Yes! I have noticed the precise subtitles :) Thanks for your effort and work!

What is the melody she's playing at 12:38 btw? Sounds like Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks! 😆

@@slzeman6079 Hi! At 12:38 I play the very beginning of a beautiful intermediate piece entitled 'Dreamy' op. 23, written by Henryk Pachulski (1859-1921). A full step-by-step tutorial is available on PianoCareerAcademy.com 😉.

Thank you so much, Colin! ;)

Hi! Thank you! :) I'm happy that you found this video in time, before you did more damage to your wrist. Assigning 5-finger exercises to beginners should be illegal by now - I get so sad when I see that they are still being recommended :(. By the way, you CAN study with me, by joining my Piano Coaching Program at PianoCareerAcademy.com. As a member of PCA you will learn how to play correctly by following my Video Course for Beginners. This Course will help you to develop ALL your piano skills (healthy technique, expression, hearing, reading, theory & analysis, pedaling etc.) in a harmonious manner, according to the professional system used in the Russian piano school. You can learn more by reading my answer to question No. 17 from our FAQs (www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs/). Good luck! ;)

I am also a beginner and teaching myself from utube . Not easy.

Thank you! Yes, I think that ‘poetic’ is a good way to describe my teaching style. It’s not just about my English, it’s a deliberate (and very effective) professional teaching strategy :).

Thank you, Lucky! We are looking forward to welcoming you to our community! ;)

I'm really happy that this video was helpful! 😊 I hope your wrists and hands feel better soon!

You are very welcome, Nate! Thank you so much for your appreciation! :)))

I'm happy this video was helpful! Regarding the 'finger myth', which is sadly still so common nowadays, you could also watch episode No. 2 from my new Myth series - where I talk about this topic in lots of detail. The first episode is available here on KZfaq [ kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aNxznLyGsdiWe2g.html ]. Episodes No. 2-7 are free as well, but only available to our email newsletter subscribers.

Thank you for your appreciation, Eph-Jay! ;) Yes, piano playing is a fluid process - so any rigidity leads to technical and expressive limitations (not to mention the physical discomfort). Remaining in contact with the keys is useful in some cases - but it cannot be automatically applied to all types of layouts (or articulation effects) :).

@@pianocareer ❤️

Thank you so much, John! The 'ear pain' is a good thing, it guides us towards a more beautiful sound :)).

@@pianocareer Thank you for seeing the humor in my post. :) Thank you again for your wonderful video as I do find myself sitting w poor posture often which always leads to pain throughout my body. As a very old beginner, I sincerely appreciate your video and I will focus more on overall posture as you describe so well. I’ve saved your video so I can refer to it often for proper posture. You are a wonderful Teacher and such an accomplished pianist. Please continue helping others and making a positive impact in our world as you do. :)

Thank you so much, Sayjen! I'm really happy that you enjoy my tutorials! :)

You're very welcome, Jason! :) Enjoy your practice!

Thank you, Jesse! I'm happy this video was useful! By the way, personal comments are not appropriate on this channel. Thank you for your understanding.

@@pianocareer My apologies dear pianist.

Thank you so much, Kanti! Your comment is spot on - helping students make serious (and long-term) progress is my No. 1 intention! ;)

Thank you, Iris! Indeed, this is the No. 1 trap that beginners fall into these days. I will actually publish a KZfaq video on this topic very soon! :)

Hi! That statement ("never tolerate pain") should not be understood out of context. I was talking about piano-related pain - not medical conditions. Piano-related pain is a symptom of incorrect technique and/or practice habits, and should never be tolerated. Sadly, too many people these days (who are perfectly healthy otherwise) struggle with chronic hand/wrist/forearm pain because of their poor technique. In time, this pain degenerates into injuries that are very hard to heal. Most of our members at PCA come to us as a last resort, after trying all those 'become a virtuoso in 30 days' shallow courses that pay no attention to ergonomics or proper sound production. 99% of them experience a huge relief after following my tutorials and re-building their technique - and forget about pain completely. Obviously, medical conditions such as arthritis are a completely different category - and I try not to discuss them in my videos (since I am not a doctor). I am aware that in some cases, people suffering from arthritis ALSO play the piano and experience pain (I'm really sorry about this!). In such situations a correct piano technique will obviously not cure arthritis - but it can still make your playing experience more comfortable, free and enjoyable. And, of course, bad technique could aggravate arthritis - which is another reason to play ergonomically 😊.

