gospelpiano

2011-03-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

What Is the Very best Way to Find out to Play Piano?

Author: Maynard Zamora

Do you want to understand piano?

You are undoubtedly not the only particular person out there. All about the world there are a great number of millions of men and women, younger and outdated, sharing the identical dream. To be in a position to make beautiful seems by shifting your fingers above a set of black and white keys is a thing that earns respect in nearly each and every quarter. There is absolutely nothing new about that.

What's new in today's earth is that you have a array of choices when you want to consider the 1st phase and understand the essentials of piano enjoying. Earlier on, the only way to do it was to glimpse up your nearest piano instructor in the cellphone e-book or request your piano enjoying good friend for a recommendation.

Mastering Piano On the internet - With the arrival of the Entire world Extensive Web, factors have got much more difficult. For example, plenty of individuals appear at a variety of You Tube tutorials, to find out to play their favored piece finger by finger. There are also on the web programs to get, exactly where the treatment is quite comparable to the old way of studying, but in which your instructor might be sitting on the other side of the world.

We possibly need to be grateful for all these new possibilities. Following all, they deliver the joy of music generating to much more people. Nonetheless, it must be pointed out that aged design piano lessons - staying in the identical area as a skilled teacher - stays by far the very best decision, if you want to be definitely critical about your piano enjoying. And right here are the principal reasons for it:

Finding out from a True Globe Piano Instructor - When you find out from a YouTube tutorial, there is no one there to react to your distinct desires. A very good teacher generally has a program for his or her pupil and will usually be ready to inform what you need to have just now to make speedy, true progress. Also, to discover only by imitating could lead to rapid accomplishment if the only factor you want to do is play one piece relatively very well, but it will in no way lead to actual mastery at the piano. For that, you require to understand the principles first.

An on the web teacher can give you that. He or she will also be in a position to reply to you personally, but there are even now severe drawbacks when the two of you are not in the exact same place with each other. You will not be in a position to get the very same sort of hands on instruction - there will usually be occasions when a piano teacher has to demonstrate by in fact touching your fingers, forming them the ideal way for you. Additionally, listening and observing while microphones and cameras simply won't do for the finer nuances of piano teaching, no make any difference if you've got 1st course products.

To sum up our argument: in spite of today's several alternatives, the best recommendation is nevertheless to try to discover a genuine globe piano instructor. Let's desire there is a very good one particular close to you!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/what-is-the-very-best-way-to-find-out-to-play-piano-4510997.html

About the Author

2011-03-06T16:57:00.001-08:00

Play Piano: Learn To Play Piano Online

Author: Larry Johnson

The Internet is flooded with millions of searches about learning the piano online. There are those for beginners and for those who want further instruction not found in any manual whatsoever. However, to learn the piano online can have its ups and downs. So decide if you're really up to the test of teaching yourself how to play piano without the thought of giving up. This article has some great tips if you want to learn piano online.

When you talk to people who play piano,you will find a whole host of reasons for wanting to learn to play piano. Some individuals simply want to learn to play songs for fun while others dream of being in a band or even becoming an expert pianists. No matter what reasons you have, you can learn to play this musical instrument and one way to do it is online.

Thanks to internet, people from all different walks of life, rich or poor, now have a chance to learn all the basic and advanced techniques of piano playing online.

If you do a search for piano lessons you will find a great number of piano lessons being offered online. Some lessons are free while others ask for a certain fee. When searching the internet for piano lessons, you may want to look at the free lessons first. There's nothing to lose since the lessons are for free. If you can find good piano lessons on the free websites, then good for you; why not take advantage of the free lessons. I have found some of the free lessons to be a little inadequate. If that is true for you, then that is the time to choose among the paid piano lessons online.

Even though you may have to shell out some money for paid piano lessons, it is still much cheaper as compared to hiring a professional piano teacher. Of course, you will need a credit card to be able to access these paid online lessons. If you have started off with some free lessons you will only need the paid lessons to fill in some of the missing lessons.

If you want to learn to play the piano online, you will need a computer at home and of course a fast internet connection. You will also need certain devices so that the lessons are delivered effectively. You will have an online teacher and you can ask questions if you need to.

The good thing about online piano lessons is the flexiblility. you can learn around your own schedule. If you're working, you can have the lessons right after your work or even after dinner. Staying at home also involves doing a lot of chores, so you can have your lessons after you're done and when you're already relaxed. Another is that you can learn alone or you can have your family join you.

Before anything else, do you have a piano at home? Since you'll be having your lessons through the internet, you need to have a piano at home. If you don't have one you may want to purchase a good quality electronic keyboard, just to get you started. However if you are really serious you will need to save up and invest in a good quality piano. Learning to play the piano can get expensive but if you have the passion for playing this instrument, it's worth every penny.

Don't give up on your dream to learn playing the piano. You see not all people have the capacity and ability to play this instrument. If you're determined to learn, pursue your passion. Don't give up on the difficult lessons, especially if you are learning to play by yourself, because now you must learn to motivate yourself on a daily basis.

Learning to play the piano online provides a lot of opportunity for people from different races, rich or poor, young or old. It's never really too late to learn. If you start now, after several years you will be playing beautifully. By that time, you can already play many songs.

Learn to play the piano online. You should not let this opportunity pass. Find a reputable website that can offer you good and effective piano lessons. Log on to the internet and make use of the major search engines to locate the piano lessons.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/play-piano-learn-to-play-piano-online-4355633.html

About the Author

Find Out How Over 85,000 People Taught Themselves How To Play The Piano Online The Easy Way Vist How To Play Piano See Our Play Piano Article at http://www.squidoo.com/learning-to-play-the-piano-online

late notice

2009-05-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry for this late notice but I just got word
from my good friend, Jermaine Griggs over at
Hear and Play Music... that he's running a
"Memorial Day Weekend" 40% off sale that ends
tonight (Monday, May 25, 2009).

http://www.hearandplay.com/437773/digital.html

But what's so special about it is that for the
first time ever, he's released "digital
downloads" of all his courses.

That means that you can literally download his
courses to your computer and start learning
piano within minutes after your purchase.

And if you've heard me talk about hearandplay
before, then you know how good their courses
are for learning piano by ear (especially
gospel and soul music).

They've got material all the way from gospel
to jazz and salsa --- from chords to worship
patterns... from piano and organ to drums
and even singing. My e-mail here doesn't
even do them justice. You'll have to go check
them out for yourself.

http://www.hearandplay.com/437773/digital.html

But if you're interested in their digitally
downloadable material, now is really the time
to take action because you're not going to beat
their 40% off deal going on thru midnight tonight.

(And if you know Jermaine, you know that he doesn't
do these sales often. Heck it took him 9 years to
finally decide to release downloadable material. So
take advantage while he's doing it).

http://www.hearandplay.com/437773/digital.html

Even if you're strapped for cash right now (which is
understandable), they have a 2-hour audio course
covering a systematic approach to playing piano by
ear. It's only $10 bucks with the 40% off coupon.
That's like 8 cents per minute (if you do the math).
Where can you go to get a 2 hour lesson for 8 cents
a minute?

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to
contact me (or even them directly at:
help@hearandplay.com.

Talk soon,

rachel neil

2009-02-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

Being a Gospel Musician Was Never Too Hard! – Tips for You

Author: Max Info

Gospel musician – anyone like you dreams of being a gospel musician. If you are talented and can play musical instruments then I am sure that you will become a successful gospel musician. Being a professional Gospel musician is to pray god with your music, it should be the favorite to god. This article is just for you if you really want to become a successful gospel musician. It will tell you 5 easy steps that you might have not considered. It is a step by step procedure of being a professional. So read on. 1. Try to play musical instruments by heart: You might have often played several instruments but is there anytime at that you played them by the bottom of your heart? Try to do this. Play guitar, piano 2. Join a school offering private music lesion: Nobody other than a teacher could ever teach you best. I don’t think that you could learn playing instruments by just reading books. It is practical and you have to play instruments by yourself. You can join a private coaching for this. 3. Ask someone to listen to your music: If you play alone and listen to it alone there won’t be anyone who can observe your music. Just ask your friends or parents to listen to your music and give comment on it. If there is anything wrong with your music than you can improve it. 4. Play at open mic nights: Now it’s the time to represent you as a professional gospel musician. Start playing instruments at your local church and get review from people. It will give you experience and remove your how of playing in front of people. If you are confident then you can go further and play them in other locations. 5. Find Job: As you are a professional gospel singer the 5th and last task you have to do is to find a job. Make your demo tape and give it to people for review. You also can contact your local chamber of commerce and see if they know of eating establishments like coffee houses and Christian tea rooms that might like to have someone come provide live music. You wouldn't get paid to perform, but what a wonderful exposure! You should also use internet for this task. Upload your music at famous tube sites such as youtube or god tube. By the end now you are ready for being a professional gospel musician. Now you can get opportunity to be playing your music at official places such as churches, restaurants, and tea-coffee shops etc, Best of Luck.

About the Author:

Do you want to know about the opportunities and carrier guidelines about the

gospel musicians and

singers? Then come to our

web-site here.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/being-a-gospel-musician-was-never-too-hard-tips-for-you-770164.html

2009-02-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

Vintage or Modern Keyboards? Why Some Keyboard Users Prefer the Click of the Keys and Others Who Don

Author: Melissa Peterman

If you have ever been in a room that was full of people doing nothing but typing, it can be almost deafening, that is, if those people are using old school keyboards. If all those people were suddenly using http://www.cirque.com/uploads/products/touchpad_keyboard.html>touchpad keyboard - say like the iPhone touchscreens, it would be remarkably quiet.

A person’s profession, habits and preferences all make up reasons why a person will choose one keyboard over another.

A Variety of Keyboards for A Variety of Careers/Needs

• Waterproof Keyboards: spill proof and even cleaning disinfectant proof touch pads for gamers as well as dentists and other medical fields are popular. Studies say that a keyboard has more germs on them then toilet seats, with waterproof keyboards, a dentist can have his keyboard for making notes and performing other functions, all while in an environment prone to splashes. For the writer who thinks best in the bathtub- this keyboard makes the ideal bath buddy.

• Model M: call it nostalgic or plain lazy there are some people who will not give up their classic IMB Model M clackity keyboard. The Model M was created in the 1980s to resemble the feel of typing on a typewriter. For many writers who feel like they are not really typing unless they can hear the keys clacking, this is an ideal keyboard for noise- allowing typists to emulate the sound of a journalism newsroom.

• Gamers: Ultra durable keyboards like the professional gaming keyboard with quiet click, 18K gold plated connectors to increase speed and a guaranteed 50 million keystroke warrenty. These types of keyboards are often used for military and other high performance industries, besides intense gamers.

• Military Night Vision keyboards: Not sure what the popularity or the need for a night vision keyboard is besides actual combat, but someone has built it and it is for sale.

• Flexible on the Go: Great for automotive garages, dental and for journalists in remote locations. Flexible roll up keyboards can bend, fold and twist. They are made of silicone and can be rolled up in a tube. These popular keyboards come in a rainbow of colors and are found internationally. Ideal for wet or dusty environments.

There are a multitude of uses for all of these interesting keyboard inventions. With touch technology, http://www.cirque.com/uploads/products/touchpad_keyboard.html>touchpad keyboard, touch screen monitors and others are going to become much more popular as touch technology grows. From professional to super gaming geek, we all agree that advances in technology benefit all of us.

About the Author:

About the author: Melissa Peterman is a web content specialist for Innuity, for more information about touchpad keyboard choices go to Cirque

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/vintage-or-modern-keyboards-why-some-keyboard-users-prefer-the-click-of-the-keys-and-others-who-don-762873.html

Can You be a Pro With Rocket Piano

2009-01-19T16:10:00.000-08:00

The basic features of Rocket Piano make it a clear example of an instrument tutorial; it brings a professional approach to piano playing addressing the needs of first time learners and more advanced piano fans. Theoretical studies and practical guidelines, music readings and lots of piano tips, these are the elements to expect from a course like Rocket Piano, and even if it will not make you a professional it will help you grow!

Rocket Piano characteristics

The approach to piano learning you'll find in Rocket Piano is a user friendly one, meaning that it addresses basic learning levels with the possibility to develop new skills. The course is pretty fun without giving one the feeling that the theoretical part about the history of music is boring. Rocket Piano focuses on tasks as the most challenging and interesting method to make the student progress.

Even if it is designed as a rapid learning course, Rocket Piano won't teach you how to play piano over night; it still takes a lot of patience and plenty of time for rehearsal in order to evolve to a good knowledge level. The exercises included in the course correspond to high quality standards, and once you get the technique right, ten minutes of practice will work magic for the interpretation of one piece or another. A major achievement of Rocket Piano is that it will guide you on the path to understanding music language.

Though at first glance the targeted goals of Rocket Piano may look too difficult to achieve for someone completely inexperienced, the impression will change after completing some classes. Melody, chords and chord symbols reading, improvisation, scales and arpeggios, these are only a few of the elements developed in the Rocket Piano course.

Any downside to the use of Rocket Piano?

The big disappointment in using Rocket Piano is to discover that you cannot play as expected. Such cases are pretty often since Rocket Piano doesn't prepare only true musicians. Talent is something innate and it is this divine gift that allows one to develop the art further on and achieve astonishing things.

Take things easily and consider Rocket Piano a tool for learning, a form of entertainment or a mode of enriching your knowledge of things. Rocket Piano has been created by a professional, but it doesn't have to create professionals!

Piano Sheet Music - Notes On Improvising

2008-12-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

It is a fact that genuine gifts for composing music is given to very few of us. However, that doesn't mean that an average person can't try composing his or her own pieces. Also, consider, that many songs are not planned to become sheet music ever. Finally, your amateur composing skills can grow, mature, and become a source of profit for you.

Earning royalties is an obvious way to make your compositions generate a profit for you. A nice piece of piano sheet music can earn you several types of royalties. For example, you may charge a percentage from a performer, who produces records with your music piece being used.

A similar method is to get money for your music sheet which is used as a soundtrack for commercial or motion picture. You should keep in mind that songs are not usually written as a plain piano sheet. In most cases, it goes as a combination of various instruments, and this score is presented to an orchestra conductor.

A particular instrumentalist doesn't have to know the part for another instrument. Piano sheet music, as an example, does not need to include a part played by the violin or flute.

What's the difference of piano sheet music from other sheet music?

The range of available notes for the instrument is the primary factor that distinguishes the music of piano sheet from any other one. A pianoforte is capable of playing from low C to high E, making 41 notes total. Natural notes are played by white or "ivory" keys. Each black key (also known as "ebony") invokes a flat note of the white key to it's right and a sharp one for white key on the left.

Is piano sheet music difficult to understand?

Not at all! All you generally have to do is to study a number of conventions required to understand any sort of sheet music. A note, required to be played, is determined by it's symbol position on the score. The duration of the note is determined by symbol's shape and shade.

These seem to be really tough things to master, but they also are essential basics of piano sheet music. In addition, you may rest assured that after mastering these basics, your piano experience will be much more pleasant. Playing notes can be conducted in several styles - together, quickly one after another, or even practically blended together. The scope of styles and techniques you'll be required to use depends on the piece complexity.

Is it possible to study piano sheet music online?

Sure. There are plenty of online resources providing distinct tutorials on piano sheet music symbols and conventions. They can lead you through the essentials to perform rather complicated tunes. Most of these websites are available free. After mastering the basics, you are free to purchase more advanced piano sheet of your choice.

Summary:

A fact that genuine gifts for composing music is given to very few, doesn't mean that an average person can't try composing his or her own pieces. Your amateur composing skills can grow, mature, and become a source of profit for you. On the Web, there are plenty of resources providing distinct tutorials on piano sheet music symbols and conventions.

About the Author:
Brooke Hayles
Check Out More Helpful Information About Piano Sheet Music For FREE!
Visit Piano Sheet Music Online Now!

Article Source:
http://www.freearticles.co.za/culture-and-society/piano-sheet-music-notes-on-improvising.html

Baldwin Pianos: A History of Strength and Perseverance

2008-12-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

Baldwin Pianos: A History of Strength and Perseverance

Author: A. Nutt

The majority of piano companies began in foreign countries, such as Japan or Germany. Baldwin Pianos, however is a 100% American company, founded right here in the US.

From Humble Beginnings

In 1862, a music teacher named Dwight Hamilton Baldwin began a small retail company in Cincinnati. The Baldwin company sold pianos and organs, but at the outset, was only for retail. However, all that changed in 1973 when Baldwin formed a partnership with one of his employees, Lucien Wulsin. Together, the two men expanded the company, setting up little shops in various cities.

By 1980, the partners weren`t satisfied with simply selling other manufacturers` instruments and began to design and plan their own. A year later, the first Baldwin upright piano appeared on the market and four short years later, they had also come out with a grand piano.

Moving On

In 1899, both Baldwin and his wife died. They left their share of the company, 80%, to a church, but it was quickly bought up by Baldwin`s business partner, Lucien Wulsin. Under his leadership, the Baldwin Piano Company thrived and a year later, a Baldwin grand piano garnered the Grand Prix award.

Despite the fact that radio appeared and the Great Depression hit causing many piano companies to go bankrupt, Baldwin not only managed to continue on thanks to an emergency fund that had been gathering for years, the company actually began to do sound research. With the help of the University of Cincinnati, Baldwin worked on investigating new techniques for sound-production.

Pausing for the War

Like other factories, Baldwin stopped producing pianos and focused on aircraft production, instead. It was something that many businesses were forced into, doing their part for the American war effort. This wasn`t a bad thing, however, since the techniques used to make wooden wings for aircraft ended up teaching Baldwin better techniques that would later be used to improve the construction of their pianos.

Once World War II ended, the economy was robust and Baldwin found itself in the middle of a rush of orders for organs and pianos. Churches were looking for new musical instruments after years of frugality and people wanted pianos in their own homes. It was an excellent time to be one of the few piano manufacturers that had made it through the Depression.

As time progressed, the company moved production further south, establishing factories in Arkansas and Mississippi before moving down into Mexico where costs were cheaper. New electronic organs were being produced now, as well and the company was doing very well. But it wouldn`t last for long.

In 1961, Lucien`s grandson, Lucien Wulsin III, took over the company from his father, Lucien Wulsin II. It would mark the beginning of a rollercoaster ride for the small business that nearly ended in bankruptcy in 2001. Despite this, Baldwin pianos has bounced back and today is stronger than ever. They`ve produced over 1,000,000 vertical pianos over the years, established various patents, won awards for their fine piano construction and are bounding into the future with high hopes. Famous Baldwin Artists have included Liberace and composer Aaron Copland and it has been remarked that if Beethoven had the option of playing a piano, music would have changed drastically.

Continuing to produce handmade pianos, Baldwin is proving that it can stand the test of time. An all American company that has worked hard to maintain its original standards of high quality and constantly improving and expanding, Baldwin Pianos is certainly not giving up any time soon.

About the Author:
View our stunning lineup of the best pianos in the world. Renowned piano store offers the prestigious Fazioli piano, Baldwin pianos, Shigeru Kawai or Grotrian.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/baldwin-pianos-a-history-of-strength-and-perseverance-672509.html

Memorizing Your Piano Lessons

2008-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

People have been debating the pros and cons of the memory technique used in taking piano learning lessons. Some of the champions of this technique line up a long list of benefits those can be accrued from this technique. Their major claim for the suitability of this technique lies in the perception that the player doesn't need a book to turn to for taking the lessons or playing the piano. Once can simply memorize and start playing the instrument. Another advantage cited by these people is that the player doesn't need to divert his attention to book - one can concentrate solely on the fingers. This focused attention leads to better performance. Moreover, one need not spend time on turning the pages of the book. Add to that the benefit of ability of playing piano anywhere, even if the book is not available. The benefits can be stretched to an extent where the player can play the piano in dark and that it can also be done by closing eyes.

Those against the use of this technique for piano learning lessons assert that this technique is difficult for some people. People with limited memory retention are at a disadvantage to use this technique. Even if a student is good at it, he may forget some parts of the lessons while performing, and this may have detrimental effect on his overall capabilities of taking piano lessons and play at a pro level.

While you are taking piano lessons, it is important to know what to be memorized. In other words, which pieces must be memorized so that the performance is not at risk. One must be very good listener in order to have larger chunk of piece being memorized with ease. Further, you must try to memorize something which you have started practicing. It shouldn't be other way around - you first memorize and then memorize the same.

You or your tutor must be able to analyze the piece by splitting it into parts clearly identifying the rhythmic, melodic and harmonic units separately. This analysis must mandatorily precede memorizing. Experts also offer this piece of advice for those taking piano lessons - technique of verbal mediation. This technique employs simple procedure - student should speak out the lessons and practice it simultaneously. Memorizing process can be reinforced with the help of visual memory.

Article Source: http://www.ArticlesandAuthors.com - THE Premier Site for Articles AND Authors

About this Article Author:

Dave is the owner of www.learn-piano.info and www.play-piano.info websites providing information on playing the piano.

2008-11-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

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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Jazz Piano – the history

2008-11-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

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.

About the author:
About Author:
Myself webmaster of http://www.studiobypass.com - find tools for learning jazz music,intermediate jazz tools, Big Band jazz music, jazz midi files etc play about jazz music.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

2008-11-05T11:29:00.001-08:00

2008-11-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

Gospel Lover

2008-10-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Gospel Lover,
TIME is of the essence! Isn't that how we all feel?
Many piano students spend too much TIME learning how to play the piano... years upon years of studying various techniques, music theory, and 'level' after 'level. If you want to start playing ALL of your favorite congregational songs by ear right away, I've definitely found something that's
going to help you do just that.
Over the weekend, my friend Jermaine, the owner of the piano site, HearandPlay.com, was telling me about an idea of his, and it really made A LOT of sense. In fact, our conversation went
so well, he decided to put the information on his website (see below).

http://www.hearandplay.com/437773/gospel101reg.html

Jermaine Griggs,the pioneer of the award-winning
GospelKeys learning concepts, has come up with 3 simple steps so that you won't waste any time at all.
In fact, it'll virtually cut your learning time in half! I copied and pasted the most important parts below so you can get a general idea.
HERE IT GOES...
Step One: Determining the Melody
Step Two: Harmonizing the Melody
Step Three: Adding the Bass

These three steps are not super complicated theories that require several years of experience. In fact, they were designed for the total beginner with absolutely no musical experience.
What most people don't understand is that most songs follow patterns. If you've been mistakenly learning songs, one by one, you're only exercising your ability to MEMORIZE chords --- and that's exactly why it takes SO LONG to learn just one song.
BUT...
If you concentrate on LEARNING PATTERNS, you'll never go wrong because songs are built on repeating patterns. You should NEVER
EVER have to memorize over 100 songs when they all share the same exact CHORDS, PROGRESSIONS, AND PATTERNS.

Click here for more information: http://www.hearandplay.com/437773/gospel101reg.html

(...and if you're really serious about taking your piano playing to the next level, you might want to consider taking them up on their "Secrets to Learning Piano by Ear" 300 pg.
course).
Click here for more information:
http://www.hearandplay.com/437773/course

All the best,

P.S. - You might find more interesting information, techniques, or resources just by clicking around on their website..

Musical Keyboards: Defining the melody in the music

2008-10-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

There have been devices that have played the various parts and both of them have all played a good part in making this sadness we know as mother earth into a wonderful place. Hence since the time when the cavemen banged with the bones on the walls to the era today when the arena is filled with spectators urging on a rocking band, music remains an entity present forever and defying the gales of time.

Musical instruments have been present in many forms and sizes with the power to make very nice noises. Hence the drums roll in might while the guitars scream in delight and the singers express their emotions but one instrument that plays one of the major parts in the field of music is the keyboard and therefore electronic keyboards are one of the defining elements of the heavenliness associated with music. Perhaps one of the most important tool for any musician, a electronic keyboards are a musical instrument that not only plays the different notes of music but also enriches it by being able to present it in many different forms. Musical instruments have all been fantastic to play as well as hear but keyboards are one of the best devices present for performing the basic task of creating ecstasy with the element of music.

There are many companies which have selected music as their major means of performance in the form of making musical instruments. Hence there is Fender which is involved in making fantastic guitars like the Fender Stratocaster. Adonis drums are considered to be one of the best around and finally when it comes to keyboards the only name that flashes through the brain is Casio. Hence Casio keyboards are one of the best brands that are available and come with many features as well as facets. These keyboards are considered to be the musician's delight and the listener's garb of feel (as these keyboards come with high quality sounds ).

There are many products of these musical keyboards which give the player to experiment with the different sound patterns and hence create magnificent sound patches which revel in their performance. The keyboards that are made under this brand are all very good and hence contain variety of features in the form of key sets and built-in tones for melody as well as percussion. Hence the choice for a good keyboard always falls on the brand Casio.

About the author: The author is a specialist in retail writing. Her writing skills reflect the outcome of years of exposure to the retail industry. Working with retail giants as a consultant has enriched her knowledge base and her passion for writing got fire. She can be read regularly on RetailsDirect.com.musical instruments-Send Diwali Gifts Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Is Your Child Capable of Composing Music? Maybe the next Mozart?

2008-10-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

We've all heard of them. Child prodigies who begin composing music at some ridiculously young age. For instance, history reports that Mozart was writing minuets by the time he was five years old. Amazing. At five years of age, I'm not sure that I knew the difference between my finger and my thumb and I certainly wasn't composing music.

Now there is no doubt that the fact that Mozart was composing music by the age of five does not prove that any of the rest of us ever could compose music, but a number of studies conducted over the past fifty or so years indicates that most children can begin composing music as long as they are given both guidance and opportunity.

True, in the vast majority of the cases the end product is not going to rival anything that Mozart put out, but just because you (or your child) may not be the best there ever was at composing music doesn't mean the attempt is not worth the effort. If we follow that reasoning why would a child learn to walk or run when he or she knows he could never walk or run as well as, say, Michael Jordan? Why would they learn to talk if they knew they could never speak as well as Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan?

Similarly, imagine if Mozart's parents had not given him the opportunity to be exposed to music and then the formal training that gave him the tools to begin composing music. The world would be a poorer place without the input of this musical genius.

In Mozart's situation, he began formal training on the keyboard at the age of four and within a year he was composing music - though I'm sure that it wasn't of the caliber of his later works. In the case of the average child, however studies have shown that if given the opportunity and the education (i.e. instruction on an instrument, a little bit of music theory, etc) average children can begin composing music somewhere around the age of nine.

Give your child the opportunity and training he or she needs to begin composing music. In most cases it will develop their mind, round out their education, and give them a creative outlet. Eventually, however, of all the children composing music who might not have otherwise, the next Mozart will spring and if it's your child, the world will thank you. And if not, at least your child has been exposed to some good music and had his or her mind stretched a bit.

I am extremely thankful that my parents had the good sense to expose me to music by way of piano lessons starting when I was about

7. And even though it didn't "take" until I was an early teenager, when it did I had the background in music theory and technique to where I could progress rapidly from then on. And while I'm a country mile from Mozart's class, I do well enough to enjoy my self and make a living in music.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for both children & adults. His book & DVD course entitled "Classical Piano For Adult Beginners!" (http://www.pianoforbeginners.com/) is used by adults around the world. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" (http://www.playpiano.com/) with over 58,800 current subscribers. Classical Piano For Adult Beginners! (www.pianoforbeginners) is used by adults around the world. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 58,800 current subscribers available from www.playpiano.com.

Ministry Musician

2008-10-07T16:41:00.001-07:00

"How
Would YOU Like To Be Trained By One Of The
Greatest Gospel Musicians & Producers Alive?"

Millions
have heard his work all around the world and
covet his style...

And never before Has

Jason White, the
musician-producer-extraordinaire behind
artists like Donnie McClurkin, Judith
McAllister, Carlton Pearson, Mary Mary, Daryl
Coley, and Richard Smallwood, revealed his

personal secrets to anyone...

UNTIL NOW!

And now YOU have the
opportunity to benefit from his ~~years~~
DECADES of hard work,
practice, and experience in this revolutionary
4.5 hour

dvd course, GospelKeys "Ministry
Musician" Volume 1.

Hey,

if you've ever dreamed of looking over
the shoulders of a gospel phenom, now's your
chance as Jason White takes you through
several hymns and how to contemporize them
with "his" flavor, worship songs
(from actual albums he's played on), old
school shuffles, church "bebop," praise songs,
choir music, and of course, shouting music!

If you keep reading this page, I guarantee
that your gospel music playing will never
be the same... and that's a promise!

I'm excited! Take me to the website!

In this course,
here's just a few things you'll discover:

What it takes to truly be a Ministry
Musician and how to avoid making some of
the errors most church musicians make.

How to be admired by both "young" and
"old" listeners by learning

contemporary patterns with traditional
hymns... without sacrificing the melody.

Borrow
some of Jason's signature moves in worship,
praise, shouting music, old school
shuffle, "church bebop," hymns, and more! Never
before has he sat down and given away his
techniques and now you'll have "over-the-shoulder"
access to one of the greatest gospel musicians
alive!

How to take traditional songs everyone
knows and alter certain chords to produce
your very own flavor and style. In fact, you'll be
taken by the hand and shown how to substitute
chords in songs like "Oh How I Love Jesus," "To
God Be The Glory," and others.

How to play some of the same exact licks
you've heard Jason execute flawlessly on your
favorite albums. I'm talking about records from
artists like Richard Smallwood, Kurt Carr, Judith
McAllister, West Angeles Church of God In Christ
Choir, Daryl Coley, Mary Mary, and others!

The mindset of a "Ministry Musician"
and how to avoid being a hindrance to
your worship service by adhering to

5 simple rules.

The keys to accompanying a soloist.
Your job as an accompanist is not to
lead, it's to support. Learn Jason's

improvement strategies when it comes to
backing up singers, choirs, and groups!

Discover how to use the melody of ANY song
to create chord voicings you never thought
possible! Sometimes, the craziest chords come from
using trial and error to find a chord that has the
melody note on top. You'll learn Jason's system
for doing this.

Connect chords together with unorthodox
"slide-ups," "bends,"
"walk ups," "crossovers," and other techniques
that nobody does! (That's why Jason commonly makes
up his own names for the little nuances he
utilizes in his playing that you can't find taught
in your traditional music class).

