Most people interested in the original blues, either guitar or piano, know the names of the �blues legends�. These are the old guys who invented the stuff. None of them had to learn the blues , they lived the blues! Men like Lightnin� Hopkins, Robert Johnson and Big Bill Broonzy come to mind.
We can imagine how the legend surrounding Robert Johnson grew over the years. There are only two photographs left, both very similar, and his bluesmen friends that survived into the 70s talked freely about his celebrated meeting with satan at the crossroads. I didn�t meet Broonzy, although there are some pieces of film left for us to enjoy, all can be seen on Youtube.
I was called by a man who worked in a band that supported Bill while touring the UK in the late 50s. He told me about about a big man who drank too much, laughed a lot and told colorful stories a lot of the time. His masterful guitar style was impossible to copy, and to this day, almost no-one has managed to duplicate Big Bill�s swinging style.
Some years ago, in 1998, I was living in Indiana and was often thirsty for the sound of old-style blues. Someone told me that there was a blues bar called �Buck�s Working Man�s Pub� in a town about 40 miles away in the town of La Porte. At the end of my working day, I eagerly jumped into the car and headed out.
Given directions by the locals, I drove down main street, turned left at the second corner past the town hall and crossed the railroad tracks to the wrong side of town. This is what I was looking for, I�d get to see the real blues. The bar wasn�t up to much. I got myself a drink and made my way to room at the back, drawn by the sound of a loud Chicago-style blues band.
The place wasn�t empty, and it wasn�t full. This kind of blues wasn�t what I was interested in anyway � I liked the old acoustic blues. The old fellow at my table said that the locals had hired the band as it was the proprietor�s birthday today. He didn�t say much after that.
The band finished the number and the singer addressed the audience. �Happy Birthday, Pinetop", he yelled, and then �Ladies and gentlemen, Pinetop has agreed
to play a couple of numbers for us." The old guy at my table got up and walked up to the stage, sitting down in front of a grand piano. He played a slow boogie which became increasingly syncopated with each passing bar. My mouth dropped open as I realised I�d been sitting next to a real master, an original bluesman.
He played just two songs before he shuffled past me out of the room. He didn�t appear again that night. With hindsight, I thought of all the things I could have asked him, but maybe it�s just as well. It was the guys birthday and he might have been bothered by a stranger�s questions. Legends are just normal guys, you see.
Each passing year, the bluesmen are dissapearing, to be succeeded by newer legends. I also recall driving clear across Indiana and Michigan to listen to a modern blues legend, who will remain nameless, because of his words during our encounter. Thrilled, I said what a great way to live, to follow in the path of the old bluesmen � travelling around playing the blues. �Not a bit of it", he replied �It�s a pain and I�d rather be at home doing something else!"
We need to remind ourselves � legends are also human.
Interview with a modern bluesman.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunny Choi plays Billboard Hot 100 Songs on Piano
International Piano Artist Sunny Choi is proud to announce the launch of a new YouTube Channel dedicated to her amazing piano covers of hit songs. On Sunny Choi's Hit Music YouTube Channel you will find the top songs from today's artists, as well as the most popular songs ever recorded by the biggest names in music history.
Already known as a successful classical piano musician, Sunny Choi has often pondered the future and relevance of classical music to younger generations. Her love of music has naturally led her to many different genres of music. She has noticed however, that there is a dearth of appreciation among some younger people for classical music and acoustic instruments in general. Understanding that change is inevitable, Sunny Choi has decided to help bridge the gap between beautiful piano playing and today's hit music.
Using her world-class ear for music, Sunny is recording piano-only covers of the most popular songs on the radio. On her new Hit Music YouTube Channel you will find piano versions of Beyoncé songs, piano covers of Kelly Clarkson songs, original piano arrangements of Alicia Keys, Usher, Lady Gaga and many other pop music icons. On a separate playlist, Sunny will reach back into the musical vaults to create piano covers of some of the biggest recordings of all time including song by The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley and Barbara Streisand. All of the piano covers that Sunny Choi performs will be original arrangements for solo piano.
Each week, Billboard Magazine ranks the most popular songs in America by tallying physical sales, digital downloads, and radio plays. This cross-genre list is compiled into the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This list will frame the selection criteria for Sunny Choi's Hit Music YouTube Channel. When a song reaches the level of popularity sufficient to make Billboard's Hot 100 List, it has become one of the most popular songs in the country and has the potential to be recorded on the piano by Sunny Choi.
Fans of Sunny Choi and popular music in general will be able to conveniently view these recordings on YouTube, comment on them, request additional songs and interact directly with Sunny. Those wishing to know more about Sunny Choi are encouraged to visit the Sunny Choi Fan Page on Facebook. Those who desire to follow the musical career of Sunny Choi on an ongoing basis may benefit from her Twitter updates, and information posted on the Sunny Choi Official Website.
Whether or not the Sunny Choi Hit Music YouTube Channel will succeed in driving young people in droves towards the piano as an instrument, or classical music in general, is not the true aim of Sunny Choi. What is most important to her is that music lovers of all ages learn to enjoy the music that they love in as many different ways as they can and become curious about new facets of musical expression.
For while we will never all agree on what type of music is best, or what form of music should be promoted over another, we should all respect the musical tastes of each other and learn to celebrate positive music expression in all of it's forms.
Sunny Choi is accepting private playing engagements in North America and abroad. Seize this wonderful opportunity to have the music of Sunny Choi adding elegance to your next event visit my official site for more information www.sunnychoi.ca.
Already known as a successful classical piano musician, Sunny Choi has often pondered the future and relevance of classical music to younger generations. Her love of music has naturally led her to many different genres of music. She has noticed however, that there is a dearth of appreciation among some younger people for classical music and acoustic instruments in general. Understanding that change is inevitable, Sunny Choi has decided to help bridge the gap between beautiful piano playing and today's hit music.
Using her world-class ear for music, Sunny is recording piano-only covers of the most popular songs on the radio. On her new Hit Music YouTube Channel you will find piano versions of Beyoncé songs, piano covers of Kelly Clarkson songs, original piano arrangements of Alicia Keys, Usher, Lady Gaga and many other pop music icons. On a separate playlist, Sunny will reach back into the musical vaults to create piano covers of some of the biggest recordings of all time including song by The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley and Barbara Streisand. All of the piano covers that Sunny Choi performs will be original arrangements for solo piano.
Each week, Billboard Magazine ranks the most popular songs in America by tallying physical sales, digital downloads, and radio plays. This cross-genre list is compiled into the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This list will frame the selection criteria for Sunny Choi's Hit Music YouTube Channel. When a song reaches the level of popularity sufficient to make Billboard's Hot 100 List, it has become one of the most popular songs in the country and has the potential to be recorded on the piano by Sunny Choi.
Fans of Sunny Choi and popular music in general will be able to conveniently view these recordings on YouTube, comment on them, request additional songs and interact directly with Sunny. Those wishing to know more about Sunny Choi are encouraged to visit the Sunny Choi Fan Page on Facebook. Those who desire to follow the musical career of Sunny Choi on an ongoing basis may benefit from her Twitter updates, and information posted on the Sunny Choi Official Website.
Whether or not the Sunny Choi Hit Music YouTube Channel will succeed in driving young people in droves towards the piano as an instrument, or classical music in general, is not the true aim of Sunny Choi. What is most important to her is that music lovers of all ages learn to enjoy the music that they love in as many different ways as they can and become curious about new facets of musical expression.
For while we will never all agree on what type of music is best, or what form of music should be promoted over another, we should all respect the musical tastes of each other and learn to celebrate positive music expression in all of it's forms.
Sunny Choi is accepting private playing engagements in North America and abroad. Seize this wonderful opportunity to have the music of Sunny Choi adding elegance to your next event visit my official site for more information www.sunnychoi.ca.
