Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Jess Bailey Designs
Classical music in particular steers a mysterious path through our senses, triggering unexpected and powerful emotional responses, which sometimes result in tears – and not just tears of sadness. Tears flow spontaneously in response to a release of tension, perhaps at the end of a particularly engrossing performance.
The easiest version of the B chord is the three-note triad, played on the first three strings of the guitar. Learning the easy B shape can be...
Read More »
Most jobs do not explicitly require certain typing speeds, but that's because basic typing skills are taken as a given. Thus, you should aim for a...
Read More »Music has the power to tug at the heartstrings, and evoking emotion is the main purpose of music – whether it’s joy or sadness, excitement or meditation. A certain melody or line of a song, a falling phrase, the delayed gratification of a resolved harmony – all these factors make music interesting, exciting, calming, pleasurable and moving. Tears and chills – or “tingles” – on hearing music are a physiological response which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, as well as the reward-related brain regions of the brain. Studies have shown that around 25% of the population experience this reaction to music. But it’s much more than a pure physiological response. Classical music in particular steers a mysterious path through our senses, triggering unexpected and powerful emotional responses, which sometimes result in tears – and not just tears of sadness. Tears flow spontaneously in response to a release of tension, perhaps at the end of a particularly engrossing performance. Certain pieces of music can remind us of past events, experiences and people, triggering memories and associated emotions. At other times, we may feel tearfully awestruck in the face of the greatness or sheer beauty of the music. This last response has a name – Stendhal Syndrome – and while the syndrome is more commonly associated with art, it can be applied equally to the powerful emotional reaction which music provokes. A psychosomatic disorder, Stendhal Syndrome, or hyperkulturemia, causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, sweating, disorientation, fainting, tears and confusion when someone is looking at artwork (or hearing a piece of music) with which he or she connects emotionally on a profound level. The phenomenon, also called ‘Florence Syndrome’, is named after the French author Marie-Henri Beyle , who wrote under the pen-name of ‘Stendhal’. While visiting the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, he became overcome with emotion and noted his reactions: “I was in a sort of ecstasy, from the idea of being in Florence, close to the great men whose tombs I had seen. Absorbed in the contemplation of sublime beauty … I reached the point where one encounters celestial sensations … Everything spoke so vividly to my soul.” While there is some debate as to whether the syndrome actually exists, there is no doubt that music (and art and literature) can have a very profound effect on our emotional responses.
That's right, people 65 or 70 years old have been some of the quickest at picking up piano. It doesn't matter how old you are – you can absolutely...
Read More »
Practice with a metronome It goes without saying that the easiest long-term solution to this problem is playing along to a metronome or click...
Read More »HARMONICA One of the easiest instruments you can take up, which is also very popular in a variety of styles, is the harmonica. The great thing about harmonicas is that no matter what note you play, it will be in key, which means even complete beginners can sound good.
Learning an instrument can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. Save The Music donates instruments to students and teachers across the country so that they may experience the joy and power of making music. These students who are just starting to learn music may choose to play the flute, trombone, recorder, or guitar. We hear from teachers that their students get better and better and continue to play into adulthood. Playing an instrument helps to build confidence, it gets your brain working in more complex ways, and makes you practice hard work and determination. Picking up an instrument for the first time is exciting and the musical skills you learn will last for a long time. Whenever you decide to learn an instrument, it will surely make a positive impact on your life. It’s not only a fun activity you can enjoy but also an opportunity to meet others and create music together. But for any of that to happen, you need to find the best instrument to learn for your situation. Even though there are many easy instruments to learn for you to choose from, other factors for deciding what to play exist as well. So, if you’re asking, “what instrument should I play?” or if you want to consider the available options before committing, you’re at the right place. We’ll explore the key factors to consider when selecting instruments to learn, go through a list of the easiest instruments to learn, and explore a few helpful tips for mastering the instrument you end up choosing.
A 61 key piano is suitable for beginners looking to explore the piano. Digital pianos with less than 88 keys are great for learning early to...
Read More »
The brain The brain is one of the busiest (second only to the liver) and the laziest organs in our entire body. Our brains tend to focus on things...
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 »
Know your notes! The demands of the Grade 1 pieces will mean that it would be very difficult to make progress with the pieces without having a good...
Read More »
The piano is one of the most difficult and rewarding instruments to learn; not only do you have to learn to read notes and translate them to the...
Read More »
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion