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What is piano music called?

piece How this translates to the piano is that music which a piano student learns/plays is called a piece, since the piano is an instrument. For example, piano solos and piano duets will all be called pieces.

pianodiscoveries.com - A “Song” vs. a “Piece” — What is the Difference? - PianoDiscoveries Blog

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I first learned the difference between a song and a piece when attending a performance class in college. I felt pretty silly once the distinction was pointed out to me (along with most of my classmates who surprisingly also did not know the difference) — after all, it’s mostly common sense. Thanks to a very dedicated and insistent professor I will never forget the proper definitions and usage for these terms. Why was it that I made it all the way to college without knowing the difference between two simple musical terms? I suppose partly because my previous piano teachers either didn’t know the difference or didn’t consider it an important musical distinction to teach me. But, what a shame to have missed out on knowing — and therefore misused — this very basic music terminology! It is the responsibility of the piano teacher to impart to his/her students a correct and well-rounded music education. And, it is valuable for students (and teachers and parents) to know the correct definitions and usage of musical terms. The world needs educated musicians; not just a society of people who simply “play” an instrument. That is not to say that if you were unaware of the difference you are a bad teacher or student! On the contrary, if you are reading this message it’s because you are interested in furthering your musical knowledge and you should be commended for that. The joy in this situation is that it is never too late to learn or improve your musical skills and knowledge! So, you can count yourself fortunate because today a new learning opportunity hascome your way. As a teacher, you will be able to share this new knowledge with your students and enhance their learning. As a student, you have broadened your musical understanding. And, as parents you can provide additional information and support to your budding pianist. Gaining knowledge is always a positive experience.

Without further ado, here are the definitions:

A Song is “a form of musical expression in which the human voice has the principal role and is the carrier of a text. As a generic term, any music that is sung…” In contrast, a Piece is defined as “a composition, especially but not necessarily an instrumental one.” In other words a song is something that is sung (by a person), and a piece is a composition usually for instruments (ie. no singing involved). How this translates to the piano is that music which a piano student learns/plays is called a piece, since the piano is an instrument. For example, piano solos and piano duets will all be called pieces. However, there are instances when a pianist will play a song and that is when he/she is accompanying a vocalist or group of singers. Voila! It’s a simple as that. Now that you know the difference you can.use the terms correctly and pass on your knowledge to others.

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Is playing piano healthy?

Studies show that time spent at the keyboard improves mental health: people who make music experience less anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Playing piano has also been shown to be a great source of stress relief, and provides ample opportunities to bolster self-esteem.

steinway.com - The Benefits of Playing Piano - Steinway & Sons

Sharpen the intellect

Piano practice also boosts cognitive and intellectual abilities, which is to say it makes you smarter and activates similar parts of the brain used in spatial reasoning and math. Studying piano has also been shown to amazingly improve memory — particularly verbal memory — and build good habits like focus and perseverance, diligence and creativity. Children who had a few years of piano study under their belts could remember twenty percent more vocabulary words than their peers. And childhood musicians are better equipped later in life to retain information from speeches and lectures. Playing piano has been shown to increase spatial-temporal ability, which figures heavily in math, science and engineering. Regular music practice at an early age can even make structural changes to the brain that stay with you for the rest of your life, making your brain more efficient both while playing and in extra-musical endeavors. Children who had a few years of piano study under their belts could remember twenty percent more vocabulary words than their peers.

Calm the mind

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