Tips For Playing SOFTER & With Better CONTROL!

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  • čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
  • In this video, we discuss some of the best tips I've picked up over the years, both in lessons with my teachers, as well as in my personal practicing and teaching, on how to play more softly and with greater control on the piano. I hope it helps each of you in your studies!
    View Josh's new FREE webinar training, "10 Unusual Tips To Take Your Playing To The NEXT LEVEL!": event.webinarjam.com/register...
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    To download Josh's FREE ProPractice video pack (which he released at the beginning of the COVID-19 quarantine to help pianists continue to develop their skills in the possible absence of regular piano lessons) containing full-length ProPractice tutorials in all levels of study (Early Beginner, Mid-Late Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels) click here: joshwrightpiano.teachable.com...
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Komentáře • 114

  • @brautigan81
    @brautigan81 Před 4 lety +109

    I know it's kind of cliché to say "This is what CZcams is for," but, honestly, this is what CZcams is for, or what it should be for. This is some of the most valuable content I have ever seen. You are brilliant and a hero, especially to those in the early stages of learning who are apt to be easily discouraged. Bravo.

  • @whodislmao7346
    @whodislmao7346 Před 3 lety +155

    1) Playing soft chords - pull back on the keys with ur arm by like 1cm/half an inch instead of using a vertical motion of the arm
    2) Equalise dynamics of all notes in a chord - place fingers 1 3 5 on a flat surface and adjust weight till you feel equal weight on all fingers. Transfer that feeling to the keyboard
    3) Play softly - Play the notes loud to feel the bottom of the key bed. Once you know where the key bed is, play it again (softly this time) such that yours fingers just lightly graze the key bed. Also play with finger staccato to get 'minimal touch' of the keys
    DONT:
    -Finger staccato in chords (chance of uneveness in dynamics)
    -Blame ur instrument for your poor dynamics (unless its a digital keyboard with really no dynamics whatsoever) work on technique instead
    -Use too little arm weight (chance of ghost notes or notes in chord not soinding together) use stroking motion instead - see 1)

    • @philip.stigaard
      @philip.stigaard Před 3 lety +10

      This is a golden comment

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      @keegangrant5769 Před 2 lety +1

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      @vivaanezequiel9787 Před 2 lety +1

      @Keegan Grant instablaster ;)

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      @keegangrant5769 Před 2 lety

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    • @keegangrant5769
      @keegangrant5769 Před 2 lety

      @Vivaan Ezequiel it worked and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
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  • @joshwrightpiano
    @joshwrightpiano  Před 4 lety +42

    This is a follow-up to a recent request from someone in our CZcams community, and I hope it helps each of you in your studies! Have a great week of practicing :)

  • @bobfreeplayer3626
    @bobfreeplayer3626 Před 3 lety +9

    This is gold. Tackled my inconsistent note dynamics and ghost note problems - exactly the things I was looking for that I couldn't find elsewhere - with amazing tips on how to correct it. Thank you.

  • @Rose-zg9pu
    @Rose-zg9pu Před 4 lety +33

    Thank you so much, you have no idea how much you've helped me with learning piano. Ive been taking piano for 10 years and it was nothing serious... but last year i got so into piano and you definitely helped me go further in tackling technical problems and motivational problems and now piano has become a serious passion of mine. I have much respect for what you do, you are really helping people here!

  • @leylamenchola6061
    @leylamenchola6061 Před 4 lety +10

    Thank you Josh! I love Chopin but each time I recorded myself playing any waltz, nocturne, etc, my left hand sounds so heavy. I will put these tips on practice! Thank you again.

  • @GiacomoPhilipp92
    @GiacomoPhilipp92 Před 4 lety +3

    To play chords fff my teacher gave me a quite similar tip: while pushing the keys down very fast pushing them outwards (left hand to the left, right hand to the right).

  • @ezaudafi
    @ezaudafi Před 3 lety +43

    5:21 “and then you can play this...”
    Actually, no, I can’t

    • @gabeitch2495
      @gabeitch2495 Před 16 hodinami

      anyone knows what was that part from?

  • @jamien.5528
    @jamien.5528 Před 4 lety +1

    Perfect timing! I needed this

  • @regina0311
    @regina0311 Před 4 lety

    Thank you so much , brought so much life to the piece .

