To arrive at any real result in the study of the piano, it is essential to start very young, and to train both the ear and the hand from childhood. In the case of the beginner, the purely mechanical side of how to hold the hand and produce a supple articulation, is, of course, the main object, but together with this, I am of the opinion that elementary instruction should be given in harmony and the rudiments of music, that the pupil may begin to understand a little about the progressions of sounds and the sense of rhythm which is so necessary to musical development. Nowadays, there are many and various systems of teaching children these elements of music, in forms that will interest and entertain them while they learn almost unconsciously.

Beginning to learn to play piano music

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Tips about how to use the pedal on a piano

The piano pedal can also be used in passages to give a more sustaining quality to the tone, though here care must be taken not to impair distinctness, but a great deal more pedal can be applied without causing any blur if an accent is given on the bass note on which the passage is built. The pedal may be applied in a greater degree in the higher than in the lower registers of the instrument, as the higher tones can stand, and also need, more sustaining than the lower ones, whilst these last possess of themselves a certain sustenance of tone, and therefore blur more quickly. When applying the pedal it should never be banged on, but pressed down gently and gradually.

It is essential to possess a good knowledge of harmony in order to be able to apply the pedal correctly, for it is necessary when using it to understand something about the structure of chords. All blurring over of tone by the pedal produces a most unpleasant impression upon the ear, and must be rigorously guarded against, except when, in some particular passage, a special effect is required. such as in the F minor Ballade of Chopin, in the example given below. But this is only an outlying instance which really appertains to the most elaborate study of tone-color. The general elementary

FIG. 33. Prelude in D flat (Chopin). Read more

Analysis of the melody of Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven

The melody is introduced in the fifth bar, and must give the idea of floating on the accompaniment. At the tenth bar there comes a change of harmony from the major into the minor key, and here the note G (the first G) in the right hand should be accentuated. Ex. No. 2, bar 10. Proceeding onwards to the last quarter of the fifteenth bar and leading to the sixteenth, the melody adopts a more insistent temper, which may be rendered by emphasizing the notes B and C of the melody in the right hand, especially the C.

In fact, this note C should be taken arpeggiato with the accompaniment underneath. It seems to me to represent a cry of unutterable heart-ache, a Read more

One can scarcely discuss nowadays the merits of pianos in our homes without mentioning in connection with them the latest development of modern musical invention, the mechanical piano players. Some musicians affect contempt for the mechanical piano players and ridicule their value, but I do not agree with this view, for, though, no doubt, they cannot be said to contribute to the highest realms of musical expression, still I think they possess a very real value in that they educate the public taste, and enable people who would otherwise have no inclination or impulse to hear good music to become familiar with it.

A mechanical piano player

Therefore, let us not disparage the mechanical piano-players, even though they are trying neighbors in the next house when one is working or sleeping. Of course, it is not quite the same thing, choosing a piano for one’s private use, or selecting the Concert Grand from a professional point of view for a performance in a big hall. For instance, when I give a recital my piano is selected by me and my piano-maker some weeks before the concert from several special ones which I am in the habit of playing. It is tested as to its power of tone and resonance with reference to the acoustical properties of the hall.

Considerations about mechanical piano players

It is tuned, the action regulated, the pedals adjusted in fact, it is prepared and brought into perfect condition, like a well-trained racehorse before it starts its race, so that it may be equal to all the demands imposed upon it. If I were going to buy a piano for my own house, what should I look for? I should first of all search for one with a good even tone throughout, as well in the treble and bass registers as in the middle. Next, I should try the action by ascertaining if the keys repeat perfectly and whether the touch is easy and pliable under the fingers, and also whether the pedals act promptly But, as I have said before, it takes real knowledge to judge such things oneself. If one has not had the opportunity of experience, the next best thing is to go to a first-class firm where only first-class instruments are kept and are looked after by experts. And now, as a fitting finale, let me once more myself eulogize my beloved instrument and let me emphasize again what a wonderful work of human ingenuity it is.

Mechanical piano players : Effects and sound

Who can but marvel when he hears the variety of its effects, the power and wealth of sound it possesses, its wonderful mechanical soul, the pedal, how it is able to produce such great emotions, tears, laughter, excitement, enthusiasm. It can give at the same time complete satisfaction to those of its unambitious devotees who seek only to pass away a few pleasant moments in evoking charming sounds and yet prove its stimulation as an instrument of superhuman difficulty and interest to those who desire to master it, and make it disclose all the richness and extent of its possibilities. And for such as are not easily tired or discouraged, the piano can be a glorious friend and companion, only they must have the will and perseverance, and above all talent and temperament, to inspire the instrument with life and master its secrets.

In this page there are some scales and arpeggios for piano.

Scales in D flat and Arpeggios for the Right hand on piano

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