Is It Really Possible To Play The Piano By Ear?

           

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Playing by ear is the ability to play a piece of music (or, eventually, learn an instrument) by simply listening to it repeatedly. The majority of self-taught musicians began their education this way; they picked up their instrument and began playing an easy melody from a well-known song, slowly picking out the notes as they went along. And even after these musicians master their instruments or a particular song, playing by ear still plays a large role.

Many pop and rock bands don't play or write their songs based on sheet music, they figure the songs out by playing by ear. It's even common among non-musicians. Ever sit down a piano and mindlessly pick out the tune to "Mary Had a Little Lamb"? What about grabbing a guitar and suddenly finding yourself playing the opening licks to "Smoke on the Water"? That's playing by ear. You're able to play part of the song just because you've heard it so often.

Playing by ear is a valuable technique for many musicians; learning songs based solely on hearing them is a great way to understand song and chord structure. In fact, a great number of rock and pop musicians learned to play their instruments this way. Instead of picking up a book or taking lessons, they concentrated on figuring out the notes and rhythms to a song until it was mastered. Then they moved on to another song. And another. Gradually, they learned their instrument just by playing by ear -- and in the process learned how to effectively structure a song in that particular genre.

Playing by ear is also beneficial in helping a musician develop his or her own style; sure, they'll at first mimic the style of the song they're imitating, but the amalgamation of the music that they're playing by ear will help them create something distinctive, something indicative of them only. Though classical musicians are generally educated based on tons of music theory and sight reading, some methods rely on playing by ear. The Suzuki method of musical training, for instance, claims that learning music is the same as learning a language; it's acquired by years of hearing it, eventually coupled with formal training. Just like we pick up our language by listening to our parents and subsequently attending school, we can learn music by playing by ear and later taking formal lessons.

So can the average person ever hope to play their piano by ear? Maybe not to the degree that some extremely talented musicians do, but anyone can learn enough about the basics of playing by ear if they learn the following skills:

Being able to hear a tune and have a general sense of the contour of the melody -- when the tune moves higher or lower as the song progresses.

Learning to chart that melody contour either on paper or in their memory.

Learning to match the melody to appropriate chords.

Playing by ear is really a combination of of three factors:

1. Using your tonal memory to recall music you have heard:
2. Using your ears and fingers to help you reproduce what you recall;
3. Using "melody contour" (the "shape" of the tune), "chord structure" (how to form the chords on the keyboard to match the tune), and "chord progressions" (the path chords take as they move through a song).

Obviously, the first 2 steps you can take more or less by yourself -- you can mentally rehearse recalling a particular tune; you can sit at the piano for hours and through trial and error pick out tunes, chords, and rhythms. But the real key to playing by ear is learning how to chart the shape of a tune, learn how to construct chords, and then determine the likelihood of chord progressions -- in other words, which chord comes next.

When you get an understanding of step three, you will be in a MUCH better position to understand and profit from steps one and two!

For more info on playing the piano by ear, please go to "How To Play Piano By Ear!" In addition, a series of 101 free email lessons on playing by ear & piano chords is available at "Exciting Piano Lessons on Musical Form & Playing Piano By Ear & Sizzling Chord Progressions!"

Don't Let Playing Piano In Front Of An Audience Intimidate You

           

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I remember very well the first time I ever played piano in front of what seemed like a large audience. In reality, it was probably a fairly small audience, but I was nervous regardless, as I was just a young kid. My time on stage that day didn't really last very long, but it seemed like an eternity. I wasn't sure if I would even be able to complete my so-called performance. I wasn't sure exactly why I was nervous, because I knew I had practiced and was perfectly capable of playing the piano music that I had planned on playing.

After the performance I commented to my mother about how nervous I had been during the performance and I told her I didn't know why. Of course she told me I played the piano fine and that I didn't appear to be nervous. I knew otherwise. I realized later that my problem was that I felt self-conscious the whole time I was in front of that audience. I was concerned about what I looked like up there, what the music sounded like to the audience, what the audience and even my mom was thinking about my piano playing, and probably any other number of things that raced through my mind while I was playing piano on stage. I simply couldn't relax and enjoy the time.

