MusicBasics4Keyboard
544 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago -Greetings from North America. In 1990 I graduated from a small college in New Jersey with a music program where I majored in piano, attended concerts in NYC, and watched my first opera with Luciano Pavarotti. As a keyboard instructor today and big fan of popular music including light opera, I encourage you to watch We Are Family Wednesday nights to hear the exquisite harmonies coming from the stage. Two episodes brought me back to my roots growing up in the 1960s singing along to girl groups like The Supremes. The beat goes on. I love Cher's music. Read my book "Songbird at the Shopping Mall".
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Episodes
Time Out with the Bobcat
January 08, 2022 18:23 - 1 minute - 1.74 MBThe snow has stopped falling, blue skies are overhead and lots of sunshine. It's a perfect winter day to spend time with the domestic bobcat in the backyard. Got some great pictures, too. How's your day going? Thanks for stopping by.
Bread, Pasta & Arrabbiata sauce
January 07, 2022 02:03 - 3 minutes - 3.58 MBArrabbiata sauce, or sugo all'arrabbiata in Italian, is a spicy sauce for pasta made from garlic, tomatoes, and dried red chili peppers cooked in olive oil. The sauce originates from the Lazio region, and particularly from the city of Rome. What's the difference between marinara sauce and arrabiata sauce? While both sauces use tomatoes as a base, arrabiata sauce includes red chile peppers (in this case I'm using red pepper flakes) to make it spicy. Arrabiata is Italian for angry, meaning you...
Vodka Sauce Romance Isle 14
January 06, 2022 19:50 - 2 minutes - 2.05 MB“Vodka adds depth to a sauce both by pulling out additional flavor and concentrating others without adding a flavor of its own," says Bart Saracino, co-owner of the Bartolino's Restaurants. It is made from a smooth tomato sauce, vodka, typical Italian herbs, and heavy cream (which gives the sauce its distinctive orange color). Thank you for watching and/or listening.
Vodka Romance Isle 14
January 06, 2022 19:50 - 2 minutes - 2.05 MB“Vodka adds depth to a sauce both by pulling out additional flavor and concentrating others without adding a flavor of its own," says Bart Saracino, co-owner of the Bartolino's Restaurants. It is made from a smooth tomato sauce, vodka, typical Italian herbs, and heavy cream (which gives the sauce its distinctive orange color). Thank you for watching and/or listening.
Pasta Sauce with an Italian in Isle 14
January 06, 2022 19:50 - 2 minutes - 2.05 MB“Vodka adds depth to a sauce both by pulling out additional flavor and concentrating others without adding a flavor of its own," says Bart Saracino, co-owner of the Bartolino's Restaurants. It is made from a smooth tomato sauce, vodka, typical Italian herbs, and heavy cream (which gives the sauce its distinctive orange color). Thank you for watching and/or listening.
Sugo di Pasta con un Italiano
January 06, 2022 19:50 - 2 minutes - 2.05 MB“Vodka adds depth to a sauce both by pulling out additional flavor and concentrating others without adding a flavor of its own," says Bart Saracino, co-owner of the Bartolino's Restaurants. It is made from a smooth tomato sauce, vodka, typical Italian herbs, and heavy cream (which gives the sauce its distinctive orange color). Thank you for watching and/or listening.
I'd Rather Be Sailing
January 04, 2022 18:30 - 1 minute - 1.14 MBRick Steves is adamant about hiring guides he personally knows and trusts, and who share his love for Europe and passion for teaching. It's the biggest reason why more than one-third of our tour members are repeat customers. Here are some "raves" about just a few of the fine guides who lead our tours. THIS IS ABOUT FILIPPOS, one of the tour guides in Greece. "As a part-time actor and director, Filippos is a wonderful storyteller. He makes history come to life, and he shares the present real...
