Real notes from learners of Classics By Ear — Moonlight Sonata: the timeless classic made doable, clear next steps, and a finished piece that sounds sophisticated.
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“Just up to bar 9 so far but it is amazing and I know already that I’ll be through with the whole song soon, but with the required practice on each bar. Feels like ONLY 60 bars to go :)”
“This is the second course I have studied with this tutor. I find his method of instruction is excellent for my limitations. Having left and right hand coordination problems.”
“This my second course from Robin. I think he is one of the best in the world in terms of subject matter and also teaching in a way we can easily understand! Highly Recommended!”
“This is my second course from this amazing teacher. I’m a 62 year old novice, but these courses have made me a better player than I ever expected to be. Thank you.”
“This is an incredible course for a self taught hobby and though it’s difficult to begin with and has to be learnt in piece meal chunks first before putting together when you get to end of sheet one which you don’t think you will ever accomplish at first it really is a gratifying feeling. Just to be able to learn to play a tune you like for yourself in your own time by following along to the guidance this course musician provides aligned with the detailed sheet music has, imo made this a worthwhile hobby I enjoy returning to, so from me it’s a thumbs up.
I have a ways to go yet as I took this up alongside my academic studies which are also a completely new field and this course helps give me that much needed break and escapism all in the comfort of my own home and, not having to worry about being frowned upon by a tutor for hitting those wrong chords or missing that note when practising to string a row of bars together lol. Well worth purchasing in my opinion and presented by someone who has put such effort into their online course to help others interested in and wanting to learn and study at the own pace and, who is worthy of much more praise than I could ever offer up.”
“When the email came through, alerting me to this brand new “Classics By Ear” course by Robin Hall, I didn’t need to think twice about purchasing – indeed I was excited and delighted. Having purchased all of Robin’s previous courses, I was fully aware of just how excellent they are (not to mention very INexpensive) so there was no chance of my hesitating, and I purchased immediately. And from the increasing numbers of students who have also signed up within just the first few days, I am clearly not alone in my opinion.
Robin’s method is superbly in-depth and meticulous, taking things slow but steady, and breaking things down into bite-sized and easy to consume morsels – really zooming in on every note and nuance of every bar, little by little, utilizing sheet music, cheat sheets and also “Memorable Elements”, so that with each and every small step you know exactly what you should be doing, where you are heading, and how you should be playing – the fingering, expression, etc etc. Basically, you know that Robin really cares about teaching you how to play great music on the piano!
I have already made a start and am truly loving playing this haunting yet beautiful piece – a “timeless classic” indeed! After a couple of days I am already practicing the full page 1 (both with and without the splendid alternate mini-ending variation for bar 15 – a nice little touch which gives you the satisfaction of completing, if you will, a “Mini Moonlight Sonata” Prologue (“Op. 27, No. 2A”???) quite early in your endeavors; but which only whets your appetite even more to keep on moving forward – encouraging you to progress on and on to discover the rich beauty of this piece, and the amazing satisfaction that comes with getting it “under the fingers”… and “tantalising the ears”…
And so I am well and truly “juggling” 😉 … as Robin advises in his courses… although perhaps in a different way than he intends; but I hope that’s still okay, as I have several pieces on the go now – including the Bach Preludes (I’m saving the Satie course for now (although I have sampled several videos) so as not to take too much on, but will certainly be working on those pieces too when I’ve made significant progress with the Beethoven and Bach pieces).
The bottom line : I am truly addicted to learning this beautiful piece (quite possibly my favourite of Robin’s “CLASSICS BY EAR” so far); so many many thanks again, Robin, for a wonderful and meticulously planned course. And for those considering it – and especially if you have always wanted to play this timeless piece – do not hesitate. Just buy this course, press play on the first lesson – dive in (and print off the sheet music/cheat sheets etc) … take it slow and steady… and simply enjoy playing beautiful music. The fingering/octave+ stretches can perhaps be a challenge at times, but do persevere, and I promise you that you will be glad that you did, and will have no regrets whatsoever…
A wonderful piece, especially relaxing and therapeutic, and indeed something very worthwhile upon which to focus one’s mind, body and soul in particular as a most welcome respite and distraction during these challenging Covid lockdown times…”
“Robin Hall is a superb teacher. The programme and its accompanying resources are crystal clear and Robin’s presentation of memorable elements makes difficult passages accessible to the learner.”
“Excellent way to learn, especially if you never learned to play the formal way. Breaking the piece down into bite sized chunks and learning one section until you have memorized it before learning the next. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can reach a reasonable standard of playing this piece.”
“I love the teaching technique, as it’s really easy to follow and each section is perfectly laid out to be able to learn it by ear. Highly recommended!!!
I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 and performing to audiences since I was 13, so I need a way to learn the piano that will keep me engaged and this is it! I have already learnt Prelude in C and Prelude in Cm and they are the only two tunes I can play on piano. This will be my third!”
“This course may be a life changer for me. I have never played a musical instrument and I have no musical education at all, except for a 2-year education I had 40 years ago at Preparatory School. But after buying my digital Roland FP-30X piano and starting this course (about 2 months ago), I’m now able to play from ear up to section 59!!! I’m almost finishing. My wife and friends are puzzled 🙂 :).
I always thought that these and some other classical works were only attainable by professional pianists, but I’m able to play it!!! What a great achievement I made! Of course, few good things come without effort. I’ve playing almost every single day for the past two months (although only for about 20 minutes each day). Thanks for this wonderful course, Robin Hall and for having me entering the wonderful world of music and piano. I can hardly wait for the next course!! I will probably buy the Bach Preludes. I will also try to learn more about scales and chords and musical theory in general. Best regards, Nuno Guerreiro”
“This was the most challenging piano piece I have learned so far. I have wanted to learn how to play this for a long time, and honestly wondered whether it was beyond my ability. Robin’s course, which broke it down into small manageable, logical chunks, showed me that it was indeed possible for me to learn this – with perseverance and lots and lots of repetition and practice! Thank you so much, Robin, for another excellent course.”
“This is great course! I never thought I could play this piece and understand it in such an easy to follow instruction. Excellent instructor!”
“This course was amazing – as was the Bach preludes course. It delivered as promised! I now know how to play the Moonlight Sonata! Put in the time, follow his instructions and you will learn how to play it. I’m amazed. I’m 53 and I’ve tried to learn piano over the years. I came across this and figured why not?! I plan on continuing to learn how to read sheet music and improve but in the meantime – I now have a few beautiful songs under my belt that I play often – very relaxing and fulfilling.”
“I love this course. Robin makes it so easy to understand and so calm in teaching. Just love all his course so far and want to learn more from him.”
“The best-ever method to learn a song. it took me a while to finish this course but it absolutely worth it. I learned 3 more pieces of Classics By Ear – Erik Satie from Robin too and I’m happy that I chose Robin to be my teacher. I’m really looking forward to learning more from him. Wish you the best.”
“This is the second piano course I’ve taken with Robin Hall, and I have been very pleased with the content of the courses. Robin clearly understands how to convey his knowledge of the piano to his students. Whether someone is a beginner or intermediate student, Robin addresses the course content for all. I am impressed with the level of information, which includes video content and pdf music sheets, that Robin includes with the courses. Clearly a lot of work for him! Thanks for offering these piano courses, great value for the money and time spent. Thanks to Robin, I am back to playing piano and staying with it, and very pleased with my progress.”
“Although this is challenging for me I am in awe regarding Robin’s awesome method of teaching.”
“Thank you so much Mr. Hall. I am really excited about learning to play a movement from a Beethoven sonata. I have derived hours of pleasure from your Bach’s Prelude in C major, and am continuing to work on the Prelude in C minor. Your courses are just wonderful, especially for older people like me who have always wanted to play classical music on the piano.”
“This course is wonderful. The instructions are detailed and clear, with easy-to-follow demonstrations. I could always get useful tips when I needed them.
I couldn’t possibly manage to learn this beautiful piece without this course, in only 28 days. (last time I wanted to learn it from sheet music and gave up at bar 5…) I played this piece in front of my family and got loads of praise 😀
Thank you, dear instructor. Learning piano has never been this engaging and fun.”
“I’ve wanted to learn how to play all my life and I’ve finally taken the plunge at 63! Moonlight Sonata is the 1st song I’m learning to play and the journey with Robin is fantastic so far! I’m still on the first page but everyday is a victory! Between the video, the sheet music (which I’m reading by the way) and Robin’s great voice, I’m on my way. I’m also learning with the entire Pianoforall course, which is also fantastic and deserves it’s own separate review. Bravo Robin, Bravo!!!”
“I always wanted to be able to play this exact piece, but got stuck pretty quickly and gave up. Now I can already play it up to the 2nd page! I would never have thought this! Thank you so much for teaching me this! This method of breaking the piece down into individual pieces, combined with the excellent explanations in the video and the perfect printable documents, is for me the best way to learn piano.
I absolutely recommend this as well as all of Robin’s other courses. I sincerely hope that there will be more courses. I will attend all of them without exception. Thank you again Mr. Hall!”
“This is a very good match for me. I think that I am going to learn a lot. I like the red dots and sheet music. I was never told to learn the C notes and then use them for a guide to other notes.
I am at the midpoint now and I’m enjoying the lessons. I’ve never stayed with a lesson as long as I have with this. I really enjoy it. You have such great lesson structure and pacing.”
“I just finished my course, Moonlight sonata… I am very happy. Robin Hall is an excellent teacher. I thought I wasn’t going to be able to learn the whole sonata, but I did. My husband and children are very surprised with the results. I feel very happy because playing the piano was my dream since I was a child and even though I am now an adult, I succeeded. I love classical music dearly. THANK YOU VERY MUCH PROFESSOR ROBIN HALL !!!!”
“I am 48 yrs old and started learning piano during my late 30s, taking overall 10-15 hours of private courses. I had this sheet music book gifted with my electronic piano when I bought it. I always stared at the notes of Moonlight Sonata and tried to play, but I decided I needed 3 hands to play this song, which meant it was impossible for me! Till I met this course.
I appreciate the efforts of Robin Hall. I have little knowledge of reading notes. I usually unwillingly memorize each song I play while studying, and this is not good as far as I know. Therefore, this course is invaluable for people like me. It took me about 2 months to complete the course (studying only on weekends and in the evenings) and finally today I could play the whole song without mistake. I need to practice more, in order to play in front of my friends and family and to add more expressions. Thank you.”