All posts by Robert Estrin

How to Add Harmonic Spice to Your Music – Advanced Piano Lessons

This topic comes from a viewer question. Connie asks, “How do I get beyond the I, IV, and V chords when improvising Christmas music.” I thought this would make a great topic to cover all sorts of music and improvisation.

Before we begin, you might be wondering what the I, IV, and V chords are. Well if you are in C major, an I chord is built on C (C -E -G). The fourth note in the C major scale is F, so the IV chord is built on F (F – A – C.) And the V chord is built on G (G – B – D). These are referred to as primary chords, they are major triads and you can harmonize almost anything with the I, IV, and V chords!

In the video accompanying this article, I show an example of harmonizing using this technique with the song “On Top of Old Smokey” in A major. I use the I, IV, and V chords to create a simple harmony to accompany the melody. In A major that is the A major chord (A – C-sharp – E) the D major chord (D – F-sharp – A) and the E major chord (E – G-sharp – B). But what other chords could you add beyond the I, IV, and V?

You can start by using the secondary chords. Secondary chords are pretty much the rest of the chords beyond I, IV, and V. So they would be II, III, and VI-VII not so much because it’s diminished. The II, III and VI are minor chords. So in A major, the II chord is B minor (B – D – F-sharp), the III chord is C# minor (C-sharp – E – G-sharp), and the VI chord will be an F# minor (F-sharp – A – C-sharp). But where can you use these in the harmony?

The best thing to do is experiment. Try different combinations and see what sounds good. You can try substituting an II chord for the IV chord; you could even keep the same D in the bass inverting the chord. This creates a seamless change in harmony with a new flavor!

The beauty of improvisation is that there are no absolutes of right and wrong. While some combinations won’t sound as good as others, you can experiment and find out what sounds good to you. Keep working at it and eventually creating new and interesting sounds will become second nature.

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

Email Question: When pianos are moved do you remove the lid?

 

QUESTION:

I recently watched a video of yours on the LivingPianosVideos YouTube Chanel about moving a piano. In the video, precautions are taken as wrapping the piano with shrink wrap, could you tell me if that method is enough to substitute the procedure of removing the lid in a move? Because it was stated to me before that one of the first procedures in moving a piano would be removing the lid to prevent damages.

I thank you in advance for a response and thank you again for making those videos, which are so informative!

ANSWER:

When grand pianos and baby grand pianos are moved, the lids are usually kept on. The exception is when moving pianos up or down flights of stairs. The lids are removed to make the piano lighter in this case.

So, you should be in good shape!

For more information about piano moves check out our blog post on How to Move a Piano

Email Question: What’s the best piano for me if price is not an issue?

QUESTION:

I really want to get a piano, but of course their expensive, take up space, and are loud. The expense is not what I’m worried about. What kind of piano should look for?

ANSWER:

You should try to get the best piano you can afford. All students eventually outgrow even the finest upright pianos. Here is a video on the subject:

The minimum instrument you can utilize to learn the piano would be an 88 key weighted action digital. An upright would be a step up from that. A baby grand is better yet. And large grand pianos in excellent condition would be the ideal instrument for you.

Yamaha Pianos Vs. Kawai Pianos – Which is Better?

Two of the most popular piano companies in the world, Yamaha and Kawai, have competed with each other for decades. Many people wonder which piano is better. Despite this being a controversial topic, we are going to answer this in an honest way.

Both of these companies are based in Japan and have been around for around 100 years. They are also the two largest piano manufacturers in the world. Both the longevity and output of pianos is simply stunning and both companies are well respected within the piano community.

Yamaha and Kawai both have factories in different countries and each one outputs different models and types of pianos. When it comes to judging these companies side-by-side you really have to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.

There is no point in comparing a promotional level Yamaha piano to a hand-made Shigeru-Kawai, just as comparing a top of the line Yamaha S series to an Indonesian-made Kawai has no value. Each company has different tiers of pianos – from the most affordable basic models to ultra-high-end performance models.

So if you’re comparing similar styles and models of pianos between the two companies, which is better? Honestly, it comes down more to personal taste than anything else. However, there are some guidelines for you to follow to see which brand is right for you.

Many people are drawn to the clarity of tone of Yamaha pianos – sometimes perceived as a bright sound. That’s why it’s a very popular choice for pop and rock musicians (such as Elton John). The sound of Yamaha’s are able to cut through a mix better than other pianos which can be of real benefit for some styles of music. The actions on the pianos are also first class.

Kawai pianos are also known for their actions – including their Blak series which contain composite materials. Many people are drawn to Kawai pianos which tend to have a warmer tone than Yamaha pianos.

Whether a piano is bright or warm can also have a lot to do with the voicing of the instrument (the hardness of the felt on the hammers). However, there are general tendencies of sound that are evident. The characteristics of Kawai pianos being warm and Yamaha pianos being bright are not universal. Each piano has to be assessed for what it is. The size, model, voicing and the unique sound of each instrument comes into play.

There is a lot more to determine when selecting between Kawai and Yamaha pianos, but it really comes down to personal taste and the exact pianos you are comparing. Both Yamaha and Kawai make pianos on all levels from entry-level to concert instruments. When you find a piano you love, it’s the right piano whatever the brand name.

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) 244-372

Diminished 7th Chord – Part 2 – The Deceptive Diminished 7th

Welcome back to my two-part series on Diminished 7th Chords. Last week we talked about What a Diminished 7th Chord is and today we’re going to get a bit more in-depth about how and why the diminished 7th chord can be deceptive.

Last week we talked about how you can’t really invert a diminished 7thchord because it’s all minor thirds. There are however three ways to resolve these chords.

The first way to resolve a diminished 7th chord is to resolve it upward by a half step. So a B diminished 7th chord would resolve to C major or minor.

The next way to resolve diminished 7th chords is rather fascinating. If you lower any note in a diminished 7th chord by a half step and you will get a dominant 7th chord which can resolve in its usual manner from V7 to I. In C major, a G7 would resolve to a C major triad.

This might seem overwhelming but this is what makes the diminished 7thchord so deceptive yet so intriguing. It’s a wonderful chord and tool to use for improvisation and it’s one indicator of where a piece is going and the structure behind it.

The last way to resolve a diminished 7th chord is truly deceptive. You can take any note of a diminished 7th chord and make it the root of a major or minor triad. Try this out and you will be amazed a the unexpected sound!

This is a complex lesson and it would be a good idea to watch this video and try out the different resolutions so you can hear them. To recap: You can’t invert a diminished 7th chord because it’s all minor thirds even when inverting. There are three ways to resolve a diminished 7th chord. These chords are incredibly useful tools for many musical applications and it’s a great idea to get familiar with them and how they work. Once you understand the concepts behind them you will find it easier to understand them when you encounter them in your music.

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com. If you have any further questions please feel free to ask and I look forward to bringing you more of these videos.

My Father’s Steinway

This past year has brought many people and pianos together. But there is one that is set apart from the rest – my father’s Steinway. When my sister Coren and I were in high school, my father bought a new Baldwin 7-foot grand piano. So, my father’s Steinway baby grand (model S) went upstairs for us to practice on. This instrument had great sentimental attachment for my father. His father bought it for him in 1939 for $900 on credit. There were many times the struggle to make those payments cast in doubt keeping the piano.

When I moved from New York to study piano with Ruth Slenczynska in the Midwest, my father let me take the piano with me. Eventually, I lived in a home that had a piano. So, the piano went to my sister. My father gave the piano to my sister with the stipulation that one day she would have it restored to its original glory.

Flash forward several decades, this year that day came. Little did I know all those years ago that I would be the one responsible for the rebuilding of the piano! I got to live with this little gem of a piano for some time while working closely with our technicians refining it to a high level.

Just before it left, something motivated me to sit down and play my father’s Steinway. It was an unplanned, spontaneous inspiration that is recorded as a tribute for the honor of having been entrusted with this awesome responsibility. This is for you Dad – and Coren!