23 January 2016 So You Want To Play Piano In A Band

So You Want To Play Piano In A Band

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Your teen has been hinting around they want to start playing the piano. It could be they want to play in a band.

Being in a band is cool. They envision themselves as the next member of Rolling Stones. But before they ever head out on tour, music has to become a part of their lives.So You Want To Play Piano In A Band

Playing piano in a band is different than playing for yourself. You have to rethink the way you play.

Rarely will you be playing things you learned, and instead will be making things up as you go along. You improvise. You invent.

Which means the art of playing comes to be. You start thinking as a “we” rather than a “me”. You have to compliment every other member of the band in order to create a sound that works together.

Because of the wide variety of sounds on a digital keyboard, they are often tasked with creating many different sounds. Learning traditional piano is important, but it also becomes beneficial to understand how to incorporate other sounds as well. The challenge is to play those parts as if you are the other instrument, not as if you are a solo pianist.

It takes training.

It takes practice.

If you are playing like a guitarist, you have to build chords like a guitarist. If you are playing like a horn player, you can’t play multiple notes at the same time.

You also have to be a better listener, a better ear player. Like any skill, the more you do it, the better you will become. Playing by ear is often called upon whether mimicking popular music, or creating new sounds. Chords come together and compliment each other throughout the song. As you listen to others, it becomes easier to implement your own ideas.

Is your teen ready to start up a band? The first step may be to get them into music. A quality digital piano is the best place to start. Stop by today and we can help you find the perfect instrument.

Filed Under: Piano Music, Piano Playing Tagged With: ,
4 December 2015 Is Your Piano Posture Correct?

Is Your Piano Posture Correct?

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Is there an art for to sitting down to play the piano? Does it matter how you sit, what you sit on, and how you play?

If you want to play your best, and feel your best long after you get up from your practice session, the answer is yes.Is Your Piano Posture Correct?

Correct piano posture comes from a place where the functionality of your body meets the functionality of the piano. When both are at optimal level, you’ll create a beautiful sound with good technique.

Correct piano posture isn’t difficult. In fact, read through these elements once and you’ll understand the basic technique. The art comes from follow-thru every time you sit down to play.

Start with the proper state of mind
You should never sit down to play the piano because you have to. Instead, you should only sit down when you choose to. Relax before you play. Sit down and be happy to play.

Sit at the correct bench
Never pull up a chair or sit at a bench just because it’s there. A piano bench should be at the proper height. Make sure your elbows are aligned with the keyboard, or are slightly higher than the keyboard for more leverage. Place the bench far enough away from the keyboard so you have proper placement on the keys in front of you, with the ability to easily reach all the keys on the keyboard. Don’t use the entire bench; use only the front half.

Keep your back straight
You should never slouch when playing the piano. Keep your back straight, sitting with a dignified attitude.

Keep your feet on the floor
Never tuck your feet under the piano bench, or cross them in front of you while you play. You need stability while you play. Place your feet either on the pedals if you will be using them, or near the pedals for well grounded placement.

Keep your arms comfortable
Your arms are where the music comes from. If you tense up or use the wrong stance, you’ll feel it long after you are done with practice. Keep your arms relaxed. Keep your shoulders down and elbows a comfortable distance from your body. Keep your wrists flexible and without tension. Round your fingers and knuckles for easy playing.

If your piano playing posture is correct, you’ll feel good while you play and enjoy your practice more. You’ll protect your body from injury. And you’ll notice improved technique in the way you express your music.

Filed Under: Piano Music, Piano Playing Tagged With: ,
4 November 2015 Why Music Is Just As Important As Sports In School

Why Music Is Just As Important As Sports In School

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Sports in schools gets a lot of press. And for good reason. Sports can improve self-esteem, teach kids team building skills, and keep them active for hours at a time. An important skill to have in today’s world with skyrocketing obesity rates.

Yet while value is consistently showcased on the positives of sports, the positives of music haven’t been as well publicized. And that needs to change.

Music has been a part of our lives as long as humans have been on planet Earth. Whether listeninWhy Music Is Just As Important As Sports In Schoolg, singing, or playing, music has the power to change our world. Yet despite the universal interest in music, many schools are doing away with music programs. Eliminating music isn’t just taking away an enjoyable experience from kids, it’s also taking away valuable life skills. Learning music is important on so many levels; to offer it to all kids from an early age brings a wealth of benefits not only to a child’s life, but also to the general population as a whole.

