Learn To Play The Piano With Piano Learning Software

January 4th, 2009

There are many piano courses available on the internet. Most are downloadable and very reasonably priced, they also offer secure ordering and money back guarantees, but is it a good idea to learn to play the piano with software downloaded from a website.

As a piano teacher, when I first encountered these courses I didn’t think they would take off and I certainly did not think that these courses could possibly work. My view was and still is that if you want to play the piano properly you must go to a piano teacher, but is this any better or worse than piano courses from the website.

Obviously, as a piano teacher, I am always going to promote this way of learning but I am now promoting piano learning software for beginners. Why? Because there are certain groups of people that cant afford piano lessons or don’t have time for regular piano lessons or are unable for various reasons unable to take lessons.

What do these groups of people have in common?

They might have the same desire to play the piano or a keyboard as someone that does take piano lessons, so why shouldn’t they have an opportunity to learn to play albeit in a different way. Now I still don’t believe you will become a great piano player using software to learn to play, but you certainly will get the start you need and you will most certainly enjoy the process and who knows you might like it so much you might even end up going to a piano teacher.

Which piano software course should you choose?

My answer is very simple. Any. They are all about the same, some have audio and video files, and some are digital books. At the end of the day, they are all telling you the same thing. Obviously, the more expensive courses will cover more topics, just browse through a few piano courses and get one that takes your fancy; it really is as simple as that.

Is it safe to buy these piano courses online?

Yes, it’s very safe. Most websites use a third party payment processor such as PayPal and Clickbank who provide a secure environment for there sellers and customers and if you think about it, any piano course seller that started fiddling there customers they wouldn’t stay in business long. However, here are a few tips to keep you safe when buying software online.

1 Look for a money back guarantee in case you don’t like the product

2 When you click the pay button look for a padlock on the bottom right of your computer screen. This means the page is secure.

3 If you have a credit card, use it. It’s probably the safest way to buy anything.

Finally, you can always email the website owner and ask a few questions. So whether its lessons from your piano teacher or lessons from your piano software enjoy your piano playing, its great fun, that I can promise you.

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What is the best way to record live piano music?

January 4th, 2009

I want to record and make an album of the beautiful music my friend plays on the piano…just have no idea how to go about it .. any suggestions?

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Pianos: What to Look for When Purchasing One

January 4th, 2009

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The piano as we all know is a big and bulky musical instrument played through a keyboard; however what most of us may not know is how it produces sound; by striking steel strings with small hammers made out of felt and after a rebound of these hammers the strings continue to vibrate at peak amplitude and frequency (or their resonant frequency). The vibrations from the steel strings are then amplified by the soundboard through a bridge (a device which supports the steel strings) producing sound.

 

The piano is and has been increasingly used in various countries including Australia and other western countries as part of a solo performance, chamber music, accompanying other musical instruments or as a part of an ensemble. I am sure most if not all of us admire a sight of a pianist or even better a signing pianist sitting on a chair doing their magic on the piano. Piano is not only used as a musical instrument but many musicians over the past have talked about its versatility in composing and rehearsal of songs. However, due to its bulkiness and expenses, other musical instruments are usually used instead of the piano.

 

Therefore it is very important to seriously ponder what you are looking for when buying a piano, to ensure that you are buying one that suits you, your skills and even better your budget. As I have already mentioned a piano can cost from about $2000 to as much as $80 000 for those grand performance pianos, therefore buying a piano is a major investment on your part. But what do you look for when you want to purchase a piano, even more so if you can’t play yourself and hoping that your kids, whom you are sending for those expensive piano lessons, will one day be able to play at least as half as good as Oscar Peterson.

Firstly, make a criteria of what you are looking for, in terms of size, colour, and most importantly how much you willing to spend. Shop around, I know many of us can be wary of piano salespeople and you may feel that they are steering you in a certain direction, but piano sales company that have been in the market for a long time such as Hutchings Pianos in Sydney are quite reputable. If you are not sure it may be useful to hire someone who knows about pianos to accompany you when you are going to make the purchase especially in checking out the technical aspects of the piano and whether these fit with your other requirements.