Angela Hewitt plays Bach's Cantata 147 Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
January 04, 2022 16:58 - 4 minutes - 4.29 MBBorn in 1958 into a musical family (the daughter of the Cathedral organist and choirmaster in Ottawa, Canada), Angela began her piano studies at age three, performed in public at four and a year later won her first scholarship. In her formative years, she also studied classical ballet, violin, and recorder. From 1963-73 she studied at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music with Earle Moss and Myrtle Guerrero, after which she completed her Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of ...
Adrian Brody as Chopin directed by Roman Polanski
January 04, 2022 16:21 - 4 minutes - 3.89 MBDuring the filming of Roman Polanski's 1992 film about Chopin (The Pianist) Adrian Brody lost 30 lbs. If we try hard enough we could play an easy arrangement of this Waltz in A Minor and even lose a few pounds. Early and intermediate players need to play the base and treble clefs separately at the onset. Brody spent time away from the piano throughout the film in other scenes portraying this composer. Just saying.
Fine Wine & Stories from NYC
January 03, 2022 21:40 - 3 minutes - 2.85 MBThe video opens with a shopping trip in a find-it-yourself wine department. It continues with pictures of Julia Child, California winemakers, a Beard House wine dinner, tasting events in NYC and northern New Jersey where I wrote a monthly full-page wine column for local newspapers. Thanks for watching/listening.
Vegetables & Music by Franz Liszt
January 03, 2022 20:48 - 3 minutes - 3.49 MB"For, you see, my piano is to me as a ship is to a sailor, [...] my piano is me, it is my speech - my life. It is the intimate repository of all that went on in my mind during the most passionate days of my youth" Franz Liszt ( 1811-1886). (La Gazette musicale, 11 February 1838). Franz Liszt was a Hungarian pianist and composer of enormous influence and originality. He was renowned in Europe during the Romantic movement. Liszt was born on October 22, 1811, in Raiding, Hungary. His father, A...
Inside a Music Store (video)
January 02, 2022 23:35 - 3 minutes - 3.46 MBMusic composed by Vivaldi: Concerto No. 3 in F Major, Op. 8, RV 293 - Autumn, allegro. Born on March 4, 1678. Died in Vienna in 1741. Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was an Italian Baroque composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher, impresario, and Roman Catholic priest. Born in Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic, Vivaldi is regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers. SOURCE: Wikipedia. Soundtrack recording by Musici & Felix Ayo (permission granted on my YouTube channel in a different vide...
Inside a Music Store (music video)
January 02, 2022 23:35 - 3 minutes - 3.46 MBMusic composed by Vivaldi: Concerto No. 3 in F Major, Op. 8, RV 293 - Autumn, allegro. Born on March 4, 1678. Died in Vienna in 1741. Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was an Italian Baroque composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher, impresario, and Roman Catholic priest. Born in Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic, Vivaldi is regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers. SOURCE: Wikipedia. Soundtrack recording by Musici & Felix Ayo (permission granted on my YouTube channel in a different vide...
Base Clef Study/Ode to Joy
January 02, 2022 03:01 - 9 minutes - 8.59 MBHappy New Year!! Learning to sight read and play the left hand opens many new doors for students. No need to rush. This is not a speed test. Listen closely to each note as you play and pay close attention to fingering. Get a good night's sleep. Expect miracles the next day during practice and throughout the week. This is a great way for music students to begin 2022. “Ode to Joy” was written by German poet/playwright Friedrich Schiller in the summer of 1785. The ideal he described, of hope ...
Happy New Year from Times Square, NYC
January 01, 2022 05:04 - 1 minute - 1.56 MBCountdown, seven, six, five, four, three, two. ONE! Happy New Year 2022!!!!!!!
Happy New Year! Baby Face in C Major
January 01, 2022 01:02 - 1 minute - 1.24 MBLet me know the name of the song you played tonight on your piano or keyboard. Happy New Year!!