How To Pick the Proper Piano Brand names
Picking the right piano brand name is crucial when you make this significant invest in. Using the time to understand about what makes a piano fantastic will assist you make a sensible determination. Despite the fact that there are a some major names when it occurs to picking a piano, continue to keep in mind the 3 "T's"...- Reach for- Firmness- TypeContact and ToneTouch and tone are the keys to buying a piano. You want to make certain that you like the motion of the keyboard as properly as whether or not you want a "brighter" sounding, or a piano with much more bass.A piano with a light actions is intending to have a really "touchy" keyboard, you're not heading to be capable to fiddle close to with how loud or softly you participate in. A firmer actions on a key pad keeps enables you to fool close to with the dynamics whilst making up your finger strength. This may possibly not seem really important, but when you go to perform an individual else's piano it will make all the variation.Design of your piano is important too. This will affect the action of the instrument as properly as the firmness. Search within the piano, have the technician on staff clarify the variations involving piano brands. Don't fall victim to beautiful casework when the insides of the piano are junk.As far as sound goes, this is absolutely up to you. Listen to a couple of pianos ahead of you make you selection. This will be a great deal like picking out a t.v. arranged. Discover a piano that has the right come near and the correct tone for to inspire you to sit down and play it.Varieties of PianosWhen it will come to piano brands, the sky is the restrict. Arming oneself with a little understanding before shelling out the bucks will aid you uncover the greatest buy.Be aware that several makers of pianos have various "series" of instruments, each and every of these differ in quality and value. There are a lot of keep make or model pianos, these devices are like the home brand name ketchup you may well locate at your local grocery retailer; they will do the work, but in the extended run they may possibly not be a clever purchase.Don't be drawn in by foreign names. A lot of piano manufacturers that have German or Asian-sounding names are not really created in other countries or by individuals of these descents. Sometimes you will find that American made pianos will be furnished with German produced "guts".Sense no cost to ask concerns about the wherever your piano was created this may possibly give you insight on the instruments good quality. Use the serial amount of the instrument you are considering of paying for as a guide to monitor lower data about wherever it was created. Your piano technician ought to be ready to supply you with the specs on any tool you are shopping more than.Pianos break down into two kinds, uprights and grands. Uprights are the tall pianos that you see in old western saloons although grands are most generally linked with concert halls and well-known pianists. The two kinds of pianos have a handful of diverse sizes in between them...Uprights (from shortest to tallest)...- Spinet. 35" to 39" in height- Consoles... 40" to 44"- Studio: 45" to 47"- Total Dimension. 48" to 52"Grands (from shortest to longest)...- Parlor. 4'5" to 5'5"- Baby... 5'0" to 6'5"- Medium... 5'6" to 6'5"- Expert... 6'6" to 8'0"- Concert... 8'9" to 10'2"That's all there is to it. Nothing as well complex about the method. Fundamentally you will need to familiarize oneself with the names of the kinds of pianos and their measurements. Contact, tone, and kind are the only points you will need to bear in mind when browsing for piano brand names.Web Conferencing** Article must be manually approved before URL is available **http://craig44hardin.typepad.com/blog/2010/05/how-to-get-started-with-the-right-phone-middle-products.html
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978236811
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978236811
Learn How To Play Piano - In 6 Months
Most people get discouraged today when it comes to learning how to play piano because they think that it is impossible. They think that you have hire a tutor or go to an expensive school in order to learn to play. These people are definitely wrong, because you can learn at home. There's tons of online piano lessons out there. For example, Learn & Master Piano by Will Barrow, PIANOFORALL by Robin Hall and Power Piano Chords by Duane Shinn.
I'm going to go over a few simple and easy tips to help you learn how to play piano at home. You will need to keep a few things in mind whenever you are planning on learning how to play piano. Firstly, you need to get a piano. Any piano will do, just needs to function. Next you need some good material to learn on. You can try to learn all of this on your own by looking up free material on the internet and asking around, but most likely you will struggle with this.
