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
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
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
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.
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
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 fat
Happy Holidays everyone! If you’re a pianist (or a musician of any sort) you may be called upon by either family or friends to perform something for them this season. It might be fun to be able to accompany as people sing holiday favorites! While you may not have time to practice Christmas music, I have a simple solution for you!
Find some of the easiest Christmas music you can and make it your own by improvising! This is both an easy and fun way to present some holiday cheer as well as a way to practice your improvisation skills. In the video attached to this article, I use a song you can find on Virtual Sheet Music. There is a wide selection of Christmas songs available on the site and they have different arrangements for each of them (ranging from very easy to very difficult).
When it comes to improvising, the most important thing is being intimately familiar with the song. The great thing about using Christmas music is that you’ve heard them so many times; it’s perfect to improvise with!
In the video, I use the song “Greensleeves” (commonly known as “What Child is This”). I chose the easiest possible arrangement so it’s easy to read. You will hear an example of the music played exactly as written first and then a few improvised versions to see what is possible.
But how can you improvise on the written music? The beauty is that you can embellish any way you like! Don’t be afraid to experiment adding notes and altering rhythms. Then you can try to use play the left hand descending harmonies and make up a totally new melody on top! Or have someone play the left-hand part while you make up a melody. The only rule when it comes to improvising with this type of music is to have fun. Everyone you’ll play for will appreciate your efforts, so enjoy!
Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
Happy Holidays everyone! If you’re a pianist (or a musician of any sort) you may be called upon by either family or friends to perform something for them this season. It might be fun to be able to accompany as people sing holiday favorites! While y
Welcome back to my ongoing series featuring the Chopin Preludes. In past lessons I’ve given tips on Chopin Prelude No. 4 (E Minor) and Chopin Prelude No. 6 (B Minor). Like these past lessons, I will be providing a few tips for this Prelude. If you want more advanced lessons, you are in luck as I will be producing some advanced courses on selected repertoire very soon; to get more information please email me directly at Robert@LivingPianos.com.
The thing that makes this particular Prelude so special is that it’s short in length but rich in depth. So what is the best way to approach this piece?
You might have noticed that this piece is broken into short sections with slur markings over each phrase. If you watch the video attached to this article you will notice that I utilize a lifting motion to begin each phrase. I also employ a technique which brings out the top notes for more expressive playing.
Lifting is a method you must employ that replicates how wind and string instruments begin playing phrases. I have played the French horn for many years and one of the most striking differences between playing the piano and playing wind instruments is how you start the first note of a phrase. When playing the French horn, you have to prepare yourself for the first note by taking a big breath and starting the note with the tongue. On the piano you can play a note simply by pushing the key down! How can you prepare yourself to produce the precise sound you are after?
Here is a lifting technique that is simple and effective for beginning a phrase with the exact sound you have in mind:
First, start with a limp wrist, then bring your arm down to the keys while straightening up your wrist. This creates backwards leverage which produces a slower release of the note giving you more control. If you use this technique you will soon notice that you have absolute control over the start of your phrases.
In addition, each one of the phrases in this piece should have a rise and a fall – just like a breath. It is vital that you avoid remaining static with your playing; you should always be either rising or falling.
Bringing out the top notes is another extremely valuable technique for expressive playing. When you are playing quietly it is necessary to delineate the top notes to make them stand out; otherwise the melody gets lost. The general rule is, the quieter you play, the more difference there must be between melody and accompaniment. When you play louder, this isn’t a problem since top notes will come through. However, when you are playing quietly, you need to reach with your fingers to delineate the top notes and make them sing.
Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com. If you want more information on the upcoming advanced videos I have planned please email me.
Welcome back to my ongoing series featuring the Chopin Preludes. In past lessons I’ve given tips on Chopin Prelude No. 4 (E Minor) and Chopin Prelude No. 6 (B Minor). Like these past lessons, I will be providing a few tips for this Prelude. If you
This week we have a special presentation for you. I had the opportunity to interview Steinway artist: George Ko (www.georgeko.co) a professional pianist about how to select an instrument for a concert. We also discussed the piano industry in general. I hope you enjoy it. This is part of a continuing series of interviews with noted people in the piano world.
This week we have a special presentation for you. I had the opportunity to interview Steinway artist: George Ko (www.georgeko.co) a professional pianist about how to select an instrument for a concert. We also discussed the piano industry in general.
Welcome back to our ongoing series on technology and art. First we talked about Technology’s Impact on Music, next we discussed How Social Media and Technology Has Impacted Art and Music and today we are going to discuss the future of Music and Art in relation to advances in technology.
We can sit and wonder what music will sound like in the future but there is no definitive answer. All we can do is speculate based on past technological advances and how it impacted music through history. As instruments got louder, concert halls got bigger, ensembles got larger and music changed dramatically.
When recording and radio technologies were created, music continued to grow and expand. No longer would you have to be present for a performance – it could be re-created for you through recording and broadcast through radio signals into your home and eventually your car. Audiences could number in the millions – which was never possible before.
Multi-track recording would then change music again by offering new ways to record and collaborate. Now you didn’t even need musicians to be in the same room anymore for them to appear on a recording together – they could be in a different time and place and simply edit themselves into a track.
Despite all these advances, older music will never die. Throughout time there will still be people playing Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and all the music we know and love as Classical musicians. There will always be people honoring and immortalizing their works and it’s something that will probably stay true for every era of music – as long as someone keeps playing it the spirit, the sound, and the inspiration will never die.
So what does the future hold? As we’ve seen in the past, art is a form of expression that always seems to find a unique voice. One day someone will present something that you’ve never seen or heard before and they will find a unique voice within popular culture. What they will say and present is impossible to guess.
With the widespread adoption of social media and the prevalence of accessible art, I imagine the future of music will evolve around this concept where musicians can contribute to one another’s projects and inspiration and unique ideas will come to the surface and inspire others. We have seen this type of work with remixes – which is just another word for arrangements or transcriptions. Popular beats and rhythms have been used to create new music and in the future, it could be used to create something that no single person could ever conceive of.
As time goes on, new sounds will be created and in the hands of a master musician or composer, we can hear something truly unique and interesting that has never been heard before. There is a lot to look forward to when it comes to the future of music in relation to technology.
Music will never be universally loved. You probably have some genres of music that don’t appeal to you and your tastes don’t appeal to others. This is one of the reasons that art is so incredible – it can speak to you individually and reach you personally like nobody else. I would love to hear your opinions on this subject and how you think technology will continue to affect art in both positive and negative ways.
Thanks again for joining us at Living Pianos. If you have any comments about this subject or any subject at all please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
Welcome back to our ongoing series on technology and art. First we talked about Technology’s Impact on Music, next we discussed How Social Media and Technology Has Impacted Art and Music and today we are going to discuss the future of Music and Art
This is a thorough exploration about pedaling on the piano which I produced a number of years ago. This is a longer format production I hope you will enjoy!
