Without further delay, here’s Part 2 tip for Sight-Reading on Piano:

2  Develop Your “Absolute” Sense of Touch.

Always sit in the same place. Middle “D” is recommended because it creates a symmetrical pattern in both directions. Sometimes you may need to make a page turn or your hand will jump from a high position to a low position on the keyboard. It is handy to not have to look down to find the correct position in these cases. By always sitting the same place at the piano, you will develop a physiological memory of all 88 keys on the piano!

To summarise, just make yourself comfortable in front of the piano keyboard. Maintain this standard position of your seating posture; whether you are practising scales, playing leisurely or preparing for exam or concert pieces. You will find that even with the lights off, you can ‘feel’  with your fingers and hit the right keys that you wish, while sight-reading! =)

Happy practising! Till next week for Tip #3!

1. Develop Your “Relative” Sense of Touch.

Acquire the skill of playing so that you don’t need to look down at your hands. Without looking at the keyboard, glide your hands so you feel the two and three black keys (like Braille.) When you need a C, D, or E, feel for the “2s.” When you need an F, G, A, or B, feel for the “3s.”

Most good sight-readers don’t need to look at their hands while they play and this drill teaches you how to find any note without looking at your hands. Then you will be able to keep your eyes on the music and look ahead and this will greatly speed up your sight-reading.

Try it and practice on the piano now! If can, do it in the dark without the scores first. After that, you can try sight-reading on a simple piece of music, moving your hands to feel the black and white keys, while keeping your eyes on the music scores. Do this as much as you can for this week. Look out for my next tip next week! =)

Credits to “Article by Howard Richman of Sound Feelings Publishing, Tarzana, California.”

A lighter and interesting touch for the day, with this clip. Enjoy! =)

A simple but not easy piece musically. Enjoy. =)

One quality that the piano and not many other instruments share, is that you can play more than one note at a time. It is polyphonic. Thus, one can play pieces with complex and rich harmonies when playing alone. The piano can also be a good accompaniment to other instruments.

Playing the piano also develops a high level of manual dexterity. While it may seem very simple to just push the keys, learning to perform complex pieces with precision AND emotion needs a little time and a very human touch.

Recently, research has shown that children who learn the piano do far better in scholastically than their fellow students. Not only are their artistic and musical skills above the norm, but also their language and mathematics skills are also improved. While this benefit is sometimes difficult to measure, piano students also receive a very tangible benefit.

Pianists also learn some basics in posture which can reap huge rewards. For one thing, the basic hand position required for the piano is also the one required for the typewriter/keyboard. Considering how vital the computer is these days, learning this technique is invaluable. With the proper hand position, one can avoid carpal tunnel syndrome that is plaguing our modern-day offices now that computers are being used so extensively. At the very least, the basic concept of sitting tall in a chair will help with basic posture and back pains.

Learning the piano trains the pianist to understand and hear the interplay of the various harmonic lines in each piece of music. Piano is also a good music classroom teaching tool and is the key and basis to learning music theory. After which, it is your (the new-born composer) freedom to start your very own composition, as and when your inspiration comes knocking!

Moreover, the piano uses both hemispheres of the brain, requiring your ten fingers to be controlled independently! This might sound hard but with practice and time you’ll be able to even do more than one thing simultaneously.

There are many job and career opportunities, from being a pianist in lounges/church/events/weddings/hotels/bands to being a future instructor or professor in music colleges and universities, and also as accompanists for orchestra choirs/exams/competitions as well. The list goes on.

The ability to play a musical instrument and to express one’s self with a musical instrument is very healthy and therapeutic. Stresses can melt away. The piano is always there, ready for you to pour out your soul. It is a most patient and agreeable companion. If you’re upset, go ahead and thunder away on the keyboard. And when you’re done and feeling better, go ahead and pick up a more languid or cheerful piece.

And, of course, a piano is a beautiful addition to any living room! A piece of classical art from which nice classical music is produced.

Start learning the piano now. I welcome all ages, from all walks of life.

Damn zai lah… =)

For more details about NTUPE and the concert, please refer to:

http://www.ntupe.com/