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Piano software courses have become very popular in recent years, due in no small part to the simplicity of the idea, that being that you can learn in your own home with a virtual teacher on your computer. They are certainly more user friendly than tuition books, but what else do piano software courses offer.

The benefits of piano software courses

The immediate benefit is that you can get it so fast. If you find a piano course you want and it’s located on the other side of the world in another country, no problem, you can download it to your computer in a matter of seconds.

Piano courses include audio and video files which can explain, as a piano teacher would, the things that on you own, you might not quite grasp and you can get a video file to explain things to you as many times as you wish until you understand it. It’s like having your own personal piano teacher with you all the time.

There are also many audio files for you to listen to and copy. When playing a new piece of music or a new music phrase, it is very useful to listen to that phrase before playing it yourself. A big part of piano software’s success is the listen and copy and also the see and copy approach to learning to play the piano, which is the closest thing to having a real teacher.

The drawbacks of piano software courses

It’s difficult to find any drawback with these courses. I could say the cost, because they are more expensive than tuition books, but most, if not all of them have a money back guarantee. I suppose the only drawback is that initially you need a computer to download the course and to play the audio and video files and obviously a printer to print out your songs to play on your keyboard or piano.

Conclusion

If cost is an issue then tuition books are a good option, but you must learn the basics first. Software, in my opinion the absolute best way to go, with help from audio and video files your more likely to succeed. Whatever method you choose enjoy your piano playing. As soon as you have played your first song, you will get greedy for it. There really is nothing like sitting down at a keyboard and playing a piece of music, and its not as difficult as you might imagine.

Mike Shaw
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/piano-software-courses-vs-piano-tuition-books-part-2-497407.html

Piano software courses have become very popular in recent years, due in no small part to the simplicity of the idea, that being that you can learn in your own home with a virtual teacher on your computer. They are certainly more user friendly than tuition books, but what else do piano software courses offer.

The benefits of piano software courses

The immediate benefit is that you can get it so fast. If you find a piano course you want and it’s located on the other side of the world in another country, no problem, you can download it to your computer in a matter of seconds.

Piano courses include audio and video files which can explain, as a piano teacher would, the things that on you own, you might not quite grasp and you can get a video file to explain things to you as many times as you wish until you understand it. It’s like having your own personal piano teacher with you all the time.

There are also many audio files for you to listen to and copy. When playing a new piece of music or a new music phrase, it is very useful to listen to that phrase before playing it yourself. A big part of piano software’s success is the listen and copy and also the see and copy approach to learning to play the piano, which is the closest thing to having a real teacher.

The drawbacks of piano software courses

It’s difficult to find any drawback with these courses. I could say the cost, because they are more expensive than tuition books, but most, if not all of them have a money back guarantee. I suppose the only drawback is that initially you need a computer to download the course and to play the audio and video files and obviously a printer to print out your songs to play on your keyboard or piano.

Conclusion

If cost is an issue then tuition books are a good option, but you must learn the basics first. Software, in my opinion the absolute best way to go, with help from audio and video files your more likely to succeed. Whatever method you choose enjoy your piano playing. As soon as you have played your first song, you will get greedy for it. There really is nothing like sitting down at a keyboard and playing a piece of music, and its not as difficult as you might imagine.

Mike Shaw
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/piano-software-courses-vs-piano-tuition-books-part-2-497407.html

THE AGE OF RENAISSANCE AND THE RISE OF MODERN HUMANISTIC EDUCATION

Introduction

The prevalent modern notion that a “renaissance period” followed Western Europe’s medieval age was first expressed by numerous Italian writers who lived between 1350c and 1550c.

Renaissance should be reserved to describe certain exciting trends in the thought, literature, and the arts that emerged in Italy from roughly 1350 to 1550 and then spread to northern Europe during the first half of the 16th century. This paper will limit itself to the understanding of a renaissance period to mean an epoch in intellectual and cultural history.

The word renaissance literally means rebirth, it is sometimes thought that after about 1350, certain Italians who were newly cognizant of Greek and roman cultural accomplishments initiated a classical cultural rebirth after a long period of death.

CONCEPT OF RENAISANCE IN THE REALM OF CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL HISTORY

In the realms of thought, literature, and the arts important distinguishing traits may certainly be found that make the concept of a renaissance meaningful for intellectual and cultural history:

1. The continuity rediscovery and the spread of classical learning

Medieval scholars knew many roman authors such as Virgil, Ovid, and Cicero but in the renaissance, the works of others such as Livy, Tacitus and Lucretius were rediscovered and made familiar. More importantly was the renaissance discovery of the literature of classical Greece.

