10 February 2022 Turn Your Love Of Piano Into a Career

Turn Your Love Of Piano Into a Career

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When you push your kids towards extracurricular activities, it’s with the hope that they’ll gain knowledge for the future. 

  • Will it give them team building skills?
  • Will they learn goal setting strategies?
  • Will they find a career?

Studies show that when parents push their kids in sports, they have high goals for what’s possible to achieve. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, only a small number of high school athletes actually go on to play professionally. Yet the dream is real, with 39 percent of parents believing in the dream. 

Music can provide a bigger, more achievable dream. While there is a low chance of your child ever becoming a rock star, many careers in music can lead to sustainable lifestyles. 

There are classical piano jobs:

  • Concert pianist
  • Piano teacher or instructor
  • Piano player in a band
  • Church musician
  • Music arrangement
  • Solo performance artist
  • Theater productions
  • Backup band member

There are also jobs where you can incorporate your love of piano into a worthwhile skill:

  • Piano technician
  • Piano sales
  • Composer
  • Music therapist
  • Early education
  • Music review and creative writing
  • Historian

While your child might not be the next musical prodigy, there are many different ways they can incorporate music into their lives every day, and get paid for it too. 

Piano teachers can be a good side business, teaching a few students out of your home each week. Or take it further and become a university instructor, helping students take their skills to the next level. 

Music therapy is also a growing field, especially piano skills, which can be used by people in every age bracket. Many studies showcase how music helps with mental illnesses, and can make strides in everything from autism to Alzheimer’s. 

Want to give your child a gift that can keep on giving throughout their lives? Consider signing them up for piano lessons. While they might enjoy the relaxation that comes with it, they may also turn it into a career. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing
7 February 2022 Do You Really Need Weighted Keys To Learn The Piano?

Do You Really Need Weighted Keys To Learn The Piano?

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Want to learn the piano? Why not pick up a small keyboard on sale at your local big box store. 

There’s a reason why that may not be your best course of action. 

Inexpensive keyboards, toy pianos, and other electronic pianos that aren’t designed with actual playing in mind are missing one important detail that can harm your learning skills: weighted keys. 

What are weighted keys?

Weighted keys are created in digital pianos to mimic the playable action used in an acoustic piano. If you’ve ever sat down and played an acoustic piano, you may have noticed the way the keys feel as you press down and lift them back up. This is caused by the way a piano is created. 

The keys are connected to hammers, which snap against piano strings to create sound. There’s a slight tension in the action, and it enhances your playability, your overall technique, and increases your playing habits. Touch a key lightly, you’ll hear a faint sound. Add more force, and you have more voice in the outcome. 

If you continue to grow in your piano abilities, you will move to acoustic pianos. Uprights, grands, and concert pianos will all use weighted keys. If you learn on a keyboard without weighted keys, it changes the dynamics of how you learn to play. 

Do you need weighted keys to learn?

In short, the answer is: Yes. While you can learn the keys and where they are located, you can’t pick up the complete structure of making music. The basics will be there, but the in-depth instruction can’t be learned. 

Transferring your skills to a keyboard with weighted keys will feel different from the beginning. You’ll notice the tension there each time you press down on a key. 

Weighted keys give you the ability to add more depth to your music. It’s what makes you a better player. 

Is it time you invested in an acoustic piano? We can help you find the right piano to suit your needs. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing
4 February 2022 Getting Over Stage Fright Before Your Piano Recital

Getting Over Stage Fright Before Your Piano Recital

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How far do you wish to take your piano lessons? Do you want to become an accomplished musician? Before you play at your first piano recital, you might have to work at getting over stage fright. 

A lot of pianists face this every time they play. Even the hundredth recital can evoke fear. 

Stage fright is also sometimes referred to as performance anxiety. It isn’t limited to making music; you can find it in all kinds of fields. If you’ve ever had to get up in front of people, you know how knee-knocking it can be. It’s only natural to be scared of the spotlight, to have everyone around you staring and waiting for what you have to provide. 