Abolish those same old chords forever!
Learn Jason's special voicings for major,
minor, dominant, augmented, and various altered
chords. You'll be amazed at how simple these
voicings are once you know what you're doing!

And
much more...

I'm excited! Take me to the website!

I know you'll enjoy what we have in store
for you!

All the best,

Click
here to learn more

Tips To Buy Used Piano From A Piano Store

2008-10-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

The piano is probably one of the biggest and oldest musical instruments. With its immense versatility and beautiful sound, a piano has the capability to blend extremely well with other musical instruments. It can also prove to be an ideal solo instrument too. However, buying a piano can be quite tricky. There are a wide variety of pianos with various brands that could be chosen from. The sound, looks, effectiveness and features often vary to a large extent.

Moreover, their price range varies too. It becomes very difficult to buy a piano unless one is sure about what he is looking for. It is often suggested that the bigger a piano is, the better would its sound quality be. Also buying the more expensive one, even for a starter, would result in a rich sound experience. But these suggestions do not always hold true. This is the space saving age and it becomes extremely difficult to make space for a huge piano. Moreover, people with limited budget cannot always afford a high level brand new piano. But that does not mean they cannot ever own the musical instrument of their dreams. A lot of piano stores sell used piano.

There are certain advantages of buying a used piano from these piano stores. Firstly, one can get the instrument of his choice at a much cheaper price than a brand new one. Since the depreciation of a piano is very less and one instrument is generally expected to last for almost forty to fifty years, a piano which is ten years old would still be in a good condition, enough to get along well for another thirty years at least. Used piano does not generally come with a warranty.

This makes it important for a buyer to carefully choose the instrument. Certain things must be kept in mind while buying a used piano. It is always better to buy used piano from a piano store rather than buying it from an online shop. Piano is an instrument that needs to be touched, heard and felt before buying. It becomes all the more necessary for used ones in order to carefully check the condition the piano is in. Plenty of piano stores sell used piano these days and it is better to check them out before actually buying one. It is very important to do a history check of the used piano the buyer intends to buy. This should ideally include details about the previous owner if it’s available, how long the piano was with its past owner and how long it has been on the store. If possible it is also wise to find out why the previous owner sold the piano.

If the buyer is new to the instrument it is always better to take along someone who has played a piano for some time and has a considerable experience and understanding of the instrument while buying. They can help assess whether the instrument is in good condition by playing it, listening to how it sounds and how it feels while they're playing it. A price comparison between the used one and other used pianos as well as the same model in brand new condition is also suggested. This would ensure that price to be paid for the used piano is worth. If these factors can be kept in mind and followed carefully while visiting a piano store, a buyer can surely get the best deal when it comes to buying a used piano.

Source: Free Articles

Learn A Neo-Soul And Jazz Approach To Gospel Piano

2008-09-26T22:35:00.001-07:00

Electric Guitar Technology 101

2008-09-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

By: Kenny Auyoung

It is a curious paradox of the music industry: guitarists, particularly rock guitarists, are often thought of as trendsetters when it comes to fashion and culture; but when it comes to their instruments, they are notoriously conservative. Innovations such as active electronics, guitar synthesizers and Steinberger's intrepid steps into the field of headless instruments in the 80's have failed to make much of a dent in the market. Gibson and Fender continue to dominate the electric guitar market much as they did in the 1950's and 60's. Even with the entry of new competitors into the market over the years such as Ibanez, Paul Reed Smith and Charvel/Jackson, the electric guitar has remained essentially unchanged with one to three magnetic pickups and a mess of wires connecting them to the controls.

But things may be about to change!
In the last couple of years a few innovations have come along that have totally turned conventional wisdom - or at least conventional guitar electronics on its head.
The first is the nylon string solid body electric guitar. I first saw one of these in the hands of metal ace Yngwie Malmsteen and was blown away by the sound. For any artist who is trying to incorporate elements of classical guitar in his or her repertoire, this instrument provides the mellow classical tone of a nylon stringed guitar with the comfortable feel and action of a traditional solid body axe. This has been made possible through the tremendous advances made in recent years in the field of Piezo pickup technology.
Without going into too much technical detail, the Piezo differs from a traditional magnetic pickup in that the Piezo element vibrates with the string, sending an electrical signal of that vibration to a preamp within the guitar for processing, rather than capturing an electromagnetic representation of that vibration which can then be sent directly to an amplifier, or to an onboard preamp if further shaping of the signal is desired.

The Piezo eliminates the need for steel strings, which would otherwise interact with the magnetic pickup, and also produces more satisfactory results for players with a lighter fingerstyle technique. Lest you think this is just another passing fancy, Parker has produced a nylon string version of their famous "Fly" model and another up-and-comer, Sadowski Guitars, is producing a Telecaster style model employing the same technology.

Another intriguing development is in the area of computer-guitar interface. This has been long time coming, and if you consider the explosion in the popularity of digital recording with Pro Tools and similar software, it's surprising it took as long as it did. Far and away, the leader in this field is Line 6's Variax model. Now, I will be the first person to admit that I know just enough about computer technology to be dangerous, but I'll try to tell you what I know from what I've read and from friends and acquaintances who have played the Variax. I should also state that I am in no way affiliated with Line 6 or any of their subsidiaries or partners. The Variax is, according to the Line 6 brochure a "digital modeling" guitar that allows the musician to switch between a huge array of potential sounds on one instrument. The sounds of a 12-string acoustic, Fender Stratocaster style single coils, Les Paul humbuckers, banjo, chimes and dozens of others are all available at the flick of a switch. The best part about it is that all of these tonal variations are available completely hum free.

For the working musician, this means not having to lug around five to seven separate guitars to provide him with the all of the sounds he requires. The true test, however, is hearing one of these fine instruments in action, so if you'd like to check one out, a list of authorized dealers is available from the Line 6 website. At an MSRP of around $1000 for the mid-line Variax 600 - it's also available in the 300 and 700 - it's not cheap, but for the professional or amateur with money to burn, it may be a worthwhile investment.

There is so much more to be developed in the near future with the improvements in computer technology and miniaturization. Whole racks of effects can now be had in a box the size of a cigarette packet. This is certainly a boon for the musician in terms of both price and the effort necessary to move the equipment. I foresee a day when an entire guitarist rig, with the exception of the instrument itself will be contained within the body of the guitar itself.

And while that may not be a comfort to the guitarist who finds himself at home amongst his racks of effects processors, time waits for no man, and he will eventually find himself at a crossroads in musical instrument development, much as those men did back in 1930's and 40's when the acoustic guitar was forced to make way for the first electric guitars.

Shopping for a Piano: Acoustic vs. Digital

2008-09-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

The most serious piano teachers will adamantly point their students in the direction of an acoustic piano. For serious piano studying, I agree with this completely for reasons I will discuss shortly. But for many reasons, a genuine handcrafted instrument may not be the best choice for you. With the affordability, portability, and the many features that come with digital pianos, you may wish to head the other way. Summarily, the question of acoustic versus digital boils down to a matter of authenticity versus everything else.

Mostly, the drawbacks of an acoustic piano are matters of practicality, such as price. For what you could get a new, decent quality digital piano with, you’ll be dealing with a rather meager acoustic. This can encompass a number of problems. For instance, aside from any tuning it might need, the overall sound quality of a cheap acoustic piano can be quite poor. This may not just be an issue of bad strings, but can result from an infinite number of possible factors arising from any of the complex mechanics of the piano being in disrepair.

Other common problems of old pianos are broken keys and sticky keys, which is when the keys fail to spring up the way they should. There may also be faults with the framework that can range from nuisances to impending hazards. The list of the possible troubles of a bad acoustic continues indefinitely, and it is likely that the piano will need a decent amount of initial maintenance, in addition to periodic maintenance, which is likely to pull a few additional large bills out of your wallet right way.

