I started taking piano lessons when I was about 6 or 7 from an old lady (at least she looked old to me) named Mrs. Graham.  She lived in the older section of town, and her house smelled old. I dutifully sat through lesson after lesson and practiced each lesson for a half-hour a day. Not because I wanted to, but because I was fortunate enough to have parents that kept my feet to the fire, telling me that “someday I will be glad I kept practicing”. I didn’t believe them, of course — it’s pretty hard for a seven-year old to visualize why practicing scales and boring songs would pay off down the road.

And so it went, week after week, month after month, year after year until I was about 13. I liked playing the piano well enough, but I sure didn’t like practicing. One time when I was nine or so my big brother wrote up a contract about practicing 1/2 hour ever day which he made me sign. If I didn’t, he wouldn’t help me with my baseball skills, which I desparately wanted to develop. My idols in those days were not pianists or musicians, but the great baseball players of the day — Joltin’ Joe Dimagio, Whitey Ford, Phil Rissuto, and of course Mickey Mantle. I dreamed about hiting – driving in runs in the last of the 9th inning with the bases loaded.

But one day a friend of mine who also took piano lessons invited me to go with his family down to Sacramento (we lived in a little town called Auburn, 30 miles from Sacto) to hear a famous jazz pianist. I didn’t even know what jazz piano sounded like back then, but it’s always fun to go someplace with friends, so I went. I turned out that the pianist was Erroll Garner, and this is what I heard:

Suffice it to say that nothing was the same after that. I had no idea that anyone could play the piano like that, and have so much fun doing it! When I got home that evening I immediately went to the piano and started imitating Erroll. Of course it sounded awful, but it changed my view of practice 180 degrees. Instead of dreading practice, I looked forward to it to see what I could accomplish.

Can I play like Erroll? Of course not. Nowhere close. But it launched me into a lifetime of enjoying piano playing and helping others to enjoy it to.

If you have a teenager like me who hates to practice, try taking him or her to a concert. It might just make a huge difference in his life.

For over 300 free videos in some aspect of piano playing, go to my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/chordsgalore

Children’s songs can bring back all kinds of nostalgia from days gone by. New children’s songs are written by the hundreds every year. Despite this, the classics are still as popular as when we were kids. Ten of the most popular children’s songs of all time are:

1) Happy Birthday: You’d be very hard pressed to find a kid who doesn’t know this one. Happy Birthday is popular the world over even though it’s a special-occasion song. Penned by schoolteacher-sisters Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill, its original title and lyrics were “Good Morning to You.” They wrote it specifically for their young students as a simple greeting song in 1893. Several years later their tune appeared in print wedded with the words “Happy Birthday.”

2) Ring Around the Rosies: Rumor has it that this popular children’s song with accompanying circle dance/game had rather macabre beginnings. However, it really can’t be said with full certainty that this song refers to the bubonic plague, or the Great Plague of London. What is certain is that various versions of this song are sung in some form in numerous countries worldwide. The dance seems to be same no matter where the song is sung. Children hold hands and dance in a circle. They all fall down at the end just as the lyrics state.

3) Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes: This ditty for very young children has ambiguous origins. It was likely written by a teacher or someone of the like who worked with children. It was probably meant to help teach small kids basic body anatomy while at the same time encouraging action and dancing. The words are simple but effective. It’s still used by teachers today to help kids “get the wiggles out.”

4) London Bridge: This is another popular children’s song with origins difficult to pinpoint. It’s been around, at least in poem form, since a printing of an early version in 1744. It refers to the famous bridge over the River Thames in London. The accompanying actions call for two partners to hold both hands and raise them high in an arch. Children sing the song as they duck under the “arches” as they gradually lower, until the end when one child gets “caught.”

5) The Itsy Bitsy Spider (or, The Eensy Weensy Spider): Conflicting stories of its origin abound, and the author’s name may be lost from history forever. It is commonly said to have been written in the 1950′s or 60′s. However, references to versions of this poem and finger-play go back even further. Today it’s a favorite song and finger play in preschools and kindergartens around the world.

6) Old MacDonald Had a Farm: This popular children’s song was probably derived from a World War I era songbook tune called “Old MacDougal Had a Farm.” The MacDougal version may have already been around for several years by the time it appeared in print in 1917. It’s a mystery when “MacDougal” became “MacDonald.” Nevertheless, young children love this song about barnyard animals.

