Friday, December 25, 2009
Sekalung tahniah kepada waraga SSeMJB!!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Gamelan perform by 2 Inang students
The lesson was conducted by En Abdul Rahim who also one of the music coach in SSJB.
In this video, the students perform a gamelan traditional Malay song called song called "Ikan Kekek"
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Course for Sekolah Seni's Coach
All the coaches from Sekolah Seni will have to attend this course.
For music, this course will be conducted by Miss Dia Fadhilah and Miss Isabella Pek.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
How to Get Better and Better at Playing the Guitar
Still, there are some things you will need to do to make this happen. Of course, practicing is one of those. The more you practice, the more advanced you will become, more quickly. Even practicing just a few minutes a day will help you move you into the more advanced categories of playing the guitar!
Another way you can get better is to expand your horizons with the type of music you are playing. Playing the same old silly songs that are found in so many guitar books can be quite boring! You can get better by trying different music styles, and even pushing your limits a little with more advanced guitar tablature.
You can even get better by practicing with other people. Perhaps you have a friend or family member who would like to learn as well. You can both use the course materials and help each other along the way. This can be quite fun, and it can help motivate you to keep on going if you have someone else to hold you accountable.
It's also helpful to learn from people who are more advanced than you currently are. They can help keep you going, and show you what you have to strive for. It's also great if they can show you what you might want to improve on, but it's often just helpful to be able to watch them.
That's why so many guitar enthusiast turn to the web. There are many videos from great guitarists that can serve to inspire and motivate you. You can get a great extended education just by watching videos of people playing guitar that you enjoy.
The best courses contain these different components. You'll be able to participate in a community, which can motivate you to keep on going and know that you are not alone. You can also try different music styles, and watch videos of professionals playing their music.
By immersing yourself in guitar in this way, you will get better and better, very quickly. Get started now, and you'll see your success soon!
Now you can discover how to play guitar online which are readily available.
About the Author
Discover the Best Learn Guitar Product Reviews.
The Significance Of Music Education
Those that have music in some form or another do better in all subjects as it is good for the mind, body, and soul. If your school is thinking about cutting music programs to save money, you may want to stand up and ask if there is another way to save or raise the needed money to keep those programs alive.
One very small thing to consider in the importance of music education is the break it gives students from the grind of academic courses. A day filled with nothing but intense study is enough to cause anyone to crack. Those that have music education each day have a break from this and can unwind, relax and allow the creativity to flow. This is helpful in keeping grades up and student from feeling that school is nothing but a huge stresser. If they have something to look forward to, it makes sense that they are going to do better in other areas of study.
The importance of music education is also about how the mind processes music. This works the same parts of the brain that works on math, patterns, and rhythm. These are all essential for better learning in all areas. Music is a great way to work out the brain in ways that help it with all academic endeavors. Music education that helps with this falls in with music class, chorus, band, marching band, and other extracurricular act ivies that include making and enjoying music.
If you understand the importance of music education, there are a few things you can do. For one, have your children take advantage of whatever programs that you have so that they can enhance their education. Not all students want to take part in music programs, and that is okay, but if they are interested at all, encourage them to sign up and participate. They are going to love the programs and they are also going to benefit in ways that they do not see. You will know though, and that is all that counts. You will see it in their grades and stress levels.
Go to meetings and talk to the school and PTA about the importance of music education and programs if you know that some programs may be up for getting cut to meet a school budget. Do more research about what music does for educational pursuits and give the best arguments that you can come up with to save the programs.
Seek help from other parents that understand the power of music education and that feel the same way you do about saving these great classes, events, and programs. With enough people backing you and enough support from the community, these programs can be saved and other funding can be found in some cases.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Practising Techniques for a Musical Instrument
1. Play slowly. This enables you to focus on all areas of the piece and get it accurate. When you learn a piece of music you go through a number of steps. Firstly you get the notes accurate. Secondly you get the rhythm correct. Thirdly you add the require musical features such as dynamics, ornaments, appropriate speed and anything else which the piece requires. Take this step one feature at a time. If the piece needs to go at a fast pace then you will need to do lots of repeated playing to build up the speed with ease. Lots of slow, focused practise will aid with this.
2. Repeat difficult sections: This could be two notes , such as an interval change for tone, or two bars to practise a difficult rhythm. Then practise a couple of bars or a phrase either side of the difficult section(s) to flow it through. Extend the number of phrases you practise around the difficult part(s) and eventually play the whole piece through at the speed of the difficult section(s). Sometimes when people practise the difficult section on its own and get it correct and then when you it is put in context with more of the piece , the original mistake reoccurs. This is common. Just keep up the slow, focussed practise. Practising difficult sections on their own help make the sections as easy as the simpler parts. Sometimes when there are easy and difficult sections people play them at different speeds and then do not get the understanding of how the piece should flow at one even tempo. This is where you play the piece at the speed of the harder sections.
3. Play extra exercises: If there are problems in any section of the piece then you can do extra exercises away from the piece eg in rhythm or tone exercises. A music teacher can advise some exercises. Rhythm exercises could include clapping and counting out loud, slowly. Then playing several times. A metronome can keep you in time, especially if you play a wind nstrument and can't count out loud when you play. Tone exercises could include playing long notes, listening carefully and changing something you are doing if you are not happy with the sound. If you are playing notes up a scale start with a tone you can play well and move that sound onto the next note. Try and get the same effect.
