ilearnmusic: Piano Lesson 1.4 - Seeing the Left Hand Visually

2007-05-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Basic Chords for Beginners 1

2007-04-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

In this post, there are 5 videos in Basic Chords for Beginners series. This video series is very suitable, as the title suggests, for beginners. OK, you come here not for my writing, but for the videos, so enjoy!

Piano Fingering and The Musical Alphabet

Finding Middle C

A Major and A Minor

B Flat Major

B Major and B Minor

ilearnmusic: Piano Lesson 1.3 - Starting to Use the Left Hand

2007-04-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

Is It Really Possible To Play The Piano By Ear?

2007-04-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

Is It Really Possible To Play The Piano By Ear?

Playing by ear is the ability to play a piece of music (or, eventually, learn an instrument) by simply listening to it repeatedly. The majority of self-taught musicians began their education this way; they picked up their instrument and began playing an easy melody from a well-known song, slowly picking out the notes as they went along. And even after these musicians master their instruments or a particular song, playing by ear still plays a large role.

Many pop and rock bands don't play or write their songs based on sheet music, they figure the songs out by playing by ear. It's even common among non-musicians. Ever sit down a piano and mindlessly pick out the tune to "Mary Had a Little Lamb"? What about grabbing a guitar and suddenly finding yourself playing the opening licks to "Smoke on the Water"? That's playing by ear. You're able to play part of the song just because you've heard it so often.

Playing by ear is a valuable technique for many musicians; learning songs based solely on hearing them is a great way to understand song and chord structure. In fact, a great number of rock and pop musicians learned to play their instruments this way. Instead of picking up a book or taking lessons, they concentrated on figuring out the notes and rhythms to a song until it was mastered. Then they moved on to another song. And another. Gradually, they learned their instrument just by playing by ear -- and in the process learned how to effectively structure a song in that particular genre.

Playing by ear is also beneficial in helping a musician develop his or her own style; sure, they'll at first mimic the style of the song they're imitating, but the amalgamation of the music that they're playing by ear will help them create something distinctive, something indicative of them only.
Though classical musicians are generally educated based on tons of music theory and sight reading, some methods rely on playing by ear. The Suzuki method of musical training, for instance, claims that learning music is the same as learning a language; it's acquired by years of hearing it, eventually coupled with formal training. Just like we pick up our language by listening to our parents and subsequently attending school, we can learn music by playing by ear and later taking formal lessons.

So can the average person ever hope to play their piano by ear? Maybe not to the degree that some extremely talented musicians do, but anyone can learn enough about the basics of playing by ear if they learn the following skills:

Being able to hear a tune and have a general sense of the contour of the melody -- when the tune moves higher or lower as the song progresses.

Learning to chart that melody contour either on paper or in their memory.

Learning to match the melody to appropriate chords.

Playing by ear is really a combination of of three factors:

1. Using your tonal memory to recall music you have heard:

2. Using your ears and fingers to help you reproduce what you recall;

3. Using "melody contour" (the "shape" of the tune), "chord structure" (how to form the chords on the keyboard to match the tune), and "chord progressions" (the path chords take as they move through a song).

Obviously, the first 2 steps you can take more or less by yourself -- you can mentally rehearse recalling a particular tune; you can sit at the piano for hours and through trial and error pick out tunes, chords, and rhythms. But the real key to playing by ear is learning how to chart the shape of a tune, learn how to construct chords, and then determine the likelihood of chord progressions -- in other words, which chord comes next.

When you get an understanding of step three, you will be in a MUCH better position to understand and profit from steps one and two!

For more info on playing the piano by ear, please go to "How To Play Piano By Ear!" In addition, dig the Secrets of Exciting Chords and Chord Progression.

Beatles Medley

2007-03-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

A medley combining 15 of The Beatles tracks!

Here they are in order:
1.Yesterday
2. And I love Her
3. We Can Work It Out
4. Here, There, Everywhere
5. Norwegian Wood
6. Mother Nature's Son
7. Something
8. Penny Lane
9. In My Life
10. Across the Universe
11. Octopus's Garden
12. Lady Madonna
13. I am the Walrus
14. Let it be
15.Hey Jude

ilearnmusic: Piano Lesson 1.2 - Three Simple Songs

2007-03-10T18:34:00.000-08:00

ilearnmusic: Piano Lesson 1.1 - Fingering and Hand Position

2007-03-09T18:32:00.000-08:00

ilearnmusic: Piano Lesson 1.0 - Finding The White Keys

2007-03-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

This is a video from ilearnmusic. It is actually one of the piano lesson series from the ilearnmusic...

Bohemian Rhapsody (Intro)

2007-03-07T16:20:00.000-08:00

This is the intro of Bohemian Rhapsody on piano. This guy here played really close to what Freddie played. Notice the hand crossover? :P

Play Piano Video