You are very welcome! Yes, taking a break is the first step in recovering from an injury. When you feel better, you need to slowly and safely re-assess and rebuild your technique and practice habits :).

Thank you so much for your appreciation, Michael! We're looking forward to welcoming you to PCA! 😊

Thank you so much, Phil! I hope your injury is not severe! The good news is that most injuries heal in time - and then it's never to late to learn how to play with a healthy technique. Good luck! ;)

@@pianocareer thank you! It’s been three years, two surgeries and many therapies but no help. Where are you located may I ask?

@@philbarone4603 I'm really sorry to hear that! :( To answer your question - I dedicate my entire time to PianoCareerAcademy.com, which is an online Piano Coaching Program (therefore we are located on the internet). You can learn more about PCA and its functionality by taking a look at our FAQ page (www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs/).

I'm happy to hear that you decided to cut all those great pianists 'some slack'! :))))) Jokes aside - I'm glad you found this tutorial helpful! ;)

Thank you so much, it means a lot! 😊

I'm really happy to hear that my videos are helpful! :) By the way, if you don't find a local Russian-trained teacher, you can always join PianoCareerAcademy - where you get unlimited access to an enormous library of tutorials and step-by-step courses (plus feedback to your playing).

I'm sorry to hear about your pain, Andy - and I hope you feel better soon! I'm happy the video was helpful! 😊

You are very welcome, Lisa! :) Our Courses at PianoCareerAcademy.com have been specifically designed to help our members re-train their entire skillset, and get rid of bad habits such as the ones you described. We are looking forward to welcoming you to our community! ;)

Thank you, Craig! I'm really happy that this video was helpful! 😊

You're very welcome, Aadhi! Always practice safely and correctly! :)

You're very welcome! :)))

Hi James! Thank you so much for your appreciation, and for sharing your experience! We're looking forward to welcoming you to PianoCareerAcademy! ;)

I'm really happy to hear that this video was helpful, Sam! :)

Hi Christine! Practicing scales after only one week of playing the piano is a very, very bad idea! :( No wonder you experience pain! In the Russian system, in the first week of practice our beginners only learn the fundamentals of whole-arm action - by playing one note at a time, with the entire relaxed arm and flexible wrist, non-legato (so without connecting the notes). They also learn the basics of correct posture and sound production. My Course for Beginners (which is available on PianoCareerAcademy) is based on this professional approach. In my program, scales & arpeggios are only introduced after completing Lesson No. 48 for Beginners - when our members can already play legato safely, with a healthy and relaxed whole-arm technique (and a beautiful sound). Lesson No. 1 from my Beginner Course is available for free (www.pianocareer.com/piano-practice/nikolaev-russian-piano-school-practice-guide/), along with a couple of other sample Lessons - and you can also learn more about this Course by reading my answer to question No. 17 from our FAQs (www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs/). Good luck! ;)

Hi Markos! Being self-taught is indeed difficult - especially when you don't have access to high-quality learning resources. The things I mention in this video are a good place to start - but one tutorial will not instantly fix your posture and technique. You can learn more by watching some of my other free videos :).

@@pianocareer I subscribed and will be watching more videos. Thanks!!

Thank you, Rachel! :D

You are very welcome, John! When it comes to pain triggered by speed, it's usually a combination of incorrect posture, technique and practice habits :).

"Carpal tunnel in a book" - that's a great way of putting it! Yes, Hanon CAN be useful and safe - but only if practiced by using whole-arm action. Anything can be useful if practiced correctly, in fact 😊. Thank you for sharing!

@@pianocareer When I first learned it, I used the finger only action. The first hint that something was wrong was numbness in my wrists. Learning whole-arm was a game changer.

How can you adapt the technique ? I’m practicing Hanon exercise 1 and I feel pain in my left hand I have tried something different each time of practice but now I have pain in my left side: shoulder, back, arm and hand :(

@@v.elizabethrojas1169 Incorporate wrist movement and whole hand technique to reduce the finger movements. I'm primarily an organist more than a pianist. Some organs have key actions far heavier than pianos. The pieces that cemented the need to adapt were the Toccata finales from the Widor 5th Symphony and Boellman's Suite Gothique.

@@v.elizabethrojas1169 I will add that the best idea is to stop playing Hanon altogether, and learn whole-arm action and weighted playing from scratch, non-legato first. Then, once the new technique is well assimilated, you can apply it to anything you want (including Hanon). However, I have a strong feeling that once you discover a better way to practice (and more efficient scales and Studies), you will never go back to Hanon 😇.

Hi Jon! Welcome to my channel - and thank you SO MUCH for your appreciation! I'm really happy to hear that my tutorials are helpful! ;)

Thank you! That's part of the Russian method :).

Thank you, Damaris! Wide chords can cause pain because of the stretch. On top of the foundational solutions I mention in this video, the 'breathing hands' technique (which I cover in many of my PCA tutorials) is also very useful for relieving stretch-related tension.

I'm so glad to hear that! :))

You're very welcome! I'm so happy to hear that this video was helpful! :) Little tip: besides practicing this Etude, don't forget that re-training your technique (and learning whole-arm action) is much more efficient when we work on easier repertoire. If the foundation is solid, we can build anything on top of it. I have detailed tutorials on this topic in the Members Area of PianoCareerAcademy :).

Thank you so much! 🥰

@@pianocareer Thank you! :-)

Thank you very much! We are looking forward to welcoming you to PianoCareerAcademy! :))

Hi Henry - thank you for dropping by here on KZfaq! :) What a coincidence! :))) By the way, don't forget that you can watch the full video in the Members Area of PCA.

Thank you! I'm happy to hear that your daughter is studying with a good Russian teacher! Great tone quality and fluid style are achieved through a lot of correct practice, combined with very good ear control. Coordinating both tasks is easier if the pieces are not too difficult, and every little motif is broken down into 'conquerable' chunks (hands separately first, non-legato). I call this practice method 'the magnifying glass', and I describe it in a lot of detail on PianoCareerAcademy.com :).

Hi Forg! I think that the concept of 'whole-arm' technique is quite misunderstood nowadays. I agree with your metaphor about brush sizes - it describes the essence of whole-arm action quite well. Using the whole body is the foundation, it's the 'default' position, it's where the energy comes from, it's the biggest 'brush' we use, it's effortless and energy-efficient. Once we know how to do that, once we learn how to channel weight, how to use gravity and leverage to our advantage (and not press the keys with inefficient separate finger movements), we CAN, and we DO use the arm, forearm, wrist, hand and fingers in different combinations, depending on our technical and expressive purposes. Sometimes we play a note by only moving the last finger phalange - while other times, the entire body weight participates. In the 'whole-arm' school, the secret is to keep the body and arm connection active even when using the fingertip - so that there are no blockages and tension in the wrist, elbow and shoulder. So the 'line of energy', the 'hose' always remains free and flowing (even when no weight is channeled). The main problem of the 'finger school' is stiffness and constriction in the joints (not just the fact that the upper body does not participate, or that the finger muscles are too weak for the heavy piano keys). Yes, some 'finger school' pianists intuitively keep the arms/wrists loose - and while their technique is different from the one I teach, they do not have injuries. However, because mainstream teachers do not pay enough attention to ergonomics (only focusing on what the fingers are doing), this older technique usually causes lots of damage. So if you feel pain or discomfort in your back and shoulders, it means that there is tension in your playing. The exact solution depends on your individual situation - and I will only share a couple of ideas to get you started: • keep the arms and wrists loose and flowing - one line of energy from back to fingertips; • straight back, shoulders down and relaxed; • correct posture and distance from the piano ( kzfaq.info/get/bejne/f9ShoKte1JfHiGQ.html ) - if you sit too low and/or too close, tension is inevitable; • healthy and consistent practice habits ( kzfaq.info/get/bejne/f7amdblnyNbcgYU.html ). I obviously have many other tips, but they are inseparable from whole-arm action :).

Thank you so so much, Michel! Happy to hear you found this video useful! :)

Yes, absolutely! Learning how to play piano without a teacher (especially if you are practicing black-belt pieces such as Chopin's 1st Ballade) is certainly not a good idea. I'm sorry hear about your hand injury, and I hope that the advice I share in the video above will be helpful! Most importantly, you need to re-train your technique, and go back to easier repertoire for a while. Good luck! ;)

You are very welcome! This is a wise decision - as prevention is always better than treatment 😊.

I'm sorry to hear that, Luigi! I hope you recover soon - and after that, resume your practice one step at a time, by learning an ergonomic healthy technique :). Good luck!

PianoCareer thank you

Hi! I'm really sorry to hear about your injury - and I hope you feel better after applying the recommendations I share in the video above. Please don't forget that a healthy technique is not just about proper wrist movement. Our entire body participates in piano playing - especially our back and the bigger muscles of the shoulders and upper arms. If whole-arm action and weighted playing are internalized correctly, the wrist/hand/fingers are much easier to control. I have detailed tutorials on these topics on PianoCareerAcademy.com - including step-by-step Courses. By the way, repetition itself is not the problem - INCORRECT repetition is ☺️. Even Hanon can be useful if practiced correctly - but, of course, I do not recommend these outdated exercises (as I explain in my detailed article on this topic - which you can find in our FAQs, answer No. F6 [ www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs ].

Thank you, Adrian! We are looking forward to welcoming you to our community! :)

Hi Ernest! I'm so happy to hear that this video was helpful! :) Thank you very much for your comment and appreciation!

Thank you, Pearl! Once you adopt a healthy and ergonomic technique, your pain will inevitably go away :).

Thank you so much, Shaun! I hope you enjoy my other KZfaq videos as well! 😉

Hi! Because of my overloaded schedule at PianoCareerAcademy I sadly cannot offer individual lessons - but you are always welcome to join our program! As a member of PCA you will have unlimited access to every single lesson I have ever created - almost 1000 tutorials for all levels (including step-by-step Courses) focused on a very wide range of pieces, topics and problems. Besides solving the technical issues you are currently struggling with, you will also develop all your other piano skills in a harmonious, well-rounded manner - taking your playing to a whole new level of mastery. More information at the end of the video above - and in the Description Box :).

I'm sorry to hear about that! This means that your new technique is not healthy - but if you follow the advice I share in this video, you will feel much better very soon! Good luck! ;)

Hi Susanne! It sounds to me that your technique is not entirely ergonomic when you work on your scales (the terms 'passing under' and 'stretching' are relics from the past, and they are rarely used in healthy piano playing). Please pay special attention to the part of the video where I talk about technical mistakes - I hope it is helpful! ;)

Hi! Thank you for your appreciation! 😊 Whole-arm action is a complex technique, and there is a step-by-step process to learning it. This entire process is covered in my Video Course for Beginners (available on PianoCareerAcademy.com). We start with non-legato whole-arm movements, one finger (and one note) at a time. During this exercise we internalize several crucial elements: weighted playing, gradual deep key attack, joint flexibility, wrist relaxation and hand/finger strength (to support the weight). All of them are essential - and whole-arm action is in fact the best finger-strengthening exercise. When these fundamental elements are assimilated we move to easy pieces where we need to play several notes in a row (still non-legato) - and then eventually to legato. By the way, you can learn more about our Beginner Course by taking a look at my answer to question No. D2 from our FAQ page [ www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs ]. I hope this helps! 😉

@@pianocareer Thank you very much for your amazing advice on this! I just checked your website and am impressed. It looks thorough and helpful. I’m considering to subscribe it! Hope your course will help me fix my issue and I can get a better technique. Thank you so much.

@@yk9987 My pleasure! Looking forward to welcoming you to PCA! 🥰

Thank you! :)

Yes, a bit of leaning cannot hurt us if the overall technique is ergonomic :). The type of tensed leaning I mentioned in the video is very different from the natural leaning done by great pianists.

@@pianocareer oh ok thank you

My pleasure, Leo! Hand/arm fatigue can also be a result of incorrect practice (not just incorrect technique). I talk about this in the 2nd half of this video (which is available on ianoCareerAcademy.com). You can also watch my tutorials on correct practice, for example this one: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/lcWDnLuJ08e9f40.html

Hi Paolo! I have an entire Scale & Arpeggio Course (consisting of many detailed progressive lessons). You can find it in the Members Area of PianoCareerAcademy.com. This Course covers the entire scale system used in the Russian piano school - including weight transfer, developing velocity, dexterity, coordination, power etc. - and MANY many other important things. You can learn more about this Course by reading my answer to question No. 19 from our FAQs (www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs/).

Hi! As you know from Jiu Jitsu, true power comes from relaxation and fluidity :). Piano playing works exactly the same as martial arts. We don't need to be delicate - we need to relax, use ergonomics to our advantage and channel weight correctly. Great pianists do not play 'delicately' - they are warriors with tremendous power (who can ALSO play delicately if they choose to). Ultimately, it's all a mental game ;). Drums are great too (my husband is a drummer) - but you will discover that the same exact principles apply 😎. Good luck and enjoy your practice!