Especially in today’s world, where a lot of us have learned and performed in the online world. We’re no longer used to having to share skills with people surrounding us. 

Piano often takes the spotlight from other instruments on stage. Piano is the only instrument that regularly plays both harmony and melody. It’s almost always noticeable. It’s difficult to hide mistakes. Piano rarely blends in with the rest of the instruments on stage. 

That alone can make you stand out, even if you’re performing with a group. 

And when it comes to recital time, all eyes are on you. 

Stage fright is nothing more than your brain moving into protection mode, to try to help you from being noticed by people around you. Humans by nature don’t want to stand out, and risk becoming a social outcast. If you’ve ever made a big mistake and had people take notice, you know how it feels. Stage fright is the internal battle you have with yourself, to push forward and do something your brain is saying yes to, while your inner voice is trying to protect you. 

What part of you will win?

It’s not just a case of nerves. Stage fright can be debilitating. It can stop you from moving forward with something you love. 

If you want to move forward, realize it may take work to get over your stage fright. Do different things along the way – rarely will one suggestion work for everyone. You have to find what works best for you. People have found a variety of things to work, including:

  • Finding a friendly face in the crowd.
  • Imagining everyone in the audience in their underwear (yes, it really works, as it can bring even the scariest person down a notch).
  • Practice, practice, practice. The more prepared you are, the less you’ll have to fear. 
  • Do it anyway – what have you got to lose? 
  • Develop a warm up routine that helps remove tension from your body before going on stage. Some call this “getting into the zone.”
  • Change your diet – too much caffeine can cause jitters. 
  • Visualize your success before you ever step onto the stage. 

You’re not alone in your quest to overcome stage fright. Every person on earth has experienced it from time to time. The key is in choosing to move forward anyway. 

What works for you to reduce anxiety before your piano recital? 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
28 January 2022 Make Piano a Part of Your Self-Care Routine

Make Piano a Part of Your Self-Care Routine

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Need a mental health activity? Looking for something to add to your self-care routine? 

Why not create music, and sit down at the piano to relax? 

The last couple of years have taught us a lot about mental health. We’re starting to realize that mindset can help with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Stress relief is necessary to maintain a positive mindset. And what better way to do that than with discovering the musician deep within? 

A 2020 study of music and stress suggests listening to music can lower heart rates, improve our sense of well-being, reduce physical and emotional stress levels, and reduce stress-related symptoms. 

Playing the piano can increase the benefits, with studies linking music making to a healthy body, a healthy mind, and a healthy life. 

If you’re looking for an activity to help bring peace back into your life, it may start by improving your listening skills. While you might already enjoy certain genres of music, play it up and discover new music. Explore jazz, classic, Celtic, and contemporary music. You can find playlists on your favorite music platform that promise calmness, and are designed for the sole purpose to help you relax. 

Then take it to the next level. Why not learn to play the piano to take an active part in removing stress from your life? A few minutes a day becoming actively involved in creating music can set you on a different track. 

Any time you learn to play an instrument, you’re actively involved in also increasing your confidence. Why? Because it takes confidence to work up music to a point where you share it with others, even if it’s only with family and friends, and your piano teacher. Take it to the next level and play at a recital, and you’ll give yourself an added boost of confidence. It takes a lot of small wins to become an accomplished pianist. 

Whether you choose to make your piano playing a social activity, or prefer to stick closer to home, the sense of accomplishment every time you sit down to play can be the perfect addition to your self-care routine. 

Have you always wanted to play the piano?

Maybe this is the year to make it a reality. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
21 January 2022 Can You Self-Teach Piano?

Can You Self-Teach Piano?

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What comes to mind when you hear the term: self-teach piano?

Do you envision a protege sitting down and playing well with no formal training? They’re a natural …

Or maybe you anticipate plucking out every song you wish to play, listening and learning to play by ear …

There’s more to self-teaching than that. 

You can self-teach piano to yourself by choosing your education on your own. Instead of working with a trained piano, you decide to take control over your learning, and do things your way instead. 

And it’s easier than ever, thanks to today’s technology. 

Start with learning

How do you prefer to learn? Are you a book person? Do you like demonstrations? Do you prefer games to guide you along? You’ll find many different methods of learning if you start searching. Start by purchasing beginner piano music. Google anything – you’ll find videos that can help you through any problem. You can invest in apps and programs that guide you along. 

As you find different learning tools, use them to guide your progress. Don’t be afraid to take a step back and look for other ways to learn. That’s what makes you more proficient in your practice sessions, and turns you into a better piano player. 

Improve your technology

Chances are you use technology for everything in your life. Why not playing the piano? You can store your music on your tablet. You can take lessons with videos. You can even form a band and practice via Zoom. 

With every step you take, it’s important to invest wisely in the technology you bring home. Every hobby begins with having the right tools. A great piano is your starting point. Then let your desires guide you along. If you want to write your own music, you might need specific tools. If you want to sing while you play and record it for YouTube, you’ll need different pieces of equipment. With a quick Google search, you can find everything you need for your next step. 

Follow your instinct

Even the best self-taught piano players have one thing in common – desire. They consistently gave themselves challenges, and moved to the next level through curiosity. 

What’s speaking to you right now? What is important for you to learn? 

Follow your heart, and it will lead you to become a better player. 

Filed Under: Piano Lessons, Piano Playing Tagged With:
18 January 2022 Overcoming The Most Frustrating Things About Learning To Play Piano

Overcoming The Most Frustrating Things About Learning To Play Piano

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Before you begin a new hobby, the thought can bring joy to your heart. You dream about having a new skill. The planning only increases your awareness, and you’re excited about getting started. 

Then reality sets in. Your goal was about learning to play the piano – why isn’t it everything you dreamed it would be? 

You’re not playing the songs you love. You’re having trouble with simple routines. 

You’ve been at this for months! Is it time to give up?

It’s worth noting that every piano player goes through periods of frustration. With any new activity comes a learning curve that requires you to build on your skill level. 

It’s those who overcome these stumbling blocks that will have the most success with their future endeavors. Whether you’re learning to play the piano for a way to relax, or dream about making it your profession, there are ways you can overcome your frustrations. 

Staying motivated

Motivation often comes from having realistic expectations. If you expected to be performing in a band after a few months, you might have to check your expectations. Talk with an instructor and work to rethink your goals. Having someone to talk out your true expectations may give you renewed desire to create music. 

Finding the time

When you first started learning the piano, you gave the time necessary to fit it into your schedule. But over time, you might find new challenges to your days. Like everything important to your life, playing only comes if you make the time to play. Put it on your calendar and stick with it. 

Perfect practice

Many people get frustrated because they can’t play as well as they anticipated. The sound quality isn’t there. They get angry in a practice session because their fingers won’t work the way they wish them to. Some of it comes from expecting perfection. That’s never going to happen as a beginner. But what you can do is design perfect practice sessions that leave you feeling invigorated. Set up your timing – play scales, learn new things, play something fun. If you have a plan and stick with it, you’re more likely to find enjoyment. 

Better equipment

Sometimes your trouble begins with what you’re attempting to learn with. Did you pick up a hand-me-down piano? Is it out of tune and off key? Does it sound like a toy more than a high-quality instrument? That can turn you off when you sit down to play. 

While you might have started with basic equipment to start the process, sometimes motivation comes from having better equipment. 

Why not reward yourself and invest in a new piano? It might be just the thing that keeps your goals fresh in your mind, and gives you the inspiration you need to keep playing. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
7 January 2022 Describing The Sound Your Piano Makes

Describing The Sound Your Piano Makes

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If you’ve started looking at buying a new piano, you might have a steep learning curve as you navigate the process. 

Many people think buying a piano is similar to any appliance inside your home. Select a brand, set a budget, and buy the first one you find. 

But if you’ve done any research, you know that isn’t the right approach to buying a piano. A dishwasher, for example, runs or it doesn’t. Once you select the features, one dishwasher is the same as the others. 

