and I have no idea why...Hopefully I can learn it this time.
Your advice for learning this piece reminded me of this quote-- "Nobody trips over mountains; it is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain." Thank you for the tips and encouragement; it was much appreciated =)
I looked at this piece about 6 years ago, and put it on hold because it was too challenging for me back then. I've picked it up again, and yesterday, finished running through the piece (without refining it). Something everyone can do is train the pinkies on your hands up with various exercises. They're used so much in this piece that you won't find the strength to carry on without them. Josh didn't play the opening passage with the left hand playing an octave on the eighth beat (probably out of choice, I know he's more than capable of it), but without the pinkie playing the lower octave, it loses some of the emphasis. Also the second trill (or turn depending on how fast you play it) during the lyrical-like section when the left hand starts the 4-1-2-1 pattern, is reliant on the strength of your fourth and fifth right hand fingers (I still yet haven't got it to sound perfect, but hopefully that'll come with practice). Also, there are lots of different interpretations to the staccato section that comes two sections before the repeat. I'm experimenting with playing it all moderately quiet, and alternating between a soft/harsh pattern. I like the latter, just because it gives the piece, sort of like, a question and answer section. It's quite nice if you get the distinction right. If anyone else has tips, I'd love to hear them too. :)
Moltakfire Thanks so much for your comments. I agree that finger strength is important. I'd also add that relaxation is key to executing any of the technical demands of this piece. Most of the time in my playing I notice things are fixed when I learn how to relax properly. Best of luck in your studies!
ive been playing piano for 14 days since lockdown here in my country New Zealand. My first piece only because ive always wanted to learn it but never got a round to it was Moonlight Sonata 1st movement it took me 8days now i know it off by heart . I know i shouldnt attempt this piece but really want to try it looks very difficult though i cant get the speed needed for it but i can play the correct notes at a slower speed. Not the same any advice?
I started studying piano in the second half of the 9th grade. Three years later on my high school recital I played the Bach Prelude and Fugue # 1 in C Major, the Chopin Polinaise in A-Flat Major (Heroic), all three movements of the Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, and the Mendelssohn g minor piano concerto. Looking back I find it very difficult to believe I accomplished that, but all I can remember is dedication and hard work - 8 hour practice days during the week and 10 hour practice days on the weekend. Anything is possible.
great video with a lot of helpful tips. If I may offer a couple of others that I learned from a first rate piano professor. For me one of the main keys for having clarity, evenness, and avoiding tension in the opening broken chords is to practice really slow and make really really sure you are not holding on to any note too long. The split second you play a note the previous one should immediately release and allow that finger to return to its normal position as much as possible and follow the hand and not be "left behind". It is amazing how much we can be overlapping notes without realizing it. If you are overlapping you will have tension and quickly tire plus the sound will be muddy. Body positioning is also very important. You need to keep the weight of the arm properly behind the hand by shifting your body position to maintain proper alignment. If you wrist is turning sideways you are losing your arm weight. As you pass in front of your body you need to lean back a little to allow the hand to move freely without compromising this weight and balance. And maybe one more tip. When practicing these broken chords try adding a little extra arm weight to the last two notes of each figure as they naturally may be a bit weaker and give out on the needed rotation back to the thumb. Just a few ideas. I am not an expert but these helped me a lot. And finally, maybe cliche, but remember the slower your practice the faster you learn. The great pianist Busoni once said there are three tempos to practice, slow, slower, and even slower. I do love however Joshes idea of practicing tiny bits at a time up to speed. Again, just things that have worked for me.
05:07 That's how I learn too. It's not amateurish. I break it down by measures. First, I find the fingering. Then I learn RH in a measure until I know it. Then LH. Then together. This is an excellent video. Thank you.
this guy is one of the best players on youtube , and he got just 50k subs , there are way worse players and they got 300k wtf.... this guy deserve way more
Great video Josh! I was wondering if you would be able to do a future video on Beethoven's "Waldstein" Sonata, 1st movement, addressing phrasing and dynamics in particular. I find it difficult to make that piece sound musical, especially considering the technical challenges it provides.
My request is related to yours! I've "managed" the 1st movement though not to my satisfaction. But the 3rd movement just totally floors me! At ANY speed. I find it hard to even approach it. Any help on that movement would be enormously appreciated.
Hi, I am not Josh, (as you can tell) but what works for me is starting out very slow and using a million different rhythms. So here are some variations you can try in the scale passages and the alberti bass: staccato, repeating every note, practicing the scales backwards, practicing the alberti bass solid, altering the accent ( in a group of 4 16ths accent the 1st throughout the passage, then the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.) changing the rhythm, playing little groups past and the next group slow.
Playing-soft practice (start from no sound) with the Chopin etude #4 was totally new to me after decades. That part has been sooo damn hard to nail and I will try that soft practice tomorrow!! Also the accent practice for the left hand for the Beethoven. It was new as well. Can’t wait to see the result. Thank you so much!
Excellent. This shows the importance of the right teaching, guidance and coaching. I think you could be a launching hundreds of future careers and at least a really wonderful understanding of the piece whether one chooses to try and play it or not.
I just started learning this piece this week. I laughed when I saw you suggest to learn it in small bits, as this is exactly how I am doing it (and I really am 'amateurish'). After much time away from the piano I hope my old fingers can get up to speed. I will definitely try the accenting exercise also when I get to that part.
