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Sunday, July 5, 2009

Why Should Children Learn to Play Piano?

By Michael Mickey Charles

With the newest generation of parents, it would seem like the importance of having a child learn to play piano has gone by the waste side. However, there are some important reasons why the mothers and fathers of the past insisted on hours of musical lessons with hard-hitting, success driven piano instructors. Children can learn a lot while trying to learn this instrument, and the lessons theyll take away with them consist of more than just notes, keys and sheet music. Here are a few qualities that a child can develop while they learn to play piano.

Perseverance. There are few activities like the piano that can bring a sense of achievement and success with each moment of practice. Children will effectively witness and experience the outcome of their commitment and perseverance and be able to grasp that the more time they spend in practicing their craft, the better they get. When a child understands this lesson, they are better able to appreciate their experience and avoid the tediousness that other activities or hobbies can bring.

Self Expression. When children learn to play piano they also gain the ability to use the music as a way to express themselves and how they feel. This is important especially for children in todays society. Music has been known to have almost a therapeutic quality and can provide a child with a safe, healthy and wholesome form of self expression.

Fortitude. The piano is a complex instrument so it takes time to master its intricacies. For kids, it is quite enjoyable to learn easy songs, but they learn quickly that practice is essential for performing any song they want to learn properly. Patience with learning lessons from instructors is a valuable lesson they learn as well as learning the piano itself in addition to outside influences and requests from friends and family.

Individualism. As children get older, they discover that their identity is not always tied in with their parents and family. They are unique and playing the piano is but one way of being independent and distinct from others. While grade school and junior high kids dont necessarily want to be labeled different, high-schoolers and older teens realize that individuality is important. Being different is cool, especially when you have a piano playing talent.

Dependability. Being held accountable for the care and responsibility of their piano is one way to exhibit their conscientiousness and trustworthiness. Caring for their instrument is an important aspect in playing the piano and once a child is familiar with the maintenance, they soon are well-tuned to their instrument and know instinctively when it needs a little extra care. Many other areas of life are uniquely linked to this responsibility they exhibit. - 18423

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How To Move A Piano Without Damaging It

By Michele Tate

How do you move a piano? Very carefully.

Okay, I am being a little sarcastic, but moving a piano is a major undertaking.

I am a gigantic disciple of hiring a professional mover to move a piano. Pianos are heavy and it is simple to damage a piano while moving it. I'm speaking from experience. I own a Kimball piano my oldsters purchased new for me when I was a kid. That piano was a big deal to me after having played on an old "clunker" of a piano for several years. I played that new piano each day.

When I got married it was time to move the piano to my personal home. My husband and his bros moved it themselves. It wasn't a simple job even with the moving dolly they used ( pianos weigh several hundred pounds - grand pianos can weigh 1,500 pounds ). The newbie move of my piano ended in each of the piano legs being damaged (a common occurrence when folk move a piano themselves ) and some unplanned internal work (some pins required fix and a string broke). I should have employed a piano mover. Then I would not had those problems, but my man and I thought we might save cash by doing it ourselves. It absolutely was a lesson I should have recollected, but I was silly a 2nd time.

A few years back my man and I built a new house. When it came time to move the piano again, my man was reluctant to hire someone to move it professionally because our pocketbook was already feeling empty from the cost of building the house ( he called our new house a "money-sucking black hole.") In his mind, moving it wasn't a giant deal. Our new house was less than two miles from our old one ; and he had a dolly, a trailer, and a brother who was ready to help him.

Everything went okay until my partner turned into the driveway of our new home. The sharpness of the turn strained the ropes holding the piano on the trailer and they broke. The piano tipped over and sustained a large amount of damage (the entire "guts" of the piano are ruined and the case is chipped and scratched ). I haven't had it fixed yet, but I have gotten an estimate. It's going to take a large amount of time and money to mend the piano. It must be absolutely reconstructed. Thanks to the labor involved, it might be less expensive to purchase a new piano than have it fixed, but the piano has a lot of mawkish price to me so I will have it fixed. This is why I say, "Hire a professional!"

What does a professional piano mover do to ensure a safe and successful move? With upright pianos, they almost always strap the piano on a skid called a piano board. They also cover the piano with blankets to help protect it. The complete bundle is then often put on a dolly and taken to its destination. If steps are involved, the piano is taken off the dolly and slid up or down the steps on the piano board.

