London Piano Institute

Why Every Pianist Should Study Kind of Blue

2026-10-04T08:34:42+01:00

Photo credit: “Kind of Blue” album cover by Miles Davis. © Columbia Records. Source: Official Miles Davis website. Used for editorial commentary. There are albums that belong to a particular genre, and then there are albums that seem to transcend genre altogether. Miles Davis’s ‘Kind of Blue’, released in 1959, is one of the latter. Widely regarded as one of the most influential jazz recordings ever made, it has inspired generations of musicians with its remarkable combination of simplicity, freedom and sophistication. For pianists in particular, ‘Kind of Blue’ offers an extraordinary musical education. Its lessons extend far beyond [...]

Why Every Pianist Should Study Kind of Blue2026-10-04T08:34:42+01:00

Can You Become a Serious Pianist Without Becoming a Professional?

2026-10-04T08:22:50+01:00

Maybe learning piano has been on your bucket list for a while, and you are finally willing to take it seriously – does that mean you need to become a professional? There is a general assumption that being serious about a sport, profession or even hobby automatically means pursuing it professionally. As if there needs to be credibility in claiming, “I have started to take it seriously.” Many adult pianists have careers, families and other commitments but still want to become accomplished musicians. It is as though there are two unofficial boxes people can categorise you into: playing piano casually as [...]

Can You Become a Serious Pianist Without Becoming a Professional?2026-10-04T08:22:50+01:00

5 Essential Left-Hand Blues Riffs on the Piano

2026-09-11T11:47:08+01:00

Blues piano, especially solo blues, often involves turning your two hands into an entire band. This task can be daunting, as it involves assigning a lot of responsibility to your left hand, both in rhythmic and harmonic terms. Having a selection of riffs fluently learned in your left hand is essential in order to support the melodies your right hand will be playing. The good news is that, once you have a riff fluently in your left hand, you can then focus almost entirely on the right hand while the left hand provides the perfect engine to your tune. Here are [...]

5 Essential Left-Hand Blues Riffs on the Piano2026-09-11T11:47:08+01:00

How Adult Pianists Can Tell If They Are Actually Improving

2026-08-25T12:49:25+01:00

Have you ever wondered whether your piano playing is genuinely improving? Have you reached a learning plateau, or have your skills simply stopped developing? Learning the piano as an adult is incredibly rewarding, but it can also be frustrating, particularly when it feels as though you have little progress to show for your efforts. As you become more experienced, it often becomes increasingly difficult to recognise whether you are still improving. Before becoming discouraged, it is important to distinguish between two very different situations. The first is a learning plateau, which is a completely natural part of mastering any skill. During [...]

How Adult Pianists Can Tell If They Are Actually Improving2026-08-25T12:49:25+01:00

Thumbs Voicings: 3 Steps to Smooth Jazz Piano Chords

2026-08-17T08:57:12+01:00

Two-handed chords can be difficult to sculpt on the piano. Avoiding unnecessary notes while shaping a good voicing can feel like a stab in the dark, and in the heat of the moment can be very challenging to improvise on the spot. Improvising chord voicings is only possible with prior knowledge and fluency on a variety of chord shapes. Today we will look at the method of Thumbs Voicings. This method is one of many that allow you to make well-crafted two-handed chord voicings that can easily transition from one chord to the next. These will prove useful in all forms [...]

Thumbs Voicings: 3 Steps to Smooth Jazz Piano Chords2026-08-17T08:57:12+01:00

7 Qualities That Make a Pianist Sound Professional

2026-08-17T10:05:21+01:00

Have you ever listened to a piano performance so captivating that you could only dream of reaching that level? What is it that makes one pianist sound undeniably more professional than another? To state the obvious, the more skilled you become at the piano, the better you are likely to sound. However, even as your technical ability improves, your performances may still sound fundamentally the same, only with more complex notes and melodies. Developing technical skills alone is not enough. There are several crucial qualities that contribute to a polished, expressive and convincing performance. Professional playing is about far more than [...]

7 Qualities That Make a Pianist Sound Professional2026-08-17T10:05:21+01:00

How to Build Confidence When Performing in Front of Others

2026-08-03T13:20:28+01:00

Recently many students have reflected, “I can play those pieces perfectly at home, but it's awful when I play in front of you.” As a piano teacher, I hear this almost every week. Students often leave the lesson feeling frustrated, believing that they have suddenly becoame a worse pianist simply because someone was listening. In reality, this experience is not a sign that you cannot play the piece. Instead, it is a completely natural part of learning to perform. The first step towards building confidence is to change how we interpret these moments. Rather than seeing them as failures, we should [...]

How to Build Confidence When Performing in Front of Others2026-08-03T13:20:28+01:00

Returning to the Piano After 10 Plus Years: What to Expect

2026-07-22T12:55:00+01:00

Returning to an instrument you once had such a passion for is definitely a humbling experience, but what can you expect? Many adults find themselves wanting to pick up playing the piano again, even if the last time they played the piano was many years ago. It can easily be overwhelming trying to continue where you left off, since you will probably have to start over again in some aspects. Does muscle memory still apply after more than 10 years away from the piano? The purpose of this article is to outline and discuss what you can typically expect when returning [...]

Returning to the Piano After 10 Plus Years: What to Expect2026-07-22T12:55:00+01:00

Why All Jazz Pianists Should Study Art Tatum

2026-07-13T11:08:49+01:00

Photo credit: “Tatum in 1946–1948” by William P. Gottlieb. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, William P. Gottlieb Collection, digital ID gottlieb.08301. Few musicians have transformed the landscape of jazz piano quite like Art Tatum. Revered by fellow pianists and admired by musicians across every genre, Tatum possessed a level of technical brilliance and musical imagination that continues to astonish listeners decades after his recordings were made. While many pianists naturally gravitate towards figures such as Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner or Herbie Hancock, every serious jazz pianist should spend time studying Art Tatum. His influence reaches far beyond dazzling virtuosity; [...]

Why All Jazz Pianists Should Study Art Tatum2026-07-13T11:08:49+01:00

How to Play Softer in Piano Playing

2026-06-29T06:58:57+01:00

Recently, many students have asked me the same question: “Why is it so difficult to play softly on an acoustic piano?” Interestingly, most of these students have spent years practising mainly on digital pianos. Their fingers are agile, their rhythm is stable, and they can produce clear sound quite easily. Yet when they sit at an acoustic piano — especially during lessons, examinations or performances — the sound suddenly becomes louder, harder and more tense than they expect. Soft Playing Is Not Weak Playing Playing softly is one of the most misunderstood skills in piano playing. Many people assume that softness [...]

How to Play Softer in Piano Playing2026-06-29T06:58:57+01:00
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