I have been teaching Keyboard and Organ for nearly thirty years, my youngest student was Four years old, and the oldest was Eighty years old.

So the simple answer to the above question would be No. Maybe the question should be, would I like to learn to play a musical instrument? It is fairly probable that you are not going to become a concert pianist if you start learning at the age of eighty but that does not matter. Learning music is about what you personally want to get out of it. You might for instance want to learn to play one piece of music or a book of music or just to see how far you can go. There are no limits. You can learn as much or as little as you personally want.

I have taught many older people that have said, ?I wish I had learned to play when I was younger? and ?children can learn a lot quicker? and ?maybe I won?t be able to learn at my age?. Yes children will pick things up a little quicker because they have less to think about such as a mortgage, bills, work and many other adult related things that children will never have to think about until they themselves are adults. Adults of any age on the other hand have less time to learn a musical instrument but still have the ability to learn.

So if you are a member of the older generation and wondering whether to learn a musical instrument I say absolutely YES go for it and enjoy it. You won?t regret it I promise you.

Visit http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk

About the Author
Michael David Shaw (Mike to his friends) runs the website Mikes Music Room the place for organ and keyboard tuition and music news. You can email Mike at mike@mikesmusicroom.co.uk

I’ll never forget the time I was giving lessons to this one student. Talk about difficult. She just couldn’t get it. And the it I’m talking about is not reading music or playing Beethoven or Bach. I’m talking about improvisation.

No matter what I showed her she just froze up.

I then realized something. This student really wasn’t having problems getting the technical aspects down, i.e., chords. The problem was she didn’t think she could do it! It was all attitude.

I then had a lightbulb moment. If the basic problem with most adult students is not technique but attitude, then I had to come up with a different approach to reach them. And that approach turned out to be mentoring.

Listen, what people really need is to believe in themselves. If this aspect is missing, no amount of technique or theory will help. In order for me to be helpful, I had to act as a therapist so to speak… gently guiding students to believe in themselves!

Once they could do this, the rest was a piece of cake. Look at it this way, if you don’t believe or have the slightest faith in your own abilities in anything be it writing, painting, whatever, your chances for success are slim indeed!

What I did to help these shaky students was basically a two-fold procedure.

First, they needed to relax and not worry so much about what was coming out of them. Performance anxiety can happen even when we play for ourselves. The critical parent shows up even when we’re playing alone. I had to help them overcome that critical parent first.

The second prong was simply to build up their confidence by showing them how easy it could be to create once that critical voice was eliminated. They watched me play and saw that I didn’t care if I made mistakes or if the music was good enough. My mentoring allowed them to see that the joy of the process was far more important than any product they could come up with.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/pianolessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

Pianos are referred to by some people as the mother of all instruments, and are amongst the most widely played musical instrument in the world. Every single aspect about the piano such as its tone, melodious sound and indeed even its grand looks is wonderful. For a music lover, piano music is so sweet that it makes their heart listen to it over and over again. Given below are some interesting information about this wonderful musical instrument that has enthralled generations of music lovers.

Pianos are musical instruments that can be used for producing percussion, string or keyboard music. Invented by Bartolomeo Cristifori of Florence, Italy, the piano was originally known as pianoforte in Italian. In the initial days of its invention, a piano had 85 keys or 7 octaves from A0 to A7. However, modern versions of the piano have 88 keys or 7 1/3 octaves. An octave is a combination of 5 black keys and 7 white keys.

Pianos are generally of four types namely the Concert Grand, Grand Piano, Baby Grand and the Upright Piano. Concert Grand pianos are the classical models that make the art of playing the piano an amazing experience. Grand Pianos are generally intended for playing at the home and for learners. Baby Grand Pianos are used by beginners and novices, as they are simpler to learn. Upright Pianos are smaller in size and ideal for small homes. Different people have different needs and the availability of piano in various shapes and sizes helps meet the requirements of pianists of different levels and tastes.

Pianos are differentiated on the basis of their shapes sizes colors, sounds, various types of wood finishes, looks, costs and reliability. Many pianists today prefer to use digital pianos, made by reputed piano makers such as Korg, Roland and Yamaha. The real fun of playing a piano lies in the acoustic pianos, which are generally very expensive. The costs of acoustic pianos are typically in the range of $20000 for a good baby grand piano and almost $400000 for a higher quality concert grand piano. Amongst the many sellers of premium quality acoustic pianos are Steinway & Sons and Bosendorfer, either of who have built a reputation over time. There are some real good acoustic used pianos also found on the Internet.

