Studio journal
By Eric Liu· Updated
Long-form guides written from the studio. Each article is answer-first and dated so you can cite or revisit it — including practice strategy, kids’ lesson games, and studio life.
- Studio practice
Mianbao Practice Timer: kids stay focused longer and start practice on their own
Mianbao Practice Timer is a studio game for children's piano practice: a timer sits beside a backyard of cats. Practice minutes turn into dried fish; dried fish buy toys and plants that attract visiting cats. Every child who comes to a lesson can adopt one electronic cat as a practice partner — adults who want one can too. In parent follow-ups, focused lesson time increased by about 15 minutes on average, and children started home practice more readily than before.
· 4 min read
- Studio practice
Studio music games for kids: more focused minutes, more willingness to practice
The studio regularly releases homemade music games that support children's piano lessons rather than replacing private 1:1 teaching. Live now: Beat Game (note values and rhythm), Who Am I? (note names, then children's songs), and Mianbao Practice Timer (a practice clock plus a backyard of cats). In parent follow-ups, focused lesson time increased by about 15 minutes on average, and willingness to practice at home improved. New titles will land in the studio game warehouse.
· 6 min read
- Studio life
Mianbao, Employee #001: the studio’s lucky orange-and-white cat
Mianbao is the studio's orange-and-white cat and unofficial Employee #001. He is a people-loving lucky cat who likes it when students visit, and he often stays in the room to play. Families meet him at the Cupertino studio; he is part of how the room feels, not a gimmick.
· 4 min read
- Adult learning
How long does an adult take to learn piano in San Jose?
Most adult beginners hear meaningful progress within 2-3 months of consistent practice. By month 6 you can usually play a simple piece musically; by year 1-2, intermediate repertoire is realistic when you practice 20-40 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
· 7 min read
- Choosing a teacher
How to choose a piano teacher in the South Bay
Pick a piano teacher based on clear weekly structure, honest technique coaching, repertoire that matches your goals, and a free trial that gives you a real lesson - not a sales pitch. Avoid teachers who only follow one method book or who never adjust to your goals.
· 6 min read
- Lesson format
Online vs in-person piano lessons in the Bay Area
In-person piano lessons give the most accurate touch and tone feedback and are best for beginners and advanced technique work. Online lessons are excellent for busy adults, intermediate students, and anyone with a weighted-key instrument plus decent audio - the teaching content is the same; only feedback latency changes.
· 5 min read
- Practice strategy
Adult piano practice strategy: divide and conquer (an engineer's framework)
The most efficient adult piano practice strategy is to isolate one small problem per session - rhythm, fingering, voicing, or phrasing - solve it deliberately, then reconnect it to the full phrase. Stop counting practice minutes; start counting solved problems.
· 8 min read
- Getting started
What to expect in your first piano lesson
Your first piano lesson is half diagnostic, half teaching. Expect 10 minutes of conversation about goals, 30-40 minutes of structured playing and observation, and a clear written or recorded assignment for the week. You should leave with a small, doable plan - not a sales pitch.
· 5 min read
- Instrument choice
Studio piano vs digital keyboard for adult beginners
Adult beginners should start with a full-size, fully-weighted 88-key digital piano with hammer action - not a 61-key synthesizer and not an unweighted MIDI keyboard. Upgrade to an acoustic upright once you can play intermediate repertoire and your touch sensitivity is the bottleneck (typically year 2-3).
· 6 min read