23 September 2019 The Science Behind Learning The Piano

The Science Behind Learning The Piano

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Why do you play the piano? Ask dozens of students and they’ll all give you different reasons. For fun. For enjoyment. For skill. Possibly even for a career. 

What’s more, learning the piano can ensure a lifelong skill. Unlike sports or other activities, piano is something you can enjoy and take part in for the rest of your life. And there’s further reason to so. According to many studies, there are many benefits of learning to play the piano

It increases brain processing

As we age, the ability to process usually slows down. Some studies show that if you continue to be active in playing the piano, the process doesn’t occur as fast. Playing the piano can also help slow memory loss, giving you the ability to continue to work through complex problems much longer in life. 

It helps with comprehension

Have you heard that musicians are better at math? There’s scientific evidence proving it. If you’ve heard of “The Mozart Effect”, it showed that even listening to Mozart for ten minutes before performing specific tasks can increase a wide variety of skills, including comprehension. A great reason to put classical music on while you study or attempt to solve problems. 

It helps with coordination

If you’ve ever sat down at the piano for even a moment, you know it takes a lot of concentration to put every action together. Both hands touch different notes, while your eyes focus on reading sheet music. That means every time you sit down you’re working at controlling both hand and eye coordination. 

Learning the piano no matter what your age can give you a lifetime of enjoyment. It’s something you can play, listen to, and enjoy for many years to come. 

Are you ready to learn the piano? Get started by finding the perfect piano for your home. Stop by today and see our full selection of acoustic and digital pianos. There’s a perfect one waiting for you. 

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21 September 2019 Want To Install a Player System On Your Piano?

Want To Install a Player System On Your Piano?

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For many piano players, playing the piano is only part of what they enjoy; the other is listening to a favorite composition or piece of music. And while you can always pop a CD into your music system, or tune into your favorite channel on Spotify, why not restore your piano to include a player system? 

Installing a player system on your piano can give your piano new life. It can put your piano on display, and keep it active and healthy while you enjoy the music you’ve grown to love. 

The first step is to evaluate player systems. Each system comes with its own array of add-on components and abilities. They can range in price and offer a variety of functionalities, depending on your ultimate desire. 

They can include things like:

  • Large music libraries
  • Recording features
  • Playlist functionality
  • iPad interfaces
  • Ability to incorporate other instruments into the mix

If you want to install a player system on your piano, the best way to approach it is during the restoration process. That way, it’s fully integrated with new parts and new systems, and will be an investment you grow to love for years to come. 

Are you ready to update your piano with a player system? 

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3 September 2019 Use One Of These Metronome Apps For Better Piano Playing

Use One Of These Metronome Apps For Better Piano Playing

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Playing the piano today means striking a balance between old technology and digital helpers. Even if you prefer an acoustic piano passed down from your parents or grandparents, you can’t deny using apps to make the playing and learning process a little easier. 

For many piano players, using a metronome is a part of regular practice. It can be an essential process for learning new music. But how do you know what’s the best metronome app to purchase? You don’t know how good it is until after you make the purchase and download it to your digital device. Check out these metronome apps, available on both IoS and Android. 

Metronome+ 

Metronome Plus is a musician’s toolkit available to IoS users. It offers free solutions with more detailed tools available through in-app purchases. The metronome mode is sleek and simple, with customization available to suit your needs. You’ll also find things like a recorder to record and share your practice session, auto loop functions to adjust the tempo over time, and a setlist to record your favorite settings. 

MetroTimer

MetroTimer is available for both IoS and Android devices. It offers a timer feature below the metronome that helps you pace your practice sessions. While the free version is basic, upgrade and you can access things like custom time signatures, accents and subdivisions, interactive beat editor, and a preset list. 

Metronome

Metronome by Gismart offers a basic free version with upgrades that give you a more intuitive interface. This app offers digital and classic experiences, letting you control the interface. You can also practice your rhythm and timing using a Bird Beat game that helps with memorization and rhythm patterns. 