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If you thought music theory was a waste of time and not necessary to further your musical goals, then read these following 5 reasons why this is not true.

1.Read sheet music: Being able to play from any piece of sheet music. Well it may be hard to play BUT you can read it!

2.Be able to transpose: Say you are playing a piece from the sheet music you can now read but you think it sounds too high or too low, or just not right. Well now you can move it into a new key and play at a better singing.

3.Be able to modulate: You will be able to, with a few quick moves of the fingers, move your music into a new key with a succession of notes so pleasing to the ear it will bring a smile to your listeners faces.

4.It will increase your skill in improvising: Enough said.

5.Knowing music theory will help you recreate the sounds you enjoy in your favorite songs. Those fabulous chord progressions. The parts that give a song that certain sound. Gospel, Contemporary etc.

To learn music theory you dont have to become a scholar on the subject. Just at least learn the basics. Getting a good music theory book and spending a few minutes a day reading from it and doing any included exercises can jump start your music playing.

K Quinn is a church pianist and guitarist for her church. Having picked up music late in life she is the site proprieter at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us Tips, tools, and recommendations for a church musician.

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Are there really secrets to becoming a really good piano player? Or is it just a matter of practice, practice, practice?

Practice is necessary, of course, but you could practice until the cows come home without understanding what youre doing at the piano, and all you would end up with is fingers that behave obediently to whatever the sheet music or score tells them to do.

Understanding how music works in terms of form and content is the key to productive practice. Then you are not just playing mechanically by rote like a machine, but you can get inside the music and eventually let it flow out of your brain and heart as well as your hands.

There are at least 33 elements that contribute to becoming a good pianist, says Duane Shinn, pianist and owner of Keyboard Workshop in Medford, Oregon. There are probably more, but without these 33 principles a pianist cannot hope to rise to the level of his ability.

So yes there really are secrets to becoming the piano player of your dreams. Its not that anyone is purposefully trying to keep a secret from you, but its a rare teacher who has the ability to not only play well but to be able to explain music theory chords, melody, rhythm, dynamics, and all the other elements that contribute to playing the piano well and with feeling.

In our piano teaching studio at Piano University we have identified 33 distinct skill that must be developed if a person wants to play up to the limit of her or his potential. Here they are:

1 – Hand & Body Position — Should you look down at your hands? How to use eye flips

2 – The key to productive practice — Spaced repetition

3 – Attitude — how it affects your learning

4 – How & when to pedal. Using explosive dynamics

5 – Exposure: why it’s critically important

6 – Ear Training — Intervals from 2nds to 13ths

7 – Fingering — which finger do you use when?

8 – Chord substitutions that create fantastic sounds

9 – Chord recognition — how to recognize what chord is being used

10 – Musical vocabulary: tempo words, form words

11- Arranging: how is your bag of tricks coming along? Head arrangements

12 – Melodic sense: how does the melody relate to the chords?

13 – Sight-reading: 7 fundamentals you just cannot ignore

14 – Key orientation: Can you think in the key you’re playing in?

15 – Scanning the score before you start playing

16 – Mental practice — how to learn music in bed

17 – Repertoire: Why you need one to be prepared for any opportunity

18 – Goal setting: How good can you get? Is there a limit?

19 – Rhythm awareness — samba, bossa nova, bolero, etc.

20 – Why knowing music history is important to you

21 – Idea stealing — how and where & from who

22 – 12-bar blues; creating a motif; blue notes

23 – Extended chords: 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, suspensions

24 – Technique acquisition: rubber balls, fingering drills

25 – Harmonization: Using I, IV & V to harmonize

26 – Key identification: Recognizing key signatures

27 – Voicing: Open, closed, registers, color tones

28 – Improvisation: Making music right out of your head

29 – Harmony & theory: How much should you know?

30 – Stylistic devices: Western, boogie, jazz, etc.

31 – Analysis: How to understand what you’re hearing

32 – Riffs & runs & fills: How to develop them

33 – Cross-pollination: The best of all worlds!

While reading music is important, the individual who develops these 33 basic skills will be light years ahead of the person who simply plays sheet music the way it is written. There is no longer any reason to be tied to the written music when you can master these techniques that allow you to play from the heart.

