Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

Piano Playing: Wonderful & Nutricious Food For Your Brain

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:28:12 +0000

Our population is aging. People are living longer lives, and they are constantly looking for brain food to keep their mental prowess in peak condition. One of the best ways to keep those hamsters running might be sitting in the corner of your living room gathering dust. That old piano of grandma’s has more than its share of brain teasers.
If you’re looking for a perfect way to keep your mind sharp, piano playing is the solution. It exercises several different parts of the mind and body, while providing you with years of musical enjoyment. Whether you play piano currently or are thinking about starting, playing piano is great brain food.
In order to play piano, your hands must develop independent coordination. This is one of the basic ways to keep your mind sharp. Each hand must often perform entirely different movements, and the brain must tell each hand what to do. By learning separate hand coordination, you stimulate several different areas of the brain. Practice each hand separately, and then combine the movements of each hand.
Not everyone is born with perfect pitch, but many people can develop it. When you play piano, you train your ear to hear pitches and tones in relation to one another. This makes perfect pitch possible. Intervals stimulate your mind in slightly different ways. A perfect fifth will cause one reaction in your brain, while a seventh will cause an entirely separate reaction. This trains the mind to recognize pitches and intervals.
Sight reading offers the brain another workout, as the eyes must follow the music while the hands play it. The ability to sight read is similar to knowing a foreign language, yet also requires extreme hand-eye coordination. The eye muscles are also strengthened as they move up and down the staff across the page.
Analyze musical passages and learning the theory involved is another mental exercise when you play piano. It’s brain food at its finest. Chords, melodies, and changes are all rooted in complex musical theory. It pays dividends to learn and understand how music is put together.
When you play piano in the presence of others, you are participating in a valuable social exercise. History is filled with participants and spectators in the world of music. You have the ability to make others’ time more enjoyable. You also meet other musicians who can share knowledge with you, expanding your understanding of the piano.
Proper piano playing, whether done for leisure or profession, keeps the fingers nimble. It strengthens all the muscles of the hands, which helps in other lines of work. A maintenance man with strong hands is more valuable than one with weak digits.
Besides all this, piano playing is great fun. It lets you create your own tune for the day. The piano has provided society with over a hundred years of enjoyment and will do so for hundreds more. It’s not only an instrument; it’s a social communication tool and a brain exercise, as well. Play piano for your brain. It’s lot more fun than Sudoku, and it’s great at parties.

Piano Playing: Wonderful & Nutricious Food For Your Brain is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

Play Piano Gospel Joyfully Guide

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:43:36 +0000

People who can play piano gospel have a unique sense of fulfillment in them. They must feel that all their hard work in learning how to play the piano is being dedicated towards a higher purpose. Besides, great gospel piano make church activities more interesting, making it a good way to ensure that churchgoers will be motivated to attend the services. As a result, this can help grow or bring a congregation closer together. So, if you are active in your church and you want to contribute something that can be really important in your congregation, then you should consider learning piano gospel.

Most probably, you are thinking that learning the piano can be very difficult. After all, you must have heard that one should start young if he or she ever wanted to become good at playing this musical instrument. Well, even if you are already in your teens or adult years, you can still learn the piano. There are ways that can speed up your learning process to have you playing the instrument like a professional piano player. Below are some of the tried and tested formulas that will allow you to gain essential piano skills fast. Read on.

First, you need to develop your music listening skills. This is where learning the chords becomes important. With a good musical ear, you can learn how a particular note will sound and how it will fit if mixed with other notes to make music. You do not need to learn how to read a musical sheet, especially if you want to learn piano fast. A good way to know if you have developed your musical ear is when the pitch of a note on the piano sounds the same as your humming.

Next, always remember that learning the chords will be for naught if you do not practice using them. After you have learned all the major and minor chords, you can begin learning basic and intermediate pieces. When mastering the chords, it is a good idea that you start off with triad chords. Commit at least a couple of hours every day for piano practice. Along with mastering the chords, you can also start developing the flexibility of your fingers. So, make it a point to practice piano scales with one hand first, then with the other, and then with both hands together. Once you have improved the flexibility of your fingering skills, you can play more advanced piano songs with relative ease.

Finally, you need to get good piano tutorials. These can help you practice notes and provide you with a step-by-step plan on how to advance your skills. In other words, finding a good tutor or video tutorial can greatly bring down the learning curve in piano lessons. With enough dedication and practice, you will be able to play gospel piano like a professional. When that time arrives, you will surely add more delight to churchgoers and more reasons for fellow members of your church to attend services religiously.

