A staple of both spiritual and secular singers alike, Amazing Grace is one of the world’s most popular songs. John Newton, its writer, lived a life full of sin and redemption, which inspired the song’s lyrics. According to Newton’s biography, the words of Amazing Grace show the song was very personal in nature. Newton was born in London. A former slave ship captain when he wrote the hymn, he started his life at sea with the British Navy. He narrowly avoided becoming a slave master in Jamaica. In the Navy, he rose to the rank of midshipman. When he tried to desert, however, he was put into irons and reduced in rank. Newton asked to serve aboard a West African-bound slave ship and ended up on the coast of Sierra Leone. The slave master whom he served was abusive, and eventually he was taken back to England aboard yet another slave ship. During this trip, the ship met a violent storm at sea. Newton prayed for his life as the ship was deluged with water. This was his first taste of Amazing Grace. It marked the beginning of his conversion to Christ. In 1754, Newton was forced out of the slave trade and off of the sea when a serious illness threatened his life. He applied to be an Anglican priest, but in the time he waited for acceptance into the priesthood he also applied to the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. In 1764, he was ordained into the Church of England. Though he was converted, it took some time before Newton regretted his slave trading days. (What else is new? It takes all of us a long time to get our actions in line with our heart.) As he wrote in his lyrics, “I once was lost, but now am found.” Later in his life he became a powerful abolitionist, writing many articles against slavery. Newton originally wrote six verses for Amazing Grace, but modern times have brought about a seventh. Composed by John P. Rees, Harriet Beecher Stowe published the additional and now-final verse in her novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The melody of Amazing Grace isn’t Newton’s own. The exact origin is murky. Originally Amazing Grace was sung using a variety of melodies. A song called Old Regular Baptist was a commonly used melody. Other accounts point to a Scottish bagpipe tune as the basis for the familiar melody, which is a reason the song is often associated with the instrument. A popular myth held that the melody was an old drinking song, though this has been disproved. From Rod Stewart to Kylie Minogue, Amazing Grace has been honored by many voices through the years. It’s even become known as the unofficial Cherokee National anthem, with altered lyrics to fit the Cherokee language. Amazing Grace is an eternal song, both in use and meaning. Its message of redemption applies to any person who turns from his or her sin and cries out to God for forgiveness. For this and many other reasons, it will stand the test of time.

The joy of music comes in many ways, including playing the piano! There are lots of reasons to play the piano, but one of the most basic is simply that piano playing is fun! As Leonard Bernstein called it — the joy of music. Piano Ideas Galore!

“Mine eyes have seen the glory” is one of the most powerful and recognized opening lines in the history of American song. The Battle Hymn of the Republic is the quintessential fight song of the United States, as well as its call-to-arms. The Battle Hymn of the Republic has gone through many changes. Its form and lyrics have evolved for years to reach its present incarnation. Begun as a camp meeting spiritual by William Steffe in the 1850s, it was a call to meet on the shores of Canaan, the land of ancient Biblical promise. The main lyric that survived this incarnation was the refrain of “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!” The song traveled across the land quickly, but it was some time before it became known as The Battle Hymn of the Republic. A regiment of Union soldiers took the tune and fashioned their own pre-Battle Hymn of the Republic marching song. It was called “John Brown’s Body.” Many assumed it was about the famed abolitionist of the same name, but it was written as a jab to a fellow soldier. Major General George B. McClellan found the song highly offensive. He even tried to ban it from being sung in the Army of the Potomac, but he was never successful. Verses were gradually added about John Brown the abolitionist, and the original intention of the song was lost to history. Julie Howe was visiting a Union Army camp along the Potomac when she heard the soldiers singing “John Brown’s Body” as they marched. She was struck by the melody and strong rhythm of the song. The Reverend James Clarke, who was by her side as the soldiers marched, hinted that she should write new words for the song. Howe went to sleep that night, and, as the grey morning light crept into her room, she found a poem forming in her mind. She sprang from her bed, found an old pen and scribbled the words down without even looking at the paper. Five verses of Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic were soon published in The Atlantic Monthly. Though she had written a sixth verse, it has never been commonly sung and is usually not printed. The Republican Party later adopted The Battle Hymn of the Republic for the closing ceremony of their annual convention. It also became the basis for the American Consumers’ Cooperative movement’s anthem, The Battle Hymn of Cooperation, in the 1930s. Through all this, The Battle Hymn of the Republic has remained a shining example of a time when generals would boost soldiers’ morale with promises of the glory of God. Its words seem archaic now, but the song is resilient. Martin Luther King Jr. frequently quoted the verses of The Battle Hymn of the Republic in his speeches, most notably from the steps of the Montgomery, Alabama courthouse. He used the song to inspire others to rise up against oppression, to have faith in righteous actions, and to sacrifice for a greater goal. This is at the heart of the lasting legacy of the song. It is not a call to battle to the death, but a call to battle against the evils of society. God’s truth will continue to march on.