Happy New Year with Pam, Joshua & Dominica
December 31, 2021 02:11 - 3 minutes - 2.76 MBShelves are fully stocked at Sam's Club for major items. Joshua loaded four 52-lb. bags of cat litter on the cart for me and later walked me to my vehicle where he placed them in the trunk. It was his second day on the job as a new hire. Dominica walked me from the pet food isle back to the bakery for Tiramisu. Pam made my checkout experience one of best ever because of our shared interest in chicken salad sandwiches on croissants from the deli dept. Pam has worked at this Sam's Club for 13 ...
Our Staring Role for New Year's Eve
December 30, 2021 23:57 - 1 minute - 1.41 MBLet's take an inventory of our time spent learning new songs over these past few months. Practice time, sight reading, scales, chord studies and ear training all in preparation for tomorrow night. Today we check our closet for that perfect outfit. Hair, nails and makeup need our attention. Put a star on the practice room door. We are going to SHINE as we play and record one song before celebrating New Year's Eve. How do you plan to celebrate?
Baby Face Chords for Piano
December 29, 2021 23:58 - 2 minutes - 2.69 MB“Baby Face,” written by Harry Akst and Benny Davis was first published in 1926 by Warner Bros. and Davis Benny Music. Dating back decades before the pop era, it went on to have a big part to play in the career of Little Richard, among others. Then it became a US chart entry on September 29, 1962, for the one and only Bobby Darin. Who knew?
Intervals and Major 7th Chords
December 29, 2021 23:18 - 2 minutes - 2.69 MBThe triad can be defined as a chord made up of three tones (notes) called chord factors. They make up the diatonic scale. A D-major triad (aka chord) is made up of the notes D, F-sharp, and A. Add a major third above the major triad i.e., the root chord. The new note (the letter C) is the major seventh of the chord. It lies at the interval of a major seventh above the root. What is an interval in music? What is an Interval in Music? An interval in music is defined as a distance in pitch b...
Minor & Major 7th Chords - Correction
December 29, 2021 22:35 - 2 minutes - 2.56 MBA major 7th chord starts with the first five notes of the root chord. Thus: D, F#, A plus C. Use a chord guide for all other major and minor 7th chords. Baby Face is arranged in C Major with all major 7th chords and one A minor note near the end. This version contains no base clef. It's up to the player to fill in the base chords. It was a good lesson for us today about major and minor chords. It answers the question for some about which chords sound best for a particular song. Sometimes cho...
Feeling Overwhelmed by Chords
December 29, 2021 20:25 - 1 minute - 1.71 MBTake a deep breath. Resort to earlier songs with sheet music or not. Do your best. Do not get tangled up in blue. Bob Dylan. Standard tuning, capo 2nd fret (sounding key A major). Since Larry Campbell joined the band in 1997, Tangled has been played as an acoustic song, with Larry playing the intro below. Larry's guitar is played with a capo on the 2nd fret, Bob's guitar is uncapoed. The chords are more or less those of the Blood on the Tracks version above. Just because a song happens to ...
No Time to Implode
December 29, 2021 19:45 - 1 minute - 1.49 MBTwo days left regarding our music performance before the ball drops on New Year's Eve in NYC. One song with both hands on a piano or keyboard. This is a celebration of our hard work and way to memorialize our progress. The next "performance" is scheduled for March 2022. Please remember to eat something and stay hydrated. Choose your audience. Stuffed animals? That's acceptable.
Red Onion, Cheese & Broccoli Omelet
December 28, 2021 21:05 - 1 minute - 1.48 MBAdrien Brody lost 30 lbs. during the making of The Pianist, a Roman Polanski film about the life of composer Frederic Chopin. Working long hours at anything may result in weight loss, not just learning to play classical music. Eat something!
Classical Music & Scales Connection
December 28, 2021 21:00 - 2 minutes - 2.56 MBWhen you look closely at the three different forms for A Minor, one of them stands out. It's the melodic scale exercise. Looks a lot like the sheet music for the Waltz in A Minor by Frederic Chopin. Source: The FJH Classic Scale Book, Fort Lauderdale, FL. Introduction by Edwin McLean: "Why Practice Scales"?
