Understanding the Basics of a Piano

By Michelle Edward

Even though most people want to jump right on the piano, it's important to know the instrument first. There are various forms of pianos out there that can range from large, heavy, or even tall vertical upright pianos. They hit somewhere around 36-51 inches tall. If you want one on the shorter side then the Spinets are around 36-39 inches. If you're looking for a studio vertical piano, then you need something 44 inches or more.

If you have the opportunity to play on a grand piano, you will usually get a better sound and a more responsive touch. Grand pianos are the more horizontal pianos, ranging from 5 to 9 feet in length. In a grand piano, the strings are horizontal. In a vertical piano, the strings are, well, vertical.

The piano will have a music rack of some kind where you can put your sheet music. It may fold down or slide into a slot. When you are ready to play, put it into position. There should also be a bench for you to sit on. Adjust the position of the bench so that you can reach all the keys from one end of the keyboard to the other. Do not sit either too far or away or too close.

If you look below the keys around your feet area will be a set of pedals. No, this isn't the brake or gas, but they are considered to be used by those more experienced at playing the piano. Beginners need not apply, but the use is for sustaining sound or cutting them short.

Above all else you have to understand the keyboard. After all, this is where your music will come from those white and black keys running left to right. However, they don't alternate every key, which is something most people mistakenly believe.

If you look closely, you will see that the black and white keys form a pattern that repeats from one end of the keyboard to the other. The pattern consists of 7 white keys and 5 black keys in a particular order. From the beginning of one such set of keys and ending on the beginning of the next set, an interval is formed. Intervals are just the musical distances between two sounds. This particular interval is called an octave.

The keys are lined up on the keyboard in order from the lowest on the left to the highest on the right. Starting at the left and moving to the right, each black or white key is a half step higher in pitch than the key before it. For a full step, it is necessary to go up (or down) two half steps. Try some half steps and some full steps. With a little practice, you should be able to learn the sound of those intervals easily.

We also recommend trying a few other intervals so you can hear different sounds. Just glance at the amount of half or full steps you are taking. Choosing a key and playing the next key up in the same position is basically how it works. Over time you will gain plenty of abilities to play octaves without an issue. No pun intended, but this is one of the keys to playing the piano.

If you can get a better understanding for the piano in the beginning, it will be much easier to learn how to make music. In a short amount of time you will see yourself being able to play simple songs. All it takes is a little effort and drive on your part to make it all happen. - 30455

About the Author:

Want to find out more about pianos, then visit Michelle Edward's site on how to choose the best piano teacher for your needs.

Getting Your Child to Play Piano

By Janice Corker

Playing piano is a great and subtle skill and one that takes many children years to master. It is both hard work and a labor of love to broaden my child's horizons. It will take a lot of careful thought to select the right piano instructor and get your son or daughter to actually play. If your child is young, he or she would rather play with their nintendo DS or PSP than learn piano. I hope that for your child he will be a good pianist some day, an nurture his or her creative talent. At the very least I hope your son or daughter has fun. Here are some of my experiences and tricks I learned to getting my child to play and practice.

Praise your little maestro often. Children are very sensitive and your kid is no excepton. I would often listen to my son play and look for genuine opportunities to compliment him. I felt it was important to praise my son often so that he could build up his confidence and enthusiasm for piano and become more involved with his music. My son is shy though so I made sure not to compliment him in front of others because he would get embarrassed.

Another element that was important to my child's development was sitting down and listening to him play often. I made sure I was there as his mother and not his teacher, smiling, listening and enjoying his music and not handing out criticism or lessons. This helped Brian enjoy his time playing and relax.

I also gave my son stars and other incentives for accomplishing certain skills while playing songs and his great music. Stars work great with some young children and my son was very responsive to them. You can set up your star incentives anyway you want. I gave Brian a sticker for every time he sat down at the piano, every time he played a song and every time he played his notes perfectly for his song.

Sometimes I let my son set the rules and tempo. It's important to change the pace and schedule sometimes so that piano music is fun and not another routine or chore. I found that sitting down with my son to set the schedule or rewards made his song recitals more enjoyable. It's also important in that your son or daughter will feel as if they are part of the decision making process as opposed to be told what to do.

As far as making piano fun is concerned play as many fun songs as possible. Let's face it, kids like to do fun things and piano should be nothing short of fun. My child for instance didn't like playing the classics or pounding away at the keys to work on his scales or music theory. Playing popular or more familiar contemporary songs makes the whole process more natural and likeable. I find that when the child plays a song that they recognize they will be more apt to practice it and improve upon it. While they do this their skills improve naturally. Following this approach enabled Brian to have more fun and gain more confidence because he was able to play songs that people recognize and were impressed by.

Also involve your piano teacher in such decisions so your are both on the same page. He or she is the one with the technical / musical expertise and will be spending most of the time going over the nitty gritty of piano and music. I think of my music teacher as Brian's partner and, knowing that becoming skilled at playing piano doesn't happen overnight, I make sure that there is always a positive interaction between Brian and his teacher.

As my son's musical skills improved, I saw that he became more confident about his abilities and chose more complex songs to play and practice. I don't expect my son to be the next Mozart but my hope is that one day he will have fond memories of our time together and hopefully give him the ability to express himself through the music lyrics and songs from his earlier days playing piano. - 30455

About the Author:

Janice corker is a music instructor and webmaster for Music Lyrics Now, an online lyrics resource. You can find her blog here.

Is Correct Fingering Important for Playing the Piano?

By Michelle Edward

Something I've noticed on many occasions is the fact that so many students tend to use awkward fingering when they play the piano. Of course I don't for a minute doubt that this is something which interests many beginners as well as those in the intermediate range.

Believe it or not, this is a rather controversial topic.

While many people believe that proper fingering is essential when playing the piano, others feel that free-style is better.

So, let me go ahead and discuss how I feel about this issue.

First of all, everyone has different fingers in terms of length, but one common factor is that our thumbs are shorter than our other fingers.

Additionally, the thumb is the strongest finger, and it's the thumb, together with the index finger and long finger which are the most used when playing the piano.

Below are four fingering tips that I have worked up as general rules for your use and information:

1. The thumb should never be used for playing a black key. The only exception to this rule is when you: a) Play a musical piece which only has black notes. b) When you play a piece where they are black and white keys.

The bottom line is; the thumb is not designed for playing black keys, simply because it's too short. Instead, it's the second and third fingers which should be used for playing black notes. In other words, if you find yourself playing a peace which starts with a black note such as Bb major for example, you should use your second or third finger rather than your thumb.

2. In the event that you're playing a piece with your right hand and you're in a situation where some of the keys are out of reach, you should simply move your hand so that you can play the note. Of course, if the desired key is only one or two steps down from your thumb, then you can use the thumb as an anchor while are you cross your second finger over to the note in question. In this case, it wouldn't be necessary to move to your hand, but instead, you simply move your second finger over.

Once the second finger plays the key, the thumb will soon follow to cross over to play other note left of the key. Suggestion: practice the scale well to know what finger to follow.

3. This same rule applies to the left hand.

4. You should always make a point of trying to watch experienced players so that you can look at their fingering, and then you should try to imitate them. My personal advice would be for you to watch those who have experienced at playing classical music, simply because they've probably spent many years perfecting the different repertoires.

One very important factor regarding good fingering is that it helps to ensure smoothness while playing musical pieces.

This is especially important in the piano work of Bach (prelude, fugues, and others) and many Classical composers. Very often, a slight change in piano fingering could cause a disruption of the whole phrasing. For improvisational and accompaniment pieces, strict piano fingering becomes less critical. In fact, every time I improvise I use different fingering combination. This is because my mood and rhythm change when I improvise, this also affects the combination of fingers I use.

If you pay attention to musical pieces edited by different editors, you will notice a change of fingering as well. I have noticed that the same "Sonatina" piece composed by Clementi have different fingering suggestions under different editors. Some editors use the 2nd finger more often, while others choose the 3rd finger.

To end off: you can pay less attention to which finger you are using if you're improvising, providing you apply the rules which have been discussed above.

If you get too critical about fingering, it distracts your musical thoughts and flow. After all, it is music that you are conveying. Piano playing gets rather complicated when you are trying to balance both hands, keep a steady tempo (rhythm), make sure the pedals are going in at the right time, listening to the music, - 30455

About the Author:

Learn more about piano fingering. Stop by Michelle Edward's site where you can find out all about how to play the piano and what it can do for you.

Benefits of Music Lessons For Children

By Adriana Noton

There are always reasons for doing what we want to do. For some of us it is all about fun. That should be an incentive that is enough for children to take music lessons. However, some parents need a bit more prompting as far as reasons go. Here is what every parent needs to know when it comes to music lessons for children - benefits.

