A New Year’s Message from The Piano Guy

Believe it or not, my slow and steady approach to piano has helped me out in a lot of other ways this past year...

How to accompany yourself or others on the piano

You don't need to be a world-class singer to learn to sign along to almost any tune. The "key" is inside...

How to start a new hobby and beat winter blues

Did you know that 10-20% of Americans experience mild forms of Seasonal Affective Disorder every year?

Why I love playing piano

First and foremost, the piano is physically and mechanically more simple to play than almost any other instrument. I love how accessible it is to peop

Piano warm-up exercises for beginners

Doing practice session exercises for just five minutes a day does wonders for your muscle memory and will allow you to actually focus on having fun le

Easy way to play the piano with both hands

Perhaps the most challenging part about learning to play piano isn't reading notation—it's putting your hands together!

Easiest songs to learn to play on piano

If you’re a person who wants to play modern songs for fun, the chord-based method is perfect because you can learn to play based on songs you actually

Piano basics: how to play piano chords

The fastest way to start playing and having fun on the keys is by using a simple formula to figure out the notes of any type of chord.

Common mistakes to avoid when learning to play piano

Throughout all my years of playing for enjoyment and teaching folks to do the same, I have identified four common mistakes to avoid if you want to hav

Piano basics: how to find the right notes on the keyboard

There are only 12 unique notes on a piano: A B C D E F G (white keys), plus sharps and flats (black keys).

Keyboards for adult beginners: what’s the best option?

With so many different shapes, sizes, and characteristics that pianos have to offer today, it can be overwhelming to purchase one as a beginner. My me

What is a glissando and when do i use it?

Derived from the French word “glissant” which means “to glide,” a glissando occurs when you play a continuous slide upward or downward between at leas

How important is it to memorize piano pieces?

This excellent topic has posed much debate across different piano circles over the years.

9 interesting facts about piano

Did you know that some of the earliest prototypes of the piano were criticized by none other than Johann Sebastian Bach for not producing the full ran

How do i enjoy my hobbies more?

It's normal to put some pressure on yourself when learning to play piano or pursuing any other hobby...

Can piano help reduce stress or pain you are facing?

Scientists around the world agree that music actually has the most profound effect on the human brain

How to find a hobby you love

Hobbies are recreational activities, but not all recreational activities count as a hobby. Hobbies require a little work!

Can you play piano with arthritis?

While yoga and massage are often suggested for pain relief, adults can learn piano and enjoy this fulfilling option for easing symptoms that comes wit

Is it hard to learn piano at an older age?

Become a subscriber for free! Email address: Website Is it hard to learn piano at an older age? By Scott HoustonOne of the questions I have heard cons

How learning piano benefits your brain

Become a subscriber for free! Email address: Website How learning piano benefits your brain By Scott Houston Since the end of the 20th century, the im

How much is a 60 minute lesson?

Finding the right lessons to meet your needs and skill level can be difficult—there are so many options out there, each claiming to be the best!

Can adults really learn piano?

The notion that our brains lose the ability to learn new skills over time has been disproven by new developments in neuroscience within the last...

Tips For Buying Your First Piano

One of the most popular questions I hear from people who are interested in learning to play is: “What kind of piano do I need to have for lessons?” I’

Paul McCartney vs. Piano In A Flash

Being a good note reader is not a requirement to becoming a good piano player. If you want to become a concert pianist and play concerts with symphony

Top 3 Mental Health Impacts of Playing Piano

How’s your head? No, I’m not asking if you feel warm or are suffering from a migraine (though I hope not!)—I want to check in on your ment

A Quick “Spooky” Music Lesson

Why do certain songs and sounds make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, while others make you want to tap your feet? It’s a fascinatin

Father’s day playlist

I had to list some of my favorite songs for Father’s Day too— maybe you’ll pick one to figure out on the keys! Do you have any favorites y

Hey Scott— what’s an arpeggio? And do I need to be practicing them?

If you’ve ever taken classical piano lessons before, you KNOW scales and arpeggios are one of the ten commandments of playing the piano. They’re an un

Mother’s Day Playlist

Are you looking for a song to honor your mom and communicate how special she is? Here are a few of my favorites for this special day of recognition! F

Did Classical Musicians Ever Play From Lead Sheets?

If you’ve ever seen or experienced my teaching before, you know that my piano playing and teaching method kind of tosses traditional (classical) music

Hey Scott— how should I clean my piano?

I’ve gotten this question a handful of times, and with how much folks are leaning into spring cleaning lately, I think this is a great time to answer

Piano In a Flash Featured In Jazz Times

Piano In A Flash is honored to be featured recently in Jazz Times—an iconic American magazine that’s been dedicated to covering all things jazz music

Spring Cleaning: Piano style 

I don’t know about you, but I have a few things in my house that I just can’t seem to figure out how to organize. The worst place is the junk drawer,

Q & A with Terri R.

For this blog post, we interviewed a long-time student of mine, Terri! Terri lives in New York (USA), and is eager to grow her musical abilities. Keep

Hey Scott— I want to learn songs my parents knew when they were growing up. Do you have any suggestions for songs to learn that were popular during the 50s?

Hey there— great question! I love giving ideas to students, I do hope at least one of these below will strike a chord (pun intended) and you can figur

Hey Scott— who should I look to for jazz inspiration?

This is a question I’ve gotten a handful of times since my days at PBS— and let me tell you, I have a whole list! I picked a few of my favorites to sh

St. Patrick’s Day songs

Are you the kind of musician that needs to find a song for every holiday?  St. Patrick’s Day songs seem to be the HARDEST to find. So, we widened

Add some jazz and pizazz to your song!

Are you bored of playing the same songs the same way? Do you need a challenge at the piano again? I’ve got something for you to exercise your br

New partnership brings Palm Spring seniors safe and easy access to piano lessons

Piano in a Flash is thrilled to announce its latest partnership with the Mizell Center in Palm Springs, CA. Together, Piano in a Flash and the Mizell

Q & A with Tania A.

For this blog post, we interviewed Tania! Tania lives in Scotland, and just started with our piano courses during quarantine.  Keep an eye out fo

RIP Chick Corea- a true icon of jazz music

“My mission has always been to bring the joy of creating anywhere I could” — Chick Corea, February 2021 On February 9th the music world lost an icon n

Love songs to play on Valentine’s Day

It’s definitely a weird time to celebrate anything, including Valentine’s Day. Some are opting for date night at home, while others are headed out for

Q & A with Sue C.

For this blog post, we interviewed a newer student of mine, Sue! Sue lives in Idaho (USA), and while she is brand new to PIAF, she’s already made grea

Q & A with Lynette G.

For this blog post, we interviewed a long-time student of mine, Lynette! Lynette has lived in Indiana (USA) for years, and is pretty new to Piano in a

What I’m listening to this month

I thought I”d share a few songs I’ve had on repeat the last couple weeks. It’s almost like there’s a theme going on here…

Mind your Ps & Qs: Piano and Quarantine

If you were left struggling during quarantine, you’re not alone.  The CDC reported a significant growth in the number of people who reported feel

You Don’t Have to Read Music to Play Piano!

Being a good note reader is not a requirement to becoming a good piano player. If you want to become a concert pianist and play concerts with symphony

Q & A with Kate P.

For this blog post, we interviewed a long-time student of mine, Kate P.! Kate splits her time between New York and Florida (USA), and is becoming one

My 2020 playlist

There’s a lot of adjectives we could use to describe this year’s events… but I like to use songs to express my thoughts and feelings. Here are a few s

Q & A with Harry M.

For this blog post, we interviewed Harry M.! Harry lives in Florida and is enjoying his time at the piano. Keep an eye out for more Q & A blog pos

12 Days of Christmas— Kindness Challenge

Is there a better way to celebrate the holiday season than sharing kindness and a smile (behind a mask, of course)? I don’t think there is. I created

Q & A with Frank!

For this blog post, we interviewed a long-time student of mine, Frank! Frank lives in Illinois (USA), and hasn’t had any instruction since his days in

Q & A with Diane M.

