Beginner Tips for Learning to Play the Piano

Evan August Weitz is an accomplished chemist whose industry experience dates back more than a decade. Since 2017, he has served as a tutor with Achieve Academics, where he helps students prepare for the ACT math and science exams. Outside of his professional life, Evan August Weitz enjoys playing the piano since the age of four.

Playing the piano requires a grasp of basic principles. Every step matters, especially if you focus on attaining the right set of skills. Beginners often get confused because there are many suggested piano learning methods and techniques. As a beginner, focus on playing music you love and mastering finger and hand movement.

Playing music that you enjoy is a great place to start. Beginner pianists end up working on pieces that don’t correspond to their playing skills and negatively impact both focus and work ethic. Less interesting pieces get less attention to detail, so it’s recommended to obtain a combination of music, such as pop, classical, and transcriptions for wide exposure.

Finger movement and hand position are critical skills to master. Begin with the right hand before moving to the left. Separating hand movements makes it easier to grasp skills. You can practice gradually until you can play with both hands. Separate hand practice is a common technique used by instructors. Once you’ve perfected using both hands, you improve hand and finger coordination to enhance playing efficiency.

The Impact of the Minimoog Synthesizer on 1970s Music

  A member of the Absolute Sound Laboratories team in Minnesota, Evan A. Weitz has an extensive experience in electronics restoration and repair. With a background as a pianist, Evan A. Weitz has an interest in collecting vintage synthesizers and keyboards.

Designed by Robert Moog and introduced in 1970, the Minimoog was one of the pioneering synthesizers of the classic rock and funk era. Incorporating all the essential modular synthesizer components, the Minimoog condensed them into a relatively compact setup that no longer took up an entire room.

The Minimoog combined a filter and an amplifier as well as four signal generators, and had oscillators capable of delivering waveforms that could be combined to create unique, never-before-heard sounds. One major limiting factor, shared with other synthesizers of the era, was that there was no memory bank. This meant that musicians had to make detailed notes in order to recreate sounds, or rely on musical memory.

The Minimoog soon became an indispensable part of the repertoire of acts from funk standard-bearer Stevie Wonder to techno artists like Kraftwerk, as well as progressive rockers such as Yes. One of the most identifiable uses of the Minimoog is in Parliament’s infectious funk workout “Flash Light.”

The Early Foundations of Roland Synthesizers

One of the top innovators in synthesizers today is the Japanese company Roland, which was established by Ikutaro Kakehashi. He began his career after World War II as a watch repairer. Bed ridden by tuberculosis for an extended period of time, he eventually recovered and established an electrical repair shop in the mid 1950s. Wanting to create an electronic instrument with the capacity to generate monophonic melodies, Kakehashi began by constructing a theremin.

When controlling the sound of this instrument proved too challenging, Kakehashi switched to the keyboard concept and created an organ that incorporated transistor oscillators, telephone components, and reed organ parts. The sound was not what he had expected and he continued to refine his concept, ultimately creating the Technics SX 601 organ in 1960. This prototype ultimately led to the Ace Electronics R1 Rhythm Ace in 1964, which was never manufactured but led to a major distributing partnership with Hammond.

Launching Roland Corporation in 1972, Kakehashi ad already gained renown as an innovative maker of guitar amplifiers.

About the Author:

Evan A. Weitz works in the greater Twin Cities area at Absolute Sound Laboratories, where he offers electronics restoration and repair services as the firm’s senior lab technician. Having played piano since an early age, Evan A. Weitz has achieved awards in music competitions and collects keyboards and synthesizers.

Differences between Classical and Jazz Piano

A senior lab technician at Absolute Sound Laboratories and a tutor at Achieve Academics, Evan A. Weitz enjoys playing the piano in his spare time. Evan A. Weitz has won two state-wide competitions in piano, including one for solo pianists and one for jazz quartet.

Classical piano and jazz piano rely on different skills. Both styles have comparably difficult finger techniques, but the mental skills distinguish the styles.

Classical pianists must be excellent sight readers, for the complex pieces of classical music. Advanced classical pieces can require months of study and practice before a pianist can play them well. A good memory also benefits the playing of the classical piano.

Jazz pianists, conversely, must have to know how to improvise and have a deep understanding of musical theory. Since jazz piano uses complex, irregular chord changes and distinctive harmonies, jazz pianists must understand melody and rhythm.

Jazz also requires a hands-on, practical sense of scales in different keys. In addition, some chords used in jazz are rarely seen in classical pieces and might sound dissonant to a classical musician’s ear.