How should I go about correcting this problem of being self-concious while playing the piano? For an overwhelming majority of people, performing in public in front of an audience can be a very frightening experience, but it shouldn't be. The idea is to keep playing, and eventually your confidence will grow and you won't have that fear when you perform. Some people just feel more confident playing the piano in front of an audience than other people do, and that's fine. There is nothing wrong with being nervous at all.

I think one of the best ways to overcome this is to just start playing piano in front of small audiences, even if only one or two people, and gradually work your way up to playing the piano in front of larger crowds. If you can play piano in front of just one person, then you can play piano for any large number of people too! You just have to realize that a large crowd is simply a group of smaller crowds and individuals. Rather than beginning your piano performing career in front of large crowds, where it's only natural to be a bit nervous, you should start by playing in front of small groups and you won't have to experience that fear nearly as much, and your confidence will grow without you hardly even noticing it. That confidence will show through when you start playing piano in larger venues for bigger audiences.

Todd Bridges is a life-long music fan and piano lover. His website is at http://www.perfect-piano.com

Should I Learn To Play Piano, Keyboard Or Organ?

           

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The first thing to consider when choosing the instrument you want to learn is which one do you like the best. If you like them all, then we can move onto which one is the most practical for you.

The easiest and cheapest option is the keyboard. You can buy a keyboard for less then ?100.00 and you only need to learn to read music for the right hand. The left hand is made easy because you just learn left hand chords as you need them. Typically, you would start with C chord and G chord. With a keyboard, you should be playing a simple tune within a day, it?s that easy.

The piano is a more expensive option. If you buy a real piano (not electric) then you need the room, if you go for the electric option then you really should be looking at an 88 note keyboard especially if you intend taking exams. With piano sheet music, you will need to learn to read right hand (treble clef) and left hand (bass clef). You can expect to play a simple tune within a week, based on at least half an hour practice a day.

The electric organ can be a very expensive option if bought new, fortunately, there is a healthy second hand market and you can pick up a bargain. Like the piano, you need room for the organ because they are big and heavy. At the moment, there are no portable options available in the UK. However, you can import the Yamaha D-Deck organ or the Yamaha Electone Stagea organ, which are portable and very modern looking. The organ has two keyboards and a pedal board. The right hand plays the top keyboard the left hand plays the lower keyboard and your left foot plays the pedal board. It is initially more the most difficult to learn because you need to learn to play the bass pedals however when starting to learn the organ, like the keyboard you just need to learn to read music for the right hand and use chord symbols for the left hand and bass pedals.

I personally started on piano then moved to organ and I prefer the organ because of the vast amount of sounds. With a piano, you will only ever have a piano. If I had to answer the question for you then I would say start with a cheap keyboard. If you like it, move on to a bigger keyboard, a piano, or an organ, if not, it?s not cost you a lot of money to find out that this music lark is not for you.Michael David Shaw (Mike to his friends) runs the websites http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk, http://www.keyboardsheetmusic.co.uk and http://www.guitarmusicbooks.co.uk

Learn to PLay Piano By Ear - Left Hand Techniques

           

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The tenth (10th) chord is an excellent technique you can use on your left hand. The 10th chord is basically following this:

Every major chord is made up of the numbers 1-3-5 of the scale played simultaneously. Basically, the 10th chord is made up of these three numbers inverted and played either simultaneously or in a "roll" form.

1-5-3 (the 3 actually becomes the 10)

For example:

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
1 2 3 4 7 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

That means that on the left hand you would play C-G-E. Now this may be rather hard for some of you. In fact, when I started playing the 10th chord I have to "roll" it until my fingers stretched out enough to play it as a chord. (I'll focus on stretching exercises later.)

HOW DO I USE THE 10th CHORD ON SLOW TO MODERATE SONGS?

The most common way of using the 10th chord is to use it on the left hand on most "down" beats. It creates a wonderful full sound. Another common way to use the 10th chord is in a roll. This would mean the pianist would create the rhythm to the song playing the following numbers:

Moving up the keyboard: 1-5-3-5-1 (repeat)

So, if you were in the key of C and you were in the C chord change, while your right hand is playing the melody to the song, the left hand would follow the pattern above and would look like this:

Moving up the keyboard: C-G-E-G-C

When you get to the F chord change:

Moving up the keyboard: F-C-A-C-F

Wow! What a difference in the full sound it gives! Try the 10th run!