7) Mary Had a Little Lamb: Few people are aware that this popular children’s song was inspired by a true story. Sara Josepha Hale wrote her poem in 1830 about a little girl named Mary who brought her pet lamb to school. (Some historians believe that the concept and first four lines actually came from the pen of John Roulstone. This has been difficult to prove or disprove over the years.) It caused a commotion, as one might expect. Today young children still giggle over the idea of a lamb coming to school.

Rock-a-Bye Baby: This old lullaby has likely been crooned by many a mother over several centuries. Its exact origin is unknown, and several theories abound. One of the most plausible theories is that the song is based on native American tradition. Mothers placed their babies in birch-bark cradles suspended from branches. Babies were lulled to sleep by the force of the wind. Woe to the baby who gets caught in a big wind that breaks the branch though!

9) Five Little Monkeys: This action song, like many other popular children’s songs, has origins difficult to trace. This doesn’t seem to matter to schoolchildren who have sung it for several decades. The silly poem set to music is an ideal way to get children dancing, moving, and even thinking about the consequences of jumping on the bed.

10) The Hokey Pokey: Children have participated in this song and dance for over one hundred years. No one is certain where the term “Hokey Pokey” comes from, though there are a few theories. It’s highly plausible that it was simply a nonsensical term meant to make the listener laugh. It might be compared to a square dance, in that the “leader” or “caller” gets to call the moves to the dance.

Regardless of what field or industry you’re in, you’re going to have a lot of vocabulary to learn. We thought we would put together some of the less common terms yet terms you are bound to see at some point in your musical studies.

Style- “Play with the right style”! This phrase will be uttered by your private teacher at some point. Style is what gives different genres of music their unique sound. The swing style in jazz requires you to swing eighth notes instead of playing them traditionally. With very slow music, “legato” style means that you should play all notes smooth and connected. Some describe legato as walking through honey. Things are heavy without any breaks in the sound.

Texture- Most of us can visualize texture as it relates to a painting but what about in music? Texture in music is determined by how the composer mixes different instruments together. Every musical instrument has their own timbre or tone color and when these are mixed, they produce different textures. The most skilled of composers know how to use texture to make their piece truly come alive.

Orchestration- Speaking of texture, orchestration is the art of mixing instruments together. Commercial music like film music often employs teams of orchestration experts to create specific textures that fit the movie perfectly.

Cantabile- This is another style of music that literally means “singingly”. Everything is connected with an emphasis on using the most beautiful of tone quality when playing it. It’s not important that the music is loud or rhythmically perfect. Instead, the performer must make sure that the music is remembered as if the best vocalist just sang it.

Counterpoint- Counterpoint is a discipline that composition students must learn. It is often required in most higher educational composition curriculums. Counterpoint is the study of how different musical lines interact with each other. If there are too many lines being played at the same time, the music gets cluttered.

Score- For music that has multiple players playing different parts, a score is used by conductors and performers often for rehearsal purposes. By putting all parts on one page, mistakes are easy to identify. If you ever accompany a vocalist where their part and your part are on the same page, you’re looking at a score.

Accelerando- Sometimes music gradually speeds up and when that happens, we call it an accelerando. Often in music it is abbreviated as “accel”. The opposite of accelerando is ritard or “rit.” Which is a gradual slow down of the music.

Of course there are many more vocabulary terms that we use in music. Want to learn more? Go online and take one of the numerous vocabulary tests and learn about the many more. Also check back and we’ll post even more of these terms. Also remember that if you’re playing a piece of music and you see a term that you don’t know, take time to look it up. If the composer took time to write it in to the music, it must be important.

Have you seen the “Musical Genius Course”?

So you want to learn to play music? You’ve never had a lesson on an instrument and don’t even know where to start? Learning to play music can be as simple or challenging as you want. Whether you want to learn the guitar, the piano or the tuba doesn’t matter. Just challenge yourself and you’ll be making music before you can say embouchure.

First of all, there are many instruments that are very easy to learn. The simplest is the kazoo. The pitch of a kazoo is entirely controlled by your mouth. No fingerings to learn. Just put it to your mouth and buzz.

Moving up the scale are other mouth instruments, such as the harmonica and melodica. The harmonica takes seconds to learn but a lifetime to master. Harmonicas come tuned in a certain key, so that there are no out-of-key notes. As long as you use the proper harmonica for the key, you’ll sound musical. Of course, there are many other techniques to learn, but for the beginner trying to learn to play music, the simplicity of the harmonica is great.

