The Physics of Piano Sound: Boris Giltburg's "Lever" Approach

Explore how different breathing rhythms shape your piano playing in this free lesson segment from Adam Golka's course on mindful practicing.

Renowned pianist and Chopin interpreter Garrick Ohlsson explores how the composer blends structure and imagination, and why great interpretation depends on both.

Learn how Penelope Roskell approaches "thumb under" motion, flowing arm movement, and smoother multi octave arpeggios in this practical piano lesson segment.

Learn a smart practice strategy for the agitated triplet section of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C sharp minor with pianist Claire Huangci.

Discover how Michelle Cann brings Chopin’s Ballade No 3 to life in this lesson segment, exploring musical storytelling, tone color, and expressive phrasing.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet explores tone color, phrasing, and harmony in Debussy’s Girl with the Flaxen Hair in this focused lesson segment for pianists. Free tutorial video and workbook included.

In this video, pianist Andrew Tyson performs Scarlatti’s Sonata in D Minor K.9. Download the score to follow along.

Learn how to handle the coda of Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 with guidance from Garrick Ohlsson. This short lesson segment reveals practical strategies for navigating the work’s emotional and technical peak.

Discover a practical lesson segment on piano rotation technique, including alignment, trills, octaves, and forearm motion for tension free playing and better tone.

A Cliburn Competition winner explains how to approach piano leaps with confidence using anchor notes, muscle memory, and efficient movement.

Discover how articulation, timing, and pedal shape Beethoven’s Bagatelle Op. 119 No. 1 in a focused lesson segment with Boris Giltburg.

Discover a hand extension exercise from Sara Davis Buechner that builds flexibility and balance at the piano, drawn from the legendary School of Virtuosity.

Discover how Nikolai Lugansky unpacks the meaning of bells in Rachmaninoff’s music — symbols of life, death, and destiny — on tonebase.

Learn how Irish pianist John O’Conor approaches Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata through mindful listening and sound production. Discover how one-note exercises can transform your tone and musical sensitivity. Watch the free lesson and download the tonebase edition.

Learn how Chopin Competition winner Yulianna Avdeeva shapes tone, phrasing, and pedaling in the C-sharp minor Nocturne. Includes free workbook and video segment.

In this Tonebase exclusive, pianist and scholar Robert Fleitz speaks with Estonian pianist Tähe-Lee Liiv—who, at just 19, became the first artist to record all of Arvo Pärt’s piano works. Together, they discuss Pärt’s journey from serialism to the creation of his transcendent tintinnabuli style, the fragile beauty of “Für Alina,” and the challenge of performing simplicity itself. Watch the feature on YouTube to see rare footage of Pärt and excerpts from Tähe-Lee’s performances.

Beethoven’s Sonata in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1 may be an early work, but it’s anything but timid.

The context in which Ravel wrote his celebrated Piano concerto for the left hand is complex, and the emotional aspects of this work are even more so. In this exclusive interview with pianist/tonebase artist Gwendolyn Mok and Robert Fleitz, we’ll discuss the details of how this work came to be, and the pianist who would define the work forever.

Know a pianist you’re struggling to get a gift for? In this post, we’ll show you several options to make your favorite pianist’s holiday.

In this interview, pianist/violinist Gabrielle Chou shares her research surrounding the connection between video games and music, specifically around the role of repetition and practice between both activities.

Maria João Pires is known for her infamous performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20, despite having prepared the wrong concerto for the performance. In this interview with Noa Kageyama, we’ll dive into some of the memorization tactics pianists can use to see great results in line with Maria João Pires’ infamous feat of memorization.

A new never-before heard waltz was recently discovered at the vault of the Morgan Library and Museum in Manhattan. Here, we’ll catch you up to speed on everything we know about this new Waltz in A Minor.

Learning to play orchestral reductions is a skill that pays back again and again. In this post, Nicole DiPaolo walks you through her process of approaching any orchestra score, with detailed tips to simplify the process and better interpret the music.

Here, we will explore ways to learn piano online, and how you can incorporate these methods into your practice routine to make the most progress on the piano.

