Piano music

The Open Position Chord (OPC) allows you to create a vented sound. A sound that is open, literally, as opposed to the closed triads taught in most course books.

The OPC covers more than two octaves of the keyboard allowing you to create without moving the hands around too much. Perfect for the beginner and advanced player. New Age music in particular has an open quality that is created in a number of ways. The first way is by the chord choices used. Most of this music is in a Major Key. The sound is pleasant without any dissonant tones.

(more…)

Semitones and tones are distances from one key to another key on a keyboard. For example if we play middle C on the keyboard and then play the next white note to the right which is D then that distance is one tone. For those of you not familiar with a keyboard then get my Lesson 1 e-Book here, which will show a 61 note, keyboard with the correct notes names printed on each key.

The thing to remember when counting semitones and tones on a keyboard is to count the distances and not the notes. A semitone is the closest distance from one note to another note. So again, if we play middle C on a keyboard and want to

move one semi-tone to the right the note you should be playing is C sharp that is the black note between C and D. When you first look, at the C and D keys they might appear to be closest to each other but the black notes are placed between the white notes, which make them closer. Now starting from middle C again if you move one semitone to the left, you will notice there is no black key between the white keys so the closest key is B.

(more…)

Did you ever notice how most people who start off at a young age taking piano lessons rarely continue past high school? Then, when these people grow into adults many of them will eventually regret their decision to quit. So much so that, many will actually seek out a new piano teacher and start all over again.

Why do most people quit? I don t think it s because they re not motivated or they don t like music. I believe it s because they don t realize why they re taking piano lessons in the first place. Sure they can tell you that music is important and they probably should be trying harder but the fact

is most simply cannot tell you the real reason for learning in the first place.

(more…)

Why is it that after years of studying something as a child, we forget later in life what we learned? Such is the common question of how to play piano despite years of lesson. Here i get you back to playing music even if you think you’ve lost it, and have begun to give up on how to play piano despite years of lesson.

First, realize that you have had lesson in piano, years of it perhaps, and that DOES count for a whole lot. How to play piano despite years of lesson entails mentally realizing that you really are only a step or two away from being able to play piano. The problem is that it

seems like that first step is a big hurdle, and obviously a frustrating one having already had lesson, but unable to play.

(more…)

I’ll never forget the first time I read the joke “What do you get when you play New Age music backwards.” The answer really cracked me up… “You get New Age music.”

It’s a point that’s well taken. But the people who put down and criticize this style of music are really missing the point. You see, New Age music isn’t about trying to create sophisticated sonatas or perfect preludes.

It’s really about a feeling - a feeling that goes through you, allows you to relax, and perhaps take a breath from the hectic pace of life. It’s about spirit allowing the music to flow through you and transport you to a more peaceful place.

(more…)