Have you ever listened to your favorite pianist and wondered why their music felt so alive? What was it you wondered. Was it technique? Maybe, but probably not. Technique can allow you to play difficult passages. It can’t give you the X factor that careful listeners can discern.

Perhaps it was the personality of the performer that drew you in. Personality is great but will only take you so far as a pianist. After all, if they can’t see you, it’s just the music that’s heard.

So what is it? What is it that makes one pianist sound alive while another sounds like they just don’t have it? You may think it’s how much someone has practiced or how many years of conservatory is under the belt. It’s none of these. The best players, the ones whose music has something otherworldly about it, have relinquished control of their egos and allowed their higher source to take over and guide them! That’s it.

They may not say it, but if you notice, the best players never take full credit for their playing. In fact, most players at this level will say nothing unless pressed to. You see, once the ego is out of the equation, the player is free! And once free, the music is allowed to flow and move through the player as if? yes – as if it is something coming from another world – or at least a higher place.

To make your piano playing come alive, you must let go and allow the music to take over. I know I keep saying this but only because it’s true. As soon as you think that you are a good player or even a bad one, you’re setting yourself up to fall. Certainly, it’s OK to have a healthy does of self-esteem and admit that you feel good about your playing but…

Here’s an interesting tidbit. Do you know why Mozart only wrote first drafts and never scribbled anything out? It’s because he trusted himself so much that he knew that his first drafts were the best ones. That is, he learned to get out of the way and let the music speak through him.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/pianolessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!