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Piano Ninja Tricks

Piano Ninja Tricks

Written by: Lisa Spector
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About this listen

The Piano Ninja Tricks Podcast is the show for adult classical pianists wanting to play the classical music of their dreams with joy and ease.

Meet your host, Juilliard alum and Piano Ninja, Lisa Spector. She's sharing her treasured tricks honed through years of study with legendary mentors Earl Wild, Leon Fleisher, John Perry and Lillian Kallir.

But here's the remarkable part: Lisa's journey to piano mastery was interrupted after an unexpected fall led to seven complicated right-hand fractures, resulting in four surgeries over several years and a medical professional telling her she'd never play piano again. Her resilience and unique insights will inspire you.

If you're a classical pianist yearning to practice less and play more, you've found your musical oasis.

Dropped every Thursday. Season 2 starts October 24, 2024.

Tune in, and you'll soon discover your inner Piano Ninja!


© 2025 Piano Ninja Tricks
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Episodes
  • SEASON 2 FINALE: From Practice Frustration to Major Progress!
    Feb 6 2025

    Send us a text

    https://LisaSpector.com/Groundhog
    Register for the Masterclass. Free through Feb. 7. ⬆️

    Welcome to the last episode of Season 2 of the Piano Ninja Tricks Podcast! 🎧✨

    In this special episode, I’m taking you inside a YouTube Live Masterclass where we tackled one of the biggest struggles pianists face—feeling stuck in slow progress. If you've ever repeated the same passages over and over with little improvement, this is for you!

    I’ll introduce you to Piano Ninja Tricks designed to help you:
    ✅ Develop smart practice habits
    ✅ Gain confidence and ease at the piano
    ✅ Play with intention rather than mindless repetition
    ✅ Remember your “why”—what first inspired you to play

    Plus, I share a personal story about how I fell in love with the piano as a child and the powerful role warm-up pieces play in making music from the heart. 🎶💙

    🌟 Watch the full masterclass recording (for a limited time!)
    📺 ➡️ lisaspector.com/groundhog


    Feeling stuck? Frustrated that your practice isn’t paying off? Tired of guessing what to play and how to improve?

    Imagine sitting at the piano with total clarity—knowing exactly what to practice, how to practice and making real progress while enjoying the process.

    Join the Piano Ninja Tricksters Club and connect with a supportive community of pianists who “get you.” No more wasted practice—just confidence, structure and real results playing the music of your dreams.

    You don’t have to do it alone.

    🎼 Welcoming new members to the Piano Ninja Tricksters Club through Feb. 6.
    Learn more ➡️ https://LisaSpector.com/membership

    🎼 Join the Piano Ninja Tricksters Club!


    We close Feb 6 and there will be a price increase the next time we open.

    👀 Season 3 Preview:
    I’ll be back in about six weeks with fresh new content and exciting surprises for Piano Ninja Tricks Podcast Season 3! Stay tuned! 🎉

    Music opening and closing played by Lisa Spector
    Instagram
    IG Broadcast Channel
    YouTube
    Focused 20-Minute Practice Checklist
    Piano Ninja Tricksters Club
    Website

    Podcast Art by Cindy Wyckoff at Design It Digital

    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • STOP REPEATING MISTAKES: Smarter Practice for Chopin's Revolutionary Étude
    Jan 31 2025

    Send us a text

    https://lisaspector.com/groundhog

    Is your piano practice is stuck on repeat—practicing the same sections over and over with little to no progress? 🔁

    You're not alone! In this episode, I bring you into my live, sold-out performance of Chopin’s Revolutionary Étude and share the smart practice tricks I used to prepare for it.

    🎹 Featured in This Episode:

    🎶 Live performance of Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude
    🎶 How I overcame challenges post-hand injury to play this piece again
    🎶 Essential Piano Ninja Tricks to avoid Groundhog Day practicing

    🛑 Stop Repetitive, Ineffective Practice!

    Join my FREE Groundhog Day Masterclass this Sunday, February 2nd and learn how to make faster, smarter progress at the piano.

    📅 Register Here → https://lisaspector.com/groundhog
    📍 When? Sunday, February 2nd @ 12 PM PT | 3 PM ET | 9 PM CET
    🎟️ VIP Access ($10): Get my scores, an exclusive Q&A and a virtual green room meet-up!

    Music opening and closing played by Lisa Spector
    Instagram
    IG Broadcast Channel
    YouTube
    Focused 20-Minute Practice Checklist
    Piano Ninja Tricksters Club
    Website

    Podcast Art by Cindy Wyckoff at Design It Digital

    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • Practice Slow to Play Fast
    Jan 24 2025

    Send us a text

    Free Masterclass on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2nd
    From Practice Frustration to Major Progress
    Register here ⬇️
    https://LisaSpector.com/groundhog

    Mastering the art of slow practice is the key to unlocking precision, speed and musical expression in your playing. In this episode, I discuss why slowing down is essential for learning challenging pieces, how to incorporate under tempo and under dynamics into your daily practice and ways to keep it engaging.

    Opening music from Coda of Chopin 3rd Scherzo
    Demonstrations from Chopin 3rd Scherzo

    Music opening and closing played by Lisa Spector
    Instagram
    IG Broadcast Channel
    YouTube
    Focused 20-Minute Practice Checklist
    Piano Ninja Tricksters Club
    Website

    Podcast Art by Cindy Wyckoff at Design It Digital

    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
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