In 1940, Woody Guthrie sat down and wrote his personal response to the song ‘God Bless America.’ He felt a different story of America needed telling. This story would celebrate the beauty of the American expanse. At the same time, it would also celebrate the average working citizen who labored across the land. The result of his creativity was ‘This Land is Your Land,’ a song that is still taught in school music classes. Woody Guthrie felt ‘God Bless America’ ignored the inequities in the capitalist system. He felt it was an unrealistic view of America. He held the view that too many citizens had too little. He believed that too small a segment of the population owned the greatest proportion of wealth. This was evident in versions that never made it into print or onto records. These versions espoused more of his political views about the state of America. Over the years, he often changed the lyrics to the song, giving different performances of it. One of the published versions of his lyrics includes this verse: In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple Near the relief office - I see my people And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’ If this land’s still made for you and me. The original title of this song by Guthrie was ‘God Blessed America for Me.’ He eventually changed the line to ‘This land was made for you and me.’ The song received its first recording in 1944 with Guthrie and folk singer Cisco Houston. First published in 1951, it was included in a book with nine other songs. Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma. He experienced life during the Great Depression and witnessed its effects on the average blue-collar worker. He saw first-hand the trek by workers to find work on the West Coast. By 1936, Guthrie landed in Los Angeles, like so many from other parts of the country. In the spring of 1938, he spent time going from place to place singing for the migrant workers. He ended up with the moniker ‘Dust Bowl Troubadour’ as he followed the paths of these workers. As they traveled from Oklahoma to California Guthrie wrote songs about their lives and trials. He developed his own views of the world around him and these became manifest in his songwriting. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s exposed him to the racism and class struggles that these workers faced. His wandering lifestyle across America instilled in him a great compassion for everyday Americans. He came to appreciate the variety of races and cultures that made up the country. Along with Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie was responsible for the folk revival of the 1930s and 1940s. In 1940, he ended up in New York City, a move that propelled his career forward. He wrote and recorded here, wrote ‘This Land is Your Land,’ did radio, and generally made a decent living.

George M. Cohan’s encounter with a Civil War veteran inspired a song that became a Broadway hit. From there it became a household name. That song was, and is, “You’re a Grand Old Flag”. This song celebrates Old Glory and all that it stands for. The song is a patriotic march with a catchy lilt and equally catchy lyrics. It certainly is a summer concert-in-the park favorite. George Cohan found himself next to a veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg one day. He noticed the man had a neatly- folded American flag in his hands but that it was ragged looking. This man said to Cohan, “She’s a grand old rag.” This triggered an idea for a song in Cohan’s head and he wrote one using this line. There was consternation from people over the term ‘rag’. Many felt it was an insult to the Stars and Stripes and they wanted that word removed from the lyrics. Cohan did just that, changing the word to ‘flag,’ and the rest is American musical history. Cohan wrote the tune in 1906 for his stage production ‘George Washington Jr.’ The play, and the song, premiered on February 6, 1906 at the Herald Square Theater in New York City. The story starred Cohan, who played a U.S. Senator’s son who desires a simple girl from the southern United States. His father has different aims - wanting his son to link up with an English woman of prominence. The story is their battle to achieve two different goals. The play and the song ‘You’re a Grand Old Flag’ were a huge success. From Broadway it subsequently moved into America’s living rooms over the years because of record and sheet music sales. In fact, this was the first song from a stage musical to sell over a million sheet music copies. You’re a Grand Old Flag became a staple at the family piano and was played across the country. The tune is bright and positive. It evokes feelings of national pride, and one cannot help being uplifted upon hearing it. George M. Cohan was born in 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents were Vaudeville performers who continually toured the country. George traveled with them, along with his older sister Josephine. He honed his show business skills as a member of the Four Cohans – this mother-father-sister-brother act. They kept up a hellish tour schedule with the B.F.Keith Circuit and belted out four to six performances a day. This paved the way for the big time for Cohan, the dues-paying years teaching him much. Eventually Cohan became a prolific Tin Pan Alley tunesmith and penned many popular songs. Others included “Life’s A Funny Proposition After All,” “I Want to Hear a Yankee Doodle Tune,” and “Over There.” His influence was so great he earned the moniker “The Man Who Owned Broadway.” Along with that he is known as the father of American musical comedy. Cohan was not only a songwriter. He wore these hats as well in his career: * Playwright * Composer * Actor * Singer * Dancer * Director * Librettist * Producer His influence and popularity as a true American entertainer resulted in a film about his life. This film was Yankee Doodle Dandy, which portrayed his rise from his Vaudeville days to his Broadway success. Today, Broadway and its tunes may be a whole lot different from Cohan’s time. They still owe a debt of gratitude, however, to this eminent American songwriter and his stage musicals. Songs like “You’re a Grand Old Flag” still speak today to people who are thankful of and appreciate the opportunity America offers.

