Piano Guidance
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Why do I cry when I play the piano?

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.

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Summary: Interaction between auditory areas of the brain and the reward system drive pleasure when we listen to music. Communication between the...

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Did Van Halen have perfect pitch?
Did Van Halen have perfect pitch?

The one thing I do have is good ears. I don't mean perfect pitch, but ears for picking things up. I developed my ear through piano theory, but I...

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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.Certain pieces are well-known tear-jerkers, including:

One of the most poignant farewells in music

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in D Major – IV. Adagio – Sehr langsam und noch zuruckhaltend (Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra; Roger Norrington, cond.)

Schubert: Winterreise

Personal tragedy portrayed in hauntingly beautiful music

Elgar: Cello Concerto

Wistful soaring melodies and a sense of hope and anguish, particularly in the final movement, this is Elgar’s tragic masterpiece

Allegri: Miserere

Ethereal chords combined with plainchant, the exquisite simplicity and beauty of this music is guaranteed to set the tears flowing

Rachmaninoff: Slow movement, Piano Concerto No. 2

Put simply, this is sublimely beautiful music.

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While it is true that some professional musicians forge successful careers without being able to read a note of score, they will usually still have...

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What does BB mean on piano?

Bb major chord Bb stands for B flat. Theory: The Bb major chord is constructed with a rootThe lowest note in the chord, a major thirdAn interval consisting of four semitones, the 3rd scale degree and a perfect fifthAn interval consisting of seven semitones, the 5th scale degree.

Bb major chord

Bb major chord for piano (including inversions) presented by keyboard diagrams.

Explanation: The regular Bb chord is a triad, meaning that it consists of three notes. On the picture of the keyboard, you can see the three notes of the Bb chord marked in red color. Bb stands for B flat. Theory: The Bb major chord is constructed with a rootThe lowest note in the chord, a major thirdAn interval consisting of four semitones, the 3rd scale degree and a perfect fifthAn interval consisting of seven semitones, the 5th scale degree. Fingerings: Little finger, middle finger, thumb (left hand); thumb, middle finger, little finger (right hand).

Bb

Notes: Bb - D - F

Left hand: 5-3-1 Right hand: 1-3-5

A chord ‹ Previous • Next › B chord

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