Posts Tagged ‘Piano’

Learn How To Teach Piano Music History

May 29th, 2011

Piano is perhaps the most popular type of musical instrument in the world. It has been in existence for over centuries and has inspired performers from Beethoven to Elton John to place their fingers over the keys for bringing soulful music before the entire world.

An instrument which makes noise when several strings are hit by a keyboard has been around since very long time, more specifically in the form of hammered dulcimers. However, the piano as of today, evolved as itself in 1698. Teaching music history of the piano would inform you that Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the instrument while working as a keeper of instruments for Prince Ferdinand de Medicini.

The earliest pianos were built on technological invocations on previous inventions, including clavichord, which comprises strings struck by several tangents and the harpsichord, struck by quills.

Teaching music history of the piano could be an engrossing affair. The piano is a common accompaniment in bands, orchestras, solo performances and even as itself, thereby making it a popular instrument in all performances. Besides, teaching music history enable the students get an in-depth knowledge about the instrument.

The instrument has earned so much popularity that countless children in the Europe and US attend piano lessons. Teaching music history to these students undoubtedly helps them to unearth the rich heritage of the instrument. Often unlike guitar or drums, the piano is viewed as a high class instrument to be played only by intellectuals across the world.

There are two different types of piano available. One is the grand piano while the other is the more compact piano. They are available in different sizes. The total number of keys, 88, remains the same. However, the larger instrument produces a more complex and rich sound compared to its compact cousin, as teaching music history of the piano would tell you.

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Why Piano Music Speaks To Everyone

February 27th, 2011

No matter what genre you are into, the piano can help you enjoy, understand and create great music. For a couple of hundred years now, piano music has played an essential role in the development of Western music. Most of the great classical composers as well as many modern popular artists have given this amazing instrument a place of honour in their creative work.

If you ask somebody which instrument they wish they could play, piano would be at the top of most people’s list. And that should surprise nobody. Its versatility is so great that it speaks to every generation and practically every sort of music lover. When you play the piano, you can make beautiful music on your own; you can accompany yourself or somebody else; or you can be part of almost any sort of orchestra, band or ensemble.

Because the piano is able to play several voices at the same time, it has always been an excellent tool to understand and learn about music in general, as well as getting to know a lot of repertoire that wasn’t conceived as piano music in the first place. Before the time of inventions like the radio or the gramophone, the piano was in fact almost the only way to experience complex music on a regular basis. People used to get hold of piano arrangements (often for four hands) of works like the Beethoven symphonies, and just sit down to study and play them together.

Even today, the music stores are filled not only with original piano music but with piano arrangements of all kinds of music from other genres. And because of the fact that so many songs and melodies – regardless of genre – were first conceived and tried out at the piano, these arrangements often sound great and give you a real sense of getting into the music.

So, the main conclusion I would like you to draw from this article is that whatever your specific musical interests, getting to know the piano better is never a bad idea. If you make an effort to master this instrument, it will give you great pleasure as well as a great advantage in your musical endeavors.

David Warn is a pianist and writer for pianostreet.com, where you can find a lot of further advice and information about piano playing, as well as a large library of classical piano sheet music for both beginners and advanced players. Read more at: http://www.pianostreet.com/

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Accompaniment Recordings Paired with Piano Music Books Available at Music Minus One

February 9th, 2011

Music Minus One [MMO] is a leader in the Accompaniment CD and sheet music industry and has been for many years. Their online store is the most complete library of Accompaniment Recordings for Piano Music Books on the internet and the amount of play-alongs and Accompaniment CDs adjoined to the sheet music catalogue is simply astonishing. For any musician, MMO is like an online goldmine; transcribed music for all instruments and all music genres, quality Accompaniment CDs to be used for practice, performance and recording purposes as well as accessories such as instructional material and equipment.

Playing with multiple instruments has always been an integral part of music. The biggest jazz names have been said to learn all they know by playing along to their favorite artists – classical players perfect their tuning and pitch by playing with recorded orchestras and symphonies. For that very purpose, Music Minus One has developed an extraordinary inventory of Accompaniment CDs for beginners and virtuoso. The Accompaniment CDs are perfect for practicing – they will help any musician further their sense of rhythm and overall group performance while providing an enjoyable alternative to rigid metronome practice sessions. The recordings can also be used for performances: student recitals, restaurant music, artist showcases and any other occasion that does not allow for a big setup or group of musicians. The Accompaniment CDs available at MMO’s website are also a great recording tool. When combined with a recording device like the Superscope recorder, also available at Music Minus One, the Accompaniment CDs can allow musicians to record quality tracks for demos or commercial CDs, which is perfect for musicians who might not have the financial resources to hire a band and book studio time.

Also available at Music Minus One’s online store is a great variety of Piano Music Books for a wide range of musical styles. These Piano Music Books are not only great for pianists but can also be useful for vocalists and other instrumentalists in a more pop and Broadway-oriented context. For example, a saxophone player could purchase Piano Music Books to play songs with a pianist – since most books have an accompaniment part as well as a vocal line, the saxophonist can act as a vocalist in that context and play the melody while being supported by the piano part. Of course Music Minus One does also offer Piano Music Books targeted especially for pianists, with impressive classical works or great arrangements of pop songs.

Music Minus One truly is a great resource for any musician. Their complete online catalogue offers quality Accompaniment CDs, classical sheet music for mostly all instruments, Piano Music Books and even music for less traditional instruments; bluegrass books for mandolin and banjo, for example.

For more information on Music Minus One or to take a look at the incredible variety of their online store, please visit Musicminusone.

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Piano Lessons – How Long Until My Child Is Playing Classical Music?

January 20th, 2011

Piano lessons always seem to bring up the same question from parents: “How long until my child is playing classical music?”

What I find is that many people who are not musicians have an idea that any child can be put in two years of piano lessons and suddenly playing something like a Mozart piano concerto. It’s as though years of fascination with the prodigies in TV commercials and YouTube has made people think somehow every five-year-old “should” be able to do the same, particularly THEIR five-year-old. The assumption that kids can be stuck in two years of lessons and automatically pop out playing adult-level classical music is dangerously inaccurate and causes much undo and unfair pressure on kids.

I’ve taught a few child prodigies and I know how fast they learn. However, the average piano lesson student is not going to achieve the same and it’s important for parents to know this. What happens when the average student signs up for piano lessons is they have to learn to play with one hand and then eventually two. To play something that is actual “classical music” written two hundred years ago by a professional composer who was also a master musician and writing for adults takes far more work than most people realize. It may take the average student between three and four years of piano lessons before they can even play easy classical music.

What I mean by “easy classical music” is the music that many composers during the 18th and 19th century wrote specifically for their students. Because of the expense of the lessons, most students were adults. Once in a while, one of these composers did teach a child, and those “children’s pieces” are just about the only thing written specifically for kids in the classical cannon. However, most of those kids were their students who were the most able, so the music written for them was beyond the level of the average player and written for the listening habits they had back then.

A young child today attempting to learn one of those pieces who has listened to what’s popular now will have no background of listening to draw from. When we put those classical pieces against a pop tune or a christmas carol of today, the classical piece ends up sounding extremely complex. Understand that for a child, playing unfamiliar music is particularly challenging because they have no reference to draw from, and music that’s complex is even more difficult for them. Classical music is also far more difficult for most people to learn because of the amount of reading and technical skill required to do it.

If you are interested in your student playing classical music like Mozart, Bach or Beethoven that you’ve heard before, understand it may be a few years of lessons before your child gets to the point where they can do that well. Remember that in their first year they are still learning to play competently with two hands and that it will take working up to the complexity of classical music.

When this whole scenario becomes interesting for me as the teacher is when I encounter parents who took “six months of lessons as a kid.” Six months of lessons does not make someone an experienced player. I’m always amazed that the parents who took that six months of lessons and did not achieve playing classical music somehow expect their child to be able to do so. Yet, one mother questioned me about this and said “my daughters should be playing Mozart by now.” No, they shouldn’t, and six months of lessons thirty years ago certainly did not make her an informed player! The parent had no idea what it actually takes to play classical music because she had never done it. She played the little kids songs with one hand, and then two, just like her kids. However, her perception of what her kids “should” be doing was wildly inaccurate and an unfair expectation to place on an eight and ten-year-old. It was then that I learned that this issue needed to be addressed with parents so they could have an understanding of how fast the average player progresses.

If you have questions about this, contact me through my website at http://anaheimpiano.com and I’d be happy to give you some assistance that addresses the players in your house. There’s not one solution that works for everyone, so I’d be happy to address any individual questions you may have.

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Piano Lessons For Kids | Classical Music For Children | Professional Musician California

January 16th, 2011

My name is Alison White, and I am an experienced music teacher available to teach adults, families, and kids in the Bay Area.

My teaching philosopshy is that guitar, piano or voice lessons can help children in achieving goals, increasing their self esteem, and developing technical competence. Music lessons can also enhance self expression, fine motor coordination, and be used for other therapeutic purposes.

After an initial evaluation, each child will receive a custom music lesson plan. The plan will take into consideration their needs, abilities and musical goals.

Alison White has been writing songs since the age of 9 and hasn’t stopped since. She has enthusiastically taught wee ones as well as adults, and they have fallen in love with the musician as well as the music.

In her children’s music CD Let’s Love the Animals, Alison gets down and gets silly. Read more and listen to excerpts.

Alison studied guitar voice and piano at the University of Redlands and San Jose State and teaches a broad range of styles including, classical, folk and rock.

Her piano training included studying with Randy Masters, Cole Dalton, Suzanne Warren and Bill Sussman. She is a professional musician and has been teaching for 20 years.

Her specialty is working with children and families teaching guitar, piano, singing, and songwriting and is especially patient with beginners.

Starting age for lessons can be as early as five years old.

I am very happy with my results working with children with special needs. I do this through movement, singing, guitar, piano, or percussion depending on their abilities and interests. Currently, my students include children with learning differences, as well as developmental disabilities including Autism.

Some clear benefits are the development of fine motor planning and sequencing skills, and improved self esteem. I have an eclectic approach based on my background in psychology and music and have the ability and willingness to adapt to the specific needs and skills of the child.

I’d be happy to talk with you more about my program.

Testimonials:

1> Amanda Williams, San Jose, CA :

“Alison White has taught my 6 1/2-year-old daughter piano and guitar weekly for almost a year. My daughter, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and hyperactivity disorder, responds well to Alison’s experienced, patient, and creative approach. When she began lessons,she ran around the practice room and hid. In a matter of weeks, she calmed down and began to build upon her musical interests and talent.”

2>  Roy, San Mateo :

“My son is currently taking guitar lessons from Alison. He has ADD and some other issues, but has really come out of his shell while working with Alison. He has performed at recitals and is now writing his own songs with her help. The whole experience continues to be positive for him. “

3> Cupertino :

“ADHD and fine motor coordination has been an issue for my seven year old. Piano lessons with Alison has helped him continue to improve in this area as well as learn to focus better. Towards the end of the lesson we play musical games which he looks forward to. She is very patient with him and works toward expanding his limitations.”

Cities Served :
Redwood City, Foster City, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Menlo Park, San Mateo
Belmont, San Carlos, Sunnyvale, Cupertino…And all areas in between!

 

 

 

 

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Learn to Play Piano With Classical Music

January 15th, 2011

People love to learn a new musical instrument or just an instrument in general. For the beginner who is looking at learning the piano, now is just the time for you. There are websites popping up all over the internet where people all over the world can begin to learn classical piano music or any type of music they want. Want to know something else? You can begin to learn for free. Okay so maybe you are not a beginner, maybe you already know the piano but you are tired of playing the same thing over and over again. Well guess what. You are also in luck. There are many websites available to you, to allow you to download sheet music from any of your favorite songs. Again this is for free as well. So nows your chance to print off sheet music and start playing some of your favorite artist’s songs.

Since there are websites that offer you the chance to learn how to play any type of piano you want too, and that’s including classical piano music, what are you waiting for? A lot of these websites will allow you to begin to teach you the basic chords and notes by just using your computer keyboard. A lot of these websites will also teach you how to read sheet music as well, so once you have that down and piano playing, those free sheet music websites will come in handy for you. A lot of people think this is a great idea, allowing people to begin to learn for free. One of the main reason’s being is that going out and purchasing a piano or a keyboard is not exactly cheap. So you can begin to learn at home and find out if this is truly the instrument you want to learn and after you have your basic chords and notes down you can then look at paying for lessons and purchasing equipment if you wish to do so.

A lot of people love to learn a new instrument just for the fact that when they have company over they can simply begin to play right then and there for them. One of the greatest feelings in the world, said by many people and artists is just having a group of people over and everyone begins to jam together for an afternoon or an evening.

People all around the world consider the piano to be one of the most diverse instruments ever. The sound that comes from it is beautiful and soothing, so what’s stopping you from learning to play classical piano music? Nows your chance, even if your free time is limited.

If you have already chosen a method on how to learn to play to play piano, you must then have a proper practice combined with determination and commitment to learn. Learning to play piano can be a lot of fun and if you have already mastered it, it becomes a very rewarding experience as well. Patience is also very important for you learn fast and easy.

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