Also, because of its bulk and weight, an acoustic may be a very difficult accommodation for people living in tight or elevated spaces, such as dorm rooms and certain city apartments.
Some buildings may even prohibit pianos, particularly on floors above the ground level, because the weight and bulk of pianos make them quite cumbersome and possibly hazardous to either the tenants or the buildings themselves. This raises the issue of portability as well.
Do you gig? Do you relocate frequently? Toting a 500 pound upright piano isn’t possible for most people; moving one across the room is a challenge for most people. If your music should ideally be ready to go, your hulking wooden companion is not going to be sympathetic.

Acoustic pianos also lack the many features present in digital pianos nowadays that may be valuable tools to you. For example, volume control may be necessary in dormitory, or close living, situations. Newer digitals also come with a suite of onboard functions, including on-the-fly recording, voice customization, electronic metronome, and even music mixing features, which you won’t have. You will also lack the benefit of porting your music to your PC; a simple MIDI connector would feed your performance directly into your computer’s audio card without any ambient noise or loss of sound quality, which will probably beat any recording made with an acoustic piano and consumer grade recording hardware available at a neighborhood electronics store.

In light what you’re giving up in bells and whistles, surely you will be at a degree of inconvenience being committed to an acoustic piano. Still, despite the great deal of effort digital piano makers have put into their product, none have been able to truly reproduce the sound and feel of a good acoustic piano. First, lets talk about the piano sound. To most people, casual or occasional listeners of piano music, the sounds made with an acoustic piano and a digital piano are quite identical and equally satisfactory musically. But listen closely, because there is an important difference.

A digital piano outputs high quality recordings of the sounds that were made by a real piano at one time. During the process of making a digital piano, each key of a real concert grand piano is struck a number of times at varying velocities and recorded with sophisticated equipment. This array of high quality recordings will serve as the digital voice, and will give the digital piano a rather broad range of tonality and an overall likeness of an acoustic piano in varying music dynamics. But once the notes have been recorded and finally integrated with the digital piano’s voicing mechanism, they are never going to be changed. Even though the aesthetic quality of the sound may be state of the art, it is the way the sounds should behave but cannot because they are fixed recordings that is the fundamental problem of digital pianos.

An acoustic piano uses a complex array of hammers, strings, a soundboard, and other moving parts that function in collaboration. This means that when any note is played, it is not played with entire independence, but is highly affected by the current state of the surrounding components of the piano. For example, playing a chord on a digital piano will simply result in three notes being played, as they were recorded individually, at the same time, whereas with an acoustic piano, the three notes will interact with each other through the soundboard and become a stew of vibrations, producing a different, more complex, and ultimately richer sound. Lacking this quality of pliability, what comes out of digital speakers will typically be quite simplistic and boring, and will be most unsatisfactory to aficionados of the true piano tone.

An acoustic piano is also an analog instrument, which means is has virtually infinite range.
For example, there is no limit to the loudness or softness a note may be played on an acoustic piano. With digital pianos, there is a point at which a minimum or maximum will be achieved. This means there will be occasions when you will not be able to play a note as softly or as loudly as you wish. In order words, true pppp or ffff are probably beyond the scope of digital pianos without you resorting to adjusting the volume dial while you’re performing. Even if you were to do that, the tonal quality of the notes would remain static from that point on, when it would further continue to dull or brighten on an acoustic piano.

Another problem of digital devices is the matter of intervals. In photography, for example, pixels are the intervals. With a traditional film camera, the amount of detail you are able to capture is theoretically unlimited because film is a single and continuous malleable body. The “film” of a digital camera is not single or continuous but is a multitude of pixels, each of which is only able to record a solid block of color. The amount of detail a digital camera is able to capture will depend on how small the pixels are and how tightly they’re packed together. If the pixels, or intervals, are small enough and packed closely enough, the amalgam of the blocks of color they record will appear to be smooth curves and gradients to the human eye.

There is a similar issue of intervals with digital pianos, which is mainly the issue of touch sensitivity. Digital pianos have a finite number of intervals when it comes to key pressure.
The more intervals there are and the closer they are to each other, the more realistically the piano will respond to your dynamics. High end digital pianos will have quite a lot of them.
But digital pianos within the means of average shoppers may not have sufficient sensitivity.
This means that while the vast difference between piano and forte may be noticeable, the most intricate variances of touch pressure may be disregarded. This will be quite a nuisance to pianists seeking a highly responsive instrument, particularly when it comes to meticulous classical music.

It also manifests in pedaling. Piano pedals are ranged. Between simple on and off, or up and down, there are degrees. “Half-pedaling” and “quarter-pedaling” are crude terms describing the manner of pedaling in which the pedal is only pressed partially down in order to create an intermediate effect. For instance, rather than completely depressing the pedal so that the full brilliance of a note is sustained, you may wish to depress it only half way to dampen about half of the note and let only the remainder of it sustain for a subtler, suppressed quality. Certainly a scrupulous pianist will wish to employ the complete range of pedaling available to him, which may not be represented entirely accurately in a digital piano.

Aside from sound, as mentioned previously, key touch is also an important issue. Digital piano makers these days have gone to great lengths to reproduce the feel of acoustic pianos. For the most part, they’ve done a good job. They’ve even gone as far as implementing graded hammer action, which is in line with the hammers of acoustic pianos gradually becoming lighter from left to right. As a matter of fact, if you could take a look at the inner workings of a digital piano, you would be quite surprised and impressed with the complexity of the hammer mechanics. However, as long as digital pianos look the way they do, being the shape and size they are, there is going to be a limit as to how authentically the key feel can be made.

The hammers in a digital piano are simply extensions of the pianist’s fingers. When the pianist presses a key down, it will raise the opposing side of the lever, which touches an electronic pad inside the piano that serves as the string. The hammers in an acoustic piano do not behave this way. Instead of being extensions of the pianist’s fingers, they are rather like projectiles that are sprung at the strings high above them. Imagine the carnival game where you hit the pad on the ground with a mallet, which flings a projectile up the meter towards the bell at the very top.

The finger is the mallet, the visible piano key is the pad, the hammer inside the piano is the projectile, and the string is the bell. First of all, this means if you press a key all the way down but not with the minimum amount of force needed, the projectile hammer will never leave its seating and the string will actually never be struck. On the part of the pianist, this launch-pad-like action will need a slightly different technique than the seesaw-like action of digital piano hammers, predominantly in difficult works. Secondly, it will feel noticeably different under the fingers.
The only way this can truly be reproduced in a digital piano is by the use of bona-fide acoustic hammers. And there’s nothing wrong with doing that. But the problem is there isn’t enough room for them inside the compact size of most of the digital pianos today. That’s why as long as they look the way they do, the action of digital pianos will not feel completely akin to that of acoustic pianos. Certain higher end models do integrate the acoustic hammer action simply to recreate the key feel. Even higher end models, which are called “silent pianos,” integrate strings as well and are bona-fide acoustic pianos with the added ability to remove the strings from the action and toggle on digital mode in order to provide volume control! But these tend to be even more expensive than acoustic pianos.

In terms of what the average piano shopper will be able to afford, the difference in the overall performance between a digital and acoustic piano will be stark. To restate what I said at the beginning of the article, it really boils down to the authenticity versus everything else. And the authenticity is usually going to cost you more to get. What you should think about is how important it is to you that the piano truly resembles an acoustic. Are you a classical piano student looking at a long road of perfection and possibly a career as a concert performer?

Then a digital piano is probably not what you want to be practicing on, even as a temporary substitution, because there is a good chance it will hurt your technique. It is possible to get financing on an acoustic piano, so I would recommend going that route, using your budget of cash as a down payment. If this is not necessarily what you have in mind for your musical venture, then perhaps a digital piano is all you require. Depending on your needs, it may not be a mere reduction of an acoustic, but a substantial upgrade with all the features you’re going to get. Typically, a digital piano will be more than enough to satisfy one’s musical appetite.

Source: Free Articles

my 3 step approach on how I give piano lessons

2008-08-25T17:20:00.000-07:00

This page contains my 3 step approach on how I give piano lessons. This is a general lesson.
I am always tending to change my routine around depending on the student’s strengths, or the mood of that day.

1. Warm-up
Usually the warm-up involves scales, triads, or whatever technique the student is working on. Just something to get the fingers moving. It will usually not be new information, I want to start with something they are familiar with.

2. Last Week’s Pieces
Hopefully the student’s have practised and so we can go over the pieces they have been working on. This is the point where I decide if they’re ready to move on or if they need to continue improving on the piece they already have. I always want to encourage students and let them know that they’ve done a good job.

3. Starting new Pieces
In the middle of the lesson is where I usually will have the student start on a new piece.
That way, they’ve had some success with previous things. I always tell students it’s better to start slowly and simply. I focus on the details so that next week when they come back, they’ll have these things mastered. It’s very difficult to "unlearn" something. If the piece is challenging, I just assign portions of it. For some students, learning in blocks is a good idea.

My future Grand Piano

2008-08-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

I don't know when, but it's a goal......I want that perfect piece of furniture!, That wonderful string instrument, that beautiful ebony centerpiece!

furthering my royal conservatory education

2008-08-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

I'm 34 years old and I'm furthering my education, it's never too late right?

I'm doing my grade 8 music theory so I can have my grade 8 diploma since I've already completed the practical exam a few years ago.

And I started grade 9 piano.

I'm loving the tunes, the music sure get better and better as the grades go up.

Very interesting melodies and chords.

gospel chords

2008-07-17T16:30:00.001-07:00

My Home Life

2008-02-14T07:10:00.001-08:00

The Top 10 Ways To Improvise On The Piano

2008-01-23T19:10:00.000-08:00

Looking for piano improvisation tips? Here are the top 10 ways to improvise on the piano:

1. Use fake books. Fake books, as one of the top 10 ways to improvise on the piano, are gentle introductions to what could be interpreted as the Wild West of improvisation. Improvisation is largely based on freedom of expression. Without having a good foundation of the basics, beginners may feel intimidated by the possibilities. Fake books however contain music that provides opportunities of expression. Since it's music lacks full notation, fake books allow the musician to fill in the missing parts with what *could* be there or what *should* be there without leaving *everything* up to the pianist.
2. Make up your own songs. Making up your own songs really isn't as easy as you might think. If you've been trained in the classics for example, you might find it difficult to break from instilled patterns. See if it helps to hum a random melody right off the top of your head at first. Then fill it in with interesting chords. You could probably fill up an entire album of improv this way!
3. Imagine how a master would play a song. Here, you can put your imagination to use and let your fingers tell the story. Ask yourself what Alicia Keys would play for a crowd -- impromptu of course. Since her music is already a bit unconventional, your mind shouldn't have too much trouble inventing new tunes for "her" (er... we mean, for you).
4. Improve a song with elements from your culture, the current holiday, etc. Every culture has it's own unique set of chords and rhythms so why not incorporate them into the contemporary music that you play? This way, you can spice things up. You could for example, give the National Anthem an Brazilian spin or Italian twist.
5. Try to forget whatever you've learned about notes, intervals, scales, chords, and all the rest. Approach the piano as if you've never seen the thing before and you wonder what it does. Touch it's keys and see if your random play generates any interesting tunes. If you should 'accidentally' discover a cool tune, melody, chord, or rhythm, build on it. Think of another section that would go well with the element that you just discovered. Keep following this pattern and you'll have an entire song in no time.
6. Remember that when improvising, there are no mistakes. Okay, that's not entirely true -- but the idea is to break you from fearing improvisation. The thing that prevents a lot of us from even trying improvisation is our own fear.
7. Try different elements within a single song. Mix and mash different rhythms, octaves, dynamics, and more just to see what results. While you might not find anything appropriate for an entire song, you just might discover a unique passage that would fit well in an existing song.
8. While you're experimenting, record your efforts. You can easily create a database of unique passages if you record your efforts into a sound database. Your database needn't be anything fancy, as a simple file of wav files will suffice. Just remember to give your recordings descriptive names.
9. Chord it. Play a steady beat and a single chord with your right hand in other words, and use then use your left hand to decorate the chord with an interesting melody.
10. Try playing a song that you've committed to memory -- only play it backwards. You're sure to find some unique and creative passages using this method!

The Concert

2007-12-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

The Concert
When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin,

the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing Suddenly,

the curtains parted and spotlights
focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her littleboy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out
"Twinkle,Twinkle Little Star."
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance,

quickly moved to the piano, and
whispered in the boy's ear,
"Don't quit.""Keep playing."
Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached
down with his left hand and began filling
in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached
around to the other side of the child,
and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice
transformed what could have been a frightening situation

into a wonderfully creative experience.
The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall

what else the great master played.
Only the classic,
" Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Perhaps that's the way it is with God.
What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy.
We try our best, but the results aren't always
graceful flowing music. However, with the
hand of the Master, our life's
work can truly be beautiful.

The next time you set out to accomplish great feats,
listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the
Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing."
May you feel His arms around you and
know that His hands are there, helping you
turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.
Remember, God doesn't seem to
call the equipped, rather, He equips the 'called.'

Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire.

So touch someone by passing this little message along.

May God bless you and be with you always!
and remember ,
"Don't quit."
"Keep playing."

Christmas offer

2007-11-27T12:11:00.001-08:00

Hi Fellow Musician,

The Christmas season, my favorite season of the entire year, is ALMOST here. AND... Courtesy of Jermaine and HearandPlay.com, I have the PERFECT gift idea that YOU or one of your relatives would LOVE to see under the tree (...or better yet, on top of their piano).
My good friend Jermaine left me a message just last night to let me know that his revolutionary 3 H-O-U-R Christmas instructional course, Christmas Keys Vol.1 is now available at a special reduced price. And for the price he quoted me, I simply had to fill you guys in!
Let me tell you, his one of a kind learning method has already taught thousands to play many of their favorite Christmas
songs by ear. And the best part is... it's so simple to do!

Once you pop the first disc inside your DVD player, he literally takes you by the hand and shows you step-by-step how to conquer virtually ANY Christmas song that you've ever heard...from the classics we all listened to while growing up to some of todays more popular renditions.

"Christmas Keys vol.1" is LOADED with tons of powerful tips, easy-to-do tricks, and techniques that will have you playing like a pro by this Christmas season - GUARANTEED!

In this course, you'll...

...*Learn several variations of each song so you can play these Christmas classics a different way every time!
*Discover the power of "inversions" and how changing one note in your chord can totally alter the way a progression sounds!
*Uncover the secrets to playing an entire song with only three-fingered major chords (...also known as "major triads").
*How to add fuel to your bass by understanding how "power"
chords work in holiday music...
*How to play "Go Tell It On The Mountain" in a churchy praise style! I'm talking about bass lines, runs, fill-ins, and more (...similar to GospelKeysTM 300 and GospelKeysTM 500)!
*From beginning to end: How to play every song, step-by-step, with no guessing (whatsoever) or any information left out!
By the end of this course, you'll have what it takes to fully play all of these Christmas songs by ear - That's a PROMISE!
Click the link below to learn more:
http://www.hearandplay.com/at.cgi/437773/ck.html

Due to the high demand and moderate supply, this incredible offer for Christmas Keys will only be around for a short time.
So...
...Don't waste time!
Start Playing Your Christmas Favorites TODAY!

All the best,
rachel neil
P.S. - You might find more interesting information, techniques, or resources just by clicking around on their website...
Again, visit
http://www.hearandplay.com/at.cgi/437773/ck.html

sample gospel music

2007-11-27T07:30:00.001-08:00

http://sell.hearandplay.com/at.cgi/437773/newberealpromo

Frederic Chopin

2007-11-24T09:34:00.001-08:00

Chopin was one of the greatest composers of music for the piano. He was also a fine pianist, performing concerts and demonstrating to audiences the full range and power of the piano, which in his day was a new and modern instrument.Chopin was born in Poland and he spent most of his life in France.
But he never forgot his native country and he often used rhythms and melodies from Polish folk music in his works.Frederic Chopin was born near Warsaw, Poland, on february 22 1810.
His father was a Frenchman who had settled in Poland; his mother was Polish.
Chopin, like Mozart, first showed his musical genius when as a young child he began to imitate his older sister as she practised on the piano. He was composing musical pieces before he understood how to write them down. By the time he was 8 he gave his first public concert.
He was only 15 when one of his compositions was published.In 1829, when chopin was 19, he went on a concert tour.
He was so well received in Paris that he decided to live there, and he never returned to Poland. However, the folk music of his native land had a great influence on his musical style; rhythms and melodies of two Polish dances, the mazurka and polonaise, can be heard in many of his compositions.

Tchaikovsky

2007-11-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, Russia, in 1840. His parents had no particular ambitions for their son to become a musician, but young Peter showed an early love for music. He was given piano lessons at the age of five and within a year he could play better than his teacher.
His mother died when he was fourteen years old and he was greatly saddened by her death.
He began to compose music which, he said, helped to soothe his troubled mind.
By the end of his life, in the late nineteenth century, Peter Illich Tchaikovsky was acknowledged as the greatest living composer.
However, at the beginning of his career, his compositions were not always appreciated. Tchaikovsky's music, which is so popular and familiar today, was at the time considered to be very modern and different.
Some people thought it was too sentimental and emotional. But audiences everywhere soon came to appreciate Tchaikovsky's distinctive musical style, which was full of passion and feeling.

beginner's theory lesson

2007-10-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

First thing and easiest thing to learn is that each one of your fingers has it's own number: The thumb is always number 1, the index finger on either hand is 2, your third finger is 3, your ring fingers are 4 and the pinky is 5.

Musical notes are written on a set of five horizontal lines called a staff. In piano music there is 2 staff, they are then called staves. Notes can be written on the lines and in the spaces between the lines. Each note name has a different position on the staff and these note names are actually letters of the alphabet from a-g and starting again at a and so on...

With piano music, the top staff is for the right hand and the bottom staff is for the left hand. The 2 staves are joined with a bracket so you know you're supposed to play both hands at the same time.
When you see numbers above or under notes, they are usually the number finger you're supposed to play that note with.

Music also tells you how long to make each note last. The beats are figured out from a fraction point of view. Imagine a whole pizza being the whole note, you cut it in 4 pieces hence it's 4 beats. If you'd cut the whole note in half, hence the half note counting 2 beats, how about using a quarter of the whole note, hence the quarter note lasting one beat. Music is math!
It can take some time to relate written notes to the keys on your piano but the more you look at music sheet and try to play it, the easier it will get over times.

You'll eventually learn about silences, these signs tells you there are no notes to be played for a certain amount of time, for example the quarter rest is quiet for the time of a quarter note, the half rest is quiet for the time of a half note and so forth....it's pretty straight forward really.
If you have the choices of a few piano teachers around town, I'd probably go for one that you feel easy going and comfortable with. If a teacher has a difficult schedule that doesnt meet yours but has great credentials; I'd say keep on looking because it's actually not important to choose one with great credentials when you need to start with the basics, any teacher will know the basics so pick one that fits your schedule and you get along fine with. If you pursue your studies to the point where you need someone that can teach higher grades, then of course you'll have to shop some more for a more qualified teacher but you'll also pay more... The higher a teacher has gotten in terms of degrees and grades the more she or he is apt to charge.

Good luck and have fun!

funny incident in class

2007-10-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Chandler and I went to the primary school for 11 O'clock this morning to play piano with the primary choir.
The funniest and most unexpected incident happened:
Chandler decided that his diaper was full enough of pee and he took his shoes, socks, pants and then his diaper off!!!
I was in the middle of accompanying the grade 1 choir on the piano and did not notice at first.
Good thing Mrs Steeves excused us so we could go fetch a diaper in the truck.
Go figure... one time I forget the diaper bag in the truck instead of bringint it in the school with us!
I bet my daughter will have heard from this friend or that friend about the details of the incidents, she's actually going to walk into the house any minute now..

volunteering

2007-10-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

I've accepted to volunteer for the primary choir of my daughter's school.
It's now been a couple of months I believe and I'm still having a hard time.
I'm now almost 34 years old and have been playing piano since I was 9.
Believe it or not, I find myself getting nervous playing piano in front of a classroom of grade 1 kids!
I don't think the nervousness ever goes away, I just have to be as prepared as I can be and concentrate on my music sheet instead of the stares of those little people!
Speaking of which I should be practicing instead of writting here on my blog!
Somebody needs to kick my lazy butt off my comfortable computer chair!

I have volunteering to do tomorrow, each wednesday actually, and I bring my little Chandler along with me because...well, I'm not about to leave my 3 year old son at home alone. LOL
He's usually good in the classroom, he watches what's happening, and sometimes he crawls under my piano bench to mess with the pedals that I need to press down with my feet!
Other times he like to slap my back as I'm struggling to keep the tune and turn the pages.
It's all been quite a challenge but frankly I'm glad for it because it's making me try harder, is giving me more experience, and I definately need to play in the public since I'm nervous over the slightest thing!
I feel better having confided in you, thanks for listening to my silly worries!
Rachel Neil

Fellow piano players

2007-10-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Fellow Musician,
Have you always wanted to learn to play jazz on the piano but
never had the time or the money...
...Or worst of all spent endless amounts money that you really
didn't have on lessons that were "supposed" to teach you but
left you even further back than where you started?
Well, if this sounds like you, then you should definitely keep
reading. Now listen, you don't have to go to jazz concerts
anymore saying "I wish I could do that." If you want to start
playing jazz by ear right away, I've definitely found that
someone (...and that something) that's going to help you do it.
The guy who I'm talking about is none other than James Wrubel,
one of the front-runners in today's modern jazz era. This man
has been there and back as a professional jazz musician and has
played with some of the top names on the charts today.
With his crazy schedule, I'm still surprised that Hear and Play
Music was able to capture him for literally more than 8 days
and extract so much content to create this new and innovative
Jazz DVD Learning Machine.
This system is completely loaded! In two DVDs and over 2 hours
of step-by-step instruction, he takes you by the hand and shows
you how to master TONS of award-winning jazz tips, tricks, and
techniques as well as signature soloing secrets that'll have
you playing hundreds of jazz pieces by ear in no time.

Once you have this system in your hands you're going to...

Discover:
- How to quickly and easily form tons of jazz chord patterns
and runs that are guaranteed to have you standing out from
the crowd.
- How to accelerate your jazz learning curve by combining 3
secret elements that the pros don't want you to know!
- How to ensure that no matter what voicings and blues licks you
play, they'll turn heads each and every time!
- The 7 secrets to playing signature solos like a pro from a pro!
Click here to learn more:
http://sell.hearandplay.com/at.cgi/437773/jazz.html

All the best,
rachel neil
P.S. - You might find more interesting information, techniques,
or resources just by clicking around on their website at
http://www.HearandPlay.com/437773