  • @hannesbengtsson7164
    @hannesbengtsson7164 Před 4 lety +1

    Love your videos Josh! Helps me a lot in my piano practice!

  • @lillypad0205
    @lillypad0205 Před 2 lety

    your videos are so unbelievably helpful!

  • @Steve-rc1ug
    @Steve-rc1ug Před 4 lety +1

    Thanks Josh, very interesting and helpful.

  • @AnhPhuong-sx3tu
    @AnhPhuong-sx3tu Před měsícem

    Thank you for the tips ^^

  • @rizkilaksmana6111
    @rizkilaksmana6111 Před 4 lety

    this lesson is really really helpful for me, i always come back to watch this video after a couple of months and still learn something new

  • @andreqwerty123
    @andreqwerty123 Před 4 lety

    What a great teacher and musician. Thank you for your effort to make this world richier

  • @cynthiagunkle7834
    @cynthiagunkle7834 Před 4 lety +1

    Wow thank you, that really works!!! Again thank you for your humility in teaching us.

  • @elvanmelikesutlu6110
    @elvanmelikesutlu6110 Před 3 lety

    His videos are helping me so much... Those are the best tips I have ever heardü

  • @bertolomew
    @bertolomew Před 4 lety

    VERY interesting and useful, even for a complete beginner like me! 🥰Thanks a lot for your videos! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

  • @janeladney
    @janeladney Před 4 lety +6

    Thank you so very much Josh! I’m relearning after 30 years And you have really helped me enjoy the piano again.

  • @BellyDanceDojo
    @BellyDanceDojo Před 4 lety

    Your videos are sooo inspiring and always make me feel like going straight to the piano and trying out your tips :-D On top of that, you play tremendously well!!

  • @PermittedCAMI1
    @PermittedCAMI1 Před 4 lety

    I can't express how entertaining your content is Josh. I saw this person's comment as well and it's amazing how responsive, professional, and supportive you are. I just wanted to say thanks again and great work as always.

  • @PetraHanner
    @PetraHanner Před 4 lety

    You read my mind! I'm a former organist switched to piano and I really struggle to keep my left hand from overpowering the right. Appreciate the tips 👍

  • @GuilhermeHenriquesCoaching

    What a great tip for left hand. I'll apply it today. I would like to have lessons with a teacher like you.

  • @CWBella
    @CWBella Před 2 lety

    Excellent suggestions! Arm weight is so integral to producing a beautiful tone and controlled dynamics.

  • @leo-ki9ye
    @leo-ki9ye Před 2 lety

    thank you so much for making this video and all your other videos, its honestly been a super ginourmous help. Like goddamn thank you so much

  • @kentong9514
    @kentong9514 Před 4 lety

    Thanks Josh, I really need this video tutorial because I am playing Rosemary's Waltz, need to play soft chords.

  • @ericgamliel8500
    @ericgamliel8500 Před 4 lety +2

    My favorite channel these days is this.

  • @puriaqara2086
    @puriaqara2086 Před 3 lety

    Thank you so much ....

  • @chuangjudy7614
    @chuangjudy7614 Před 2 lety

    Thank you for the tips. I spent so much time practicing but still sound terrible and so loud on my left hand. Your tips are so valuable !!’

  • @dbellatrix4446
    @dbellatrix4446 Před 3 lety +1

    Thanks Josh! Such a a coincidence i was gonna start practise the same piece and had a bit problem about control😅

  • @lauranceliu98
    @lauranceliu98 Před 4 lety +1

    was just learning noc 27 no2 and saw this. glad i subscribed.

  • @heinrich6207
    @heinrich6207 Před 4 lety +25

    Is it ,in your opinion, better to learn a song with or without sustain pedal during the memorization stage?

    • @CalamityInAction
      @CalamityInAction Před 4 lety +10

      Sweaty_Weeb If it is about evenness and precision (eg a Mozart sonata), avoid pedal so you don’t love the evenness.
      For loose romantic pieces like those of Chopin, then pedal is fine

  • @thebensessions9962
    @thebensessions9962 Před 4 lety +2

    Hi, thank you so much for doing this video, do you think you could make a tutorial on Ravel’s Jeax D’eau?

  • @travenator16
    @travenator16 Před 4 lety +1

    Hey Josh, I think a video about using arm weight would be very interesting! Though it's possible you already covered this topic and i just wasn't able to find it..
    Thank you for these great lessons!

  • @elenaesposito2355
    @elenaesposito2355 Před 4 lety

    Could you possibly do a tutorial on the third movement of the Ravel Sonatine? I am struggling with the left hand part playing sections and tension. It would help massively

  • @paulcraig4483
    @paulcraig4483 Před 4 lety +4

    Great tips! I always struggle with playing quietly and correctly. Unrelated; how do you mic your piano? I only have one mic. Is it the treatment of your room? I get so much fuzz and hum from the house.

  • @cjnadance7773
    @cjnadance7773 Před 2 lety

    Thanks for this video. I already have an idea on how to soften the two-note chords in the right hand of Etude in D minor/Night Journey by Cornelius Gurlitt. 🤩

  • @AceBunnnny
    @AceBunnnny Před 4 lety +1

    Would you please make a video on some tips for beginners

  • @Satan666Official
    @Satan666Official Před 2 lety

    For whatever reason, upon clicking on this video, I was immediately able to play softly. Probably coincidence, but I found it amusing. 🤗❤

  • @yeeunpark8291
    @yeeunpark8291 Před rokem

    Usefull

  • @thepianist3014
    @thepianist3014 Před 4 lety

    Hi Josh. First of all, I would like to thank you for your very helpful clips. I have learned a lot from them. Lately, I've been most concerned with playing piano dynamic with the weight of my arm or elbow, and that's what bothers me the most. Forte has always been easy to play with the weight of the body or elbow or arm, but how to get piano but still feel the weight of the arm? If you find the time for this kind of clip or at least comment on this comment, it would be very meaningful to me. Thank you once more time.

  • @nooraqil7920
    @nooraqil7920 Před 4 lety

    Can you please make a video about phrasing..

  • @mrpancake7965
    @mrpancake7965 Před 4 lety

    i swear yesterday i was looking for soft playing tips

  • @aldibro6337
    @aldibro6337 Před 4 lety +7

    Hi Josh, I tried to learn Un Sospiro, but it was too difficult to play the arpeggios "like water." I would always be way too loud and staccato. How do I improve flow and softness in arpeggios? I know you have two tutorials on Un Sospiro, but I feel like you do not go in depth on how to achieve the softness and legato. Your videos helped me a lot, keep up the great work.

    • @Ace-dv5ce
      @Ace-dv5ce Před 4 lety

      Aldi Bro Try his tension releasing exercises and play slowly

  • @MrsEclecticTex
    @MrsEclecticTex Před 4 lety

    Will this be sensed on a (good quality)
    digital piano..?

  • @Nick-ui9dr
    @Nick-ui9dr Před rokem

    Yeah that girl use to play like this...sorta sliding motion and really what sound control and sound balance she got within her both hands. Her melody lines just so clear. I mean u will chords kinda buzz around in back ground coloring melody line a bit but generally not chord as poped out notes to crash melody lines.
    And I think balancing sound in both hands is far more better skill than just dynamics in your right hand. It makes your playing so much smoother and nicer to ears to listen as a audience. Most ppl either go up or down with both hands same time. And that still make your melody lines mix up with chord sound I mean chords are there to give color or some rythm but thats all that they suppose to do.. not overshadow melody line. Cause thats where the song is in melody lines. Left hand usually play or should play like background musicians are to singer. Not overshadow lead singer voice or lines cause thats where we mainly tune our ears as a audience.
    I mean she plays every thing like any other but with just such control and balance that if u will get struck to listen to her automatically even if u accidently bumped into her video.
    Let me give u a link ..u decide for yourself. 😀
    czcams.com/video/2zUM5anGMTg/video.html
    czcams.com/video/rtFv_-QT26w/video.html

  • @Savartarus
    @Savartarus Před 4 lety

    Where do I need to look to find a Music desk cover like you have?

  • @zakariahlafreniere1332
    @zakariahlafreniere1332 Před 4 lety +4

    Tear up a Steinway at 4:55? Nice

  • @zacsummerspiano2836
    @zacsummerspiano2836 Před 4 lety

    Josh, have you learned any Transcendental etudes yet?

