Dedication | A Workable Practical Guide to Piano Playing

Piano Techniques A Few Techniques That Helps

admin Keyboard Technique June 22, 2010Age Piano, Bass Note, Beautiful Music, C Major, Chord Piano, Dedication, Learning Piano, Left Hand, Melody, New Age, Open Position, Ostinato, Pianist, Pianists, Piano Music, Piano Player, Piano Technique, Staccato Sound, Triad, Yoke Wong

Piano Techniques A Few Techniques That Help

by: Yoke Wong

The piano is an interesting instrument to learn. With commitment and dedication, it is hopeful to master the art of playing on a piano. Pianists use different piano techniques, to play piano. A person, interested in learning piano can choose a technique that he/she is comfortable, from an array of piano techniques.

Broken chord
Broken chord piano technique is a technique that can be learned with ease. In this technique, a chord is broken up into notes. All the tones, involved are heard in the same instant. This is called solid chord. If a pianist is using his/her finger and playing a C major triad, then he/she can break it up into three notes and can playing them one after the other, this is called broken chord. Broken chord technique is used commonly, in the New age piano music. It is enthralling to listen to the music, when a piano player plays the notes of a particular chord, in the broken style. The sound of the piano is fuller and the music sounds wonderful.

Ostinato
This technique allows a pianist to generate music that is fuller. The specialty of the technique is that there is repeating pattern, which is present, frequently in every kind of music. The repeating pattern is called ‘ostinato’. Ostinato gives this technique its charm and depth. The Ostinatos can be utilized, in the creation of staccato sound. Two chords are used to produce harmonic background.

These two chords are created by the left hand and the right hand invents melody. Even a repeating bass note can be used to create the ‘ostinato’ pattern. This technique also stresses on melody, which makes the music created through the application of this technique, alluring! The Ostinatos, quickly provide you the complete background and keeps the mood of the piece, intact. Then the melody can be introduced into this background to create beautiful music!

Open position chord
The open position chord technique is a technique that covers the two octaves of a keyboard and a person has to make use of both the hands, while playing. The open position chord is not an easy technique to master. Once a person familiarizes himself/herself with the chord structure, then it is easy to apply this technique. This technique allows one to create better sounds that the closed position chords.

Crossover
The crossover technique is used in the New age pianos and it spans one octave or more. The pianist, while applying this technique on the piano uses the left hand and produces a cascading pattern of notes. These notes ascend and descend, according to the way it is played. In some musical compositions, which can be played using this technique, a few chords are broken up into arpeggios. This generates a beautiful harmony loop. The chords are broken up with the left hand and the right hand polishes the melody, in the composition. While learning this technique, one has to master the left-hand crossover and then one has to learn to add melody, with the right hand.

All kinds of piano styles have their own share of techniques and risks. A particular technique suits a specific style. Some techniques prove to be very useful than other techniques. While playing on a piano, a pianist has to adopt a particular technique that suits the style of the music and the pianist himself. Learning new techniques makes a person play on a piano efficiently and create music that mesmerizes the listeners!

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About The Author

This article is written by Yoke Wong . She has published a series of piano courses , free piano lessons, piano sheet music , and many piano playing articles.

Article Source: Piano Techniques A Few Techniques That Helps

Dedication to Overcoming Trouble and Difficulty in a Pianist’s Career

admin Injury Management, Lionel Bowman, Overcoming Adversity April 30, 2010April 24, 2010Anatomy Of The Hand, Australian Music, Bowman, Career, Careers, Dedication, Early Forties, Emeritus Professor, Inspiration, Laymen, Lionel, Magic Touch, Mr Wallace, Music Board, Musical Journey, Nbsp, Pianist, Pianists, Pleasure, Professional Player, Respect, Stellenbosch University, Tate, Thirties, Western Australia

The Magic Touch…

It gives me great pleasure that Wallace Tate has produced this record of my teaching, a task that has never been attempted before. I heartily endorse The Magic Touch, and hope that pianists will find it both an inspiration and a practical help on their musical journey.

Emeritus Professor Lionel Bowman

Stellenbosch University.

May, 2000

The above are the words of Lionel Bowman, a man whom I hold a great respect for, not least due to his dedication to resolving a deeply troubling issue that he experienced in his late thirties and early forties.

Many pianists have experienced similar problems, over their playing careers, to varying degrees, and I should note, this can apply equally to laymen pianists as well. It is not only an issue for the professional player.

In Lionel's case, he found the pain so debilitating, and the discomfort so great, that he temporarily gave up the piano. However, unlike many who may have given up for good, he took the time and opportunity to study the anatomy of the hand and arm, as well as the fingers, and experimented with various techniques, till he established the 'Bowman Method' that he had been using and teaching ever since.

Whilst it was initially intended only as a way for him to play gain, he found that the sound of the result of his playing was better, and he was able to play pain free as well. Once he then taught the method to his students, their playing had improved as well, and many were able to avoid the problems he had experienced himself.

This was a great inspiration to himself, as well as his students. The work, written by Mr Wallace Tate, a retired Director General of the West Australian Music Board, as a result of countless visits by Professor Bowman to Western Australia, was created as a means to convey the Bowman method to as many pianists and teachers as possible.

The presentation is presented as a manual, substantially illustrated, as well as accompanied by a DVD or online video series. The material is very well presented and aimed at all levels for all piano players. Naturally, the absolute beginner may find it difficult, but there is where the assistance of a good teacher will pay handsome dividends.

To learn more, see the Manual below.