Not so with a piano. Each piano is carefully crafted, and is designed to stand alone, no matter what manufacturer’s label is stamped on the instrument. Because they are handcrafted from over 10,000 parts, each will have a unique sound and tonal quality. That’s why you’ll find dealers and manufacturers describing the sound a piano makes in different ways. 

Wonder what some of them are?

Bright – when someone says a piano has a bright sound, they usually are referring to a wide blend of tonal qualities. A bright tone can mean the piano creates a pleasant, clear, and brilliant sound. It’s one of enjoyment, with a broad spectrum of the different tones throughout the spectrum. Bright tones usually are emphasized by the notes in the upper ranges with higher frequencies. 

Dark – dark refers to the notes in the lower ranges, or bass notes in the full range of the keyboard. Each sound should have a distinct boom. If it becomes more muffled, it might be a symptom of a problem with the felts and hammers. 

Mellow – this is often used to describe the full range of harmonics, with each note creating a sound in a rich fashion. This is where depth in each note comes into play. If a piano doesn’t have mellow principles, you might notice it sounds a bit flat or dull when played. 

Even or uneven timbre – timbre refers to the character or quality of the sound produced by the instrument. It’s a piano’s voice in both pitch and intensity. It’s the blend that’s created from note to note. If you notice a smooth transition, it’s said to be even. If it’s not, it’s considered to be uneven. A piano technician can adjust this process during tuning. 

Rich or complex – richness comes from having a full spectrum of sound, from the lowest bass to the highest treble. When it captures every element, you’ll hear it in the way sound is created. Because of the depth, many people find a rich sound more interesting to listen to. 

Piano tones change over time. A new piano must be broken in. An older piano can adapt to new surroundings. That’s part of why it’s important to find a piano technician who is highly skilled at tuning. 

Before you buy a piano, take the time to hear the difference. By selecting one that resonates with you, you’ll ensure you love to play it now and into the future. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
4 January 2022 How To Help The Child Who Won’t Practice The Piano

How To Help The Child Who Won’t Practice The Piano

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When we sign up our kids to start a new activity, we do so with a lot of anticipation. We want them to be passionate about the things they take on. We want them to add value to their lives. We do it with the greatest of intentions. 

When you invest in a piano and sign up your child for piano lessons, you have hopes they fall in love with music. It can be a lifelong hobby that improves linguistics, makes them better at critical thinking, and reduces stress in the process. 

Yet even for kids that naturally take to the piano, there may be times when they simply won’t practice. 

Your first step is discovering why. We find people don’t practice the piano for a variety of reasons …

  • A child has too many activities and can’t fit them all in. 
  • A child who doesn’t understand how to practice correctly. 
  • A child who doesn’t enjoy the environment the piano is placed in. Maybe they feel isolated, and away from the family. 
  • A child who doesn’t have any goals in place, and lacks direction with their practice. 
  • A perfectionist who is afraid to make a mistake. 
  • A child who is nervous of a future event. Are they scared of an upcoming recital?
  • A child who feels they aren’t improving. They may be asking: what’s the point?

Can you see any of these scenarios in your child’s behavior? 

If a child refuses to practice, there’s a reason behind it. Instead of canceling the piano lessons and moving on, get to the heart of the issue. Help your child figure out the problem, and work to find ways to get to the solution. 

If the child isn’t sure how to practice, maybe you can sit down with the instructor and refine the practicing process. What can you do to make the process more enjoyable? What steps can you take to bring joy back into the music process?

If your child is a perfectionist, you may be seeing them hold back in a variety of areas in their life. Are they stressed about grades? Or making a team at school? That can pass through to many different activities. 

You can also review their approach. Are they bored with the materials? Maybe changing out the music can give them a new sense of direction. Do you set the timer? Maybe they’ve become clock-watchers. Talk to your instructor about setting new goals. Kids often do better practicing with a goal-based approach instead of timed. They can play a few scales for warm up, work on a piece of music they’re struggling with, and close out the session by playing a favorite piece. The focus isn’t on minutes, but rather the process. This alone can bring joy back to the session. 