Play Piano Gospel Joyfully Guide is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

Beginners Piano Lessons – Creating A Learning Environment!

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:56:13 +0000

Learning the piano is a serious business, with hopefully some fun along the way. If you have found beginners piano lessons that suit you, it’s time to sit down, relax, and start out on what will be an amazing journey. Yes, the road will be tough at times, but sheer willpower and persistence does pay off, and allow you to begin enjoying yourself. So, now you have gone to the trouble, and expense, of taking proper lessons, you need to think about one more important aspect – your learning environment.

You want to give yourself the best chance of success. Therefore, consider seriously where you are going to learn. Just as any successful businessman runs an efficient workspace, you need an environment conducive to learning, such as a room where you will not be disturbed, and just as importantly, where you won’t disturb others. Make sure you have ample lighting, so you can see the keys and any sheet music clearly. You should also feel comfortable here – the temperature must be right for you.

What about your keyboard choice? When taking beginners piano lessons, whilst these may be geared to the piano, there are also many electronic keyboard options. Mastering a piece of music on a synthesizer, for example, becomes really exciting as you can experiment with different voices. If using an electronic keyboard, however, make sure it has touch sensitivity, as you will need this to give expression to your playing as you proceed. The ability to add foot pedals will come in handy too, as this is sure to form part of your piano, or keyboard, tuition, as you progress.

You may need a keyboard stand, depending on your choice of instrument. Make sure this is sturdy, and adjustable. Don’t overlook the importance of what you are sitting on, too. A comfortable piano stool, or seat, is vital. Let’s face it, if you are going to be taking your practice seriously, you will spend considerable time sitting down, and this part of your body needs to feel as at ease as the rest. Your stool, or seat, should ideally be adjustable, so that, as you sit at the keyboard, your waist can be level with the keys.

Finally, why not make a simple sign for your door? When I was training, I put a “Do Not Disturb, Genius At Work” sign up – this way, everyone knew that I was out of bounds at this time. It helps not only you, but also your family, to take your hobby seriously.

Some of these key aspects can easily be overlooked in the adrenaline rush of finding the correct beginners piano lessons, and wanting to play immediately. Just take a little while to prepare your environment and the learning that follows will be all the better for it.

Beginners Piano Lessons – Creating A Learning Environment! is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

Buy Sheet Music Online ? Why Buying Sheet Music Online Make Easy

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:32:19 +0000

No matter what instrument you play, whether it’s the guitar, piano, drums, flute, violin, or cello, sheet music can be a vital part in bettering your skills. Learning the basic techniques and the more advanced approach to music and mastering your instrument is what makes someone great at playing an instrument.

Written music can be found for individual songs, books, pamphlets, or any printed form of music. You can find this music for just about any instrument, but depending on what you are looking for and when you need it, you may not be able to find it at a local music shop.

If you are looking for something different, rare, or newly released, you will want to check the internet for new written music. If you play an instrument that is not common around your area. You will want to check online for music and if you want to print your music right away you should then check online first.

Sometimes going online to find written music is much simpler than going to the store or buying a book online. There are many websites that offer various types of music and written music online. Some are free but you will find when you buy written music online you will have more options and faster results.

In many cases, the free websites only give partial sheets of music. When you buy these snippets or full sheets of music, you can get the full songbook as well as music developed for movie soundtracks, individual songs, and so much more.

The easiest way to purchase sheet music online, is to check out the top music sites. You will find that these are more reputable and have a richer selection. You will want to download any recommended programs so that you can easily view and/or print your new music. Sometimes the music sheets you purchase online will be in a format that requires a special program to read it.

The most important thing to remember when you buy sheet music online is that you read the description of the music carefully so that you are 100 percent sure that you are about to purchase the right music and for the right instrument. You also want to be careful that you check the rating and skill level. There is no reason to waste your time on easy music when you play at an advanced level, or vice versa.

Buy Sheet Music Online ? Why Buying Sheet Music Online Make Easy is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

The Immense Popularity of the Piano Continues To This Day

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:41:53 +0000

Every since about 1709 when Christofori announced that he had invented an instrument to upscale the harpsichord,the piano has been the premier musical instrument in terms of popularity and versatility.

The harpsichord played all at one volume level-no soft or loud. So when an instrument was invented that played both soft and loud it was appropriately named the “pianoforte” (which means “soft-loud”-later the name was shorted to just “piano”).

Most instruments are not solo instruments in the sense that they require an accompanianist, but not so with the piano. It can play alone as well as with combos, orchestras, or whatever. It’s unique sound qualities make it the first choice in musical instruments for millions of folks the world over.

