At the beginning of March, Helen Marlais released the Grade 3 books for the Succeeding at the Piano series. A relatively new addition to the piano method “family,” (although Marlas is not), Grade 3 is a welcome addition to the series. Grade 4 is scheduled to be released sometime next year, and that will complete the series. From the FJH Music Company, “Grade 3 expands on the concepts introduced in earlier levels and teaches new ones, such as: new time signatures of 3/8, 6/8 and cut time; compound meter; triads and inversions; IV chord and I-IV-I cadence; I-IV-I-V7-I in C, G, and F Major; syncopation; intervals of a 7th and an octave; alberti bass; triplets; swing rhythm; chromaticism; and the three forms of the minor scale in the key A and D. Healthy technique resulting in tension-free playing, conventional and intervallic note reading, engaging music by six leading composers establish a passion for playing piano.”

Each level in the Succeeding at the Piano series includes a lesson, theory and activity, recital and Christmas book. As an extra, you can also get a sticker book and flash card friend set for each level. A teacher guide is available for the preparatory and grade one book.

The next new addition to the piano method family is the second edition of Level 2A and 4 of Faber Piano Adventures series. The second edition of these two levels follows the new editions of the Primer and Level 1 books. With additional pages and studies, both the Level 2A and 4 will expand upon the changes made in the previous levels and continue in a natural evolution (don’t worry, you can continue using first edition and second edition books together). Most exciting for Level 4 is the introduction of a Level 4 Technique and Artistry book. The aim of this book is to combine the real “secrets to virtuoso playing with the objective of artistic performance.” While all of Level 2A second edition books have been released (lesson, theory, technique and artistry, and performance) and are available in stores, the Level 4 Theory book will be released in July 2012. The Level 4 Theory book will be the last second edition book released for 2012.

A couple “extras.” Piano Adventures has also recently released a Primer Level Teacher’s Guide. This is an attractive book that includes a DVD with Nancy Faber demonstrating teaching techniques with students. Also, we now have updated PreTime and BigTime, Popular, Rock’n Roll, Jazz & Blues, and Kids’ Songs books. Stop by either Gist locations in Louisville and Lexington to see these exciting new additions to the Succeeding at the Piano and Piano Adventures series!

FJH Music introduces level 3 of the Succeeding at the Piano method series by Helen Marlais

What if?

How different would my career have been if I had owned a digital piano as a child? I asked myself that question today as I taught a group piano lesson and watched the kids enthusiastically pushing buttons to find sounds that fit their songs. Their fingers flitted over the controls with an expertise that comes from life-long exposure to electronics and I found myself marveling at their effortless creativity. I listened as one my 10-year-olds played a beautiful piece of music that he composed and recorded, with drums, in perfect rhythm. I will never forget the joy and sense of accomplishment in his proud smile.

Moments like these continually reinforce the “risky” decision I made a few years ago when I “went out on a limb” with a dream and a few dollars and purchased five, top of the line, Roland digital pianos. Studio 88 was born. I wasn’t sure it would work but I had been so impressed by the progress group piano students were showing in these “maverick” piano classes all over the US. I wanted to give my students the chance to learn practical musicianship in a way that only ensemble playing can teach – and after spending some time with a well-respected group piano teacher, (Thank you, Serena Mackey!) I was ready to break the “traditional” mold of private piano lessons and push my studio in a new direction.

Breaking with tradition isn’t for the weak of heart. Traditions are meant to be kept, right? Would “top 40” composers like Beethoven and Mozart break tradition if they had a full orchestra at their fingertips? What if they had access to the kinds of instruments today’s students do? (I picture it happening like it did in that late-80s movie… Beethoven, or “Beeeth-oven” as Bill and Ted called him, is brought into our time through a time machine. He wanders into a mall and stumbles upon a music store full of digital keyboards and he cannot resist playing all of them! He is completely taken by the experience. Before he leaves, he creates an entire orchestra with the sounds on the keyboards! …and, more importantly, he is smiling! There aren’t many pictures of Beethoven smiling.)

Most musical.

Don’t misunderstand me. I love my 9 foot grand piano. I DO! …but, do I use it when I am inspired to record something or when I want to compose a piece? No. I use my Roland digital piano.

Let’s face it. My 9 foot grand piano is great for playing the classics. It has a warmth and depth that thrills me every time I play it, but there are things that I do – and I know other musicians do – that cannot be taught on a traditional piano. Yes, I really said that. You cannot teach someone how to create a ‘soundtrack’ without the use of other instruments. You cannot inspire creativity on a piano the way you can when you have 1000 different instrument sounds at your fingertips.

The best way to illustrate the power of ensemble playing is to relay an experience I recently had when I showed one of my students how to layer sounds and ‘create’ music under their written piece. It was as if a new world had opened up – scary and amazing at the same time. Wide-eyed, he asked, “How do you know where to start? How do you play a string pad under a piano solo? You mean I can have other sounds playing with me while I play the piano part?” I used this opportunity to show him applied music theory – demonstrating how to layer the instruments and orchestrate a background that would complement what he was playing. His reaction was memorable, “That’s COOL! I want THAT sound and that sound… and then I wanna add drums to it, and… wait. I can make my own cd?! Are you kidding me?! Awesome!”  One piano.  Pure excitement.

When I received my degree in piano performance, I knew that I had been trained properly and given the opportunity to become a concert pianist. After having played countless shows, opera rehearsals, show choirs, Broadway rehearsals, and competitions, however, I came to realize that there was more to music than just playing my repertoire on a concert grand. Yes, I had an excellent sense of sight reading, rhythm, theory and technique, but how much better would my performances have been had I been thinking about the other instruments I was playing with from the beginning? How much more quickly would I have developed my sense of musical creativity had I been able to record myself or create my own backing tracks? What other opportunities to perform would I have been given? I know these answers.

I know it’s hard to accept change, but it is happening all around us. We are not still playing harpsichords because Christofori invented the piano. (“Can you imagine what our musical world would have sounded like had Beethoven never tried the pianoforte?”) We are not calling people on the phone like we used to, we are texting. We are not riding in carriages pulled by horses because Henry Ford was relentless in his pursuit of the perfect automobile. …and we’re not teaching our children mathematics with a slide rule now that calculators are everywhere.

Remember these?

As much as we may not like it, our children have grown up using computers. Most of them haven’t heard a RECORD or a CASSETTE. They don’t even know what an 8-TRACK tape is! Our students remember the first Nintendo they were given (back when video games had controllers). Then came the Wii, the iPod, the iPhone, tablet PCs, something called a “cloud” and more! Just wait. It won’t be long before our kids are asking “What’s a cd?” Brace yourselves. It’s coming.

Is this a bad thing? No. It’s just different. It’s the natural progression of technology in our society and – though the pace may seem to quicken as we age – it’s an important part of how we live and how we express ourselves. It shows up in our art and our entertainment. Why wouldn’t it show up in our music as well?

How would your career be different if you’d been taught to improvise? What if you’d been given an early understanding of theory, instrumentation and orchestration? Would you be a better, more well-rounded musician? Would practice time have been more fun for you? Would you have practiced more as a result?

How would your students answer these questions today?

As a teacher I have to face the reality that “what works for me” may not be what works best for my students. That’s why I trust Roland digital pianos in my studio. Roland dreamed that all of these changes would happen. In my opinion, they have built the most advanced – most effective – music teaching instruments ever created. They have a wonderful piano sound and touch – and they give my students the options they need to blossom into true musicians. Even more, they have given me the chance to create incredible experiences – to motivate my students in ways nobody else can. As a result, my students work harder, practice longer and perform better than they would under traditional piano lessons. They have a passion for music that I never imagined. Who knows? Maybe that “silly” Adventure movie was right on the money…

Do you really think that Beethoven wouldn’t have owned a digital piano?