For this blog post, we interviewed Diane! Diane lives in Colorado (USA), and hasn’t been with Piano in a Flash too long, but is already enjoying her t

Q & A with Raley S.

For this blog post, we interviewed a long-time student of mine, Raley! Raley is from Texas (USA), and is one of Piano in a Flash’s newest students.. K

Q & A with Dennis A.

For this blog post, we interviewed Dennis from North Dakota! Dennis got his start in the world of music rather unconventionally, but my, what a story

Q & A with Cheryl M.

We chatted with Cheryl for this week’s Q & A student session! Cheryl lives in California, and has been a student of ours since April of 2017! Q: H

Care & Upkeep of your Piano

What to know and do to keep your piano in tip-top shape.

Q & A with Carl R.

For this blog post, we interviewed Carl R.! Carl has lived in Florida (USA) for years, and has been a musician even longer. Keep an eye out for more Q

Q & A with Amy C.!

For this blog post, we interviewed Amy C. in New York! Keep an eye out for more Q & A blog posts like this one: I enjoy hearing from students, and

Arthritis and piano: how it can be good for you

Piano can actually help with arthritis in your hands.

Q & A with Phil R.

Read on to learn why Amazing Grace was a pivotal point for Phil and his time at the piano.

Are you sitting correctly at the piano?

If you're not comfortable sitting at the piano, there's ways to fix the issue.

Why does music bring us comfort?

Music is more powerful than we give it credit for. For some people, there’s nothing better than having fun at a long-awaited concert. For others, that

Do you need help keeping your music vocab straight?

There’s so many words and phrases to know when learning how to make music. Below, I’ve included some of the most popular terms used in my courses as a

Q & A with Kim

For this blog post, we interviewed a long-time student of Piano in a Flash, Kim Adamson! Kim has lived in Florida (USA) for years, and has been a musi

The New York Times, our new PR lead, and Piano in a Flash

That’s a title I didn’t see myself typing! I just have to share the news with all of you: I was happy to see my super-talented new Public

Why you should play what you love

Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of songs from my childhood. I’m talking everything from greatest hits from bands like Chicago and Earth Wind &

Piano and Mental Health

Had you asked me back in February if I was stressed, I would have told you, “Absolutely!”.  And then the coronavirus pandemic hit.  Many of

Do you struggle with your left hand?

About 90% of the world is right-hand dominant.  That also means about 90% of the world would struggle to play piano with their left hand, let alo

What kind of piano should I use for lessons?

Maybe you’ve signed up for lessons through Piano In A Flash, or maybe you’re still debating if lessons are the right move for you. One of the most pop

Reading piano 101

Being a good note reader is not a requirement to becoming a good piano player. If you want to become a concert pianist and play concerts with symphony

The Truth About “Playing By Ear”

The other day, I got an interesting question from a student about reading versus playing by ear. As I was writing a response, I thought it was probabl

Is piano the hardest instrument to play?

Not by a long shot! I have argued (and proven somewhat successfully I think with the army of folks I’ve gotten playing over the years) quite the oppos

Accompany yourself to easier piano playing

A large percentage of recreational piano players want, as their primary goal, to be able to accompany themselves (or someone else) singing. That perce

Learning = Listening (and Stealing a few Licks!)

Lately I’ve been finding myself responding to questions from TV show viewers and students with the same answer over and over. The questions usually go

Piano of the Future Unveiled at CES and NAMM

Did you know that pianos were one of the first musical instruments families bought for their homes in the early part of the 20th century? And whi

Do we still shame bad musicians?

So back in the day, bad musicians were publicly shamed using a medieval torture device called the “Shame Flute.”  The contraption, wh

Piano in a Flash Student Profile: Michael O’Halloran, Port Stephens NSW Australia:

Michael O’Halloran (57) is a professional ballroom dance tutor who always wanted to learn how to play the piano. His story is very powerful and demons

Will 2020 Be THE Year You Learn to Play the Piano?