There are many aspects that as a child grows, these areas need to be trained. One of those is the cognitive and motor areas. This helps them so that they can manipulate their mind and their body. Other areas include problem solving. All of these can be worked with when a child does music lessons.

It has also been stated that those children who take music lessons throughout their life will be better in some areas as they are exercising certain parts of the brain. It is said that children do better verbally. They also do better at math. These areas are the ones that more and more schools are finding children having difficulty with. For whatever reason, much of it is because kids are trying to learn so much at one time, this is great news for children as they will do better in school. This is what we all want from children. Is it not?

The same is true for kids in high school. A study has been done by the Board of Education that has proven that while a child is in high school and is involved in either band or choir; they double their chances at doing well in math. This is the hardest sort of math that is out there as well.

We all know that school can be hard. Many kids who do not do well have found that they just want to give up. Music has been the thing to keep some kids who are ready to give up the incentive they need to keep going. There has been a relationship between music and kids staying in school that is.

There are social impacts that music lessons hold as well. Not only do children learn to have a mentor and to listen to their mentors, but they learn to work along side with people. They learn to talk things out.

They also learn to channel the negative emotions that sometimes run along with what many kids face from day to day. They are the racial injustices, the social economic standings, and much more. It is really interesting what all music can help children with.

As you can see, there are many things that can help children, but music lessons are just one thing you do not want to miss out on. The things that you can give your children just by allowing them to do this are amazing. The sad thing is, these are usually the first areas that schools cut when the budget gets too low. Look at all the things that can be accomplished just by letting them do this. - 30455

About the Author:

If you're looking for used piano Toronto, look no further! Our used pianos are of great quality and they're reasonably priced as well! If you're also looking for a music school, make sure to visit us! Our music lessons are fun and educational!

Music Lessons Offer Many Great Benefits For Children

By Adriana Noton

Children are great and you want to keep them that way. As a parent or teacher, you want to give them all you can in life to help prepare them for whatever life happens to throw at them. It might be somewhat surprising to know that there many children thrive from having music lessons. Let us help you look at music lessons for children - benefits to help you understand what they can do for the children that are in your life.

When you look at psychology with children, they talk about a lot of different areas that need to be worked with throughout life so that it can fully develop. The cognitive development is the way they think. You need to work on their senses and attention. As well as work with the motor skills. Music helps a child do all this as they learn to play a musical instrument or sing.

Those who are into music do well when it comes to the two areas that a normal child struggles with on tests. These are the math and the verbal portions of tests. It is shown that children who are doing music lessons score better points on these areas. What parent would not want that? As these are the two areas that kids mostly struggle, it is nice to know that there is some hope for them.

Those high school students who struggle with math might benefit from this as well. As we all know, math gets more complicated in middle and high school. Those kids who have played an instrument while in high school has been said to have done better in math by the time they graduate.

Those who have had the music programs throughout their life have said it has helped them. It gave them motivation to stay in school. Though they did not fully understand math and reading, music and the arts program gave them something to keep them going.

There was even a study done to show the social impact that music lessons have on the social well being on children. These were even more amazing. Studies have shown that children who do music lessons often stay away from drugs and alcohol.

Studies have also shown that the simple music lesson can help a child when it comes to racial injustices, fighting, and boosts ones self esteem. This are all things that a child wants to learn to deal with, but in ways we cannot teach it. They have to learn how to deal with it. Many do this by putting the anger and the negative feelings to music.

As you can see, there are a lot of things that can happen from the simple use of allowing one child to do music lessons. Sure kids might give up on it like they do other things, but it is your job to encourage them to stick with it. Look at all the reasons one should feel honored to. If you do not believe us look at what the Board of Education has done to seek these benefits. - 30455

About the Author:

If you're looking for used piano Toronto, look no further! Our used pianos are of great quality and they're reasonably priced as well! If you're also looking for a music school, make sure to visit us! Our music lessons are fun and educational!

Phoenix Pool Table Movers Offer Full Service Local Moves

By Amy Cunningham

Anyone that has ever moved knows that moving can be a lot of work. There is so much to do. Did you know that Arizona pool table movers offer full service moves? You won't have to do much because they can take care of it all!

Wouldn't it be great if you had someone pack your messy closets for you? What do you do with all of those hanging clothes anyway? The pool table movers can get that task done quickly. They bring wardrobe boxes to every move and each box can hold almost half of your closet. The special boxes have metal bars at the top. Hanging clothes are quickly transferred to the box and then the box is sealed and kept upright during the move. The bottom of the box is a good place to throw in shoes and other closet items.