4. Repeat Often: You need to repeat your practise sessions on different days of the week. It is much better to do a little practise ( as low as 5 minutes ) and often than one big practise ( 30 minutes ) one day a week or before the lesson . This is like anything in life, if you repeat it often enough then you get to know it. Draw yourself up a practise honesty chart with weeks down left hand side and days of week across the top. Fill it in every time you practise. Try and do at least 5 practise sessions each week.
5. Practise for a similar time each session: The amount of time to practise will vary according to you level. Beginners can start off with 5-10 minutes, Intermediate people ( at grade 5 level ) should expect to do 30 minutes and Advanced people ( grade 8 and above ) may practise 2 or 3 hours. Regular training works. Just remember the whole point of learning an instrument is to enjoy it. So always play music you like for fun. Your focussed practise sessions will be separate so that you can improve and then play more difficult pieces for fun.
6. Correct Posture: Make sure you practise using a posture suitable for your instrument eg for wind instruments you will need a straight back ie not slouched and relaxed shoulders in order to breathe properly and produce a good tone. You could be sitting or standing. It is a good idea to practise both ways if you can. Just remember if you are aiming to play in a group such as an orchestra or chamber group then you will be sitting dowm. If you want to be a solo perfomer you will stand if the instrument allows you too.
7. Use a Mirror: Play pieces, exercises in front of the mirror and have a look to see if there is anything which may need correcting eg posture, holding the instrument.
8. Wear Comfortable Clothing
9. An example of a 30 minute practise session: ~ warm up with simple pieces you like to play ~ 5 minutes tone exercises ~ 5 minutes on current scales and technical exercises ~ 5 minutes or more on current studies, repeating some old ones ~ 10 minutes on the pieces you are currently learning with your teacher if you have one.
You can take a break in the middle .
You have read the tips on practising . Take note of them, do them and you will reap the rewards. Go forth and enjoy your instrument and the benefits of PRACTISE.
About the Author
I am a business person providing a service as a keyboard, piano, flute, recorder teacher and work at home opportunities. Whether you want to practise your instrument eg on piano at http://lili242.rpiano.hop.clickbank.net/ and/or Reach for the stars and Be Your Own Boss, you can check out the products at http://www.products4purchase.com
Monday, October 19, 2009
Which Saxophone is Right For You
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If one is looking at purchasing a used saxophone, two presumptions or considerations may arise: first, that the person purchasing must get the item which will give him the best value for his money; second, that the person is using it for playing music. The importance of the second point is that saxophone, as a musical instrument, comes in different kinds. The difference lies in the music and pitch being produced by each type of instrument, sizes and shapes, as well as considerations which are related to the skill level of the player of the instrument.
Therefore, to be able to make the best decision as to which saxophone best suits any player of the instrument, it is important that one has a working knowledge of the different types of saxophones as well as the corresponding differences that distinguish one from the other. In doing this, one can effectively discriminate and choose the saxophone that best suits him.
There are generally four types of saxophones available in the market today. The first type is called the soprano saxophone. The soprano saxophone is tuned in the key of B flat (or Bb). It has the highest tune or pitch among all the other types of saxophones. Consequently, playing the instrument requires some skill because the pitch, being high, is more difficult to manipulate and manage. Therefore, most of the players of this type of saxophone are already adept at playing the instrument and are what can properly be considered as professional saxophonists.
The second type is the Alto Saxophone which plays at the key of E flat (or Eb). The position of this type of saxophone's bell allows its player to hear more of the sound produced by the instrument than by the other saxophones played. Most pieces composed for practice are also tuned in the key of Alto Saxophone. Consequently, it is considered as most befitting beginners and anyone whose skill level in saxophone is elementary.
The third type would be the tenor saxophone. It is larger than the alto saxophone and the sound its produces is closer in range to the human voice. This is also the best type of instrument for playing jazz and some rock.
The fourth type of saxophone is the baritone saxophone. It has the lowest range among the other types of saxophone and is usually used in the bass section in soul music or tunes. It is also the biggest and heaviest among all the other types of saxophone.
All of these types of saxophones are best in their own respect. One just needs to identify precisely the use of the saxophone to be played or purchased. So if one is a beginner, it is strongly suggested that he starts playing the alto saxophone first. It also depends upon the sound that the player is most interested in. If one prefers to play jazz tunes, then the tenor saxophone is recommended. But if one is more into bass range sound, richer and deeper tone then the baritone is the best choice.
One may also take into account the size and the weight of the saxophone which will affect its manageability and overall comfort in playing the instrument. There are, of course, no hard fast rules applicable in determining the best type of saxophone. The person has to weigh in different factors in the process of trying top get the saxophone which is just right for him.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Significance of a Clarinet/Saxophone Mouthpiece
For the single- reed instruments which are the clarinet and the saxophone, the mouthpiece plays quite an important role, in which it provides an opening for air to enter into the instrument. Mouthpieces for saxophone and clarinets are basically wedge-shaped, with the reed placed against the surface closest to the player's bottom lip. The player's breath causes the reed to vibrate, which in turn causes the instrument to vibrate.
Clarinet Mouthpieces
The clarinet mouthpiece is narrow inside and typically has a square or rectangular cross section. The bottom of the mouthpiece is formed with a tenon that is ringed with cork. Clarinet mouthpieces are available in hundreds of styles from dozens of manufacturers around the world. Differently sized Clarinets require a different sized mouthpiece. However, with some soprano clarinets, they are usually so close in size that players typically use the same mouthpiece on both.
Saxophone Mouthpieces
The saxophone mouthpiece is similar to a clarinet, however it has no tenon. Instead, the saxophone's neck has a ring of cork glued to it, and the mouthpiece fits firmly onto the neck cork. Saxophone mouthpieces are also available in hundreds of styles from dozens of manufacturers around the world. Saxophone mouthpieces are available in hundreds of styles from dozens of manufacturers.
Clarinet and Saxophone mouthpieces have made out of hard (vulcanized) rubber, brass or other metal, crystal, glass, plastic, and wood. Today, the most common material for professional clarinet and (classical) saxophone mouthpieces is hard rubber. Jazz saxophone mouthpieces are made out of hard rubber or metal.
There is some debate over whether the material affects the tone, or whether tone is shaped only by the internal shape and dimensions of the mouthpiece. With mouthpieces of any material, the tip, table, or facing can be ruined if it is scratched or worn down.
Gemma Lee,
from www.shinemusic.com.au Teachers in piano, saxophone, violin, singing, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, flute and clarinet lessons
About the Author
Qualified Teacher from www.shinemusic.com.au
How To Pick Your Musical Instrument
Musical instruments, even electronic keyboards, will be an excellent investment. They come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges and are fun for both children and adults of any age to play. Music is a valuable resource for children to learn different sounds and find their rhythm.
By going over the history and the various types of musical instruments available, you may get a better feel for the instrument that would be most pleasing for you to learn to play. They can represent the dream of everyone to be a star.
Musical instruments developed independently in many populated regions of the world. Many instruments existed in this form for thousands of years before patterns of three or more tones would evolve in the form of the earliest xylophone.
Many instruments were used by the Egyptian culture before 2700 BC and bore striking similarity to those of Mesopotamia, leading historians to conclude that the civilizations must have been in contact with one another. Musical instruments such as zithers appear in Chinese literature written around 1100 BC and earlier.
Musical instruments can be grouped in five major classes: (1) stringed instruments, (2) wind instruments, (3) percussion instruments, (4) keyboard instruments, and (5) electronic instruments.
Instruments for producing musical sounds have long been classified as woodwinds, brass, percussion, or strings; to these must be added electrical and electronic instruments. Instruments such as the timpani (kettledrums) and xylophone are called percussion instruments because the sound is initiated by a blow.
Electronic instruments are more advanced musical instruments of our times and they produce music through electronic means such as keyboards, drums or guitars. Acoustic musical instruments are musical instruments that are capable of creating sounds entirely via acoustic means as opposed to by way of electronic means. While, digital instruments can talk to each other using a protocol called MIDI.
Comparing and organizing instruments based on their complexity is misleading, since advancements in musical instruments have sometimes reduced complexity. Common string instruments include the guitar, violin and piano, which is a musical instrument with 88 keys.
Instruments such as the celesta, pipe organ, accordion, and piano are usually put in a group called keyboard instruments, because the respective vibrating bars, pipes, reeds, and strings in these instruments are selected by use of keys in a keyboard.
String instruments are musical instruments that are played by plucking, strumming, picking, or bowing the strings. A typical string musical instrument is a guitar or mandolin and they generate sounds through plucking of the strings, which through vibration create what we call music.
Many believe that the The Drum is the Heart Beat of Music. Individuals enjoy drums as an instrument that is exciting and fun to play, but many music lovers truly believe that drums are the heart of music due to the way that they keep time and rhythm for the rest of the instruments.
Drummers have always held a certain mystique within the world of musicians. Drums depend on thickness and tension of the drumhead. Percussion instruments are musical instruments that are played by banging or shaking, like drums, marichi's or maracas.
Brass instruments include the trumpet, french horn, trombone and tuba. Brass Instruments are musical instruments, producing tones by vibration of the lips, and are not only made of brass metal but also of wood. While, a double bass is a very large string instrument. The earliest known double bass type of instrument dates from 1516.
Wind instruments include the flute, pan-pipes, pitch-pipes, mouth organs, oboe, clarinet and saxophone. Typical wind musical instruments are trumpets, flutes, clarinets and bagpipes. An early flute, which was found in China, was the ch'ie.
The Didgeridoo is a long, slightly conical wooden instrument, used traditionally by the Aboriginal people of Northern Australia. Other names for the Didgeridoo are Yirdaki, Kanbi, and Ihambilbilg - although at least 40 different Aboriginal names are commonly used for this instrument throughout Australia. Playing the Didgeridoo well is not an easy task but it really is a beautiful instrument and it has a great sound when played well.
Known as the oldest wind instrument in the world, the origins of the didge may go back as far as 40,000 years. Though only one "note" can be played with the didge (called a drone), overtones and vocal sounds from the player give it a rich sound and countless textures.
As you can see there are countless musical instruments to choose from. Hopefully, you now have more information that has helped you become aware of how to pick your musical instrument.
About the Author
Jackie Spivey is the Author of this Article. He is an artist who has a very creative, eclectic collection of music that is available for your listening pleasure. You can listen to and/or download the song, Let's Go Bye Yehe at JacSan Records.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Kids Music - Discovering and Maximizing the Benefits of Children's Music
Children's music offers a unique opportunity for parents to support their child's development. Content specific children's music may be used to teach and reinforce traditional preschool and elementary school material. Such music also may be used to instill healthy eating and living habits. Parents should carefully select children's music containing substantive, educational messages to maximize their child's learning potential.