It’s a new year and with that comes New Year’s resolutions. One of the more popular resolutions is learning to play a musical instrument. That m

Houston Quoted in Story about Christmas Traditions

Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston was recently quoted in a cool story about holiday traditions. His part was about music and his own family an

Taiwanese Hospital Installs Musical Piano Key Staircase

A hospital in Taiwan has installed a ‘piano staircase’, encouraging patients and staff to take the stairs and get more exercise. According to news sou

93-Year-Old Veteran Loves Playing the Piano for “Old People”

The Mahoney House retirement community in York, Nebraska is a bit more musical around lunchtime thanks to the efforts of 93-year-old veteran Art Frede

Piano in a Flash featured as great holiday gift on CBS TV in New York

What makes a better gift than learning to play the piano, right?  That’s why Savvy Living, a TV show on CBS in New York interviewed 6X Emmy

Piano in a Flash Student Profile: Sharon Hubbard Graessle

Like so many people, Sharon Hubbard Grassele (65) always wanted to learn how to play the piano. She took piano lessons as a child, but wasn’t able to

The Human Brain Can Recognize Familiar Music in Milliseconds

Did you know that your brain can recognize a familiar song within 100 to 300 milliseconds? A new study from University College London reports that our

Common Questions for Scott Houston: Chord Jumping

Thousands of people are having fun learning how to play their favorite songs on the piano with Scott Houston’s Piano in a Flash online method. On

Painted Pianos Show Up in Knoxville

Yay for Knoxville! Some very cool painted and playable pianos have popped up around the city in Knoxville, Tenn. Apparently, The Piano Project of Knox

Piano Playing, Singing Beagle Rocks Out in Viral Video

We know that people play music for fun. But did you know that some dogs do as well? Buddy Mercury, a lovable Beagle, is quickly generating massiv

If You Put a Piano On a Cliff…

According to news sources in Australia, an abandoned piano has been spotted on top of a cliff in Sydney Harbor—and ever since it was spotted, locals c

Is Playing Music By Ear Just for the Gifted?

A Piano in a Flash student recently wrote in saying “….God bless you if you have the gift of both being able to read and play by ear.”  But is it

Incredible Story: Blind, Autistic Singer/Piano Player Kodi Lee Wins America’s Got Talent

One of the most powerful stories in music got even bigger last week. Kodi Less, an America’s Got Talent contestant who is blind and has autism w

Fun with Really Big Pianos

We all know that playing the piano is REALLY big fun. But on occasion, some REALLY big pianos have been used to bring some joy to the world.  Cla

Survey Says Playing Piano is Sexy

Playing the piano has many cool benefits (like you need to tell us, huh?).  But did you know it’s considered to be sexy too? A Vanity Fair/60 Minutes

The Piano Guy Responds to Wired Story About Using Music Apps and Light-Up Keyboards to Learn to Play the Piano

A recent WIRED magazine story takes aim at music apps and light-up keyboards as a legitimate methods to learn to play the piano for new students of an

The Anatomy of a Piano

Just like the human body, the anatomy of an acoustic piano is quite fascinating! There are many different moving “body parts” and “limbs”  that must w

The History Of The Piano

The other morning while I was practicing at my piano, I had a thought, “I know my students love the piano, but do they know how the piano came to be??

Right Hand Agility Exercise 2

Hey gang! Do you ever find yourself thinking “I just can’t seem to play this right hand melody smoothly!” Well don’t worry.&nb

4 Ways To Benefit Your Body By Playing The Piano

In a previous blog post, I talked about 5 incredible ways playing the piano helps strengthen your mind (you can find that post by CLICKING HERE). &nbs

What Key Is A Singer In?

 In a recent video, I covered how to figure out what key would be the right one to sing a tune in. You can find that video at the link below: CLICK H

5 Ways to Benefit Your Brain By Playing The Piano

When you have gotten to the point of being able to sit down at your keyboard or piano and finally play a tune you know and love, you experience no bet

Am I A Lost Cause If I Was Classically Trained?

Hi gang – I wanted to share a question I received recently, and my response, as it is something I’ve answered many times in the past and I think

How To Find the Right Key To Sing In While Playing Piano

  Have you ever seen or heard a singer walk up to a piano accompanist and tell them what key they want to sing a tune in, then wondered how in th

My method will get you “piano unconstipated”!

