Friday, October 30, 2009

Piano Game For You

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There are lots of fun piano game for the whole family that you can play using piano by number books. Here are just a few:

Name That Tune: One person plays the songs on the piano while everyone tries to guess the title of the song. Kids love playing the songs, so kids can take turns. You can also use the Play Along Audio CD, but kids also love being the center of attention and playing the songs on the piano.

Musical Chairs: Put chairs in center of room and when the music stops everyone has to find a chair, except there's always one chair too few. Use the CDs or have the kids (any age) play the piano.

Christmas Pageant: There's more than enough material on the Play Along Audio CD to present your own show. Kids (any age) will love putting it together, and can take turns playing along with the music or acting in the show.

Make Up Your Own Show: The Family Favorites section has 28 familiar melodies that creative kids can turn into a show about anything.

Have Everyone Try It! You'd be surprised what fun a family gathering can become when everyone is asked to play a song from the book. You'll discover that your family and friends have hidden musical talents! Most people really do want to try playing the piano, so make a game of it!

TEACHING GAMES
FOURS "Fours" is the most basic rhythm game that I play with kids. I always use it on the first lesson, and on all subsequent lessons until the child seems too old for it. It's a fun but very childish game that teaches rhythm and piano geography without using printed notes or numbers of any kind.It's important for kids to actually play the piano without the encumbrance of graphic notation (notes or numbers) of any kind. For example, you'll notice that kids in general can go to the piano and play three songs: Chopsticks, Heart and Soul, Knuckles (that funny piece played on the black keys with the knuckles of the right hand!)

"Fours" is a piano game constructed in exactly the same mold. The child plays numbers and I play the chords. If the symbols below don't line up in your browser, remember that there are always four notes (numbers) for every chord (letter.) The child begins on "Middle C," also known as the number one: "1" The teacher plays the letters, or chords.

1111 2222 3333 4444 5555 6666 7777 8888
C G C F C F G C

I play a kind of funny Chico Marx oom-pah accompaniment using the chord pattern (C G C F C F G C, etc.) Kids find this very easy and refreshing. We play up the piano keys, moving to the right, with the natural goal being for the child to reach the highest key on the piano. I'm pretty "strict," that is, if the child breaks the rhythm or misses a key, we start over. Strangely enough, kids love to go back to the beginning and start over as much as they love going all the way to highest key.
Fun variant: Ask them to count up the white keys until they reach the highest white key (starting from Middle C, which to them is #1) and tell you what the "number" of that white key is (it's 29.) This has no musical value except that it makes the child an explorer of the instrument.The object of these games is to make the child a keen and enthusiastic observer of their instrument, something impossible to do when the child is locked into reading only sheet music from a book. Kids need to improvise, however humbly, and essentially all of my games are designed to make fun music outside of sheet music, numbers or conventional.

"Fours" teaches a child that
Sheet music is not always necessary to have fun with music
They have to count while they play
Music is divided into numbered units
Piano is a fun thing they can do right away.

Piano Worship Chords For You

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Piano worship chords aren't very much different from the chords found in other types of music - pop, jazz, country, etc. - but they do have a certain sound to them that's a bit difficult to explain. So, instead of talking too much about it, we're going to look at two different chord progressions that should help you to create some improvised background music or figure out some nice chords for your favorite worship music.

Background Worship Music
First of all, let's say you need a quick couple of minutes of music during a service or ceremony, where something is happening quietly, or quiet blessings are taking place, and you either feel the need for some music, or you've been asked beforehand to fill in a little bit at certain times.
You should play the following chord progression in the same key as the next song, if that song will be happening right away. Let's say the next song will be in the key of C, or you just like to play in the key of C, since it's pretty simple (all white keys).

Here's what to do:
- Play octaves on C notes with your left hand - the C below middle C and the C one more octave below that work well - In your right hand, play C major in 2nd inversion (G - C - E), then F major in 1st inversion (A - C - F), then G major in 1st inversion (B - D - G), then back to the F major, then back to the C major - Keep playing the C octaves in your left hand the entire time. - You can also improvise a light background melody on the white keys if you like
The C "pedal point" in this progression helps keep the sound anchored and provides a strong, solid foundation for your listeners (whether they know it or not!). Of course, this can be played in any key as well.

A Generic "Worship-Style" Chord Progression
The next chord progression might be a little too much movement for background music, but that's really up to you do decide. The chords could be used for a new hymn you write, or just to improvise.

It's hard to explain, but they just have the gospel feel to them. We'll just list the chords in order, and you can play them in whatever tempo and time signature you like - 3/4, 4/4, etc. The left hand should play the chord root in octaves, unless otherwise noted. Here they are:
C (G - C - E) C7 (G - Bb - C - E) - with E in the left hand bass F (A - C - F) Fm (Ab - C - F) C Am (A - C - E) D7 (F# - A - C - D) - with F# in the left hand bass G7 (F - G - B - D) C C7/E - C7 with E in left hand bass F Fm C G7 C

Be sure to keep the chord notes as close to each other as possible, when moving from one chord to the next. This makes for nice voice leading and a more pleasing sound overall.
The main characteristics of this second progression are the movement from major to 7th (C to C7), from major to minor (F to Fm), and using 7ths to move back to the original key (D7 - G7 - C).