A complete list of the 33 essentials of exciting piano playing can be found at http://www.playpiano.com/33-tips.htm Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD’s, CD’s, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His 4-CD and 33-card course titled 33 Tips For Becoming a Great Piano Player! is being used by pianists around the world. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions with over 70,000 current subscribers.

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Whether you are using a book, video, a real live human, or online lessons, keep these pointers in mind in order to get the most out our your studies.

1. Complete and master each section before moving on to the next: As you work through your studies make sure you have each new technique or idea conquered before moving on to the next. Lessons are planned to build upon each other and trying to rush through without fully understanding one will just lead to frustration and wasted efforts.

2. Study as if you were in school. Do some homework every night. If all you have is 15 minutes then use those 15 minutes. If you dont have time to read/watch and apply then do the application of your last lesson or drills such as scales and chords. Reading/watching and not having the opportunity to apply immediately will usually mean you have to relearn your lesson. Take notes. Especially if youre watching a video or working with a human. Also dont be afraid to write all over your workbooks and sheet music.

3. Apply what youve learned: Play for others. Your church, your family, that spare piano sitting in your favorite department store (ask first). Nothing drives a music lesson home better than a recital. It will also magnify what you need to work on.

These tips work whether your a child or an adult. Learning to play an instrument is a wonderful activity.

K Quinn has been playing the piano for 10 years. She picked up the guitar 5 years ago and both for her church. Visit her website at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us for more church musician tools and tips.

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Whenever someone uses the word composer, inevitably, the names of Beethoven, Bach, and other classical personages come to mind. This can be very intimidating to those who want to record their musical thoughts and ideas down.

In fact, comparing yourself to ANY composer will be detrimental to you. Why? Because you will always have to live up to someone’s expectations of what is good music or what is not good music. This comparison trap will lead you nowhere and will result in a drying up of the creative spirit. The solution to this trap is to begin where you are and for most of us that means begin EASY!

I’ll never forget the first time I tried to compose something. It was for classical guitar. I tried to create something original and it took me 2 hours just to write out 4-bars of melody. Of course, I didn’t know what I was doing. There has to be some kind of method that works for you. Now, the method I use today has been very easy to work with because it gives me the freedom to compose AND improvise at the same time. I compose using 8-bar phrases.

To do this all one has to do is write out 8-bars on a sheet of paper. Any paper will do. It doesn’t have to be music paper or manuscript. In fact, I just use a spiral bound journal with ruled lines on it. Whenever I want to memorialize an idea, I draw out 8-bars very quickly. I then improvise and allow myself the freedom to play anything that comes out of me. If I try and think something up, the music will usually wind up sounding forced or contrived – qualities that music is better off not having.

Once the idea (either melodic or textural) appears, I write out the first 2-bars so I remember what it is and use chords to quickly fill in the 8-bar section. After this is completed, I may draw another 8-bars and see what else comes. If nothing more is coming at this particular point, I put the journal away and come back to it later on. This method has served me well over the years and is an excellent starting method for beginning composers.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/pianolessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

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A student once asked me; How come sometimes the music comes freely while other times, I feel blocked and can’t play?

A perfectly valid question and one that many students of improvisation ask. You see, the problem is that many think they should be able to just sit down at the piano and play anytime anywhere. But this is unrealistic. Why? Because you can’t force play!

Improvisation is play. And when you try to force the music to appear, the exact opposite happens. Blocks to receiving the music are set up and the spirit is let down. All this can be avoided if we learn that there is a certain ebb and flow to creativity. Respect this natural tendency. Learn to see the creative force as one that naturally goes away, only to come back again, stronger and revitalized!

There is a natural order to creating that, if respected and trusted, will serve you well. Listen to yourself and don’t let your ego get the best of you.

Many students fear that if they can’t go to the piano and play, they’re creativity is dried up. Not true! They may be experiencing an ebb tide period. During this time, it’s best to take a break from playing and come back later on when the creative waters return.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/pianolessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

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We all want to be in the moment. That’s where real transformation takes place. For some, walking gets them there. Others like to play sports or watch movies. For me, it’s playing the piano. When I’m in the moment, letting the music speak, it’s like the world is new again.

The notes flow out of the piano into the air and I know that something magical is taking place. It may last a minute or a half-hour. No matter how long it lasts, I know that I’ve been transported to a special place. Many musicians know of this place – especially musicians who know how to improvise. There is no planning – only spontaneous invention.

Zen music in particular has an ethereal quality that seems to grow organically. It starts and ends yet there seems to be no starting or ending point. The music just is – like a living being it just is there. It’s like a fine perfume in the sense that it lingers in the air but does not overwhelm or grow tiresome.

Any instrument can be used to create this kind of music but certain instruments lend themselves more readily to it. Flutes, the harp, the piano, the Japanese Koto – these instruments are often used to create atmospheres that linger delightfully but really do not want to go anywhere. Here in the West, we are used to a music that must pursue an ending course. We must have a climax or a big finish or we are not satisfied. Like a fireworks show, it begins and ends with a bang.

There can be a struggle between creating a music that comes from spirit or making music that pleases the crowd. We can be torn between pleasing the ego or pleasing ourselves. To play piano in the new age style is to understand a music that isn’t planned but allowed to become. Once this concept is understood, the music will flow.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/pianolessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

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When I tell people I play the piano, the most common reply I hear is Oh Ive always wanted to play but Heres are the top-ten reasons that adults give for not becoming a musician- even though its their secret ambition. Read on for how to overcome these barriers and achieve your dream.

Im just too busy

Most people assume that you will need hours of free time every week set aside for lengthy practicing to get any good. This idea is a complete fiction- in fact I would say about 5 minutes each day is fine at first (and if you dont have 5 minutes per day to spare, I dont believe you!). If you book lessons with a teacher, you will be committing some time at least each week to concentrate on learning, which may even be enough at first.. Dont kid yourself youll be less busy in three months time because if you dont start learning now you probably never will.

I work shifts/ long hours so I cant fit time for lessons in

Many teachers will offer lessons in the daytime, evenings and weekends- so you should be able to find something that suits you- just call up some local teachers and ask when they have spaces in their schedule. There are also a good number of online courses for most instruments. Or you could buy a Teach Yourself Book and take it from there.

Lessons are too expensive

Again, you could start off teaching yourself from a book- but not all lessons are as expensive as you might think. I teach in groups, which keeps the cost down for the individual, and also turns lessons into a social activity. Find out if there are any teachers in your area who do this.

Im too old

Your definitely never too old to learn a musical instrument! In fact Ive found adults of all ages learn much faster than young children initially. Learning new cognitive skills has even been found to have great health benefits.

I wont be able to learn

Well, Ive never met anyone incapable of learning to play yet! Obviously people have different standards and natural abilities, theyll learn at different rates. But everyone will be able to play to some degree. The best thing is to ask yourself what you want to achieve and then just go for it.

Ill never be any good, so whats the point in starting now

This depends what you mean by good. OK, I admit if your 57 and never played a note in your life theirs no chance of you becoming a virtuoso after ten lessons. But is that really why you secretly want to learn your chosen instrument? How about learning just for the sheer achievement of acquiring a new skill. Or being able to pick out a few carols at Christmas. Or finally write down and record that song thats been going round in your head your whole life. These are all achievable goals you could reach after learning an instrument for just a short time. And does it even matter if your any good if you really enjoy playing?

Ive been told Im tone-deaf and so I cant learn

The short answer to this is, your almost certainly not. Tone deafness is a very rare and specific condition, and music lessons should help improve your listening skills.

I dont think any teachers will be interested in taking on an older learner

Most teachers I know (including myself) really enjoy teaching adults because they have made the decision to have lessons themselves and appreciate lessons so much more than children who are learning all the time. Maybe your children are having lessons, why not ask their teacher if they could teach you as well? Im sure they would be pleased to, or at least recommend another teacher with vacancies.

Id love to learn again- but I hated my lessons when I was younger

A lot of adults have horror stories about severe piano teachers rapping their knuckles with rulers for making mistakes, and punishing them for not practicing 30 minutes a day. Luckily, there arent many (any?) people like that around anymore. Please dont let a bad experience from the past stop you from achieving what you want today. Find a teacher, let them know what you want to achieve and Im sure they will be pleased to help. If you dont enjoy their lessons, let them know why- music lessons should be enjoyable, and as an adult you will be the one in control, with your teacher there to help you.

Ive heard learning to read music is really hard

Learning to read music is really very straightforward. And some teachers might be happy for you to play by ear. Theres a lot of advice on reading music, on the web which can get you started.

I hope none of these excuses are holding you back from becoming a musician! Good luck in learning to play your chosen instrument.

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