I think he would be smiling.

Do you trust your piano store?

People often compare the piano retail business to used car sales and, frankly, I can understand why.  Over the years, far too many piano dealers have participated in misleading advertising schemes, unethical pricing schedules, “bait and switch” tactics, misrepresentation and outright dishonesty.  It’s gotten bad enough that those of us who truly care about our clients have to work ten times harder to earn their trust.  Piano shoppers today often experience real fear at the prospect of giving an unfamiliar business their hard-earned money.   It’s sad, but it’s completely understandable. 

The rise of The Internet helped in some ways.   It’s given consumers a whole new voice.  Piano shoppers can review their dealers, leave feedback and even warn others when they feel they were mistreated.  The downside to the internet is its sheer volume of information.  Everybody with an opinion and a smart phone can create a blog.  …and while it’s great that everyone has an opinion, it’s hard to know whose opinions are based on real information and whose are based on old info, opinions or third-party propaganda.   

How, then, can you tell which piano dealers are trustworthy and which ones are just “out to make a buck”?

Your first thought might be to contact your piano teacher or technician.  They at least know more than you do.  …but how familiar is your piano teacher with the current piano business?  When was the last time (s)he visited a piano store and evaluated the pianos you are considering?  Your technician knows how to fix your piano, but is (s)he an artist?  Does (s)he understand piano pricing and trade values in your area?  Does a local dealer pay your expert to send them business?  It might be harder than you think to find someone whose opinion you can actually use. 

This brings us back to the initial question – how can you find a piano dealer who has your best interests at heart?  How can you find a “safe” company to do business with? 

Here are some basic guidelines for finding that ideal piano outlet:

Look for Selection –Avoid a piano dealer with only one or two piano brands to sell.  These dealers often use sales gimmicks, brand misrepresentation and high-pressure tactics to get your business before you have a chance to try other (better) instruments.  Select your piano from a dealer with a wide variety of brands so you can choose the piano that sounds and feels best to you (Trust me – even if you don’t play, you will still be able to hear a difference!).

Look for Service – A piano is made up of over 12,000 parts.  The money you might save buying your piano from a private party or a gimmicky “Store Closing” sale is money you’d gladly spend for the service and maintenance your piano will need over time.  You wouldn’t buy a car if you couldn’t get it serviced anywhere.  Do business with someone who has the staff to tune and maintain your piano.  These dealers stay alive by providing good, long-term service relationships with their clients after the sale.  It’s in their best interest to operate within yours.

Look for Fair Pricing – Avoid dealers who base their pricing on fictitious “retail” numbers.  “Suggested Retail Prices” are determined by piano builders with a wide – and completely inconsistent – set of criteria.  “Piano A” might have a suggested retail value of $5000, but a real market value of $3200.  “Piano B” might be worth more, but have a lower suggested retail price.  There’s no method to the madness here.  It’s important to find a retailer who bases their pricing on the piano’s wholesale cost – not a “fake” retail figure.  Some dealers even offer you an inflated price during your visit so they can call you with a “special” discount later.  This is a tactic to get you to buy before you’re sure the piano is right for you.  Instead, find a dealer with a low price guarantee.  Then you can buy the piano you love when you’re ready and know that you’re guaranteed to get the best price possible.

Look Local – 77% of the money you spend with a local business stays in your community.  If you can still get great pricing and shop locally, why wouldn’t you?  Local dealers support music education in your town by working with local performance venues, symphonies and piano teachers.  They have a proven track record of fairness and service and they understand that their reputation depends on your opinion of their business.

Look to the Future – Is your local dealer actively participating in your community – helping to build new musicians and foster piano education?  Do they carry the materials and accessories you need?  Are they open when you need them?  Do they offer rental programs, financing and delivery?  Do they have a clear and fair trade-up guarantee?  What is their return policy?  Avoid dealers who rely solely on urgency events (like “Going out of Business“ sales or “We purchased a dealer who was going out of business…” sales) to attract new customers and do business with someone who will be around when you need them.

