You are here: Home / Archives for Piano Maven

Some Piano History

November 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you, like many people today, love the piano, it’s important that you learn a little bit about them and their history in our cultures. Over the last century or two, pianos have worked to entertain thousands of people. They are a classic instrument that still remains in a modern world. Often when people think about pianos, they think about the great composers such as Beethoven or Mozart. Other people think of a family member that used to play with graceful, strong fingers on Sunday family get-togethers.

Whatever the piano means to you, one thing remains true; this is an instrument with a rich history that isn’t likely to die out anytime soon.

The piano had a great start during the industrial revolution when the strongest steel and iron was made, helping to build great strong iron frames and steel piano strings. Some of the best pianos were said to come from this period.

Today, the piano can be found in two versions- upright and the grand. There are also different variations on each such as the baby grand (smaller version of the grand piano). Early pianos had five octaves but around 1810 they had six and later by 1890, they moved up to seven.

Early pianos required a great amount of muscle power to get a good sound out of them. They were harder to operate and it could be a full-body experience to play this instrument. As time went on, the strings were made with softer materials that create less tension so it was easier to play and still get the same great sound.

• Grand piano- In this version of the piano, the string go away from the keys which makes the piano large. A big spacious room and a high roof will be needed if you plan to have a grand piano. Baby Grands are built the same way but in a miniature version. You will still need proper spacing for these as well.

• Upright piano- The upright piano is sleek and compact. The strings extend up and down which is why you can get it in a more compact space. While still a large instrument, an upright piano will not require as much space in a room.

Today, the modern piano has 88 keys and miner. This key set represents the seven octaves as well as the miners. One thing that has changed with the evolution of the piano is how older composed music is played. Since the instruments have changed over the years, anything written long ago will require some interpretation and adaptation to make it work when played on a modern instrument.

Filed Under: Piano Maven Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Learn to Play Piano Today

November 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Would you like to learn how to play piano? Many people today wish that they could learn to play piano but they fear they don’t have the time, that they can’t afford lessons or that it will just be too hard for them. What if you could learn to play piano today?

Have you been saying for a long time now that you need to learn an instrument before it’s too late? Have you always been fascinated with the piano but put off getting lessons because you don’t know where to go or believe you don’t have the time? Modern technology has now made it easier than ever before to learn to play piano today.

There are even options that exist that do not require you to leave home for classes or to hire an expensive instructor to come to your house. The fastest, easiest way to learn piano today is to take online lessons. If you have the Internet at home, you can begin to learn piano in the comfort of your own home, at your own pace.

Many people are intimidated by the thought of learning piano, especially as they get older. You may think you’re “too old” to learn piano or that people will laugh at you for trying to learn now so late in life. When you take your lessons online, you can start right now and it’s all private so you can be as comfortable as possible while you learn. You don’t even have to tell anyone what you’ve been doing until you’ve learned to play a couple songs for them.

Here are the benefits of learning to play piano today:

• You can start today
• Can learn at your own pace
• More affordable
• Private sessions
• Lessons for any skill level
• Great beginner programs
• Helps build confidence

Now that you see how easy it is to learn to play piano today, you’re ready to get started. Do some research into what types of piano courses are available for beginners or for whatever level you consider yourself to be on.

If you’re learning piano at home and you don’t actually have your own piano, you can always get a small keyboard to start practicing on. It’s smaller and more affordable but has the keys in the same places so you will still be able to play a full-sized piano later, once you have learned. You can then upgrade to a regular piano to improve your sound if you decide you want to continue playing this instrument.

Filed Under: Piano Maven Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Choosing Piano Lessons

November 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you’ve always wanted to learn to play piano, you are not alone. The piano is a significant instrument that brings back many good thoughts and memories for a lot of people. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to play yourself or perhaps you want to get your kids involved in lessons. Whatever the reason, you need to know how to successfully go about choosing piano lessons.

There are now more options than ever before for how you will choose your piano lessons. In the past, you had only the option of going to a professional teacher in a studio or in their home or having a personal teacher come to your home.

Now there are many more options such as online classes, tapes and videos (DVDs) and more. Times have really changed the way that people are taught piano. With so many choices now available, however, that also means that you need to research carefully to find the right ones for you. If you’ve never had to do this before, it might be hard to tell which piano lesson option you want to use.

Here are some tips:

• Do your research first
• Know who you’re getting lessons for- adult? Child? Etc.
• Research the instructor or program you are considering
• If possible, get a free trial or sample of the program you are considering
• Ask people you know for referrals and suggestions
• Read user reviews of the instructor or program you are considering
• Shop according to your budget

These steps will help you to choose not only the best piano lessons but the best ones for your personal needs. Since everyone is different, the types of piano lessons they need can vary as well. With so many options available today, there’s just no reason not to get the best ones for you.

If you want to buy a piano instruction set on DVD, you will want to know who will be using this program so you can research and find a program that works specifically for them. You can learn the basics and how to play piano “by ear” or for your own enjoyment. You can also learn chord progressions needed to play jazz, gospel or even contemporary music.

Now that you have this information about choosing piano lessons, you can go into it more prepared and ready to choose the right lessons for your needs. Whether hiring an instructor to come into your home or buying a DVD instruction set- to anything in between, you want to make sure you’re getting the best for your needs.

Filed Under: Piano Maven Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Grand Pianos Sound Great

November 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you play piano? Do want to learn to play piano better? Maybe you’re looking to make a piano purchase and you don’t understand the different types or you don’t understand why grand pianos cost so much more.

When it comes to pianos, most of us are aware of the two basic types:

• Grand pianos
• Upright pianos

Now do you really understand the difference in these

The grand piano is often associated with the jazz scene, with glitz and glamour and even with classical recitals. It’s large, deserving of its title “grand” and it’s known for producing a better sound than smaller, upright pianos. So what is it about grand pianos that make them sound so great?

It all comes down to how they are constructed. Here are some things to know about the construction of the grand piano:

• They have a modern piano design
• They are a top choice for top pianists and enthusiasts
• The strings hang horizontally – allowing gravity to help it work
• They have a special level that holds the hammer above the string for longer, allowing creation of a more musical features

Grand pianos are known to create a better sound than compact pianos and this is believed to be because of their construction. The strings go away from the keys only where as in a compact, upright piano, they go back and forth.

The grand piano can allow more experienced pianists to perform ornamentation and other musical features which is why it is often used in large performances and concerts. Since it allows for more space, the mechanism has the freedom to strike the string more clearly, producing the better sound.

The horizontal placement also gives a deeper resonation through the wood and this adds to the overall sound the instrument produces. Upright pianos really can’t compete with the sound of a grand piano but since it isn’t practical for the average person to own a grand, this means there is still a great market for upright pianos.

Not only are grand pianos larger than uprights, they are considerably more expensive and not an option for most people or for typical personal use.

Now you can see why the grand piano is also so expensive to purchase. Because they cost so much and they are so large, this is not the type of piano you would find in a typical person’s home.

Filed Under: Piano Maven Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,