You have roughly 3 different options, get enrolled in a class, learn how to play with a tutor or teach yourself at home with a good online program. Since the first two aren't cheap or very convenient, I think you will end up picking the last one.
You have to be careful because you might end up with a non comprehensvive or boring program that leaves you unable to learn and very frustrated. Make sure you get a good quality program the first time that you end up buying. You will be able to find a good program to use by simply reading any product reviews you can find.
Two of the best piano learning lesson programs online today is Rocket Piano by Ruth Searle and Learn and Master Piano by Will Barrow . Their lessons are very comprehensive, easy to follow and affordable. Imagine being able to learn at your own pace from home. If you want to take your kids to a soccer game, the you can do that. Do you think that you could ask your tutor to take a walk while you take an important phone call. This is not going to happen. Since you are going to get a program anyway, you should just check out the Power Piano Chords Review at ReviewMOZ.org.
Examine Rocket Piano by Ruth Searle. Read the Rocket Piano Review and other piano lessons reviews such as Learn and Master Piano Review and PIANOFORALL Review at ReviewMOZ.org.
I'm going to go over a few simple and easy tips to help you learn how to play piano at home. You will need to keep a few things in mind whenever you are planning on learning how to play piano. Firstly, you need to get a piano. Any piano will do, just needs to function. Next you need some good material to learn on. You can try to learn all of this on your own by looking up free material on the internet and asking around, but most likely you will struggle with this.
You have roughly 3 different options, get enrolled in a class, learn how to play with a tutor or teach yourself at home with a good online program. Since the first two aren't cheap or very convenient, I think you will end up picking the last one.
You have to be careful because you might end up with a non comprehensvive or boring program that leaves you unable to learn and very frustrated. Make sure you get a good quality program the first time that you end up buying. You will be able to find a good program to use by simply reading any product reviews you can find.
Two of the best piano learning lesson programs online today is Rocket Piano by Ruth Searle and Learn and Master Piano by Will Barrow . Their lessons are very comprehensive, easy to follow and affordable. Imagine being able to learn at your own pace from home. If you want to take your kids to a soccer game, the you can do that. Do you think that you could ask your tutor to take a walk while you take an important phone call. This is not going to happen. Since you are going to get a program anyway, you should just check out the Power Piano Chords Review at ReviewMOZ.org.
Examine Rocket Piano by Ruth Searle. Read the Rocket Piano Review and other piano lessons reviews such as Learn and Master Piano Review and PIANOFORALL Review at ReviewMOZ.org.
Sunny Choi
International Piano Sunny Choi to Visit Toronto Schools
For International Piano Artist Sunny Choi, giving back means going back - to school that is. Since turning her award-winning amateur piano career into a professional venture just over two years ago, Sunny has become a regular piano performer at Casino Ram... Read >
Join the Sunny Choi Fan Club
International Piano Artist Sunny Choi is developing quite a fan following on the Internet. As a world-class pianist this is no surprise, however, it is not only her talent which is driving fans to her in droves, but also her attention to what her fans wan... Read >
Sunny Choi plays Billboard Hot 100 Songs on Piano
International Piano Artist Sunny Choi is proud to announce the launch of a new YouTube Channel dedicated to her amazing piano covers of hit songs. On Sunny Choi's Hit Music YouTube Channel you will find the top songs from today's artists, as well as the m... Read >
Sunny Choi: The Extraordinary Piano Musician
Sunny Choi is an accomplished Toronto piano musician with an incredible gift. Ms. Choi is able to play virtually any selection of music she hears without the aid of written music. This gift coupled with her solid background in classical music is only half... Read >
Live Piano for Toronto Weddings
When it comes to the premier wedding piano musicians in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) one name seems to be circulated over and over: Sunny Choi. By providing completely customized experiences, superior client service, and world-class music, Sunny Choi ha... Read >
Toronto Piano Musician for Weddings, Corporate, Concerts & Private Events
Ever since she was a child, Sunny Choi knew that she wanted to be the best at something, but she wasn't quite sure what that was. Like many people who have a passion for excellence she committed herself to studying hard and taking all of the positive oppo... Read >
Piano Tuning...an Untapped Career
PIANO TUNING AS A CAREER
Are you looking for a career that has a tremendous demand? Do you want to start a business where you can set your hours, have a great income yet with minimal start-up expenses?