Children's music also offers a unique opportunity for parents to enhance their child's communications skills. Kids learn by mimicking sounds and internalizing messages. Parents should expose their children to music containing correctly pronounced words, speech patterns and sentence structure to ensure proper development.
To take advantage of these benefits, parents should not only select the proper music to play, but also determine the best times to play it. Children benefit from consistency and repetition, so setting a music routine is essential. A schedule could include playing music on the way to school, during playtime and prior to going to bed. The key is to turn recess and otherwise mundane, daily events, such as riding to school, into educational experiences.
Opportunities to discover, purchase and use music for educational purposes have never been so great. The prevalence of CD and MP3 players and the ability to find just about anything on the internet make this the perfect time for adults to introduce educational children's music into a child's daily routine. Whether a parent, a grandparent or a family friend, you could make a tremendous impact on a child's life simply by taking the time to share the music.
About the Author
Silly Bus is an award-winning educational media company that specializes in the creation of fun, educational music and videos for children. Our team of media, business and educational professionals also partners with companies nationwide to create one-of-a-kind multi-media to help kids learn.
Hold Violin Bow Techniques
During this time Eric Lewis had the chance to study with Rachmael Weinstock who was known as the first violinist of the version of Manhattan String Quartet during 1930's. Eric Lewis practiced a great commitment especially to young people's concerts and he has actually given over 1,000 series of concerts for children. The truth behind this superb development is that players may acquire the famous way of playing violin with the great Eric Lewis method.
> Learn the techniques used by the greatest classical, band and electronic musicians, leaving your audience blown away by your violin playing.
> Become a Master of Music Theory with the Violin Master Pro performance upgrade.
> Start amazing your family & friends immediately with incredible skills on violin.
You will discover that violin music is very fun to read actually. Most violin beginners do not know how to position themselves in playing the violin (since most players did not formally study the basic of the instrument itself). Honestly speaking not all people are born with the capability to play tunes within their minds like the great Ray Charles have had.
The Violin Master Pro system package is all downloadable within their members section. You will be entrusted with required tools that could help you develop amazing and incredible skills playing the violin. As easy as that there is no hassle and no worry with the Violin Master Pro system. The complete Violin Master Pro learning system package includes tips and techniques on how to play the violin from the beginners point level to the professional level of playing at the comfort of your very own home through the use of your computer.
You will absolutely blow the most difficult passages with violin scales and riffs gaining enough tricks and techniques, hold violin bow or methods that most well known professional players have. You will become a master of the violin music theory once you have purchase the Violin Master Pro performance upgrade. A lot of people already testified that Violin Master Pro is a great product and they even recommended this system for others.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Guitar Improvement - Reasons You'll Play Better With Your Eyes Closed
If you're looking to be more productive, recognize more stylistic features of songs, and improve your playing habits quicker, closing your eyes at practice can help. Here are a few important reasons why this strange method might do you more good than you think.
1. You'll improve your chord knowledge.
Fumbling around the fret board is common for beginning guitarists, but if you want to get those chords ingrained in your head better, taking your eyes out of the equation might be what you need. Try relying mainly on how the chords feel to set off that muscle memory and allow your hands to recall the formations easier next time.
2. You can increase your understanding of the fret board.
Flying all over the fret board can be overwhelming when you're having a hard time keeping up, but learning to identify the frets without seeing them would probably help you out. Try doing some difficult runs that take you across a few frets without your eyes and see if it helps to recognize the subtle distances on the guitar neck.
3. Recognizing your mistakes becomes easier.
There's just something about hearing your mistakes loud and clear that makes you want to fix them right away. When you decide to close your eyes during a fairly easy song or lick, hearing your mistakes becomes simpler and it will drive you to perfect your style of playing.
4. Your memory of the songs will improve.
If you're planning on performing in a band where you have to remember a number of fairly long songs, that can be overwhelming. Try practicing the tough sections with your eyes closed so your hands will be able to remember the motions when your vision seems to fail you.
5. You can learn the stylistic features of the song more intently.
Being able to play songs is very important, but being able to interpret them from the vantage point of the composer makes a real musician. Learning to improve through the work in your fingers will train you to listen for the subtle nuances that give the songs certain emotions and depth.
6. Song tempos will stand out more.
Playing out of tempo is a problem that is becoming pretty intolerable as a musician and will lessen your chances of being used for a band. If you rely on your fingers and ears as opposed to your eyes you'll find that adjusting to the song's natural speed is a bit easier.
There are so many ways to increase your guitar improvement, and any way that you can connect better with your instrument will help. Over your next few practices try a few standard pieces with your eyes closed and try to remember the music in everything but your vision.
About the Author
Kyle Hoffman is an experienced guitarist that enjoys performing on stage and just learning as a hobby. If you're looking to create a solid foundation to learn the guitar the RIGHT way, visit How To Guitar learn as part of Kyle's well-known guitar weblog, How To Guitar Tune
Learning the Piano - 12 Best Reasons
After being able to read this article, you will be having a great start if you have come up with an idea to be a pro player. These are the best reasons I have come up to, out of the many million reasons out there.
1. In playing piano, there comes an amazing deal of classiness and elegance - you will definitely look great on that proper piano posture as well as you can feel wonderful about yourself as you have the talent to play certain pieces. No matter how your self-esteem is, or what you look like, you will always look like a star if you can play the instrument correctly.