These two piano worship chords progressions should give you a few ideas of your own about what makes that "worship" sound, and you can start creating your own piano worship chords in practically no time.

Easy Piano Sheet Music

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Easy piano sheet music is a printed musical notation for piano. Before phonograph and radio became popular, sheet music was used by musicians to make their compositions known to the people. Many of these were piano sheet music since piano was the most popular musical instrument back then.

In the late 19th century, piano sheet music became even more popular as parlor music became a massive trend in the US at the time. Parlor music was a kind of popular music that was performed in a parlor, a small room in a house where performers play a musical piece before an audience. Almost all middle-class homes during this period had parlors and a piano.
With the advent of the phonograph, radio and other modern devices that played recorded sound, the popularity of piano sheet music gradually faded.

Easy piano sheet music, however, is not totally out of the music scene. Song writers nowadays still publish piano sheet music on sheets of paper. With the availability of advanced computer technology, many kinds of piano sheet music are now offered in computer-readable formats. They can be easily purchased and downloaded over the Internet.

Common pieces are sold from $3 to $5, while a piano sheet music collection of most recent hits sells at around $10 to $25. Rare and old piano sheet music, usually of classical songs, are priced at about $50.

Free piano sheet music can also be downloaded from the Internet. They are mostly old musical pieces with an expired copyright, such as the compositions of famous musicians Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven.

If you don't find the easy piano sheet music of your choice online, especially if it is rare, you may look for it in music stores near you. Some websites also offer listings of music stores where you can find both the most popular and hard-to-find sheet music, old and new alike.

Piano Store Tips

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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 and lots of piano store that offers great variety of pianos. 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 pianos. 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 store 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.

Kids Piano Lesson

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Kids piano lesson include so much more than just a child and a piano. There are aspects involved that need to be taken into consideration when thinking of signing up your child for piano lessons. What are the benefits of piano lessons for kids? What variety of teaching styles is available? How will you know if these lessons are right for your child? The following information should help you in answering these questions.

Benefits
Children obtain numerous benefits from piano lessons. Usually, this is the first instrument children learn. It is one of the easiest instruments for kids. One of the benefits of learning to play the piano is improving concentration. Focusing on playing a song correctly supplies this concentration. Music appreciation is gained by listening to songs and learning how they are played. Fine motor skills are honed as hands become nimble enough to play songs with ease and grace. Hand-eye coordination comes into play when eyes are trying to watch fingers and notes, intermittently.

Teaching Styles
Kids piano lesson can be given in a variety of teaching styles. It is easiest to start children out on a keyboard, seeing as these have smaller keys than a full-sized piano. Starting off with sheet music usually is frustrating for children. Some people start with the Suzuki method, where songs are listened to and then played. Note reading comes much later in the lessons, with this method. If a child is familiar with colors, there are color coded guides to learn piano by. There is a color strip which stands up behind the piano keys. This strip matches notes in a book. The child matches the note with the key next to the strip of the same color. A similar method with numbers, instead of colors, is also available. Pictures of piano keys with numbers drawn on them are on a page in front of the child. This page is accompanied by sheet music with each note given a number. Children match the note number with the key number.

Is it the Correct Instrument for the Child?
Children will act out when bored. They might be bored with their surroundings, activity, companions, or just looking for some sort of outlet. Piano lessons may be considered boring to some kids. Observe the lessons and possibly try introducing other instruments if your child shows signs of boredom. Maybe the piano is something your child would like to try later on. Every child is different and it's hard to say what age is the most appropriate for beginner piano lessons. Each parent will be able to judge the readiness of his/her own child.
Kids piano lesson is truly harder than piano lessons for mature people. It is because teaching kids require great patience and understanding. Just bear in mind that all of your hardships will pay off big time when you see your children playing the piano so well.

Online Piano Covers

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When you’re ready to start learning the piano, you might want to look for online piano covers to see if the piano is really for you. For many people who have always wanted to learn how to play music, the piano is their first choice. If you look online for piano lessons, you will find there are many choices available. The key is to narrow down the websites that offer online piano lessons and focus on the one that can help you achieve your musical goals.

There are certain things you should be looking for before you sign up with any online company. One of the top things on your list of requirements should be that the site has received good reviews and been used by a large number of people to learn how to play the piano. Make sure to read testimonials and customer reviews. You want to be sure that real people have successfully used the program to learn how to play music.

Another thing to look for is the ability to learn at your own pace. You want to be sure you are able to complete each lesson plan within your own time frame before you move on to the next one. You also want to be sure each lesson is easy enough so you can grasp the lesson concept on your own. You don’t want to move forward without being 100% confident that you are ready to learn something new.

Learning online is good option for those people who are busy with other activities outside of the home and aren’t able to fit in another outside appointment. When you learn in your own home, on your own time, there is no pressure to be at your lessons at a scheduled time. This aspect alone can make online piano covers very appealing.

When you learn online, you can also eliminate the need to find a qualified piano teacher in the area where you live. Testimonials from a number of other people should indicate satisfaction with the website you choose to sign up with. You want to be able to rely on lesson plans that are going to take you from an inexperienced piano player to one that is confident enough to play for friends and family when they come over.

You’ll be excited about the progress you make when you take online piano covers. You will learn to listen to music and play songs back on your own piano. Friends will be surprised to learn that you take your lessons online. One introductory online piano lesson is all it takes to convince you that online learning is the only way to go.

Play Your Baldwin Piano On To The Next Level

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Are you ready to finally learn how to play your baldwin piano despite years of lessons? If you’re like many students of the piano, all your lessons and practices have only gotten you so far. Maybe you’ve found that you’ve hit a wall in your piano playing ability, beyond which you just can’t seem to get. The following are some helpful tips for taking your piano playing to next level.

* Learn pattern recognition: Every song ever written follows a pattern, a structure of sections and chord progressions. You need only listen to a handful of songs by The Beatles to hear what we mean. To expand your repertoire and build versatility in your ability to pick up nearly any song you hear quickly and easily, learn the patterns with which all songs are composed.

* Play by the numbers: Every song is written in a particular key - one of but 12, to be precise - and every key has it’s scales, series’ of notes in specific intervals, any of which will sound natural and pleasing to the ear when played in it’s respective key. Every scale in every key has its 1-chord, its 2-chord, etc. Instead of straining yourself to memorize how to play various piano chords by rote, learn instead the keys that chords are played in and the scales they’re built upon. Then you can quickly and easily figure out how to play any chord in any key on the spot, whether you’ve memorized that specific chord or not.

* Listen: This tip is about learning to play by ear. The secret to learning to play by ear is simple - just learn the aforementioned 12 musical keys. By doing so, you can easily transpose any song you hear into any key you like. Learning to transpose, then, will take you to the next level of playing piano, which is knowing how to improvise. Many piano players can read and follow piano sheet music, but far fewer can sit down and start playing along spontaneously with any song they hear - and have it sound pleasing to the ear. Of course, if you don’t yet know how to read easy piano sheet music, then you may also want to begin studying that skill as well. But not at the expense of learning the fundamentals of music, which is not in writing but in listening. In musical terms, this is called “ear-training”. Learn to recognize the sounds of harmonic and melodic intervals and you’re more than halfway to playing them.

* Expose yourself: No, we’re not suggesting you run naked down the street. What we’re suggesting is that you spend time surrounded by musicians of exceptional quality, professionals and amateurs alike in whose presence you can hear what it sounds like to play how you want to play. The body’s muscles have memory far superior to than our brain’s conscious recall ability. By simply immersing yourself in an environment where your ear is exposed to the sort of piano playing you aspire to, your body has a far easier time reproducing those sounds on the piano yourself.

Most importantly while playing your Baldwin piano, remember to give it a little attention every day. You don’t have to practice for hours and hours a day to get good at the piano. You need only devote a small amount of time daily to keep the skills you’re learning present in your mind and body. Even just 15 minutes a day keeps your piano playing ability in tune.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Piano History And Its Role To The Modern World

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The modern piano developed its form from two keyboard instruments, the clavichord and the harpsichord, which originated from early in music history. These keyboard instruments operate on the principle of direct connection between the applied force or pressure of the player on the keys, and the volume of sound. Meaning, the harder the pressure or force the player applies on the keys, the louder the sound of the instrument, the lighter the touch, the softer the sound.

So to start talking about piano history, I can tell you that earlier musicians, however, encountered a problem with the clavichord and harpsichord: the sound was relatively diminutive as compared to how they would have wanted it to be, considering the fact that keyboard instruments were often played in large rooms (chambers), cathedrals and churches.

Around the year 1700, Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731) created the new keyboard instrument and coined its name from the fact that it could both play "piano" (soft) and "forte" (loud), addressing the problem of the old keyboard instruments. Thus, the pianoforte, or what we call shortly now as the piano.

Aside from the direct connection between the fingers on the keys and the sound, the piano also has two different pedals which are the “sustain” or damper pedal and the “soft” pedal. The sustain pedal allows the pianist to hold the tone or sound even after releasing the key. The soft pedal veils or muffles the sound. There is also a third pedal called the “sostenuto” pedal. However, not all pianos have this.

Other kinds of keyboard instruments that plays a part in the piano history include the pipe organ which was most prominent from 1600-1750, when it was commonly used for church music and considered then as the "king of instruments". The accordion is also another kind of keyboard instrument, as well as the modern organ and electric keyboard.

The role of the piano in the modern world is very versatile. The piano can cover a wide range of musical types from classical to pop to jazz. It can cater to a wide variety of audiences from music connoisseurs in concerts or artists in theatres, to children and pupils in pre-schools. Very noticeably too, piano students can very well play other instruments as well, even without its formal training.

The piano is also a very relevant tool in the culture of society. Since the turn of the 20th century, many households have been able to acquire their very own piano. From this assessment, we can infer that modern society believes in the benefits of studying music and piano in particular.

In almost every gathering (social, religious and even political), one cannot undermine the important role of music. It withstood the test of time and has a very rich piano history. It expresses ideals. It bonds the youth. It provides for a positive, productive & creative channeling for this generation's aggression and collective angst.

The importance of music on the development of a person, and eventually, of society cannot be understated, perhaps its time to rethink how this important element of cultural and social development in our society has been treated.

Piano Lessons For Your Yamaha Grand Piano

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For some people, the thought of piano lessons conjures up childhood memories of going to weekly lessons and endless hours of boredom practicing the basics. For other people who are considering enrolling their own children in piano lessons, the logistics of taking kids to lessons and the expense involved may seem overwhelming. Adults who have always wished they could play the piano might feel silly signing up with an instructor who mainly teaches children. It is a must for people who have some kind of Yamaha grand piano to first take piano lessons for them to use their great piano. Because it’s such a shame.

Thankfully, as times have changed, so have the ways in which piano lessons are taught. In addition to traditional piano lessons, there are online piano lessons and even piano lessons by ear on DVDs. For many people, learning to play piano by ear is an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience. Not only can they play piano for their own enjoyment, but they can also learn the chord progressions necessary to tackle jazz piano, gospel piano, and even contemporary music.

There are many advantages to buying a piano course on DVDs, the most obvious of which is that you can literally save thousands of dollars on piano lessons. Moreover, you don't have to carve out the time to go to an instructor every week, or deal with the logistical hassles of taking kids too and from piano lessons. With DVDs, you can take the lessons at your own pace and at whatever time is most convenient for you.

If you're considering buying a Yamaha grand piano course on DVD, it's important to select the right one. You should, for example, choose a course that will provide you with a year's worth of piano lessons. Similarly, one of the factors you should consider is how accessible the lessons are to the novice. Music theory, for instance, should be explained in terms that are easy for both children and adults to understand. Terms that should be covered include the circle of 5ths, scale degrees, chord construction, chord families, chord inversions, chord alteration, harmonic direction, and ear-theory principles.

Of course, playing the piano is more than music theory. The DVD set you choose should feature an instructor who has years of experience both teaching and playing the piano. Because the process of learning to read music can be an obstacle to those who would otherwise enjoy learning to play the piano, the lessons you choose should teach you how to play by ear by using hundreds of chording techniques.

If you select the right DVD set, and practice for a half hour each day, by the end of three months you should be able to play chord progressions, master the major scales, and understand how most songs are arranged. You should also be able to play in a variety of musical styles, such as contemporary gospel, jazz, blues, country, pop, and ballads.

Learning to play your Yamaha grand piano doesn't have to be a difficult process; indeed, it can be filled with enthusiasm and excitement. You just have to find the right piano lessons by ear on DVDs and let the music flow!

Do Sad Piano Songs In The Right Way

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Have you ever wanted to just sit down at the piano and play what you feel? Especially if you are sad and you just want to play sad piano songs that could ease your pain away or lessen it if it cant go away. Without worrying if it's good enough or if you have enough "talent?" You can when you learn how to play piano using the amazing open position piano chord!

This chord structure allows the complete beginner to create modern sounds at the piano FASTER THAN ANY OTHER METHOD! After teaching piano for 14 years, I can safely say that I've never seen students progress as fast as they do when working with this chord position. Let's examine how one can improvise right away using the open position chord.

First, you must learn how to use it. The easiest way to do this is to simply learn the chords in the Key of C Major. We take the entire 6-note chord and move it up step by step. First we play C Major 7, then D minor 7, E minor 7, F Major 7, G 7, and A minor 7 and finally, B half-diminished. We play the chords first as solid chords (all tones together) then we break them up. You might not believe me, but you can really improvise and play a sad piano love song with these chords.

Once we've got this very large chord structure down in our hands, we can then use it to create music with. Improvisation simply means spontaneous expression - learning how to create in the moment. Improvising does not have to be hard! Once you get the chords down, you're left with the melody creation aspect and this is easy to because all you use are the notes from the C Major scale.

We use our chords much the same way a painter uses a palette of colors. We create using chords and the element of time. In the example lesson "Reflections in Water," the chords you play are in a given order. All you have to do now is play them in that order and improvise your own melody. Whether you want to play sad piano love songs or happy piano love songs to inspire others, this will work well for you.

Antique Piano - Embellishing A Song

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You love playing the antique piano but are increasingly frustrated with only being able to reproduce what is in front of you. No sheet music, no play. Oh you only have it in the key of Eb? Well sorry I can’t play that. Does this sound like you?

Several years ago I could only play exactly from the piano sheet music in front of me. If I looked up from the music for a fraction of time I lost my place. I was only comfortable in the keys of C, F, and G. Sometimes D and Bb. But I longed to play and smile at the congregation in my church. Or check the worship leader to see if he was going to add another stanza. Then I started to learn Pachelbel Canon in D. Ever heard it? A study on the D scale. It opened my eyes to improvising or embellishing on a song at the piano.

Here are five key things to remember to help you do the same.

1.Learn and practice your scales in all keys. Nobody likes this. It’s not fun but it can greatly increase your playing proficiency if you are diligent.