If your child is avoiding practice, there’s a reason. Dig deep, get to the heart of it, and keep music in your child’s life. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
18 December 2021 Piano or Technology? Which Offers Your Child More Benefits?

Piano or Technology? Which Offers Your Child More Benefits?

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You don’t have to look very far to determine how we’re incorporating technology into children’s lives. From birth on, we focus on technology. Ever seen a child under one with a smartphone in hand? Whether they’re watching videos or listening to sounds, they’re already enthralled with these handheld devices. 

But is that for the best? There’s no denying our culture pushes STEM on kids from the time they can walk. But are they missing out on something greater? 

Can music still benefit humans? Is piano still a skill set that benefits a child’s life? Should you bring piano or technology into their daily activities? Are there enough reasons to bring both to life? 

Today’s kids will pick up digital skills; it’s required in the classroom. They get it whether you introduce it or not. 

But piano brings a lot of other benefits to a child’s life, all of which can help them for a lifetime.

Piano playing helps develop intellect

The mere act of learning music, understanding how notes come together to create sound, can help develop and improve a child’s IQ. They become better at focusing, which means they focus better at school and work activities. 

Piano playing improves listening

There’s a lot that goes into playing the piano: hand-eye coordination, music reading, and listening to name just a few. They also have to listen to the instructor and put new skills into play. If you teach piano early in life, it’s a skill that will help them for a lifetime. 

Piano playing provides stress relief

Unlike sports, piano is a skill that can last a lifetime. There’s something calming about sitting down at the keyboard and losing yourself in a song. You can’t do that kicking or throwing a ball in your seventies or eighties. Plus, there is significant evidence that music theory helps with memory as you age. 

Piano playing boosts self esteem

Whether they showcase their work individually, or join a band and create music together, this is one way children can express themselves creatively, and enjoy the process. It’s a great way to teach kids that if they set goals, they can accomplish anything. And hear the outcome after a little hard work. 

There’s no question technology will be a part of your child’s life. It’s the way of the world. 

Music offers additional benefits you can’t find in a computer keyboard. Whether they’re dreaming of starring in the next pop band, or you simply want to instill a lifelong love of music, piano may be the perfect way to achieve your goals. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
14 December 2021 What Piano Playing Offers Kids In a Technology Driven World

What Piano Playing Offers Kids In a Technology Driven World

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Helping kids select suitable after-school activities can be challenging. Sports will keep them active. The arts will broaden their perspective. With so many choices, what’s a parent supposed to do?

While there was once a piano in almost every home, the numbers have been declining. Even for those parents that value music, there are a wide array of options. Is piano the right choice? Or violin? Or what about technology – should you rely on apps to bring music to life?

The way we learn has also changed in recent years. While it once took hours of research and attention to understand a subject, now, with a click of a mouse, you can open up entire databases on a topic and learn something new in an afternoon. 

Especially Generation Z and beyond, their attention spans are quite different from older generations. We’re now living with instant gratification. Unless you’re committed to a lifetime in the arts, many wonder what point really is. 

Piano is a core instrument in the world of music. That’s because it’s one of the easiest instruments to learn, and it’s unique in playing both melody and accompaniment with every song. You can play and enjoy it alone, or bring in other instruments for blending. If you want to progress in music, piano is one of the best places to start. 

It’s also a gift that keeps on giving. If a child plays soccer as a child, they may enjoy the game for a lifetime, but won’t be able to participate for more than a handful of decades. With a piano, it can bring a lifetime of enjoyment. It’s as easy to sit down at a piano at 10 as it is at 100. 

Studies also show that piano brings many benefits at every age. It helps with reading and comprehension skills. It can enhance hand-eye coordination. More medical students have a past in musical arts. And as you age, it can enhance memory association, and is often used in various therapies. It brings a calming effect to help reduce stress at any age. 

Whether you’re looking for an activity for your child, or want to pick up a new hobby for yourself, there’s never been a better time to bring the piano into your life. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
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