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Four Of The Greatest Classical Pianists To Tinkle The Ivories In The Modern Day

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As a piano student you will typically be introduced to the music of Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. However, there happens to be many more modern day classical pianists who displayed just as much talent and musical ability as these geniuses. Classical piano playing has given way to the modern tones of jazz and even eventually the electronic keyboard, although there were a number of greats who featured throughout the 20th century and maintained the melodies of years gone by.

Glen Gould

Glen Gould hailed from Canada and spent much of his time in the recording studio, as opposed to on stage. He was well-known for his eccentric behavior and favored the music of Bach. He could most commonly be heard playing his own versions of classical works and toured extensively up until the age of 32. He took to the studio rather than concerts from 1964, but unfortunately a stroke some 18 years later ended the life of possibly one of the greatest modern pianists at the mere age of 50. However, his legend lives on as many of his recordings have been re-released and are heard to this very day.

Arthur Rubenstein

Born in Poland in 1887, Rubinstein’s early life was more of a worry than anything else to his parents. He didn’t speak until the age of three and displayed some very unusual behavior as a youngster. In fact, he was prone to tantrums and outbursts from an early age. However, he first performed in New York at the age of 19 and his talent was obvious for the world to see. He continued touring up until the age of 89 in 1976, but his failing eyesight and hearing eventually put paid to his musical career. He passed away a few years later in 1982, but Rubenstein is still well remembered among the musicians of today.

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Rachmaninoff was not only a classical pianist, but also a conductor and composer. He was known for his huge hand span and even more imposing frame. Technically he was a superb pianist and this probably had much to do with his 12 inch hand span, which allowed him to easily reach across the keys. He also stood at an extremely intimidating height of 6 foot and 6 inches. Rachmaninoff wasn’t much of an academic, but showed an extraordinary talent for the piano, which was no doubt further inspired when he met with Peter Tchaikovsky. He moved from Russia to the United States in 1918 and performed regularly in concerts for the next 25 years until he sadly passed away from cancer.

Myra Hess

It’s great to see a female pianist in what was often considered a male-dominated instrument. Hess hailed from the UK and started playing the piano aged just 5. Even then she displayed extreme talent and even toured throughout Europe from the age of seventeen. She also later toured America and her talent was plain for everyone to see. Hess played in a number of free concerts in London for the public during the Second World War and these were received with much appreciation and warmth. In fact, this will probably explain why there is still so much interest in Hess’s career.

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James Holden works for Affordable Piano Movers & Storage, which is a company offering piano and moving services at the best prices.He is an enthusiastic and happy go lucky person and also a huge movie bluff. Visit www.affordablepianomovers.com for more information.





How To Develop Yourself Through Music

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A lot of people aspire to be part of the music industry in some way. The more creative pathways are often dismissed, or looked at as being unrealistic. When someone asks what you would like to do with your life, it may be hard to be comfortable replying with “I’d like to be in a band” or “I want to be a famous pop star.” However, just because dreams are big, it does not mean they cannot be achieved. When someone doesn’t try to reach their aspiration, the biggest goals go from being improbable to impossible.

Becoming a Musician

Learning, developing, or mastering a talent can be difficult, but fortunately, there are many experts who provide services and teaching that allow people to reach their full potential. Within music, there are many skills and teachings on offer. Those include, musical instrument tutoring, songwriting tutoring, vocal coaching, music theory teaching, and performance coaching.

Many providers offer specialized subjects. Some offer an all-round music teaching experience, focusing on how to create a well-rounded musician. For those who are interested in specializing in a particular interest within music, those specialist subject tutors will be most beneficial, for example, Pro Music Tutor offer guitar and saxophone techniques. You can simply visit the Pro Music Tutor website and purchase lessons in the form of video tutorials, taught by professional musicians.

The Benefits of Music

MusicMost people view music as serving only the purpose of enjoyment. However, studies have shown that music has a number of other benefits, for people of all ages. The UK Government website provides a whole file on the advantages of music. This addresses a specific section dedicated to progression and excellence, highlighting the ways in which children and young people’s development can benefit through music.

Do Something supports this information with their comments about studies taken that show brain development increases and quickens in elementary level children involved in music lessons.