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for your appreciation! :)))

Thank you, Naresh! To learn more, you can watch my free tutorials about correct posture and key attack - and also Lesson No. 1 from my Course for Beginners. Here they are: 1. www.pianocareer.com/piano-posture/correct-piano-posture/ 2. www.pianocareer.com/piano-sound/correct-piano-key-attack/ 3. www.pianocareer.com/piano-practice/nikolaev-russian-piano-school-practice-guide/

Thank you very much!

I seem to have developed lump on top of my right hand wrist after a couple of weeks practicing Lacrimosa... From what I read it is called "ganglion cyst". It's causing me slight pain... Could this be related to practicing a hard piece like Lacrimosa? I have been playing piano for a few months... Would you suggest leaving this piece untill my hand is more trained?

@@siamaksamavat1851 Wrist cysts CAN appear as a result of trauma (such as the tension and pain associated with incorrect technique and practice). However, since I am not a doctor, I don't know if there are other possible causes (so my opinion cannot be considered medical advice). As a pianist, what I CAN tell you with 100% accuracy, is that beginners should NOT practice advanced pieces! If you do so, you're simply asking for trouble (including injuries), and sabotaging your progress. You can learn why by watching this detailed free video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aNxznLyGsdiWe2g.html . It is the first episode from my 'Piano Myths' series.

I'm happy this video was helpful - and I am so sorry to hear about your pain! 😥 The scenario you described is sadly very common. Many of our members at PianoCareerAcademy are intermediate or advanced players with bad habits and an unhealthy technique - and I have build an entire 're-training experience' for them in the Members Area. Absolutely - you need to correct your technique before trying to learn advanced works - otherwise the pain will keep coming back. Good luck, and I hope you heal soon and make good progress after that! 🥰

Thank you, Roland! :) This video synthesizes my experience on this topic acquired during more than 10 years of working with Western students (as part of PianoCareerAcademy). So of course, it highlights the most frequent mistakes :).

Hi! This is a good idea - I put it on my very long to-do list :).

Thank you, Jann! :) In all my videos (including the step-by-step courses and hundreds of stand-alone tutorials available on PianoCareerAcademy.com) I share the professional principles of the Russian piano school. This is a complex holistic system - and technique is only one of its 'pillars' (as I explain in this free video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qZaWebl436iqoZc.html ). While I am not a doctor (and therefore cannot speak about specific conditions or disabilities) - still, the ergonomic technical foundation that I teach makes use of universally-applicable principles such as relaxation, flexibility, freedom of motion, weight transfer and weight channeling - and also gravity and leverage. The purpose of these ergonomic principles is to avoid tension and injury - and also offer great expressive and technical power. Just like the laws of physics apply to all of us - similarly, a healthy technique can be successfully used by all players, but it is important to learn it in a step-by-step manner :).

Thank you very much, Rafael! :)

My pleasure! I'm happy to hear that this video was useful! ;)

Thank you, Gregor! ;)

And amazing!!!

You're very welcome! I'm really happy this video was helpful! 🥰

Thank you so much, Simon! ;)

Thank you, Philippe! :)

Thank you very much! Edna Golandsky teaches according to the Taubman method. There are SOME little similarities between the Taubman technique and the technical fundamentals used in the Russian piano school - but there are also many conflicting differences. Combining these methods is not a good idea. My advice is to choose one method - and learn it properly :). In the Russian piano school, a healthy technique plays a double role: it is ergonomic, comfortable and brilliant - but it also allows us to create a beautiful, rich, noble piano tone. In other words, the basis of technique is sound production - and every ergonomic element you learn (may it be whole-arm action, weighted playing, wrist flexibility etc.) is wisely built to facilitate expression and good aural development (not just physical comfort). I am not an expert in the Taubman method, and I assume/hope they do something similar. Still, from watching several videos by Edna Golandsky (and other Taubman teachers) I noticed that they don't work on sound quality (or expressive development) as much as we (Russian-trained teachers) do. In many of their videos, the quality of the sound is a bit harsh, and technique is discussed as a separate element of piano playing. So technical development (including their 'iconic' forearm rotation) seems to be used for the sole purpose of physical comfort and injury-free playing (but I might be wrong about this). The Taubman method definitely works when it comes to injury prevention - this I know for sure. The Russian method (which is my area of expertise) is BOTH healthy and has an enormous expressive potential :).

