|
The Right Instrument = Successful Start!
Top 10
things to think about when selecting an instrument to practice on
1. Are you taking PIANO
lessons
or KEYBOARD
lessons? If you are taking piano lessons, getting an electronic keyboard doesn't make sense. Keyboards have 61 or 76 keys, they have a plastic non-weighted touch that are designed to mimic
an organ or a synth, they typically don't come
with a pedal. A Roland digital piano
will have 88 keys like a piano has.
2. Touch Sensitive/Responsive? The question to ask here is “How many levels of sensitivity?” A keyboard may only be touch sensitive on a
scale of 1 to 7, while an acoustic piano has a touch sensitivity of 1 to
infinity. A Roland HP or KR digital
piano has a touch sensitive scale of 1 to 128, which a human will not
detect a limit of.
3. Why 88 keys? Students will have
music in the first few lessons where they need the full 88 key range of a
piano. Also, even if you are only
playing in the middle of the piano, your peripheral vision will see all 88
keys, if you practice on less, then go to your teachers piano, it can be
confusing and disorienting to the student
4. Weighted
touch? It is extremely important to have a
fully weighted hammer action to teach proper technique from lesson NUMBER
ONE. Good habits are formed from day
one.
5. What about a
hand me down piano or a piano advertised “Beautiful” or
“Antique” or “Free”? A piano might look
beautiful on the outside but might need hundreds or thousands of dollars
spent on the inside to make it a decent piano.
6. What is the
maintenance? An acoustic piano should be tuned 2 to
4 times a year. It also has over
12,000 moving parts which include leather straps and felt that all wear out
and deteriorate over time. Most
acoustic pianos need to be rebuilt every 20 to 30 years. Even the best piano in the world,
Steinway, says this. A digital piano
never needs tuning and is maintenance free.
7. Is silent
practicing important? It may be
if you have younger children with naps, early bedtimes, or if mom or dad
had a stressful workday. Some children
are self conscious about practicing.
A digital piano with headphones allows students to practice any time.
8. Can it
interface with a computer? A digital piano connects to a computer
to take advantage of the vast array of music programs to help beginning
piano students.
9. Does it have
a Music Tutor? Since a typical piano lesson occurs
once weekly, the Music Tutor offers an essential between-lesson “practice partner.” It interactively helps students play correct notes and
rhythms, allows them to adjust tempo, and focus on “mess-up spots.”
This Tutor is so effective,
in fact, most piano teachers want their students
to use Roland Music Tutors for daily practice—because students learn
faster and enjoy playing more.
10. Should piano lessons be
fun? ABSOLUTELY!
If you’re not having fun, why bother. A digital piano and Music Tutor can make
piano lessons a whole lot more fun!
All the
above lead to the best solution: A
Roland Digital Piano! Capital Music Center
offers the best Roland pianos for sale or rent.
|
What Piano Students CANNOT Learn
on a Portable Keyboard
·
The foundation of piano
technique
·
Posture & Seating position
and optimal hand/arm alignment
·
Musical expression and
sensitivity
·
Learning how to produce a
beautiful tone
·
The concept of weight using
hands, arms and shoulders
·
Arm drops and cushioning with
the wrists
·
Approach and release of chords
·
Legato, staccato and portato touch
·
Finger dexterity and evenness of
touch
·
Finger muscle development and
large muscle motions
·
Finger, hand and arm strength to
develop dexterity, endurance and stamina
·
Balance between melody and
accompaniment using finger pressure
·
Dynamics of sound
·
Phrasing and voicing
·
Pedaling: una
corda (soft), sostenuto
(bass sustain), & damper (sustain)
·
Effective practice habits
·
Performance confidence and
competence
Much of the practice of younger students is devoted to
learning proper piano technique, which cannot
be
practiced and developed on
a portable keyboard.
Studies show that children who practice on portable keyboards do not
progress and develop as fast as those students who practice on acoustic or high quality digital pianos. Because practice is the foundation to the development of any
skill, it is important that we equip our children for success by providing
them with a quality instrument for learning. The end depends on the
beginning. Playing the piano should be fun and exciting…creative and
expressive, giving the player feelings of musical joy and deep
satisfaction. It’s difficult to become excited about playing a toy
piano if they enjoy the piano that they are playing and the music they are
studying. Having a quality piano at home for practice will help your child
develop to their full potential and enjoy a much richer musical experience.
“I can think of no better way to make a child quit piano lessons
than by having him/her practice on an old and out of tune, poor quality
upright piano or portable keyboard.”
- Josh Harper, piano tuner and pianist
|
