Imperative Tech Talk

When looking for a piano one of the best and smartest things that you can do is to seek out the expertise of a good technician. A good piano technician can be priceless when it comes to helping you pick what kind of piano has the best fit for you. They should know just about everything there is to know about the many different kinds of pianos. For instance, which ones hold their sound best, which ones are the easiest to repair, and which may have a lot of recurring problems. Most technicians are also players, so you will most likely get some good personal advice as to what kind of piano is best for you.

Go To Showrooms in Your Area

Going to showrooms in your area will give you the chance to sit down at various types of pianos to plunk away, ultimately giving you a good feel for what type of

piano you will most likely feel comfortable at. It will also allow you the opportunity to compare the pricing between the different dealers and different brands.

Talk to Sales People

Although some sales people may be firmly biased towards one particular brand or another solely based on what they are selling at their piano store showroom, piano sales people can often provide you with some pretty good information about the quality of certain brands or the difference in quality between various models of the correspondent brand. They will also be able to provide you with other manufacturer's warranty information without being too one sided with their opinions.

Opinions From Teachers and Students

Feel free to sign up for a free introductory lesson, and while you are there, ask the teacher's their opinion when it comes to what type of piano they feel best suits a beginner. A teacher will usually be totally unbiased in their opinion and have the student's best interests at heart.If you are lucky there will be other students there that you can ask some questions of as well. Find out what different types of pianos they have played or owned and what they feel would be the most comfortable and appropriate piano for someone who was just starting out. There is no one better to ask then someone who has been in your shoes before.

The best piano to start out with is definitely the one that you will happily play. The best piano is the one you will find yourself wanting to play all the time. That is why it is so imperative to do tons of research before making an important decision such as purchasing a piano. In addition to following the aforementioned advice, there are several good books available that will give solid advice when considering purchasing a piano, and today there are an abundance of Internet communities that have sections devoted to providing advice to beginning piano players. If you don not happen to see a line of questioning that you think will help your situation, pose the question yourself and let the advice of experienced piano players come to you.

All of these answers and more can be answered only when you know what kind of piano education you're gonna get. If it is good, many of those questions will have answers to "YES!". If you get a bad piano education, you're gonna get those questions answered "No, or maybe a very small chance."

This guide will help you learn the basics of piano so when you start out and learn from a teacher for the very first time, you won't be as clueless and dumbfounded as other people would be. This guide will also help you pick the right teacher so that you won't get a bad education.

Questions

Alright. Many of the questions stated above will be answered here. The first one was: "Can I be able to play the piano?" The answer is yes, after you read this guide.

"Will I be successful if I try?" Well, this question is hard to answer, because many people have different learning rates. If you try a few times, you will get the hang of it. This will mean you're successful.

"When will I become as good as those guys on TV?" This question is hard to answer too, because I don't know what kind of teacher you will have. Maybe in about 3-4 years, you will be that good.

"Can I make a career out of it?" YES YOU WILL! Many people seek everywhere for a piano teacher. They can charge up anywhere from $50-$75 every hour lesson. You can teach about 5 people a day, and that would get $250 at least (in your own home, too)

"How do I start?" Well, first you should get a piano (this would cost around $1000-$2000). Then read the next part of the guide.

The Basics

The piano is made up of many black and white keys. There are 52 whites and 36 black, making a total of 88 keys. A set of keys is made up of an A to G key. Each white key is one letter, so:

On all pieces of music there are 5 horizontal lines. If you have noticed, there is 2 of these connected together by {. The top one of them is called the treble clef, the one with this sign:

You read the lines from bottom to top. The very bottom line would be an E note, then next would be G, then next would be B, then D, then F is the very top. Your teacher will tell you which E to start with, and remember that you are ascending. You start the E from the middle of the keyboard, 26 white keys from the left This is a piano staff that shows which notes are where:

There is another staff too, the bass clef. It is just like the top staff, with different notes. Bass clef looks like this:

They have notes too, and you start the G 14 white notes from the left:

There are many different kinds of notes. In this guide we will learn the basic ones, which are quater notes, half notes, and whole notes. Later, perhaps, you will learn the other kinds of notes:

There are these things that are sharps or flats and naturals. They look like this:

Sharps and flats raise a note up or down a half-step. Sharps raise them up, flats lower them. Naturals canccel out a sharp or flat. On the chart is an example:

Time signatures are important too. On a piece of music, they tell you what notes get what beat. There are only four you should be concerned of now. 2/4 3/4 and 4/4. 4/4 might look like this:

In case you're wondering, a measure is the space from one bar line to another:

That is basically it for the lessons. When you get a teacher, you can ask him/her about scales.

Books to buy

I suggest a great book to buy is the "Basics of Keyboard Theory Prepatory Level" by Julie Mclntosh Johnson. It has all the things in this guide, and you can test yourself by answering the questions. It also teaches you as well. It costs about $5-$10. Your teacher will tell you what other books to buy as well.

Tips for picking a Teacher

Many teachers are very good to choose from, there is not many tips for picking them. The only thing I could think of is to ak them if they send their students to the Certificate of Merit evaluation, because that will be very important in your career.

When we  learn a  new piece of music  we tend to  focus on individual notes and patterns of notes in the early stages of learning ---perhaps even over focusing and  staring.   If you use music as you play and this habit continues, as you bring the piece to performance level you will stumble---make mistakes, interrupting the flow of the music.

To combat this-----let your eyes move as well as your fingers----- let your eyes be one step ahead of your fingers.  In other words know where you are going before you get there.  While playing the current measures you will be moving ahead with the eyes to pick up the next pattern and yes your fingers will move into the next pattern  with  ease.   

Reversing the Order

Would you like to play an arpeggio or run of notes  freely and with ease?  Try playing the notes backwards, sequentially, with the last note in the run being the first, the next to last being the second and so on.  For example---Middle C, E, G, C would be played as C, G, E, Middle C.

For some neurological reason, playing a sequence of notes in reverse order makes it easier to play the notes in the correct order.  This is akin to a baby learning to crawl backwards before he or she will crawl forward.

This may seem somewhat laborious when one has a series of notes of 20 or more to play.  Reversing the order of playing notes is laborious at first.  The reward  comes when this seemingly laborious effort becomes easy and  enables you to produce a beautiful, polished musical rendition.  

Chording Runs

 

Let's move on to Chording Runs.  What does this mean?  Chording Runs is simply identifying a sequence of notes and playing the sequence as a chord.  How is this done?

With a long arpeggio or run  identify the  first sequence of notes that  would make the first  chord .   Identify, next,  the second sequence that will make a chord.  Then, continue on to the third and fourth  sequences to the end of the run.  Be aware that the sequence played as a chord often sounds  rather strange or disonant. 

This  technique is particularly useful when the run requires crossing one hand over the other to play the  run.

Now, let's put it all together.  Chord each run first.   Play the  individual notes.  Now,  add in TIP No. 2, REVERSING THE ORDER. Soon you will play  arpeggios and runs like  a pro.

Learn The Hardest Part First

You have a piece of music  you just love and want to perform.    But---and there's the big but-- the music has a part which appears overwhelmingly difficult.

Our  natural inclination is to spend more practice time on what we know.  Do just the opposite. Tackle, figuratively,  the most difficult passages first.  First, assess what kind of passage it is. Does it have runs which need breaking down? Does it have a difficult or faster rhythm?  Is there a key change?

In general, consider why a part is difficult to play.  Next, break the difficult part into its smallest parts and build from the smallest parts.

In performance, your practice on the difficult part first will have its reward. What seemed  ovewhelming  initially will flow easily.

The moodswinger is a guitar-like instrument which was created by Yuri Landman. In actuality, it is not a guitar per se, but more like a zither, because it has no frets. This 3rd bridge guitar has 12 strings and is electrically powered. The moodswinger was originally made by Yuri Landman for drummer Aaron Hemphill. Quite an unusual guitar, isn't it?

The Great Stalacpipe Organ

The Great Stalacpipe organ was considered by many as one of the largest crafted musical instruments in the world. It is located inside the Lurray Caverns, in the Shanandoah Valley. Leland Sprinkle, the inventor of this unique instrument, discovered that stalactites inside the Lurray caverns produce melodic sounds. He then constructed a keyboard console and wired a mallet to each stalactite within a 3.5 acre cavern space! The sounds gathered from the stalactites are then regulated by this stalacpipe organ and can be played using traditional organ/piano keys. This became considered as the oldest natural litophone in the world.

The Zadar Sea Organ

The Sea Organ is a splendid example of impeccable architecture and sound engineering. Located on the shores of Zadar, Croatia, this is the first musical instrument naturally played by the waves of the sea. This unique instrument, made by architect Nikola Basic in 2005, looks like normal but elegant steps along the seashore. Underneath it, however, are 35 musically tuned tubes. Depending on the size, strength, and velocity of the waves that toss on the seashore, musical chords are played and the sound comes out from whistle openings on the sidewalk. Call it a main instrument in nature's orchestra.

The Aeolian Wind Harp

The Aeolian harp is a musical instrument played by the wind. It originated in Ancient Greece, but was popularly used as home decorations during the Renaissance and Romantic Era. It is designed to play music without human hands. The wind causes the Aeolian harp to vibrate and produce random harmonic sounds and notes (sometimes chords). This is another instrument in nature's orchestra!

The Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ

The Guiness Book of World Records consider the Atlantic City Organ as the loudest musical instrument ever created. It is also the world's largest pipe organ. This instrument has 7 manuals (controls found in most traditional organs), 1,255 speaking stops, 455 ranks and 33,112 pipes! One of the natural speakers built inside this instrument can be six times louder than the world's loudest train whistle! The Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ weighs approximately 150 tons (which explains why it's stuck in that location possibly forever).

Aquaggaswack

Besides being hard to spell, this instrument was also uniquely built. It falls under the category of gong and cymbal instruments. Mallets, sticks and brushes form the Aquaggaswack. It is made of pot lids stuck together by galvanized plumbing pipe. It was created by Curtis Settino in 1996 as an experimental musical instrument.

Sandata Ng Lolo Ni Tatay

If we translate this from the Filipino language, this means "Weapon Of My Father's Grandfather". This instrument originated from the Philippines and was created by Lirio Salvador. It looks like a cello and can be played exactly like one, except that the sound is different. The sound is amplified by a magnetic pickup coming from mixing bowls. The 'Sandata ng Lolo Ni Tatay" is a very interesting instrument to watch being played. The name is funny too.

Parts of the Drums:

1. Snare
2. Low Tom
3. High Tom
4. Floor Tom
5. Hi-Hat
6. Crash
7. Ride
8. Bass
   

Drum Notation

The space right above the first line represents the hi-hat. Hi-hats and cymbals are usually marked with an “X” instead of a dot like regular notes.

For the toms, we will use the blanks spaces in the middle to represent each tom. The first space will be the floor tom. The second space will be your high tom, and the third space will be your low tom.

The snare is usually the most important one to see. We will use the line right in the middle to represent the snare.

Cymbals are usually placed above the hi-hat. They are marked as an “X” as well. You may come across a diamond shape, this indicates a bell stroke on your ride or other cymbal.

As for your feet, they are usually placed towards the bottom. The bass drum will be the last line on the music. Your left foot, (or hi-hat foot) will be right below the bass drum line. Again, since this is a cymbal, it will be marked as an “X”

Now that you know the parts of the drum and the drum notation lets start playing the drum with the easiest:

The basic rock beat

• Play eighth notes on the hi-hat with your right hand
• Keep your left foot pressed on the pedal to keep it closed

When you start losing your place, slow it down a little. After a bit of time practicing you will be able to do it faster.

• Then you will have to add the snare on beats 2 and 4 with your left hand.

Make sure your arms are well positioned so the sticks doesn't hit each other. And try to don't flail them too high because it wastes too much energy.

• Then you will have to add the bass drum. Add it on bets 1 and 3.

You can create new rock rhythms too adding more basses wherever you want.

Closing

Now that you finished reading this short guide you may fell that you have not learned enough… well, you haven't. But anyways that is the first and most important things that u need to know when u want to start playing the drum.

Being better playing the drum depends mostly on the time you spend practicing. I suggest you to practice a lot, create rhythms, search for more information, try to play the tablatures you downloaded for internet and such things and you will become a great drummer without paying a teacher.

Here are some links to tablatures websites:

• 911tabs
• Ttabs.com
• Drumtabs
• Mxtabs

Here are some links to drum cool videos:

• Tony Royster Jr. Drum Solo
• Some funny man playing an invisible drum kit
• Link to Vadrum s video channel (he plays great drum solos with the songs of The Simpsons, Mario Bross, and more)

Although it began with the famed bowed musical instruments that were produced by Antonio Stradivari in the late 1600s, the word is often used to describe the best in other fields.

Usually, we think of the expensive violins that Antonio produced in his shop in Cremona, Italy, especially those produced during his “golden age” between 1698 and 1720. Even today, the methods and material that he used for those outstanding violins are not well-understood by musicians and scientists. We do know, however, that the quality is well above average.

The few remaining Stradivarius violins are worth fortunes usually. One of the latest of his violins sold at auction brought more than three and a half million dollars. That instrument was made in 1707. No doubt, some of his violins have sold privately for even more than that auction price.

There are probably around seven hundred original Stradivari violins remaining. The true number is illusive since most owners are unknown. The name of Stradivarius has become an object of copy. Since a true Stradivarius has so much value, many musical instrument manufacturers label their violins with the Stradivarius name.

Various theories exist as to why the Stradivari-produced violins have such a high degree of quality. Some suggest that the varnishes used on the outsides have something to do with it. Some suggest that the particular shapes of the belly and back plates of the violins help to produce the unique sound quality.

One of the more prevalent theories involves the wood used in the manufacture of the instruments. Antonio Stradivari lived during the Little Ice Age, a time when the wood of hardwood trees seemed to grow very dense during both the summer and winter months. This extremely dense wood is what Antonio used in making his violins.

Although his violins are the major focus of Stradivari's productions, he also produced other stringed instruments including the cello.

With new guitarists turning to simple, 3 chord songs from the likes of Green Day, My Chemical Romance, and Fallout Boy, there seems to be less interest in the cool, classy style of finger-picking emulated older artists. Not that Green Day doesn't have skill - emo-rock (or whatever it is) definitely holds its place in the hearts of this generation. On the other hand, though, why not expand your musical savvy to these 10 playable greats that can be appreciated by most age groups?

1. Fire and Rain - James Taylor

   Simple and sweet with smooth vocals, Fire and Rain is not difficult to play. One of the best things about this song is that there is such a blue emotion put into the very notes.

2. Landslide - Fleetwood Mac

   Even though this song uses basic picking patterns, it sounds difficult. Don't get stuck on the Dixie Chicks version - Fleetwood Mac pulls this off with refinery.

3. If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot

   Here's another beauty that's best known for its covers by the likes of Stars on 54, Johnny Cash, and Olivia Newton-John. Yes, it sounds a little old but it's fun to play.

4. Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin

   So cliché it's barely cool to play? Definitely. I mean, what guitarist hasn't tried learning Stariway to Heaven? Yet it maintains rank in the best songs of all time. Listen to the version by mind-blowing duo Rodrigo y Gabriela - you'll be inspired to take it up again.
   
   

5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles

   Although some of the fingering may be a little difficult for beginning guitarists, this song has an easy rhythm. Across the Universe's Hendrix-like guitarist, Jojo, brings an ultimate coolness to this tune.

6. Classical Gas

   Despite having been written for beginners, some of the most popular guitarists of our time like Tommy Emmanuel, Eric Clapton, and Mason Williams have performed this number. If your friends aren't familiar with it, they'll be impressed by your playing.

7. Dust in the Wind - Kansas

   What's to say? Yes, it's been overloved by our parents, but it's still a timeless song.

8. Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce

   Finally, a few harmonics. This piece will force you to use your pinky (if that's something you've avoided) and is even more meaningful because of the tragic death of Jim Croce.

9. Mood for a Day - Yes

   So Mood for a Day takes a little more skill and practice than some of the others on this list, but it really is worth the effort.

10. Petite Etude - Triumph

    If you are past everything on this list of fingerstyle songs, then Petite Etude should be a breeze. This little-known gem sounds classical and is beautiful to listen to over and over again.

While there are great modern musicians who occasionally utilize the fading fingerstyle guitar (think Chili Peppers or Jack Johnson) this list suggests just a sample of older songs that are essential to a learning guitarist's expertise.

Looking for more free, accurate tabs? Check out acousticpower.com. You'll have to download the free software Power Tab Editor 1.7 in order to view the files, but it's small in size and allows you to create your own tabs.

EtudiX Tutor 1.2.1

EtudiX Tutor is piano software released by AcustiX Company to teach the beginner who has problems learning musical scores in a traditional way. People who do not have a full knowledge of notes, bars, and measures can now learn to play piano on the provided keyboard with ease. It is extremely marvelous to use this software as you can sing along with the tempo and the main melody of the piece. Even though EtudiX Tutor does not show you the tempo or accents of each piece, you are guided visually to where you should place your fingers correctly on the keyboard. To learn more piano lessons using this software, you should download midi files that you can find them easily via Internet. I assure you that you will be satisfied to use this software as I have used it for a couple of weeks and I found it is a very useful program to help me to learn piano.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.

Click MusicalKeys 3.21

Click Musical Keys is good piano software that is available to download for free. It is a midi format musical keyboard program developed by Bapuli Online Company. This program can produce 128 different instrument sounds. It looks like a real piano. You do not have to know the classical theory of music like notes, bars and musical scores to play around with it. You just need to make use of the computer keyboard and mouse to play it.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.

Follow Me 1.1

Follow Me is musical software developed by One Man Band. This software shows no notes on the screen but it will guide you on how to put your fingers on a recorder (melody), guitar (chords) or on a keyboard (melody and chords), so that you press on the correct notes. The unique feature of this software is that you can select a metronome or drums to keep your tempo. For those who wish to use the keyboard, they should choose the metronome option and turn off the drums so that the song can be heard easily. This is essential in helping to keep the rhythm of the melody. This program is particularly useful for those who want to seriously learn how to play aninstrument as it provides you step-to-step guidance. However, I found it is not suitable for advance level musicians who wish to learn the instrument more thoroughly.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.

iDreamPiano

iDreamPiano is a virtual piano program which is approximately 0.7 MB. You feel like you're playing a real piano when you press your fingers on the PC keyboard or Notebook keyboard. This software comes with an excellent sound on any soundcard (including On-board-soundcard), and very low latency on any soundcard (including on-board-soundcard). This software supports recording, transpose, octave-shift and playback. It also comes with a helpful document and some demo songs.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.