Well piano tuning is a field that may be right for you. This is a trade that has not done well in recruiting newcomers yet there is tremendous demand for piano tuning and repair services.
Just a few years ago the statistics showed that if no new pianos were being sold, the number of existing pianos that would need continual tuning services would exceed 10,000 per active piano tuner. Considering most people continue to repair pianos from the turn of the century the potential for a new comer is bright.
So how do you begin? It's fairly simple. The first step is to acquire a piano tuning kit. It consists of 4 basic tools and will serve you as you enter into the tuning field professionally. The cost of the kit is approximately $59.00. Talk about low start-up expenses!
The next step is to have access to a piano, preferably one that is not really being used. However there are many old pianos that can be picked up just for moving them. Watch the classified ads in the newspaper, Craig list, Backpage and others for used pianos. Many can be bought cheaply but again many can be had just for the taking. If you pay a piano mover to transport it for you a typical move (not including any steps) will cost between $100-200.
You may want to meet a piano tuner, possibly one who is nearing retirement. Many times these professionals will be glad to mentor you. You probably won't make money if you do offer them a hand in some of their piano work but their knowledge and assistance can boost your learning experience forward much quicker.
With your tools and tuning course you can begin your piano tuning study. Within a few months you should, with plenty of practice be able to tune home pianos. You can expect to earn between $85-120 per tuning, depending on the area of the country you live in.
How to Build Your Business
Now that you are ready to move ahead you will need to acquire customers. To build your business:
Contact piano dealers; offer to tune some pianos at a reduced rate in return for them to refer calls that come in to them requesting a recommendation for a tuner.
Call on piano teachers, let them know who you are, offer them a discount for referrals, or even tune their piano for free. You may offer to tune their student's pianos at a reduced rate too.
Call churches, offer your services. Advertise in the newspaper, Craigslist, Backpage and other publications. Advertise in local music publications.
Set up a system so that you can record your tuning customers. Have a recall system to call and remind them (like your dentist does) a tuning is due. By doing so you help maintain the customer, you build a relationship them and build long-term business.
Piano tuning is a rewarding field of work. You'll find that when people at parties ask what you do that most people will find your work interesting. They usually ask several questions because it is a specialized type of craft.
If you're tired of the daily grind, no job security and would like to build something that's YOURS then a career as a piano tuner may just be the business for you.
Author:
Keith Hutson
The author has been tuning, repairing and rebuilding pianos for over 25 years. If you have any questions or would like to order a tuning kit and course contact him at :
kghutson@comcast.net
For more information click here
Are you looking for a career that has a tremendous demand? Do you want to start a business where you can set your hours, have a great income yet with minimal start-up expenses?
Well piano tuning is a field that may be right for you. This is a trade that has not done well in recruiting newcomers yet there is tremendous demand for piano tuning and repair services.
Just a few years ago the statistics showed that if no new pianos were being sold, the number of existing pianos that would need continual tuning services would exceed 10,000 per active piano tuner. Considering most people continue to repair pianos from the turn of the century the potential for a new comer is bright.
So how do you begin? It's fairly simple. The first step is to acquire a piano tuning kit. It consists of 4 basic tools and will serve you as you enter into the tuning field professionally. The cost of the kit is approximately $59.00. Talk about low start-up expenses!
The next step is to have access to a piano, preferably one that is not really being used. However there are many old pianos that can be picked up just for moving them. Watch the classified ads in the newspaper, Craig list, Backpage and others for used pianos. Many can be bought cheaply but again many can be had just for the taking. If you pay a piano mover to transport it for you a typical move (not including any steps) will cost between $100-200.
You may want to meet a piano tuner, possibly one who is nearing retirement. Many times these professionals will be glad to mentor you. You probably won't make money if you do offer them a hand in some of their piano work but their knowledge and assistance can boost your learning experience forward much quicker.
With your tools and tuning course you can begin your piano tuning study. Within a few months you should, with plenty of practice be able to tune home pianos. You can expect to earn between $85-120 per tuning, depending on the area of the country you live in.
How to Build Your Business
Now that you are ready to move ahead you will need to acquire customers. To build your business:
Contact piano dealers; offer to tune some pianos at a reduced rate in return for them to refer calls that come in to them requesting a recommendation for a tuner.
Call on piano teachers, let them know who you are, offer them a discount for referrals, or even tune their piano for free. You may offer to tune their student's pianos at a reduced rate too.
Call churches, offer your services. Advertise in the newspaper, Craigslist, Backpage and other publications. Advertise in local music publications.
Set up a system so that you can record your tuning customers. Have a recall system to call and remind them (like your dentist does) a tuning is due. By doing so you help maintain the customer, you build a relationship them and build long-term business.
Piano tuning is a rewarding field of work. You'll find that when people at parties ask what you do that most people will find your work interesting. They usually ask several questions because it is a specialized type of craft.
If you're tired of the daily grind, no job security and would like to build something that's YOURS then a career as a piano tuner may just be the business for you.
Author:
Keith Hutson
The author has been tuning, repairing and rebuilding pianos for over 25 years. If you have any questions or would like to order a tuning kit and course contact him at :
kghutson@comcast.net
For more information click here
Best Piano Guide for Beginners
Classes that involve piano for noobs would include an intro to reading and understanding the keys, chords and the way to read musical notes. The piano isn't like any other instrument and sounds smashing as standalone music or as a part of a group. The intense sound of a piano is one that captivates audiences with power or soothes them with serenity. Budding musicians always find it exciting to explore the world of piano for beginners. Whether this is their first venture playing the piano or being used as a reminder of forgotten skills, piano for beginners is a terrific way to develop or improve skills.The most popular place to find a piano for beginners class would be a local high school or college university music department. Occasionally, instructors will offer piano tutoring to non-students. Students, on the other hand, will have a variety of choices within the music curriculum. Otherwise, a quick visit to a local specialty music store may provide leads on potential instructors. When learning piano for noobs, it is important to tryouts to choose the best instructor by appraising his / her experience, tutorial background and achievements. The most usually sought instructors will possess some form of music degree or an equivalent quantity of musical experience.A potential instructor should be interviewed referring to their history in music, fee wants, length of classes, policy on missed sessions, etc. If the learner's schedule is particularly hectic, he/she may wish to enlist the help of a private tutor as opposed to a group instructor. Music lessons offered in a group will be scheduled by the instructor and will be less flexible toward each individual learner's schedule. This is not to say that group lessons aren't a superb way to learn piano for beginners because they are. Simply put, private tutors are better for anyone with a hectic or unpredictable schedule.For instance, a personal mentor will have a more flexible schedule and will be prepared to work around that of the learner's daily agenda. Whereas group classes are often held at the same time on a certain night, or nights, each week, a private tutor can be scheduled at any time during the day or evening without having to abide by a preset schedule. Web courses, on the other hand, offer learners with the choice of learning piano for amateurs in the ease of their own home at any point in the night or day. After all, where else could you learn piano in your pajamas?Perhaps that most fun way to learn the piano for beginners is to just start playing. Online music lessons provide a great foundation for the basics of teaching yourself to play. In fact, some of the world's most famous musicians are self-taught, so don't be afraid to go solo to start. Self-taught musicians often develop their own unique style earlier. And, unique style, while having a firm foundation, is what all musicians strive for. After some time, developing your own unique style will get you well on the way to the Grammy awards.
For more information click here
For more information click here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)