Piano Lessons- Music Theory Lessons

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today’s question is: How do you count 6/8 time? Time signatures are crucial for understanding rhythm and structure in music. Whether you are working with 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, or even 16/8 time, each one provides unique rhythmic possibilities. Let’s delve into how these time signatures function and how to count them effectively.

The Basics of 6/8 Time

In 6/8 time, there are six beats per measure, and each eighth note receives one beat. To count 6/8 time, you simply count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. You can see an example of this in the video. However, as the tempo increases, counting each beat individually can become cumbersome. At faster speeds, it often helps to think in two groups of three eighth notes, where each measure is essentially divided into two dotted quarter notes. This simplifies the counting process:

Comparing 6/8 and 3/4 Time

Both 6/8 and 3/4 time signatures have six eighth notes per measure, but their rhythmic feel is different. In 3/4 time, there are three beats per measure, and each quarter note gets one beat. In contrast, 6/8 time can be divided into two beats per measure, with each beat subdivided into three eighth notes. This creates a distinct rhythmic feel compared to 3/4 time, which is often used in waltzes and other dances.

Advanced Time Signatures: 12/16

In 12/16 there are 12 beats per measure with the sixteenth note getting one beat. This time signature can be particularly challenging to count, especially at faster tempos. When dealing with faster tempos, grouping into four dotted eighth notes per measure can be more manageable.

The Importance of Subdivisions

In time signatures where the bottom number is 8 or 16 and the top number is 6, 9, or 12, each beat is subdivided into groups of three. For instance, in 6/8 time, each measure consists of two dotted quarter notes, each subdivided into three eighth notes. So each group of three notes fits into one dotted quarter note. Understanding these subdivisions is crucial for accurate rhythmic interpretation and performance.

Double-check your time signatures!

When working with different time signatures, always consider how the measure is divided and how the beats are subdivided. This approach will enhance your ability to count and play music accurately. I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. Thanks for joining me!

Hello, I’m Robert Estrin from LivingPianos.com,Your Online Piano Store. Today, let’s explore an intriguing question: Did Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the greatest composers in history, play the piano?

Bach and the Piano: Historical Context

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685. At that time, the modern piano as we know it did not yet exist. Bach lived in Germany and traveled very little, so he was unlikely to have encountered a piano during his lifetime. Bach didn’t compose any music specifically for the piano. His keyboard compositions were written for clavier (which means, “keyboard”), with the exception of his organ music, which was written for the pipe organ—a fully developed instrument of his era. Bach’s favorite keyboard instrument was the clavichord, known for its expressive capabilities, though it was not suited for public performances due to its quiet sound. Consequently, the harpsichord was the more popular instrument of the time for public concerts, including performances of works like the Brandenburg Concertos and his two-part inventions, as well as countless other works.

Early Pianos and Bach’s Impressions

The fortepiano, an early version of the modern piano, was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Italy. This instrument could play both loud and soft, unlike the harpsichord. At the time Bach encountered a fortepiano built by Gottfried Silbermann, the instrument was still in its early stages of development. Bach had mixed feelings about this early fortepiano, particularly criticizing its upper register. He recognized its potential, but he was not particularly impressed by its sound.

Bach’s Legacy with the Piano

Welcome to Living Pianos. Today, we’re addressing a common question: Can water damage your piano? I’m Robert Estrin, and this is a crucial topic. Let’s explore when you should be concerned about water and when it’s not an issue.

Understanding Water Damage

Many of you may have seen the recent Celine Dion performance at the Olympics, where a grand piano was completely covered with rain. This might have made you cringe, wondering about the damage. There are extreme cases where people test the limits of how much water a piano can withstand. We’ll discuss the types of damage that can occur and what’s not as concerning.

Effects of Humidity

Even humidity can affect a piano. The moisture in the air can be absorbed by felt parts, making them sluggish and affecting the tone. Excessive moisture can cause rust on strings and make hammers absorb moisture, leading to a dead, lifeless sound. Ideally, pianos thrive in moderate temperature and humidity, around 45 to 50%.

Direct Water Exposure

If you watched the Celine Dion performance, you might wonder if the piano was destroyed. The main concern is water getting into the crack where the fly lid folds over, potentially reaching the soundboard. Water on the soundboard is a serious issue. For instance, if you spill a glass of water inside your piano, you need to get an emergency technician immediately to avoid soundboard damage. That’s why you should never place any drinks on your piano!

Water on Keys

Water getting into the keys is not as catastrophic as you might think. It would go through the keys to the bottom of the key bed, potentially causing moisture issues. The bushings could absorb moisture, making everything feel mushy. However, this likely wouldn’t destroy your piano. The amount of water that might get through the hinge is usually negligible as well, and the piano could still be okay.

What should you do after your piano is exposed to water?

After such an event, a piano technician should inspect the piano to ensure no water reached the soundboard and clean up any water that got between the keys. Extreme cases, like filling a piano with water, are absurd. Generally, moderate temperature and humidity are ideal. If water spills inside the piano and reaches the soundboard, treat it as an emergency. Otherwise, water on the cabinet or keys may not as severe as it seems.

Welcome to a special edition of Living Pianos. I’m Robert Estrin, and today, we’re comparing three exceptional German pianos with Steinway. As many of you know, Steinway was founded by German immigrants in New York City and later established a factory in Hamburg. However, most Steinways you encounter in North America are produced in the New York factory, while the Hamburg facility primarily serves Asia and Europe.

A Look at German Excellence

In this video, we’ll explore three top-tier German pianos: Bechstein, Blüthner, and Grotrian-Steinweg. Each of these prestigious brands has a long history, dating back to the 1800s, and is renowned for their superb craftsmanship. I’ll be playing excerpts of Chopin on each of these pianos as well as a Steinway, so you can hear the distinct sounds and qualities of these instruments for yourself.

Bechstein: A Pure Tone

Let’s begin with Bechstein. Listen to the clarity and focus in the beginning of Chopin’s B-flat minor Scherzo. The Bechstein offers a purity of tone that’s truly remarkable.

Blüthner: A Unique Sound

Next, we have the Blüthner. Known for its unique and indescribable sound, the Blüthner will give you a fresh perspective on piano tone. Let’s hear Chopin’s F-sharp Nocturne on this piano and experience the distinct quality of its sound.

Grotrian-Steinweg: A Heritage of Excellence

Grotrian-Steinweg, originally part of the Steinway family, has been crafting exceptional pianos in Germany since the mid-1800s. Listen to a portion of Chopin’s A-flat Ballade on the Grotrian-Steinweg and discover its rich, nuanced sound.

Steinway: The Benchmark

Finally, we’ll compare these German pianos to a Steinway, specifically a model B, which is just under seven feet. Hear Chopin’s Military Polonaise on this Steinway and see how it stands up to the German pianos.

I’d love to hear your impressions of these four instruments. Do you have a favorite? Are there aspects of one piano that you prefer over the others? Do you think some of these pianos are better suited to particular types of music or players? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin, and today I will show you how to achieve a beautiful singing sound using the pedals. This subtle technique can make a significant difference in your piano playing, transforming percussive note transitions into smooth, lyrical lines.

Establishing a Solid Foundation

First, it’s essential to practice with good fingering and without the pedals. This ensures you can connect musical lines with your fingers before relying on the pedals. A solid foundation is crucial for achieving a coherent performance.

Understanding the Sustain Pedal

The sustain pedal, when depressed, creates an echo quality. To avoid a harsh attack, depress the damper pedal slightly after playing the note. This technique enhances sustain without overwhelming the sound. Watch the video to see this technique demonstrated!

Demonstration:

Without Pedal: Play the note without using the pedal.
With Pedal Before Note: Play the note with the pedal already depressed.
With Pedal After Note: Play the note, then depress the pedal after the attack to create a more balanced sound.