4 Days Until the Curtain Goes Up
December 28, 2021 18:40 - 2 minutes - 2.53 MBWe're on a roll dear listeners with just four days remaining before the ball drops on Friday, New Year's Eve in Times Square, NYC. That was the goal, was it not? One song. Music means commitment ... thanks for listening.
Music Teachers & Sight Reading
December 28, 2021 18:13 - 2 minutes - 2.04 MBThe role of a teacher is to help motivate music students learn how to sight read among other things. Finding the right teacher is a different matter starting with disposition. Check future episodes. Thanks for listening.
Music Lessons Fashioned More Like Rehearsals
December 27, 2021 20:09 - 3 minutes - 3.29 MBA teacher who makes music sessions seem more like rehearsals will increase "public performance" skills more rapidly. At the very least, lessons should boost self-confidence as long as students practice on a regular basis and the money holds out. Music lessons for "one person" or two for at least one hour, once a week will produce faster results. The music teacher formulates the rate, schedule and style best suited for students. Two students attending the same session, pay the hourly rate set...
Will You Be Ready in Five Days?
December 27, 2021 02:39 - 3 minutes - 2.77 MBOn your mark! Five days left to play one song on New Year's Eve before the ball drops in Times Square, NYC. What is the name of your song? Will you be ready?
Let Passion Be Your Guide
December 26, 2021 20:56 - 3 minutes - 2.81 MBLike the main characters in the movie "Call of the Wild", it takes will power and belief you have what it takes to play a musical instrument. Your success depends on your self-confidence, commitment and passion. A dream to play piano and/or compose music requires all these things. Thanks for listening. CALL OF THE WILD Buck is a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life gets turned upside down when he is suddenly uprooted from his California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of...
Learning to Play Chopin Waltzes?
December 26, 2021 20:33 - 3 minutes - 3.2 MBHow should we go about this? Take it one step at a time starting with the music and learning more about the man. Let's get started with a CD and watching "The Pianist" in 2002 produced by Roman Polanski starring Adrien Brody as Chopin. Soundtrack and sheet music from sheetmusic.plus available from the film. Songbook publisher: Hal Leonard: 9 pieces by Frederic Chopin. The Story of Chopin in Words and Music - One Hour of Music with Narration - available on Amazon: An Introduction to the Clas...
Are you a composer?
December 25, 2021 21:48 - 4 minutes - 3.72 MBMaybe not, but you could be a "struggling" composer of sorts, a place where many musicians find themselves from time to time. What's your story?
Chopin Waltz in A Minor for 2022
December 25, 2021 17:05 - 3 minutes - 2.98 MBWelcome to the music/media room in my home with a Norway spruce tree, domestic bobcat nearby, music by Chopin and apple pies. Merry Christmas, happy holidays and Happy New Year! Stay safe. Be Well. Thank you for watching/listening.
Oh, joy! Kawasaki Keyboard for Christmas
December 24, 2021 22:01 - 2 minutes - 2.74 MBHere we are again playing a carol on a toy keyboard. First, it was Jingle Bell Rock at Sam's Club. Today, it's Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Merry Christmas!
Almost Merry Christmas in G Major
December 24, 2021 21:42 - 2 minutes - 2.07 MBPlaying from memory, we awoke this morning with "Santa Clause is Coming to Town". The sheet music was nowhere to be found. Thanks for listening.
Cosmic Crisp Apple Pies for Christmas
December 24, 2021 03:24 - 3 minutes - 3.13 MBMerry Christmas!! It's about fruit pies this year with Cosmic Crisp apples from Wenatchee, WA in the USA. Music by Kevin MacLeod from the YouTube Audio Library. Song Title: Laid Back Guitars. Thank you for watching on Spotify and listening here.
Fake it Til We Make It
December 23, 2021 22:18 - 2 minutes - 2.18 MBTomorrow is the last day to practice five songs from our playlist of carols and hymns we plan to play on Christmas day. Chose 3-4 chords that work well with these songs and hope for the best. Thanks for listening.