Because of that fact, multitudes of people around the world have purchased pianos and continue to purchase pianos in hopes of mastering the “musical monster with 88 ivory teeth”. Some of the dominant manufacturers are Steinway, Yamaha, Baldwin, Kawaii, Bosendorfer and many others. Pianos come in various shapes and sizes, including:

Grand Pianos:

Parlor Grand. Size 4’5″ to 5’5″

Baby Grand. Size 5’0″ to 6’5″

Medium Studio Grand. Size 5’6″ to 6’5″

Semi-Concert Grand. Size 6’6″ to 8’0″.

Concert Grand. Most concert grands are 9′ in length

Upright Pianos:

Spinet. Size 35″ to 39″ tall.

Console. 40″ to 44″ tall.

Studio: 45″ to 47″ tall.

Professional. 48″ to 52″ tall.

Every since the invention of the piano, parents have signed their children up for piano lessons in hope they would become the next Mozart, or a least be able to entertain family and friends. But for every 100 kids that start piano lessons, probably less than 20% or so actually continue with the lessons long enough to play decently. Still, it is a good education in music, and certainly good for developing self-discipline and focus.

To really master piano playing, a beginning student must gradually learn many different disciplines and aspects of music including:

*Sight-reading sheet music (or the score of a classical piece);
*Fingering of scale passages and chord formations; *Keyboard chords, from major chords to minor chords to augmented chords to diminished chords to 7th chords and more;
*Music theory, including major scales, minor scales, whole-tone and chromatic scales, and the “church modes”, plus some specialty scales such as the Mediterranean scale, the blues scale, and so on;
*Key orientation including knowledge of the tonic note or tonic tone, triads, arpeggios, the concept of key (key of C, key of Eb, key of F#, etc.)
*Intervals including unisons, inversions, chords-both primary and secondary:
*Figured bass, chord symbols;
*Dynamics and dynamic markings such as sforzando, presto, largo, allegro, etc,
*Many other aspects including pedaling, body position, ear-training, music appreciation, a study of the great composers such as Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, etc., interpretation, arranging, and a host of related subjects in the harmony and music theory areas.

This often involves years of learning at home with a teacher ( sometimes supplemented by online music lessons) and numerous music books, chord charts, fingering diagrams and musical scores. Meanwhile the student learns to play songs and classical pieces galore that contribute to the warmth of the home and the enjoyment of the family.

And if the student fails to become another Brubeck or Garner, he or she has still benefited tremendously in terms of music education, appreciation, the ability to concentrate, and many other qualities that flow out of having taken piano lessons. Plus he or she has brought the sound of music into their parent’s home, and hopefully will continue with it when they form their own family.

Choosing a Child’s First Piano – Important Facts You Must Know

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:53:38 +0000

For a child, learning how to play an instrument such as the piano will undoubtedly make a major contribution to his or her education and overall development. Studies have shown that children who begin to learn music at a young age will usually have higher test scores and even a higher IQ. These children often are more successful in school also, due in part to being more prepared to comprehend and conceptualize many challenges better than their peers. Studying and learning how to play on the piano is one of the greatest achievements a child can make.

A very important factor in helping to motivate a child to learn piano is for them to have their own piano or keyboard so they can practice their music and have a sense of ownership and pride about their musical instrument. Hopefully this will work to inspire the child to practice and continue to improve their piano playing skills. Of course, it is wise to determine how much enthusiasm the child has about learning to play piano prior to your decision to purchase one just for them. When a child is first learning to play on a piano, they won’t need a full size 88-key piano keyboard, but as their skills grow and they become more advanced piano players, they will certainly want to have a full piano with a regular sized set of keys.

A digital piano or keyboard is a wonderful idea for an introduction into a child’s piano playing study. A digital piano usually has the ability to record music and even download music files from the internet, which can be great learning tools to aid in the child’s piano playing development. Another added benefit of these features on digital pianos is the capability to save the music you play, and can e-mail it to anybody you want. Children can send songs they have played and recorded on their digital piano through email to grandparents or other relatives, and won’t they be proud! There are many more great features on most high quality digital pianos and keyboards as well. A majority of them have several pre-recorded songs that can be utilized as learning tools as your child plays along with the recording. On most digital keyboard pianos, the child can mute certain parts of the recorded songs and play the muted part themselves on the keyboard. This is a fun and excellent way for a child to learn piano, when it comes to learning to play piano, there is nothing better than hands-on experience.

Choosing a Child’s First Piano – Important Facts You Must Know is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

Piano Shops In Sydney: How To Choose The Right Instrument

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:22:19 +0000

Buying a piano is a large investment, it is important to take precautions before buying this instrument. If done right, the piano can provide a lifetime of fun, enjoyment, and musical stimulation for the whole family. If done wrong, frustration and problems can persist for years. Before you buy a piano, a little pre-planning is important. The first thing you need to do is to determine your musical needs and furniture requirements for the home. A piano is not just a musical instrument; it can also be the centerpiece of a room. It adds sophistication, elegance, and beauty to even the dullest room. But even more than that, it can be the tool that helps you achieve your dreams.Browse Piano Shops in Sydney The best way to find the right instrument is to browse the local piano shops in Sydney. Look for a dealer that has an extensive collection of new, used, and refurbished pianos in all price levels. It is critical for you to examine the different varieties of pianos in the market. If the piano shops have certain regulations about using the pianos for sale, ask the salesperson to demonstrate the types of pianos available in the shop. When playing the piano, test the responsiveness of each keyboard. Also, listen carefully to each and every piano you are interested in. This will let you know which instrument would best suit your musical sensibilities. Visiting piano shops in Sydney has an added benefit of letting you see different styles and finishes of the instruments. This enables you to know which one will be the most attractive in your home. Should You Buy from a Dealer or an Individual? There is a difference between buying from reputable piano shops in Sydney and buying from a private person. For example, dealers typically provide a manufacturer warranty for their items, complimentary services, and a better variety of choices. Even used pianos that are bought from the dealer are covered with warranty from the piano shops in Sydney so there is less cause for concern. In addition, a lot of dealers today offer a trade-up policy wherein you can enjoy the full-purchase price of your old piano in case you desire to have a higher-end piano for a specific timeframe. Despite these benefits, some buyers still prefer to buy from private individuals because it is typically cheaper than retail. However, it is also essential to remember that you will shoulder a lot of responsibilities in this option. For example, you need to travel to several homes and there is no assurance that youll find the right piano. Expect to pay for the moving cost of transporting the piano as well. Since there is no warranty, you may end up spending more if the piano you bought turns out to be defective. Overall, there are a lot of drawbacks associated with buying from private individuals; it is not surprising that most people typically prefer to buy their instruments from reputable piano shops in Sydney.

Piano Shops In Sydney: How To Choose The Right Instrument is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

Popular Techno Music: Outcome Of The Dedicated Effort Of The Musician

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 06:43:14 +0000

Techno is an electronic dance music that mostly uses sound effects, synthetic sound with fast beats and was quite popular during the 1980′s. This music was immensely popular in places like Detroit and Michigan in United States. The credit for creating this techno music goes to D.J.Ben Russell of Detroit radio. He was inspired by European electro-pop and under laid dreamy synthesizer melodies with rapid electronic rhythms. Techno music was huge popular in Detroit radio and after attaining success in radio this music made its impact on other places and by the year 1980′s it became world wide popular. Techno exists in many styles but Detroit techno is considered as the foundation upon which various subgenres have been built. By the mid-1990s, techno had split into myriad subgenres, the most important being trance music.Techno music is purely electronic and it is mostly intended for dance. This music is the perfect blend of the classic German electronic sound and the urban American music. This music emphasizes more on the beats of the instruments and machine sound of drum, synthesizers and other instruments and makes excellent background music. Techno music is also used as production music for progressive films or television programs, which has to highlight present busy culture. Techno music is the outcome of the musician efforts and the music equipment used in its creation. This popular techno music was introduced to related genres of music making it globally recognized by the 1990′s.Techno music can be develop and created in several ways and compositional technique is one way by which this music is created and developed. This music is created in a manner so that it compliments the instruments that are being used. Techno music can not be created by the traditional methods of music making. Brilliantly mixed pattern of different types of music and instruments assures the most soothing and effective techno music that is hugely popular. The instruments used in the creating of techno music should be cautiously made and wired since the quality of the techno music heavily relies on the used instruments. If the quality of the instruments is not up to the standard then it will definitely harm the quality of the techno music ad also its popularity.Techno music grew and developed globally from Detroit. Originally the techno music was developed and created by musicians using cheap electronic items and it they mostly create the music of their choice. So initially when it was played in the radio stations it was conceives as party music, but gradually the music developed in its own genre worldwide. School clubs such as Hardware, Beats, Snobbs, Weekends, Brats, Rumors and comrades contributed in their own manner to popularize techno music worldwide. This music is created in a manner so that it suits the instruments that are being used.

Piano Lessons ? Where To Start?