In the end, choosing a piano is a very personal experience.  In a perfect world, you’ll visit a reputable dealer, select a beautiful instrument for a great price and develop a life-long relationship with your dealer.  Using the above guidelines is the best way to ensure that your investment is a sound one.

For more specific information on how to select a piano, check out this fantastic article by Gerry Canter or click here to request our exclusive piano buyer’s guide.

The Search Begins...

In October of 2009, several piano students disappeared at Gist Piano Center while performing a recital.  A year later, their concert footage was found.  Undeterred by this terrifying setback, several more piano students attended a recital at Gist in October of 2010.  They too disappeared.  The only record of their horrific experience came from a digital camcorder that happened to record the entire event.  After hours of work, experts were able to salvage two minutes and 56 seconds of video from that recital.  Determined to find these missing students, authorities at Gist posted this haunting video online – hoping that someone would know where these students had gone.  You can still see that video >here< – but beware.  Once you do, you may never sleep soundly again.

Now, exactly one year later, students are gathering in record numbers to search the Haunted Steinway Halls in Louisville and Lexington – looking for some sign of their missing comrades and exploring all of their various music theories. 

Legend has it that every Halloweekend (most likely starting from this Halloweekend), missing boos and gouls will bring their favorite Halloween music TO LIFE at Gist Piano Center’s Haunted Steinway Hall and you won’t want to be there when they do – but you have no choice.  Nobody can resist Halloween candy – not even you.

It’s time to stop running.  Gather your courage.  Bring your flashlight.  Don your best costume and come ready to battle the evil forces of boredom as Kentucky braces for Halloweekend, 2011.  Make your way through the fog and experience ghastly performances as Kentuckiana students unleash their talent upon the innocent.  You’ll experience eerie vocalizations from local kids – shocking performances on an electrified piano – and monstrous melodies from Kentucky’s own Frankensteinway.  We’ll all be lucky to survive!

The search begins this October.  Ask your piano teacher to make your “final arrangements” with Amber between September 19^th and October 1^st.  …but hurry.  Kentuckiana students are just dying to get into Halloweekend and there’s only so much room in the dark…

For more information about this unsettling event, visit the Halloweekend website – and don’t forget to click the “Like” button.  Two lucky winners will take home a CAULDRON of Halloween candy, but you have to be a Gist Fan on Facebook and you have to click that “Like” button!

Halloweekend is a “spooky, but not scary” part of Gist Piano Center’s Partners In Education outreach program.  Designed to increase participation in the Arts, P.I.E. provides fun and informal performance opportunities for Kentuckiana students and their teachers.  Halloweekend is appropriate for all ages and adults are welcome to play – IF YOU DARE!

Sneak up on this season’s spooks.  Get your Halloween music now and save 20% through October first.  Halloween music is now available in both Gist locations and the savings are… scary.

Students at Western Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky will begin the 2011-2012 school year with a Yamaha digital piano lab – thanks to another partnership between Jefferson County Public Schools and local piano experts at Gist Piano Center.  On Wednesday, August 17, representatives from Gist Piano Center and Jefferson County Public Schools assembled the 15-piano Yamaha digital piano lab for what turned out to be the first day of classes in the school year.  The pianos, which came from another JCPS school, were brought in, unboxed and inspected for missing components before assembly.

“We were lucky that they were so well packaged,” said Tim King of JCPS.  “We were only missing a few screws, some AC adaptors and a couple of stands.  Thankfully, we were able to set the pianos up just in time for classes.”

In its initial phase, the Yamaha digital piano lab at Western will provide students with an opportunity to learn basic note names, rhythm values and elementary music as they explore the basics of music structure.