1. Music helps develop language and reasoning. Music makes kids think quicker on their feet, and enjoy exploring more about our world.

2. Music increases coordination. Playing an instrument helps kids develop hand eye coordination and improves their fine motor skills.

3. Music improves memorization skills. Even when using sheet music, a child must learn to memorize certain aspects of music to move along from note to note. This same skill carries over into schoolwork as well.

4. Music is a natural stress release. Whether you attend a concert, zone with your iTunes and favorite artist, or sit down at the piano to practice, the stress quickly begins shedding away as you hear your favorite melodies.

5. Music increases pattern recognition. Patterns are built into all STEM classes, including math and science. Music improves the skills of recognizing patterns and being able to apply it to the most complex tasks.

6. Music improves test taking skills and helps them do better on the SAT. Studies consistently show that children that participate in music activities do better with test taking skills, and SAT scores can be as much as 60 points higher on both the verbal and math portions of the tests.

7. Music builds imagination. Music, like reading, fosters a positive attitude towards learning and curiosity.

8. Music prepares for a creative careers. Employers no longer want doers, they want thinkers too. Studies show that music majors make the best medical students. And an education rich in music helps bring artistic expression to just about any job. That need will increase in our future as we face more complex tasks and higher growth into technology and the unknown.

9. Music teaches risk taking. Performing a piece of music in front of an audience allows a child to conquer their fears and take risks to prove how much talent they really have.

10. Music encourages self confidence. With encouragement from teachers and parents, students can take pride and confidence in the skills they learn.

And what’s most magical is these skills will continue to build over a lifetime. Music is something you can invest in as easily at 10 as you can at 100. And it will keep improving over time.

Filed Under: Piano Music, Piano Playing Tagged With: , ,
13 May 2015 Why Are There Black and White Keys On A Piano?

Why Are There Black and White Keys On A Piano?

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Some of the questions we receive about pianos surprise us. Yes, we expect the questions about choosing between a new and a used piano. Or how often a piano really needs to be tuned. Yet it’s certain questions that are unexpected, and the more we think about them, the more we realize how complex they really are. Take this one for instance.

Why are there black and white keys on a piano?Why Are There Black and White Keys On A Piano?

At first glance, one of the easiest answers would be that by combining the two keys, it makes the keyboard more functional. If there were only white keys, you would have to start at the bottom and count up to find the keys needed to begin and play a song. By adding the black keys, it gives you a visual cue or repeating patterns to help you stay on track as you play.

But that’s a simple answer. And as it turns out, there is a more complex, historic answer as well.

When you look at the keyboard, by combining the black and white keys, they are laid out in a repeating pattern of groups of two black keys and groups of three black keys. When played, the white keys form a C major scale in a series of half steps – two keys together, one key between. When you play the scale from C to C, you’ll have a perfect set of twelve pitches – all half steps – that create the perfect pattern for most of the music we listen to today.

If you use only the white keys, it gives you all of the notes of the diatonic scale, which means that by transposing to C major, you can play any major key melody using only the white keys. And in fact, if you head back to the 13th century, you will find that most keyboards were white key only, with no “black keys” at all. Most religious music of the time only used C major scale pitches, so it was easy to compose on these keyboards.

Music changed when it began separating from the church, and music became more improvisational in the process. Different scales were run, and experimentation begun, which started creating faster pieces of music that became impossible to ignore the key signature sharps or flats. When people began valuing having a perfectly tuned chromatic notes that could easily be played at higher speeds, the keyboard changed in order to keep up with the demands of the music being created. While experimentation has continued throughout the centuries, this became the perfect – or the standard – in all keyboards, and it’s what we still use today.

Have any other questions about how the piano works? We’d love to hear from you.

Filed Under: Piano Lessons, Piano Music, Piano Playing Tagged With:
23 April 2015 Quick Tips For Learning The Piano Keys

Quick Tips For Learning The Piano Keys

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The very first time you sit down in front of a piano, it can be a little intimidating. With that many keys, how will you ever learn them all?

Chances are you’ve heard of middle C. Middle C is the C closest to the center of the piano. This is the key that keeps you anchored when you play. It’s usually about where you sit, and it will be an active part of the majority of your songs.Quick Tips For Learning The Piano Keys

Middle C is usually found under the brand of the piano located above the keys.