What in the world is “naked music?” You know it when you hear it, but the words that describe it sound strange, don’t they? We’ve all heard of popular music and rock music and gospel music and jazz music, but naked music? Naked music is simply the notes on a piece of sheet music. It’s “naked” – not dressed up or arranged at all. No fills, no slurs, none of the ingredients that make a song come to life. Not a single professional musician plays a song exactly as it appears on a piece of sheet music (except classical music, of course — that’s different). Instead, they use the written music as a map, or an outline, and then proceed to do their own thing with it. They twist it, bend it, add to it, subtract from it, put fills in it, change the key, change the words, change some of the melody notes, and on and on. So when you hear your favorite artist perform a piece of music, if you look at the written sheet music while they are performing it, you will see it is MUCH different and MUCH better than the plain old “naked music!” So how can the average musician dress up naked music? There are many ways, but here are seven of my favorites: 1. Change the chords slightly by adding color tones. What are color tones? Color tones are notes added to the basic chord, usually expressed as 6ths, 7ths, 9ths, etc. For example, instead of playing just a straight C chord as it is written – C, E, G – try adding a color tone to it, such as a 6th (A) or a 7th (Bb) or a major 7th (B) or a 9th (D). In fact, try adding a couple together, like a 6th and a 9th. So instead of being a plain vanilla chord made up of C, E, and G, you’ve made it a tasty variation adding A and D to the equation. 2. During the pause between phrases, add a counter melody. How? Take the given melody notes and turn them upside down or inside out, or change the rhythm slightly so the tune is still recognizable, but different. 3. Add chord substitutions. Instead of always using the chords that are written, ask yourself this question: “Into what other chord will this melody note fit?” For example, if the melody is G and the chord is C, what other chords contain the note G in them? There are several answers to that question. G is not only in the C chord, but it is also in the Em chord, the Eb major chord, the G chord, the Gm chord, etc. Try one of those alternate chords until you like the sound combination, then use it instead of the C chord. It will add an originality and freshness to your playing almost immediately. 4. Add fills and runs between phrases. How do you do that? Simply break up the chord that is in force at the moment, and run it up the keyboard as a broken chord – one note at a time. Or start at the top of the keyboard and come down. Or play with the chord a bit by playing 2 of the 3 notes instead of the entire 3 note chord. 5. Use melodic echos. After you have played the melody, echo it by playing it an octave higher, or two octaves higher, or an octave lower. 6. Use half-step slides. If the chord progression is from D7 to G7, instead of going to G7 directly, “slide into it” by playing the chord that is one-half step above – namely, Ab7, then quickly sliding off Ab7 to G7. 7. Use “blue notes.” Blue notes are created by sliding off a black key onto a white key quickly. For example, if the melody is E, slide off Eb to E quickly using the same finger. This is just a tiny sampling of what you can do to dress up your music. There are literally hundreds of other techniques, from pseudo-modulations to inside blues moves to deceptive cadences to tremolos to twangs to crunches to straddles to 3-1 breakups to walk-downs and walk-ups and on and on.      By simply adding a few of these techniques to your playing you can easily double and triple the excitement created by your piano playing as you “dress up naked music!”