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:16:47 +0000

Piano playing is a hobby which is practiced by many. It is a great way to relive oneself of the stress generated from the daily chores of life. It is also the best possible way of expressing your feelings and emotions to your loved ones. Just ask a piano player about the satisfaction he gets by just laying his fingers on the instrument and playing a few chords. The joy is just unimaginable.

Learning to play the piano is much like learning a new language. Although best accomplished during the formative years of childhood, there is still no age limit on when or how you can take up the skill. In fact, for many adults, the piano presents an opportunity of a lifetime. It offers everything from the development of a wide array of skill sets to the simple enjoyment of music. Regardless of whether you’re looking to start at age 18 or 80, there is a path open for your future playing the piano.

So now let us move to the question asked in the title of the article- Where to start? Well, to speak in today’s sense; there are two places to start- online and offline. By online, we mean the online tutorials offered by various websites which help you in learning your instrument. And by offline, we are simply referring to the traditional format of learning a musical instrument- from a teacher. It is the traditional ‘Guru-Shishya’ technique as known in India. It simply means that you go to a good piano instructor who will be able to give you physical lessons instead of the e-lessons.

Well, an online tutorial but learning to play the piano just like you learnt to understand science and math. In the online piano lessons, you get web pages which have written matter which will help you learn the basics of piano playing as well as help you delve deep into the subject. So in the traditional form where your instructor imparts you oral knowledge regarding the instrument, in the online learning format, the very same words are converted into text format and put in front of you.

When we talk about offline lessons, we mean paying a regular visit to your instructor and getting a first hand information from him. If you are adult, do not worry. These are specific piano instructors who devote a particular time frame every week just to teach adults. Many adults feel a bit embarrassed to learn along with kids and that is understandable. They typically understand the time and space constraints that face adult learners, and can tailor a program especially in the way you learn best.

So here are the two approaches you can take to learn the piano. Both of them have their shares of advantages and disadvantages. While the online tutorial is cheaper than its offline counterpart, the other is more direct and spontaneous. But the thing which makes me prefer the offline version to the online version is that here you are face to face with your instructor. So while playing the instrument, if you have any doubts, you can easily ask your instructor. Also, since the instructor is constantly watching you, he can easily point out your mistakes and help you rectify them. While the first of these features is not quick enough in the online scheme, the second feature does not exist here.

Piano Lessons ? Where To Start? is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival

Does it Take Long to Learn to Play Piano?

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:09:04 +0000

The answer to this question depends on two things. You and your musical ability and the amount of time you are willing to put into it. Initially, do not expect great things overnight and it should be fully understood the commitment involved depending on the standard you want to achieve. Playing piano is a complex skill. In the first few weeks you will need to develop your technical ability to play your instrument, learn about basic rhythm and the fundamentals of music theory. However, if you are coming to piano playing having learned another instrument then you will have a head start on the complete novice.
Success is measured by how much happiness and satisfaction playing brings you and not by how fast or perfectly you play. Many people begin hoping that within a few weeks they’ll be playing a certain classical piece of music or a favourite tune and get despondent when it doesn’t happen. With the greater percentage of cases this level of progress will not happen and it’s worth keeping this in mind at the outset.
Therefore perseverance is important, but more importantly practice is a daily priority. Progress will be slow initially, but regular practise sessions will keep you focused, even if it’s only for 30 minutes a day. Piano playing is a repetitive exercise and by missing practise sessions that repetitiveness is lost. Development will be slow and will lead to a lack of interest and ultimately regret for not fulfilling your ambitions. A lack of commitment will always lead to failure.
When practicing, find a quiet location that is free from interruptions and noise and try to set aside a definite time each day and stick to the programme. Avoiding or delaying getting to the piano will just make you run out of time. Real practice involves both mental and physical commitment. Repeating errors instead of correcting them before continuing is counter productive. It’s not the measure of time you spend that’s most important, but how you utilise that time. If you practice several hours a day and simply repeat the same mistakes each time, then your practice is inefficient. Failure to practice correctly and sufficiently is the single biggest reason that people fail in their ambitions to master the piano.
It may seem like a chore for the first few years. So why would anyone go to the inconvenience to learn to play the piano? Because when it all finally comes together and you can open a piece of music and play it, it is an amazing feeling. And all the hours of practice will have been worth it.
It may seem inconceivable at the beginning, but anyone can play the piano if they’re willing to dedicate the time and the effort to do it. The piano can transport you to places you never thought possible and it will become part of your life. However, the hardest part to learning to play the piano is to start. Procrastination will not do it for you.

Does it Take Long to Learn to Play Piano? is a post from: Tiszadob Music Piano Festival