In the 12th and 13th century, Greek scientific and philosophical treatises were made available to westerners in Latin translations, but none of the great Greek literary masterpieces and practically none of the major works of Plato were yet known. Only a handful of medieval westerners read the Greek language.

In the renaissance, large numbers of western scholars learned Greek and mastered almost the entire Greek literary heritage that is known today.

2. New uses for classical learning

Renaissance thinkers not only knew many more classical texts than their medieval counterparts, but they used them in new ways.

Medieval writers tended to employ their ancient sources for the purposes of complementing and confirming their own preconceived Christian assumptions but renaissance writers customarily drew on the classics to reconsider their preconceived notions and alter their modes of expression.

There was firm determination to learn from classical antiquity, more pronounced in the realms of architecture and art.

3. A secular renaissance culture

Although renaissance culture was by no means pagan, it certainly was more secular in its orientation than culture of the middle ages. During this period, the Italian city- states focused on the attainment of success in the urban political arena and the living well in this world. Such secular ideals helped create a culture that was increasingly non- ecclesiastical.

Humanism and education

This word has two different meanings, one technical and one general but both apply to the cultural goals and ideals of a large number of renaissance thinkers.

In its technical sense, humanism was a program of studies that aimed to replace the medieval scholastic emphasis of logic and metaphysics with the study of language, literature, history and ethics. Ancient literature was always preferred: the study of Latin classics was at the core of curriculum and whenever possible, the student was expected to advance to Greek.

Humanistic teachers argued that scholastic logic was too arid and irrelevant to practical concerns of life. They preferred humanities which were meant to make their students virtuous and prepare them for contributing best to the public functions of the state. Women were ignored but aristocratic women were sometimes given humanist training in order to make them appear more polished.

Humanism stressed the dignity of man as the most excellent of all Gods creature below the angels. Some renaissance thinkers argued that man was excellent because he alone of the earthly creatures could obtain knowledge of god.

The first humanist : Francis Petrarch (1304-1374).

Among the greatest accomplishment of Italian renaissance scholars and writers, the work of Francis Petrarch was the earliest of the humanists in the technical sense of the term.

Petrarch was a committed Christian who believed that scholasticism was entirely misguided because it concentrated on abstract speculation rather than teaching peoples how to behave properly and attain salvation.

He dedicated himself to searching for undiscovered ancient Latin texts and writing his own moral treatises in which he initiated classical style and quoted classical phrases.

Civic humanism (1400-1450)

It was developed by Italian thinkers and scholars located mainly in Florence. Civic humanists like Florentines Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) centuries and Leon Battista Albert (1404-1472) centuries agreed with Petrarch on the need of eloquence and study of classical literature. But they taught that mans nature equipped him for action, for usefulness to his family and society and for serving the state.

The most vivid of the civic humanists writing is Alberti’s on the family (1443), in which he argued that the nuclear family was instituted by nature for the well being of humanity.

Alberti believed that man is by nature more energetic and industrious and that woman was created to increase and continue generations and to nourish and preserve those already born.

The civic humanists are noted for their success in opening up the field of classical Greek studies. They recognized the glories of ancient Greek literature. Some of Italian scholars traveled to Constantinople and eastern cities in search of forgotten masterpieces.

In 1423 one Italian, Giovanni aurispa, alone brought back 238 manuscript books, including works of Sophocles, Euripides and Thucydides. They were also involved in the work of translation into Latin. In this way, most of the Greek classics, particularly the writings of Plato, the dramatists and the historians were first made available to Western Europe.

The evolution of music as an independent art

Music in Western Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries reached such a high point of development that it constitutes, together with painting and sculpture, one of the most brilliant aspects of renaissance endeavor.

The development of music followed an independent path that had been in progress in medieval Christ Dom. Leadership came from those trained in the service of the church, but secular music was valued as well and its principles combined those of sacred music to bring a decided gain in color and emotional appeal. The distinction between sacred and profane became less sharp; and most composers did not restrict their activities to either side. Music was no longer regarded merely as a diversion or an adjunct to worship but came into its own serious independent art.

Contributions of the renaissance period to education

1. Philosophies of the period like Neo-Platonism helped scientific thinkers to reconsider older notions that had impeded the progress of medieval sciences.

2. A mechanistic view of the universe advanced by the great Greek mathematician and physicist Archimedes played an enormous role in the development of modern science because it insisted upon finding observable and measurable caused and effects in the world of nature. Archimedes taught that the universe operates on the basis of mechanical forces like a great machine.

3. One of the other renaissance developments that contributed to the rise of modern science was the breakdown of the medieval separation between the realms of theory and practice. This period shows advancement in mathematics, science e.g. human anatomy and architecture. In general, they helped make science more empirical and practically oriented than it had been earlier.

