Key Sounds UK • April 24, 2020

PIANO PRACTICE TIPS TO SUPPORT YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY DURING LOCKDOWN

Not sure where to start when you sit down at the piano? These practice tips will keep you focused on meaningful improvement.

Practising is the most important part of learning and becoming a piano player. Remember these tips to take your practice time to its highest potential!

  • Make a game plan

Ensure that you start each of your practice sessions with a goal in mind. You will find you progress more quickly and effectively.

Try taking some time out to think about what you will be working on for the week. If you learn with a teacher, look at or ask what practice tips they would recommend for you.

Then decide when you can set aside 10-15+ minutes in your day to help you work on these areas.

Remember that practising little and often helps to build muscle memory, so in the long run this is more productive than simply practising once per week.

  • Create atmosphere

Get the right set-up for you. Whether you prefer to concentrate in a quiet practice room or somewhere with more stimulation, try be consistent with your choice. This will help you enter the right mindset when you begin to practise.

  • Study the score before playing

Don’t just play a piece or passage over and over again, and definitely don’t just power through a problem area and ignore it. Identify where you are stumbling out of time and work out why it’s going wrong, then decide how you are going to fix it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your teacher or fellow musicians!

  • Actively listening to your piece of music

Whether it’s a recording of yourself or someone else playing the same piece of music or scale that you are learning, this can help you to gain a better understanding of the style of the music.

  • Practice hands separately

If you are learning a piece hands together, it’s a completely different skill to learning it hands separately as you are activating both sides of the brain when you are playing hands together but only one side of the brain when you play hands separately. Try to practice one hand at a time when you initially learn your piece of music and don’t be afraid to do this if one hand it lagging behind even once you have begun practising hands together.

  • Be consistent with your finger patterns

If you notice any repeated note patterns in your music, try to stick to the same finger pattern too. This will help your brain to recognise this section of the music each time you refer back to it and will therefore allow the piece to flow more easily.

  • Enjoy yourself

Whilst we are all locked up inside, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to perform to your household members or even online to your friends and family. Send us through your videos and we’d love to see everyone getting involved!

Use this time to experiment and improve on your piano practice habits and feel free to ask us any questions you may have!

For more tips and tricks follow us on Instagram: @keysoundsuk or Facebook: www.facebook.com/keysoundsuk

What Should I Do When My Child Says Their Piano Piece Is Too Hard?

By Reshmi Patel • October 6, 2026
“My piece is too hard” can mean several things. Your child might be struggling with one small section, feeling unsure where to begin, or expecting to play the whole piece confidently straight away. You don’t need to know the notes to help. Start by finding out what feels difficult, then help your child take one manageable step. Ask which part feels hard A whole piece can feel overwhelming when the difficulty is really in just a few bars. Rather than asking your child to play it from the beginning again, ask, “Is there one part that’s bothering you?” They might point to a line in the music, mention a rhythm or say they can’t remember what their tutor showed them. Any of those answers gives you a clearer starting point. Try this: Ask your child to show you the part they mean. You can acknowledge that it feels tricky without trying to correct it. Check the lesson notes together Your child’s tutor may already have suggested how to work on that section. The goal might be to practise one hand at a time, play slowly or watch a video from the lesson. Try this: Look for one instruction your child can follow today. If neither of you is sure what the tutor meant, move on to the video step below. Make the goal smaller Your child doesn’t need to master the difficult part in one practice session. Working on a short section for a few minutes is worthwhile, even if it still sounds unfinished afterwards. You could ask, “Would you like to try just the first little bit?” Give them room to stop after that. Finishing a small goal can help them feel ready to return another day. Try this: Agree on one short task before they sit down at the piano, such as trying the same two bars slowly three times. Send their tutor a short video on WhatsApp If your child is happy to show the difficult section, film a short clip and send it to their tutor on WhatsApp. It doesn’t need to be a polished performance. Seeing where your child gets stuck helps the tutor give specific guidance before the next lesson. You could write: “They’re finding this section difficult at home. Here’s a short video so you can see where they get stuck. What would you suggest they focus on this week?” If your child doesn’t want to be filmed, you can still send a photo of the section in the music and explain what they’re finding difficult. Finding something hard is a normal part of learning piano. Your role isn’t to provide the musical answer. Helping your child describe the problem and share it with their tutor can make the next step feel much clearer.  If you have any questions we’re always happy to help you make it work. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out!

