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Performing, Honing Your Craft, piano

Jan 6, 2016 07:00 AM

Matthew Wendler

How to Get a Classic Funk Sound Out of Any Keyboard

Image via flickr.com

A funky keyboard might be something you would expect from a George Clinton song, but it appears frequently in other genres, as well. Take the John Paul Jones riff from "Trampled Underfoot" by Led Zeppelin. This riff is borrowed (some may say stolen) straight from contemporary funk artists. Peter Tosh from Bob Marley and the Wailers can be heard using a similar sound on many tracks as well. The sound even made its way into many early rap and hip-hop tracks, often in the form of a sample.

Fortunately, it's fairly easy to get a similar sound if you're looking to pick up on this trend. With this method, you won't even have to "borrow" from a decades-old single.

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Performing, Honing Your Craft, piano

Dec 28, 2015 07:00 AM

Caleb Hsu

Top 5 Exercise Books That'll Make You a Beast at Piano

Image via Wikimedia Commons

With 88 keys, three pedals, and upwards of 230 strings, the piano demands muscular strength and endurance. Playing its black and white keys effortlessly only comes with time and patience, but there are ways to efficiently practice. We've selected our top five etude and method books to help make the piano an extension of your heart and soul. These method books and series are great for developing dexterity, hand independence, and technical proficiency in both classical and jazz repertoire.

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Performing, Honing Your Craft, piano

Nov 3, 2015 06:00 AM

Caleb Hsu

The 6 Best Keyboards Under $1,000 for Traveling Musicians

Most actively touring pianists are aware of the magical sounds that can be produced by the Nord Stage 2 and the Korg SV-1. However, if you don’t have extra thousands coolly sitting around in your checking account, the digital keyboards below are fantastic options, and they won't break the bank. We've broken down our selections into categories based on the top two requested features of stage pianos for traveling musicians: weight and realistic sounds.

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Performing, Honing Your Craft, piano

Oct 23, 2015 09:00 AM

Jonathan Hack

7 Ways to Get a Free Piano

Image via flypaper.soundfly.com

This article originally appeared on Soundfly.

 

Pianos. Am I right? Is there a better-equipped musical instrument on Earth to handle everything you throw at it? I'm talking about one of the most versatile instruments out there – a single music-maker that embodies string and rhythm sections, and an angel choir. With a seven-octave range (and a minor third to boot), these babies can handle everything from Chopin to Taylor Swift, Son House to Backstreet Boys.

No, I am not a piano salesman… though it has crossed my mind. I'm just an enthusiast and part-time player who covets these gorgeous, highly polished creatures. And let me tell you, there's not one single keyboard that can run in the same crowd as an acoustic piano. Not one! Are you sold yet?

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