In this post, we’ll take you through the 10 best piano pieces to learn this summer, from impressions of the oceans to pieces that feel like an evening in Tuscany.

Renowned pianist Evan Shinners, also known as WTF Bach and the founder of The Bach Store, has just released the first 3 of what will be over 20 albums spanning all of J.S. Bach’s keyboard music. Here, Shinners shares his inspiration for the massive endeavor.

What is rubato? How do we play it on the piano, and how do expectations for rubato usage differ by style period? This post will take you in-depth through the implications of rubato across the piano repertoire.

tonebase just launched its brand new Practice Plan feature, revolutionizing the way we learn the piano online. Here, we’ll show you exactly how to assess your progress on the piano with this new comprehensive feature.

Join us in an exclusive interview with 2023 Chopin Competition on Period Instruments Finalist Piotr Pawlak, as we discuss piano competition preparation, improvisation, inspiration, and more.

Nothing sets the holiday scene more than some pleasant Christmas-themed pieces for the piano. In this post, we’ll introduce you to 10 pieces you can learn this month to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

Here, I’ll take you through major piano scales, minor scales, proper fingerings, and a whole bunch of other info that you’ll need to master your piano repertoire.

Here, we’ll take you through all 12 major piano scales, natural minor piano scales, harmonic minor piano scales, and melodic minor piano scales.

Pianist Lowry Yankwich shares an in-depth guide to piano pedals. In this post, you'll learn about the different piano pedals' names, function, use in different eras, and much more!

From seller options to common online scams, this article will prepare you to handle all of the ins and outs of selling a Steinway piano online.

How long should you practice piano? What specifically should you be practicing? In this post, I’ll address some of the most common questions that piano students have about what is needed for good piano practice.

Here, tonebase Head of Piano Ben Laude will define single and double rotation at the piano, and show you how to incorporate these into your practice routine.

Here, we’ll take you through everything you need to know to buy a Steinway piano.

Here are 10 ideas for how to make practice more enjoyable in 2024.

Here, tonebase Head of Piano Ben Laude will show you how to play complicated polyrhythms on the piano through the mastery of hand and finger independence.

Here, tonebase Head of Piano Ben Laude will dive into how to best strengthen your hands to advance your repertoire.

Juliana Han's baby has some advice for you, and it's going to help you become a better pianist!

Here, we will dive into how to properly address your piano hand placement with “in-and-out” movements.

Here, we will dive into 5 tips for playing piano with small hands so you can conquer your repertoire more efficiently.

In this blog post, we’ll share more about specific ways for you to approach the Scarlatti Sonata and master the techniques necessary to play with precision.

Here, we’ll discuss what goes into a piano technique practice session and how to structure it to get the most out of your dedication.

In this three part series we will look at different applications of practice and how to best structure your time to come away from each of them feeling accomplished.

In this blog post, we’ll share more about specific ways for you to approach Fantaisie Impromptu and master the techniques necessary to play with precision.

In this blog post, we’ll share more about specific ways for you to approach Ligeti’s Etude No. 4 - Fanfares.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your E minor scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your E major scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your A major scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your A major scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your D minor scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your D major scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your G minor scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your A major scale on the piano.

Here, we’ll dive deeper into ways for you to practice and perfect your C minor scale on the piano.

Mastering the C major scale on piano is a task every pianist will have to accomplish at some point in their journey, as much of our common repertoire is based on the components of this scale.

Here, we’ll discuss the top 3 most-effective ways to teach yourself piano, with or without formal piano lessons.

Thank you for your interest in joining the tonebase Ambassador Program!

What all do you need to get started teaching piano from home? Here's an ultimate guide covering everything from equipment, programs, and several tips and principles to get you started!

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at composing for piano? Here are 3 simple ways to get started.

Here are several tips on piano maintenance and care to preserve the sound and condition of your instrument for years to come.

Ben Laude (Head of Piano @ tonebase) is joined by his former Juilliard classmate and tonebase artist Juliana Han for a special Q&A on practicing the piano.

