Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas For The Little Piano Lover on Your List
November 24, 2009 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
Christmas is fast approaching and if you are anything like me, you are probably running around trying to figure out what to get your kids that is not only going to be fun… but educational as well!
So in the spirit of the season, we have decided to come up with a top 10 list of Christmas gift ideas for any little music or piano lover out there. These games are fun, educational and will help encourage the love of piano in your child.
So let’s get to it…
- Piano Wizard – An amazingly simple video game that can virtually teach anyone how to play REAL piano music in minutes.
- Fisher Price – I Can Play Piano System – Better than dull, expensive piano lessons, the I Can Play piano system by Fisher Price uses video game technology to teach kids the piano basics.
- Teaching Little Fingers to Play – A series for the early beginner combining rote and note approach. The melodies are written with careful thought and are kept as simple as possible, yet they are refreshingly delightful.
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Time after time, I have come across pianists who cannot read music well and rely on memorization to save them. Do you admire pianists who can just pick up any piece of sheet music and play without stumbling? If you want to take your sight reading to the next level then check out the piano course "Mastering The Art Of Piano Sight Reading!"
Piano Care
November 20, 2009 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
* This is a guest post by Ashley Southam the Piano Guy! If you would like to submit a guest post for consideration of publication to our site, please contact us.
The first thing to do to look after you piano is make sure its stored in a suitable place. This means finding somewhere that isn’t too damp. Keep your piano away from heaters, air conditioners and fire places. Also try and keep your piano (if it’s an upright) away from an outside wall of the house.
Keep the piano out of long periods of direct sunlight too, as this can damage the finish and also affect the tuning. This all sounds very particular but anything to do with heat and moisture will put your piano at risk of going out of tune and have other long term negative side effects. Ideally you want the piano somewhere that the humidity and heat levels are at a nice constant level. The contracting and expanding of the wooden parts will affect the quality of the piano.
You should have your piano tuned twice a year. Also, it helps to get it “re-conditioned” or “regulated”. This is when a trained professional piano technician will fix and adjust any wear and breakage. It’s a very good idea to keep a piano properly maintained and your piano will love you for it. Read more
Buying a Keyboard
November 19, 2009 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
* This is a guest post by Ashley Southam the Piano Guy! If you would like to submit a guest post for consideration of publication to our site, please contact us.
There are many different questions when it comes to buying a keyboard. How much should I pay, how many keys it needs and so on. A lot of it really depends on the buyer and your own personal preference. The best way to tell if the keyboard is right for you is if it “feels” right. But, in saying that, there are a few simple guidelines that can help you out come purchase time.
One of the great things about having so many different keyboards to choose from is that you can find one at a suitable price. The first thing is you want to make sure the keyboard actually works. The problem with keyboards is that as they get older they tend to decay a bit. So be careful buying a keyboard before you’ve actually played it and checked the keys, all the buttons and so on. Read more
Maurice Ravel: The Piano Concerto For The Left Hand In D Major
October 14, 2009 by Ryan Edward · 2 Comments
One of the most astonishing stories in pianist history came from World War I veteran Paul Wittgenstein. A man with utter determination to make his dreams come true was surfacing in the pianist world…
The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, by French composer Maurice Ravel, was simply a masterpiece. It’s a true testament to his brilliance as a writer, and his ability to change a man’s life.
Before the turn of World War I, a concert pianist named Paul Wittgenstein had showed promise. Unfortunately, by the time the war was over, he had lost his right arm during the fighting. While most people would give up their dreams, he still believed he could be an exceptional pianist.
So he began working on his left-handed technique. If he could arrange two-handed works in a single handed state, he would be able to pull off something no other pianist had attempted. By the late 1920s, he had mastered his technique and felt it was time to approach the all-star composers of the world. Read more
Learn to Play Piano Software
October 28, 2008 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
What Exactly is a ‘Learn to Play Piano Software’ and in What Way Can You Gain From It
It is hard to believe but the time has actually come when you do not need to enroll into music school in order to learn how to play the piano. This is due to the technology of the Internet which has made learning to play with the use of sophisticated software as simple as clicking a button.
All you need to do this is a computer and connection to the Internet. From there you simply download the ‘learn to play piano software‘ from one of the many websites offering you this wonderful opportunity and in no time at all you will be making sweet music on the keyboard.
You will begin by learning the basics of piano playing, such as reading notes and compositions and understanding rhythms and various techniques. So what are the benefits of being able to download learn to play piano software?
- The things you learn by this method will be the same as the subjects covered by a private music school or teacher. In fact, online lessons tend to be more wide-ranging and include demonstrations using videos, sound bytes and score sheets which are often found by many students to be far more enriching than going to school.
- The piano software is very simple and provides foolproof and user friendly guides with full instructions. Step by step details are given about how to install your software and if you cannot get it to work there is no need to worry as you will be able to contact the customer support with any queries you may have.
- By taking up the option of purchasing ‘learn to play piano software’, it is possible for you to learn from home in your own time. This is great as it means the rest of your busy schedule will not be disturbed and if necessary your piano study can be rescheduled for a more convenient time. Remember you can study at any time of day or night as long as you have access to the Internet.
- Online piano software is a much cheaper way to learn how to play piano compared with the enrollment into a musical school or the cost of hiring a private instructor. A one time payment is made and you then have the luxury of planning your lessons at your own pace. The quality of the lesson does not change and more often than not the software has added incentives.
