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The human ear really is a marvelous organ – you can train it just like any other muscle in the human body. Also, the more you train it, the stronger and more efficient it gets, just like all your other muscles.

It’s much like training a dog – you continue to give the dog the same order over and over again, until it recognizes the sound and knows what it must do. Similarly, if you hear the same piece of music over and over again, you will recognize it. This is why playing the piano by ear comes so naturally to some people – when they hear a certain chord or selection of notes, they can immediately identify how those notes were played and the position of those notes on the keyboard.

A good example of this ear training is the major third. If you were able to find a very patient friend who didn’t mind sitting at your piano for two days straight and playing nothing but major thirds (for example C and E or F and A), the next time you hear a car horn you would immediately recognize the sound! This is because the vast majority of car horns are “factory-tuned” to a major third.

It can be done, and it can be done relatively easily. Once your ear is actually trained to identify these certain sounds, you’ll be amazed at how much you recognize them as they occur everyday life all around you. Train whistles, car horns, even tannoy announcements! If you can identify a train whistle as producing a tritone portamento descending, then do you see how easy it would be to learn to play the piano by ear?

Finding a friend who doesn’t mind too much sitting in front of your piano and constantly playing the same chords over and over again can be a difficult task. The good news is, there are other solutions: find yourself a tape recorder, that way you can play it once, record it, and listen to your hearts content. If you can find a tape recorder with a number counter all the better, as you will be able to rewind to any point you like.

Most piano teachers, when teaching, prefer to begin with melodic intervals such as skips of a major third or a perfect sixth, so this is a reasonable place for you to start also. You might also want to think about chord progressions as well – they can be a bit more fun than the melodic intervals, and tend to keep you a little more engaged.

Training your ear to recognize specific sounds and thus transferring them onto the piano is a time-honored tradition that has served many people well in the past. It can be done, and it can be done relatively simply. There’s no reason that you cannot do it yourself – learning to play the piano could not be simpler!

Copyright 2008 Lauren Paltrow

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When you have the huge choice of keyboards and digital pianos that is available today, it can seem a little overwhelming. Any trip to the local music shop or even a quick online search will show you the vast array of instruments in this niche available to you -but which one is right for your needs? Which one will best suit you? Here are a few tips that you should be considering before you go out and buy your keyboard:

1) Affordability. Once you have set yourself a top level of what you want to spend, make sure you do not go over that. Make sure that you can afford it! Even the most conservative budget should not have too many problems finding a good keyboard that will suit your needs.

2)   Weighted action versus synth action. Weighted action simply means that the keys are heavier and therefore behave more like an acoustic piano. Synth action simply means that the keys are a little lighter.  Just a couple of the more technical terms you may come into contact with when buying your keyboard. The weight of the keys transmits to the style of play that you are buying the keyboard for: weighted action is great for the trained pianist or someone who is looking to develop their piano skills; synth action is more suited to those who play a more synthy or techno style, as the keys can be played a lot faster.

3) Consider the number of keys. . It may seem that you have as much of a choice when it comes to the number of keys as you did in looking for them in the first place! The number of keys can range across the board, from as little as 20 right up to 88. . If you’re looking to play about with sound development, then you want to make sure that you have as many keys as possible. If you are purchasing your keyboard for things that only require a small range like samples, you only need a few keys. As ever, the choice on this remains squarely with the needs of the customer, i.e.: you.

4) Is an onboard sequencer worth it? This comes down to a very simple factor: If you’re working with a computer, then it probably won’t be necessary. If you’re working without a computer, then yes.

5) Do I need a workstation? This should be weighed against the fact that the workstation is an incredible tool to use. . The workstation on your keyboard will perform a myriad of functions, from sequencing to effects. . If you are already using a computer which handles all of that, paying extra for a workstation may not be the most economical vantage point.

6) Velocity and aftertouch features. The aftertouch feature deals more with the sound that is produced after the keys have been pressed, like when they are resting on the keybed. The velocity feature relates to how the sound is produced relative to the amount of pressure given to the keys, for example how quickly they are pressed. Whatever use you have in mind for your keyboard, then velocity and aftertouch is something you should definitely be looking for.

7) Maneuverability. If you are purchasing a keyboard in order to take it to gigs, then are another large number of factors that you should consider. Think carefully about getting a hard case for protection, and when you are choosing think carefully about how easy it is to carry -do you really want to be lugging a large heavy object from one gig to another?

I still maintain that the best way to buy your keyboard is online -not only can you find a larger array of choices, but also you can find some really excellent deals on there. Not only that but the vast majority of them will deliver straight to your front door. So, happy hunting!

Copyright 2009 Lauren Paltrow (Stage Pianist)

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If you do not know, piano is one of the famous and popular instruments around the world. When learning to play piano, you need the best coordination of your brain and fingers.

It is music which can simply express your emotions, whether sad, angry, frighten or happy. And to back this, we think we know a massive number of celebrated pianists who galvanize us on all kinds of life. So how to learn to play piano? Most of the time people search to learn to play piano from a piano instructor. It is the traditional way for the impart of knowledge from the older to the younger generation. But with the appearance of info technology and e-learning, the above discussed isn’t the sole option anymore.

Online piano lessons have entered into the market lately and have been really successful as well. In online piano lesson, you can access to websites which have all the tutorials and lessons whereby you can learn the fundamentals of piano playing as well as help you dig deep into the topic. And now let us move to the main crux of the article i.e. What are the different types of piano lessons? Well, in this situation, the options are straightforward. Let us start by discussing the online piano lessons.

Well, the online piano lessons, in crux, are piano tutorial lesssons that you can learn online. You will get to see some online videos to get a better idea of piano playing. Selecting the right online piano guide is in our hands. Whilst selecting a paid piano lesson, keep a couple of things in mind. Firstly, make sure that the course has enough stress on the fundamentals of piano.

You will not be ready to master the instrument without knowing its basics, so knowing and learning the foundation is important. The best is to select sites with online support so that you can request for assistance when there is a need.

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Have you debated learning to play the piano? Currently you don’t even need to buy a real piano. Instead you can pick up a descent second-hand digital piano for a very low cost. Once you have bought it, the next thing to think about is having lessons. If you have lots of dosh, personal individual lessons are an adequate way to learn. You will need to ring up a local teacher and then organize lessons with them once a week. The main downside of this is that it can be pricey.

The best approach is to have lessons via online piano lessons or piano lesson DVDs. E.g. one of the best DVD based piano courses available is  http://piano-lessons-reviews.info, which includes around 14 DVDs of great course material. There are lots of other courses on the web that provide fantastic teaching and are very low in cost. They have a great many advantages over a traditional human tutor. These include: learning at your own speed, reduced cost, ability to play along to a backing musical piece and much less travel time. Think of not having to play the same tune over and over again in the same room as a human teacher. Instead it’s much more fun to learn on your own with the help of a laptop or DVD player. The software will not shout at you or make you feel silly. It really is a brilliant method of learning. The lessons commonly include videos, sound clips, email advice, electronic books. They also include a large variety of piano music and music styles including jazz, classical and modern music.  

Another big advantage with online piano lessons is that they are extremely flexible and can adjust to your learning speed. You can take a lesson when you have the time free, you are not fixed on a rigid schedule every week. If you are home for a period of time you can use the extra time having additional lessons! If you are very busy during the day you can squeeze in a lesson in later on in the evening.

If you are seriously contemplating about learning to play the piano and are unsure of the best approach then click on the link above to go to one of the best online piano lesson review sites. 

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