We recently had the opportunity to test out the PlayScore 2 sheet music scanning app and decided to share what it is, how it works, ways you can benefit from using it, and more!

Watch 50+ free lessons taught by the world's best pianists. Learn how to master new techniques, refine your interpretations, practice efficiently, and more!

Today, we will be exploring 4 common piano practice mistakes we all do without noticing and should actively try to do less of going forward!

Ben Laude reflects on themes heard in our latest podcast episode, which features the voices of great pianists with a direct connection to Brahms.

"The Brahms D Minor Piano Concerto is the product of a whole lot of struggle." Lowry Yankwich shares his thoughts on creating Episode 2 of our new podcast, the tonic, which features this "soul-shattering" piece.

Lowry Yankwich – creator of tonebase's new podcast "the tonic" – shares the importance of storytelling in Chopin's First Ballade.

To achieve secure memorization at the piano, you need to develop 4 types of musical memory: aural, visual, physical, and structural.

Should pianists memorize music? We are expected to do so from a young age, but many other instrumentalists aren’t. So why do we do it? Should we?

Learn the two truths that will set you free from unnecessary strain at the piano forever, plus a quick exercise to see forearm rotation at play.

Ben Laude, Head of Piano @ tonebase, shares an intimate glimpse behind the scenes of our latest production with the renowned performer and pedagogue Emanuel Ax. Watch for his tutorials coming soon to tonebase!

Here, I'll take you through three important evaluation questions to help you find the best piano teacher so your lessons can be as productive as possible.

How did piano masters such as Mozart, Chopin, and Brahms practice? In our pursuit of successful practice routines, we’ve compiled the piano practice tips and strategies of some of history’s most famous pianists and composers.

Pianist and professor Juliana Han helps you determine how long you should practice piano.

Juliana Han shares 3 areas of music theory that will massively impact your piano playing.

While playing scales can seem like an unnecessary chore, Juliana Han explains why they need to become part of your regular practice routine.

For those of us whose piano athleticism is more fit for recreational leagues, is it even worth cracking open the scores of more treacherous works — or should we just leave them to entertain our ears?

To improve your piano sight reading practice, like any other complex skill, you must practice it purposefully. Here's how to get started!

How do we find that default hand shape? Here’s an exercise that will show you your hands’ natural shape. Ready?

How do you practice performing? The best way is to do it so often that getting on stage becomes the mental equivalent of walking into the office.

Did you know that if you are a pianist, you are also a superhero? Your superpowers include making 10 fingers fly across the keys in intricate patterns, singing with pieces of wood and iron, and interpreting swarms of tiny black dots.

Here, we'll dive into the best approach to demystifying piano scale fingerings so you can play your repertoire with more precision.

There are many reasons to digitize your piano sheet music library (read the full post for my top 10...) I’ll talk below about what most professionals consider the top tools and practices at the moment.

Toilet paper … hand sanitizer … digital pianos? As the pandemic drags on, there’s been a run on all of the essentials. You gotta do what you gotta do, and pianists gotta practice!

Introducing a new keyboard musicianship series based on the training methods of great composers.

Let’s talk about how to build a better practicing habit for your piano practice routine this year. I’m going to suggest one simple piece of advice. Ready? Do less.

Piano warm-up routines can seem like talismanic magic. To help you optimize, here are 3 tips to consider when warming up at the piano.

Chords can be overwhelming, especially when dense and complex harmonies are involved. Here are three tips for tackling them, fast.

Check out our latest review on KeyboardKraze!

Have you been struggling with piano pedaling in your practice routine? This article will help you understand all you need to know about pedaling, from its function to stylistic considerations.

Here, we'll show you how to prepare for a recital and transform your preparation routine to set you up for success.

Musical Superlearning - Can we learn music faster? Here’s our review of the Musical Superlearning course by Musical U

In Part 1 of this series on practicing, Juliana Han posed a Q&A to her former Juilliard classmate and Head of Piano at tonebase, Ben Laude. This week, she responds!

Need one more reason to finally digitize your piano sheet music? Here are 10.