Moving a grand piano is a bit more involved. The lid, lid hinges, pedal lyre, and leg on the straight side of the piano are sometimes all removed. The piano is then put on the piano board, on its side, with the straight side down. The other legs of the piano are then removed. The piano is then covered with blankets, strapped to the board, and put on a dolly.

Some movers do not love to move a piano up or down steps. If it is possible, they like to hoist it to the appropriate floor via a window that is large enough to accommodate the piano.

So what do you do if you desire to move your piano from one part of a room to another? First, decide if it is truly necessary to move it because there's always the risk of damaging a piano even with a short move. Piano legs are the most likely thing to get broken or broken.

Be very careful to elude putting too much weight on the legs. Get a few strong people to help if the piano is an upright ; and get at least 5 people if it is a grand piano. With an upright or spinet, lean the piano back a little to take the pressure off the front legs, but take care not to tip it back too far and tip it over. With a grand piano, lift the piano up enough to get the pressure off the legs before you try and move it. It's not necessary (and not commended ) to lift the piano off the floor entirely.

If you are going to move a piano usually consider having it fitted with special casters that will enable you to move the piano simply. Or, have the piano placed on a piano van.

How you do you find a good piano mover if you've decided to not try and move it yourself? My recommendation is that you call your local piano store and ask them for suggestions. They'll be able to offer you the name or names of reputable movers in your area.

Okay, so you have decided you are definitely going to move your piano and you have selected a technique. Now you have to figure out where you are going to put the piano. Where should it go?

Try to put your piano in an area of a room where there are little or no drafts, drafts, where it's out of direct sunlight, and where the temperature and humidity are stable. The reason being because pianos are sensitive to humidity and temperature. Lots of temperature and humidity swings cause a piano to go out of tune faster than ordinary, can damage the wood case, and if they are grim they even ultimately cause structural failure.

Don't place your piano over or next to a heat vent and duck placing it close to a fireplace. Don't put in front of a window because that is generally a drafty place as well as one with direct sunlight. Try to find a room in your home or loft which has solidly stable temperature and humidity. That's the best room for your piano.

If you can't find a place in your loft or home that is out of direct sunlight, free of drafts, and does not have enormous temperature swings, you may wish to consider having a climate control system installed in your piano.

Moving and placing your piano properly will help guarantee you have a lovely instrument to play for a long time instead of having what I now own - an outsized paperweight that needs to be dusted. - 18423

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Learning To Sing Online

By Marika Gutierrez

So you can't sing? Being able to sing is a lot of FUN. But it is only fun if you are sure about your ability to hold a tone, and that the quality of your voice is good. Singing rates high on the list of items people would like to know how to do.

I was one of those people. Always envied those who could sing along when wishing someone "Happy Birthday" instead of just mouthing... Being way to self conscious to work with someone one on one, I decided to explore the possibilities online.

There are number of options online. Now, I'm serious about this, so spent some time looking into what is available. And, what is worthwhile.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching who appears to be reputable, and who has great customer feed back. I was also cautious about finding someone with credentials. Someone who knows how to teach singing the right way so as not to learn bad habits that can further diminish my voice.

I did find several that seemed to fit the bill, and I picked one of them. I sure struck gold at get-go! he program I got is superiorly designed. The "classes" and exercises are laid out in an easy to follow way, and they are FUN! too... They teach a variety of singing styles that you can experiment with. Who knows? Maybe there is a jazz singer inside? One of the bonuses of the program is the ability for you to record your own voice. That was pretty mind blowing to me, not to mention liberating.

After a few months of doing my voice lessons the difference is nothing short of amazing. I'm absolutely thrilled at my progress. My voice is strong and clear, my span has increased phenomenally, and I'm having fun, fun, FUN!

If you truly want to be able to sing, don't put it off. It is a wonderful gift for yourself. The self satisfaction is lovely. - 18423

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DJ CD Players - What The Pros Use

By Nik Levesque

It does not matter if you are a professional DJ or you just want to get into the groove of mixing music on your spare time. Acquiring your very own pro DJ CD player should really help you get your creative juices flowing in all the right frequencies. Although there are some music mixing enthusiasts who still prefer the Old School routine of scratching tunes using turntables and vinyl records while injecting their own electronica jazz; more and more people are discovering the advantages of these pro DJ CD players. Some of these advantages include: portability, stored music capacity, ease of use, and even costs.

Portability is the number one reason why people are lining up to get their hands on this gizmo. Unlike conventional sound systems and turntables, you do not need to have boxes of vinyl records and CDs at your feet while doing your thing. You also do not have to lug around your turntable or other mixing paraphernalia as well. This gizmo is actually making it easier for mobile DJs to take in more gigs, without the usual hassle of physically moving (and potentially damaging) valuable equipments. Additionally, these players have enough memory capacity to record your entire vinyl record library and more. Since the pro DJ CD player usually plays CDs and MP3, you can switch from one music type to the other effortlessly.

When it comes to ease of you, the pro DJ CD players should be as simple as popping a disc in a CD player. Only this time, you should also have a responsive turntable at your disposal. There are no complicated switches here, or a step-by-step operational manual. You can literally start your own spin in less than a few minutes. And if you find this player on the hefty side of the bargain, you might consider the fact that you will eventually save money down the line. You can download music from the World Wide Web easily; and you do not have to worry about getting separate players for different music types. At the same time, you can upload your own mixes and sell them online. Since you now have the proper equipment, you can even go pro, if you haven't already. If you are thinking about seriously laying some hard-earned cash on this gizmo, here are some tips on how to find the best deal.

1. What music type can the gizmo accommodate? Regular music CDs are the norm, as well as MP3s. However, there are also some players who carry CDRW software too. If you need CDRW stored music for your music list, then try to scrutinize product specifications carefully. Not all players carry this capacity. Try to also see if you can play a succession of different music types without jarring or delaying. And a CD burning option would be a wonderful addition as well.

2. Does the gizmo allow you to scratch and spin music just like your vinyl turntable? Real time scratch capability is one of the most important features you need to consider. Some of the cheaper brands have 2 to 5 second delay, which is not really a great thing. Additionally, there are also some brands that may have turntable features but these do not feel or work like the ones you normally use. The higher end brands will have real time scratch capacity and feels like you are indeed spinning vinyl. - 18423

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Acoustic Guitar DVD Lessons: Learn With the Pros

By Reggie Jones

As a beginner learning to play the guitar can seem like a pretty steep hill to climb. There are notes and chords to learn and correct finger placement and technique to establish. Don't be discouraged to quickly by letting these things get you frustrated.

There are tons of great resources on the web for practice, including videos, tutorials, chord finders and much more. A note of caution here though. Learn the whole song. It's pointless just being able to play the beginning, middle or end of a song, and it's also very frustrating in the long run.

A growing trend at this juncture in time involves the number of men, women and young people who are taking guitar lessons on line. When all is said and done, the opportunities that are available to a person today when it comes to guitar lessons online really abound. This includes such guitar basics of finger picking.

You owe it to yourself to be the best player you can be, so make that choice right now and say to yourself, "I commit to practicing my instrument in a consistent manner that leads to me learning how to play the guitar in a snap".

If that describes you, if you are just learning the guitar or only recently desired to learn to play guitar, these sites are perfect for you. Oftentimes through these types of online guitar lesson sites that are geared to novices you can become exposed to a wide range of different techniques, including things like the funk-skunk. Beyond websites that are up and running to assist novices, there are interactive sites that can be a great resource for a person who is interested in learning basic or even more advanced guitar playing techniques.

You will also gain speed much quicker if you use a flatpick. Playing fast with right hand finger picking techniques takes alot of intense practice. One question you are going to be confronted with as your flatpicking guitar technique develops is whether to play using your hand and forearm as one unit holding alot of tension in your wrist, or to play with your wrist relaxed.

Don't turn your guitar practice time into extended guitar solos. If you have a track of say, six minutes at your disposal, use it to practice licks and short solo breaks, the age of the twenty minute solo is long gone. Also, make use of your backing tracks to improve the basic aspects of your guitar playing like your timing.

In the brick and mortar world, you might want to turn to one on one lessons if you really are intent at improving your ability to play guitar. While these types of guitar lessons can cost you more than other types of guitar lesson options, for many people one on one lessons are ideal ways to learn guitar initially and then to master the instrument to a greater degree on down the road. - 18423

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