Using the Una Corda Pedal

The una corda (soft) pedal shifts the action, making the hammers strike only two strings, resulting in a warmer tone and softer attack. All three strings vibrate sympathetically, enhancing the sustain.

Demonstration:

Without Soft Pedal: Play the note without using the soft pedal.
With Soft Pedal: Engage the soft pedal before playing the note to hear the difference.

Combining Both Techniques

For a richer tonal palette, combine the soft pedal with the sustain pedal. Play the note with the soft pedal engaged and then depress the sustain pedal after the note’s attack.

Demonstration:

No Pedals: Play the note without any pedals.
Soft Pedal Only: Engage the soft pedal before playing the note.
Sustain Pedal After Note: Depress the sustain pedal after the note’s attack.
Both Pedals: Engage the soft pedal before and the sustain pedal after playing the note.

Experiment and Explore

Experiment with these techniques on your grand piano. Upright pianos may not have the same tonal effects, as their left pedal changes the touch rather than the tone. Many digital pianos also model these physical effects, so try them out to see what you can achieve. By using a combination of pedal techniques, you can craft a musical line with a singing quality, enhancing your overall performance.

Introduction

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin, and today I am excited to share one of my favorite pieces to teach: “The Farewell” by Burgmuller. This piece is part of a collection I have previously covered in detail. You can find the links in the video description if you want to explore more of Burgmuller’s works.

Performance and Breakdown

Before diving into the tutorial, I will perform the piece to give you an idea of what it sounds like. “The Farewell” is a beautiful piece that doesn’t require a virtuoso technique, making it great for many players.

Detailed Tutorial

Introduction Section

The first measures are distinct, featuring a warm, melancholy tone that transitions into rousing triplets. The key to this section is to play extremely legato, especially on repeated notes by changing fingers.

Right-Hand Technique

Pay attention to the rise and fall of the phrase, which mimics natural speech patterns. This brings life to your music. Change fingers to maintain legato, especially on repeated notes. One finger should rise as the other descends, with no arm or hand movement to achieve a smooth legato.

Practice Tips

-Use a metronome to find a secure tempo, even if it’s slow.
-Raise previously played fingers high enough to avoid overlapping notes.
-Focus on accents, slurs, and crescendos from the beginning.
-Reduce complex passages to chords for easier learning.

Memorization

I recommend memorizing the piece early in the learning process. This approach saves time and ensures accuracy from the start. Refer to my videos on memorization methods linked in the description.

Key Changes and Sections

The piece follows an A-B-A form with an introduction and a coda. The middle section shifts to C major, with triplets in the left hand instead of the right. Practice each section methodically using metronome speeds. You can also use techniques like accents, rhythms, and note groupings to build fluency.

Middle Section

Focus on maintaining balance between the melody in the right hand and the accompaniment in the left hand. Use the weight of the arm in the right hand to get the melody to break through, while using minimal finger motion in the left hand to avoid overpowering the melody. By using the weight of the arm, you get the power you need to bring the melody to the front, and you can achieve a flowing line that rises and falls.

Coda

The coda features new material, distinct from the previous sections. Practice legato thirds in the left hand and ensure smooth transitions.

Final Tips

-Use the wrist for forte dynamics and decrescendos.
-Practice small sections with metronome speeds.
-Employ different techniques to ensure evenness and fluency.

I hope you find these tips helpful in learning “The Farewell” by Burgmuller. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments.

I’m Robert Estrin, and today we have an intriguing question: Why can’t you buy a piano online? You might think it’s odd coming from me, given that Living Pianos was the world’s first online piano store, started in 2006. However, for the most part, you really can’t buy a piano online. Let me explain.

Practical Challenges

First, there are practical challenges. How do you ship a piano if you buy one online? If you live in Florida and buy a piano from California, how do you get it there? Who will tune it? These practicalities are significant, but there’s more to it.

Protected Territories in the Piano Industry

The piano industry still operates on an old business model of protected territories. This means you can’t shop for pianos the same way you shop for other items online. For most products, you can easily compare prices and buy from the cheapest source. But with pianos, the agreement between manufacturers, distributors, and dealers limits sales to specific geographical areas.

Unique Aspects of Pianos

Every piano is unique, which adds another layer of complexity. The agreements between manufacturers and dealers mean that dealers can only sell within their designated areas. If you visit a store, they can sell to you, but they can’t quote prices over the phone for out-of-area customers.

Exceptions and Loopholes

There are exceptions. Some large dealers skirt the rules and sell out of their designated areas. If caught, they may have to pay a commission to the local dealer. However, as long as the dealer is significant enough, manufacturers often look the other way.

The Living Pianos Model

Living Pianos has based its business model on selling used pianos. Nobody can restrict the sale of used pianos across the country. High-end brands like Steinway, Mason & Hamlin, and Bechstein are often worth the cost of shipping, making this model feasible. We provide high-quality videos and photos so you know what you’re getting. Experienced pianists are always welcome to visit and try the pianos.

Digital Pianos

Digital pianos are another exception. They can be shipped easily, but some digital pianos fall under the same protected territories as acoustic pianos. There are two categories: MI (Musical Instruments) sold in places like Guitar Center and Sweetwater, and home units with protected territories.

Your Thoughts?

What do you think about protected territories in the piano industry? Is it good to protect dealers who invest in inventory, or should you be able to shop anywhere for the best price? Let’s get a discussion going at LivingPianos.com. We primarily sell used pianos and abide by all rules for new pianos, ensuring the survival of the piano business.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today we have an important topic: How to avoid destroying your piano. While we’ve discussed many things you should do for your piano, today we’ll focus on what to avoid. Some of these tips are common sense, but others might surprise you.

Avoid Hot Air Vents

Placing your grand piano over a hot air vent or near one can cause significant damage in just a few months. The dry air can warp and crack the soundboard, making the piano a total loss unless you opt for expensive repairs. Always ensure that your piano is not in the path of a hot air vent.

Stable Temperature and Humidity

Maintaining a stable environment is crucial for your piano. Extreme temperature swings can affect tuning stability, while high humidity can cause rust and corrosion. Conversely, very low humidity can dry out the pin block and felt parts, leading to a noisy action and other issues. Aim for 45-50% humidity, and use a hygrometer to monitor the levels. Consider using a room humidifier or a piano lifesaver system to keep conditions stable.

Protect from Sunlight

Sunlight can bleach your piano’s finish in a matter of months. It can also affect tuning stability if it shines directly on the soundboard. Even if you use window treatments to block UV light, it can still damage your piano. So protect your piano from direct sunlight to keep the finish looking new.

Regular Tuning

Pianos that haven’t been tuned for years will require multiple tunings to stabilize. Similar to changing the oil in your car, regular maintenance is essential. Neglecting this can lead to pitch issues and unstable tuning.

Avoid Furniture Polish

Using furniture polish on your piano can cause wax build-up that requires professional removal. For satin finishes, use a soft microfiber or cotton cloth. For high gloss finishes, a microfiber cloth with a bit of Windex works well.

Reshape Piano Hammers

Piano hammers can become grooved and hardened over time, leading to a harsh tone. They need to be reshaped periodically, but this should be done by an experienced technician to avoid damage.

Don’t Tune with Pliers

Using pliers to tune your piano can strip the tuning pins, causing severe damage. Invest in a proper tuning wrench or hammer, available on Amazon, and avoid makeshift tools.

Avoid Wood Stoves

Wood stoves can severely dry out a room, damaging your piano’s finish and internal components. If you must have a wood stove in the same room, use a humidifier to add moisture back into the air.

Beach Environments

Living near the beach can expose your piano to high humidity, leading to rust and corrosion. Use a string cover to protect the strings from excessive humidity if you can’t keep windows closed.

Use Correct Parts

Replacing piano parts with incorrect ones, like using Steinway hammers on a non-Steinway piano, can severely affect the instrument’s performance. Always consult an experienced piano technician for the right parts.

Ivory Key Maintenance

Closing the fallboard over ivory keys can cause them to yellow. Keep the fallboard open to maintain the bright, white appearance of the keys. Dusting the keys regularly is sufficient to keep them clean.

Conclusion

These tips will help you maintain your piano in optimal condition. If you enjoyed these tips, consider subscribing to LivingPianos.com for more articles and resources.

Introduction

We are about to explore alternatives to Steinway and Yamaha pianos. Most people are familiar with these two brands, and perhaps the piano they grew up with. However, there are hundreds of piano companies around the world, and today, I’ll introduce you to some fantastic alternatives. At the end, I’ll reveal the most logical alternatives to Steinway and Yamaha.

Exploring the Great Alternatives

Bosendorfer
Let’s start with Bosendorfer, an Austrian company dating back to 1828. They are renowned for their 9 ½ -foot Imperial Concert Grand, which boasts 97 keys extending to very low notes. These pianos are exquisitely crafted, maintaining traditional elements from the 1800s, including visible seams in the rim instead of the continuous rim found on all other modern pianos, and the use of spruce in the rim, which contributes to their unique, bell-like tone.

Fazioli
Fazioli, a relatively new Italian company founded in 1981, produces beautifully crafted pianos. Many competition winners choose Fazioli pianos for their outstanding quality. They even have a piano over ten feet long, offering a truly remarkable sound.

German Masterpieces
Germany is home to several top-tier piano companies, including Bechstein, Bluthner, and Sauter. These pianos are meticulously crafted in limited numbers, preserving the high standards set in the 1800s. Steingraeber & Söhne is another excellent German manufacturer, offering unique features like the sordino pedal for a muted sound and the Mozart rail for a historical touch experience. They also provide carbon fiber soundboards for enhanced tuning stability and consistent sound quality.

Asian Excellence

Several Asian-owned companies continue to produce high-quality pianos both in Asia and their original factories in Germany. Brands like Grotrian, Schimmel, and Seiler still produce top-tier pianos in Germany while offering more affordable models made in Asia. Petrof, from the Czech Republic, also deserves mention for their exceptional pianos still owned by the original Petrof family since the 1800’s.

Alternatives to Yamaha
There are numerous Asian piano companies, primarily in China, that you might not have heard of. Two standouts are Hailun and Pearl River. Pearl River is the largest piano manufacturer in the world, producing over 100,000 pianos annually. Korean companies like Samick and Young Chang also produce well made pianos in Korea, China and Indonesia. Some familiar names like Baldwin, Kohler & Campbell, and Steinberg are now produced in Asia and offer high quality Asian production pianos.

The Most Obvious Alternatives
Kawai

For those considering Yamaha, Kawai is the natural alternative. They feature innovations such as ABS carbon action parts and exclusive carbon jacks. As one of the largest piano companies globally, Kawai offers a range of digital, hybrid, upright, and grand pianos, as well as a limited number of hand-built pianos (using the Shigeru Kawai name) similar to Yamaha’s lineup. Some people prefer Kawai for its slightly warmer sound, while others choose Yamaha for its brighter tone (although pianos can be voiced brighter or warmer). Both brands produce well-crafted pianos, making it a matter of personal preference.

Mason & Hamlin
When it comes to alternatives to Steinway, Mason & Hamlin stands out as the only other top-tier American piano company still in production since the 1800s. These pianos, handcrafted outside Boston, feature innovations like thicker rims for soundboard support and the their patented Tension Resonator System for exceptional durability and sound quality. Their state-of-the-art Wessel Nickel & Gross actions, using composite materials, offer a responsive and consistent feel.

Conclusion
There are many hand-built pianos available today, especially from Germany and other parts of Europe, as well as great American pianos from Mason & Hamlin. If you’re shopping for a Yamaha, don’t forget to consider Kawai. Both brands have served the same market for over a century, providing excellent instruments. There are also a plethora of well made Asian production pianos from many companies with Asian as well as American and German names. If you have any other piano brand suggestions, leave them in the comments on LivingPianos.com and YouTube.