3 Ways To Sound Better On The Piano Right Now
Video inside!
3 Easy Tricks to Instantly Sound Like a Better Piano Player(Even if You’ve Only Got 10 Minutes)
Hey friends — if you want to sound like a better piano player right now, here are three ridiculously simple techniques that can make your playing feel richer and more dynamic, especially when you're working through classic hymns or worship songs.
Let’s jump in.
1. The Karate Chop Method 🥋
Okay, it’s not actually martial arts… but it kind of feels like it.
All you’re doing here is gently bouncing your wrists back and forth — like you’re karate-chopping the keys — while playing your chords. It creates this natural groove that immediately makes things sound more musical and alive. Don’t overthink it. Keep that motion loose, and let it add a sense of rhythm and flow to your playing.
2. Diamonds 💎
This one’s so easy it’s almost cheating.
Play an octave in your left hand, and then with your right hand, drop in a simple chord — but space it out so you're hitting a third above the root. That’s it. It’s clean, spacious, and sounds way more sophisticated than it actually is. It gives your playing that cinematic, open-chord feel. Try it out with something like “Come Thou Fount,” and it’ll feel fresh instantly.
3. Ostinato (Fancy Word, Simple Idea) 🔁
This is just a repeated right-hand pattern over changing left-hand chords. Pick a pattern you like (even just a few notes repeated steadily) and loop it while your left hand moves through the chord progression. It adds momentum and makes your playing feel intentional and hypnotic — like something out of a movie score.
Bringing It All Together
Let’s take an old hymn like Come Thou Fount and breathe new life into it:
Karate Chop it.
Add some Diamonds.
Layer on an Ostinato.
If you want a free sample copy of the hymnbook I’m working on, head over to jeredmckenna.com— it’s yours.
And if you haven’t already, check out the video above for quick demos of all three techniques in action.
See ya later! 👋—Jered