4. The achievement per excellence in astronomy –the formulation and proof of the heliocentric theory that the earth revolves around the sun (Copernicus 1530).

5. Among the physicist of renaissance were Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo. Leonardo da Vinci worked out the principles of an astonishing variety of inventions including a diving board, a steam engine, an armored tank, and a helicopter. Galileo developed the law that guide the gravitational fall which was later improved on by Newton some fifty years later.

6. Paracelsus (1493-1541) insisted on the close relationship of chemistry and medicine foreshadowed and directly influenced important modern achievements in pharmacology and healing.

7. Michael Servetus (1511-1553) discovered the pulmonary circulation of the blood. He described how the blood leaves the right chambers of the heart, is carried to the lungs to be purified then returns to the heart.

References

Alberti, Leon Battista, The Family in Renaissance Florence, R.N. Watkins, Columbia ,             1969.

Cassirer, E., et al. eds., The Renaissance Philosophy of Man, Chicago, 1948.

Kohl, B.G. and R.. G. Witt, eds., The Earthly Republic: Italian Humanists on Government and Society, Philadelphia, 1978.

Philip. L. Ralph, et al.(1997) World civilizations: Their History and Their Culture. http:// web.wwnorton.com.

Kinuthia Benson
http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/the-age-of-renaissance-and-the-rise-of-modern-humanistic-education-746028.html

THE AGE OF RENAISSANCE AND THE RISE OF MODERN HUMANISTIC EDUCATION

Introduction

The prevalent modern notion that a “renaissance period” followed Western Europe’s medieval age was first expressed by numerous Italian writers who lived between 1350c and 1550c.

Renaissance should be reserved to describe certain exciting trends in the thought, literature, and the arts that emerged in Italy from roughly 1350 to 1550 and then spread to northern Europe during the first half of the 16th century. This paper will limit itself to the understanding of a renaissance period to mean an epoch in intellectual and cultural history.

The word renaissance literally means rebirth, it is sometimes thought that after about 1350, certain Italians who were newly cognizant of Greek and roman cultural accomplishments initiated a classical cultural rebirth after a long period of death.

CONCEPT OF RENAISANCE IN THE REALM OF CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL HISTORY

In the realms of thought, literature, and the arts important distinguishing traits may certainly be found that make the concept of a renaissance meaningful for intellectual and cultural history:

1. The continuity rediscovery and the spread of classical learning

Medieval scholars knew many roman authors such as Virgil, Ovid, and Cicero but in the renaissance, the works of others such as Livy, Tacitus and Lucretius were rediscovered and made familiar. More importantly was the renaissance discovery of the literature of classical Greece.

In the 12th and 13th century, Greek scientific and philosophical treatises were made available to westerners in Latin translations, but none of the great Greek literary masterpieces and practically none of the major works of Plato were yet known. Only a handful of medieval westerners read the Greek language.

In the renaissance, large numbers of western scholars learned Greek and mastered almost the entire Greek literary heritage that is known today.

2. New uses for classical learning

Renaissance thinkers not only knew many more classical texts than their medieval counterparts, but they used them in new ways.

Medieval writers tended to employ their ancient sources for the purposes of complementing and confirming their own preconceived Christian assumptions but renaissance writers customarily drew on the classics to reconsider their preconceived notions and alter their modes of expression.

There was firm determination to learn from classical antiquity, more pronounced in the realms of architecture and art.

3. A secular renaissance culture

Although renaissance culture was by no means pagan, it certainly was more secular in its orientation than culture of the middle ages. During this period, the Italian city- states focused on the attainment of success in the urban political arena and the living well in this world. Such secular ideals helped create a culture that was increasingly non- ecclesiastical.

Humanism and education

This word has two different meanings, one technical and one general but both apply to the cultural goals and ideals of a large number of renaissance thinkers.

In its technical sense, humanism was a program of studies that aimed to replace the medieval scholastic emphasis of logic and metaphysics with the study of language, literature, history and ethics. Ancient literature was always preferred: the study of Latin classics was at the core of curriculum and whenever possible, the student was expected to advance to Greek.

Humanistic teachers argued that scholastic logic was too arid and irrelevant to practical concerns of life. They preferred humanities which were meant to make their students virtuous and prepare them for contributing best to the public functions of the state. Women were ignored but aristocratic women were sometimes given humanist training in order to make them appear more polished.

Humanism stressed the dignity of man as the most excellent of all Gods creature below the angels. Some renaissance thinkers argued that man was excellent because he alone of the earthly creatures could obtain knowledge of god.