Ive played so many easy pieces, and ive been playing for nearly 4 years; im ready to take it a step farder. Thanks Josh this was so helpful, I really improved this beautiful piece thanks to this tips.
I have been wanting to play this song and have been learning it!!! Thanks to this video I am now WAY better at playing the intro of the song!!!!! I am doing the part where you said to do it step by step and get faster and faster and eventually play this intro without any trouble at all!!! :) The only thing I would say is that adjusting to this song when I first get on the piano is a little hard since it is so fast. I am still learning this song and I will practice the rest of it using you're tips! Thanks!!!!!!!
I have a question. How do you now what fingering to use, specifically at 3:45 but also just in general? I think that passage is less intuitive when it comes to fingering
Sr, I did not become the slightest wiser! Every American tutor wastes your time with a lot of bla-bla . Bla-bla is good for commercials but not for art! Rousseau´s and Kassia´s coverings can teach me how to play it . Let the computer do this jobb, they are superior!
Hi Steven...I watched Valentina Lisitsa's version and I liked it very much. She is one of my favorites pianists also. However, her piano technique is way out of my reach, especially for me who am in my sixties. But I found hope in Claudio Arrau and Daniel Barenboim; both lift the thumb on the lower G while playing the trill on the upper G. Also, I didn't notice that the Schirmer edition from 1923 (The Complete Beethoven' Sonatas) has a footnote indicating the note and trill altogether in 5 notes - 3 and 2 or 2 and 3. After a few weeks practicing this 3rd movement it has become much easier to me to play it, but also following Arrau and Barenboim trick, who maintain the octave in A# but just a touch when it comes to the octave in G, allowing the pedal to keep the lower G in play. Thank you anyways for your suggestion. I appreciate it. I haven't found the version from Yuja Wang which I believe must be very promising...If you have a link for it, please send it my way. Thanks again...
Josh, how to play the double note octave trills -a few bars after you stopped you video) where we have an A# trill and the an F## trill? Personally, I am using pedal to keep the octave and use the rest of my small hand for the trill. I would sincerely appreciate your help in this matter. THank you very much.
Genuinely amazing, I'm a self taught pianist but used many of the practise techniques you do, I too was surprised that many pianists hadn't used such practise techniques.. But really a helpful video! Great for looking at alternative perspectives thank you!
I've never been able to read from a single note and then play it on my piano ever since i even got my piano.. All i do is watch peoples finger and copy. :((
For anyone having this problem, I would recommend you go back to the beginning for a couple of months with a good method book like Faber's Adult Piano Adventures. That should begin to develop your sight reading.
Thanks for sharing. Search RU-vid for Andras Schiff Masterclass at the Royal College of Music for a great masterclass on this and 2 other Beethoven sonatas.
This biggest trouble with this piece is stamina, isn't it? I can handle each individual section. But try to play through and my hands feel like they are going to fall off.
Ara Vartanian Absolutely!! It’s pretty easy to learn, but is extremely demanding to execute! It’s over 7 minutes of relentless playing and my LH feels like it can lock up easily. You really have to release tension and stay relaxed throughout as much as you can.
TIME STAMPS - HOPE IT HELPS SOMEONE ELSE 01:26 Schnabel edition recommended FIRST SECTION 01:47 Non crescendo (Schnabel) 02:27 Exercise for learning pianissimo: start with no sound, just touching the keys SECOND SECTION 03:37 03:55 Practice the duet with just melody first 04:16 After notes and rhythm learned, put in the expression right away 04:45 Add the top notes 04:55 Way to build tempo 06:03 Things quickly come together with this method THIRD SECTION 06:23 06:38 Left hand is prominent, so need to work on left hand for balance 07:18 Stay in the keybed 07:53 Left hand exercise
I passed my grade 3 about 6 years ago but I haven't played for a long time. Is moonlight sonata 1st movement a achievable piece or would you say it's too hard for my level
In the duet you were talking about in the video, you are actually using your fourth finger instead of your little finger to play the top note? I found it really hard to move my little finger around.Also are there any études that build up to it? Thanks for this helpful video!
Letian Wang Hi Letian - you have to do whatever fits well in your hand, since everyone's hand is a little different. Have you played some easier Mozart sonatas, or Clementi Sonatinas? Also, some of the easier Chopin Etudes (if there is such a thing :) ) will help you develop better technique as well. I hope that is helpful. I posted a video about Technique Regimen that may help you. Have a great week!
I just wanna ask something, how can you play that fast, how long did it take to learn? I'm 16 now and learning like 5 or 6 years piano, how long will it take to learn for me? any answer pls?
You have my greatest respect for being able to sit down and play this piece for the first time so easily. The huge benefits of mastery of ones craft. Best wishes
jacqueline nguyen Hi Jacqueline - thank you for your kind words. Yes - check out my video called "Sightreading". If you have questions after watching it just send me an email. Have a great week!
I so want to learn that piece one day.... but just not yet. Considering how everyone is telling me I have made tremendous progress in only a year of playing piano, I guess I'll be able to try that maybe sooner than I think. But I already have much on my plate right now I guess (Mozart K545 1st mov; Rachmaninoff prelude in C sharp minor; Bach invention #8; The Entertainer). And there are so much pieces I want to learn! Damn, why is piano so hard! ^^"
