Sunday, November 9, 2008

Which Piano Brands Are Most Popular?



By: Amy Nutt

When choosing a piano, most people want to ensure they get a good quality one and the best way to do this is to buy a popular brand that has been around for a while and has an established reputation. There are quite a few popular piano brands available to select from.



Baldwin Pianos



This company was established back in the late 1800`s and still provides some of the best pianos on the market. They also own a number of piano companies including Wurlitzer. Created by Dwight Hamilton Baldwin, the first Baldwin piano was an upright, though they later manufactured grand pianos, as well.

The Baldwin piano is well-liked because of the high quality available. As a family piano, it`s very good choice. Liberace and Bela Bartok both played this piano.



Steinway Pianos



Of all the different piano brands, Steinway and Sons is definitely at the top of the list in popularity and best known. It`s a real boon to have a Steinway in your home and is a goal for many true piano students who dream of owning one.



Henry Steinway was originally a cabinet maker who began to manufacture pianos professionally back in the 1850`s. Some of the most famous pianists of all time have use Steinways, including Wagner, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Gershwin among others. With an elegant quality about them, these pianos are on the wish list of every pianist.



Schimmel Pianos



This German piano brand is a good one, as well. Many pianists and aspiring pianists find Schimmel pianos to be a dream for playing on and as a result, Schimmel pianos can be found around the world, not just in Germany. It`s a great option for anyone who is looking for a high quality piano, but doesn`t want to invest in a Steinway.



Wilhelm Schimmel was the founder of this company in 1885, but it was later passed on to his grandson in the 60`s. It is one of the few piano companies that is still run by the original family, while most other piano manufacturers have been bought out by larger companies.



Kawai Pianos



A Japanese brand, the Kawai piano is an interesting one. Most people think of electronic keyboards when they think of Japanese pianos, but for those in the know, Kawai is the place to go for high quality, decently priced pianos that offer great sound.



As far as first pianos go, this Japanese model is ideal to get started in the world of owning your very own piano. The Kawai piano brand is well liked and well known, but still not the most popular, which means prices haven`t gone through the roof like they have with many other models. This alone, makes these pianos a hot commodity.



Mason and Hamlin Pianos



This is a company that actually went bankrupt in 1995, but they have made a comeback and are still one of the most popular piano brands in existence. The pianos have been around since the founding in 1854. Though the original families are no longer involved in the business, it continues to do well after the bankruptcy.



The financial struggles in the past of this company hasn`t affected the quality of their piano design. It`s still an excellent design that people from around the world long to have.



Choosing the right piano brand is an important choice and one that must be made with care. If you go with a more popular brand of piano, chances are you will be more than happy with it. The years of growth and development have made these pianos some of the best in the world and they are popular brands for good reason.

Author Resource:-> Quality music lessons Toronto and Piano lessons Toronto offered at one of the most innovative and recognized music schools in North America.

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Tchaikovsky''s Piano Concerto No. 1 & Rachmaninoff''s Piano Concerto No. 2: With Orchestral Reduction for Second Piano

Tchaikovsky''s Piano Concerto No. 1 & Rachmaninoff''s Piano Concerto No. 2: With Orchestral Reduction for Second Piano


Tchaikovsky''s Piano Concerto No. 1 & Rachmaninoff''s Piano Concerto No. 2: With Orchestral Reduction for Second Piano












Saturday, November 8, 2008

Jazz Piano – the history

Jazz Piano is an integral part of jazz idiom since it has been incepted in both ensemble and solo settings. Due to its harmonic and melodic nature, the instrument is quite important for understanding the jazz arranging and theory. Along with a jazz guitar, a jazz piano is also one of those instruments of jazz combo which may be played with chords as with a trumpet or saxophone.

If you are into practice jazz piano, you must know about jazz practice tool where chords are the primary substance in the instrument, and the second skill you will have to learn is how to play jazz piano with swing rhythm. Then is the skill of improvisation which requires you to make something on the spot. This is a skill that requires tremendous skills and extreme knowledge of the piano.

Earlier, the jazz piano used to be heavily stride technique and it was often played solo. Historically influential promoters of early piano include Earl Hines, Jelly Roll Morton, Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. The playing style of Mary Lou Williams, Wilie Smith and James P. Johnson shaped the history of jazz piano. The 1950s and the 1960s were the golden age of the jazz which created many important and influential jazz piano players. These powerful players included Red Garland, Ahmad Jamal, Don Pullen, Bud Powell, Cecil Taylor and Horace Silver. The jazz pianists require an exclusive skills set and the piano’s extended range as a playing instrument offers the solo players an exhaustive variety of choices. One can use bass register for playing a pattern of ostinato such as that of a melodious counterline or boogie woogie emulating the playing of upright bass. Stride piano is a style of playing in which the left hand of the player changes positions rapidly while he plays notes in bass register and the chords in tenor register. This can also be done in a more syncopated variant.

Bill Evans sat at the front line of new generation players who emerged in 1960s including Chick Corea, John Taylor, Dave Brubeck and Keith Jarrett. Today, the popular figures in the field of jazz piano include Bill Charlap, Brad Mehldau, Jacky Terrasson, Danilo Perez and Geoffrey Keezer.


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Solo Jazz Piano

Solo Jazz Piano


Solo Jazz Piano












Wednesday, November 5, 2008






Classic Baby Grand 30-key Piano by Schoenhut

Classic Baby Grand 30-key Piano by Schoenhut


This professionally crafted, 30 key baby grand piano has a 2.5 octave span. It has full-size piano keys which strike precision-ground, steel music wires. The piano is chromatically tuned and produces great sound and tone quality. A removable color-coordinated strip fits behind the keys to guide small fingers from chord to chord. This teaches children proper "finger stretch" from the very beginning. The accompanying Songbook contains a collection of familiar tunes. Available in Black, White and Pink. Bench is included. Piano dimensions of 19 1/4H X 20 1/2D X 19 7/8W. Bench dimensions of 9 1/4H X 5 3/4D X 11 7/8W.Ages 3 and upBy Schoenhut












Monday, November 3, 2008






Children''s Christmas Songs: Easy Piano

Children''s Christmas Songs: Easy Piano


21 holiday favorites, including: Away in a Manger * Frosty the Snow Man * Here Comes Santa Claus * Jingle Bells * Jolly Old St...