Piano Library:  Piano Lessons and General Music Articles

Below we have compiled a library of helpful piano tips are articles for practicing, learning, and more. We hope these articles are helpful for you. If you have an article related to piano that you would like to submit, please visit our Contact Page and let us know about it. Once reviewed, we will add it to the site to share with our audience. We will continually add new articles to keep you informed on the best techniques to use when learning the piano.

>Online Jazz Piano Lessons

I've met piano players who have played classical piano for many years but have always wanted to know how to improvise. I've also met players who want to learn how to improvise from the start and who are not interested in reading classical piano music straight off the page. Regardless of what category you fall into, if you're interested in learning to make things up as you go and improvise, the best way to get started is through jazz. Jazz is a language that allows musicians to compose on the spot while still sticking to a set of rules or guidelines. Depending on the style of jazz, those rules can be more or less strict. If you'd lilke to know more about online jazz piano lessons then please read on...Read Full Article

>Tips for Practicing Without a Piano

There are two key ingredients to becoming a good piano player.  The first is finding a good teacher.  Getting piano lessons from a good teacher or good piano learning course will help you to master concepts more quickly and in the correct way.  If the teacher is right, you’ll also get inspiration which is key to keeping your interest and motivation.  The second ingredient is practice.  The more you put into learning how to play the more you will get out.  That only makes sense, right?  Many people think that people are naturally gifted and can just sit down and play anything.  While this can be true to some extent, those gifted people have spent a good amount of time at the piano...Read Full Article

>Playing By Ear: How Transcribing Songs Will Help You Learn Piano

In this piano lesson, we discuss the importance of transcription.  As with anything, when approaching your first transcription you should start with something simple. Don't attempt to transcribe the most difficult piano piece ever written. If you do, you'll just end up frustrating yourself and possibly give up on the whole idea.  So what should you start with then? My advice is to pick an excerpt from your favorite song with a single note melody. The melody line doesn't have to be from the piano. It can be a horn, voice, bass line or anything that strikes you. It is important to pick something you like so that when you've finished transcribing it you'll have more joy in knowing how to play something you really like versus something that you were told to learn...Read Full Article

>My Funny Valentine Reviewed and Discussed

Among jazz musicians, there are certain tunes referred to as “jazz standards” which all jazz musicians are expected to know by memory.  These tunes have been in the jazz repertoire for many years and as a result, have been performed in a wide variety of arrangements.  Of the most prominent teams of writers for these types of “jazz standards” was Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (Rodgers and Hart).  In the following, I will discuss the famous Rodgers and Hart jazz standard written in 1937 known as My Funny Valentine.  Like most standards, this tune is extremely popular among jazz artists and is commonly called as a tune to play on the bandstand...Read Full Article

>Analysis of Beethoven’s Sonata in Eb Op. 31/3 (Minuet/Trio)

In the following I will discuss Beethoven’s Sonata in Eb.  We will first understand the piece in terms of its phrase structure and overall form.  Once these elements are understood, I will highlight the ways in which the minuet and trio contrast.  Finally, I will identify any similarities that exist between the two parts. In order to understand the overall form of the piece, we must first analyze the phrase structures that make up the minuet and the trio.  We will begin with the minuet which consists of three separate phrases within two sections.  The first phrase in the first section ends with an imperfect authentic cadence in Eb in measure four...Read Full Article

>Analysis of Haydn String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 74, no. 3 Mvt II

In the following I will discuss Haydn’s string quartet in G minor.  In order to gain a more complete understanding of the piece, we will begin by discussing its phrase structure and overall ternary form.  Once these aspects are understood, we will look more deeply into what is happening within the phrases.  Through the analysis of Haydn’s use of chromaticism, modulation, and motive, we will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the similarities, contrasts, and colors that that are developed within each section and phrase of the piece...Read Full Article

>Analysis of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in G major, K.453

In the following, I will discuss Mozart’s Piano Concerto in G major, K.453.  This particular concerto was composed in 1784 and contains three movements (allegro, andante, and allegretto).  Due to the fact that I do not have the entire score, I will only be able to make certain comments on harmonic movements that are obvious to my ear.  I will try to provide as much harmonic analysis as possible under these circumstances.  I will explain how Mozart’s choice of harmony, rhythm, melody, and orchestration in this particular concerto affect my reception of the piece.
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