  • @DoA121
    @DoA121 Před rokem

    I was definitely not expecting him to dissemble a part of the piano 😂

  • @newbynooob232
    @newbynooob232 Před 4 lety

    Hi Josh, for me I find it difficult to phrase without using the damper pedal because it’s always too choppy. I feel like I rely too much on the damper pedal and that takes away from the music. Any advice?

  • @andremeyer6596
    @andremeyer6596 Před 4 lety +1

    Hey josh, i’m not sure if this is a very common problem but i’ve found a lot of difficulty and frustration in trying to get two handed trills to match up. Whenever i try to play two handed trills evenly and at the right tempo it sort of doesnt work. In chopin’s ballade no. 2 for example, just before the last section you get those low trills that go down from E to A. I cant get the trills to match up properly as octaves, they always seem to invert, instead of E F E F in both hands, the inner F and E match up and the outer E and F match up. I’ve practiced slowly and used rhythmic practice multiple times but the problem just does not seem to go away. Any advice?

  • @AliSaad-jd4eu
    @AliSaad-jd4eu Před 4 lety +2

    Im playing pieces that r way above my lvl ive been playing for 2 months every day for 2 hours and im learning waltz in a minor and rondo alla turca and others, can you give me pieces in my lvl plz?

  • @mandarinz69
    @mandarinz69 Před 2 lety

    I look forward to practising this. Hopefully it'll help with often having ghost notes with my left pinky

  • @anirudhsilverking5761
    @anirudhsilverking5761 Před 2 lety

    What's the name of the piece? Please someone tell me

  • @Flightsimmovies
    @Flightsimmovies Před rokem

    Play lefthand soft is very very hard in upright but with grand it is a lot easier. Are there a way to make upright play soft easier?

  • @Erdos777
    @Erdos777 Před 4 lety +1

    Recently during a lesson my teacher , Brandon Bascom, a person you may have heard of had me half play an entire piece. He recommended this as part of a solution to become aware of over playing and tension. I think of it as increasing ‘body awareness’ and the brain body connection to musical expression. Any thoughts on the use of the term body awareness and the idea of half playing - with overall loudness cut in half - of passages.
    Another phrase he uses is ‘don’t wake the baby.’ A student actually put a doll facing the class to remind him of this during a master class. It made the class smile.
    A video on body awareness and its role in piano performance would be welcomed by me. I think you have all the insight and education to do an excellent presentation on this. Being a new student of the violin the term is much more frequently used then with piano and I wonder why this is.
    By the way the video of practice methods to make passages faster and looser is invaluable. Some one even asked how I , at least to them, significantly improved. I could confidently refer them to your video on this because it worked for me. Although implied in Gat’s book on technique this was not a specific set and order of exercises he has in the book - an otherwise very comprehensive work. I was wondering how you learned this and must say your presentation was absolutely brilliant on this. A definite ah ha moment. .

  • @ddddd6867
    @ddddd6867 Před 4 lety +14

    Josh, how do I listen to recordings without being discouraged? The massive delta between world-class pianists and my playing is so huge it’s hard to stay motivated.

    • @Ace-dv5ce
      @Ace-dv5ce Před 4 lety

      Gabe Newell Study the pianists, watch videos and remember that they are no different than you.
      They might have more talent and better memory but playing is subjective so I advice you to think you are a world class pianist because you are you just haven’t reached your full potential

    • @HTX_Son
      @HTX_Son Před 4 lety

      Valentina Lutsitsa says that concert pianists are "a dime a dozen." She should know because she is one! Don't compare, just be your unique self!

    • @ReallyVirtual
      @ReallyVirtual Před 4 lety +2

      I think it's about looking at what you can do in terms of capability and then trying to squeeze the most feel out of each note in terms of dynamics and timing. I'm only on week 3 of piano and even posted a you-tube video because I was so impressed that I could actually play something (though it is a little pants!). But by subsequently going over that piece again and again, one can then tweak the timing and the dynamics so that the music somehow becomes more alive - to the point where your body starts to want to move with the feel of the music. This makes the playing of the simplest notes a real joy because they move you in a way that just robotically hitting them doesn't. At that point the music - regardless of its simplicity - takes centre stage and trumps the technical and with that you start to feel good about what you are playing!