The melodica is a keyboard instrument that is powered by air from your lungs. You blow into the mouthpiece and play the keyboard like a piano. The only difference is that the keyboard is facing away from you, perpendicular to your body. Most melodicas cover only an octave or two, giving you a smaller range.

The piano is another great instrument to start learning to play music. Every note is laid out in front of you, with nothing hidden. Using the white keys, you can play anything in the key of C. The amount of musical expression attainable on the piano is unmatched by other instruments, as it’s both a melodic and percussive instrument.

There are many benefits of learning to play music as an adult. Increased confidence, mental stimulation and sheer joy are just a few of them. Imagine entertaining friends with your new skills! Maybe you always wanted to have your own band and never pursued it in your youth. Learn to play music as an adult and have the musical fun that you missed. It’s never too late to stimulate your mind in new and exciting ways.

You’ll meet new people when you become a musician. It’s surprising when you learn who secretly always wanted to play in a band or hold an audience enraptured through a Debussy piano piece. From CEOs to maintenance workers, there are part-time musicians everywhere you look. Maybe your boss, the secret guitarist, will find out that you’re learning to play music. Suddenly you’re a new blip on the radar and you have a buddy to jam with on Sundays.

Whatever your reasons for learning to play music as an adult, you’ll love it. Pick up a simple instrument like the kazoo or a vast one like the piano and practice. Find a cheap guitar, some online instruction and learn your favorite songs by the Who. Buy a harmonica, start a campfire and play the blues. The possibilities are endless, as long as you keep your enthusiasm and continue to practice.

To get started learning music, go to Learn Music

Roman Numerals

Did music theory begin in Rome? History doesn’t say if it does or not but one thing is for sure: Without Roman Numerals, music theorists would have to totally redesign their system of analyzing music. Let’s take a look at how Roman Numerals are used by music theorists.

First, the good news. If you find the whole system of roman numerals confusing, in music theory you will only use a few of these. As long as you can figure out the numbers 1 through 7, that’s all you will need for music.

First, let’s think about our triads. In a traditional scale, there are 7 different diatonic chords, each one of these based on one of the scale degrees. Let’s assume that we’re in the key of C Major. The C-E-G chord which is built on the first scale degree is called the “I” (Roman numeral) chord. (The “one” chord)

The next chord, D-F-A, is the “ii” chord because it’s based on the 2^nd scale degree. The next chord, E-G-B is built on the third scale degree and it is referred to as the “iii” chord. Are you getting the pattern? This part of traditional analysis is the easiest part.

Now, you might be wondering why the “I” is an upper case roman numeral while the “ii” and “iii” roman numerals were written in lower case. The reason for this is because the “I” chord is a major chord while the “ii” and “iii” chords are minor chords. Always use uppercase for major chords and lowercase for minor chords. There are other types of chords, like augmented and diminished which we’ll save for a more advanced lesson.

Now that we know how to identify chords, is it that simple? Of course not! Remember those chord inversions? If a chord is root position, we leave the Roman numeral as is. If the chord is in first position, we put a “6” in superscript next to the Roman numeral. (Just like in math when you notate something is squared)

If a chord is in second inversion, we notate it by placing a 6/4 (fraction without the line in superscript) next to it. There are other indications of inversion for more extended chords but we won’t worry about that just yet.

Remember that Roman numerals are based on the key that you declare. Because it’s sometimes difficult to tell which key the composer is writing in, the music theorist must state which key he or she is basing their analysis. This is done by playing an indication in the music such as “C:”. This indicates that all of the roman numerals are based on the key of C.

Of course there are many more symbols that are used in analysis of this type but as far as roman numerals go, Roman numerals are actually pretty easy.

The power of music to influence people for good and for evil has been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt down through history. Like fire, it cuts both ways, depending on the situation. In the fireplace it warms and benefits and heals. Out of the fireplace it can ruin and destroy. Think of the military marches that of themselves are good and harmless, but in the hands of a Hitler can be used to deaden the conscience and encourage the baser side of our natures to do great evil.