Pulse

Pulse is a simple, straightforward app that has a sleek design. All of the options you’ll need – subdivisions, time signatures, etc – are available in the settings menu, and it’s one of the few that memorizes your current settings and uses them the next time it’s opened. 

Tempo

Tempo is an iOS app available in both free and paid format. The free version is simple with all the basics you’ll need to get started – 8 time signatures, 6 rhythm patterns, 2 color themes, and an Italian tempo marking option. For even more, upgrade from Tempo Light to the full app.

Do you use a metronome app not mentioned here?

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1 April 2019 Why Every Note On Your Piano Uses Multiple Strings

Why Every Note On Your Piano Uses Multiple Strings

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f you’ve ever looked inside your acoustic piano, you’ve noticed a plethora of strings attached to tiny hammers that move every time you press down on a key. 

While it might seem like a piano would have one string attached to every note, that isn’t the case. Depending on the key you strike, the note will be produced with one, two, or even three strings. 

The higher notes on the piano will use three strings to produce a sound. 

The lower notes will use two strings. 

The lowest notes will have a single string. Why Every Note On Your Piano Uses Multiple Strings

What’s more, if you use the damper pedal to create a quieter sound, the strings are impacted by the action as well. When you press the damper pedal, the action is shifted inside the piano so that the hammer strikes fewer strings – it moves down to one or two. 

Head back in time; the piano was originally called piano-forte. Loosely translated, forte means strong, or loud. That’s because when striking the keys, you can produce a loud, full-bodied sound like no other instrument. The strings allow this transfer of energy to occur. 

If you had just one string attached to every key, the higher notes would produce a smaller sound. Those upper notes wouldn’t have the same high-quality tone and volume that you get from the lower notes. Multiple strings provide more tension. Multiple strings give you a more robust sound. 

Multiple strings also provide a tuner a greater chance of producing a quality sound. As a tuner is working to bring each note into tune, she can actually detune the string combinations to change the timbre. As she compares note to note, her goal is to produce a rich, warmer sound. 

The strings on your piano are vitally important to the sound of your piano. If they are out of tune, you’ll hear it every time you press down on a key. 

When was the last time you had your piano tuned?

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18 February 2019 The Correct Way To Sit – It Makes All The Difference In Playing The Piano

The Correct Way To Sit – It Makes All The Difference In Playing The Piano

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Did you know there’s a proper way to sit? 

Sitting the wrong way can cause a variety of health problems, including heart disease, circulation disorders, strained neck, bad back, muscle degeneration … the list goes on and on. 

We’re just now starting to realize the impact sitting for long periods of time has on our physical body. But science is also discovering that it can impact other things too, such as your ability to play the piano. 

Slouching is bad. When you slouch at the piano, your shoulders are curved, your back is rounded, your head tilts down. It isn’t a pretty sight. The Correct Way To Sit - It Makes All The Difference In Playing The Piano

Now compare that to someone who sits up straight. They’re engaged. They are fun to watch. And they play better too. 

Remember the old adage: sit up straight? You may have heard that in school or even with your first piano instructors. Turns out that isn’t true. There’s more to it than sitting up straight. It’s about good posture first and foremost. 

If you “sit up straight”, you tend to puff out your chest, which also puts your back at risk. 

Instead, focus on sitting so your tailbone is properly aligned. Imagine a tail sweeping out and away from your body. Sit properly to ensure it’s comfortable. 

It’s not just about sitting. Your hand placement should also be placed in proper position. If they aren’t, your arms and hands will start to hurt, especially if you practice hours each day. This strain can lead to a variety of health problems. 

Good hand placement doesn’t just make you better at playing, it also impacts your tonal quality. The person who is hunched over can’t get the same power into the notes that someone sitting upright and fully extended. 

For proper hand placement, sit far enough away from the keyboard so the fingertips rest on the keys without effort. The feet should reach the pedals without stretching. Your fingers should naturally curve in toward your body, with your knuckles slightly curved away. The wrist should be relaxed. Your arm should never tense.

While this might feel unnatural at first, with practice, you’ll feel better, and play better too. 

