How to Warm Up at the Piano

My colleague Robert Estrin of Living Pianos recently posted a great video tutorial on how to warm up at the piano. There are some great tips for all musicians!

He talks about staying healthy and taking breaks. He also mentions the importance of stretching.

Here is is clip on how to warm up at the piano:

Here are some keyboard warm-ups, courtesy of my colleague Irina Gorin. These are geared towards beginner piano students:

Finally, check out my series on musician stretches:

• Face and Neck Stretches for Musicians

• Arm and Hand Stretches for Musicians

• Back and Shoulder Stretches for Musicians

Arpeggio Warm-Up Exercise

This has been my favourite warm-up exercises lately. After playing the piano for over 30 years, you have to come up with different practice drills to keep things fresh.

First, I start by playing a one-octave arpeggio (eighth notes). I start slowly and as soon as I hear that I'm playing evenly, then I branch out to two octaves (eighth notes), then three (eighth note triplets) and then finally four (sixteenth notes). Sometimes, I have to repeat a particular stage three or more times before I hear that I'm playing evenly.

For an added challenge, I change the articulation: staccato, legato, portato or slurred. Then, for a bonus, each hand will play a different articulation.

Beginner piano students can just stick with one-octave arpeggios. Junior intermediate students can branch out to two-octaves. Upper intermediate students can go up to three octaves, while advanced students should go up to four octaves.

Here's a video demonstration:

Music Practicing 101 - Finger Push Ups

This finger exercise is one I learned at one of my early piano lessons, many moons ago. It's a hand exercise to strengthen those musical fingers, especially our very weak finger #4.

I detested it during those early piano practices, but I must say, my Finger #4's are better because of it. My students and I have dubbed it "Finger Push Ups":