Whether or not someone has “perfect pitch” (sometimes called “absolute pitch”) is a debatable issue as this talent has to be tested in a number of ways. By definition, perfect pitch means being able to recognize a tone instantaneously simply by hearing it (without any reference such as a pitch pipe or a particular note on a piano or other instrument).
Continue reading →It may be hard to imagine, but the piano wasn’t always accepted into country and western music. There were many pianists who persevered and brought an entirely new dimension to the music. These musicians brought other playing styles into a very rigid musical genre, allowing it to expand into the force it is today.
Continue reading →Most piano players are aware that the piano’s modern name is actually a shortened version of its original name, “pianoforte,” which is a compound of the Italian words for “soft” and “loud.” This name was given to the new instrument in order to differentiate it from its forbear instrument, the harpsichord, whose volume range is far less flexible than that of the piano.
Continue reading →Different combinations of musicians are given different names, based mostly on personnel, instrumentation, and the style of music played.
Continue reading →Percussion instruments include the snare drum (and all drums in general), cymbals, tympanis (sometimes called “kettle drums” as they are shaped as such), and exotic instruments such as the guiro, claves, and maracas. These instruments, and the way they are played, go a long way in determining the feel and style of the music. Where a rock band might have a set of drums (snare drum, bass drum, cymbals), Latin musicians used a number of different instruments to create music.
Continue reading →Woodwinds (clarinet, oboe, bassoon, etc.) are different from piano in that they require wind (created by the player) to create a tone (using a reed or reeds to create the vibrations needed for sound). In addition to using different techniques to make the reeds vibrate in different ways, the player also changes the tone (creates the notes) by pressing and releasing (using their fingers) keys that are attached along the length of the instrument, or by covering up, then opening, various holes on the instrument. Saxophones are not considered woodwinds by some as they are made of brass. However, a saxophone is played very much in the same way as most woodwinds. Flutes and piccolos, though made of metal, are often thought of as part of the woodwind family.
Continue reading →Stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello, bass) are cousins of the piano as they make music with strings vibrating to a certain pitch. But they are different in the sense that the strings of a piano are struck with hammers to create sound, where as a violin player uses a bow to create sound. Sometimes, however, a violinist or other string player plucks the strings with their fingers (as directed in the music as pizzicato).
Continue reading →Modern brass instruments include trumpet, trombone, baritone, sousaphone (tuba), and French horn. These instruments create a wide variety of tones by the player forcing air into the instrument causing it to resonate in different ways (at different frequencies)
Continue reading →Over the past 50 years, wedding music has come to include all of the above styles (with the exception of patriotic music). Rather than choosing well-known pieces such as “Here Comes The Bride,” “Canon in D,” “Trumpet Voluntary,” or “Joy of Man’s Desiring,” it’s becoming more common for the bride and groom to choose songs that are familiar to them (e.g., the song that was playing when they met or got engaged). Thoughtful songs with meaningful lyrics are the norm.
Continue reading →How To Play In The Cracks To Get a Blues Sound from chordman on Vimeo.
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