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13 February 2019 How A Metronome Can Make You A Better Player

How A Metronome Can Make You A Better Player

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Have you ever heard a song that didn’t sound quite right? You couldn’t’ quite put your finger on it, but you knew something was wrong. 

The melody was off. Or maybe it was the harmony. 

Or maybe it was the rhythm. 

When comparing the three, rhythm is by far the one thing that can change the way you play than all the others. 

Why? Sit down and play music with no thought process about rhythm. Just pluck out the notes in a random order. 

Not much of a song, is it? How A Metronome Can Make You A Better Player

Rhythm controls tempo. It sets the speed. It also creates structure. 

Rhythm is the technical part of the song. Have you ever mentally walked through a song, practicing it in your mind before you sit down to play? The best piano players in the world do this continuously in their minds. They see themselves on stage. They hear their music in their minds. And what improves it all is to keep a regular beat. 

A metronome can help you keep that beat. 

Try an experiment. Set the metronome for your desired song. Before you sit down to play it, play it in your mind first, following the beat. See yourself playing it. Hear it in your mind. Hear the rhythm. Feel how you play it. 

Now sit down at the keyboard and play it for real. Do you notice it’s easier?

Also, try using a metronome when you’re first learning a song. Listen to the “tick tick” and adjust your playing to keep up with the beat. Play through difficult passages, playing again and again until you get it right. You can even use the visualization technique with the metronome keeping the beat. 

Do you notice a difference in your playing? 

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10 February 2019 When You Don’t Feel Like Practicing The Piano

When You Don’t Feel Like Practicing The Piano

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Have you ever put off practicing the piano? 

We’ve all done it. 

No matter how much you know you should sit down and play, the other side of you finds any excuse possible to ignore playing. 

Why is that? It might be because of the amount of practice you think you have to do. 

Do you assign yourself practice sessions in minutes – 30 minutes a day? That can drive bad feelings into the brain. Thirty minutes can seem like forever if you have other things you want to do. 

Or maybe you’ve assigned yourself specific tasks. Maybe you practice a certain amount of scales, or will be playing a song a certain amount of times through before you can get up. Again, these lists of “chores” can seem difficult at best, especially if you don’t particularly enjoy the process. When You Don’t Feel Like Practicing The Piano

Our brains are trained to keep us away from things we don’t like. Think of them as the friend that tries to steer you to only the enjoyable things in life. It’s up to us to control those urges, and keep us on track to do everything we need to do. 

When it comes to practicing, it might be easier if you give yourself rewards first. 

Instead of focusing on a time limit, sit down to play something you enjoy. A favorite song, or maybe even creating your own music. Once you’re sitting, you’ll have a much easier time of flowing into the next phase. 

Or instead of focusing on things you don’t like about practice – scales – leave that until the end. Your fingers will be more ready to take on the action, and it will seem like a part of the process rather than a chore when you sit down. 

Sometimes the easiest way to get started is just to sit down and do it. But give yourself a reward at first, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to the opportunity. 

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7 February 2019 We Have It All Wrong – 5 Reasons We Need Music In School

We Have It All Wrong – 5 Reasons We Need Music In School

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Most school districts around the country are facing tough decisions every year as they put together budgets. What should the keep? What should they give up?

For most districts, STEM classes have received two thumbs up. The arts – not so much. When school systems cut back, the music, dance, visual arts, and theater are the first to go. And that’s not a good thing. 

Music is important – for some kids, it’s the only reason they show up. Maybe it’s time to rethink what kids receive in instruction throughout the day. 

Music engages kidsWe Have It All Wrong - 5 Reasons We Need Music In School

For most STEM classes, the curriculum is one on many. The teacher talks, the students listen. And for many, the only way they’d describe these classes is – boring. When you weave in music programs, it allows kids to express themselves in lively ways. They participate. They show off their skills. They take part in creating something bigger than themselves. And if these classes help motivate them, they’ll be more likely to stay engaged in the STEM classes as well. 

Music builds self confidence

With music, kids get a sense of accomplishment every time they learn a new song. They can see their own skillset changing. They can feel better about themselves based on the music they are playing. They learn how to set goals and stick with them to improve along the way. 

Music builds imagination

Creativity is an important skill to have. It adds innovation into our society. But slowly, we’re taking away the activities that build our imagination skills up. Music allows kids to explore. The arts allow kids to get messy, express themselves through movement, and through the sounds that they make. Music develops the whole brain, both by listening and be using their skills to create their own sounds. 

Music improves academics

Studies consistently show that kids that engage in music do better in all subjects across the board. They rank higher on their SAT scores, and they are more likely to get into medical school. Music develops critical thinking skills in a way sports never will. 

Music teaches a lifelong skill

No other skill can provide enjoyment throughout your life as music can. And playing the piano is something virtually anyone can do. You can learn piano at any age, and perfect your skills a little at a time. With such a wide array of music available, you can be playing your favorites in a short period of time. 

Music benefits and engages us like no other. To create well-rounded children that can use their skills throughout their lives, add music to their lives today. 

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2 February 2019 Piano Playing Tip: An Easy Hack For Concentrating

Piano Playing Tip: An Easy Hack For Concentrating

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Have you ever noticed that sometimes practicing the piano seems like a mundane task, while other times it’s exciting and fresh? 

What’s the difference?

Some might tell you it’s your approach, or even what you’re practicing. And that can be part of it. 

But something much easier might be influencing your performance. It might be your hunger and hydration levels. 

Studies show that we have a more difficult time concentrating when we’re hungry or thirsty. Hydration itself plays a huge role in how productive we are throughout our days. 

Rather than jumping into your practice routine, spend a few minutes preparing for practice instead. 

Have a nutritious snack. Fruit, veggies, or a handful of nuts can do the trick. Piano Playing Tip: An Easy Hack For Concentrating

Then drink a glass of water for full hydration before you sit down. 

This isn’t something you should do once in a while. Top athletes know that hydration is everything. Those in the best physical condition will drink:

  • Up to 16 ounces of water 2 to 3 hours before a workout
  • Up to 8 ounces 15 minutes before a workout
  • Up to 4 ounces every 15 minutes throughout the workout

Though you might not think that playing the piano is the same as a strenuous workout, you’re still engaging the brain at high energy levels, so it’s important for it to have proper nutrients. 

Having trouble practicing the piano? It might not be your practice. It might be your hydration levels. Drink water first, and see how well it improves your playing. 

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14 January 2019 Playing The Piano May Help Curb Depression

Playing The Piano May Help Curb Depression

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Have you ever had a stressful day, retreated into your home, and put on your favorite tunes to relax? There’s a reason for that. 

From the dawn of humanity, music has been a part of the healing process. With nothing more than drums and simple instruments, people used songs to communicate and find ways to articulate and express all that was happening in their lives. 

Music therapy was first recognized after World War II when musicians began visiting veteran hospitals to help those suffering from both physical and emotional tolls of war. When nurses and physicians started seeing responses, they began to hire musicians to play. Playing The Piano May Help Curb Depression

Today, the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is the largest music therapy association, and serves communities around the world by promoting and educating people on the benefits of using music as a part of a therapeutic process. 

Music therapy has been proven to:

  • Decrease stress and anxiety
  • Increase motivation
  • Reduce muscle tension
  • Increase self-esteem
  • Provide emotional release
  • Enhance relationships

Music therapy works by using music to help with physical, emotional, and social needs of an individual. While listening has been proven to work, adding in physicality can help even more. By playing and participating, it has been found to stimulate the senses, help calm a person down, reduce heart rate, slow breathing, and reduce physical attributes of stress. Participation is everything. 

With many instruments, it takes a high level of skill to create a good tone. It takes even more skill to be able to play a song. With a piano, you press a key and the note is there. Even the most musically challenged can sit down and within minutes, be plunking out a simple tune. You can have fun from the moment you sit down. 

Want to feel better? Maybe it’s time to pick up a new habit this year. Why not choose to learn to play the piano and see how it helps you change your outlook on life. 

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