Wednesday Night Music Club - Scales
December 22, 2021 23:31 - 2 minutes - 2.7 MBPlaying scales will increase sight reading skills over time. Continue to practice without looking at the keyboard. That's it in a nutshell. Thanks for listening.
Catnip Under the Christmas Tree
December 22, 2021 04:31 - 2 minutes - 2.6 MBGreetings! This is my first video on Spotify. Music by Aakash Gandhi in D-flat Major from the YouTube Audio Library. Song title: Borderless. The D-flat major scale has 5 flats. This major scale key is on the Circle of 5ths - Db major on circle of 5ths, which means that it is a commonly used major scale key. This scale sounds the same as the C# major scale, which is also a commonly used scale. The same notes are played in the same order in each scale - they sound identical. Only the names of...
Keyboard Playlist for the New Year!
December 21, 2021 20:08 - 4 minutes - 4.04 MBSo many songs, so little time. Make a list of your favorite song titles, dear friends. Then, find the sheet music. We're going to make this happen. Thanks for listening.
Learning to Play Chords
December 20, 2021 23:17 - 1 minute - 1.75 MBThe definition of a chord in music is this: three or more single pitches heard simultaneously. Depending on the harmonic style, chords may be consonant, implying repose, or dissonant, implying subsequent resolution to and by another chord. In traditional Western harmony, chords are formed by superimpositions of intervals of a third. There are several different chord types, and each chord type has a particular sound. Chords are built off of one note, called the root note.
The ocean Liner of our Dreams
December 19, 2021 22:57 - 4 minutes - 3.91 MBRoom service! Express your love for that special someone today in person or in an email message. It's all about the love this holiday. Thank you for your time. Share the love!
The Cruise Ship of our Dreams
December 19, 2021 22:57 - 4 minutes - 3.91 MBShare your love for that special someone today in person or by any other means possible. It's all about the love this holiday. Thank you for your time. Big hugs.
Silent Night: Melody, Harmony & Chords
December 18, 2021 19:59 - 4 minutes - 3.99 MBTune in for the next tutorial where we sight read, play harmonies with both hands and analyze chord progressions C, F, and G. Can't wait! Thank you for listening.
Chord Progressions for Silent Night by Franz Gruber
December 18, 2021 19:15 - 4 minutes - 3.85 MBCan music be taught? According to one critic in an article for the Encyclopedia Britannica it can't. The article was written in response to a quote by Johannes Bach that music can be taught. Who is Franz Gruber? Franz Xaver Gruber (25 November 1787 – 7 June 1863) was an Austrian primary school teacher, church organist and composer in the village of Arnsdorf, who is best known for composing the music to "Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night"). Rooted in the national folk tradition of Norway, Grieg’...
We Three Kings of Orient Are
December 16, 2021 18:52 - 2 minutes - 2.3 MBThis song is one of ten songs in the Alfred's Basic Piano song book Level 1A. The title is Merry Christmas! Thanks for listening.
Good King Wenceslas in C Major for Beginners
December 15, 2021 22:14 - 1 minute - 1.6 MBPatience and repetition are essential for learning to play a musical instrument. This song in C Major is on page 3 of Alfred's Basic Piano Library, Level 1A. Merry Christmas! Thanks for listening.
Test your Playing Level in One Easy Play Song Book with Ten Familiar Carols
December 15, 2021 18:46 - 2 minutes - 2.43 MBSuch a find! We learn treble and base clefs so we know how to read sheet music faster and easier. Locate this book to test your playing level TODAY if you're a beginner. Alfred's Basic Piano Library, Level 1A: Merry Christmas! A clef is a musical-notation symbol at the beginning of a music staff. It indicates the pitch of the notes on the staff. Clefs were originally letters, identifying letter-named pitches, that were added to one or more of the staff's lines (thus providing a "key" to the...
Two Bad Habits Regarding Piano Technique
December 15, 2021 18:05 - 2 minutes - 2.66 MBThis is great advice from Jazer Lee to improve your piano/keyboard technique. No. 1 is practicing and playing too fast. Thanks for listening.