What is it about The Yankee Doodle Boy, that puts a smile on one’s face and sets toes a-tapping’? It’s the verve and variety inherent in a great tunesmith’s song that gets pianos playing and people singing. Written by George Michael Cohan, “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy” was ‘Broadway Composer Cohan’ at his best. Today, the wit of the lyrics and the song’s tempo and temperament continue to elicit applause in theaters nationwide. George Cohan was born at Providence, Rhode Island in 1878. He started out in show business in Vaudeville, traveling with his performing father, mother, and sister. Vaudeville is where Cohan learned the nuances of live performing and keeping audiences entertained. He was part of The Four Cohans, the name his family used as their marquee title. Eventually Cohan made it to Tin Pan Alley as a songwriter, and Broadway as a prolific creator of musicals. “The Man Who Owned Broadway” became a catch phrase for this talented composer during his heyday in New York City. Another name bestowed on him was “The Father of American Musical Comedy”. He wrote his own play scripts, music, and lyrics. The song The Yankee Doodle Boy is from the musical comedy Little Johnny Jones. This was Cohan’s first full-length musical, and his family performed in the original production. Though not an initial success on Broadway, the musical eventually achieved acclaim after some reworking. The song is a lively number with flair. The song line “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy” is sung with unabashed patriotism. The song includes the proudly American chorus: I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy A Yankee Doodle, do or die A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam Born on the Fourth of July The wit in the lyrics of the song was also manifest in the play itself as seen in the tongue-in-cheek name of a girl from San Francisco, Goldie Gates. Cohan’s sense of humor came through in his storyline, music, and verse. The musical opened on Broadway in New York City at the Liberty Theater, on November 7, 1904. It’s the story of a jockey, Johnny Jones, who rides a horse called Yankee Doodle in the English Derby. Cohan based the character of Johnny on Hall of Fame jockey Todd Sloan (1874-1933). Other popular songs to come out of the musical were ‘Give My Regards to Broadway’ and ‘Life’s a Funny Proposition’. Eventually a film biography was developed about George Cohan. Called Yankee Doodle Dandy, this film starred James Cagney as Cohan. Joan Leslie and Walter Huston also had roles in this film. It celebrated the accomplishments of Cohan and his rise to fame. He wore many hats during his career as a producer, composer, actor, writer, singer, and director. His sheer output as a songwriter was phenomenal. He had over 1,500 of his songs published, and he developed the art of melding drama with music. Cohan livened up American theater with his tunes and plays, as the art form was heading into a stagnant time. He breathed fresh life into Broadway with his fresh, catchy, lyrics and music. Cohan, who achieved the American dream through sheer talent and hard work, was himself a true Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Virtually everyone in America as well as many others around the world know “The Star-Spangled Banner”, but few know that it was written by a captive on a British warship. On September 13, 1814, as British warships pounded away at Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor with their rockets and mortars, a prisoner on one of the ships changed America’s history. He did it with a poem written on the back of a letter. When he was released from custody, Francis Scott Key set the words to a traditional melody and gave the fledgling United States its triumphant national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. Like many great moments in art that are revealed in the times of greatest struggle, The Star-Spangled Banner is a supreme example of art appearing from the darkest of times. The Americans at Fort McHenry were able to repel a vicious British Naval bombardment with few casualties because of their preparedness and swift actions. The sight of a specially-commissioned, oversized American flag rising from the smoke the morning after the attack was the inspiration Key needed as he watched from the ship where he was held prisoner. The poem was originally titled “Defence of Fort McHenry.” The words that Key wrote for The Star-Spangled Banner just happened to match the rhythm of a popular British song, “The Anacreontic Song.” The title refers to the Greek court poet Anacreon whose erotic paeans to wine, women, and song are reflected in the lyrics of the original British tune. John Stafford Smith, a member of the Anacreontic Society, which was a group of amateur musicians, is commonly credited with writing the tune. Perhaps because it was commonly known as a raucous drinking song, though, the claim of composition in still up in the air. Two newspapers printed The Star-Spangled Banner with its original title on September 20, containing a reference to the Anacreontic song as the tune. Other papers soon caught on, and before long a music store in Baltimore published the song with lyrics and music together, changing the name to The Star-Spangled Banner. Its first public performance was by an actor in a Baltimore tavern. Though it was made the official song to be performed at the raising of the flag, it was a long time before The Star-Spangled Banner became the National Anthem. Many other songs competed for this honor, but in 1931 a Congressional resolution named it as the official theme song for the United States. Maybe this was a response to a Ripley’s Believe It or Not cartoon that let people know that the United States had no National Anthem. Since then The Star-Spangled-Banner has gone on to be performed at military, sporting, and musical events from coast to coast. Jimi Hendrix’s groundbreaking performance at Woodstock, when his guitar seemed to ooze with bombs bursting in air, was a major step forward for the reinterpretation of the tune. It was a Puerto Rican singer named Jose Feliciano, however, whose bluesy version of the song shocked audiences, who paved the way for pop versions of the song. So the next time you’re at a big game, getting ready to watch your home team rise from the ashes in victory and The Star-Spangled Banner is sung, think of Francis Scott Key as he watched the symbol of the United States rise up from certain defeat on that distant day in September 1814.

“When Johnny Comes Marching Home” is a song from the Civil War era that expresses the yearning by loved ones for their solders — their sons and husbands — to come marching home safely. It has endured now for over 150 years, and shows no signs of disappearing any time soon. Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore wrote a song during the Civil War that continues to march its way through the years. This song, a yearning for loved ones to return safely from war, is “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”. Today this song endures, and it is part of many players’ piano repertoires of American Classics. Gilmore was a Union Army Bandmaster and an excellent soloist on the cornet. He came to the United States in 1849 from Ireland, arriving in Boston. In 1861, his own ‘Patrick Gilmore’s Band’ enlisted in the Union Army. They were part of the 24th Massachusetts Infantry. As the cruelties of war would have it, this band of musicians had dual roles. They performed as stretcher-bearers during the Civil War in places like Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, and others. Not too many years later, Gilmore promoted peace after seeing so much war - with his Peace Jubilees. One, called the National Peace Jubilee (1869), consisted of over 1,000 instrumentalists and 10,000 singers. Another, called the World Peace Jubilee (1872) consisted of 2,000 instrumentalists and 20,000 singers. These were impressive stagings on par with today’s modern musical and entertainment extravaganzas. In fact, the 1872 World event had none other than Johann Strauss with orchestra as featured performers. Of course, this was at a cost of $100,000 and it was Strauss’s only visit to the United States. Still inspired by his hope for peace and for soldiers to come home from war to a life they once knew, Gilmore wrote When Johnny Comes Marching Home in 1863 in New Orleans. At the time, he was Grand Master of the Union Army. He had the task of reorganizing the State of Louisiana’s military bands. During his tenure, the song made it from Gilmore’s creative mind onto music paper. It began a fantastic journey for this piece of music, one that continues to this day. Some feel the song is similar to the Irish tune “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye”. This song tells the story of a soldier returning from war with crippling injuries. Gilmore stated that he adapted the song from an African American spiritual song. He wrote the song for his sister, Annie Gilmore, as a cry to her true love, John O’Rourke. A Union Army soldier, O’Rourke was the future brother-in-law of Patrick Gilmore. When completed the song grew in popularity. It did indeed inspire hope in war-weary listeners, becoming popular in the North as well as the South. It became a published piece of sheet music in 1863 when Henry Tolman and Company of Boston printed it. Dedicated to the Union’s Army and Navy, it really was a tribute to brave soldiers. It is interesting that Gilmore published it under another name, Louis Lambert, although a reference to his band was included. Some of Gilmore’s other works were, Good News from Home and 22nd Regiment March, among others. You can hear When Johnny Comes Marching Home in films like ‘Stalag 17′ and ‘How the West was Won.’ The song plays as background music in a ‘Gone with the Wind’ scene. In his life, Patrick Gilmore created Gilmore’s Concert Garden, which was to become the very first Madison Square Garden. He was also Music Director in 1876 in Philadelphia for the U.S. Centennial celebrations. He received the honor of the name ‘Father of the American Band’ from John Philip Sousa. Sousa had the honor of the name ‘The March King’. Gilmore laid groundwork for composers like Sousa. Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, born on Christmas day in 1829 in Ballygar, Ireland, died in St. Louis in 1892. His legacy as a master bandleader, musician, and composer marches on. Playing & Arranging American Patriotic Songs

Have you ever heard of Mike Bereal? I hadn’t, but a friend sent me this to watch. This guy is good! Go to the page by clicking on the link below — it’s a sales page for his course, but you don’t have to buy — just watch the video and listen to his crisp playing! Watch this guy play!

Here’s a 30-second video about the “Crash Course In Exciting Piano Playing”. It’s amazing how much information they packed into 30 seconds — see what you think when you click on the link below: “Crash Course In Exciting Piano Playing”