Just a quick note concerning a lot of people who don’t play at all sharing with me that they have such a dream to be able to sit down and have some fu

How to play piano with small hands

In today’s quick lesson, I’ll cover the myth that you have to have long, skinny fingers to play the piano well. It’s simply not true

How to play Slash Chords on the piano

In today’s video blog post, I will be covering some common music theory and teaching you about playing slash chords on the piano. Slash chords a

Fact: With 3 Chords You Can Play Hundreds of Songs On The Piano

Sound too good to be true? It’s not!  Hey there – Scott Houston here.  One of my three “Secrets” to teaching adults

Easy Way to Improvise On The Piano!

Hello! Today, I am focusing on improvisation by utilizing a often used chord progression that can provide a “pain-free” way to noodle

Moving Smoothly From Chord to Chord on the Piano

Here is a simple but effective chord jumping practice exercise you can before you sit down to play/practice your tunes.  Below, you’ll find

7 Amazing Upcycled and Repurposed Pianos!

Hey guys!  Here is a fun little piece I thought I’d throw out to to keep things light and fun. I know that us studious, loving piano players/lea

Get Your Mindset Right To Learn Piano

Hey everyone!  As I mentioned in my YouTube Live video last week, one of my resolutions for 2018 is push out more content for you guys – fu

2018 – The year you play piano!

  Hi everyone, it’s me, Scott! Here’s a quick transcript of the livestream that you can watch above, I’m looking forward to 201

How To Prevent Learning The Piano From Becoming Work

When I was learning the piano, here is what I would tell my 24-year-old self to keep it from becoming work. I sometimes find it interesting to play th

How to Choose Your First Piano or Keyboard

Choosing your first piano or keyboard can be confusing, overwhelming and downright exhausting, but it doesn’t have to be. Let me help you bring some c

Jazzy Jingle Bells: Lesson 1

Quickly embed a YouTube video onto your website or blog! here   I’m so excited to do YouTube office hours with you all! As a short reminder

Increase Right Hand Agility On Piano – Lesson 1

  Here’s an exercise I that can help many of you who have had issues with playing melodic lines and improvising smoothly in your right hand

Five Fast Facts You Didn’t Know About The Piano

Learn some fun facts about the piano that are sure to help you impress your friends the next time you hang out!

What To Do When Your Child Doesn’t Want To Practice

See The Top 4 Piano Playing Myths (A.K.A. Excuses) Busted

Myths and wives tales have been around since the dawn of time and while no one knows how they started, it’s important to separate fact from fict

3 Secrets Every New Piano Player Should Know

Click For Intro Course

Five Things You Need To Know When Buying A Digital Piano or Keyboard

With so many different options and brands to choose from, buying a new keyboard or digital piano can be a scary process. Find out exactly what you sho

Can you just play by ear as opposed to reading notation?

Wrong-noteless Noodling

Would you like to feel confident improvising? In this blog post, I will give you a tool to help you feel confident improvising. I’ll teach you an easy

Bossa Nova Rhythm – Hand Independence

Do you feel like you will never be able to learn how to play piano because your hands just can’t seem to work together at the same time?You are not al

Secret Tip: How to Play (and Practice) Inversions!

Want to know a secret tip for learning how to play inversions on a piano? In this video, Scott will teach you how to quickly and smoothly play inversi

Student Answer for Feliz Navidad Hand Independence Issue (Course 1, Class 8)

Slow, Easy Blues & Improvising

Slow, Easy Blues & Improvising: Do your fingers seem to only have one speed—slow? Want something bluesy you can play slowly and still sound g

How to End it!

How to End it! – Scott teaches you a great ending that uses some modulation.

Boogie Woogie Hand Independence

Can’t walk and chew gum at the same time? Can’t rub your head and pat your tummy together? Feel like your hands have a mind of their own when it comes

Learn a Boogie Woogie Bass Line on Piano

Learn a Boogie Woogie Bass Line on Piano!

