Archive for November, 2011

The Basics Of How To experience Piano Chords

Friday, November 25th, 2011

A piano chord is played by pressing three keys simultaneously. Any three keys will form a triad, only certain mixtures of keys can create sounds which are musical and pleasing to the ear. Almost all music in comprised of three elements: rhythm, melody, and harmony. Harmony is made when several notes are played together. Learning how to play piano chords is a crucial part of mastering the instrument and essential to playing great music.

There are various kinds of chords, but some are more common than others with respect to the type of music that’s being played. A major triad is based on a significant scale. Playing the very first, third, and fifth degrees of a major scale together can create a major triad. In C major the notes played would be C, E, and G. Major scales create a soothing and usually happy sound.

Minor triads are built while using minor scale. The examples of the triad stay the same: the first, third, and fifth degrees are played together. Within the C minor scale these notes could be C, E flat, and G. The 3rd note in minor scales is lowered by half step. This combination of notes creates a more sad or somber sound.

Another two most important and most often used triads are augmented and diminished. These are defined by the experience taken with the fifth degree of the scale in which they’re played. In an augmented scale the 5th is raised with a half step. Diminished chords have a fifth that is lowered by a half step.

There are other kinds of chords beyond these basic four. Combinations which use the seventh, ninth, and thirteenth scale degrees are common in various genres of music. Sevenths are typical in jazz and country songs while ninths tend to be more commonly found when playing the blues. Scales are just composed of seven notes towards the concept of ninths and thirteenths can sound strange. A ninth an additional is one and the same. The notes are counted without repeating one every time the root note is hit.

All sorts of chord, no matter which scale it is based on, can be inverted. Inversions are utilized to change the weight from the notes. In the first inversion of the C major scale, the root note is gone to live in the very best and E becomes the main note. This could make the notes played E, G, and C. This changes the tonality of the notes and the impression it can make within the music.

Understanding how to play piano chords will make playing the piano more enjoyable and the music you can create more complex and harmonious. Being confident with the various types and knowing their variations will make recognizing them easier and leaning a brand new piece faster.

Country Music’s Earliest Pioneers

Friday, November 25th, 2011

Country Music as you may know it’s been around for decades, with the 1920′s seen as the ‘era’ of Country; with a large number of faces, some well-known, some fading into obscurity lining the Hall of Fame, who are the key figureheads in the good reputation for New bands? Who pioneered it, we all know and love today? Here are a few from the founders:

A.C Robertson

Alexander (known as Eck) Robertson recorded the very first commercial Country Music song in 1922! He was born in 1887 and lived in Texas, becoming an adult learning to play the fiddle, he eventually found himself with a recording contract. In 1922 Eck recorded the now famous track “Sally Gooden.” It never made it big, and it didn’t sell many copies, but he started the we know today.

Because the first recorded artist, Eck Robertson certainly should be described as a pioneer.

Vernon Dalhart

Vernon Dalhart had the very first Country Singer to have a nationwide hit in 1924 -just 2 years after Eck Robertson sang, with “Wreck of the Old ’97.” Vernon was created in 1883 as Marion try Slaughter, he took his name from two towns were he worked. He applied and was hired by Edison records, but he didn’t start out as a Country Singer, he began with classical and dance, later in 1924 he released his first song which quickly became a hit. He went on to record a variety of hits, using various names, hundreds in fact!

While Vernon might have not begun his career, he certainly made an effect on the business, alerting recording companies to how lucrative it could be, for that as well as for singing the very first country song to become a nationwide hit, Vernon Dalhart deserves his devote the pioneers.

Jimmie Rodgers

Jimmie Rodgers if often known as ‘The Father of New bands,” he recorded “The Soldier’s Sweetheart” and “Sleep, Baby, Sleep” in 1927 and although they didn’t make millions, they did achieve some success and fame. But Jimmie was determined to make it big and recorded another song ‘Blue Yodel” or “T for Texas” because it is often known. This song earned him his stardom, selling thousands and thousands of copies.

Jimmie Rodgers made a good career for himself out of singing Country, and influenced many artists, Country and non country alike; sadly he died at 35 years of age from TB. For his contribution, Jimmie Rodgers earned his place among the pioneers of Music.

The Carter Family

The Carter Family would be a group that recorded in the late 1920s towards the late 1950s, they are regarded as the first Country vocal group, within the group was Delaney Carter, his wife Sarah Carter and the sister-in-law Maybelle Carter.

They made their first recording in 1927 with “Wandering Boy” and “Poor Orphan Child,” later they come up with well known, “Keep Around the Sunny Side,” and much more besides. Their songs became very popular and incredibly well-known.

Later though the group disbanded and split, with Maybelle singing together with her children and occasionally the audience re-uniting to sing a hit, merging with several family generations.

The Carter Family’s songs have been covered by artists such as Joan Baez as well as Bob Dylan, but as essential as the songs were, the Carter Family pioneered a different way of playing the guitar the “Carter Style.” With your affect on the planet, the Carter Family deserves their place being an early pioneer.