    • @Mattmanutube
      @Mattmanutube Před 4 lety +1

      Gabe Newell .... Please remember that you are listening to an engineered recreation of a performance, with multiple takes pieced together and errors corrected. I have never attended a live performance without a few flubs by the pianist or organist.
      Also you are too close to the piano to hear it at it best advantage ... you will never hear it as the audience does ... or as it sounds in a recording.

  • @sophias8382
    @sophias8382 Před 3 lety

    What's the piece at 4:03

  • @BAMkekw
    @BAMkekw Před rokem

    what is he playing on 5:45 ?? is that a song??

  • @mabdub
    @mabdub Před 4 lety +3

    Hi Josh, given that volume on the piano is governed strictly by how fast a key is depressed, how does one depress the keys slowly enough to play softly when playing 16th notes at a fast speed. It's easy to press the key slowly when playing slowly but less arm weight doesn't really solve this problem.. Keys have to be pressed quickly to produce a loud sound. This seems to be a physics problem, I hope you can shed some light on this issue. Thank you.

    • @mabdub
      @mabdub Před 4 lety

      @@MildSatire Thanks for telling me, I didn't know he had stopped.

    • @mabdub
      @mabdub Před 4 lety

      @@MildSatire OK, I get it. Thanks

  • @happystik4860
    @happystik4860 Před 2 lety +1

    I can’t do it still playing very loud

  • @sachchitthapa3316
    @sachchitthapa3316 Před 4 lety

    When I practise scales in higher tempo my left hand starts playing with flat fingers while going back... This especially happens when I play Bmajor scale.. Could anyone help me?

    • @skillxxe7690
      @skillxxe7690 Před 4 lety

      Maybe practice slowly with your left hand, at 75bpm, and get to faster tempos with your left hands :)

  • @SwahaChris
    @SwahaChris Před 4 lety +2

    What is the piece played at 5'21", please?

  • @chanzhuoen6504
    @chanzhuoen6504 Před 4 lety +93

    If you can play it loudly, you can play it softly

    • @jevintan.gerine3613
      @jevintan.gerine3613 Před 3 lety +28

      If you can play it badly, you can play it goodly

    • @ezaudafi
      @ezaudafi Před 3 lety +31

      If you can’t play it, you can play it.

    • @KebunH
      @KebunH Před 3 lety +6

      Interesting

    • @skskshooked4073
      @skskshooked4073 Před 3 lety

      I cant lmao

    • @amie3575
      @amie3575 Před 2 lety +6

      @@bryanryan4504 it’s a joke from the twoset community

  • @crehenge2386
    @crehenge2386 Před 4 lety

    If you can play it loudly, you can play in softly!

  • @bombasticcat
    @bombasticcat Před 2 lety +1

    The better your piano, the more softer you can play...

  • @A_Random_Pianist
    @A_Random_Pianist Před 9 měsíci

    I’m on electric piano…

  • @wolfoair3096
    @wolfoair3096 Před 3 lety

    Me, who can't figure out, after 200hrs of playing ballade no. 1, how Koczalski plays left hand so soft yet so fast

  • @alexvandermerwe3326
    @alexvandermerwe3326 Před 3 lety

    You have the same mic as pewdiepie.

  • @benjamincollins8559
    @benjamincollins8559 Před 4 lety

    Have you ever composed your own personal music?

  • @_FrozenPotato_
    @_FrozenPotato_ Před 3 lety

    If you can play it loudly you can play it softly

  • @GabrielAlves-ll6lc
    @GabrielAlves-ll6lc Před 3 lety

    if you can play it loudly you can play it softly

  • @velcroman11
    @velcroman11 Před 2 lety

    Until you can play each note at the same time and at the same pressure. You will never be able to take control of an individual finger within a chord to facilitate an increase in the depth of the emotion/dynamics the composer is wanting to impart within the score.

  • @jesus_isourcreator5734

    Hey you! Ever wondered who created you? Well, let me tell you the truth, Jesus Christ! He is your Saviour and heavenly Father. He loves you and died for you. You are never too far gone to get to know Him and accept Him in your heart! :) Have a blessed day!!💖