The other important question is whether you buy used or new piano. This is eventually up to you, after weighing the pros and cons of each. New pianos are an attractive choice because not only are you getting a brand new piano, but you are getting one without any wear associated with use thus it will last for over half a century, that of course depends on how you take care of the piano after buying it.

Brands like Yamaha and Schimmel are familiar to most people as these companies have been producing pianos over a century in various pats of the world such as Japan, Germany and the US, furthermore these companies have deservingly earned this reputation by producing high quality pianos . However, cheaper brands like Beale and Alex Steinbach have risen in the past few years and if you shop around carefully you may get a good deal.

After settling on certain piano, very carefully investigate the seller’s warranty and if this warranty covers you in your location. Also think in the long term, how hard or easy is it going to be for you to trade in the piano if you want to buy a better one. And also check what is covered in the warranty, especially the conditions of return. Also look at the aesthetic quality of the piano and how it is going to fit in with your house, for example certain pianos will work well in rooms without carpets and vice versa, check with the seller and the technicians.

 

Used pianos also offer an attractive alternative option as they are relatively cheaper and with careful consideration one can buy not only affordable but also a good quality piano. Besides, if you buy a grand piano, for example one made prior to World War II you can always claim and rightly fully so to your friends and family, that your piano is an authentic antique. And we all know how everyone loves antique products. To find good quality used pianos, again check with reputable Piano dealers, negotiate for a better deal. Before making a used piano purchase it may prove useful to determine the age of the piano, through enquiring about the name and the serial number of the piano. Caution should be exercised for rebuilt pianos.

 

I hope I have given insight about purchase of pianos, remember you are making a lifetime investment when purchasing a piano therefore, don’t be afraid to ask questions about the piano that you want to buy. It is important for you to ensure that you get a piano suited to you tastes as much as possible. Books about purchase of pianos such as one by Larry Fine may prove useful in providing a more comprehensive insight into buying of pianos. Good luck!

 

 

 

Keywords

Buy affordable pianos, Find New and Used Pianos for sale and rental, tuning and repair, Piano accessories, books, all AMEB grades, sheet music, piano CDs, music stands, metronomes, piano stools or benches, statuettes, piano lamps, piano covers and gifts.

 

Author

I am a thirty year old music technician; I also work part time in The University of Sydney in the faculty of creative and performing arts. I currently live in Bondi Junction in Sydney. Live with my family of four. My hobbies include, playing music, going to the beach, surfing and barbeques on weekends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Piano?

January 3rd, 2009

ok i started playing piano last september and im doing really good, im almost at level 2 now and my teacher thinks im a natural and a fast learner compared to other people. ive got some simple piano song books, but i was justw andering, is there a site that i can get some really easy beginner songs from? not difficult music, just simple and easy to play for beginners. is there such a site??

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Mozart Piano Concerto No. 9, First Mvt, Mitsuko Uchida

January 3rd, 2009

Mitsuko Uchida plays piano and Jeffrey Tate conducts the Mozarteum Orchestra in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 “Jeunehomme”, in E flat major, K. 271.
A Saltzburg Festival performance, recorded in the Mozarteum, Saltzburg, 1989

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed this concerto in Salzburg, 1777. Though only 21 years old, he displayed great maturity and originality in
what is regarded by many as his first great masterpiece.

It was composed for a Mlle. Jeunehomme, of whom very little is known (such as–her first name!). But she must have been a very
fine pianist to be able to perform this! The mix of dramatic and intense emotions, some seemingly mad and anguished with parts of
joy and happiness suggest (one romantically feels) that Mlle. Jeunehomme must have been quite a handful for the young Mozart.

1. Allegro, in E flat major and common (C) time

2. Andantino, in C minor and 3/4 time

3. Rondo (Presto), in E flat major and 2/2 time

Dawn Chan notes:

Renowned pianist Alfred Brendel has referred to Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9, known as the Jeunehomme, as a “wonder of the world,” going so far as to assert that Mozart “did not surpass this piece in the later piano concertos.”

update–

thanks to Laemmerhirt, I moved past my old sources and got some new info!

Christopher H. Gibbs wrote in 2005:

WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Countless beloved pieces of so-called classical music have a nickname, often one not given by the composer. Mozart would have no idea what the “Jupiter” Symphony is, Beethoven the “Emperor” Concerto or “Moonlight” Sonata, or Schubert the “Unfinished” Symphony. The names sometimes come from savvy publishers who know they can improve sales, or from impresarios, critics, or performers. The case of the Concerto we hear today is particularly interesting, and only recently explained. Little is known of the genesis or first performance of the E-flat Concerto. Twentieth-century accounts usually stated that Mozart composed it for a French keyboard virtuoso named Mademoiselle Jeunehomme, who visited Salzburg in the winter of 1777. Nothing else was known, not even the woman’s first name.

Last year, the Viennese musicologist Michael Lorenz, a specialist in the music of Mozart’s and Schubert’s time and a brilliant archival detective, figured out the mystery. The nickname was coined by the French scholars Théodore de Wyzewa and Georges de Saint-Foix in their classic early-20th-century study of the composer. As Lorenz explains, “Since one of their favorite names for Mozart was ‘jeune homme’ (young man), they presented this person as ‘Mademoiselle Jeunehomme.’”

In a September 1778 letter Mozart wrote to his father, he referred to three recent concertos, “one for the jenomy [K. 271], litzau [K. 246], and one in B-flat [K. 238]” that he was selling to a publisher. Leopold later called the first pianist “Madame genomai.” (Spellings were often variable and phonetic at the time.) Lorenz has identified her as Victoire Jenamy, born in Strasbourg in 1749 and married to a rich merchant, Joseph Jenamy, in 1768. Victoire was the daughter of the celebrated dancer and choreographer Jean Georges Noverre (1727-1810), who was a good friend of Mozart’s. He had choreographed a 1772 Milan production of Mozart’s opera Lucio Silla and later commissioned the ballet Les Petits Riens for Paris. Although we still know little about Victoire Jenamy—she does not appear to have been a professional musician, though clearly Mozart admired her playing—Mozart’s first great piano concerto can now rightly be called by its proper name: “Jenamy.”

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Top 10 Things To Look For In Online Piano Lessons

January 3rd, 2009

Looking for a little to learn to play piano from an Internet product? Here are top 10 things to look for in online piano lessons:

1. Basic notation. When looking for online piano lessons, one of the top 10 things to look for in online piano lessons is the very basics at the least. While you may think that learning the names of notes and where they exist on a keyboard will suffice, quality piano lessons will teach you much more. Quality basic lessons will teach for example, the staff and clef; note names, location, and duration; sharps and flats; and scales and octaves. By the time you’ve finished basic notation lessons, you should be able to play the simplest songs quite proficiently. Later on, you’ll learn about dotted notes, rests, key signatures, naturals, and more.

2. Accompanying audio or video files. Being able to watch a video or hear a demonstrative sound file is priceless when it comes to learning piano form online lessons. Be sure to seek out a service that offers either one of these.

3. Opportunities to discuss your progress with a live person. Whether this opportunity is available via email or chat, speaking to a real human about your efforts is another priceless bonus of online piano lessons. Try to find a service that offers a free forum where students are free to ask questions and where administrators take time to answer them.

4. Wide assortment of example music. There’s no sense in selecting a service that teaches only one style of music! As an accomplished musician, you’ll want to explore the world of piano and the only real way to do that is to experiment with various genres. So see if you can find a resource that offers not only classical lessons, but jazz piano lessons and gospel piano lessons as well.

5. Lessons on accompaniment and simple chords. Further lessons should introduce left hand activity (accompaniment) on the treble clef, basic chords, major and minor triads, and intervals.

6. Lessons on advanced notation. The advanced portion of online piano lessons should introduce note groupings, ties, triplets, expression and dynamic markings, slurs, legato, and a host of interesting Latin meanings. You may even find information about music charts, but at this point, your level of playing should definitely demonstrate more than mediocrity.