Watch this video on how music is being used in a rest home to bring joy and life back to those who are otherwise almost catatonic:

Read this article about Music and Emotions: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=40634&Music-and-Emotions%3A-Can-Music-Really-Make-You-a-Happier-Person%3F=

Inversion seems like a strange word to use for music, doesn’t it? Actually it’s a very common term and is related to how chords are written. Composers use inversion in a variety of ways but primarily to make music sound smooth and subtle. Without inversion, chord changes would often sound jolting to the listener. Let’s look at how inversion works.

It’s important to understand that inversion deals with the lowest sounding pitch in a chord. Although we can invert a chord in a variety of ways, while we’re talking about inversion it’s only the bottom note that we’re moving. When we move other notes in a chord, we’re talking about voicing changes. Music theorists don’t have as many hard and fast rules for voice as they do for inversion.

If we look at a basic triad (remember the triad? C-E-G) When the first scale degree, also called the root, is the lowest sounding note, there is an absence of inversion. This is called root position. Root position is the most commonly used inversion (or lack of inversion) in popular music and used in traditional or classical music to end a phrase, movement, or entire piece of music. When you play a chord in root position, you are telling your listener that the piece is done. Other times, composers use it throughout a piece of music because it is a very pure an open sounding chord.

Next, if we take the “C” and put it at the top of the chord, we now have a chord that is spelled E-G-C. When the third of the chord (third scale degree) is the lowest sounding note, we have a first inversion chord. The most common use for this inversion is to make a chord a “passing” chord or bridge between two chords. It gives the bass voice a smooth walk up a scale as chords change.

While you may not notice first inversion chords as easily as you notice a root position chord, rest assured that they reside in your music quite frequently.

Now, let’s take our first inversion chord and flip it again. That “E” which is currently residing in the lowest spot will now be at the top. We’ve now inverted our chord again and we have a G-C-E chord. This second inversion chord is most commonly used in a “cadential” way. This is a big music theory term that means that this chord sets up a cadence.

For example, a I-V-I should look familiar to you if you read our article about cadences. The “V-I” is an authentic cadence. If the “I” chord before it is written in second inversion, it makes the “V” of the cadence even more of a cliff hanger than the “V” chord could do all by itself.

These are the three ways to write or invert a triad. As we get in to larger, more extended chords, they are even more inversions that serve specific purposes as well but for now, practice these inversions just with the basic triads. There’s plenty of time to learn the other types of inversions available to the composer.

Not really, but Elisabeth is WAY ahead of where I was at this age!

(My 12-year old granddaughter)

When I was growing up in Auburn, California my older cousin would come to visit us during the summer and thrill and amaze me by playing Flight of the Bumblebee and Bumble Boogie. That was my introduction to boogie, and I still find it interesting and exciting.

Boogie-Woogie, thought to have its birth place in Marshall Texas, Is a style of blues piano playing that is characterized by a steadily repeated left hand bass figure. Sometimes called eight to the bar with a succession of right hand figures, much of it is written in 4/4 using eight notes. Boogie-Woogie pieces are generally 12 bar Blues.

This raw rhythmic style is considered the most impressive form of Jazz music. This piano music is infectious. Once you catch the Boogie-woogie “there ain’t no going back”. This music is extremely rhythmic with a real strong drive. It just grabs hold of you and makes you want to submit to its amazing power. It takes you to rapid highs and fast paced rhythms before you know what is happening to you.

The lively, exhilarating, rhythmic Pinetop Boogie Woogie was first recorded in 1928 by the incomparable Pinetop Smith. But that wasn’t the beginning of Boogie-Woogie. It was just the first recording of this exciting fast paced music. Soon to follow was a hit by Mead Lux Lewis that was called The Honky Tonk Train Blues. The Boogie Woogie was soon being played in house parties and Juke joints across the country. It wasn’t long before it even hit Carnegie Hall in 1938.

Boogie-Woogie style is characterized by the pumping left hand patterns that were said to be inspired by the steam locomotives that were opening up new opportunities for the recently emancipated Afro- Americans in America. This syncopated style of blues piano playing, has had a major influence on popular American music. In the early forties it had a huge influence on the swing bands and RandB style Jazz music. It was soon to become one of the major ingredients of what would become known as Rock and Roll.

Boogie-Woogie was originally called Barrelhouse music because it was played in the Barrel Houses that were a place where barrels of liquor were stored. The Boogie-Woogie has a distinctive 8 beat rhythm that will get your toes tapping in no time and will make you want to shout with enthusiasm. The roots of this style of music are said to go back as far as the 1900s But it really came into it’s own in the 1930s.