Will listening to music make you smarter? Will learning to play a musical instrument make your brain grow larger than normal? Questions like these ones have been popping up all over the place in the past few years, and not just in scientific journals either. In recent times the media has been fascinated by the research surrounding brain development and music, eagerly reporting on the latest studies to the delight of the music-loving parents of young children. But all this information - and some misinformation too - has led to generalized confusion about the role of music and music training in the development of the human brain. The bottom line is this: if you’re confused by all you read about music study and brain development, you’re certainly not alone. In part, this is due to the manner in which the phrase “the Mozart Effect” has been popularized by the media and bandied about to describe any situation in which music has a positive effect on cognition or behavior. In fact the Mozart Effect refers specifically to a 1993 research finding by Frances Rauscher, Gordon Shaw and Katherine Ky and published in the prestigious journal Nature. The scientists found that 36 college students who listened to 10 minutes of a Mozart sonata performed higher on a subsequent spatial-temporal task than after they listened to relaxation instructions or silence. An enchanted media reported this interesting research as “Mozart makes you smarter” - a huge over-simplification of the original results. As Rauscher explains in a later paper, the Mozart Effect was studied only in adults, lasted only for a few minutes and was found only for spatial temporal reasoning. Nevertheless, the finding has since launched an industry that includes books, CDs and websites claiming that listening to classical music can make children more intelligent. The scientific controversy - not to mention the popular confusion - surrounding the Mozart Effect, has given rise to a corresponding perplexity for parents. They wonder: “Should my kids even bother with music education?” In fact the answer to this question is still a resounding yes, since numerous research studies do prove that studying music contributes unequivocally to the positive development of the human brain. Other researchers have since replicated the original 1993 finding that listening to Mozart improves spatial reasoning. And further research by Rauscher and her colleagues in 1994 showed that after eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers demonstrated a 46% boost in their spatial reasoning IQ, a skill important for certain types of mathematical reasoning. In particular, it is early music training that appears to most strengthen the connections between brain neurons and perhaps even leads to the establishment of new pathways. But research shows music training has more than a casual relationship to the long-term development of specific parts of the brain too. In 1994 Discover magazine published an article which discussed research by Gottfried Schlaug, Herman Steinmetz and their colleagues at the University of Dusseldorf. The group compared magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the brains of 27 classically trained right-handed male piano or string players, with those of 27 right-handed male non-musicians. Intriguingly, they found that in the musicians’ planum temporale - a brain structure associated with auditory processing - was bigger in the left hemisphere and smaller in the right than in the non-musicians. The musicians also had a thicker nerve-fiber tract between the hemisphere. The differences were especially striking among musicians who began training before the age of seven. According to Shlaug, music study also promotes growth of the corpus callosum, a sort of bridge between the two hemispheres of the brain. He found that among musicians who started their training before the age of seven, the corpus callosum is 10-15% thicker than in non-musicians. At the time, Schlaug and other researchers speculated that a larger corpus callosum might improve motor control by speeding up communication between the hemispheres. Since then, a study by Dartmouth music psychologist Petr Janata published by Science in 2002, has confirmed that music prompts greater connectivity between the brains left and right hemisphere and between the areas responsible for emotion and memory, than does almost any other stimulus. Janata led a team of scientists who reported some areas of the brain are 5% larger in expert musicians than they are in people with little or no musical training, and that the auditory cortex in professional musicians is 130% denser than in non-musicians. In fact, among musicians who began their musical studies in early childhood, the corpus callosum, a four-inch bundle of nerve fibers connecting the left and right sides of the brain, can be up to 15% larger. While it is now clear from research studies that brain region connectivity and some types of spatial reasoning functionality is improved by music training, there is growing evidence that detailed and skilled motor movements are also enhanced. Apparently the corpus callosum in musicians is essential for tasks such as finger coordination. Like a weight-lifter’s biceps, this portion of the brain enlarges to accommodate the increased labour assigned to it. In a study conducted by Dr. Timo Krings and reported in Neuroscience Letters in 2000, pianists and non-musicians of the same age and sex were required to perform complex sequences of finger movements. The non-musicians were able to make the movements as correctly as the pianists, but less activity was detected in the pianists’ brains. The scientists concluded that compared to non-musicians, the brains of pianists are more efficient at making skilled movements. The study of music definitely affects the human brain and its development, in a staggering number of ways. But what to make of all the research, especially in terms of deciding the best course of music study or appreciation for yourself or your offspring? A 2000 article by N M Weinberger in MuSICA Research Notes makes the following excellent point: Although the Mozart Effect may not list up to the unjustified hopes of the public, it has brought widespread interest in music research to the public. And listening to ten minutes of Mozart could get someone interested in listening to more unfamiliar music, opening up new vistas. Irregardless of the hype surrounding the Mozart Effect, the overall academic evidence for music study as a tool to aid brain development, is compelling. At the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco, Dr. Frank Wilson says his research shows instrumental practice enhances coordination, concentration and memory and also brings about the improvement of eyesight and hearing. His studies have shown that involvement in music connects and develops the motor systems of the brain, refining the entire neurological system in ways that cannot be done by any other activity. Dr. Wilson goes so far as to say he believes music instruction is actually ‘necessary’ for the total development of the brain. So the bottom line is this: Music study and practice probably does aid in the development of the brain in various important ways. And after all, if you enjoy music, there is nothing to lose by trying, and everything to gain!

Most people who play an instrument of any kind have trouble with rhythm. It’s the number one problem people mention when they talk about learning music. But I know a secret: It’s NOT their fault! I know, because I had major problems with rhythm too, and it took me years before I figured out how rhythm worked and how easy it is once you grasp the logic of it. The fault is in the way music is taught. You learn about quarter notes and half notes and eighth notes and dotted notes and so on, but they are just “floating around” on the staff — some measures are longer than others — some notes are crammed tightly into a measure — and overall it’s a mess. It’s like the pilot of an airplane who can’t ever see the ground and has no instruments to guide him, so he has no idea where he is. He has no reference point, so distances are relative to him. He doesn’t know whether he is going East, West, up, down — and his chances of crashing and burning are excellent. I was just like that pilot. I crashed and burned in rhythm time after time. Let me tell you a painful TRUE story about one of my “rhythm crashes.” Duane Crashes & Burns When I was in my late teens, I w as playing for a youth group sing. I loved chords, and I used to do pretty well playing most songs. But when it came to the “spirited” songs — the ones with lots of rhythm and life, I was lost. I overheard one of our youth leaders say “Let’s get someone on the piano with some rhythm!” Ouch! That really hurt. I knew it was true, but it’s not fun to hear if from someone else, especially someone you respect. Right then and there I made a decision: no matter how long it took, I was going to MASTER RHYTHM. I was going to learn every possible beat combination, and how to use those beats in each song, and what to do in the right hand to compliment what the left hand was doing. My search took me to private teachers, music schools, combos, books of all sorts, libraries, and listening to THOUSANDS of records, tapes, and liv! e performances. I copied dow! n various rhythm patterns on 3″ by 5″ cards, and at night I would analyze them playing them over and over again on the piano. It was HARD WORK for me. It didn’t come easy, like chords had for me. Chords were a snap, but not rhythm. It was difficult to read, and hard to play. I found myself rushing, dragging, stumbling, and generally fouling up. But as time went by, I got a little better. I continued to make notes of rhythm patterns, and started a collection of books and materials on rhythm. By the time I got my Master’s Degree from Southern Oregon University, I was starting to get the hang of it. I was beginning to understand what rhythm was, and what made it tick. I began to categorize rhythm patterns into different groups, such as rhythm & blues, jazz, rock, dance patterns, marches, waltzes, fox trots,! s! wing, boleros, discos, ballads, gospel, bossa-novas, beguines, rumbas, cha chas, sambas, and so on. But it’s one thing to know a rhythm, and another thing to EXECUTE it on the piano. So I developed a system that is VISUAL — it allows you to SEE a rhythm while you HEAR it played. Once you SEE it on the baseline, it becomes obvious! That is the problem with the way music is taught: rhythm has no baseline! It’s like the pilot of an airplane who can’t ever see the ground, so he has no idea where he is. Without a baseline, how in the world can I expect to understand the rhythm of a song? But with a baseline, it’s a snap. I wish I could show you in this article how it works, but printed words alone don’t quite convey the idea. Please go to the web page now to get a better idea how it will help you solve all your rhythm problems: How To Solve Your Rhythm Problems

The mambo is one of several Latin-American rhythms that has developed into a style of dance. Although not as popular as it once was, it still is a contagious rhythm that makes feet dance The mambo is a Cuban genre of music and dance that combines traditional Cuban music with the highly Americanized forms of swing and big band. It’s a very syncopated type of music, a style that finds its footing in rhythm as opposed to melody (though melody, of course, plays its role). Mambo is always played in 4/4 time and uses an amalgamation of American big band instruments and those found in traditional Latin styles; mambo bands will typically have a horn section in a addition to the very percussive bongos, timbales and congas. Though mambo is a decidedly Cuban style, it’s roots are far more European than Latin. The very first mambo was based heavily on English and French ballroom dancing music, and it was rarely intended for dancing. Though it certainly carried an inherent dance ability, early mambo was music for the sake of music; no dance had been assigned to it, nor did it seem like one would be. The early mambo thrived as a piece of music alone until the 1940s when Damaso Perez Prado, a Cuban bandleader, began specializing in the form. His version of the mambo brought people to their feet and led to the famous mambo dance’s creation. Prado is also credited with bringing mambo music and it’s accompanying dance to the United States, though the form sustained a bit of a shift as a result of the cultural change. Prado altered the mambo to make it slightly more commercial, more ready for 1950s American consumption, and watched the form become an almost instant craze. Prado’s role in composing and popularizing the form earned him the title “Mambo King.” But like most instant crazes, mambo faded out of American popularity nearly as quickly as it arrived. Though the form is still heard and danced today, it morphed into a variety of different styles, including the pachanga, a mambo-like dance that also faded quickly. Mambo recently saw a resurgence of popularity in the late 1990s with a rock and roll based mambo revival, but that too was extremely short-lived.

The William Tell Overture Mention the song title “William Tell Overture,” and a lot of people might scratch their heads in confusion. But hum a few bars, and there are few people who don’t recognize this classic tune. It’s so famous that it’s been covered by literally hundreds of artists since its composition in the early 1800s. Modern recording artists still turn out renditions of the “William Tell Overture” today because of the public’s instant connection to its familiarity. Though everyone recognizes it, many are not aware of the history and the context from which the song originated. It was composed by Gioachino Rossini for his 39th and most famous opera, William Tell. The man on whom the opera is based is a figure surrounded by mystery and lore. William Tell, although well-known in Switzerland as a national hero, is arguably a somewhat controversial figure. Some historians debate whether the man even existed. If he did, was he really the legendary figure he has been lauded as being? Regardless of such questions, school children around the world can recite the story of William Tell, the man who shoots the apple off of the head of his son with his crossbow. According to legend, Tell, who was something of a renegade, refused to bow to the statue of a contentious ruler. As punishment, he was forced to either shoot the apple, or subject both himself and his son to execution. An expert marksman, he successfully saved the life of both himself and his son with a single shot. (He reportedly said afterward that he had one arrow in reserve for his punisher, should he have failed his son.) It’s a grand story that is told fondly in many classrooms. But, like many legends, his has probably been embellished over the centuries, if indeed the man lived at all. Despite the questions about his life, he is still recognized as a Swiss hero. Perhaps it is this cloud of intrigue that has inspired so many artistic works based on the legend of William Tell. The opera William Tell was based on a previous work, a play written by Friedrich Schiller. The musical version of the hero’s life is a four- hour work characterized by complicated and demanding scores. Since its first public performance at the Paris Opera in 1829, it has been edited and recreated in less-demanding versions over the following centuries. In the years after its first performance it was censored and banned by various governing authorities for its controversial glorification of a revolutionary character. As censorship often does, this tended only to fuel the public’s interest even more. This may be one of the reasons the legend of this Swiss hero became so dramatically retold, embellished, and exaggerated. The overture itself is written in four distinctive sections, with each leading seamlessly to the next. Rarely has any song without lyrics been sung so frequently. While the composer Rossini might be pleased with how his work has become so ingrained into modern culture, he may be less impressed with the reasons why. The “William Tell Overture” catapulted into popularity when it was used as the theme music for the television series “The Lone Ranger.” Appearing first as a radio broadcast in 1933, followed by the television series, the “William Tell Overture” may be forever associated with the media hit. Politically incorrect though it was by today’s standards, “The Lone Ranger” continues to be credited with indelibly etching the overture in the minds of popular culture. Today the song is parodied more than any other classical song, with versions found on the CDs of modern artists and even on YouTube. It graces sporting events, and it is particularly associated with horse racing. Even those who can’t identify it by name refer to it as “The Lone Ranger Song,” and usually they can’t help but hum or whistle along when they hear it played.

Watch this short video on the difference between playing music from a written score as opposed to playing from a lead sheet in a fake book: How To PLAY More Notes Without READING More Notes

For those who have been playing piano for several years, learning to play from a fake book can be a useful skill. In order to play from one, you need to have an understanding of chord theory. You should also be familiar with the names of chords. Once you know chords, a fake book provides the wherewithal for you to play just about any song without the entire musical score written out. A fake book contains songs that are not written in their original, full score. Instead it is a series of pages also known as lead sheets. Each lead sheet contains the lyrics and melody line to a single song along with the chord symbols such as G7, Fm7, etc. Often, a fake book contains only the treble clef notes (melody line), although some include a rudimentary bass clef score. The accompanying chords are notated in the places they should be played, usually over the word in the lyrics that they go with. I bought my first fake book when I was 16 or 17, and it cost $25. — a fortune back then for a teenager. They were illegal then too — but sold under the take by many music stores. Now of course they are entirely legal, and contain a thousand or more songs per book and cost about the same as I paid way back when. Fake books are intended as guides so experienced musicians are able to play any song without the benefit of the full musical score. If you’ve ever seen jazz musicians at work, you may have witnessed this concept in action. Jazz relies heavily upon improvisation. A jazz band may use a fake book to ensure that each member is playing in the same key. The musicians can then improvise the rest of the song. In other words, they can fill in the spaces between chords with other notes. It is likely that fake books originated as a convenient way for musicians to have access to lots of songs. Their use also sparked copyright debates, however unintentionally. Early versions, and many versions that are in print today, often deny royalties to the copyright holders of the original song(s). Fake books may contain hundreds of unauthorized versions of songs. There are so many on the market that it is a difficult area to police. Another place that fake books are commonly found is in churches. Churches often have a large library of songs that they use during regular worship services. It can be a storage problem to keep sheet music for hundreds and hundreds of songs for each band member. Instead, some churches use fake books because they take up less space. Band members are then able to play the same song in the same key, while improvising between chords. Churches usually purchase a license that gives them the legal right to use all of the songs in public performance. This way, there is no need to worry about paying royalties to individual copyright holders, and there are no prohibitions against photocopying music. As already mentioned, reading a fake book requires a good knowledge of chords. A musician who knows the name of all of the basic chords should be able to play any song off of a lead sheet. Even musicians who aren’t gifted at improvising can at least provide accompaniment to a song by using a lead sheet. If you are interested in playing from a fake book, consider taking the course on “How To PLAY More Notes Without READING More Notes”