  • On a 61 key piano, it’s the 3rd C.
  • On a 76 key piano, it’s the 3rd C.
  • On a 88 key piano, it’s the 4th C.

The music alphabet runs from the letters A through G. A always comes after G, and begins the alphabet over again. And every letter to letter of the alphabet is an octave – A through G is one octave.

When you sit down and play an octave – A through G – the tone will never change. The range will sound different, and be lower or higher depending on the range of notes you play. But overall, you will hear the same tonal quality from octave to octave.

A piano’s black keys always form the pattern of a set of 2 followed by a set of 3. Find any set of 2 black keys; the white key in the middle will always be a D. From the D, you can move up and down the alphabet, filling in the letters.

The black keys from the sharps and the flats. They are a half way point between the tonal quality of a note. If you move to the black key to the right of the G, for instance, you will press the G sharp key. The black key to the left will give you a G flat.

Now that you understand what each piano key represents, learn to recognize them quickly by reviewing often, and applying it to the way you play every day.

Filed Under: Piano Music, Piano Playing Tagged With: ,
26 March 2015 How Music Can Impact Your Health

How Music Can Impact Your Health

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Music can have a profound impact on your life in many ways.

But study after study shows that music can go way beyond, and actually make an impact on your health as well.How Music Can Impact Your Health

Take, for instance, what some have called the Kenny Rogers Effect.

When people suffer brain injuries, such as strokes, when they listen to music while undergoing standard therapy, they fare better in their progress towards recovery.

Listening to favorite songs helped people perform better, and thus activated more therapeutic effects that lasted for the long term, helping them improve at a faster rate. While scientists tried a variety of music in a variety of genres, they found the songs that provided the greatest benefits were performed by artist Kenny Rogers, thus the Kenny Rogers Effect was born.

While studies continue to determine the long-lasting effects music has on the brain, other studies continue as well.

Music May Help Prevent Seizures
Seizures can be very damaging to the body. It has been shown that music by Mozart played on the piano has seizure reducing effect in the brain when played within five minutes of exposure. In some cases, it has also worked with patients in comas. While experimentation with other forms of music is still at a minimal level, it may be a reason to bring out the classical music the next time you sit down to play.

Helping Combat Parkinson’s Symptoms
Music is good for the brain, its been shown to be true over and over again. But what about the body?

Victims of Parkinson’s suffer from muscle spasms, locking muscles and problems with balancing. By using music therapy, it has been shown to resolve many of the physical issues faced by many victims currently suffering with Parkinson’s.

Have you ever listened to music – even music you don’t enjoy – and found your foot keeping beat to the music? Its because portions of your brain that deal with rhythm and movement are so automated, we require little thought to feel the beat. This movement isn’t handled by the same process we use to make other moves, such as walking up the stairs. Instead, the brain associates music with movement, and sends the movement signal to your legs. In some cases, music can trick a broken, unresponsive body into movement and action, and bring balance back into the lives of people that may have lost it.

Do you have any stories on how music has helped with the health of someone important in your life? With so much growing evidence showing the benefits of music, why not make it a regular part of your routine.

Filed Under: Piano Music Tagged With: ,
31 December 2014 How To Break Your Piano Practice Bad Habits

How To Break Your Piano Practice Bad Habits

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We all have them with everything we do. We start out with the best of intentions. But something gets in the way. And soon, our bad habits stand in the way of us achieving the kind of results we’ve always desired.

Yes, I could be talking about anything. After all, how many of us really want to stick with that diet we started when fresh baked chocolate chip cookies are put in front of us?How To Break Your Piano Practice Bad Habits

When it comes to playing the piano, we all start out with the best of intentions. After all, the goal is to play beautiful music with one of the most versatile instruments around.

But like all great intentions, things can go array. And before long you may be finding yourself dreading practice, questioning why you ever wanted to play the piano in the first place.

Problems with practicing the piano usually fall into one of several categories:

  • Timing issues
  • Playing issues
  • Goals

Timing

Playing the piano means practice. If you don’t set up a routine to practice on a consistent basis, you will never improve your skills. One of the most common bad habits is not incorporating practice into your weekly routine. Its easy to “get busy” and have something else take its place. But if the piano is truly important in your life, the only way to make it happen is to practice on a regular basis. While it doesn’t have to be every day at a certain time, you should be able to carve out time every week. Once you find a routine that works for you, stick with it and make it a priority. When you see the results, you’ll be more likely to keep the pattern.