Matthew Stephens has been playing the piano for over 27 years and giving piano lessons by ear for 17. Learn more about him at http://www.thepianobyear.com

Online piano lessons- How to play popular piano in 10 easy lessons

           

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Without a doubt, the piano is one of the most beautiful instruments to play and listen to. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions as to how difficult it is to play and therefore many people don't take the first step out of fear of failure. We've been conditioned to believe that traditional methods of learning, such as reading music and practicing scales are the only way to learn and this is not entirely true.

Learning piano without years of lessons is not difficult, however it's important that students understand that learning to play requires daily practice and a lot of discipline and for many, this is difficult. Fortunately, we have options today and thanks to the Internet we have the ability to invite a virtual tutor right into your living room at any given time via the online piano lesson

Do interactive piano lessons really work? Traditionalist will say this system of learning is flawed, but you can't argue with the results people are having and they are impressive. Traditional lessons typically run 30 minutes long once or twice a week at a rough cost of $20 per lesson. The online or interactive lesson has a one time cost and you have the luxury of "hiring" you tutor at any time. As with anything, you're going to have to do you homework before you purchase a home study course.

So are there actually 10 easy lessons to play popular piano? Perhaps there are, but keep in mind that practice and discipline are just important.

Finding the right online piano lesson is as simple if you know where to look. Learn how to really play piano despite years of lessons

http://www.piano-lessons.consumer-reporter.com

Play Piano - Preparing to Practice

           

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When the practicing "blahs" strike, you just need an attitude adjustment. You don't have to sweat blood to practice well. You don't even have to think of it as work, or duty, or even something that you ought to do.

Stop a minute and think about it. You like music, and you want to play some special piece that really means something to you. You want it to sound through you - right through your fingertips.

Okay? Well, you practice it to fulfill that desire, not to frustrate it.

Pause here and ask yourself some questions:

What if you could look at a piece of music for the first time, and play it correctly straight off, just as fine as you please?

How would you feel about practicing then?

Or, what if you were practicing for the Olympic swim meet next year, and felt deep down that you had a chance? How would you feel then about the training? Would you plunge into it each morning?

What if you were interrupted at a good point in yesterday's practicing? What if you had just about broken through a tough spot when you had to stop? Would you want to get back to it today as soon as possible?

You answer those questions, honestly, for yourself. There are ways to say "YES!" every day.

But, first, you've got to stop blaming yourself. You don't have to be perfect every time. You don't have to be the best player, today. And you don't have to listen to what other people say about your playing - people who are only half listening, and don't care the way you do.

Put all that out of your mind. What matters is your desire to play as well as possible.

Just start with playing - one note after another, and keep going. As the Chinese say, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first, step." And, if the very first step leads to the first slip, be glad for it. You can't, repeat, cannot learn without mistakes!

Now, start to think more personally about your instrument.

The piano, like the guitar, is a "touchy" instrument. Touch it, and you both produce and color its tones, like a potter molding clay. Think of the keys, all gleaming white, as the "skin" of the piano; you can either please them or hurt them. Stroke them, and the sound will come out mellow and purring. Poke them, and the sound will either "bark" sharply or woodenly "thud."

Stop thinking of yourself as playing "on" or "at" the piano. Rather, think of the instrument as an extension of your own body. When an artificial leg is fitted to an amputee, he is then taught to walk with it. Gradually, it feels more natural - more like his own leg walking. The French call the keys "les touches," or "touch-points" - as if the keys, not you, were doing the feeling.

Every musician wants to personalize this instrument. Take a look at the vocalist who hugs his guitar, or without a guitar, woos his microphone, or, without a microphone, simply woos the audience?

Every musician seeks to make his instrument an extension of his own body, the tool he or she needs to put across the strong feelings he as for the music.

Nadia Boulanger, one of the greatest teachers, put it best: "Don't speak to me of talent; speak to me of desire."

Go to the piano or keyboard not to reproduce a piece, but to experiment with your best way to bring out what is there. There is no one right way to play a piece - no matter how loudly some people protest that there is.

Artists in fact, vary greatly, and audiences return again and again to hear the same piece, as played by pianist X or pianist Y. You simply cannot play a piece twice the same way. Try it!

Here's how to practice an exercise or a song:

Six quietly, upright and relaxed Hear the music in your head: hear it better than life. Sense its movement and pulse rolling through you, turning and adjusting your own pulse, you are the prime "instrument" of this music - sitting there alert, tuned by silence, vibrating to is rhythm, lending it your own life entirely.

As you feel the music filling you, heart and soul, you will know that it is getting ready to be born.

When it has stirred you, lift your hands to the keyboard. This is the reason you wanted to play in the first place: to bring alive what has already moved you. And, suddenly, by centering your focus, you've turned practicing from a duty into an attraction.

Ron Worthy is a Music Educator, Pianist and Songwriter. He offers online instruction that focuses on Rock, Pop, Blues, Cocktail, R&B and "Smooth Jazz" piano styles. To Download Your FREE Piano Lesson Video, go to: http://www.playpianotonight.com/VC.html.

Adult Piano Lessons... It's Never Too Late!

           

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As a piano teacher, I talk a lot about what I do. And I'm always amazed when adults tell me they've dreamed of playing piano, but believe it's too late for them to learn. I wish I knew where this belief came from -- it's simply not true!

Adult piano lessons can be a rewarding process for both the student and the teacher. And playing piano is certainly a wonderful stress-reliever for busy lives.

If you're an adult who is ready to play piano, here are some helpful tips as you find a teacher and become a student once again.

 1 -- Find a great teacher.
Find a teacher who is passionate about and experienced with teaching adults, and who has adult students in her studio. If a piano teacher's experience and specialty is starting young children, and her studio is full of 5-15 year-olds, she may not be the best choice.

Why? As a teacher, all her preparation, repertoire, and teaching tools are geared towards children. That's not to say she couldn't teach adults -- but her studio is geared for a younger age group.

 2 -- Choose your method.
Are you really wanting to play classical? Or is jazz more what you're looking for? Maybe you're not even interested in learning to read music -- you just want to be able to improvise on chords and read lead sheets. Why not take lessons that are giving you exactly what you want?

There are so many ways to go about learning to play piano. Talk to prospective teachers about the methods they teach, and find one that will teach you in a way that makes you excited to play every day.

 3 -- Make the time.
Adult piano lessons are a commitment of time and resources in a busy life. It helps to make a conscious decision to devote the part of your everyday routine to piano practice. If piano is low on your to-do list, you'll end up practicing only on weekends -- which will lead to a disappointing experience for you. Really.

So carve out just 10 or 15 minutes a day to totally devote to piano. It will work wonders!

 4 -- Be a student.
Ask yourself: are you truly willing to be a student, and be taught?

One of the most difficult things for my adult students is releasing control of the learning process. I understand -- as adults, we need to make decisions, solve problems, and decide the best way to do things. But piano lessons are different.

You're a beginner. Accept that, enjoy it, and allow your teacher to guide you in the learning process -- even if you don't understand why she might be asking you to practice a certain way, or you're just sure you can do it faster or better. After all, who is the expert? If you knew the answers, you'd already be playing piano!

 5 -- Patience!
Lastly, patience is a virtue. Learning to express yourself fluently at the piano is like learning a new language: it takes time. Be patient! Play each and every piece, from the first one you learn, with intention and beauty.

Don't ignore the journey by focusing on the destination. You'll miss out on enjoying all the simple pieces if you believe anything less than Chopin isn't really playing the piano. From the moment your fingers touch the keys, you're playing. Enjoy it!

Your piano lessons, and the time you spend every day at the piano, can bring you happiness from the moment you start.

It's never too late to learn to play piano!

Kimberly Luker is a studio owner, piano and flute teacher, and webmaster of You Can Play Piano! - a friendly, informative site full of resources to get you playing piano and loving it. She believes that everyone is deeply and naturally musical -- including you!

For more tips on adult piano lessons, visit Adult Piano Lessons at You Can Play Piano! And while you're there, sign up for our free newsletter, PianoForte!

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