7. Lessons on advanced tricks. What would the study of piano be without a few tricks of the trade? When it’s all said and done, you should be able to play trills, glissandos, and arpeggios as well.

8. Schedule to follow. Many online piano resources offer timed lessons but a growing number of them don’t. Selecting the one that’s most appropriate depends upon your lifestyle. Personally, we recommend that you select a service that follows a “loose” schedule. A “loose” schedule offers just enough structure to keep you on track, but it also offers enough leeway so that you aren’t tied to the computer every day.

9. Actual sheet music. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could print out the lessons that you’re learning? Having access to your own copy of sheet music will strengthen your practicing skills when Internet access isn’t available. Online lessons that offer downloadable sheet music is a must in this case.

10. Low cost. Well, who in the world wouldn’t want that?!?

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What are some good left hand exercises or finger exercises for the piano?

January 3rd, 2009

I’m trying to teach myself how to play the piano, but unfortunately I’m very strongly right-handed, and my left hand is next-to-useless. My pinky finger on my right hand is also very weak due to an injury.

What sort of exercises can I do to strengthen my fingers?

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The Easiest Way to Learn to Play Piano Online

January 2nd, 2009

Much like with the guitar-playing course, Jamorama, I approached Rocket Piano with ZERO previous musical instrument knowledge. So I was quite interested to see what it could do for my useless piano fingers. Nothing, and no one, else had been able to make them work before!

That’s when “The Piano Guy” entered my life.

If you are learning the piano, either as a beginner (like me) or as a slightly more advanced player, you can appreciate how frustrating it is learning the skills and techniques without seeing any noticeable results. Seriously, the time and effort that many put into exercises don’t seem to be reflected in their standard of playing. There also seems to be a frustration in the lack of quality information on the market.

Fortunately, Rocket Piano is different.

In addition to the quality information in the glossy 3 book series, you also get hundreds of sound files that explain how to play, so you can hear what your playing is supposed to sound like. The songs are broken down into pieces, which enables the student to learn each piece before they are ready to tackle the whole song. Just by being able to play these songs, I really amazed my friends and family, who before were used to my useless fingers! That ALONE was worth the low price of the course. I never felt so confident, and I love it.

In addition to this, the pro version of Jayde Musica is now available as a free bonus as well as Perfect Your Pitch Pro, a program that is designed to give the student the ability to tune their ear to recognize notes and transcribe songs from the radio. Both of these programs are very well made and presented, and most of all are easy and fun to play.

That’s not even all I got! I also got two additional free bonus books. The first is “Advanced Learning Techniques for Piano”. This book introduces the idea of mental visualization, which is a powerful tool in speeding up your rate of learning. Mental visualization uses the same pathways inside your brain other than the fact you are not performing the activity physically.

The second bonus book, “How to tune your piano” solves the problem with tuning pianos, and introduced me to the most effective way of tuning a piano. Interesting stuff, believe it or not.

With all of the information in this package there really is no excuse to delay learning to play your piano. If I can do it, you can, too!

But as if all that weren’t enough, The Piano Guy ALSO threw in free email consultations to customers who may have specific issues or problems that need addressing. This is of enormous benefit to students, like me, who need specific answers to their training queries.

And yes, they answer more than one question, even though they don’t have to! Niiice.

This package is by far the most complete and fresh approach to piano playing that I have seen in a long time. I highly recommend this product because,

1. If I can learn to play piano well with this course, ANYONE can!

2. I do believe it will deliver results and have you playing popular songs like a professional using the most effective techniques. There is something here for every piano player, regardless of ability. As you get better, you’ll be met by more challenging and useful lessons. That’s the way it hsould be.

And at the current cost, it really is worth every dollar spent–I know for a fact you won’t even find a used piano stool for this low!

WORTH A BUY? Yes. Really, whether you’re a first-time player (like me) or more advanced, you owe it to yourself to buy Rocket Piano?