What to Do When Your Child Takes a Break From Piano Practice

By Reshmi Patel • September 30, 2026
Is your child enjoying their piano lessons and listens to their tutor, but they haven’t practised much at home for a week or two? It’s natural to wonder why, especially if they were practising regularly before. A quieter couple of weeks doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve lost interest. Learning an instrument has ups and downs. Even some of our most advanced students, whether they work towards grades or choose not to, go through phases when they practise less. The fact that your child still enjoys and engages in their lessons is a positive sign. Here are a few ways to help without turning practice into a source of pressure. 1. Find out what’s getting in the way There may be a simple reason. Perhaps the week has been busy, your child is tired, or they can’t remember which part their tutor wanted them to practise. Sometimes a new piece feels difficult to start on their own, even when they enjoy working on it in class. Choose a relaxed moment and ask, “How are you feeling about piano practice at the moment?” Listen first. You don’t need to solve everything in that conversation. Try this: If your child says they don’t know what to practise, look at their lesson notes together. If the next step still isn’t clear, ask their tutor. 2. Make the first step small After a break, “go and practise” can feel like a big request. A smaller starting point makes it easier to get going again. Your child could spend five minutes on the section their tutor highlighted or use a practice video shared in their notes. Once they’ve started, they may want to continue, but those five minutes still count. Try this: Agree on two or three short practice times for the coming week. Let your child help choose when they’ll happen. 3. Keep the conversation encouraging It can be tempting to point out how much practice has been missed. For a child who is already finding it hard to begin, that may make the piano feel like another task they’re behind on. Instead, notice the effort of returning to it: “It was good to see you make a start today.” You don’t need to know whether every note was right. The tutor can guide the musical details. Try this: After a practice session, ask, “Did you know what you were working on?” If the answer is no, that gives you something useful to share with the tutor. 4. Let the tutor know If practice has been quieter than usual, a quick update helps your child’s tutor meet them where they are. They can check whether the task is clear, break it into smaller steps or suggest a different way to practise that week. You could say: “They’re still enjoying lessons, but practice at home has been difficult to get started for the past couple of weeks. Is there one small thing you’d like us to focus on before the next lesson?” One or two quieter weeks are usually a moment to check in and gently rebuild a routine, not a reason to panic. If the change continues, or your child seems unhappy about piano itself, speak with their tutor so you can work out the next step together.  If you have any questions we’re always happy to help you make it work. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out!

How Do I Know if My Child Is Progressing at the Right Pace?

By Reshmi Patel • September 24, 2026
If you don’t play piano yourself, it can be hard to tell whether your child is making progress. Should they be learning new pieces more quickly? Should they have taken an exam by now? Remember progress often shows up in small changes between lessons, long before a piece sounds polished. Look for changes in confidence and independence Notice how your child approaches the piano. Do they remember what their tutor asked them to practise? Can they get started with less prompting? Are they more willing to try again when something feels tricky? Progress can be subtle, and your child doesn’t need to demonstrate it on demand. Try this: At a relaxed moment, ask, “What have you been working on with your tutor lately?” If they’re unsure, look at the lesson notes together. There’s no need to ask them to play for you. Focus on what they are learning, not how many pieces they finish. A child may spend several weeks on one piece because it introduces a new rhythm, technique or way of reading music. That does not mean they have stopped progressing. Learning to slow down, work through a difficult section and gradually play it more confidently is progress too. Try this: Check the lesson notes for one specific goal this week. It might be practising a few bars or watching a video their tutor has shared. You can help your child make time for that goal without needing to correct their playing. Make practice manageable Regular practice helps your child remember what they covered in their lesson. It doesn’t have to mean a long session every day. A few short sessions with a clear focus are easier to build into family life. If practice has been difficult lately, let the tutor know. That helps them suggest a realistic starting point rather than leaving you to work it out alone. Try this: Choose three practice days that fit around your week. When it’s time to practise, help your child find their lesson notes so they know where to begin. Ask the tutor what progress looks like for your child Children learn at different speeds, so comparing your child with a sibling or another student may not tell you much. Their tutor can give you a clearer picture of what has improved and what they are working towards next. You could ask: “What has my child improved on recently? What is their main focus now, and how can we support them at home?” At Key Sounds UK, you can ask your child’s tutor for an update or contact us to arrange a progress call. You don’t need to wait for an exam or concert to find out how they’re doing. The most helpful measure of progress is whether your child is building skills and confidence over time, with a next step that feels achievable for them. If you have any questions we’re always happy to help you make it work. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out!
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