Fats Domino and Dr. John are a couple of all time favorites when it comes to Boogie-Woogie. Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis are not to be forgotten when talking about Boogie-Woogie piano playing. They brought this style of music to a whole new generation.

The Boogie- Woogie style is kept alive by current piano players both famous and amateur. The most famous Boogie-Woogie piano player today is probably Axel Zwingenberger. Ben Waters and Caroline Dahl are also known for their mastery of playing a mean Boogie- Woogie piano. Some of the well known songs by these pianists are Boogie Woogie Be With Me by Axel Zwingenberger, Boogie Woogie Stomp by the UKs Ben Waters and Caroline’s Boogie by Caroline Dahl.

If you are a relative beginner, take a look at Boogie For Beginners. It will get you started as a boogie-man or boogie-lady.

Sometimes people ask me why they have to learn all those different types of chords, such as augmented and diminished and 9ths and so forth. The answer is “They don’t. They can get by with just the primary chords UNLESS they want to create sounds that produce the feeling they want.” But for those of us that DO want to create some more complex sounds, it’s a good idea to learn all the possible chords.

To learn lots more about chords please go to All The Chords In The Whole Wide World!

Four Music Resolutions for 2012

Just because we’re now in to January doesn’t mean we can’t continue to make resolutions for 2012. Statistics show that most resolutions won’t make it far beyond January but maybe that’s because they aren’t realistic or we aren’t willing to leave our comfort zone. If you’re trying to improve your health, save more money, or spend more time enjoying life with your family, those are all admirable but maybe you have room for one goal relating to your study of music. Need some ideas? Here are a few.

Practice More

This is not a lot different from saying, “more exercise” so before we set a goal that has a long history of being unattainable for many, let’s make it realistic. How about practicing one extra hour each week? Still too much? How about an extra 30 minutes? 30 minutes of extra piano practice would equal 26 extra hours of practice per year and that’s a good step forward. You could even use those 30 minutes to practice something that your teacher never hears. Lean a new song on the radio, maybe. Remember that any time you spend with your voice or instrument will make you better providing you’re practicing with good technique.

Branch Out

Musicians who only learn how to play an instrument become burnt out over time. There is so much more to music than just performance. Music has hundreds of years of fascinating history that has shaped who we are today. The way music is constructed is as much based on math as it is on art and the way movie composers use technology to mix electronic and traditional instruments in to a gourmet meal for the ears is worth exploring.

Read at least one book about music this year. Find one on Amazon.com that interests you and branch out as a musician. You may not see it now but once you read one book, you’ll want to read another. As you learn more about music, you’ll want to become a better musician.

Upgrade

If you’re a vocalist, you can’t upgrade your voice but some instrumentalists can purchase step-up mouthpieces, reeds, method books, and new instruments. Pianists don’t have as many options but if you made a lot of progress last year, a new piano may be worth a look. Of course you should never change equipment without first talking to your teacher but make the resolution to spend some time talking to your teacher about what’s next when it comes to your equipment.

Play with Others

Music is best enjoyed in groups. Being a soloist has its benefits but interacting with other musicians brings on a whole new level of joy that may give you a fresh perspective. Make the resolution to become a part of a community band or orchestra, jazz trio, or form a group of your own. There is no minimum skill level required for playing in groups as long as you play with others that have similar skill levels.

What’s Your Resolution?

Maybe there’s something with your music that you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had the courage to try. When if you try and fail, you just gained valuable information that will help with your next attempt. Remember, when you’re engaged in music, there’s no wasted time. You’re always getting better when you’re doing something. Have a happy and musical 2012.

One of the best things you can do for yourself this year is to take at least one piano course from our PlayPianoCatalog!

Two Musical Questions You’ve Never Asked But Always Wondered About…

You know what we’re talking about. In all areas of our lives there are those little mysteries that don’t seem important to ask about but still, it would be nice to know. It’s not like the answer is going to change our lives in any meaningful way but it would close the book on one of life’s little mystery so we can move on to another.

Music has those little mysteries as well and although there are enough for dozens of articles, we thought we would pick two today.

Note Stems

You know what we mean when we say, note stems, right? It’s the stick that the flag sits on. The note head is the circle that tells you what the note actually is and the stem is the stick coming up from the circle. Sometimes the note stems face up while other times they face down and although the reason for that is very simple, it’s hard to find a clear explanation for that.