Playing

Many people try and learn piano on their own. They watch a few videos, read a book or two, or refer back to lessons they’ve had in the past. The problem with doing things on your own is you may not be doing things the right way. If your posture is wrong, it may be causing problems with your arm or hand movement. If you don’t understand the music, you may be playing with the wrong tonal quality. With every task you do, every new hobby you try, the only way to perfect it is through practice and critique. A piano teacher’s job is to give critique; to help you through the bad habits and turn them into good. If you’ve been stuck for a while, it may be a simple “a-ha” moment that can help you make a few leaps.

Goals

When it comes to playing the piano, is it simply to play a piece of music, or enjoy playing a piece of music? If your goal is to simply play it, the enjoyment may be lost. You practice to get the notes right, playing it through again and again to make it from beginning to end.

Music should never be approached in this manner. It doesn’t matter the difficulty of the piece of music, how many songs you can learn in a period of time, or how quickly you advance into difficult pieces. Instead, its about letting the music flow through you. When you “feel” the music, it accomplishes a lot. It gives you enjoyment, it takes away stress, it fills you with a sense of accomplishment. Take a look at your true goals; are they on target to enjoy the music you make? Do you have the things necessary to make this a reality?

Whether its trying a new song, or creating a new music room that will allow you to play to your full potential, without the right goal in mind, you may just be setting yourself up for failure.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Owning a Piano, Piano Music Tagged With: ,
22 November 2014 What Skills Does A Piano Tuner Have?

What Skills Does A Piano Tuner Have?

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With certain jobs, skill and knowledge might not have much of an impact. Take, for instance, the clerk down at the local discount store. They were hired to ring up sales, maybe answer a question or two about where something is in the store, and get as many people in and out in the quickest way possible. It doesn’t really matter is she knows where a certain product is; she can ask several people around her and provide you with the answer.What Skills Does A Piano Tuner Have?

But that mindset doesn’t follow through to all jobs. If you hire the right piano tuner, your piano will have a beautiful sound after he leaves, and carry that sound through many hours of play in the coming weeks and months. Hire the wrong one, and well … probably not so great results.

But how do you know? How can you protect yourself from piano tuners that aren’t in it for quality, just merely for the money? This is the the time to ask the right questions to find the right person for the job.

Question #1 What qualifications do you have?

There are several ways for a piano tuner to gain the qualifications it takes to be a great piano tuner.

  • They can receive training and become a registered piano technician through the Piano Technicians Guild, which provides classes and training for both beginning piano tuners and for those wanting to improve their skills. They also have a series of tests to be awarded with the certification of being a registered piano technician.
  • They can attend a school or training program specifically for piano tuning. Colleges, universities, even piano manufacturers put on classes for people to learn more about the art of piano tuning. This can provide training with many of the artists in the industry, and give a person hands on experience with a variety of instruments while being overseen by musicians that love what they do.
  • They can complete an apprenticeship with an experienced piano tuner. In some cases a love of the art and on the job training can provide the skills necessary to be a great piano tuner.

While any way can be valid, keep in mind that in many cases its about the drive to become better at what they do. You can tell if a person loves music and cares about quality just by talking to them.

Question #2 What experience do you have?

It seems like there are all kinds of start up opportunities out there right now with people trying to make a few extra bucks by setting up shop and undercutting people that have been in business for years. Its happening in all kinds of trades and industries, and its easy to be swayed by their low-ball fees.

In some cases it may be worth looking at. In other cases, not so much.

Imagine hiring a piano tuner that read an online manual and decided to open up a business on nights and weekends. Sure, they might be able to tune a piano, but what’s the quality and how long will it last?

Piano tuning is an art. It takes years to develop a sense about what to do in every situation. You have to continue to run into new problems, ask the right questions, and learn from people that have been in situations before to really get a feel for the right processes. Because its not just about tightening a string here or reducing tension on the strings over there. Its about the coordination of the entire process, and learning how one piece integrates with another to reach and maintain the perfect sound.

And all of that doesn’t come from reading a book and trying your skills out on a piano or two. It comes from learning from many other piano tuners and working on different pianos year after year.