The pool table movers usually carry extra wardrobes on the truck. These extra large boxes are perfect to store many loose items that are hard to pack such as baskets, toys, fans, pillows and blankets. They also have handles on the sides. Most of the time, these boxes are supplied free to use.

Full packing is a nice option to receive when you move. Packing the kitchen can be very time consuming. If you packed yourself, you would probably use newspaper and end up getting your hands and dishes dirty. The pool table movers bring white paper by the pound to do this job correctly and they also bring special dish pack boxes to pack things in. The dish packs are very strong boxes.

Disassembly services are another very helpfull option you might want to receive. Most beds need to come apart and that job could take you hours. The pool table movers will have large blankets to wrap the pieces in so they don't get scratched. Many types of furniture need to be taken apart for different reasons. Sometimes the furniture won't fit through the door, other times it is safer to move the furniture in pieces. pool table movers can also remove your wall fixtures, curtain rods and lighting fixtures if needed.

Don't forget about all of your wall pictures. The pool table movers know how to take care of those as well. They will bring picture boxes, which are very generous sized boxes. After carefully wrapping your pictures with bubble wrap, your pictures are then put inside a big, cardboard picture box. One picture box can hold 1 to 5 pictures, depending on their size.

Packing supplies are always extra and a full service move will cost more. If you are a parent with small children, you will definitely appreciate paying the extra money. Since the pool table movers are doing almost everything, your move may need to be divided into several days. Also, if you are moving for your company and you are being compensated, most employers pay for full service moves, so don't forget to ask your Phoenix pool table movers for a quote that includes full service. - 30455

About the Author:

Learn more about movers. Stop by Amy Cunningham's site where you can find out all about piano movers and what it can do for you.

Ways to Keep Your Piano Clean without Damaging it

By Adriana Noton

Those who have a piano know what a joy playing it can be. Learning to play the piano is a tradition in many families that is passed down from generation to generation. Much like any other musical instrument, one has to take care of it to ensure it lasts. One such method of care is regularly cleaning the piano without causing any damage.

The following is list of tips on how to keep your piano clean without damaging it:

1. Over time, piano keys, especially those made with ivory can accumulate dirt and oily fingerprint stains. Use a lint free cloth to wipe the keys.

2. Use a soft cloth that has been dipped in a mixture of warm water and a gentle soap or white toothpaste for washing ivory keys. For plastic keys, use warm water mixed with vinegar. Make sure the cloth is damp, not soaked, as you do not want any solution running in between the keys and into the piano. A mild soap or moist cloth with dish detergent can help remove tough to clean stains.

3. Completely dry the keys with a soft dry cloth. If you are using white toothpaste to clean the ivory keys, you can remove the toothpaste after rubbing by wiping the keys with a soft cloth that has been dipped in milk. It is better to use milk because chemicals from cleaners can damage the keys.

4. When cleaning a piano's wood finish, gently wipe the piano with a soft lint free cloth. Then use soft cotton that has been dipped in warm water to wipe down the piano. Make sure the cotton is moist, and not soaked.

5. Use a piano polisher to polish the piano. There are special polishes for pianos that are designed not to damage the piano. Do not use any aerosol spray that contains chemicals such as silicone as they can damage the piano.

6. To reduce the amount of dust from accumulating on the keys as well as any damage from occurring, keep the keyboard cover closed when not in use. As well, keep the keys out of the sun as it will yellow the keys.

7. Use a humidifier to keep moisture from getting inside the piano. High humidly can damage the piano and cause changes to its tuning. As well, the strings can rust when there is moisture.

Regularly wiping the piano with lint free cloth will help prevent dirt and dust build up. Don't clean the inside of the piano because it contains a mesh of strings, sensitive components, and components that can move and break easily. Hire a professional piano technician as they can clean it without causing any damage.

Pianos have become a well loved addition to millions of homes. To keep your piano in good condition and the tuning at optimum levels, it is recommended that you regularly maintain your piano with proper cleaning methods and have it serviced by a professional. It will help you enjoy this wonderful instrument for many years. - 30455

About the Author:

If you're looking for a grand piano Toronto, look no further! Our grand pianos are great quality and they're reasonably priced as well! If you're also looking for a music school, make sure to visit us! Our music lessons are fun and educational!

Phoenix Pool Table Movers Offer Full Service Local Moves

By Amy Cunningham

Anyone that has ever moved knows that moving can be a lot of work. There is so much to do. Did you know that Arizona pool table movers offer full service moves? You won't have to do much because they can take care of it all!