In actuality, most of the rules for writing music are functional instead of musical or artsy. Although it would be nice to tell a grand story of Beethoven sitting in a cabin on some European mountain coming up with stem direction rules, that’s not what happened.

It’s purely functional. As you know music is printed just like words. We read it left to right and when we get to the end of a line, we go down to the next. Because every piece of paper costs the publisher money, they want the staves as close together as they can be without sacrificing readability.
The magic line on the treble clef is the third line or “B” line. On the bass clef, it’s the third line “D”. When a note is at the third line or below, the stem is written up. When the line is at the third line or above, the stem is written down. If a note is on the third line, the composer can write it how they would like.

By following these rules, the music stays better contained in the staff which allows the publisher to include more lines of music on the page. It’s also a little easier to read.

What’s With the Funny Words?

Why are all of these different languages used in music? Why say ritard when you could say, slow down? Why say cantabile when you could say, singingly? You could but that’s not what the composer wrote and he or she is free to write whatever they would like. If you play music long enough, you’ll find some pretty “interesting” notes to the performer.

Composers, especially those of earlier periods tended to be very nationalistic because communication was such that the world wasn’t globalized the way it is now. They knew the word they wanted and they wrote it in their native tongue. The bulk of the traditional musical marking are Italian because of tradition. Some speculate that it’s origins come from the widely accepted father of modern music notation, Guido d’Arezzo, an Italian monk who created the solfege system.

All classically trained musicians learn the same terminology and like any tradition, it has been passed down over centuries.

Modern composers are increasingly using words that have more meaning. With the English language being taught in schools all over the world, many composers are now using English since more people have a fundamental knowledge of the language than they do Italian.

Remember…

Much of music has traditional roots and much of its rules are grounded in tradition. Often, that tradition has attached to it some very interesting stories.

Do you know about Duane’s Crash Course in Exciting Piano Playing?

As you well know, songs are made out of various chords linked together in a series called chord progressions. The more you know about the techniques of getting from chord to chord smoothly, the better, and one good way is to use “walk-ups”. They almost always work when the chord you are moving to is a perfect 4th higher (a frequent progression), but they also work in other situations. Watch this short video and you’ll get the idea:

For a TON of techniques like this, click on “101 Ways To Make Your Piano Playing Fuller!”

If you want to play hymns straight out of the hymnbook as is, go to it. But most hymnbooks are written for 4-part voices — not for piano — and it’s a shame to waste all those 10 fingers of yours on just 4 part harmony when you could be getting such a much bigger and more flavorful sound! When sopranos, altos, tenors and basses sing those four parts, it sounds great. But you as a pianist have a MUCH bigger range. You have 88 keys, from the lowest A to the highest C. So why not use many of those to create more interest and color in your gospel songs and hymns? Watch this short little video I made to demonstrate some of the ways that can be done:

For a complete course on arranging hymns and gospel songs, come on over to “The Best-Loved Gospel Hymns Of All Time!”

Beethoven was never much for rules so why obey them for one of his most famous pieces?

Even the title of the piece popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata bears reference to Beethoven’s love of not doing things the way people expected. He called it Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia which means Sonata in the style of a fantasy or literally “Almost a fantasy”.

Listen to most music on the radio today and it follows a very similar style: It starts with a little bit of instrumental introduction, then the singer sings what is known as the verse. Then it goes in to the chorus, that’s the part that you often remember about the song which is why it is also called the hook in most songs. Then the song goes back to the verse, sometimes with different words and after that, the chorus again. Then we get to the bridge where the song changes pretty drastically but eventually makes its way back to the chorus (often played twice) and then a little instrumental at the end. The whole song takes about 4 minutes but rarely more than 5 minutes. Songs on the radio today are fairly predictable.

In Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven’s day, they had the Sonata. It was a very predictable style and although we’ll save a discussion of sonata form for another article, what defined a sonata form was a fast and lively beginning with a slow movement somewhere in the middle and ending with a medium and then fast tempo movements or just a fast movement. Moonlight Sonata is slow, medium, fast.