“We all know that music improves student test scores,” said James Harding of Gist.  “When I think what my 30 years of piano traning did for me, I get really excited about kids sitting down at a keyboard.  There is so much discovery ahead of them and the skills they learn from piano lessons will benefit them throughout their lives.”

Currently, faculty at Western are working on a grant proposal to equip each piano with headphones and lab teaching software that will further enhance the students’ music education.  For information on how you can help this exciting program, contact Tim King.

Western Middle School is the JCPS districtwide magnet middle school for Visual and Performing Arts.  Students choose from a variety of foci, including:  Dance, Drama, Visual Arts, Band, String Orchestra, and Vocal Music.  Visual and performing arts classes include opportunities for interdisciplinary learning to provide students with experience in all areas of the magnet program.

Students attending Western’s Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School will receive “first right of review” when applying to high schools offering visual and performing arts programs. Although this does not guarantee placement in a visual and performing arts high school, it does give students an opportunity to apply and receive early consideration by the school’s review committee.

Active participation in music study has been shown to increase student IQs by as much as five points.  Further studies have shown that piano lessons exercise the parts of the brain responsible for mathematics, spacial intellegence, critical thinking and social interaction.  Though we don’t yet fully understand all of the cognitive and social benefits associated with music lessons, developmental experts today recommend making the discipline of music study a regular part of every child’s education.

“Music is the one language everyone on our planet speaks,” said Tim King.  “Our mission is to make sure our students understand that language and receive all of the benefits it has to offer.”

Books with CDs!

Well, fear not, my hard working pianists!  Publishers have heard those cries of disappointment and now offer a solution known as Piano Play-Along.  And yes, simply put, it is karaoke for the piano.  Do you want to play “Beauty & the Beast?”  I’ve got an app for that.  Do you want to play “Girl from Ipanema?” I’ve got an app for that.  Well, maybe not an app but I do have a Piano Play-Along CD that will make you sound like you are playing in the band.  And just like karaoke, it has tracks with and without the piano parts.  “Great”, you’re thinking “my student will be happy but are they really learning anything from all this fun?”  Of course they are!  Stick with me here and I’ll tell you how.

When you listen to the radio do you hear the metronome?  No, you hear the drums.  Not only do you hear the drums but you can feel them.  Same applies when playing the piano – when playing along with other instruments you learn to feel the music.  You learn to anticipate instead of just counting the beats.  Don’t get me wrong, learning to count and play on your own is very important but so is learning musicality. 

Play with Taylor's Band!

I know a lot of teachers that use the Piano Play-Along cds as a reward system for their students.  The student learns the piece – all of the technicalities, the rhythms and phrasing while practicing and once they have it all down the play along with the accompaniment.  When they play with the CD they not only have fun but they learn why they have to pay attention to the musical instruction written on the page.

The best part of Piano Play-Along is that it comes with the printed music and the cd all for one price.  The second best part is that they are available for any skill level.  Whether it is the child beginner, adult beginner, intermediate player or all the way to rehearsing that Mozart Concerto – piano play-along is something you can do!  And it’s just as fun as singing Karaoke!  Just pop in the cd to any cd player, open your music and get to playing!

Defying Boredom!

To find out more information on the literally 1000’s of titles available for Piano Play-Along please visit us at Gist Piano Center.  I’d love to show you around and help you play with the band.  And as a reward for your faithful reading – mention The Gist Piano Blog and receive 25% off all Piano Play-Along book & CDs now through Aug 31, 2011.

The Roland RM-700

I have often said that people think there’s “nothing new under the sun” in the piano business.  We’re dealing with an instrument that is over 300 years old and has changed relatively little.  Most teachers, technicians and private owners have chosen their favorite brands years ago, firmly plugged their fingers into their ears and begun to hum loud enough to drown out any new information that might contradict their traditional view of the piano world.  For those of us who work with current piano information on a daily basis, this is extremely frustrating.