In the end, finding and trusting the right piano tuner is a personal choice. When you get that “feeling”, you know you’ve found the right piano tuner for you.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Music Tagged With: , ,
12 November 2014 Proper Piano Tuning Is More Than Listening To The Sound

Proper Piano Tuning Is More Than Listening To The Sound

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Have you ever been to a antique car show? The owners take great pride in their cars, shining them up and detailing them to make everything look brand new.

If you have a musician in your life, you probably have experienced the same thing. They take great pride in their instruments, making sure they are at peak playability.

When a piano is freshly tuned, there is no other sound like it. Proper Piano Tuning Is More Than Listening To The SoundWhen someone loves to play the piano, they can get lost in their own music. That’s a feeling most piano players can relate to. Every note sounds perfect. Every chord blends together impeccably.

But the more you play, the more the music loses that preciseness. Its not difficult to know when a piano is out of tune. Even those who are tone-deaf can usually pick up on the cues fairly quickly. It’s a flat note here, and an off-sound there. And when it doesn’t sound right, its just not as fun to play.

Sound is only the first aspect of tuning a piano. Its usually the easiest to pick up on, the cue that lets you know immediately that something is changing. But tuning goes beyond creating a balanced tune.

  • A proper tuning helps the soundboard retain its shape, creating the perfect tension that enhances the sound quality.
  • A proper tuning keeps the strings perfectly taut and kink-free, to keep the notes from sounding “off”.
  • A proper tuning eliminates broken strings.
  • A proper tuning protects the pinblock from receiving too much wear, which can reduce the piano’s pitch.
  • A proper tuning can provide a stable environment that helps keep a piano in tune for longer periods of time. The more regular you are with tuning, the more stable your piano will become.

If you are wondering if its time to schedule tuning for your piano, ask yourself two questions.

When was the last time your piano was tuned?

What is the sound quality of your piano as you play it?

Those two questions can be big indicators of when its time for a tuning. Not only will it improve your playing, but it will keep your piano in top shape as well.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Music Tagged With: ,
18 October 2014 The Best Room Conditions For The Sound Of Your Piano

The Best Room Conditions For The Sound Of Your Piano

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Pianos are built to last, and with the right care, will provide decades of enjoyment. Yet what determines how long it will last and the condition it will be in at the end of the road depends a great deal on the environment its placed in today.

If you own an acoustic piano or are in the process of buying one, new or used, there are right room conditions that increase the potential life of your piano. Use these guidelines to help you create or update the piano room that will both protect and enhance your investment.

Choose The Right RoomThe Best Room Conditions For The Sound Of Your Piano

Your piano can sound different depending on its final resting spot. Every room has different architectural structure, which can significantly change the sound of your piano. A piano with a bright sound can be nicely balanced by surrounding it with absorbent furnishings such as carpets, rugs and wall hangings. A subtle, more mellow voice is nicely complemented by wooden floors and other hard surfaces. Don’t be afraid to move furniture and décor around as you play to achieve the best results. If you notice vibrations in windows, loose shelves, or even picture frames, move things to avoid harsh tones and even to avoid damaging things from falling in the process.

Maintain The Right Temperature

The ideal piano room maintains a constant room temperature of 70-72° F. If the temperature is allowed to fluctuate drastically beyond these guidelines, problems can quickly start to materialize, such as a change in the tuning, a weakening of the internal glue, and long term wood damage.

Keep in mind that other factors can come into play with regards to temperature. While your room may be a comfy 70°, if you place your piano along an outside wall and it dips down to freezing levels outside, it can drop the temperature of your wall significantly. Also keep your piano away from drafty windows and doors, away from fireplaces, and away from climate control vents.

Control The Elements

Access to outside elements can provide an easy way for potential threats to easily have access to your piano.

Water is not a piano’s friend. While a water glass or other food and drink items should never be placed on a piano, the same hold true with access to condensation. Keep a piano far away from doors and windows where water and other elements may have access to the piano’s surface.

Dust, pollen, dander, smoke – all can easily damage the piano’s inner-workings by accumulating in the tiny places. Keep the piano lid closed and clean your piano regularly to avoid buildup.

Also avoid direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Indirect sunlight can help prevent mold and can even help yellowing in the piano keys. Just be sure to monitor the overall temperature if a room receives a lot of sunny days.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Music Tagged With: ,
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