Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Charlotte May
A new study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University found that listening to highly pleasurable music releases the same reward neurotransmitter — dopamine — in the brain that is associated with food, drugs and sex.
Looking at the key of E flat minor we find the blackest of keys, described by Steblin as having “feelings of anxiety and the soul's deepest...
Read More »
The black keys are in groupings and help us quickly identify the note names of the white keys. Out of these 12 notes, artists and composers usually...
Read More »
Pianoforall is one of the most popular online piano courses online and has helped over 450,000 students around the world achieve their dream of playing beautiful piano for over a decade.
Learn More »Maybe sex, drugs and rock and roll belong together even more than we thought. A new study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University found that listening to highly pleasurable music releases the same reward neurotransmitter — dopamine — in the brain that is associated with food, drugs and sex. In fact, just anticipating listening to good music led to release of dopamine in students who participated in the study. The research, which studied brain responses with PET and fMRI imaging, was part of a continuing quest to figure out why music is such a key part of human culture when it has no obvious survival value, said Valorie Salimpoor, a Ph.D. candidate in psychology who was lead author of the study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Robert Zatorre, a neuroscientist who participated in the study, said he believed it was the first to find that an abstract experience can lead to dopamine release. Salimpoor happened on the idea for the research while driving in her car one day. A Brahms composition made her feel such intense joy that she pulled over. She wondered what had made her feel this "intense high." The study looked at people who got chills or "musical frisson" in response to music, although it turned out they had the dopamine response to songs they really liked whether they got chills or not. Listening to music they loved increased dopamine by 6 to 9 percent, Salimpoor said. That's less than they'd get after taking a drug like cocaine, but more than for food. As everyone knows, one guy's favorite song might make someone else gag, so study subjects listened to their own favorites. Barber's "Adagio for Strings" was particularly popular, Salimpoor said, but there were also fans of Rachmaninoff, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Transiberian Orchestra, Infected Mushroom and Led Zeppelin. Other people's favorites were used as "control" or neutral music.
patterns The biggest similarity between math and music is patterns. For example, music has repeating verses and choruses while math uses patterns...
Read More »
Beethoven's Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor is rarely referred to in such grandiose terms; instead, all who know and love it refer to it simply by its...
Read More »Some of these happy songs even emulate the carefree freedom of a great road trip (CRUISR's "Go For It," Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"). Songs like "Walking on Sunshine," by Katrina and the Waves, and "Here Comes the Sun," by the Beatles, might even inspire you to soak up some vitamin D outdoors.
According to research done by Harvard Medical School, music can have a myriad of positive effects on the brain, from keeping people relaxed during medical procedures to improving exercise endurance. In short, when you're feeling blue, a happy song can work wonders, infusing joy into your day. Some of these upbeat tracks are rapturous love songs about the wonderful sensation of knowing you're wanted (Beyoncé's "Love On Top," Ric Wilson's "Yellowbrick"). Others focus on the exhilaration that can be gained from persevering through adversity (Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger," Swift's "Shake It Off"). And, of course, we've included pop songs about how good it feels to...feel good (Pharrell's "Happy"). Some of these happy songs even emulate the carefree freedom of a great road trip (CRUISR's "Go For It," Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"). Songs like "Walking on Sunshine," by Katrina and the Waves, and "Here Comes the Sun," by the Beatles, might even inspire you to soak up some vitamin D outdoors. As world news continues on its pessimistic trajectory, we're all working hard to keep our outlook cheery. With all the anxiety and stress we're facing on a daily basis, one of the things we should regularly prioritize is our happiness. But let's face it: Sometimes we could use some help in this department. Our recommendation? Take a look at these songs, turn on your favorite pump up track, and turn up the volume to get the party started, even if it's for a party of one.
So “Take Five” presented a huge challenge. It's still not easy at first, but nowadays we learn about these time signatures earlier in our...
Read More »
If you want to be a professional classical performer, you're looking at a minimum of 10 to 15 years of concentrated study with a master teacher,...
Read More »
Essentially, the blues is a specific progression that uses the C7, F7, and G7 chords. (For the sake of brevity, I'll only look at playing blues in...
Read More »
White vinegar substitute: If you need a different vinegar to substitute for white vinegar, use apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar. You could also...
Read More »
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion