Archive for August, 2009

The piano is the most perfectly designed instrument for playing chords. It’s visually straightforward, easy-to-understand layout makes it simple for the beginning piano student to learn how to play chords. Unlike other instruments, such as the guitar, the player doesn’t need to learn how to contort her fingers in strange, unnatural ways just to play the most simple combinations of notes.

In contrast, the basic chords on the piano seem almost magically designed to be played by the human hand. When learning how to play the piano, the beginning pianist only needs to learn the structures of these basic chords, and a world of harmony opens itself up.

To start, although they are not technically chords, combinations of two notes — usually referred to as “intervals” or “dyads” — are often seen in piano music. Even if they aren’t technically chords, combinations of two notes are essentially the foundation of all music harmony. Thus, when learning how to play chords, it’s also a good idea for students to first learn intervals.

The smallest interval on the Western music scale is the minor second, which is made up of two notes that are only a half-step apart — for instance, E and the next F, or B and the next C. Although there are various ways of referring to the intervals, they are most often named as follows, in order of increasing size:

1. Minor second
2. Major second
3. Minor third
4. Major third
5. Perfect fourth
6. Augmented fourth (or diminished fifth)
7. Perfect fifth
8. Minor sixth (or augmented fifth)
9. Major sixth
10. Minor seventh
11. Major seventh
12. Perfect octave

You don’t have to learn all of them at once, but most piano players must learn them eventually. Plus, there are similar names for intervals larger than an octave, but they don’t come up quite as often.

When learning how to play chords, many students start out with triads, which are the most basic form of three-note chords. Basically, while intervals are the foundation of all musical harmony, triads are the starting point to more complex harmonies. Also, they are refreshingly simple and easy to play. For example, if you set the fingers of your right hand on the first five notes of the C major scale — C, D, E, F, and G — then your thumb, middle finger, and pinky are already in position to play the C major triad.

Your knowledge of intervals comes in handy when learning triads, of which there are four main types:

1. Major triad: A major third plus a minor third (e.g., C E G).
2. Minor triad: A minor third plus a major third (e.g., A C E).
3. Diminished triad: A minor third plus a minor third (e.g., B D F).
4. Augmented triad: A major third plus a major third (e.g., C E G).

Diminished and augmented triads occur far less frequently than major and minor triads, especially in the types of music usually played by beginning pianists. This will make more sense when you practice playing triads; major and minor triads will sound familiar and comfortable to the ear, while diminished and augmented triads will sound stranger and more dissonant.

Meanwhile, it’s important to understand the naming of triads. In short, all triads are named after their root note — the note which begins the scale the chord is based on. For example, the minor triad of A C E is referred to as “A minor,” because it is based on the A minor scale; the major triad of F A C is referred to as “F major,” because it is based on the F major scale: the diminished triad of Bb D F is referred to as “Bb major,” and so on.

Beyond intervals and triads, the range and terminology of piano chords only becomes more layered and complex. The number of things you will have to learn may seem daunting at first, but it’s always important to remember that learning how to play chords is a series of baby steps. For example, soon after learning about triads, you might want to learn about chord inversion, or how to turn triads into seventh chords. Both of these techniques, though becoming more advanced, are relatively simple on their own. So, when learning, stick with one thing at a time, and soon you will not be so confused by all of those bizarre chord notations you see everywhere.

Haven’t you ever wondered how certain people become really good violinists? I have! The violin really is one of the most amazing instruments. Not only is the craftsmanship beautiful but the sound that emanates from them is absolutely incredible. Well recently I came upon a site that offered something that just may help you learn how to play the violin, whether you’re a pro or an amateur, called violin video lesson packages. These packages alone are pretty fantastic, I mean they come with hundreds of different videos and tons of different lessons. But, they also come with lots of extras like exercises, chords, notes, learning how to read sheet music, jam tracks, exercises, scales and chords, and step by step instructions.

Most sites I’ve seen these packages on, the price tag was well under $50, which is pretty fantastic when you think about all the cool extras you get. And, they are extras you will actually use! Another cool thing about these packages, is that a lot of the times the lessons are given by well-known violinists such as Eric Lewis. Professor Lewis is the world renowned first violinist of the Manhattan String Quartet of 40 years! He has also toured the world since the 1970s across North and South America, Europe, Russia and the far east concertizing and teaching. So, this isn’t just some guy teaching you about something he barely knows about himself. This is an actual master, willing to teach you everything he knows!

If you want to do some of the following activities, then these packages are absolutely perfect for you:

Play condenzas, sonatas and solos
Play violin in a symphony, string quartet or piano trio
Start your own violin teaching business or get a job as a violinist
Play some of the most popular music that the masters have
You’re a beginner but you want to learn the basics and start playing whole pieces
You don’t have time to hire an instructor, and need something more conveniently

Hitting on the last note, convenience is really important to me, as I’m sure it is to you as well. What’s great about these packages is as soon as you pay you will be guided to a member’s section which will allow you to download the videos right then and there. No waiting around, no waiting for the parcel service to deliver it, etc. And, you can play these videos whenever, wherever, and for however long you want. It doesn’t matter if you have 15 minutes to play, or 1 hour to play. It’s all available to you, right there on your computer!

If you would like more information on these video lesson packages, or would like to compare different prices try out the following sites:

- eBay

- Amazon

- ViolinMaster

- InstrumentMaster

And lastly, remember to have fun with this! I am almost 100% sure you will really enjoy the convenience of these videos as well as the quickness of how well you will begin to play. Good luck!

Want to be the Beethoven or Mozart of your generation? These days, thanks to wonderful innovations in technology, you can learn to play the piano without having to pay for expensive piano lessons. You can play piano online.