Lots of products offer a free e-newsletter that gives you everything you need to know in it. But if you really want to learn to play piano, then you definitely to get both the free newsletter AND the full Rocket Piano course. For $39.95, you really can’t go wrong (but if you feel you did, there’s a 2-month satisfaction guarantee!)

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10 Great Reasons Why You Should Learn to Play Piano Today

January 2nd, 2009

Start learning to play piano today! Learning to play the piano is one of the best things you could do for yourself. If you have even the slightest desire to play piano, you should start right away! Read on to find out ten great reasons to learn to play the piano!

1) Learning to play piano has never been easier. There are many ways to learn to play piano. You could learn piano by taking private lessons with a teacher, reading online tutorials, or using piano course books and watching DVD’s.

2) Learning to play piano is a lot more affordable than you may think. At the cost of eating out, you can purchase a good instructional DVD or book. I am particularly a fan of DVD’s, since you can see and hear a lesson as many times as you want. It’s almost like having a private teacher by your side 24 hours a day. Piano course books are also great. Many piano course books are now accompanied by an audio CD which lets you listen to the lessons inside the book.

3) Learning to play piano will give you something to share with your children or grand children. Children naturally love music. You can entertain them with your favorite children songs. You might even attract enough of their interest that they will also want to learn! Give your children the gift of music.

4) Learning to play piano will give you the ability to perform your favorite songs anytime you feel like it! Everyone usually has a few songs in mind that they wished they could just sit down and play. Well, there is no better time than now to make that dream come true! Piano sheet music for all levels of difficulty is easily available at your local library, bookstore, or music store. There are even websites that sell printable electronic versions of sheet music online. The great thing about that is that some websites will even let you preview and hear samples of songs before you purchase!

5) Learning to play piano is a great way to entertain friends and family! Imagine being able to play your favorite songs while everyone is singing along. It’s a great bonding experience. You could even teach a few simple songs to those who are interested.

6) Learning to play piano is something you will be able to cherish for the rest of your life. People keep playing the piano well into their 90’s. The best thing is, the longer you play, the more you will learn, and the more enjoyment you will get out of it. Give your self this great gift now. Start learning to play the piano today!

7) Learning to play piano makes you a versatile musician. The piano is an extremely versatile instrument. The piano is the only instrument that allows you to play multiple notes simultaneously with great ease. This means that you can perform really nice renditions of songs from any genre. This also makes the piano an ideal instrument for composing since it basically acts as a miniature orchestra. If you are composing music on the computer, the electronic piano keyboard serves as a perfect interface for entering notes in real-time into your music software.

8) Learning to play piano will allow you to listen to music with greater enjoyment and appreciation. Since you will learn how songs are put together, your listening ability will become more refined. You will start to hear and notice more distinct details in the music that you listen to. Songs that you have been listening to for years will seem richer as you hear nuances that you have never noticed before. You may also start to enjoy songs from other genres of music that you would normally never listen to.

9) Learning to play piano is physically easy. The piano is much easier to pick up compared to other musical instruments. Take the violin for example, which takes some serious practice to be able to make even a single pleasing sound by using the bow. Another example would be the guitar. There are so many tough fingering positions that you will need to learn to be able to play even the most basic chords. By learning the piano, anyone can easily play notes and chords in their first lesson.

10) Learn to play piano and join a rich tradition that is over 250 years old. The piano has heavily influenced every major style of music since its first appearance. Today, pianists still use the piano keyboard to create great music, as heard by such performers like Gavin Degraw, Alicia Keys, and Vanessa Carlton. The piano is also being used behind the scenes as an instrument for composing music for movies, video games, plays, and much more.

There you have it! There are just so many great reasons to start playing the piano today. If you are even slightly convinced, I urge you to go ahead and give it a shot. It will be one of the best things you will ever do for yourself! You won’t regret it!

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January 2nd, 2009

I think I could learn to play the piano by myself, but I still need a website that teaches you what notes are what with pictures and what different notes mean. The basics, basically, so that I can begin by myself.

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