Minor 7th Chords – How to Figure Them Out!

Minor 7th Chords – How to Figure Them Out!

Arpeggios – Great Piano Tricks!

Arpeggios – Great Piano Tricks! Using arpeggios is a great way to make your bass line more interesting and can be used as a terrific a

Glissandos- How to Figure them Out!

Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston teaches you how to play a glissando on a piano, keyboard, or organ. He also gives you a few great tricks for

How to Figure Out Any Diminished Chord In Seconds

How to Find a Diminished Chord in Seconds

Share Your Request for Future Piano Videos!

Share Your Request for Future Piano Videos! Do you have a question about piano? I want to tackle the question with you–comment with any topi

I continue to be fascinated by playing piano’s positive effect on dementia and Alzheimers disease.

Even more beautiful, useful, wonderful reasons to make the effort towards becoming a recreational piano player … What a nice story originally fr

7th Chords – How To Figure Them Out

Continuing on this “back to the basics” theme working through different chord types, Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston shows you the formula for buil

Minor Chords – How To Figure Them out on a Piano or Keyboard

Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston shows you the formula for building minor chords on a piano in any key.

Major Chords – How To Figure Them Out on a Piano or Keyboard

Getting “back to the basics” to answer a bunch of recent questions about chord theory on a piano, Scott “The Piano Guy” Housto

What is Comping?

Scott explains comping, which can make your piano playing sound a lot more professional.

Great Gospel Movement Tip

Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston giving away a great gospel / sacred tip to make your piano playing sound better

Improvising On Piano

Scott teaches a great way to get started into the world of improvising at a piano.

Learning Minor Blues

Scott teaches the basics of playing a minor blues as opposed to a regular (major) blues chord progression.

Figuring Out Slash Chords

Scott quickly explains how to figure out slash chords when you see them in a chord symbol.

Simplest Ending Ever Using Chords

Here’s a SUPER easy way to get out of a tune using chords.

Good Bluesy Ending

This a great professional Blues ending to use with any blues or boogie-woogie tunes. Here is what it sounds like. I am going to play it in the key of

Blues Turnaround Chord Progression

Hey, I had someone ask me the other day about how I was playing  a turnaround chord progression at the end of a blues song I was playing. It is a

Improvising Using Just Black Notes

In my ongoing effort to convince everyone that they have what it takes to sit down at a piano and have some fun, and even improvise a little bit, I wa

A Great Professional Blues Ending for Piano Players—Piano How to

This a great professional Blues ending to use with any blues or boogie-woogie tunes. Here is what it sounds like. I am going to play it in the key of

Boogie Woogie Riffs for Piano Players

Today I would like to share with you a 2 part boogie woogie riff. I am going to show you what to do with both your right and left hands. Both patterns

Using the Pentatonic Scale for Piano Improvisation: Jazz Improvisation Tip

Today I would like to share with you an easy, basic way to start improvising. Sometimes I think beginning piano students are a little intimidated by t

Jazzy Chord Changes for “Jingle Bells” on Keyboard or Piano

I have some “jazzy” chord changes for “Jingle Bells” to give to you to help you play a really beautiful, modern version. If yo

Don’t Read Music? That’s OK …

Don’t Let the Tail Wag the Dog in Your Quest to Play Piano. In my years of giving live workshops and hearing from thousands of viewers of my televisio

Backtracking Tip for Piano Players

Backtracking is a great  tool to use to make your piano playing sound more interesting when you are stuck on the same chord for multiple measures. For

Easy Chord Substitutions-A Quick Tip to Make Your Playing Sound Hipper

If you want to make your playing sound jazzier or hipper, simply substitute a Major 7th chord for any Major chords. For example if in the song you are

Best practice regimen for chords …

Do you ever wonder what is the best way to practice chords? I get that question a lot. No matter how you slice it, at its simplest you just need to pl

A Little “Day In The Life” Vid from a Recent Shoot Trip

Just for fun I thought it might be interesting for you to see a little “behind the scenes” of a recent trip for a shoot. I’m in Seattle at Micro