2.Learn and practice the antique piano chords. Especially the odd ones such as diminished, augmented, 6ths etc. These can quickly give color and style to your songs.

3.Fake it. Use a fake book to play. This will greatly encourage you to add to the harmony and melody because you only have a chord symbol and one melody line in front of you. It will sound very dry so you will be motivated.

4. Use the whole piano. Play those same notes just an octave higher. Now try one more octave

5. Don’t get discourage by your first results: You may not like your first results but don’t give up.

Visit the links at our side bar to for more resources to playing the piano by ear and chord piano. It includes great piano sheet and chords that you can definitely benefit on.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Don’t Buy Piano For Sale - Until You Read This!!

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Generally speaking, when looking for a new piano for sale , buy the best piano you can afford. The first thing is to decide how much you can afford to spend on a piano without breaking your budget. Remember, a piano is an investment. A good quality new piano will cost upwards of $2,000-$3,000 (easily several thousand dollars more if you want to spend that much), but that piano will also last you a long time. If it’s well-taken care of, a good piano will last about 50 years before needing to be rebuilt.

If your budget is tight, consider purchasing a used piano. They can be a good value. The best bet when purchasing a used piano is to buy from a reputable dealer so that you don’t end up with a piano that needs a lot of work to make it play and sound good. If you’re buying from a private party consider having a piano technician check it out before you purchase it. The small investment to have it checked out can save you serious dollars down the road. Remember that a piano may look good on the outside but need a lot of work on the inside (strings may need to be replaced, pins may need to be fixed or replaced, etc.) so it’s best to have a professional look at it before you purchase.

If you’re purchasing a piano for a child who is just learning how to play and you’re not ready to invest a lot of money into a piano, an older used piano in good condition may work just fine. When I first started playing piano I played on an older piano. My parents didn’t invest in a new piano for a few years because they wanted to first be sure I was interested in learning how to play and was going to use a piano. They didn’t want a big object sitting in their living room that was only collecting dust. But they did make sure the older piano we had was in good working order and was kept in tune.

If your budget is tight, my suggestion is that you opt for sound quality over the look of the piano for sale – especially if the piano is going to be used by someone who is learning how to play it. A beautiful piano case can add major dollars to the cost of the piano and can have the same sound quality as a lower-cost piano that doesn’t have a case made with expensive wood.

If you find you truly can’t afford a new or good used piano right away, then consider renting rather than purchasing a poor-quality piano. An option is to see if you can arrange to use a piano at a friend or relative’s house, or possibly at school or church. But, if the piano is for a child who is taking lessons, renting may be the better choice unless the piano you’re using is easily accessible nearly every day. A child may quickly lose interest in learning how to play the piano if the piano isn’t easily accessible for him or her to practice on. When you look at pianos, keep in mind that longer strings in a piano generally produce a better sound. If you’re looking at uprights, look for a taller one. If you’re looking at a grand piano, the strings are horizontal so a longer piano will typically produce a better sound but will also take up more space.

What are some of the differences between an expensive piano and a less-expensive piano? Yes, sometimes it seems like you’re paying more because of the “name” or “brand” of the piano. While that may be true in some instances, it’s not the norm. Less expensive pianos usually have manufactured wood material underneath the veneer and the veneer itself will be of a less-expensive wood. They also may have synthetic materials in the piano action, and have high tension stringing scales, to name a few particulars. Higher quality pianos will have hardwood underneath the cabinet veneer, lower tension stringing scales, wool cloth in the piano actions, and are typically tuned and regulated before leaving the factory. But, there are instances where fancy beautiful cases are holding interior parts that are of sub-standard quality. To avoid getting “taken,” do research before you shop and use a reputable dealer.

If you’re not sure how much your new piano is going to be used, you might want to consider a MIDI piano. A MIDI piano is both an acoustic piano and an electronic piano. They are today’s version of the roll player pianos. You can play these pianos if you want but can also have them play music for you whenever you want.

Space is a big consideration when purchasing a piano. Pianos are approximately five feet wide and two and one-half feet deep. You’ll also need an additional two feet of depth so the piano bench can be moved out to sit on comfortably. Grand pianos usually take up most of a room because people have a tendency to showcase them and not put them against a wall like most vertical pianos are.

Shopping for a piano for sale can be a fun experience. Enjoy the process. Look at and try out several pianos at several dealers before making a purchase decision. Get a feel for the piano. Pay attention to the feel of the keys and the sound of each piano so you can decide which piano is best for you.

Virtual Piano Review

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A piano is a musical instrument that is classified as a keyboard, percussion, or string instrument, depending on the system of categorization used. Playing the piano is wide-spread in western music for solo performance, chamber music, and accompaniment, and is also trendy as an abet for composing and rehearsal. Materials used for pianos are strings, pin blocks, strings, plates and soundboard. Pianos also have pedals. They are of three types:

• Damper pedal
• Soft pedal
• Sostenuto pedal

A virtual piano is a modern electronic musical instrument designed to serve primarily as a substitute to a traditional piano, both in the way it feels to play as well as sound produced. Digital pianos are also premeditated to look like an acoustic piano. While digital pianos may plunge short of the genuine article in feel and sound, they nevertheless have many advantages over normal pianos:

• They are relatively inexpensive and are considerably lighter.
• They do not necessitate tuning.
• They usually manufacture several different piano timbres.
• They integrate MIDI implementation and have extra features to aid in learning and composition.
• They embrace headphone output and have a transposition feature.

When a key is struck on an acoustic instrument, digital pianos fabricate overtones that reverberate around the room creating a sound that no digital instrument can accurately capture. Today's digital pianos are so good that most listeners can not tell the difference between a "live" piano and a digital one. Add to that the fact that they are the most inexpensive of the kinds of pianos you can buy and you've got an instrument that's hard to beat. Virtual piano manufacturers are getting better and better at duplicating the tone of real acoustic pianos. But no matter how well the piano sound is sampled, it will always sound digital. The acoustic sound is far superior to that of a digital piano. Due to portability, economical and MIDI capabilities piano and keyboard players choose digital pianos over their acoustic counterparts.

Advantages of virtual pianos:

• Built-in rhythm accompaniments
• Ability to record your performance

How To Play The Piano For Beginners

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If you are one of those aspiring beginners who wants to know how to play the piano, then you should begin piano classes today. Classes that involve piano for beginners would include an introduction to reading and understanding the keys, chords and how to read musical notes. The piano is unlike any other instrument and sounds wonderful as stand alone music or as part of a group. The intense sound of a piano is one that captivates audiences with power or soothes them with serenity.

Budding musicians always find it exciting to explore the world of piano for beginners. Whether this is their first venture playing the piano or being used as a reminder of forgotten skills, piano for beginners is a terrific way to develop or improve skills.

The most popular place to find a piano for beginner’s class would be a local high school or college university music department. Occasionally, instructors will offer piano tutoring to non-students. Students, on the other hand, will have a variety of choices within the music curriculum. Otherwise, a quick visit to a local specialty music store may provide leads on potential instructors.

In answering the question how to play the piano for beginners, it’s important for hopefuls to select the best instructor by evaluating his/her experience, educational background and accomplishments. The most commonly sought instructors will possess some type of music degree or an equivalent amount of musical experience. A potential instructor should be interviewed regarding their history in music, fee requirements, length of classes, policy on missed sessions, etc. If the learner’s schedule is particularly hectic, he/she may wish to enlist the help of a private tutor as opposed to a group instructor. Music lessons offered in a group will be scheduled by the instructor and will be less flexible toward each individual learner’s schedule.

This is not to say that group lessons are not an excellent way to learn piano for beginners because they are. Simply put, private tutors are better for anyone with a hectic or unpredictable schedule. For example, a private tutor will have a more flexible schedule and may be willing to work around that of the learner’s daily routine. Whereas group classes are often held at the same time on a certain night, or nights, each week, a private tutor can be scheduled at any time during the day or evening without having to abide by a preset schedule. Internet courses, on the other hand, offer learners with the option of learning piano for beginners in the comfort of their own home at any time during the day or night. After all, where else could you learn piano in your pajamas?

Perhaps that most fun way to learn the piano for beginners is to just start playing. Some of the world’s most famous musicians are self-taught, so don’t be afraid to go solo until you get comfortable with the keys and each of their unique sounds. Professional instruction is certainly the most desirable, but there is nothing wrong with a little practice before signing up for class. In fact, the more familiar you are with the piano, the sooner you will be on your way to the Grammy awards and saying goodbye to all those how to play the piano books.

Free Piano Music Lessons

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I give you 5 free piano music lessons today. I know this will help you a lot. So read on.

1) Interest:
Assess the interest of your child. Is this something they really like – or is it your dream? The child should show genuine interest in music and a keyboard in order for their learning experience to be a pleasant and successful one. If they are not interested – ask yourself why you even pursued it? Is it because you have an inner desire for it? It’s NEVER too late to begin! Sign yourself up for Piano lessons if that’s the case. I’ve have students of every age – some played when they were kids then quit. As they got older, regretted quitting and vowed to one day pick it up again. Then there are others who always had the desire but not the opportunity and now find themselves retired with plenty of time on their hands. They’ve actually become Piano virtuosos! I give you these lovely examples to give you hope and a nudge – psssst! It’s never too late! The student must be genuinely interested.

2) Instrument:
It’s fine to begin Piano lessons on an electronic keyboard. As time goes on, the student will know in which direction they’d like to take the Piano lessons. If it’s just for personal enjoyment, it’s fine to stay with a keyboard. If it’s for classical Piano training – then the student should be switched over to an acoustic Piano. In my experience as a Piano teacher, I’ve realized that a Spinet Piano (the ones that have a low back) unless it is given as a gift, should not be purchased. It would be preferable to purchase an “Upright” which is a Baby Grand Piano, but instead of the strings being vertical they’re horizontal. The reason being, that the action on the keys is much better technically for the student’s hand, and it sound substantially better to the ear.