2. Every person should be able to play at least one musical instrument because music is a magnificent expression that has been a part of our world since the early generations. One of the most flexible to learn is the piano instrument.
3. It creates a good bond for the entire family. While I have learned playing piano, my family has been greatly supporting me and we became closer compared than before.
4. A fantastic way to lessen your boredom is to play the piano often. Come to imagine when you are looking for something to pass your time when you have plainly nothing to do. Isn't it fun to create music with your own hands and listen to the beautiful melody?
5. Playing piano is good for the brain! Like other muscles, the brain needs to get some exercise in order to develop and grow for it is the biggest muscle in the body. A remarkable way of doing that is by simply creating music.
6. After seeing it from another person, you have dreamed of having those delicate and long slender fingers. You too can have it by learning how to play piano. It is a good exercise for the fingers, an amazing activity of enhancing the hand-eye coordination and building muscles in your hand that will give you more to strength in doing your daily task.
7. When you play the piano, there is completely no limit as to what you can learn. You can never get tired of listening to the delightful music and every single song that can be played on the piano can never be memorized. Hypothetically, you can learn massive ten songs daily for your lifetime, but there are still more to learn, probably millions of pieces and you can experience the thrill of discovering those interesting music all your life.
8. If you can get a glimpse of the New Year's Resolution lists of all the people in this world, "Learning the Piano" will surely be the top on the list. We can clearly see through this that most people aim to have this kind of ability. It will be a great opportunity for you to be one of those who can play the amazing instrument!
9. It can be very fun! There are lots of ways that you can learn piano, so many traditions on how you can play since it is a very flexible instrument. You can both enjoy and relax at the same time and face up to the next level of improving your skills.
10. You can have that sense of accomplishment within you, aside from all the fun that you can get. Most people are quite satisfied with the results of learning piano.
11. In playing the piano, some people can get really extraordinary at it - those who have exceptional attitude in playing the piano and concert pianists. How will you know if you belong within that group of elite people when you don't start to learn?
12. Coupled with playing the piano is a big deal of admiration. Those who know how to play the magical instrument are greatly respected by several people. Piano is indeed an instrument that is honored above all.
Surely, you yourself can still consider a lot of reasons. Regardless of that, I see no reason why you can't begin taking lessons that will aid you in learning the piano. After reading the 12 best reasons, you will surely want to begin right away!
About the Author
Learning the piano now is an easy task by choosing a piano music lessons that suits you! Go to learnpianoreview.com and select the course that you are comfortable with. One can be the Piano by Pattern so check it out now!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Do you really need college to learn to play music
In the last few years, however, a new dimension to learning music has appeared in the form of the internet – the world wide web. Now instead of being limited to classroom courses, students are free to create their own schedules and learn at their own pace. A quick search on Google or Yahoo will turn up online courses in:
-Chord Piano
-Classical Piano For Beginners
-Improvising on the Piano & Guitar
-Rock Guitar
-Killer Drum Instuctions
-Jazz Piano
and many many more…
Music courses offered by colleges are generally far more in-depth than other music courses and are usually only available to degree-seeking students (though some colleges offer music courses as part of their continuing education programs). Lower level college music courses often focus on an amalgamation of music theory and history, teaching individual theory concepts based on the historical period to which they are particular. As the music courses grow in skill level so too does the number of specialized topics. Advanced music courses are available for nearly every historical music period and are sometimes based on one particular movement. Advanced music courses for theory grow increasingly more difficult and slowly teach every detail found in modern music theory; it's during the theory music courses that students intending to major in music have their skills challenged the most -- some even refer to these music courses as a weeding out period.
Instrument-based music courses are equally as tough at the college level, though they usually assume a working knowledge of the instrument before the class begins. Those wishing to learn an instrument, therefore, are better off with private music courses or music courses offered by a community orchestra or social group. These music courses will focus on the basic details of learning an instrument, starting from the very beginning. Fingering, theory and music reading will be covered, in addition to the occasional bit of history. Students of these music courses may then wish to move on to college-level music courses after completing a few years of private instruction.
But for those more interested in “recreational music” – in other words, music that is played for personal enjoyment or to entertain family and friends, college music classes are not at all necessary. The internet abounds with wonderful courses that will help you do everything from play at your church to accompany your child on their flute or trombone, or even play in a jazz or rock or fusion or country group.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
10 top reasons you should learn to play chord piano
By “chord a song”, I mean the ability to play 3 or 4 chords on the piano in some sort of rhythm while you or someone else sings the tune. To do this, you don’t need to be a Van Cliburn; all you need to do is learn a few basic chords and be able to more back and forth between them in some organized rhythmic pattern.
For example, did you realize that all of these songs (and hundreds more) can be sung or played with just 3 chords?
Auld Lang Syne
Amazing Grace
Kum Ba Ya
Silent Night
Joy To The World
Jingle Bells
Happy Birthday
Down In The Valley
On Top Of Old Smoky…
and hundreds or maybe thousands more!
Add just one more chord to the basic 3, and you can play another thousand songs or so. So why not learn a few chords and start your chording career?
Here are my top 10 reasons for learning “chord piano”:
1) It’s easy. Learn 3 chords and start in.
2) Even though it’s easy to get started, you don’t have to stop there. You can learn more and more chords and more rhythm patterns and get really good.
3) You’ll be able to play “Happy Birthday” while the gang sings it.
