Archive for November, 2008

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Piano Lesson Books Help Children Build Confidence

Saturday, November 29th, 2008

Would you send your child to Math class without Math book, to English class without English book, to Science class without Science book? Of course, you would not. Then you will certainly help your child in piano lesson stay organized by having proper material at piano lesson.

Contrary to the popular belief of piano students this will not happen by itself. Proper planning well ahead is the only solution. You can help your child in piano get organized for its piano lesson, by establishing a piano routine the night before. Purchasing a piano bag is a great way to keep your child organized. You also have to teach the child how to use the bag. On the morning of the piano lesson day there should not be any piano lesson books on the piano as they are supposed to be in the bag. It has to go into the car. This way the child will have its lesson books when you arrive at the piano studio.

The most common excuse given by students for not bringing the book is that they left it on the piano. Don’t just ask your child on the way to the car, “Do you have your piano bag?” Check if any books are left on the piano. The books should be in the piano bag. There is no use if the piano bag is taken to the class without any books or the right books in it.

Sometimes children will leave a particular book with a difficult song in it at home. Instead, it is better to get more help from their piano teacher. Sometimes it takes a couple of lessons before students feel comfortable playing a piece at home. By not bringing their books, children will not have enough time to overcome challenges while learning new music skills. Do not allow your child to give up too easily by leaving music book on the piano.

Generally good habits take time to develop. So, be patient. Try to inculcate Piano Lesson Book Habit. Over a period of time it will serve your child in piano lessons well and it develops confidence and achieves its musical goals.

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Spring Is Here – Errol Garner, piano (1921-1977)

Saturday, November 29th, 2008

Errol Garner, piano (1921-1977)
Eddie Calhoun, bass/Kelly Martin, drums
‘Spring is here’ (Lyrics: Lorenz Hart)
‘It might as well be Spring’
(Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein) and.
‘Lover’ (Lyrics: Lorenz Hart)
Music by Richard Rogers (1902-1979)

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How do I play the piano in a more relaxed state?

Saturday, November 29th, 2008

When I sit down and play the piano, my fingers have been feeling stiff, and so is the rest of my body. At times, I hear my brain telling me to play this note and that, and in the end I get all confused and screw up the piece. Also, I can never finish a peice without making a mistake. I feel tense, and even stressed. Can anyone tell me why is this so? And how to I get into that relaxed state of mind?

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Free Piano Videos Online Are Waiting for You

Friday, November 28th, 2008

If you absorb information faster with the aid of visuals, then piano videos online are for you. Using these in association with other music learning tools, you can make progress with the keyboard in no time.

A simple search with the phrase “piano videos online,” “piano videos” or “piano lessons online” reveals many sites that offer these videos. From the comfort of your home, free personal instruction is available at any time of the day. You have no gas expense driving to a lesson and certainly no wasting of your valuable time fighting traffic to get to a lesson. Just pull up a chair, perform a few mouse clicks, and you are on your way to a valuable learning experience.

What are the benefits of using online piano videos? They afford the opportunity to watch a lesson repeatedly. While there certainly is nothing wrong with having a lesson with an instructor at your side, there is the time factor. With private lessons, you pay a specific price for a specific period of instruction. If you spend a good portion of a lesson going over one certain fundamental repeatedly, that’s fine; it’s just going to cost you more money. To reach the level of proficiency you desire, you will require more lessons to advance through the required number of learning stages.

This is not so with free piano videos online. You pay nothing and can play them as often as you require. When you’re ready to move on to the next fundamental, you do. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend on one video because it’s free.

Online piano lesson sites offer many lesson choices. You can start with the basics or choose an idiom to study. You can select a site that offers basic blues piano instruction. You may desire lessons devoted only to chords and their variations. Whatever you want, there is a piano video online to fulfill that need.

An online piano video is a great way to develop your musical “ear.” You learn to recognize sound patterns as you listen to and play along with your lessons. Combining your reading and aural skills allows you to progress faster in your playing. Developing your “ear” for notes and chords will aid you down the road if you choose to explore the art of improvisation.

When selecting a piano video online, you want a site that offers you a clear picture with a close view of the keyboard. You also want clear audio. Some piano teaching websites display just the performer’s hands at the keyboard – with voiceover explaining what they are playing. Others present an instructor in full view talking directly to you. This gives the online piano lesson a personal touch.

It’s best to choose sites that offer additional resources to go along with the piano videos. These may be text accompaniment available for printing helpful tips and musical terms. They may also include chord charts and keyboard diagrams, which show chord combinations and finger placement techniques.

Piano videos online have revolutionized personal piano lessons. They are now an indispensable part of the music education landscape. You can use these free piano videos to improve your piano playing now.

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Types of Piano

Thursday, November 27th, 2008



 

Piano is a musical instrument and it is played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with felt hammers. There are different kinds of pianos present in the market. Some of the important ones are mentioned below.



