Aside from the academic study of music theory, which explores the theories surrounding music issues, such as whether or not a piece of music fits into one category or another, music theory is really the nuts and bolts of music.
Continue reading →3-minute video on enharmonic keys and chords
Continue reading →Greensleeves — Learn 4 chords & learn the entire song
Continue reading →You’re an adult learning the play the piano, but you don’t know where to start. The hectic nature of life doesn’t always allow for you to seek out piano instructors, but you’d really like some help with your playing. In the age information age, online piano instruction is a great place to start. It’s easy, quick and often free of charge.
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 →Every musician needs to know as much as possible about the key a song is being played in, and key signatures tell the key of a song, plus a lot more.
Continue reading →William Martin Joel, better known as pianist and pop tunesmith Billy Joel, was born on May 9, 1949 in the Bronx. From ballads like “Just The Way You Are” to rocking tunes like “Uptown Girl,” Joel’s music made him a household name.
Continue reading →You wouldn’t sit down to a meal of salt and pepper, but instead you might add them to your meat & potatoes to make your meal more tasty. The same is true of diminished triads. You wouldn’t build a song out of them, but by using them sparingly, you can add taste to any musical meal.
Continue reading →Minor chords create a sound which is somber or serious; some people even think of minor chords as “sad”, as opposed to major chords which sound “normal”, or “happy”. Some of the great classics are written in minor keys, including Fur Elise by Beethoven, Prelude in C# Minor by Rachmaninoff, Prelude in Cm by Chopin, and many others.
Continue reading →From amongst all the jazz legends and pop legendary pianists, Thelonious Monk is most known for what can be called ‘straight forward jazz’. He influenced the the bebop style of playing so much that he has arguably been referred to as the founder of bebop.
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