4) You’ll be able to play half-a-dozen Christmas carols. In case you haven’t noticed, Christmas comes every year, so every year you’ll get better as you participate in family gatherings.
5) You can help your kids learn to play the piano, guitar, or most any other instrument by learning chords. Most teachers don’t teach chords, so you’ll be giving your kids an advantage by learning chords.
6) People will admire you. It’s true. Musicians are popular. Anyone who can play anything is in demand at parties and social gatherings. And if you can “chord” while others sing, you’re bound to be popular.
7) Piano playing using chords is good for your brain. Studies have shown that people who actively participate in music do their brain lots of good. And since chords require 3 or 4 notes at a time instead of one, you are giving your brain a good workout.
8) Piano playing, particularly using chords, is good exercise for your wrists and fingers. (Take the time to learn about correct hand position, though!)
9) Piano playing is excellent therapy for the stress of life. Many professional people come home from a hard days work and relax by expressing their emotions on the keyboard. Play a few dark and angry chords, and you’ll be surprised how much better you feel!
10) Piano playing is a blast. It’s just plain old fun. So learn 3 or 4 chords and get going. Maybe you’ll stop there and enjoy it the rest of your life.
But just maybe you’ll love it so much that you keep going and turn yourself into an excellent piano player who can read music as well as play chords!
Monday, September 21, 2009
3 secrets to understanding what music is made of
But what is music, anyway? What makes it tick? We all love some form of it and dislike other forms of it.
The country-western fan may not like jazz, but he or she sure loves the sound of pickin’ & grinnin’. And the jazz fan feels just the opposite.
And that’s as it should be. If we all liked the same kind of music, there just wouldn’t be the variety that is available to us now. We can choose from musical styles ranging from heavy classical and opera to rock to children’s songs to Broadway musicals to gospel music to the blues.
Each has its place, and each seems on the surface to be drastically different than another form of music. The key word is “on the surface.” But beneath the surface of all music is a commonality that is organic to all forms and styles of music.
So what does all music have in common?
At least 3 things – sometimes more, but never less:
1. Melody
2. Rhythm
3. Harmony
The melody is the part of a song or composition that you whistle or hum – in other words, the tune of the song. In one sense, it is the most visible of the 3 elements, because melody is what identifies a song. Without melody, it would be difficult to even conceive of a song or piece.
In musical notation, the melody is almost always written in the treble clef – also known as the treble staff. It consists of a horizontal line of notes that move up and down on the clef as the tune moves higher or lower.
Rhythm is the beat – the swing – the throb of the music. It happens in repeating patterns, depending upon the type of music. It is like a horizontal line of beats which occur at regular or semi-regular intervals. A waltz, for example, basically consists of a heavy beat followed by two lighter beats. So we say that a waltz is in triple meter – one strong beat followed by two weak beats, then repeated.
A march, on the other hand, generally consists of a heavy beat followed by a light beat, then another heavy beat followed by another light beat. (I’m simplifying, of course – there are many varieties…) So a march is in duple meter – as you might expect since we have two feet and we march in left-right-left-right patterns.
All rhythms are some combination of triple meter and/or duple meter, and the possibilities are endless – from boogie to R&B to mambos and sambas and bossa novas and….on and on.
Harmony, the 3rd aspect of music, is the musical background of a song – the chords, or intervals “behind” the melody. Without harmony, a song sounds empty – like a vocalist singing without an accompanist – or accapella. Music doesn’t HAVE to have harmony to function, but in actual practice it almost always does, even if it is just the interplay of two melodies, as in counterpoint.
You could spend a lifetime learning all the nuances of music, but it its most basic form, it is these 3 elements combined together; melody, rhythm, and harmony.
3 quick easy steps to playing music by ear
Since music is basically composed of 3 elements – melody, rhythm, and harmony, it is logical that there are also 3 basic steps to learning to play music by ear:
1.Charting the contour of the melody. Tunes move higher and lower – up and down – as the song progresses. Being aware of that movement is the first step. Once you mentally define the parameters of the melody, you can then begin to hone in on picking it out on your instrument. As an example, think of “Joy To The World”. We’ve all sung it a zillion times, but have you ever noticed that the melody moves down exactly 8 steps (an octave), then gradually moves back up in increments, then repeats the down movement, etc. The entire melody is contained within those 8 notes, so you now know the parameters of the song and can begin to pick out the melody intelligently.
2.Harmonizing the melody with matching chords. The second element of music is harmony, and you can harmonize any melody just by matching the supporting chords to that melody. For example, if the melody is a “G”, you can harmonize that melody by using a chord with G in it, such as the G chord (G, B, D), the C chord (C, E, G), or the Em chord (E, G, B), or the Eb chord (Eb, G, Bb) and so forth. By using your ear to guide you, you can learn to harmonize the melody of most any song using matching chords.
3.Using an appropriate rhythm that matches the feel of the song. This is usually the easiest part, since most people “feel” the beat and don’t have to do any mental gymnastics to come up with an appropriate rhythm for a song. But for those of us that might be “rhythmically challenged”, just by knowing that there are basically two meters available – duple meter and triple meter -- that can be combined in infinite combinations, we can give the song either a “3” feeling (like a waltz or a jazz waltz) or a “4” feeling (like swing or a march or a ballad).
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.
Monday, September 14, 2009
GAMELAN
GAMELAN
PENGENALAN GAMELAN
Nama Gamelan berasal dari bahasa Jawa yang bermaksud ditabuh atau dipukul. Ini mungkin kerana peralatan muzik gamelan tergolong dalam kumpulan alat perkusi yang dibunyikan dengan cara ditabuh atau dipukul. Alat muzik gamelan diperbuat daripada perunggu dan kayu, dan ada juga dari besi dan buluh. Alat-alatnya mempunyai larasan yang tetap atau ‘fixed tuning’. Permainan muzik gamelan dilakukan secara ensembel. Persembahannya hanyalah lengkap dan sempurna apabila dimainkan secara berkumpulan. Namun muzik gamelan juga boleh dipersembahkan secara tersendiri.
SEJARAH
Muzik gamelan dikatakan wujud semenjak T.M 1. alat gamelan yang pertama sekali dicipta ialah gong. Kemudian alat-alat yang lain dicipta mengikut peredaran zaman. Pada awal tamadun Melayu, gong merupakan alat yang penting dibunyikan sebagai tanda sesuatu upacara bermula atau sesuatu peristiwa berlaku. Pada zaman Pemerintahan Kerajaan Demak di Jawa, gamelan digunakan untuk berdakwah oleh ahli sunan (kiai). Kini gamelan dikenali di seluruh dunia sebagai muzik etnik yang unik yang mempunyai keistimewaannya tersendiri.
Gamelan dipercayai berasal dari Indonesia, tetapi terdapat juga alat gamelan yang serupa di negara jiran seperti Filipina, Thailand, Cambodia dan sebahagian Vietnam. Di antaranya Kulintangan di Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, Mindanao dan Celebes. Namanya mungkin berbeza dari satu tempat ke tempat lain tetapi bentuk alat serta susunannya adalah lebih kurang sama.
Muzik gamelan Malaysia berasal dari Indonesia. Muzik gamelan dibawa dari Indonesia melalui penghijrahan orang Jawa semasa Empayar Sri Vijaya dan Majapahit dalam kurun ke-14 hingga 15. di Malaysia terdapat dua versi muzik gamelan iaitu Gamelan Johor dan Gamelan Terengganu.
Gamelan Johor/Gamelan Jawa:
Gamelan Jawa mempunyai latar belakang sejarah yang tersendiri. Kedatangan gamelan Jawa ke Malaysia adalah bersama kedatangan masyarakat Jawa ke Johor. Mereka memainkan gamelan mengiringi persembahan Wayang Kulit Purwa dan mengiringi tarian seperti Tarian Kifrah, Serimpi Lilin, Kupu-kupu dan Cakil. Alat-alat gamelan didapati digunakan bagi mengiringi Riog, Barungan dan Kuda Kepang. Muzik gamelan dipersembahkan di majlis perkahwinan, berkhatan dan sebagainya.
Gamelan jenis ini boleh didapati di Johor, Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan. Muzik gamelan Jawa berfungsi dalam kehidupan rakyat sebagai permainan rakyat dan bukannya terhad untuk persembahan istana.
Gamelan Terengganu.
Muzik gamelan Terengganu bermula apabila istana Pahang menerima set gamelan dari Riau-Lingga pada tahun 1800-an. Muzik ini pertama kali dimainkan sempena hari perkahwinan kerabat Di Raja Pahang dan Lingga pada tahun 1811. Muzik gamelan berkembang di Pahang dalam kurun ke 19.
Bagaimanapun kemajuan muzik gamelan di Pahang menjadi malap dengan kemangkatan Sultan Ahmad. Kemudian muzik gamelan tersebut dibawa ke Terengganu apabila puteri Sultan Ahmad berkahwin dengan Tengku Zainal Abidin dari Terengganu. Sejak itu, muzik gamelan dikenali di istana Terengganu. Dari segi tradisi, gemelan Terengganu adalah tradisi istana dan hanya dipersembahkan untuk hiburan kerabat di raja dan dalam upacara istana.
Muzik gamelan Terengganu mula dibawa keluar dari istana oleh Tan Sri Mubin Sheppard pada tahun 1970-an. Gamelan Terengganu kini banyak mengalami pengubahsuaian dan mempunyai ciri Melayu dan kini digelar gamelan Melayu khasnya bila dipersembahkan dalam majlis rasmi meraikan pembesar, tokoh politik luar negara dan pelancongan.
PERALATAN GAMELAN DAN SKIL
Muzik gamelan Terengganu adalah lebih mudah dibandingkan dengan muzik gamelan Johor/gamelan Jawa. Set alat gamelan Terengganu mengandungi 7 alat berikut:
- gendang
- bonang/keromong
- saron barung
- sarun penerus/pekin
- gambang
- kenong
- gong
Gamelan Terengganu dimainkan dalam skel slendro iaitu 5 ton. Jeda di antara not hampir sama iaitu lebih kurang berjarak suku ton.
Set alat gamelan Johor/Jawa adalah lebih banyak dan permainannya lebih kompleks. Peralatannya mengandungi 9 alat berikut:
gendang (ketipung, jiblon, bem)
bonang/keromong
demung
saron barung
saron penerus/pekin
gambang
kenong
kempol
gong
Alat tambahan:
slenthem
saron 9
kertuk/kempiang
rebab
sitar
gender
seruling/suling
Gamelan Jawa dimainkan dalam skel slendro dan pelog. Skel pelog mengandungi 7 ton dan jeda di antara not agak berbeza iaitu di antara ½ ton dengan minor ke-3. skel pelog adalah seperti berikut:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Penunggul | Gulu | Dada | Pelog | Lima | Nem | Barang |
| (ji) | (ro) | (lu) | (pat) | (ma) | (nem) | (pi) |
Skel pelog adalah lebih baru dari skel slendro. Pelog dalam bahasa Jawa bermaksud halus, indah dan cantik.
Skel pelog adalah lebih baru dari skel slendro. Pelog dalam bahasa Jawa bermaksud halus, indah dan cantik.
Kedua-dua skel slendro dan pelog ini pula boleh dibahagikan kepada 3 bahagian (patet).
SLENDRO : Patet Nem ; Patet Sanga dan Patet Manyura
PELOG : Patet Nem dan Patet Barang
FUNGSI ALAT
GONG
Mengeluarkan pic paling rendah dan dimainkan pada akhir frasa lagu untuk menandakan satu pusingan lengkap lagu.
GONG KEMPOL
Mengeluarkan pic lebih tinggi daripada gong. Dalam Gamelan Terengganu, terdapat sesetangah lagu di mana gong kempol dimainkan pada detik pertama Contohnya, lagu Lenggang Kangkung dan detik keempat pada dua gatra akhir lagu, contohnya lagu Timang Burung.
Dalam permainan Gamelan Jawa gong kempol dimainkan pada detik kedua pada gatra kedua akhir sebelum gong menghabiskan satu pusingan lagu.
KENONG
Dimainkan pada detik keempat setiap gatra.
BONANG BARONG
Dalam Gamelan Terengganu, bonang barong digunakan untuk membuka lagu dan memainkan melodi . Manakala dalam Gamelan Jawa, bonang barong dimainkan untuk membuka lagu dan dimainkan bagi detik pertama dan ketiga dalam setiap gatra .
Cara memainkan bonang barong adalah dengan mengetuk bahagian tombol menggunakan pengetuk. Terdapat dua cara memainkan bonang barong iaitu secara mipil dan gembiang.
BONANG PENERUS
Dalam Permainan gamelan Jawa ,Bonang Penerus memainkan not sinkopasi (up-beat) di mana akan dimainkan secara ‘call and respon’ (soal jawab) kepada Bonang Barong. Manakala dalam permainan gamelan Terengganu, Bonang Penerus akan memainkan melodi seperti Bonang Barong. Bonang Penerus boleh juga dimainkan secara harmoni bersama Bonang Barong dengan cara membuat improvisasi irama dan melodi.
SARON PENERUS/PEKING
Dalam Permainan gamelan Terengganu, Saron Penerus adalah alat yang memainkan melodi utama yang diketuk menggunakan pengetuk yang dibuat daripada tanduk haiwan berbentuk penukul . Saron Penerus diketuk secara gandaan dan biasanya memainkan not kuaver.
SARON DEMUNG
Dalam Permainan gamelan Terengganu, Saron Demung adalah alat yang memainkan melodi utama yang diketuk menggunakan pengetuk yang dibuat daripada kayu berbentuk penukul . Untuk memainkan Saron Demung, hendaklah diketuk pada bilah-bilah gangsa/perunggu yang juga disebut sebagai wilaham. Dalam permainan gamelan Jawa, Saron Demung akan dimainkan pada detik kedua dan keempat.
SARON BARONG
Dalam Permainan gamelan Terengganu, Saron Barung adalah alat yang memainkan melodi utama yang diketuk menggunakan pengetuk yang dibuat daripada kayu berbentuk penukul . Untuk memainkan Saron Barung, hendaklah diketuk pada bilah-bilah gangsa/perunggu yang juga disebut sebagai wilaham. Dalam permainan gamelan Jawa, Saron Demung akan dimainkan pada detik kedua dan keempat.
GENDANG/KENDHANG
Gendang adalah alat yang dimainkan untuk mengawal tempo lagu dan dipukul dengan menggunakan dua tapak tangan.
GAMBANG
Gambang memainkan melodi lagu. Ia dimainkan dengan mengetuk notasi satu oktaf , contohnya 1 dan i, 2 dan 2’ secara gandaan, contohnya, 2/2’,3/3’. Biasanya gambang memainkan not kuaver.
CADANGAN PENYUSUNAN ALAT PERMAINAN GAMELAN
Rajah 2 : Susunan permainan gamelan
NOTASI GAMELAN
Pada permulaannya, permainan gamelan dimainkan tanpa notasi. Notasi tidak penting dan lagu lama tidak dicatat. Muzik ini dipelajari secara tidak formal melalui pendengaran bermula dengan yang mudah dan beransur kepada kompleks. Pada abad ke-19, sistem menggunakan nombor diperkenalkan untuk memudahkan pemuzik memainkan ‘repetoire’/lagu yang telah banyak berkembang. Sistem menggunakan nombor ini dikenali sebagai Sistem Kepatihan dan sistem ini kekal digunakan sekarang.
TEKSTUR
Tekstur muzik gamelan adalah polifoni. Polifoni bermakna gubahan yang mempunyai banyak lapisan suara . Ciri utama muzik gamelan ialah bentuknya yang berulang . Setiap frasa diulang muziknya dan bergerak dalam bentuk bulatan. Permainan gamelan memerlukan kemahiran muzikal serta teknikal, perasaan yang peka kepada tekstur keseluruhan serta kerjasama dan hubungan yang baik di antara setiap alat atau pemain.