3) Teacher:
Ask around and get feedback from others about their teachers. Find out the teacher’s background. Where did they get the education from, how long have they been teaching, where do they teach from, what are the surroundings like? Ask current students how patient the teacher is and how do they feel during the lesson. It’s not like you are getting a free piano music lesson. You are paying for it. So you should be cautious about it. So you would better You should get a pretty good idea about the teacher by how current students are progressing. Does the teacher’s personality blend with your child’s. Remember, this is a choice! In school the children have to adapt to the teacher that has been assigned to them, and that’s a good thing. They learn to get along with different types of personalities, but Piano is an extra-curricular activity and should be a pleasant one that they look forward to.

4) Schedule:
Children can be easily overwhelmed by too much in their schedule. As adults – we’ve experienced overload for ourselves and it’s SO counterproductive! It’s highly advisable to limit activities in order for the kids not to be pulled in too many directions.
Once activities have been chosen, I’ve found with my own kids and students that by writing down a daily schedule, everything gets done and there are no excuses for forgetting to practice.

5) Dedication:
Once a schedule is in place, practicing piano will become part of daily routine. After a while, the student won’t be so “worried” about time, but will want to achieve goals set by the teacher. The student will need dedication in order for the craft to go from mechanical to musical. Encourage them to listen to a wide range of styles and genre’s in order for them to develop their own taste for music. At an early stage, dedication can be ingrained in a student by participating in Recitals, Talent Shows and Worship Services. It takes diligence and dedication – also sacrifices to make piano a beautiful craft.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Piano Chord Chart And Its Importance

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A piano chord chart is one way you can get to know more about learning to play the piano with confidence and enjoyment. Chords are the basis behind learning how to play any instrument, as they are the building blocks of all music. The more you know about chord structure, the better you are able to learn how to play piano like famous piano performers in the comfort of your own home.

Once you know the basic piano chord chart, you will be ready to play all types of music by ear or by reading free keyboard tabs. No matter the style of music that appeals to you, playing piano can be a successful adventure when you know your chords. Start with something simple that catches your ear and learn how to play it confidently. Then work your way up to more complex pieces of music until you have a small selection of music to play for your family and friends.

If you are looking for piano sheet music to play at home, there are a variety of places you can find sheet music and many different styles of sheet music to play. If you are interested in playing rock music, you can even find piano music for this genre. Of course classical is the most common type of sheet music available, and you can find hundreds of options for the piano. Sheet music is available online and in music stores.

When you have mastered your piano chord chart, you can tackle any piece of music easily and confidently. Knowing how to play the most common chords from the chart will give you the right tools to be ready to attempt all levels of music.

The holidays are also a great time to play music, whether it be for family gatherings or parties. Knowing the right chords and mastering your piano chord chart means you will have the ability to play any traditional song, hymn, or tune upon request. Once you’ve polished up your knowledge of chords and scales, you can play anything by ear with just a little practice beforehand.

At Hear and Play, we offer a wide variety of piano tools including a piano chord chart that will help you master everything you need to know in order to become a successful pianist. Our programs focus on giving you the ability to play music by ear based on the chord charts and musical themes that are universal to all songs.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Beginner Keyboard Music Sheets Is Essential For All

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A beginner keyboard music sheets is very essential for all. Not only beginners should use a music sheet but everybody. A music sheet plays a very vital role in playing your music right. When looking for sheet music especially piano sheet music there are many different genres to choose from and this makes finding the music much easier.

The history of the piano is very rich. First, people don’t even care at all about it. As the turn of the century arrived piano sheet music became very popular among young adults, many people were playing the piano and parlor music became the new trend to sweep the country, this made sheet music very popular. So much so, that every home had a piano and more often than not at least one member of the family knows how to play the piano.

Sometimes it is hard to read sheet music, this is not because it is hard in general it just takes practice, the more you practice reading the sheet music the better you will become at it. When learning any instrument and you want to learn like a pro you need to learn the sheet music, understand it and process it.

If you are looking to improve your musical talents a great resource is the internet, you can download beginner keyboard music sheets and this will benefit you in many ways because it allows you to play other pieces of music. Musicians that are struggling find it much easier to play with piano notes charts, most of the time they can download it from the internet for free. Today, sheet music is found on many music sites on the Internet with some giving an option of free downloads.

To have a good grasp of playing the piano notes, a good suggestion is that you learn them slowly and with concentration. Most violin music is written in the middle C so when producing notes they are written on the treble clef. When you learn a piece of music with traditional sheet music you are not just learning the notes you are also learning another language.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Play The Way Famous Piano Performers Do

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Piano had been one of the most interesting and fun to play instrument of all time. Many people really want to be an expert here and play really good music that will surely hit the sound waves. Well, if you are one of those people who want to learn hot to play the piano the way famous piano performers do, then here are 5 important tips for piano lesson that you need to remember.

Interest - Assess your interest. Is playing piano something you really like or is it your dream? If yes, you should show genuine interest in music and a keyboard in order for your learning experience to be a successful one. If you are really interested to really learn piano, then you will achieve it and everything will work fine.

Instrument - Know what kind of piano you would like to play. If it's for classical Piano training then the student should be switched over to an acoustic Piano. If its just for personal enjoyment, the it is fine to stay with keyboards and no how to play those free keyboard tabs at home.

Teacher - choose your piano master. Ask around and get feedback from others about their teachers. Find out the teacher's background. Where did they get the education from, how long have they been teaching, where do they teach from, what are the surroundings like? What kind of piano chord chart are they offering? Remember, this is a choice, so dont waste it!

Schedule - Know when are you available to learn to play. If you have plenty of time then you can take a group piano class. but if you have limtied time, you must get a private tutor to know how to play the piano, if you are really really busy, then try to get an online piano lesson, because this might suit you up.

Dedication - Once the four had been done, meaning you already know your passion, your kind of piano, your teacher and your schedule, you should dedicate a part of your life in learning to play the piano. You should need to have dedication. Remember that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. So, treat every single chords that you are practicing as piano worship chords and treat it as your masterpiece.

Piano, had gone very far started from the time of the person who invented the piano. No matter where you go, people would likely want to know how to play the piano, whatever genre of music they would like to play. Indeed music would be incomplete without the piano. So, start learning piano now and be as great as those famous piano performers.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

How to Play the Piano for the Beginners

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It’s easy for you to know how to play the piano if you are playing several notes at the same time. Simply put, when several notes are played simultaneously, piano chords are achieved. The chords then come together to form a melody. Every song that you hear has a melody and it is through each melody that music is achieved. Sound complex? Well, that’s ok because it really isn’t as difficult as it sounds.

As a musician, whether it be a famous piano performers or hobbyist, you will need to learn the various types of piano chords. The more that you understand about piano chords, the more variety you will have when playing. If you want to write your own music, you not only need an ear for tunes, but also the understanding of how to make them come together. A good instructor will introduce you to piano chords during lessons.

If you already have some experience, but simply want a better understanding of advanced piano lessons, discuss these options with a private tutor or music teacher. By gaining an understanding of what sounds good and what doesn’t, you will have the undeniable edge over other budding musicians.

Every piano has 88 keys and while it may seem intimidating to learn piano chords, it actually comes down to memory. When typing on the computer, you know which keys to press in order to make a lowercase letters change to uppercase, right? By studying piano chords, you will begin to understand which keys to press at the same time in order to play a chord. During your introduction to learning piano, a teacher will cover some of the basic chords and you will come to know their sound when you hear them. After enough practice, you will be able to immediately identify piano chords by ear.

There are several other ways to help in your learning of piano chords, including instructional books, tutorials and videos. In the beginning, it may even help to label the keys until you have a better understanding of each of their unique sounds. As you progress in your learning, you can remove the identification labels and play using any arrangement of sheet music. Learning to identify notes will play a large part in your understanding of piano chords. As you move through your studies, you will learn all of the terminology associated with piano playing and the definition of each.

Learning how to play the piano keys is a very important part of the process, but it does require a certain degree of patience. Always remember that time will lessen the difficulty and, before you know it, you will be playing and identifying piano chords by ear. While it may seem intimidating at first, you will soon begin to notice the ease of playing piano chords will come naturally. Happy tunes!

Saturday, February 28, 2009

How To Play The Piano

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Still don't know how to play the piano? Get those music sheets ready for you are about to learn how to play it. Read on for tips and strategies on how to play piano fast.

For beginners, musicians piano lesson classes would require students to read and understand the key's chords and how to read musical notes. There's a lot of experience musicians who are very willing to teach aspiring pianist. They found it challenging to develop and improve someone else skills.

A piano is a masterpiece. Unlike any other instruments and sounds, piano can stand alone or be a part of a group but still can sound wonderful. The history of the piano is very rich and very impressing too.

The most popular place to find a piano for beginner’s class would be a local high school or college university music department. Occasionally, instructors will offer piano tutoring to non-students. Students, on the other hand, will have a variety of choices within the music curriculum. Otherwise, a quick visit to a local specialty music store may provide leads on potential instructors.

When learning piano, it's important for hopefuls to select the best instructor by evaluating his/her experience, educational background and accomplishments. A potential instructor should be interviewed regarding their history in music, fee requirements, length of classes, policy on missed sessions, etc. private tutors are better for anyone with a hectic or unpredictable schedule.

If the learner's schedule is particularly hectic, he/she may wish to enlist the help of a private tutor as opposed to a group instructor. a private tutor will have a more flexible schedule and may be willing to work around that of the learner's daily routine. He/she will give you free piano notes and let you study it in a way where you yourself can focus. Whereas group classes are often held at the same time on a certain night, or nights, each week, a private tutor can be scheduled at any time during the day or evening without having to abide by a preset schedule.

At the end you as an aspiring pianist who want to learn how to play piano will realize that the best way to learn is just to bring out those piano notes chart and music sheet and start fiddling and playing the piano. Some of the most famous piano performers are self taught.

so don't be afraid to go solo until you get comfortable with the keys and each of their unique sounds. Professional instruction is certainly the most desirable, but there is nothing wrong with a little practice before signing up for class. Get a beginner keyboard music sheets yourself and try to play some songs. In fact, the more familiar you are with the piano, the sooner you will be on your way to the Grammy awards.
 

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