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 Winn

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.  Classic

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 m

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.  I

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).  In

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

“Wish I was better and faster at reading the piano melody from a Lead Sheet” – Q&A with The Piano Guy

In this post I wanted to share my response to a question that is a fairly common “variation on a theme” that I am often asked about. I’m hoping a lot

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 player

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

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

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.

Rigor Mortis Intro

Assuming you’re in the key of C, here’s a catch-all intro I call the ‘Rigor Mortis Intro’ you can use.

Play the Melody Line in Octaves to Enhance Your Right Hand Playing

Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston teaches a VERY easy tip to make your right hand piano playing sound better.

Root First, Then Chord To Enhance Your Left Hand Playing

Here’s a super fast, easy tip for your left hand to make your piano playing sound better.

Super Easy Chord Substitution to Sound Better

Using just this one easy chord substitution can really make your playing sound more modern and professional.

Simplest Ending Ever Using Chords

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

Question about Boogie-Woogie in the Course

I just got a question from a beginning student about Boogie Woogie. After I answered it I thought it was probably a good thing to share as it explains

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

Here’s a good way to get out of a piano tune …

Need a nice easy way to get out of a tune when playing the piano, and sound like you know what you’re doing (Ha!). Let me teach you this one. It

DooYaDoo (or DooYaDon’t?) Piano Lesson

Here’s a quick little tip / piano lesson for playing a “flourish” that will really help your right hand melodic lines sound more pro

Barn Burner Song Ending

In my never-ending quest to keep you loaded up with ways to embellish things with your piano playing, I have an ending that you can use with any tune

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

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