Duane Shinn (that would be me) has good news for you if you want to play the piano. He (me) has little fat hands & stubby little fingers - not at all suited for playing the piano - more suited to making mud pies or some such. I am also fairly uncoordinated with just average musical ability - certainly not a great piano player. But I've learned a ton about music over the years and people tell me I'm pretty decent at explaining how music works & how to progress more rapidly on the piano. Over the years I have developed about 150 techniques for conquering the piano. Most professional pianists can do these techniques, but very few can explain them in a way people can understand. I specialize in making complex techniques simple. I invite you to watch a few of my free videos and see some of these for yourself before making any decision about taking any of my courses.
For those who have been playing piano for several years, learning to play from a fake book can be a useful skill. In order to play from one, you need to have an understanding of chord theory. You should also … Continue reading →
I was in Vienna last week, the home of many of the great classical composers and musicians. I visited Mozart’s apartment where he lived for a couple years, and also visited Hungary where Franz Liszt was born. Liszt was born … Continue reading →
Between 1817 and 1823, Ludwig van Beethoven composed Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Opus 125 “Choral.” Nestled in the fourth movement of this classical masterpiece is ‘Ode to Joy.’ It’s a composition of exquisite beauty, which to this day continues … Continue reading →
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could predict which chord would probably come next in a song? I’ve got some good news for you. It is possible. Not 100%, but somewhere on the order of 75% to 85% accurate. That’s … Continue reading →
There are so many publications of easy piano classics out there that it can be difficult for the beginning pianist to know where to begin. Whether you are looking for paper-based anthologies from the store, or searching for music on … Continue reading →
It was a piano chord chart that got me started in piano playing when I was about 14 years old, and over the years I probably have purchased a couple dozen more chord charts of all kinds, from simple to … Continue reading →
I used the tri-tone substitution for years before I knew the name of it, and perhaps you do also. It makes sense, because it allows you to “slide in” to the target chord for a smoother transition. In fact, I … Continue reading →
Would you go to a doctor who couldn’t tell your liver from your heart? I don’t think so. So why do millions of people take piano lessons from teachers who are great at sight-reading, technique, and all the other areas … Continue reading →
Students sometimes become confused by the language of music — I know I was confused sometimes as I was learning music in the early days. Language is like that: it sometimes complicates reality. It’s not that the thing itself is … Continue reading →
Do you remember the movie Phenomenon staring John Travolta? He played the part of a car mechanic who gets struck by lightning and wakes up possessing unusual mathematical and linguistic skills. Later he discovers he has a massive tumour of … Continue reading →