Packing your closet can be very time consuming. How on Earth is one supposed to know what to do with all of those hanging clothes? With a full service move, the pool table movers bring special boxes called wardrobes. These are heavy cardboard boxes that have a metal rack suspended at the top to hold everything on hangars. Approximately 2 or 3 of these boxes will be used for each closet. They are also ideal for shoes and bags.

They will also have extra wardrobe boxes to use for your bedding and pillows or children's toys. Most Phoenix pool table movers will not charge you to use these boxes. Wardrobe boxes are usually available for purchase if you wish to unpack yourself later.

You can also receive full packing with your full service move. This means someone will actually open up your kitchen cabinets and take everything out. They will use special white paper (not newspaper) and carefully wrap your china. Next, the pool table movers will pack your china in special double walled cardboard boxes called dish packs. They are special boxes designed just for dishes. China should never be packed in boxes that are too large or too flimsy.

Keep in mind that many things need to be dismantled or taken apart when you move and these tasks are also covered with a full service move. Beds usually need to be taken apart and so do many tables. The pool table movers will bring the correct tools and carefully wrap the pieces in moving blankets to minimize scratches and damage. pool table movers can many things apart including fixtures.

You don't have to deal with your pictures or wall art either. The pool table movers bring bubble wrap to individually protect each painting or picture. They also have picture boxes in various sizes. After the pictures are protected with bubble wrap, they are placed in the picture box. Picture boxes can hold several pictures.

Packing supplies are always extra and a full service move will cost more. If you are a parent with small children, you will definitely appreciate paying the extra money. Since the pool table movers are doing almost everything, your move may need to be divided into several days. Also, if you are moving for your company and you are being compensated, most employers pay for full service moves, so don't forget to ask your Phoenix pool table movers for a quote that includes full service. - 30455

About the Author:

Want to find out more about moving services, then visit Amy Cunningham's site on how to choose the best Chandler movers for your needs.

Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major

By Michelle Edward

Have you ever thought that being a piano soloist with one arm was impossible? Well for one determined young man, it became a dream.

The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, by French composer Maurice Ravel, is a testament not only to Ravel's brilliance, but also to the indomitable will of the man who commissioned it.

Back before World War I, a concert pianist by the name of Paul Wittgenstein was trying to make his mark in the world. After being drafted, he sadly lost his right arm throughout the fighting. However, Wittgenstein didn't believe his concert piano career was over as a result.

Determined to succeed, he began practicing with his remaining hand to improve his left-handed technique. He tried to arrange two-handed works to accommodate his one-handed state. In the late'20's Wittgenstein decided to approach leading piano composers of his day and commission works written intentionally for the left hand alone.

Sergei Prokofiev, Richard Wagner, and Benjamin Britten were among the illustrious composers who answered Wittgenstein's call. And so did Maurice Ravel.

One of the biggest issues Ravel had in the beginning was that he never wrote a concerto, even though he had written several piano solos. When Wittgenstein approached him, he had already started working on Concerto in G, but it was intended for a two-handed player. During this time he was at a stalemate, and so he decided to take Wittgenstein up on his challenge. During Ravel's research of left-handed Etudes of Camille Saint-Saens, he began to believe his left-handed Concerto would be a noteworthy addition to piano repertoire.

And so it proved to be. Such is Ravel's craftsmanship that it is not at all obvious to a listener, that the piano part is written for just one hand. It is a dense, emotionally deep work which portrays the struggle of the one-armed pianist to overcome his tragic injury, and reinvent himself.

Many experts agree that this piece allowed for 3 sections that were unlike other concerti. The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand was set up with a Slow-Fast-Slow movement, as opposed to Fast-Slow-Fast.

Truth be told, Wittgenstein was famously known for being hard to please. Richard Wagner offered work as well, but Wittgenstein complained about the orchestration being too powerful for a single-handed pianist. Then of course when Prokofiev offered his work, Wittgenstein wouldn't even play it.

Even with the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, Wittgenstein complained about the long solo cadenza right after the opening. During one instance he even told Ravel; "If I had wanted a solo piece, I wouldn't have commissioned a concerto." However, Ravel stood his ground, and over time, Wittgenstein began to like it.

In the end, the Concerto for the Left Hand was a true testament to the indomitable human spirit. - 30455

About the Author:

Are you interested in how to start learning piano? Then visit Michelle's website now for tips on how to learn piano by ear. You can be tickling the ivory in no time at all.