Piano in Country Music

Posted on Jun 24, 2011 in Academic & Health Benefits, Piano Blog | 2 comments

When most people think of pianists, the first idea that emerges is classical music. Many early country music performers did not even consider playing the piano as part of their music-making. In fact, when Charlie Poole requested to use a piano in his recording, he was removed from his recording session. This anti-piano in country music ideal began to change as Opry player, Sam McGee was said to have learned to play music using a player piano roll.

Additionally, when Bob Willis was playing in fiddle dances, pianos were a widespread instrument of choice. The Western country music scene encouraged other pianists such as Moon Mullican. Moon Mullican joined King Records in 1946 and was henceforth known to be the first singer-pianist in country music. Other singers such as Mickey Gilley, Becky Hobbs, Ronnie Milsap and Gary Stewart followed using the piano as their main instrument.

Keep The Keyboard Clean: Piano Care Tip #12

Posted on Jun 14, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

The keyboard should be wiped periodically with a soft, dry cloth. Never use cleaners containing alcohol as the keys will become cracked. If the keyboard is very dirty, wipe it with a cloth moistened in a solution of soap and water. The same cloth should not be used for cleaning the surface of the piano, however. A good habit to cultivate is never to play the piano with dirty hands. That way the keyboard will stay clean for a long time.

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LOVE HIM OR LEFT COLD, JUSTIN BIEBER PLAYS THE IVORIES

Posted on Jun 9, 2011 in Piano Blog | 1 comment

Love him, hate him or just plain confused by all the hype, Justin Bieber may be more than just a trendy pretty boy with a rather goofy haircut who looks like he’s trying way too hard in his pre-adolescent innocence to figure out what will make ‘tween girls sigh.

It turns out that Justin Bieber, a constant top trender in Twitter (probably the single most influential indicator of popular trends out there today, especially among more social media-savvy youth), plays the piano. And not only does he play piano, he plays drums…and trumpet…

To get a taste of Bieber just playing the piano, check him out on YouTube playing a piece dedicated to his grandmother below.

Justin Bieber Piano Solo at SIRIUS XM (Dedicated to His Grandmother)

So the next time you hear your elementary school students singing Justin Bieber songs or you see your young daughter or granddaughter swooning over Justin or your young son or grandson showing up with his haircut, just say, “Justin Bieber plays piano. Maybe if you take piano lessons, you can become famous and popular like him.”

Tuning and Adjustment: Piano Care Tip #11

Posted on Jun 6, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Pianos are delicate instruments which need professional attention periodically. Basically there are two types of professional piano care: tuning and adjustment. Tuning means correcting the pitch of every note by re-tightening the strings. Each piano string is normally stretched to a pressure of about 90 kilograms (198 ½ pounds), but eventually it will stretch further with use and lose some of its tension, causing the piano to lose its correct pitch.

The strings need to be tuned once or twice a year to restore them to their proper tension. Adjustment involves the entire piano action, keyboard, and pedal movements. Proper adjustment is especially important for grand pianos. Whether the piano will perform properly or not depends on how accurately the adjustment is made. Tuning and adjustment should only be done by an expert. When your piano requires either one, call a specialist.

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Avoid Sudden Temperature Changes: Piano Care Tip #8

Posted on May 16, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

When a cold room is warmed suddenly, moisture will condense on the piano strings and other metal parts, causing them to rust. Felt parts will absorb moisture, dulling their action and resulting in unclean sound. Be especially careful about sudden temperature changes when moving your piano into a room in a cold northern climate or into an airtight room in a concrete building.

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Beware of Excessive Dryness: Piano Care Tip #7

Posted on May 12, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Just as Piano Care Tip #6 says to be careful about excessive moisture, excessive dryness can also cause problems, and reek havoc on your pianos!

Too much humidity is a problem, but excessive dryness is an even more serious one, especially where heating or cooling systems are used to create artificially dehumidified rooms. Used in naturally dry climates, the piano has enough natural moisture to prevent excessive drying. However, if the air becomes too dry, the wooden and felt components will shrink. In extreme cases, the soundboard, joints, and other laminated sections may even come apart, even though they have been glued together carefully. Slight distortion of the parts may cause noise, and the tuning pins may work loose, making it difficult to keep the piano in tune. To avoid excessive dryness, it is best to keep some kind of leafy plant or a humidifier in the piano room.

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How Humidity Affects A Piano: Piano Care Tip #5

Posted on May 10, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Felt, cloth, leather, and the precision wood parts – some of them machined to tolerances as fine as 1/100mm – used in such critical parts of the piano as the action, are extremely sensitive to humidity. Too much humidity will result in dull hammer action, unclean tones, rusting of internal parts, and sticking keys. Before this happens the piano should be repaired.

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Proper Conditions Mean Better Sound: Piano Care Tip #4

Posted on May 9, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Proper ventilation is also important. Generally speaking, a relative humidity of between 50 and 60 percent is ideal for pianos. The use of materials such as wood, felt, and cloth in piano construction means that many parts are quite delicate. If not properly cared for, they can be damaged easily.

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Avoid Heat (Piano Care Tip #3)

Posted on May 6, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 2 comments

Keep the piano away from sources of heat such as radiators or hot air registers. They may damage the finish and internal parts causing tone and balance to deteriorate. Make sure that no radiant heat or hot air draft strikes the piano directly.

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Avoid windows: Piano Care Tip #2

Posted on May 5, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Try not to place the piano near a window. Its cabinet is made of wood and must be protected against direct sunlight, humidity and sudden changes in temperature. Windows which open on the out-of-doors offer the least protection. If you must place the piano near a window, use a heavy curtain over the window for protection.

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