@@pianocareer Thank you for your considered and clear reply. You have helped me decide which method to follow - and it is your method, and the Russian Piano School. Your comment above "...it is ergonomic, comfortable and brilliant - but it also allows us to create a beautiful, rich, noble piano tone" tipped the balance strongly towards your teaching - I will be signing up later today. Thank you.

@@andyfaden Thank you very much! Welcome to our community - and I hope you enjoy every step of the way! ;)

Wow, thank you! :)

Hi Jia! You are describing the usual consequences of the incorrect 'finger-only' approach (which is heavily focused on theory and reading, while completely ignoring healthy technique and expression). Your child is not alone - sadly, most beginners these days struggle with the same issues. Since your child is so young, my recommendation is to take lessons from a very experienced Russian-trained teacher (in person or via video chat). A method book is not enough: books can only tell you WHAT to play, not HOW to play it. Only a teacher can show you that. If you cannot find anyone at the moment, you can take a look at my Video Course for Beginners (which is based on the professional Russian system and the Nikolaev method book). However, since this is an online course, there are several very important things to keep in mind before following it with a young child - they are explained in my answer to question No. 39 from our FAQs (www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs/). You can also take a look at answer No. 17, where I describe the Course for Beginners - and answer No. 20 (about our feedback project). Good luck! ;)

You are so welcome! :)

Thank you, Laurie! 🥰 Most of my tutorials are focused on classical music - but I also cover occasional pieces 'for dessert' (jazz, pop & rock music, piano transcriptions of famous orchestral works etc.). You can learn more by reading the answer No. D10 from our detailed FAQ page [ www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs ].

You are very welcome, Paul! :)

Hi Thomas! You are describing the 'finger school' approach to piano playing. The whole-arm approach works a bit differently: even when we can't lift the hand (such as in playing a legato passage, or a one-hand polyphonic structure), arm weight is still the main driving force. Yes, in some cases we CAN only use the fingers (depending on the desired sound intensity, character and text layout) - but this is an exception, not the rule. I teach all this in lots of depth in all my tutorials :).

@@pianocareer Sure. We can certainly agree that the fingers are connected to the forearm and shoulders. Naturally, it makes sense to employ the weight of the arm to support the fingers. How much depends of course on the material, as you said yourself. When playing chords, the fingers do very little. When playing polyphonic music, they do most of the work. So, it all depends. When playing arpeggios, the forearm rotation plays a huge part. Every musical style and composition demands its personal technique in my opinion. Bach was known for resting his thumb on the piano frame when he didn't use it. And of what I read, he was a decent piano player. I think there is not one right way of playing the piano. I watched a lot of great players, and they all move and look completely differently. And some of the greatest pianists had their very own ideas about how to play, as documented by themselves or their students. Your videos will certainly help a lot of people. You are doing some really wonderful work there!

You are so welcome! :)

If it is always slightly stiff, you might want to see a doctor about it, idk

You're so welcome! 🥰

Thank you, Jim - I'm so happy that you enjoyed this video! ;)

Thank you, Mauritius! ;)

You are very welcome! I'm happy it was helpful! :)

Hi Yasha! This is not a strange situation :). It's perfectly normal to feel tension while playing such an incredibly difficult Etude if you are self-taught, and not familiar with the basics of whole-arm action, ergonomic technique and correct practice. Professional pianists need to study for at least 8-10 years in order to be able to approach this piece. During this time they build a serious technical foundation (scales & arpeggios, progressive studies, enormous and varied repertoire etc.), they learn how to practice correctly, how to build their endurance etc. You can learn more about the downsides (and dangers) of trying to learn advanced virtuosic pieces without a proper foundation by reading my answer to question No. F4 from our FAQ page (www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs). The solution is, of course, to choose the progressive path ;).

Hello! Sadly, pain is only normal if you don't learn the basics of a healthy and ergonomic technique. You are right - learning pieces that are too difficult at the moment is the main cause of your pain. However, another very important cause is lack of guidance and knowledge (and also choosing random 'songs' as compared to following a progressive path). Of course, understanding the basic principles I mention in this video (and identifying the main mistakes you make) is a good place to start. Still, whole-arm action is not something we simply UNDERSTAND. This is a skill that we need to INTERNALIZE through progressive practice :). You can do so by following my step-by-step Course for Beginners - which will help you to develop ALL your skills (including healthy technique) in a progressive and harmonious manner. By following this Course, you will also not have to wonder what pieces to practice next :). You can learn more about this Course by taking a look at my answer to question No. 17 from our FAQs (www.pianocareeracademy.com/faqs/). Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!