All posts by Robert Estrin

How to Get Jobs Playing Music

When it comes to making money as a musician there is no one-size-fits-all solution but there are some general tips that can help you find work actually playing music.

It’s always important to remember that the music business is a business. A lot of times people will feel complacent towards the business end of it and that can be a recipe for disaster. Many times students will practice in conservatories for hours every single day hoping that if they are good enough someone might “discover” them. Sadly, this is not the case.

There are always more musicians available then job positions out there. Without proper networking nobody will ever know you even exist. You have to get yourself out there, you should find other musicians to play with and talk with. This is not just a suggestion; it is really something that all musicians should do.

When you are around other musicians you will quickly realize that most of them are looking for that person who has the jobs. Don’t be afraid to be that person. It’s actually easier to start your own musical group then to go find others to hire you. Jobs are scarce in this world and many people who are becoming successful are the entrepreneurial types who create opportunities and unique business models on their own.

If you’re starting out on your own with a group of musicians you have to make sure you do your part in advertising yourselves. Definitely utilize social media but beyond that you need to network within the field you are interested in. For example, if you want to have a group of musicians who plays weddings you should not only have your social media presence but you should network with fellow professionals. Go to wedding planners, floral shops, dress shops, photographers, videographers, caterers and any other businesses you can think of that are involved with weddings. Make a point to meet with them and ask if they have anyone they recommend for music. Maybe they do but maybe they don’t. Give them your business card and tell them you would be happy to recommend them to any potential clients you come across. You will find that many people are very receptive to this idea and if you actually get them any referrals they may very well try to return the favor.

You have to remember that separating yourself from the crowd is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to business and networking. People love working with or recommending someone who can benefit them as well. If you are offering someone the opportunity for more business, you will most likely have their attention right away.

Another great thing to do is to find networking groups of musicians and meet with them. You can find these online or sometimes through schools; a great place to start looking is meetup.com and seeing if there is a local group in your area.

You should also see if there is an opportunity to perform at charity events. Donate your time and talent to something worthwhile and people will see you as someone who is important in the community. This can also be a great opportunity for networking as well because you will place yourself in front of a new group of people and get to perform for them. Every opportunity there is to get your name out there and in front of potential clients should be seized upon.

And remember, this is an ongoing process. You absolutely have to work at this every day of your life. You should be on the phone, sending emails, and doing whatever you can to further your business and name throughout the community. And don’t be afraid to try something new!

Fake Ivory Piano Keys?

Years ago virtually all piano key tops were made out of ivory. Ivory, as many of you already know, is made from elephant tusks. Eventually, the ivory trade was outlawed in the U.S. In the 1970’s in the United States, and into the 1980’s in Europe, the use of ivories on piano keys ceased. Today, almost all piano keys are made out of composite plastic. So, you might be wondering, where fake ivory key tops fall into this story. This is something you should be aware of.

Some pianists feel that ivory keys are superior to plastic key tops. While you can’t get a new piano with ivory key tops, many pianists still want the feel of ivory keys. In attempt to satisfy this crowd, some companies have developed “fake” or “imitation” ivory keys that are made to look and feel like ivory. Do they succeed?

Unfortunately, most of these attempts to simulate ivory keys are not very good. There are a lot of cheap imitations that add a textured look to the keys. However, they don’t feel any different from other plastic key tops and worse yet, they look fake!

Yamaha has used an imitation ivory key trademarked as, “Ivorite” that is an attempt at creating a synthetic ivory. It is a plastic key top that has a closer look and feel to ivory than traditional plastic key tops. Not all Yamaha pianos come with these key tops. So, is there really a benefit to this?

If you like the touch and feel of ivory and want a new piano, then this might be a possible solution for you. Something to keep in mind though is that if you are performing on other instruments, they are very likely to have plastic keys. So, it’s important to be comfortable playing pianos with plastic key tops since that is what you are most likely to encounter playing instruments outside of your home.

I would recommend avoiding cheap ivory imitations. You’re better off with standard plastic key tops because they are perfectly functional. They also look better than most imitation ivory key tops.

Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions about this topic or any others, please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

What are Whole Tone Scales?

Welcome back to my ongoing series on music theory. Last time we covered Chromatic Scales – scales involving all half steps. Today’s subject is Whole Tone Scales.

If you’re wondering what a whole tone scale sounds like, you’ve probably heard them in Impressionist era music. They have an almost eerie quality to them.

As far as the scale itself, it’s actually very simple. While the Chromatic scale is all half-steps, the whole tone scale is simply a series of whole-steps (two keys together with one key between).

Much like the chromatic scale – which has only one iteration, considering it’s all the same intervals – the whole tone scale has just two possible versions. Play the scale, play it a half-step higher, then when you play one more half-step higher, you are back to the first scale again!

Next time we will cover diminished seventh scales.

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

What is Classical Music?

What is meant by the term Classical Music? This is not as simple a question as you might imagine. Some basic notions of Classical music are going to the symphony or recitals, but there are actually two distinct meanings of the term Classical music.