All these benefits are yours for the taking by simply downloading ‘learn to play piano software‘. Play when and where you like using the aids provided and when you follow the easy instructions backed up with excellent customer support you will discover that this is the by far the cheapest way to become the pianist you have always dreamed of being.
Learning to Play Piano at Home
October 28, 2008 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
Three Advantages of Learning to Play Piano at Home
Learning to play piano does not restrict you to the four walls of a classroom. Nor does it mean you have to have your music teacher permanently by your side.
Children can be home schooled playing the piano and there is sure to be less tension involved because they will be at ease whilst they are learning. Online piano courses are readily available from the Internet enabling your child to learn to play piano at home.
Without doubt, learning to play piano at home is definitely the simplest, cheapest and most enjoyable way for everyone. The thought of how much happier your child will be with you guiding them through their online piano lessons instead of being in a classroom for hours on end has to make it all so much more worthwhile.
A relaxing environment is provided for all concerned when learning to play piano at home. When you decide to teach your children using an online guide you have to make every effort to instill them with discipline. You will need to keep your eye on them and make sure they follow your instructions to the letter and do not try to get out of their lessons.
This allows you to play the role of both parent and teacher and you will find you enjoy quality time together during the hours they are learning to play piano at home. Read more
Best Online Piano Course
October 28, 2008 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
Advice on How to Find the Best Online Piano Course
There are many online course in piano playing available on the Internet. Such courses are easily downloaded and whilst some come with video demos and sound bytes there are also courses which are free of charge too.
With the wide range of courses open to you spoiling you for choice, how do you find the course allowing you to get the best possible value for money?
The answer to this question is to do your research. Have a close look at unbiased forums, neutral blog posts and reviews and see what they have to say about online piano lessons.
Reviews will be both positive and negative and it is up to you to weigh up the fors and againsts in order to decide which course is for you. If the results show more positive reviews than negative, you can feel fairly confident that you have discovered a winning course and one that is within your reach.
It is important to check out the curriculum and levels of learning when you are looking for the most appropriate online piano course. If you are a beginner make sure this is the level you go in at as anything more will make you feel completely out of your depth. Read more
Beginners Course in Piano
October 28, 2008 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
Learn by an Online Beginners Course in Piano in Your Own Time and At Your Own Pace
An online beginner’s course in piano presents the ideal opportunity for novices to become 
familiar with the instrument. You will be taught the fundamentals of playing the piano such as reading music, how various parts of the piano function and the many different theories behind the art of music.
You will start by playing very simple tunes on the piano and once these have been mastered and you are able to read the notes and recognize the chords it will not be long before you are producing beautiful sounds from the piano keys.
An online beginner’s course in piano playing affords you the luxury of learning from the comfort of your own home, at a time and speed to suit you. This is exactly the opposite of learning in class with a teacher on a fixed timetable.
No matter what time of day it is, if you feel the urge to tinkle the ivories you can do this with on line piano lessons. The on line beginner’s piano course allows you the necessary flexibility when you lead a busy lifestyle. You choose when to have the lessons according to your schedule and you can fit them around anything else you may have to do.
You will be provided with a good basic knowledge by using a beginner’s course in piano and before you know where you are you will be easily reading the notes and identifying which key a tune is in. These elements are learned by memorizing and playing easy tunes to begin with. Read more
Software-Based Piano Lessons
October 28, 2008 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
Cheap, Cheerful, Comfortable and Convenient – The Four ‘C’s Of Software-Based Piano Lessons
The landscape of learning how to play the piano is being changed by software-based piano lessons. These lessons are simple to get by downloading programs or software available from 
many different sites on the Internet.
The majority of software-based piano lessons vary in degrees of difficulty from beginner, through intermediate and up to advanced level. It is also possible to get software which focuses exclusively on piano techniques or detailed guides of how to play particular tunes and pieces of music.
Cheap
Studying software-based piano lessons is much less expensive than enrolling for a music class or going one to one with a music tutor. There are even some soft-ware based piano lessons which are offered free of charge. Overall it is a far more economical way to learn how to play the piano.
The money you save can be used for any necessary piano maintenance or if you so choose to buy music scores to play.
Cheerful
Study is always cheerful as there is no pressure or feelings of intimidation when you learn by software-based piano lessons. Making the odd mistake will not mean you continue to slip-up throughout the rest of your lesson because you feel self conscious. Read more
Learn to Play an Online Piano
October 28, 2008 by Ryan Edward · Leave a Comment
Fact or Fiction – Is it Really Possible to Learn to Play an Online Piano?
In these days of state of the art technology more or less anything is only a click away from our fingertips. We are able to do whatever we choose and buy whatever we wish by simply logging 
onto the Internet. You do not even have to buy a real piano to learn how to play the instrument.
You can do this online with a virtual piano which allows you to learn musical notes and have a go at playing tunes just like you would a real one.
Online piano caters for all levels of players. It is specifically good for those who are totally new to piano playing as it gives them the opportunity to decide if they want to take piano playing up as a long term hobby.
All you have to do is download the program and take to the keyboard. An online piano will save you from forking out lots of money to buy a real piano prematurely and it will allow you to practice and become familiar with the instrument in general.
It’s a great method of learning for parents who would like their children to take up lessons in the piano and they will be able to learn the different chords, notes and keys that tunes are played in. If it turns out that the child has no real interest in piano playing then nothing is lost.
On the other hand if you child is very keen to learn to play you can safely go ahead and buy a real piano with the knowledge that your money is not going to be wasted. Read more
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