By the way, in case you’re wondering, a Fantasy is often a piece of music based on an improvisatory style. In other words, by throwing in the word Fantasy (fantasia) Beethoven is giving himself license to do whatever he wants. (Not that he needed it. He often did whatever he wanted anyway)

Every piece of art has to have a story and if they don’t, we romantic humans with big hearts will often make up a story to give a piece of art more personality. Here are the two stories behind Moonlight Sonata. Beethoven wasn’t much in to giving piano lessons to people and there seems to be evidence that he wasn’t all that personable as a general rule but around 1800 Beethoven was giving lessons to a royal family who was most likely paying him well when he met Countess Giulietta Guicciardi.

He fell in love with her (artists fall hard, you know) and wanted to marry her. Sadly, Beethoven being a commoner couldn’t marry royalty. Instead, she married another amateur composer. Beethoven dedicated this piece to her and judging by the not so happy sound of it, one wouldn’t think that it was an upcoming wedding gift. If you believe this story, you can certainly hear the sorrow of a broken heart present in this piece.

On the other hand, some stories, far more boring, say that Beethoven visited Lake Balaton, located in Hungary. (yawn) If a lake was his inspiration, it must have been raining when he visited. We’ll let you decide which story you like better.

The term “Moonlight Sonata” was given to this piece by Ludwig Rellstab who said that the piece sounded like moonlight shining down on Lake Lucerne. (Yes, another lake.) Beethoven didn’t live long enough to know of his piece as Moonlight Sonata.

The piece starts with a slow movement that is absolutely beautiful and when a pianist plays it, they can’t help but hear the sorrow that comes from the piece. It is commonly known that the first movement is played with dampers and very softly the entire way as to not only paint a picture of sorrow but also deep reflection by a tired soul. (As you learn it, see what the piece says to you.)
The second movement sounds much more like a classical period piece, a little more lighthearted than the movements surrounding it. This is probably the least liked movement as many people only know the first and last movements.

The third movement, a technically challenging and musically complicated composition speaks to anger and not just inner anger but anger that bursts out of the soul. As you listen to it, think about what the inspiration for such a piece would have been.

This piece was wildly popular in Beethoven’s day. In fact, he got tired of hearing it himself. He once said, “Surely, I’ve written better things”.

If you’re about to embark on learning this piece, you’re most likely starting with the first movement and quite possibly, not playing the second and third. That’s ok with Beethoven as some of his students and other musicians of the period often did not play complete sonatas.

Now that you know a little bit more about the piece, dive in and have a great time with it.

To learn the first movement of Moonlight Sonata (that’s the theme — the part everyone recognizes) click on the link below to learn about our audio CD course (not a video — an audio course with the original sheet music of the first movement):

Learn to play Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” on the piano

Here’s a bluesy little chord progression you can use in quite a few musical situations. It involves playing the IV chord of the key and then playing the IV chord of that IV chord to create a chord progression that gives a blues oriented sound. It sounds confusing but I think you’ll understand it when you see it on the video below:

For more instruction on the blues check out Blues, Boogie & R&B

Why do I need to learn scales and chords and music theory? Well, if you have the talent of a Mozart or Bach or Erroll Garner or Oscar Peterson or Dave Brubeck, you probably don’t. But if you’re like the rest of us — and 99.9% of us are – the more you learn about music, the better. After all, chords are formed from scales, and scales are the building-blocks of melody. And of course there would be no rhythm without the juxtapostion of note values and chord lengths. If you are at all interested in increasing your knowledge of music in any of these areas, come on over to http://www.playpianocatalog.com and browse through our 300-plus courses.

Here are some ideas for improvising on the blues scale. I picked the key of F, but of course you can play it in any key you choose as well. Notice that in the blues scale we use a flat 3rd, a flat 5th, and a flat 7th, plus the other notes of the diatonic scale. It is the juxtaposition between the notes of the scale and the flatted notes that creates the typical “blues” sound. Watch this short video:

For a complete course in playing the blues please go to Playing Blues, Boogie & Rhythm & Blues

Perhaps the most useful kind of chord is the 7th chord, partly because there are so many variations of 7ths. Far and away the most-used 7th chord is the dominant 7th, notated as F7, Bb7, D7, etc. But there are also at least 6 other types of 7th chords, including maj7, dim7, aug7, m7, etc. Watch this short video and you’ll get the idea:

There are so many things you can do with chords there seems to be no limit, After playing piano for many years, I still discover things to do with chords. In this video I demonstate how you can take any 4-note chord (you can also do it with 3 and 5 note chords as well) and starting with a tremolo create a rapid run up the keyboard. But like all techniques, don’t overdo it — use it sparingly and mix it with other techniques: