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Practicing as a Contemporary Pianist: An Interview with William Benckert

In our latest episode of LPM’s practice series, we manage to land an interview with Scandinavian jazz and electronic pianist, William Benckert. To shade light on different practicing techniques, our past interviews have included collaborative pianist Dr Minjung Seo and jazz pianist Steven Paszkowski, both bringing valuable insights to specific genres: classical and jazz. This time round we bring in another jazz pianist who derives influences from electronica and other contemporary tunes! Hailing from Sweden, Benckert currently resides in London with a fellow musician roommate. While exploring the local music scene, he creates compositions on the side for different ceremonies. … Read more

Practicing as a Jazz Pianist: An Interview with Steven Paszkowski

As promised, Liberty Park Music is committed to presenting the best guides for practice from industry experts all around the world. For the pilot episode, we had a rare opportunity to interview Dr Minjung Seo, a collaborative pianist, who revealed some of her most treasured tips when it comes to practicing. Continuing on, we unveiled yet another amazing and talented individual, Steven Paszkowski: a multifaceted musician. In this new episode, we stepped in the shoes of Paszkowski and soaked in his knowledge as a performer, composer, and educator. Not forgetting how practice is imperative to all musicians, he shared how … Read more

5 Must-Know Fretting Techniques For Beginner Guitarists

Knowing how to properly fret a note is highly important to your guitar playing journey. Use the wrong technique and you’ll end up with sore hands, buzzing notes, and possibly an injury. The good news is that fretting a note is very easy! There are really only five things you have to take note of: proper finger placement, fingertip accuracy, thumb position, curvature of the fingers, and wrist position. In this article, I outline these five issues with images so you can check in with your technique. 1. Proper Finger Placement When you fret a note, keep your finger as … Read more

The Ultimate Parental Guide for ABRSM Piano Practical Examination

Every child fears examinations. This fear is no different for your child when they are heading into an ABRSM piano practical exam, sweaty palms are definitely the first thing you will notice about them. Biologically speaking, being anxious before an upcoming test or exam is perfectly normal; however, the degree of anxiety can be managed with the right amount of quality practice. Before we dive into the different ways that you can help prepare your child for an ABRSM piano practical with tips from our knowledgeable teachers and students who have taken multiple ABRSM exams, let’s take a look at … Read more

What are Dominant and Diminished Seventh Chords?

Dominant and diminished seventh chords are common and important features of music. It’s hard to find a piece of music that doesn’t use either of these. In fact, they’re so prevalent that the higher grades of the ABRSM examinations require students to know them by heart. Unfortunately, they’re also rather dissonant and odd sounding. I remember asking my piano teacher what was the point of learning such harsh sounding chords. Nevertheless, when used appropriately, they sound perfectly beautiful and logical in the context of the whole piece. We’ve probably already heard and played these chords in many pieces of music, … Read more

Practicing as a Collaborative Pianist: An Interview with Dr Minjung Seo

At Liberty Park Music, we believe in bringing you music related perspectives from all over the world. In the coming weeks, we’re going to focus on practicing music and we’ll be interviewing accomplished musicians from all around the world on their thoughts and experiences with practice. These musicians hail from different countries and cultures, play different styles and instruments, and have varied professional experiences. Though diverse in their thoughts, they all share the common belief that practice is essential to any budding (and professional) musician. Through this interview series, we hope that you can glean some tips for better music … Read more

9 Essential Tips to Help You Maintain Good Piano Posture

While there is less literature about good posture for piano players than that for drummers or guitarists, it is just as vital that every pianist maintains a good posture. Having a good posture enables the player to comfortably practice or perform longer, without experiencing aches or causing injuries. A player with good posture can play in a relaxed manner, which grants greater control and hence, a greater quality of sound produced. In this article, we share 9 essential tips on how to improve your posture at the piano. Tip 1: Keep your neck aligned with your back (avoid forward neck!) … Read more

8 Effective and Fun Ways to Practice Scales

Playing scales serves as an important tool for musical expression; it is the vocabulary in the language of music. Different scales produce different sounds and, if used effectively, can evoke a vast range of emotional responses from listeners. Unfortunately, many people practice scales without a clear understanding of what they’re trying to accomplish. Practicing scales is important for several reasons, but if you don’t know those reasons, you might find it difficult to translate those hours of practice into something musical. Always begin your practice with clear and concise objectives, and why you want to accomplish these goals. There is … Read more

How Do Busy People Learn Music in Singapore?

Singapore is a global hub of technology, commerce, and culture. People from Asia and around the world find themselves living in and loving Singapore. There’s so much to do – you can never get bored! Did you know Liberty Park Music is based in Singapore? Even though our teachers reside on several different continents and our students tune into our lessons from all over the world, our headquarters are in Singapore. We love the mix of cultures and the wealth of cool experiences we can find in the bustling city. To navigate all the interesting things there are to do … Read more

The Flow State to Optimize Performance and Reduce Anxiety

Many people in music, visual art, sport, and public speaking are familiar with performance anxiety. To overcome such anxiety and induce peak performance, we can try to achieve the flow state. With this state, instead of crumbling under the pressure, you will rise and surpass the occasion. Some of you may have the impression that the flow state has some mystical or new age implications, but keep reading and I’ll explain the hard science behind it. What is flow? The term “flow” was first coined by Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. He and his team of psychologists began noticing this state … Read more