Stage Pianos

These Digital Pianos come with 88 keys and have a very good Piano action – either weighted, hammer or graded hammer action. Some of the models contain the basic piano sounds and a few other sounds like electric piano, organ and some have strings. You can consider these models if you are a serious Piano learner with a tight budget. It may or may not come with built-in speakers. These are even used by a lot of gigging pianists, as they tend to be considerably lightweight.

Grand Pianos

It is a horizontal piano, standing on three or six legs, is called a grand, which also could be straight strung or over strung. Again, the over strung construction is preferred. The action of a grand is located behind the keys, and it can be seen partially through the strings but beneath the music desk. Without removing the action it is difficult to identify which of the several different types of action is present. Unqualified persons should never attempt to remove a grand action; there is considerable danger of causing damage.



Synth Action Pianos

These Digital Pianos come with 88 keys and have synth action. They are meant for keyboard players who are not accustomed to playing with hard keys but need more than 61 keys. These models normally contain numerous musical styles, sounds and effects.

Vertical Pianos – They are called vertical pianos because of their height and the position of the strings. The height of this kind of piano range from 36 to 60 inches and they are of 4 types: Spinet – The height of this type of piano is 36 to 38 inches, and an approximate width of 58 inches, spinets are the smallest of the pianos. Console – Slightly larger than the spinet, its’ height ranges from 40 to 43 inches and is approximately 58 inches wide. This type of piano comes in various styles and finishes.



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The Piano Bench Can Add Magic to Piano Music

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008



 

So, what’s the big deal with piano benches? Who would like to invest in expensive furniture like this just to make them feel as if they are already some sort of Bach or Mozart or Beethoven or Rick Wakeman or Jon Lord of Deep Purple? Why, Mr. Lord doesn’t even use a piano bench when he’s out there playing with the rest of the Deep Purple gang. Well, Elton John is sitting on a piano bench. How about Jerry Lee Lewis? Don’t give him any benches or he’ll set it on fire together with the piano itself while playing “Great Balls of Fire”. So, what’s the big deal with a piano bench?

 

You can use any kind of bench if you want while banging away your hands on the keys. If you’re a rock and roll monster, you don’t need one. If you’re like those classical masters, you might be is it worth it?

 

You see, for the many piano players, investing on different appropriate gadgets or furniture or instrument can inspire one self to play more with dramatic feelings, so to say. Piano benches make up what good artist an individual can be. That is why there are lots of sites that offer an assortment of beautifully-made piano benches for the home, church, school and concert halls and even rock and roll stages. They come in hundreds and hundreds of different designs, styles, options and colors like Walnut, Mahogany, Satin Black, Polished Black and you can even request for a custom-made bench built just for you with your own specifications.

 

There are even some that are “electrical” or “mechanical” piano benches but don’t worry. Nobody’s going to electrocute you if your play sounds sloppy all over. There are benches that come with adjustable settings and there’s for a single player and there’s something for the lovely duo.

 

Playing the piano or playing music in general is not to be taken lightly by serious musicians, young and old alike, hobbyists or professional and even students and teachers. For other instruments, you just can sit anywhere just like the guitar or a harmonica, put it in your lap or in your mouth and play wherever you do. Let’s see you carry your grand piano anywhere while walking.

 

In today’s modern music, you might say that the piano is shadowed by the guitar and a lot of modern bands have 3 guitars and one piano or no piano at all. But when the piano starts playing in some background, the music played can be filled with magic in the air and even with mystic and fantasy.

 

There are many heavy metal bands in the 80’s or even in the 70’s that seldom use pianos but today’s Goth metal music has made a nice space for keyboard players and put piano back in the limelight as well as the use of piano benches.

 

Anyway, that’s the way it is with pianos. Pianos are made for grandeur, elegance and class and the right piano bench can be a nice addition to your collection. With great accessories and music furniture comes great music in a broader sense. And it’s true, the right and elegant piano bench can add magic and mystery to piano-based music.

 



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Houston Piano: Ensure Your Family’s Musical Success

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008



A right piano for your family can create a lifetime of enjoyment. But before you choose to buy a brand new piano or a used piano, a little preparation is helpful so that when you purchase the piano, it can ensure your family’s musical success.

 

The first step in choosing a piano involves establishing your musical and furniture needs. A piano adds sophistication to your home, so you want an instrument that will compliment your home decor. Musically, you want a piano that has the key touch and the musical tone you would prefer. To accomplish this in the best possible way, you need to visit your local piano dealer. Find a dealer who has a large collection of new and used pianos at various prices. Make sure that the salesperson demonstrates a wide variety of pianos. While checking out the pianos, identify which piano keyboard is most sensitive to touch and has the tone most appealing. You will also need to select the perfect cabinet and finish styles that go with your home decor. Once you select your piano style, you can either buy it from the piano dealer or try to find a used piano privately.

 

Here also you need to have some preparation of the source of buying.

 

a)      When you are purchasing a new or used piano from a retail dealer, you will always find:

 

b)      In case of new pianos, they usually come with a manufacturers warranty and more finished models.

 

c)      Used pianos are generally redone and they usually come with a dealer’s warranty.

 

d)      Many dealers have a trade up policy that will give you the full purchased price of your piano when you desire a higher quality piano.

 

e)      The advantage of buying from a dealer is that you can select your desired piano from a wide variety of new and used instruments.

 

If you going to buy piano privately, look in for newspaper classified ads. Internet is also another option to locate a used piano. The best way to locate a used piano is to find a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) in your area. Usually, they have the information of used pianos that are up for sale and are aware of the piano’s condition.

 

a)      When you are purchasing a used piano privately, you will find:

 

b)      Used pianos are generally less expensive than retail.

 

c)      You need that extra time to travel to locate your suitable piano.

 

d)      You will not get any manufacturer’s warrant or the seller’s warranty.

 

      e) The moving cost is totally the responsibility of the buyer.

 

You can always take the help of a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) to guide you through the purchase of a used piano privately and prevent high hidden costs that are incurred while buying used pianos. It is a good investment on RPT to prevent you costly errors.

 

You can also find this article here



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Piano Tabs: Learn To Play Yesterday

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

In this piano lesson you will learn to read easy piano tab notation. You will also learn to play an easy piano melody with the help of tabs. We will use the popular song Yesterday as an example.

To really learn to read piano sheet music is a goal worth striving for. It will open a world of music waiting to be played by your fingers. However, it will take some time to really master the art of reading sheet music.

Piano tabs are tools that can help you learn melodies fast. They are not a complete substitute for sheet music notation but can be an easy way to learn easy melodies as you develop your sight reading skills.

There is an established system for reading and writing piano tab notation. In this system you will have to learn the names of the white keys on your piano. The first note to find is middle c. This note is located at the middle of a piano keyboard. If you take a closer look at the black keys you will find that they are organized in groups of two or three keys.

The middle c is located immediately to the left of a group of two black keys in the middle of your keyboard. It is sometimes called c4 as it is in the fourth octave of an ordinary piano. On a keyboard with a less number of keys the key at the middle of the keyboard will still be called c4.

What is an octave?

If you start with the note c and play the notes to the right of c you will play a c-major scale. The notes are c d e f g a b. The note that comes after b is the next c. As you can see the next c has the same position to the left of two black keys as the middle c. This c is sometimes called c5 because it is in the fifth octave of a piano or grand.

The notes you play from c to the next c is called an octave. Octave means eight and you have played eight notes when you play from c to the next c. This interval is repeated all over the keyboard. c3 is the c to the left of middle c and so on.

The piano tab notation we will use in this article is a simplified form of the piano tabs used on the Internet. Here are the rules:

1. The white keys we will use are notated with lowercase letters. That is, c d e f g a and b.

2. The octave in which you are to play the notes are indicated with a number. c4 means middle c. If the following notes are in the same octave there will not be any numbers after the notes until you change octave.

3. If you are to play a black key it is indicated with an uppercase letter. C means the black key immediately to the right of c. In ordinary sheet music notation this note is written C#.

Now it is time to try to play the first notes of Yesterday by Beatles with the help of our simple piano tab notation. I will show you the first line of lyrics and below the corresponding melody written with piano tabs.

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away

d4 c c e F G a b c5 b4 a a

Now it looks as though they’re here to stay

a4 a g f e d f e e

Oh, I believe in yesterday

d4 c e d a5 c4 e e

Now we have completed the first verse. The second verse have the same melody so we will jump right into the bridge:

Why she had to go I don’t know, she wouldn’t say

e4 e a b c5 b4 a b a g a e

I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday

e4 e a b c5 b4 a b a g b c5 g4 f e

After this you can complete the melody by playing the verse again. I recommend that you memorize the melody one line at a time. This little piano tab exercise is an introduction to the complete tab notation system you will find on the net.

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Can i get a piano bench that matches the colour/texture of my piano?

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

I got a piano back in october. it is a upright cabinet grand, and i’m almost 100 percent sure it is cherry wood, because it has the redish colour of it. The piano is definitly made out of real wood. because it is 75 years old and recently got refurbished before i got it, the only thing is it didn’t come with a bench. a piano tuner is coming soon and is bringing some benches with him, do you think he could get a bench and get it looking exacly like the piano, texture colour and all? thanks.

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Why do my fingers tense up when playing the piano?

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008



The piano piece in question, for those who happen to know it, is J. N. Hummel’s Sonata in Eb. It was an exam piece for ABRSM Grade 8 in ‘01-’02, and is too difficult for its grade. When I play it, my fingers sometimes tense up to the point of spasming. This leads to my semiquavers being very uneven. How can I curb this?

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