Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Ann-Sophie Snoeck
Although having an hourglass figure is somewhat valued in Japan, a slim figure is generally considered to be better. Clothing varies greatly with trends, but overall, Japanese fashion is fairly conservative. Even in the hottest summer months, women are usually seen wearing pantyhose under their skirts.
This sonata, which only survives in a Turin manuscript, is written “'a tre” and begins mostly homophonically. Beginning with the first Allegro,...
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Before Homo sapiens, the smaller, chimp-like Homo erectus likely slept elevated in trees in order to take refuge from predators. Once early...
Read More »Beauty standards differ greatly across cultures and time periods. While curvy bodies are celebrated in some cultures, slim bodies are preferred in others. Some people live in countries where being tan is viewed as healthy and athletic, while people in other countries avoid the sun as much as possible. When someone who is considered to be attractive in their home country moves abroad, they might be shocked to be told they’re ugly, or vice versa. If you’re thinking about moving to Japan, you might be curious about the beauty standards there. To help satisfy your curiosity, this article will dive into all aspects of Japanese beauty standards: what they are, where they come from, and the effects they have on society.
Four basic types of musical forms are distinguished in ethnomusicology: iterative, the same phrase repeated over and over; reverting, with the...
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Hand coordination/independence One of the most challenging aspects of playing the piano is developing hand independence. In the beginning, much of...
Read More »In her 2006 book Beauty Up: Exploring Contemporary Japanese Body Aesthetics, anthropology professor Laura Miller describes her experience of teaching students about Japanese beauty standards. When she shows them photos of Japanese pop stars, who have large eyes and dyed hair, her students ask, “why do they want to look like Americans?” Indeed, it is easy to interpret certain Japanese beauty standards as being Western imports. Pale skin is most common among people of European ancestry, and a desire to have larger eyes can similarly be seen as a desire to look more white. However, these beauty standards can be traced back to premodern times. As Miller points out, there are a wide variety of eye shapes in East Asia, and many Japanese people are born with double eyelids. Over time, this variety of eye shape became naturalized as a beauty standard. Double eyelids have become “average” in Japan, and those without them often perceive themselves to be lacking this normality. Advertisements for double eyelid cosmetics and surgery rarely, if ever, market their products and services as helping Japanese people look more white. In fact, surgery that makes eyes look more Western is typically disliked for looking “too obviously artificial” (Miller 2006: 120). Those who use double eyelid cosmetics and surgery report wanting larger eyes and a double eyelid, but eyes that still look Japanese. Likewise, the idealization of pale, unblemished skin can be traced back to the Heian Era, when court ladies were expected to have pale skin, round faces, and darkened teeth.
There are big differences in the quality if you compare the expensive and cheap mechanical keyboards. For a decent mechanical keyboard, the price...
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SO – What's my piano worth? Piano Type Age Approximate Value Range Steinway & Sons 40+ years $1,000- $15,000 “shell value” Steinway & Sons 5-10...
Read More »Not everyone aspires to attain the beauty standards upheld by the majority of Japanese society. The thin, pale skinned woman seen in mainstream media isn’t everyone’s ideal body type. Subcultures are a common site where alternative standards of beauty can be seen. There are many different fashion subcultures, such as Harajuku, Dekora, and varieties of Lolita subcultures. Each of these subcultures idealizes a different look. For example, the Dekora subculture is defined by large accessories and bright colors. Subcultures provide an outlet for those who are frustrated with dominant Japanese beauty standards. They allow those who feel bored with mainstream fashion or like they can’t just fit it to explore alternative aesthetics. That being said, subcultures are about more than aesthetics. They provide a sense of community and allow people to bond over shared interests. If you find mainstream Japanese beauty standards to be stifling, don’t fret. You might be able to find a subculture where you can connect with like minded people and freely express your fashion style.
You can learn guitar in three months of dedicated practice – if you're able to commit hours every week to practicing and learning new techniques,...
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A new study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University found that listening to highly pleasurable music releases...
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It provides a total brain workout. Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep...
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As of December 2022, The Weeknd has the most monthly listeners on Spotify for a male artist, and Taylor Swift has the most monthly listeners on...
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