Music Gizmo

If you play the organ then you are probably familiar with bass pedals. They are also available as separate units and are known as MIDI bass pedals and you can use them with any keyboard that has MIDI ports. Just connect a MIDI cable from the MIDI out on the keyboard to the MIDI in on the pedal board and you can play any of your keyboard sounds from the pedal board.

Playing the pedals can be a bit daunting at first. I remember when I first attempted to play the pedals when I started to play the organ. I had learned to play the piano for fifteen years before I started on organ so music ability wasn’t the problem, but I could not get the hang of these pedals. Part of the problem is playing style; with a piano, you have a moving right hand and left hand, so to suddenly expect your left foot to start playing a pedal keyboard is asking a lot.

Ideally, you want your bass foot to be an extension of your left hand. So when you play a chord with your left hand, you play the root of that chord on the bass pedal. Continue Reading »

Can your practice to become a better performer? What then can be practiced? Let us see what you can do to feel at ease when someone asks you to play the piano!

How to practice performing

In order to learn to play the piano in front of an audience it is a good thing to practice the different aspects of making a successful piano performance. A piano performance consists of playing a piece of music in a musical way without mistakes, and if mistakes occur to minimize the effects of these mistakes. It also concists of meeting an audience and enjoying the experience of seeing real people looking at you and hearing you play.

1. A musical performance. In order to perform a piece of piano music in a musical way it is a good thing to practice this way in the initial steps of the learning process. Probably you will need to practice a difficult piano piece step by step. Let all these musical passages be played and repeated the same musical way you want them to be performed once you have mastered the piano piece.

2. Avoiding mistakes. Of course you want to play the music you practice without mistakes when you will end up playing in front of an audience. I strongly urge you to play the passages of the musical piece you practice with much concentration, focusing on small segments of the piece at a time and very slowly at first avoiding to make mistakes. The more mistakes you make as you practice a piece of music, the more mistakes you tend to make as you perform.

3. Minimize the effects of a mistake. In order to feel confident once you are on stage you need to know that you can handle a mistake. This makes for another way of practicing that is aimed at making you prepared to perform. This way of practicing consists of playing a piece of music from beginning to end as you would perform it in front of an audience. This could be a good way to end a practice session as you play throught the passages you have mastered.

4. Practice performing. In order to minimize stage fright and feeling inadequate when it comes to the actual performance in front of an audience you can do much to simulate the various aspects of a piano performance. If you know how to handle the steps of a performance beforehand you can better concentrate on making a musical performance.

If you do not want to involve too many people you can anyway practice the art of performing in the comfort of your own home. You might as well enter the room where you are going to play your piano the way you would enter a stage in front of an audience thinking about your facial expressions and your relaxation. Practice the way you will react seeing the people, hearing the applauses and cheerings. Learn to relax, smile, bow in front of the public and sit down at the piano and then concentrate completely on giving the audience a great musical experience.

As you start to play the piece of music, try to focus entirely on creating great music. If you make a mistake, try to keep up the tempo and play on with no facial expression revealing the mistake and enforcing the effects of it. You could play for an audience consisting of one person, a teddy bear or some sort of recording equipment to create an inspiring and a challenging environment. As you have completed your performance you can practice meeting the audience, smiling, bowing, showing gratitude for their reactions and finally leave the room in a appropriate manner.

The important thing with these exercises is that you can simulate the actual situation of playing in front of real people and have a feeling that you know how to react to the challenge of meeting real people.

About the author: Peter Edvinsson is pianist, music teacher and composer. He invites you to download your free piano sheet music at http://www.capotastomusic.com
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Nothing fits into every tradition of music quite like a piano. From jazz to blues, from musicals to international concert halls, those eighty-eight keys have their place. A good quality piano is perfect for any style of music. It’s just a matter of finding one that works.

If you find a piano that’s free, as long as you haul it away, you don’t have to expect much from it. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”

But, if you expect to pay for a quality instrument that will both feel and sound great, there is a lot more to it. In that case, quality is the #1 consideration.

How Do You Judge Quality?

Like any musical instrument, the key to quality with a piano is its construction and the materials used. You are always better off buying an item handmade by experienced craftsmen, rather than one that is churned out in a factory somewhere.

The care and attention is reflected in the price. Special care is always taken with handmade instruments that quality control managers in a factory setting just can’t keep up with.

Parts are important, and you can look inside before you buy if you know what you are looking for. The action of a piano is determined by the quality of thousands of tiny parts that operate inside when you press a key.

A good instrument should be sensitive to your fingers, so that all you have to do is depress the key slightly and you will hear a tone. If you have to pound on the keys to get them to ring out, keep looking.

The hammers are also really important in creating the sound. A variety of materials are used on the tips of the hammers. The best materials for hammers are wool fabrics, especially those that are 100% wool. Cheap pianos often use lacquer for their tips, and this can create a sharp, tinny sound that’s not so good when you want to play softly.

The quality of the strings is also important to the sound. Strings should be made of high-quality steel and copper. They stretch over a plate which has an effect on the resonance of the notes. The plate should be cast iron.

The last part of the piano that affects the sound, and is no less important than all the rest, is the soundboard. This piece is a wooden diaphragm that amplifies the sound and pushes it out.

The soundboard should be made of a high quality wood that won’t warp or crack as it gets older. A good soundboard will also ensure that the lows are deep and full, the middles are clear, and the highs are rich and vibrant. There shouldn’t be any muddiness or tinny sound in any of the notes you play.

Which Style?

Whether to go upright or grand is a matter of personal taste. Of course, grand pianos are the favored style, but it’s not always practical to have one because they take up so much space. On the other hand, it is better to buy a well-made upright in good shape than a cheaply made grand. The sound will be much better.

When shopping, always look for a good brand. This will guarantee that it is well constructed and made to last. The better brands will give you the best quality for your money. There are several out there, so you may want to do a check to see what the professionals are using. In most cases, the professionals are going to select the best instruments.

The best way for you to choose is to simply sit down and play. Like a test drive, you need to experience the instrument before you purchase it. Listen to how it sounds, and see how it feels. Remember that it’s a major purchase, so don’t let yourself be pressured into buying before you’re sure.

For the best prices on high quality pianos, look for manufacturer licensed dealers.

About the author: High quality instruments are costly because of the care put into them. Taking the time to make your decision allows you to find the piano best fitted to you. In Louisiana, piano dealers can get you high quality instruments. Hall Piano Company can help you make your choice. http://www.hallpiano.com
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com