There are a lot of websites that allows you to learn to play a variety of musical instruments online, the most popular ones being the guitar, the drums, and the piano.

There’s one easy way to play piano online. Some learn piano websites are fully interactive. Basically, an image of the piano will appear and you’ll use the mouse to click on the keys. Hit the right keys and make fine music online.

If you think you’re good enough, you can even record your playing. This kind of program is written in Java and may take a while to download. These are usually free or you only need to pay a small fee.

You can also download software. This option may cost you a few bucks. Most piano software packages available online include songs and video files, interactive games, and piano lesson books about all kinds of piano playing – from classical to jazz.

Another creative piano lesson online involves teaching people to play the piano by ear. Using one technique, which involves teaching piano patterns one by one and mixing them as the lessons progress, you can play the piano without using written music sheets.

One advantage of learning piano online is it allows flexibility in your time schedule. You can learn to play piano online anytime and anywhere in the world as long as you have your laptop and an internet connection.

Learning to play piano can be a very fulfilling experience. But it can also be very expensive, which means many people who would love to play don’t have the opportunity.

However, there are now many self-teaching methods on the market which means if you’ve ever wanted to learn to play piano, there’s never been a better time.

So in this article I will explain to you all the different methods now available for anyone learning to play piano.

Obviously, one of the most effective ways to learn piano is private tuition. However, this is also the most expensive. But an option that may not have occurred to you is this: Group classes.

Group classes provide you with the face-to-face learning, but reduce the cost quite a bit by spreading it out across several group members.

But if this option isn’t available to you, and you want to teach yourself, then there’s still some options.

Learning to play piano from a book – while not the best option – can still be effective. This works best if you’ve already had some basic tuition.

A better alternative would be to learn from a DVD or video. This means you can actually see what is happening, which reduces your chances of making mistakes in your learning.

But in my opinion, the best way to learn piano by yourself is to use the internet. More specifically, there’s several well made piano courses online. These courses often features both video and book learning. Some of the better courses even allow you to email professional piano teachers if you have any questions.

You can always find an online piano course that caters to your needs, whether you’re a beginner or advanced.

In conclusion, learning piano can be very rewarding, and its very easy to teach yourself as long as you find the right method for you. But with many options available, you’re sure to find something that works well for you.

Most piano teachers, if they are serious about what they do, are likely to direct students to purchase or at least be interested in an acoustic piano. However, there are many reasons why an authentic handcrafted instrument might not be your best choice. With portability, convenience, affordability and all the other features a digital piano offers, you might just want to head in the other direction. When it comes to digital versus acoustic, all it basically boils down to is just a matter of genuineness against everything else there is. This is how you can determine which will best suit you in the long run.

Acoustic piano are deficient in many features that you will find in a Digital piano, as the volume control and the convenience of porting your music to your personal computer and many others. The latest version of the Digital piano includes onboard functions such as the electronic metronome as well as mixing features. In comparison to the Acoustic piano, the making of a Digital piano involved the velocity calculating of each key, making this an array of high quality recordings possible. The aesthetic quality of the sound produced is of high quality. An Acoustic piano comprises of a multifaceted assortment of hammers, strings as well as other operational parts which function in association. This simply put, is that when any note is being played, in is not played entirely on its own, instead is affected by the surrounding mechanisms of the piano. As for example, when you play a chord on a Digital piano the outcome would be three notes being played, as though they have been recorded independently, whereas on an Acoustic piano, the three notes would act together with each other and become a stew of ambiance resulting in a more complex and more affluent reverberation. An acoustic piano has no limit of loudness or softness as to when a note is being played; digital pianos have a limited noise level that can be reached, meaning that you would not be able to play a note as loud or as soft as you wish.

Key touch is a vital issue aside from the sound. Digital pianos have been made to feel like their acoustic counterparts. The hammer on the digital has been applied to a graded hammer action, as with the line of hammers on the acoustic which slowly becomes lighter from the left to the right. The digital piano hammers are mainly an annex of the piano players’ fingers. The hammers on the acoustic piano on the other hand acts as projectiles which are sprung at the springs.

The general difference in recital between a digital and an acoustic piano would be bleak. What it simmers down to, is the accuracy versus everything else, bear in mind that it is the authenticity that you would be paying for at the end of the day. Depending on your needs and in what route you would want to take your music, the decision in the end would be yours to make. Acoustic or Digital?

The fastest way to learn guitar is to learn the basic hand positions and chords and then practice zealously. When you first start to practice chords and songs, your fingertips will likely get sore. You have to develop calluses on the tips of your fingers, so playing through the soreness is necessary. Using a pick will help with the soreness, but if you want to get there faster, build on those calluses. You will also need to develop strength in the hand you use to fret. The best way to do that is to practice as often as you can.

Practicing often means practicing daily. If you have the time, try to practice for an hour a day. The least you should practice is for half an hour of your day. Take every other opportunity you have to work on your guitar skills. If you can fit in more practice, then do so. It is the best way to learn guitar fast.

Do not skimp on learning guitar chords. If you really want to learn quickly, you have to learn barre chords as well as open chords. Chords must become second nature. For this to happen, your mind and fingers have to get accustomed to it. “Play” the guitar silently when watching television or sitting at stoplights. Here is where it is okay to play the “air guitar”.

Challenge yourself as you learn. Do not settle for learning one or two songs and then playing them all the time. Not only will that bother the people around you, it will not take you where you want to go. Practice the easy songs, of course, but move on to the intermediate and then advanced songs, too.

You cannot skimp on any part of learning to play the guitar if you want to become an expert guitarist quickly. Treat your guitar lessons like a job. In order to advance, you have to learn and apply on a consistent basis.