Nationwide Mercury Prize Nominations 2008
July 24, 2008
The Mercury Prize is awarded for the best album from the UK or Ireland. As the range of artists up for the award is so diverse, it is incredibly difficult to judge. Former winners include; Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Antony and the Johnsons and PJ Harvey. Nominated artists usually see their album sales increase and the winner receives 20,000 pounds. The list as always causes music debates around the country, which is also the one of its aims. The Mercury Prize was originally set up as a sort of antidote... Read more »
Piano Lessons in PDFs With Embedded Audio & Video Are Here to Stay
July 24, 2008
Does anyone still doubt that the Internet has deeply changed practically every aspect of modern life? Even people who usually resist technological change have to admit that this is true, even if grudgingly. As a piano teacher who has, more recently, greatly benefited from these new technologies, I can now admit that I should have paid attention to these new technologies much earlier. Of course, I still have misgivings about certain aspects of the Web. Still, as far as music is concerned, we have... Read more »
Digital Piano vs. Acoustic Piano
July 24, 2008
The piano has come a long way since it’s invention 500 years ago. The original version has now been replicated and improved countless times, resulting in a large number of different piano styles and with the latest technology, digital pianos have cropped up and become a popular alternative. But which one is right for you? That depends greatly on what you intend to do with your piano playing and what your budget is. However, there are many pros and cons for both sides. Acoustic Piano The acoustic... Read more »
History of the Piano
July 24, 2008
Acoustic pianos have been around for about 500 years, giving the piano a long history of providing music. Despite numerous attempts to create an instrument that involved strings and a hammer, Bartolomeo Cristofori was the one who is credited with actually inventing the first acoustic piano. The First Pianos Cristofori built several pianos, but no one is precisely sure of when the first was created. We do know that the Medici family had one of the pianos in 1700, and evidence suggests that it was... Read more »
Piano Software Courses Vs Piano Tuition Books (Part 1)
July 23, 2008
If you want to learn to play the piano, you can go to a piano teacher or teach yourself. If you’re going to teach yourself how to play the piano then you have to decide whether to use piano software courses or tuition books. Whichever method you choose you should be aware that there is no magic solution to learning to play the piano, whether you choose piano software or tuition books there is going to be a certain amount of study and self-discipline on your part to succeed. Let’s look... Read more »
Ten Of The Most Popular Classical Pieces Of All Time
July 23, 2008
For anyone studying popular classical music, it can be a daunting task to know where to begin. There are so many great pieces that a beginner can get overwhelmed. Here are 10 of the most popular classical pieces with a brief background of each. There are many others, of course, but these 10 are certainly among the most popular classical pieces of all time. Clair de Lune is a piece by Claude Debussy, a French composer. It is the third and most popular movement of the larger Suite bergamasque. It is... Read more »
The Popularity of Music Memorabilia
July 23, 2008
Music memorabilia has always been popular for keen collectors of merchandise from famous music artists. Now, with the help of online auction sites, collecting music memorabilia is fast becoming a popular hobby for brand new collectors. If you want a piece of music history these days, just search the internet. There’s no need to check out music shops and second hand shops. You can find virtually anything you’re looking for, some of it very desirable. Items such as Elvis Presley’s... Read more »
Mastering Blues Keyboard Riffs
July 23, 2008
In popular music, blues keyboard riffs are universal. From Billy Preston jamming with the Rolling Stones to Ray Charles kicking into “What I’d Say,” blues progressions and scales serve as the basis for legendary songs and amazing keyboard solos. One of the greatest aspects of blues keyboard riffs is the musical theory behind them, which is simple enough for beginners, yet still challenges virtuosos. An important musical tool to understand when playing blues keyboard riffs is the... Read more »
Popular Music Free Downloads - Its Never That Easy
July 23, 2008
Free downloads of popular music is indeed a dream for ardent music fans. The internet is at present the most easily accessible medium for obtaining the music you love. There are many websites which now offer popular music free downloads for your iPod, iPhones or computer. Considering the ease of downloading the music of your favorite artists, the number of users accessing these downloads is increasing day by day. Recent surveys confirm that digital musical sales in the United States take place at... Read more »
Legal Music Downloads - Why They Need To Be Legal
July 23, 2008
Earlier, music lovers who wished to hear only selected songs from albums had no other option but to buy an entire album, paying for all songs available in it. As an alternative to this, now a number of websites provide legal music downloads, where you can pick and choose the music your ear loves to hear. Legal music downloads are either made freely available, or sometimes on the payment of a small subscription fee. Contemporary technology has made music downloads easier than ever before. On the... Read more »