Music is also used as a therapeutic tool in vulnerable people of all ages. Music therapy creates sensory development, and encourages physical, mental and emotional responses.

Adults may benefit from music as using it as a tool for stress relief, relaxation, and social experiences.

Music Teaching

Learning music may not always be for those wishing to become musicians. People often wish to take those skills and teach them to others, as do the specialist tutors on Pro Music Tutor. People can also take their musical skills and acquire other necessary qualifications to be music therapists, composers, or school teachers.

Music plays an important role in personal development; although people may have a main objective and agenda in learning a musical skill of some kind, for example, the sheer fun or it, or to be part of a famous girl band, there will be additional benefits that people may not even be aware are happening. These contributing benefits are even more reasons as to why people should be encouraged to learn music in some capacity. There are a number of career opportunities within music, but you’ve got to be in it to win it.

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Nidia Guerrais an avid music lover and has tried his hand at learning a number of music instruments. Robert has found each experience enjoyable and beneficial.

Home Studios – The Best Way To Demo Your Band!

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 Home Studios – The Best Way to Demo Your Band!

If you’re in a band you’ll know that you will only get so far without demos. After a bit of live gigging you’ll be feeling match fit and that’s the time to start thinking about getting some demos done. If you have already spent some time looking into this then you’ll know the costs involved. Hiring a studio for the day is expensive and that’s before you add on the extra costs for example an engineer and producer. Assuming you can get it all done in a day (which will be a battle in itself) you’ll then have to pay for the track or tracks to be mixed and mastered and finally produced. It’s a big exercise and one that not many bands can afford without financial backing.

The way forward is to do it yourself! Your set up costs won’t be anything near as much as getting it done professionally. Ok it may be flawed but the people who are going to listen are going to know you’re on a budget so they will make allowances for that. The beauty of doing it this way is that once you are set you can record as much as you like at a pace that suits you. You’ll be far more relaxed when you’re not on a deadline. Here’s how to get started:

What You’ll Need

You’ll need some audio recording software such as Cubase or ProTools. If you’re on a real budget you can find free downloads of similar software without as many bells and whistles. Then you’ll need some decent microphones. The drum kit will need to be mic’d up (with a bass mic in the bass drum) and any instruments without Direct Inputs will need ambient microphones. The one thing you should really invest in is a really good quality vocal condenser mic, as the clarity of your vocals is really important. Guitars can be plugged into a mixing desk (which you probably already have if you have your own PA). Once you’ve got all this you’re pretty much good to go!

The Room

There’s another thing to think about before you start though. You’ll need to record in a room that is suitable. Some people use garages or rooms that aren’t used much – the last thing you want is loads of people coming in and out. Lock the doors so you are not disturbed and it’s really important that you get some insulation foam up on the walls. This will act as a sound-proofer so your neighbours won’t get too angry, and it will also soak up any echoes meaning you will get a much dryer sound to record with.

Once you’ve got your room and all your gear ready it’s time to get that epic album down on record! Start by laying down the drums, bass and guide vocals. Add in the guitars once by one and when you’re totally happy then throw the proper vocals (making sure you remove the guide!). Get it mixed, mastered and produced and start selling it (and start paying off the gear!).

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The contributor of this post, Sam Wellback, is a music producer and likes to reach out to his audience through his blogs. He likes to write about ways to record demo songs at home. He also shares factors that should be kept in mind while recording, such as insulation of the recording room and prerequisite audio recording software like Cubase or Pro Tools etc.

Forget The Beatles, We’re Going To Be Massive! – Forming Your First Band

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If you have been playing your instrument for a little while and have started to get a bit fed up of posing in the mirror, maybe it’s time to think about forming a band? Music is supposed to be shared and you will have 4 times as much fun if you ask your buddies to join in. You may be a little worried about where to begin, this article will give you a few tips and you will soon be on your way to rock and roll stardom, hopefully!

You Need Musicians!

 

Sorry for stating the obvious, but this is where it all begins. You will need a drummer, a bassist, at least one guitarist and a singer. This is easier said than done, most youngsters tend to start off playing guitar and there ends up being an excess of ‘axemen’ as a result. Drummers and bassists are particularly hard to come by, not many parents will relish the thought of their Sunday afternoon being ruined by a twenty minute drum solo. It is a good idea to choose mates, especially if you are still at school or college. If they are really bad, just tell them or you risk months or even years of musical torture.

Musical Style

 

You should all be on the same page regarding the genre you wish to represent, choose something that you all like, or otherwise there will be a split before too long. Think about your vocalist and his ability. It’s no good starting up a Led Zeppelin tribute band, if the singer can’t hold a tune. Your image also needs some consideration, in fact, these days the image is more important than the talent, sadly. As well as the style and the image, you have to find a name that is worthy of your time. Pick something unique with a little twist, alternatively just ask the next person on the street for a random name.

Rehearsal

This is where all of the hard work begins, and you can often end up hating the drummer or the vocalist after 30 minutes in a practice room. Bad habits will come to the fore and you need some real staying power to craft some tunes out of the mess you will start off creating. You should aim to rehearse for at least 2 or 3 hours once a week, after 3 months you should be able to hold a tune. If you can’t do any song justice, take a look at your group and think about the weak link.

The First Gig

Once you are confident that you don’t suck too badly, why not see if you can get a support gig somewhere locally? Pick a band that you know and see if they are happy to let you die on stage before they do. Choose a set list of about 10 songs and continue practicing as much as possible. When the big day, or night, arrives, just give it your best shot and have some fun. It will probably just be a blur and you will not remember too much about it.

No Looking Back

If your band has made it this far, you have outlasted about 80% of new bands already! Just keep on improving and honing your craft, one day you may just be quite good!

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  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/night-ranger-band-rock-music-83512/
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

Mike Miller is the author of today’s guest post. He is passionate about music and that’s what led him to work for Music Mart– a music school specializing in training amateur musicians. It is also a retailer of musical instruments.

Biggest Mistakes Made By Beginning Guitar Players

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When learning to play the guitar, even if you use the best guitar lessons online, you still want to use all the resources your online guitar lessons offer.

There is so much to learn when it comes to guitars that go beyond finger placement and strumming. Learning to play an instrument is similar to learning mechanics, you have to fully understand a car before you can fix it. Taking advantage of the resources including blogs can make learning to play the guitar a little bit easier for everyone.

This blog is going to highlight an example of the different resources that can assist you in learning to play the guitar through the best online resources.This blog is going to highlight the top biggest mistakes beginning guitarists make.

They Don’t Practice With A Beat

A metronome is a device used to help musicians to keep track of the beats without having to count to yourself. These machines can be helpful when it comes to first learning guitar. The ticking sound may be annoying to some people, but the ticks are what your music should be following.

If you don’t want to use a metronome, you may also want to consider a drumbeat that can be programmed and played through machines and keyboards.

Not Using Their Finger Properly

Finger placement is one of the biggest mistakes that beginners make when learning to play the guitar. Since guitar strings are so thin, it can be uncomfortable pushing the strings down to make chords. Since the strings are already making your fingers sore, it could be a player’s instinct to use the lower parts of their fingers rather than the tips.

It is important to use the tips of your fingers when playing the guitar to get the correct sound from the strings. Though it may be painful on the fingers, your fingers will eventually get used to the pain and stop hurting, however, only if you use the tips of your fingers correctly to get past the initial hurt.

Practicing What You Can Play

This one may raise some eyebrows, but practicing what you can play is one of the biggest mistakes that beginners can make. If you sit down and only play the stuff you know how to play, you are never going to get past what you already know. When you are learning to play the guitar, you need to challenge yourself to new things in order to get better.

Practice makes perfect. If you want to run through what you already know as a warm up, that is fine, but you need to try new stuff during your practice session to get any better.

When you are first learning to play the guitar, it can be difficult and challenging, but that is what makes the guitar so intriguing to play. Even if you are learning through the best online guitar lessons, you still want to take advantage of all the resources, especially those that offer advice.

This resource is attempting to help you avoid making the most common mistakes that beginning guitar players make, helping you on your journey to learn guitar.

Robert has been in the music industry for the past 10 years. His publications highlight the best online guitar lessons for prospective guitar players to learn the guitar at their own speed from the advice of professional guitar players.

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