Piano Video Lesson: Getting Back To Piano After an Absence

Welcome to LivingPianos.com and VirtualSheetMusic.com. I'm Robert Estrin and today's subject is how to get back into playing the piano when you've been away from it for a while. I have a lot of people ask me this question. For piano it is a bit different than it is for other instruments. I also play the French horn, and believe me getting back into a wind instrument when you've been away from it is a very, very delicate process. Because the lips are so fragile and it's easy to blow them out and then you can't play at all for a while. You have to be extraordinarily slow and methodical about how you build up. A piano is a much more forgiving instrument. Now I will say that you still have to be careful particularly if you've had any issues with your hands, if you've ever had tendonitis or arthritis or even if you haven't.

You don't want to go crazy if you haven't played the piano in let's say weeks, months or even years, sailing into some of the hardest music you've ever played. Interestingly, the piano is a very forgiving instrument. If you haven't played for a long time, pick some slow movements to start with and just play and keep playing and then work up to harder music. You'll find that by simply playing a great deal, starting with things that are slow to get acclimated, you will develop strength. You can actually get back into shape pretty quickly as long as you start with something that is tender, and that when you're reaching with your fingers, not something that is very percussive and hard. By just simply playing a lot... Do you need to do exercises? You certainly can. You may want to warm up with scales or arpeggios.

The important thing is to start out with something slow and work your way to more difficult, challenging music. If you do that, you should be able to get into shape pretty quickly even if you've been away from it for a while. Then just play as much as you can to build up strength and endurance. That's the simple thing. We're very lucky being pianists, not so easy for other instruments. Thanks so much for joining me. Robert Estrin with LivingPianos.com and VirtualSheetMusic.com.

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