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May 26, 2008

Information about The Marimba

The Marimba has come a long way - both geographically and technically speaking. The proto-marimba has long been a part of Amazonian, West African, and Central American cultures. In our society, they are the epitome of a classy, well respected instrument usually featured in high culture circles (such as in academia and orchestras). Marimbas are one of the most beautiful sounding percussion instruments. While very long and heavy, marimbas are capable of making very low to high tones that add an ethereal quality to many music pieces.

People interested in percussion (and perhaps even piano, since the overall layout is somewhat similar) should study and master the marimba. While playing the marimba is standard on the collegiate level, not too many people play the marimba before or after college, which is a shame. Although high school students may briefly encounter the marimbas in marching bands and drum and bugle corps, it is usually an insufficient amount of time to truly appreciate the complexity and necessity of this instrument.

The reason for the high concentration of marimba playing in college, as opposed to any other time, is that marimbas are very expensive instruments. Often running a couple thousand dollars, they are too expensive for the average person. However, many reputable music schools should have one or two of these at their disposal, and these places make for great practice areas (besides the fact that a professional will be teaching you proper technique). There are affordable ways to get behind a marimba - do it!

The marimba is composed of metal keys of varying lengths hit by soft yarn mallets to produce varying tones. Many marimba players play using two mallets, or even using two mallets in each hand (resulting in four mallets being used simultaneously). Some of the more advanced players can use even more mallets…which is truly amazing. There are many techniques to striking the marimba, so a good deal of emphasis is placed on proper mallet holding methods. Depending on your personal style/capabilities and your teacher’s personal preference, you may learn the “traditional grip”, the “Burton grip”, or the “Stevens grip”, amongst many others.

The marimba is an octave lower (an octave is equivalent to eight complete notes) than its smaller counterpart, the xylophone. The main difference between the two instruments is the resonators featured on the marimba. These resonators (usually made of a light metal such as aluminum) are of different lengths and widths to help the marimba achieve its varying sounds. For the lower sounding notes, the resonators beneath the keys sometimes have to bend so as not to go straight through the floor!

Although many people are more familiar with the xylophone, the marimba serves as a sort of backbone in orchestras, ensembles, and bands. They are currently very popular in percussion ensembles, jazz ensembles, and marimba concertos. Any musician with serious musical aspirations simply must explore this wonderful and challenging instrument.

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May 23, 2008

Information about The Saxophone

The saxophone is a relatively recent invention - it was created in the 1840’s to bridge the tonal gap between lower woodwind section and the low brass section! The saxophone - informally called sax- is conical shaped and utilizes a reed in the mouthpiece, much like clarinets do. The saxophone is a hugely popular instrument and is a member of the woodwind family, joining the likes of flutes, piccolos, and clarinets. Normally, the saxophone is made of brass and it ranges in size, depending on the overall pitch (tenor sax is larger than an alto sax and soprano sax, for example). If you are tinkering with the idea of playing an instrument, the saxophone is a wonderful choice.

The saxophone is a combination of clarinet (the mouthpiece) the flute (the fingerings) and brass instruments (made of the same material). Although they appear to be a hybrid, saxophones have become very distinct instruments and there are several types of saxophones! The most common saxophone is the tenor saxophone, but baritone saxophone, alto sax, and soprano sax are all used in society. The soprano sax is the only saxophone that is straight (all others have the signature u-bend) and reaches the highest register for this instrument; on the opposite end of the spectrum, the baritone sax is very large and usually only played in professional orchestras. If a person is competent in playing the alto sax, it is usually not difficult to jump from one saxophone type to another type.

Saxophones are capable of producing two and a half octaves. Their sounds can range from that of a clarinet to that of a brass instrument with ease. There are twenty keys on the saxophone, six finger plates, and two keys that denote which octave is being played - when blowing through the reed mouthpiece, all of these keys work together to create the desired tones.

The saxophone is a great individual instrument, but it is used in many types of music. Jazz is most famous for using saxophone, but rock, ska, pop, show tunes, smooth listening, Broadway, blues, reggae, big band, samba, and swing all use the saxophone in their respective genres. Orchestras and ensembles utilize the sax - in fact, Saxophone quartets or ensembles are extremely popular - and the saxophones expansion is only growing. Many people play it purely for its relaxing and sonorous qualities; whatever your goal may be, the sax can help you achieve it.

The saxophone is very popular so as a result, there are many saxophone instructors around the country. In turn, there are innumerable amounts of sheet music created specifically for the saxophones, and any type of music can be performed.

The sax is a wonderful and fun instrument, but initially learning the tricky fingering can be tough. It is highly advisable to take a few lessons from a saxophone teacher - but once you learn the proper breathing and fingering techniques, you can continue to teach yourself or you can continue to receive expert guidance. The choice is completely up to you!

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May 12, 2008

Information About The Flute

The flute is a woodwind instrument that is still widely popular even though it has been around for hundreds of years. The flute is the highest pitched instrument in most bands (especially beginner ones, as the piccolo is not always used), and it is made of metal. Unlike the other members of the woodwind family (the clarinet, the saxophone, etc) the flute does not utilize reeds. Rather, the sound is produced by pushing air through the cylindrical instrument.

The proto-flute has been around for thousands of years – archeologists unearth bones with holes in them can be played very similar to a flute all the time. As of writing this article, every civilization past and present has some instrument that resembles a flute; yet the flute as we know it is a relatively modern invention. The final product, the flute still used today in beginner bands to professional orchestras, was created only a couple hundred years ago.

Flutes are deceptive in their appearance – although the flute can be very easy to play once you get the hang of it, they can be very tricky in the initial learning stages. Sound is created by pursing the lips, blowing into a hole, and the new wind stream (introduced by the breath) bounces around and interacts with the air already in the cylinder. Specific notes then correspond to whichever holes are opened or closed, which ultimately lengthens or shortens the cylinder (or resonator, to be more specific). A good, strong tone is only achieved when the air flow is constant. That may sound easier than it actually is, but practice will strengthen the diaphragm and thus lead to loud clear tones.

Most flutes people will encounter are the transverse flutes – these are the flutes that are side blown. Transverse flutes can accommodate each individuals arm length, which is important to ensure all proper fingerings can be achieved. Other flutes include Pan Flutes (as depicted in Greek mythology, most famously), Ocarina, Xaio, Indian Bamboo Flute, Bass flute, and the list goes on and on. On the professional level, virtually all flautists play “open hole” flutes, which in appearance are like beginning transverse flutes, but are much harder to play.

Flutes are common in beginner bands, high school bands, and university level bands. However, the flute is still used in the military, orchestras, symphonies, jazz ensembles, rock bands, woodwind ensembles…the list is endless. Interestingly enough, the flute is enjoying a resurgence in popular music, for its’ tones can add just the right amount of pizzazz to any music.

If you are considering playing a flute, there are innumerable flutes instructors all over the country. Once you learn the basic fingerings and how to read music, there is ample sheet music, spanning all music genres, designed specifically for flutes. With practice and a decent amount of dedication, you can be playing this beautiful instrument in no time.

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April 30, 2008

Benefits of Playing Piano

Filed under: Important Music Information — bestshee @ 3:39 pm

While many parents agree that enrolling children in sports is a good way to condition their children (both physically and socially), an increasing amount of parents are realizing that enrolling their children in music classes brings many benefits to the children.

The most popular instrument for music lessons is still the piano, but there are a myriad of other instruments to choose from. However, for the sake of this article, the focus will remain solely on the piano, although many examples given here can be tweaked and used pertaining to other instruments.

Playing the piano helps kids develop coordination, specifically, hand-eye coordination. Kids will learn how to use both their hands in completely different ways at the same time, and their eyes will learn how to read two completely different lines of music simultaneously. Hand and eye coordination helps sharpen the nervous system and will keep their brains developing.

Concentration will also improve in young children’s minds, because not only do they have to learn pieces, but they will have to memorize songs as well. Their brains will also have to learn how to sight read (which can be very challenging), how to recognize chords, and how to use the foot pedals. Going hand in hand with concentration is discipline, because it takes both discipline and concentration to master a piece of music.

Playing the piano will also boost your child’s self esteem. Every performance they give will be culmination of hours of hard work, and their recital is equivalent to a sports championship. Giving a recital can be absolutely nerve-wracking, but like most things “worth it”, the adrenaline rush and sense of accomplishment at the end makes the whole process worthwhile. If children stick to piano lessons, and continue to move ever higher on the difficulty ladder, their recitals will take on even greater significance, as it can lead to a life-long career in professional music.

If a child takes a particular likening to piano, they will soon learn that there are many career opportunities for professional piano players. In fact, being a piano player is a highly respected job and can earn beau coup money. Not only are there positions in orchestras, but studio musicians, television musicians, soundtrack musicians, piano bars, piano lounges, high class hotels, and casinos all pay top dollar for good piano players. In fact, only three musicians have ever been awarded a Pulitzer Prize, and Thelonious Monk, a legendary piano player, was one of the recipients. It just goes to show that when a person begins playing the piano in earnest, the limits are indeed endless.

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