One of the biggest challenges I face as a piano expert is finding others in my community who understand the value of modern piano tools.  It’s not easy to find someone who will ask their students to play along with a CD, record a MIDI file or – gasp – practice their scales with a drum rhythm instead of a metronome.  However, I occasionally have the fortune of encountering one of these enlightened souls and I want to share her relatively unique story with you.

Angela Hartman is a member of our Partners In Education outreach program.  She has a large studio in her home and she is well-known as a very successful – and very active – teacher in the Louisville area.  Recently, Angela purchased a Roland RM-700 digital pianofrom me and it has changed the way she teaches.  (We’re going to leave the “digital vs. acoustic” argument on the sidelines for this blog, btw.  Bear with us.)

Here’s what Angela had to say about her recent experience teaching special needs children on her new Roland: 

I purchased the RM700 in November 2010 and now I can’t imagine my teaching career without it. I have been blessed this summer with the opportunity to teach several students with special needs. One of my four year old students has significant hearing loss in both ears.  If I just had an acoustic piano in my studio, lessons would not be as easy or enjoyable for him.  Since the RM700 has such a wonderful sound system and headphones, he is thriving.  Due to the touch screen, he can also see pictures of all of the different instruments he is hearing. The Roland is also a great tool for ADHD and autistic students.  When a student is losing focus, we can easily switch to another sound or game.  Having students compose their own songs or sounds is an awesome way to connect on a more personal level with them.

Music has always been a language that everyone can understand.  The RM700 just makes it so much easier and exciting for those students who face different challenges.  Thanks to Gist and Roland for introducing me to this career changing instrument!

This is exactly the kind of thing that digital pianos are becoming famous for.  It’s not about whether or not the digital feels just like a grand piano.  The question is - how can you use the tools available to you (whether digital or acoustic) to enrich a student’s learning experience and motivate him or her to make piano study a lifetime passion.

I congratulate Angela on her innovative use of Roland technology for special needs education and I am proud to know more and more teachers who are headed in the same direction. 

The future of piano education is changing.  We need to change with it.

Turn your favorite CDs into karaoke CDs!

Come on. Admit it. There’s no shame in it. Lot’s of people do it. In fact, I do it myself. Some mornings when I get up and step into the shower, I can’t help myself. I grab my shampoo bottle, turn up the radio and start belting out “Friday” or “You Can’t Touch This” – whatever comes to my (admittedly groggy) mind. Hi. My name is James and I’m a Shower Singer. …and so are you.

Lots of us get up every morning, sneak into the bathroom, crank the radio, and sing to our hearts’ content. …and, though we hide our efforts from the “discerning” ears of friends and family, we take some comfort in the fact that – though he doesn’t know it – we can hear our next door neighbor doing the very same thing.

Well, fellow Shower Singers, the future is here! Introducing the all new HP-305 digital pianos from Roland.

Designed to reproduce the natural, expressive feel of a grand piano (right down to the characteristic “click” feel and the old-school “ivory feel” keys), the new Roland HP305 is so authentic you’ll forget you’re playing a digital instrument! …but, though it has a breath-taking SuperNATURAL piano sound (based on the Steinway 9′ concert grand), 3-track recorder, metronome, and iconic front leg cabinet design, the HP-305’s real appeal is for – yes, you guessed it – the Shower Singers!

Connect your iPod, USB flash drive, or USB CD drive to this piano and you can take pre-recorded songs (even your favorite CDs!), cut out the vocals, and sing your favorite music with CD accompaniment! You can even change keys! You’re shower can’t do that!

So, fellow Shower Singers, it’s time for us to step out of the shower, dry ourselves off, (put some clothes on!), and sing ‘till our hearts’ content with the all-new HP-305 pianos from Roland.

Stop in for a demo and I might even sing for you – just don’t tell anyone!

Enjoy this brief video showing what one school in Texas did with their Roland digital piano lab and how it’s changed class piano forever…

-James