So you need a piano: Tips for selecting the right instrument for your needs

A beginning piano student needs a good instrument. Think of it this way: If you wanted your kid to play soccer, would you send him or her out on the field in a pair of cheap flip-flops, or would you make sure your they had a good pair of shoes? Shoes, of course! On the other hand, does your child need professional-quality $100 soccer cleats? Maybe not on the first day.

As a parent, you want to make sure your beginning piano student has a positive experience while learning to play, but you’re probably not ready to go out and buy a baby grand. That’s fine. To help you decide what will be best for your family and your budget, let’s talk about the options.

Acoustic Pianos

A quality acoustic instrument that produces sound from real strings and real wood offers a level of responsiveness and a range of dynamics and tone color than even the nicest electronic keyboard cannot match. The sooner a student has the opportunity to practice on an acoustic instrument with that kind of nuanced musical responsiveness, the better. True, acoustic pianos are expensive. The typical price range for a quality acoustic upright (also called “vertical”) piano is $4000 to $8000, and if you want a grand or baby grand piano, expect to pay even more.  There are some great brands out there, including Yamaha, Kawai, Boston, and Schimmel. If you already have a piano, be sure it is in tune and that the keys are in good working order. Tuning a piano typically costs between $150 and $200 and North Main Music would be happy to connect with you with reputable tuning companies in the Nashua area.

Electronic Keyboards

If you’re not ready to spend a few thousand dollars on an instrument, your beginning student can get off to a great start with an electronic keyboard or “digital piano”. Electronic keyboards come in many sizes and prices. For a new piano student, the most important factors will be the number of keys and whether or not the keys are weighted.

Learning on a keyboard with 88 weighted keys gives a student a big advantage. The weighted keys build hand strength and respond more like the keys of an acoustic piano, making it easier for an advancing student to move on. One of our top picks for beginning students in the electronic keyboard category is the Casio Privia PX-150, which has great key action and the same size keyboard, 88 keys, as an acoustic piano. These and other similar keyboards cost between $500 and $700.

Whether you buy a keyboard with weighted keys or not, it’s best to go with a trusted brand such as Casio, Yamaha, Kawai, or Roland.  When buying an electronic keyboard make sure to also purchase a bench and a stand. A keyboard set on a table will probably not be at the correct height for a young student seated in a chair. Ideally, the keyboard and bench should be set at the right height so that the player’s arm from wrist to elbow is parallel to the floor.

There are certain advantages to having an electronic keyboard over an acoustic piano, such as the ability to plug in headphones so that a child can practice without disturbing other members of the family. Electronic keyboards can also be connected to a computer with a midi cable and used with all kinds of educational and music production software. They’re more portable, and, unlike acoustic pianos, electronic keyboards never need to be tuned.

If a beginning student has access to a quality acoustic piano, they will have the opportunity to develop more nuanced musicianship from the first. But students can also get a great start with at an electronic keyboard and move on to an acoustic piano at a later time.

We hope these tips will be helpful to you in your search for the right piano for your currents needs. As always, you’re welcome to contact us if you have any other questions.

Adapted from this article on the Hoffman Academy website.

Photos from the North Main Music fall 2014 student concert courtesy of Robyn Neville.

The Importance of Mistakes and 5 Famous Rock & Roll Screw-Ups

As humans and musicians, we all make mistakes. Everyone from absolute beginners to high-level professionals are subject to the occasional mess-up and each of us reacts to our imperfections differently. Some musicians are able to recover and move on seamlessly from mistakes, while others allow slight errors to affect their confidence.

The way a musician thinks about mistakes has a huge impact on how they develop as a performer. When musicians are overly-critical of themselves, it can prevent them from being creative and venturing outside of their comfort zone. Mistakes are a necessary part of growing as a player, and without developing the ability to recognize and learn from our gaffes, we miss out on opportunities to improve.

Next time you misstep during a performance, think about what you can take away from the experience. Were there any nice moments or ideas you can use or expand upon in your next performance? What exactly caused the error, and how can you prevent it from happening again?

Remember, play the right notes, but play with feeling and with fearlessness. Focusing on soul and emotion is infinitely more important than focusing on perfection, and mistakes are an invaluable learning tool for any musician. Accept your mistakes as learning lessons, and know that you’re in good company. Some of the most famous acts of all time have messed up big time. From studio slips, to forgotten lyrics, to technical glitches, everyone deals with mistakes from time to time. Here are five of our favorites:

Van Halen - “Jump” (Live) - The synth track plays back in the wrong key during this live performance, resulting in 6 minutes of awful noise.

Paul McCartney - “We Can Work It Out” (Live) - Paul messes up the lyrics not once but twice during this acoustic performance, restarting the song both times.

The Police - “Roxanne” - The seemingly random piano chord at 0:04 and laughing at 0:06 were caused by Sting accidentally leaning on a piano during the recording session.

Billy Joel - “We Didn’t Start the Fire” - Billy forgets some of the words of the second verse, and is forced to start the song over.

Led Zeppelin - “Baby I’m Gonna Leave You” - Beginning at 2:20 you can hear a dim voice that is actually Robert Plant singing along with John Bonham’s drum track. There was no way to remove Robert’s voice from the tracks, so it stayed in.

5 Insightful & Inspirational TED talks about music

No matter what your passion in life, TED probably hosts an intelligent — if not outright provocative — video on the subject. Considering that music exists as one of the essential pillars of human creativity, it comes as no surprise that the beloved lecture series frequently turns its stage over to some of music's great thinkers and performers. Professionals, students and fans alike can easily spend an entire day immersing themselves in all the relevant videos TED has to offer. The following, however, particularly stand out for their illuminating ideas about music and the human experience.

1. David Byrne: How Architecture helped music evolve
As his career grew, David Byrne went from playing CBGB to Carnegie Hall. He asks: Does the venue make the music? From outdoor drumming to Wagnerian operas to arena rock, he explores how context has pushed musical innovation.

2. Jose Abreu on kids transformed by music

Jose Antonio Abreu is the charasmatic founder of a youth orchestra system that has transformed thousands of kids' lives in Venezuela. Here he shares his amazing story and unveils a TED Prize wish that could have a big impact in the US and beyond.

3. Mark Applebaum: The Mad Scientist of Music
Mark Applebaum writes music that breaks the rules in fantastic ways, composing a concerto for a florist and crafting a musical instrument from junk and found objects. This quirky talk might just inspire you to shake up the "rules" of your own creative work.

4. Benjamin Zander on music and passion

Benjamin Zander has two infectious passions: classical music, and helping us all realize our untapped love for it--and, by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, new connections.

5. Robert Gupta: Music is Medicine, Music is Sanity
When Robert Gupta was caught between a career as a doctor and as a violinist, he realized his place was in the middle, with a bow in his hand and a sense of social justice in his heart. He tells a moving story of society's marginalized and the power of music therapy, which can succeed where conventional medicine fails. 

Now we want to hear your opinion! Are these your top TED talks for Music? Are there others you would add? Let us know what they are by leaving feedback in the comment box below and so we can connect with you in collecting the best resources for music teachers, students, and enthusiasts.

This article has been adapted from 20 Incredible TED Talks for Both Music Students and Lovers on the BachelorsDegree.org blog and Top 10 TED Talks for Music Education on the FunMusicCo.com blog.

Surprising ways music is good for your heart

Like most of us, you have probably felt a song pull on your heartstrings or maybe even felt your heart skip a beat at the sound of a particular melody. Countless love songs have been written about the heart—there’s even a band named Heart--to the point that for many people love and music are forever intertwined.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, the holiday celebrated literally and figuratively with the heart, here are some interesting notes on how playing and listening to music actually has real health benefits for your ticker. So, whether you’re a musician or a music fan, turn up the tunes and give your heart some love.

A recent study found that listening to music for 30 minutes a day can lower your blood pressure. During the study, patients with high blood pressure listened to classical music, Celtic music, or Indian ragas for a half hour every day for a month, leading to significant drops in systolic blood pressure (the top number when your blood pressure is taken.) High systolic blood pressure increases heart disease risk. Always consults your doctor first for treatment options for high blood pressure, or any other health issue, but remember adding a daily dose of music can’t hurt!

Perhaps one reason music has the power to lower blood pressure is its natural stress-relieving ability. Music has actually been found to be more effective than prescription medications at reducing stress in patients before surgery. Next time you find yourself feeling stressed, try taking deep breaths and listening to your favorite song. De-stressing isn’t just good for your heart; taking time to relax can boost your immune system and help to clear your mind.

Musicians enjoy another heart benefit each time they practice their instruments. Though most instruments are not exactly a workout, playing music does burn calories and it’s certainly better for you than sitting on the couch watching T.V. Drummers burn the most, averaging around 200 calories per hour of playing. Guitarists and other musicians who stand while they rock out can burn from 130 to 200 calories per hour, while seated players only burn about 60 calories.

When you are ready to exercise, listening to music pumps you up and increases your stamina. Studies have shown many benefits to adding music to your workout, and regular exercise is one of the best ways to improve and maintain heart health. Remember to bring you iPod the next time you go to the gym! If you’re like many of us, and don’t particularly like to exercise, listening to your favorite music can help you stay motivated while you work out.

Now that you know how music is good for your heart, why not find a few more ways to bring music into your day? Here are a few ideas:

• According to Nielsen, the average American watches about 32 hours of television per week. Instead of automatically reaching for the remote, turn on your stereo instead and enjoy the benefits of music.
• Pick a soundtrack for your housework! Play your favorite album while you fold laundry or make a playlist you can put on when you work in the yard. Adding music to your daily chores will change your mindset and help your heart.
• Have you always dreamed of playing an instrument but you never learned how? Now is always the best time to start music lessons! Learning to play will deepen your appreciation for music and give you a new way to experience your favorite songs.
• Musicians, do you turn off your cell phone and your computer when you’re practicing your instrument? Many people don’t, and it can be very difficult to disconnect and truly focus on practicing. Remind yourself that your texts and emails will still be there later and give yourself at least 30 minutes of play without interruptions from technology.

How do you connect with music on Valentine’s Day or just any old day? Let us know in the comments!

Adapted from this article on takelessons.com/blog.

Habits of Excellence in Music

Welcome to the North Main Music blog! Through this blog, we’ll be sharing with you tips on improving your musical performance, instrument maintenance, and interesting articles we have discovered that discuss issues around music education and how music impacts our everyday lives.

Seeing as it’s the start of a new year, and many of us begin a new year with a resolution, often to break a bad habit or adopt a new one, this first blog post is about some of the habits of excellence that can lead anyone to greatness in their music studies. Enjoy! And as always, we welcome your feedback and comments.

HABITS OF EXCELLENCE IN MUSIC

Madi C. Pineau at Fall 2013 student concert. Photo: Sid Ceaser.

Are you driven in your musical pursuits? Do you love to excel? Whether we’re practicing or performing, all of us musicians are striving for excellence. But do music students always understand what excellent musicianship entails?

After years of striving for excellence in my own music career, working with top musicians, and observing incredible musicians, I realized that there are universal habits that enable people to achieve excellence in music. As Aristotle would put it, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." 

I’ve seen time and again that when we embody these habits in our study of music, excellence becomes our ‘default setting’ in rehearsal and on stage. These habits are not traits that a select few are born with--they are habits that anyone like you and me can cultivate.

1.     Have the end in mind. Everything begins with the end—the goal or the vision you want to fulfill with your study of music. If you don’t know what the end is, then there’s no way of getting there, is there? It’s important that you form clear goals of what you want to accomplish with music. What is the end you envision? What are your personal goals and dreams for yourself? Your dreams remind you of exactly what you want and can drive you to practice every day.

2.     Play/sing what you love. When you do something you love, it’s like you have unlimited fuel that keeps you going—day after day. What types of music, or specific songs, do you love to play? If you’re not sure what music you love yet, then what is something you are most eager to try at the moment? Your passion and interest are fuels that will drive you towards excellence.

3.     Work harder than anyone else. I don't know of anyone who has achieved excellent results who hasn't worked hard for them. A big component of excellence is hard work. Sheer, unadulterated hard work. We can streamline processes, choose effective strategies and steps, but ultimately the hard work will still have to come in. Fortunately, if you are doing what you love (step #3), work wouldn't even be work at all.

4.     Make use of every moment. Every moment counts. Excellent people know that time is highly valuable. There's this quote by Donald Trump that I love. He said that time is more precious than money, because you can earn back money, but you can't get back time. That is absolutely true. So try to maximize every moment. If you have some pockets of time, take out your instrument and practice.  Note that this habit doesn't mean practicing 24x7. Making use of every moment also refers to knowing when to rest and rejuvenate when it's needed, because this will help us walk the longer mile on the path of excellence.

5.     Take action to achieve your results. Achieving excellence in your musical studies means being a proponent of action. Whatever we do or don’t do will determine how much we can grow or succeed as musicians. If we want to attain excellent results, we need to take the equivalent actions to reach the results we want. So, instead of just thinking about practicing, pick up your instrument and do it. Don’t just dream about playing in front of an audience, sign up to perform at a North Main Music student concert, or seek out an open mic night near you.

6.     Continuously upgrade yourself. Learning to play music never stops. There is always something we can do to become better. Excellent musicians are always learning, reading, exposing themselves to new knowledge, new people, new contexts and honing their skills. We need to always be leveling ourselves up to achieve excellence. 

7.     Ask for feedback. No matter how much we practice and try to improve, we will have blind spots, and we can’t improve on things that we are blind to. Asking for feedback from your instructor and peers is an effective way to improve. Sometimes you’ll get feedback that is predictable, but other times it won’t be, and often times it will lead to an epiphany on some level.

8.     Positive attitude. It takes time and diligence to acquire the skills of an expert performer, and all of us deal with triumphs and stumbles as we progress. Remember to stay positive by setting specific goals, maintaining a degree of detachment, and fueling your motivation.

Adapted from 7 Habits of Excellence on www.themusiciansway.com/blog and 7 Habits of Highly Excellent People from www.dumblittleman.com.