The first is the period style of Classical music – which was from the middle of the 18th century to the early 19th century. Composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn are examples of Classical era composers. So Classical music can refer to this particular period of music as well as the art, architecture and literature created during this era.

The term Classical music is also used generally to denote Western concert music. There are lots of different types of music – ones created for dancing, singing along, incidental music for theatre and more. But music that is actually created to listen to as a pure artform can be classified as Classical music. Sometimes it gets the distinction of being “serious” music and this is not necessarily true. Music of Beethoven, Debussy and other great composers features a wide range of emotions including humor! The bottom line is that it is designed to be an enduring work of art which elicits emotions.

But does all Classical music have to be similar in structure and sound? Absolutely not! Music that you might not think of as “Classical” can actually be classified as such. For example, if jazz music is written down with little or no improvised elements it can be classified as Classical music. A great example of this is George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” which is certainly built on jazz elements, but is a masterwork which is one of the treasures of Western music.

So the basic definition of Classical music is generally music that is written down (with some notable exceptions) that is intended to be appreciated in a concert setting. There is also the period style of Classical music which is a strict definition of the term.

Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions about this topic or any others, please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

Should You Start Teaching Music?

I get many questions from music teachers and people looking into becoming a private teachers about where to begin or how to improve their business. No matter if you’ve been teaching for years or just considering getting into it, here are some great tips and advice I can impart from spending a large portion of my life teaching private lessons.

The best thing you can do is find your niche. This isn’t just the type of instrument or music you can teach, it’s knowing your strengths and weaknesses beyond your own repertoire. For example, I know a couple of teachers who specifically advertise their ability to work with young children. This can be a very valuable asset because not all teachers are good with young children and advertising this specifically can be of great benefit to you.

The best thing you can do – for almost any occupation in this world – is find a way to set yourself apart from the competition. Whether it’s working with children, specializing in jazz or rock, or something that sets yourself apart from the label of just “music teacher”, finding your niche in this world can be an extremely valuable asset. You just must remember to play to your strengths – don’t advertise you can do something you can’t; stick with what you know.

There are also a number of private organizations you can join to help you get started or expand your business. In California we have the Music Teacher Association of California (MTAC) which is an incredibly valuable resource for many private teachers in California. They hold conventions and special events to help teachers meet and share ideas with one-another. There are others all around the country – there may be some in your area.

If you are currently taking lessons from a teacher and are considering offering lessons, you should consult them and ask for help. Many times they will be very helpful and in some cases could even refer clients to you if they don’t have the time to take on any more students.

The most important thing when it comes to teaching is the relationship you have between the student and the relationship you have with their parents. If you are comfortable relating to people and talking to them it can be an invaluable skill in growing your teaching career. The majority of the work a student puts in from a music lesson is actually the time they spend practicing at home. The hour or so you have every week is just a small amount of time and if they hope to improve they will need to practice on a regular basis. Getting a student to become interested in learning and progress on their own is the mark of a successful teacher.

The learning process for anything never really stops; it’s a constant process and the same goes for teaching. Talking to other teachers, relatives, friends, family, anyone you can spread the word of your career with is a great way to get your name out there and also attain some valuable information. You might be surprised how much you learn just from interacting with other music teachers.

Thanks again for joining me Robert@Livingpianos.com

How to Play Extreme Rubato

We’ve covered the basics of rubato before. But to summarize: Rubato is a give and take of the tempo; a speeding up and a slowing down without ever gaining or losing time. This is a technique used mostly in Romantic period music – like Schumann, Liszt, Chopin and others – which adds emotion and character to music. It’s only appropriate for some music and many compositions written in the Romantic era can benefit from the expressive use of rubato.

The idea of practicing with extreme rubato is to see how far you can push your music before it becomes grotesque. It’s hard to tell if you’re doing too much unless you can create a distinction between too much and just right. We recently discussed the benefits of practicing your music too fast to gain insights that you wouldn’t necessarily discover otherwise. This method of extreme rubato is very similar in helping you uncover expressive possibilities in your performance.

With many Romantic period pieces, rubato can add a great amount of emotion to your playing. Much like going up and down hills quickly in a car can create feelings of excitement as you crest over the peak and relief while descending, rubato can provide similar emotions in your music.

I encourage you to take rubato to its limits and beyond to discover how far you can go. Once you get a good idea of where the peaks and valleys are in the music, you can scale back the rubato to a tasteful level. If you never experiment, you may have trouble even discovering where rubato is possible!

One essential element of rubato is keeping the beat of the music. Listeners should be able to tap along never losing the pulse of the music.

It’s also important that you never gain or lose time when utilizing rubato. No matter how far off you go, you must maintain time. My father would demonstrate this technique by playing with the metronome using rubato. Sometimes he would get ahead of the metronome – sometimes behind – but he would always end with the correct number of beats.

Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions about this topic or any others, please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729