First, the prospective pianist you want to employ has to know there way around New York itself.  Why does the NYC pianist need to be acquainted with New York City, you might wonder?  Typically, if the pianist is from New York City or has a client base in NYC, it is more probable than not, that this piano player could understand the musical tradition and musical preferences of the city.  Accordingly, a New York City pianist will, unquestionably be ready to display superb talent for the party’s guests by catering exclusively to their musical taste buds.

Before utilizing the services of a good New York City piano player, there are several key traits as to the style the New York City pianist will play.  Ask your prospective New York City piano player if she or he requires sheet music in order to perform their music.   The vast majority of   NYC piano players can only play with the help of sheet music.  If you are fortunate enough to discover that he or she does not require sheet music, then you have came across a top quality NYC pianist who performs by ear or memory and this reflects the flexibility and skill this entertainer has.

Playing by ear or memory is particularly invaluable and important when your NYC pianist is receiving requests for songs or to play with some other person or instrument.  Let’s say for example, one of your visitors wants to play a duet with the pianist on the spur of the moment.  It is truly quite a typical happening and will be a key consideration when you are utilizing the services of a New York City piano player – lamentably, this trait is often neglected by the majority of us.

A New York City piano player like Arnie Abrams, who has many returning customers, flourishes on such a key trait.  He focuses on the New York City area and is available to any client who needs his capabilities for special social gatherings.  Although exceptional talent, Mr. Abrams is competitively priced.  His services are not cheap, and if you are hiring a NYC pianist solely on price, keep in mind that you are going to compromise the music you are going to be presenting to your guests.  That being said, though Arnie’s rates are very fair, competitive, and even more affordable than other NYC pianists, prior customers have reviewed and attested that his service is an indisputable quality service for the money.

It is crucial to realize that only an expert NYC pianist can evaluate your particular entertainment needs and tap into his vast professional experience to provide the music that pleases your guests for the duration of your event.  Searching for a first-rate live piano musician in New York City is generally challenging.  An event planner can provide you with resources for consideration to make your party as successful as possible.

There are numerous NYC piano players readily available at any given time inside the New York City metropolitan area.  Nonetheless, NYC pianists like Arnie Abrams are somewhat difficult to come by as demand of their piano virtuoso and extreme versatility fill their calendar quickly.  All in all, always keep in mind that you’re looking for NYC pianists who can relate well with your visitors through their musical talent; otherwise you will be wasting your money and your guests will be disappointed with the entertainment!

 
© Angie

Tip # 1. Key Signature.  The key signature of the piece of music that you are about to play requires special attention.  Having the correct sharps and flats committed to memory makes your play much smoother and accurate. 

Tip # 2. Time Signature.  This is another basic characteristic of every piece of music that you must understand in order to sight-read.  You will need to know what kind of note gets one beat. One question to always ask is “how many beats in a measure”.

Tip # 3. Key or Time Signatures Changes.  You need to examine your piece of music to see if the key or time signatures change.  Not knowing about a transition will obviously affect the quality of your play. 

Tip # 4. Starting and Ending Notes.  Starting and Ending notes are excellent reference points for your piano play. Make sure you are familiar with them.

Tip # 5. Note the Rhythm.  Check your left hand chords to see what rhythm is used throughout the piece.  As you look through the song, you usually can get an idea of how it will go.  This will ease you through when trying to play the correct rhythm during sight-reading.

Tip # 6.  Play the Melody First.  Also look through the right hand melody line. It helps to play just the melody first if possible.  This will help give you an idea of the sound of the song and then you can put it all together and you will be able to identify the unique melodic line.

Tip # 7.  Check for Other Markings.  You should know all about loudness/softness, speed, and other technical aspects of music. Check the printed sheets for these markings and make a mental note of them. 

Tip # 8. Relax and Focus. Finally, before you play it is important to take a deep breath and relax yourself.  Focus on the music and the beauty therein.  Try to play the song all the way through for your first sight-reading.  This gives you a general idea of what the song will sound like.  Later you can break it down and work on each measure or group of measures as you see fit. Keep in mind that we are playing music for the love of it, not as a chore.  

So, why exactly am I suggesting that you learn to sight-read instead of using the “learn-a-bit-at-a-time” method?  Sight-reading forces you to move forward at a faster pace until you finish the song, ultimately helping you learn to play music faster.  This helps you get rid of the bad habits that lead to starts and stops when first playing a new piece of music.  Sight-reading is an important skill to learn if you wish to become a good piano player.

For more tips about learning to play piano, including a free mini-course, visit the Learning To Play Piano Today site.

Jazz enthusiasts may have heard of a few of the greats, namely Duke Ellington and Count Basie, as well as many modern jazz artists topping the charts today including Jim Brickman, who’s original piano compositions not only take the air on smooth jazz stations world wide, but also pop, new age, and inspirational stations as well.  There are also a variety of well known rock pianists from around the globe, like Elton John, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Carole King, and Carly Simon. 

And as you know, many mainstream classic and modern rock or pop bands of today seem to naturally include a keyboard player.  Dennis DeYoung, front man for the band Styx is one of the better known rock keyboardists.  Rick Wakeman of Yes and Tony Banks of Genesis are also exceptional, as well as David Sancious who played for many of the greats, including Bruce Springsteen, Carlos Santana, and Sting.

Learning to play the piano can certainly increase your knowledge of music to encompass different styles of music, including classical.  You may not know much about this very important musical style, but you may come to like it as you attempt to play works from the classical greats like Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms.  As you hear the different works from the above mentioned classical artists, it becomes more tempting to try to play them.  This is sure to impress your friends and family, as well as yourself once you start to master them.  Once you get better at the piano, you could land a job in a band or as a solo act.  Achieving professional status as a performer can offer you excellent personal and financial benefits.  Naturally, not every piano player ends up in a high paying job, but if it’s something you love to do, it’s certainly worth striving for.

There are even other hidden benefits that Learning to Play the Piano Today can provide.

The piano can help you to release your tensions from a busy day, or clear your mind from a stressful situation.  Even when you feel sad, playing the piano can make you feel better as you focus your mind on the music and the sounds you are creating.  The other thing is that piano playing can enhance self-discipline.  It is an activity that requires daily concentration, and the rewards can be tremendous.  This keeps you motivated to work harder toward goals in all aspects of your life. 

So if you are still not convinced why you should play the piano, there are a few more reasons. In some ways, it is easier to learn than becoming a vocalist because you don’t have to worry about being off pitch. That is, unless your piano is out of tune! Just make one call to a piano tuner and that problem is solved.  Wind instruments require reeds or mouthpieces and guitars require daily tuning and frequent string replacements.  With the piano all you need is yourself and your fingers, warmed up, ready to play!  Lastly, one big reason of learning to play the piano is for personal gratification and achievement.  You can feel a sense of true happiness when you play a composition well.  Bringing music into your life will surely make you a stronger, more energetic person in your mind, body, and soul.

(… and above all, remember that learning to play piano today is quite possible on your own, as there are a number of good training packages available in bookstores or online …)

1.  If you are really not interested in the piano, do yourself and everyone else a favor.  Don’t bother trying.  Maybe you reason that it would be advantageous to play the piano, but your heart is not in it.  If this is the case, try listening to multiple types of piano music, to see if you begin to enjoy it.  It’s not a good idea to attempt learning the piano until you’re truly comfortable with the idea. 

2.  Play what you like.  In earlier times, and sometimes even now, the learning process required large amounts of time learning traditional piano music before being allowed to choose.  It will be far more inspiring for you if you derive pleasure from the learning experience, so try and find simple versions of your favorite songs. This way, you can still have fun while learning. 

3.  Get right to it.  Don’t dillydally or waste time just to simply learn the scales. Start playing music as soon as you can.  The more you play, the more you will learn.  The more you learn, the more you will play.  This can only be good for bettering your skills. 

4.  Play on the best piano you have available.  Although don’t be too put off if all you can find is an electric keyboard.  It’s definitely an advantage if you get to use a Clavinova, as it has all of the 88 keys.  Others may argue that an upright piano is even better.  Undoubtedly, if you have access to a good grand piano, play it. 

5.  Do your best not to disturb others in the household.  The sound will invariably echo through the walls.  In most houses, there is no getting around that.  Although, try to make sure that you ask permission before you begin to practice, as those who need some quiet time, or need to study will find the noise very distracting.  It could be that they’ve had a hard day’s work, and need some time to relax. If you choose to disregard their opinion, the tension between house-mates may hamper your practice. 

6.  Be self disciplined, but not overly so.  Do not be harsh with yourself.  If you will not allow yourself to stop a practice no matter what exciting thing is happening in the household, you will come to resent the piano.  Allow yourself a little leeway.  Don’t relax too much though – if you start to become too laxed, you may give up all together.  Only constant practice can aid you to develop your senses and coordination, in order to eventually achieve mastery. 

7.  Keep a journal of new things you learn.  If anything is new to you, or confusing, take 5 minutes to check the internet or reference manual .  Use a blank booklet, or open a document on the PC, typing each new achievement or lessons learned.  You can also write in the notebook what has worked for you and what has seemed to make things harder.  Record accomplishments while fresh on the mind, as you may soon forget. 

This is a new learning experience for you, so don’t worry – there’s no rush! Take as much time as you need.  Each time you find something that makes your life easier; remember it so that you can use it again.  When you do that, you can build on each lesson and advance to higher and higher levels.

p.s. If you are considering piano lessons for a child, check out the article Tips for Teaching Piano to Children.

You can get Fake Books at music stores or by ordering them online.  Another version of the same idea is when you stumble upon a simplified song notation.  Be aware that when using a Fake Book, it only contains two ways to help you. To start with, a melody line in the treble clef will be illustrated.  Although this seems overly basic, it at least shows the song in a very simplified version. 

Along with the melody line, you will also be presented with a letter above the staff.  The letter signifies the chord you are to play in the bass clef and could possibly add to the treble clef if you are skilled enough.  You’ll notice that the letter appears above the staff for each quarter change. 

if you have thoroughly learnt the chords, you put yourself in good enough steed to easily use a Fake Book.  You can use the straight chords or invert them.  You can play them as running chords where you play each note separately in succession.  Any rhythm can be chosen for the bass clef. 

The Fake Book may require that you put your creative skills to work.  You have to use what you know to fill in the blanks that are left by an incomplete score.  In that regard you are in charge of inventing the music.  You can usually find Fake Books that are fairly current, with music you have heard recently on the radio. 

Yet, if you want to really come up with your own original song or instrumental piece, you can do it better by learning to improvise.  It does sound difficult to learn the theory of improvisation, but it’s okay to begin with the knowledge you already possess.  Your main skill set should be the mastery of chords and scales. 

Perhaps to make things easier to begin with, choose a C scale, for the main reason that it uses white keys only.  Now all you have to do is choose the chords  within the scale.  If you have chosen the C major scale, the  use of the G major and F major chords are the best combination.  This is because they do not have any sharps or flats in them. 

Create your own chord progression.  A nice order would be C-F-G-C.  Make sure the chords are played with the left hand.  The base chords are usually played below middle C, but that is not a rule, by any means.  Play them wherever you see fit.  Play them as simple triads or invert them.  Play them in any sequence.  Then keep practicing until it becomes second nature. 

When you are comfortable with your chord progression, you can begin to improvise a melody.  Take one note at a  time, and play these with your right hand, eventually forming a melody line.  It may not seem like music at first, but if you keep trying you will eventually come up with an interesting melody line. 

Also, try improvising with a melody you’re already fond of.  Say you want to play Jingle Bells, but you do not have the music.  You can quickly pick out the melody.  after you have chosen the melody this way, chords can be fit to the melody, simply based on the melodies scale of key.  So as you can see, even though you may not have the sheet music, there are ways you can still play the music without.

Learning to play the piano is easy, even for a beginner. One possible starting point is the no-obligation course at Learning To Play Piano Today. Check them out today, and enjoy your new found skill.