The first humanist : Francis Petrarch (1304-1374).

Among the greatest accomplishment of Italian renaissance scholars and writers, the work of Francis Petrarch was the earliest of the humanists in the technical sense of the term.

Petrarch was a committed Christian who believed that scholasticism was entirely misguided because it concentrated on abstract speculation rather than teaching peoples how to behave properly and attain salvation.

He dedicated himself to searching for undiscovered ancient Latin texts and writing his own moral treatises in which he initiated classical style and quoted classical phrases.

Civic humanism (1400-1450)

It was developed by Italian thinkers and scholars located mainly in Florence. Civic humanists like Florentines Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) centuries and Leon Battista Albert (1404-1472) centuries agreed with Petrarch on the need of eloquence and study of classical literature. But they taught that mans nature equipped him for action, for usefulness to his family and society and for serving the state.

The most vivid of the civic humanists writing is Alberti’s on the family (1443), in which he argued that the nuclear family was instituted by nature for the well being of humanity.

Alberti believed that man is by nature more energetic and industrious and that woman was created to increase and continue generations and to nourish and preserve those already born.

The civic humanists are noted for their success in opening up the field of classical Greek studies. They recognized the glories of ancient Greek literature. Some of Italian scholars traveled to Constantinople and eastern cities in search of forgotten masterpieces.

In 1423 one Italian, Giovanni aurispa, alone brought back 238 manuscript books, including works of Sophocles, Euripides and Thucydides. They were also involved in the work of translation into Latin. In this way, most of the Greek classics, particularly the writings of Plato, the dramatists and the historians were first made available to Western Europe.

The evolution of music as an independent art

Music in Western Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries reached such a high point of development that it constitutes, together with painting and sculpture, one of the most brilliant aspects of renaissance endeavor.

The development of music followed an independent path that had been in progress in medieval Christ Dom. Leadership came from those trained in the service of the church, but secular music was valued as well and its principles combined those of sacred music to bring a decided gain in color and emotional appeal. The distinction between sacred and profane became less sharp; and most composers did not restrict their activities to either side. Music was no longer regarded merely as a diversion or an adjunct to worship but came into its own serious independent art.

Contributions of the renaissance period to education

1. Philosophies of the period like Neo-Platonism helped scientific thinkers to reconsider older notions that had impeded the progress of medieval sciences.

2. A mechanistic view of the universe advanced by the great Greek mathematician and physicist Archimedes played an enormous role in the development of modern science because it insisted upon finding observable and measurable caused and effects in the world of nature. Archimedes taught that the universe operates on the basis of mechanical forces like a great machine.

3. One of the other renaissance developments that contributed to the rise of modern science was the breakdown of the medieval separation between the realms of theory and practice. This period shows advancement in mathematics, science e.g. human anatomy and architecture. In general, they helped make science more empirical and practically oriented than it had been earlier.

4. The achievement per excellence in astronomy –the formulation and proof of the heliocentric theory that the earth revolves around the sun (Copernicus 1530).

5. Among the physicist of renaissance were Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo. Leonardo da Vinci worked out the principles of an astonishing variety of inventions including a diving board, a steam engine, an armored tank, and a helicopter. Galileo developed the law that guide the gravitational fall which was later improved on by Newton some fifty years later.

6. Paracelsus (1493-1541) insisted on the close relationship of chemistry and medicine foreshadowed and directly influenced important modern achievements in pharmacology and healing.

7. Michael Servetus (1511-1553) discovered the pulmonary circulation of the blood. He described how the blood leaves the right chambers of the heart, is carried to the lungs to be purified then returns to the heart.

References

Alberti, Leon Battista, The Family in Renaissance Florence, R.N. Watkins, Columbia ,             1969.

Cassirer, E., et al. eds., The Renaissance Philosophy of Man, Chicago, 1948.

Kohl, B.G. and R.. G. Witt, eds., The Earthly Republic: Italian Humanists on Government and Society, Philadelphia, 1978.

Philip. L. Ralph, et al.(1997) World civilizations: Their History and Their Culture. http:// web.wwnorton.com.

Kinuthia Benson
http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/the-age-of-renaissance-and-the-rise-of-modern-humanistic-education-746028.html

by John Hook

Beach Music? Many define it by its geography and the kinds of songs it includes while describing ‘friendship’ and ‘good times’ as the glue which binds it.

If you’re like me you’ve thrilled to square dancing in bright costumes, two-stepping in country bars, bumping and hustling in discos, and line dancing in modern clubs. They’re all filled with friendship and good times; making those insufficient illustrations of what makes Beach Music what it is.

1. Beach Music in the East and the West are similar, but not the same.
Both coastal communities celebrate individuality and self-expression. At the center of West Coast beach culture is the surfer community encouraging private quests marked by athletic achievement while the East Coast dance culture inspires a new form of social success.

2. East Coast Beach Music nurtures new ideals of social equality, romance, and improvisational self-expression.
Fifteen years before Rock and Roll, white teenagers in the Southeast embraced Black music as their own. At the same time they developed a new dance to express themselves. From that mixture the Shag evolved.

3.  Many found the secret rites of Shag and Beach Music at the Beach.
Like the “soul surfers” of the West Coast, the “soul dancers” set new standards for the ‘good life.’ At the beach, personal and hometown histories stayed home while they assumed nicknames and developed new personalities.

4. Rhythm and Blues and Jazz were foundations for the Shag.
In addition to early black music, soul dancers often flipped over national pop hits to see if the ‘B’ side had the right beat and mood for carefree shuffles in coastal and inland pavilions.

5. Society sometimes misread them as mere ‘rebels.’
Like their West coast alter-egos they weren’t rebelling as much as forming new communities and social hierarchies of greater equality with rights of self-expression.

6. Balmy days and nights, sensual Shag moves, and their own ‘coat of arms’ embraced giddy summer romances.
The Shaggers’ dress code included Bass Weejuns, no socks, cashmere sweaters, and madras shirts. Like knights of old, girl-partners were revered.  When they danced, *she* was the most gorgeous woman in the world.

7. East Coast soul dancers enshrined the Art of Play as equal to Hard Work.
As such they considered social life equivalent to work life. While they worked summer jobs to support themselves, they worked just as hard at “not working” on the dance floor.

8. It looked like a sexual revolution.
It really wasn’t focused on sex. Self-confidence and cool were guiding principles and the ’safe date’ was integral to Beach Music. They put dancing before drinking–unlike some who need a ‘boost’ to drop their inhibitions.

9. Classic Beach songs include national hits and treasures unknown outside the Southeast.
Fifties Beach songs celebrated the good times in several ways. Although “Drinkin’ Wine Spo Dee O Dee” mentioned wine, it more loudly proclaimed the ‘good times’! Fifties hits included “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” “Sixty Minute Man,” and “Sh-Boom.” The 60s added hundreds more like “Under the Boardwalk,” “My Girl,” “What Does it Take To Win Your Love,” and “Brown Eyed Girl.”

10. The ‘Shag’ had other names including the ‘Bop’ ‘Freestylin” and ‘Fas’ Dancin’.
The music wasn’t named for 25 years! In the beginning most teenagers found it at the Beach. Eventually there were 500+ inland dance clubs, Pavilions, restaurants, swimming pools, and fishing lakes with dance floors.

Beach Music and Shag history show a culture celebrating individual uniqueness in the rituals of music and romance experienced by those who were dancing to their own destinies.  The Beach Music community was like a ‘beta’ version of MySpace, a ‘flat’ world where everyone was equal, each member was in charge of their own self-expression and the accumulation of friends with whom they had common interests.  The internet has simply made the field of dance partners much much larger.

To learn more about this fascinating chapter of American life that is still being written, follow this link http://www.beachshag.com/BMG%20SITC.htm

“Fessa” John Hook is a 39 year broadcaster captains the Endless Summer Network of Beach and Shag music on the net.

His three books on Beach music and Shag  are: “Shaggin’ in the Carolinas,” and the “Beach Music Guide 1945-2006, Vols 1 & 2″ and another, “Dancing On the Edge - How Music Freed the South,” coming in the fall of 2009.

“‘Shagging In the Carolinas,’ according to Hook, a Beach Music and Shag enthusiast, is a love letter that took 26 years to write.” –Sun Times newspaper

“Hook writes about how Shagging defied social conventions as carefree white teenagers were inspired by the possibilities inherent in improvisational black dance and music.” –Lexington Dispatch

“Hook knows what he’s talking about when it comes to Beach Music. As a broadcaster in the late 1980s, he was responsible for the first full-time Beach Music radio station in history….he chronicles the evolution of the dance….before the Lindy Hop, before the Jitterbug, came the Shag, a dance born and bred in the Carolinas.” –Our State magazine

John Hook
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/10-ways-beach-music-romance-selfexpression-created-the-first-myspace-751911.html

Is it necessary to learn ordinary music notation for guitar or is it sufficient to know how to read tabs? Is it worth the price to learn to read ordinary guitar sheets?

Many guitar books available with tablature notation will also have a staff above with the guitar sheet music notation. It is also very common today that classical guitar books also have a guitar tab staff below.

This was not very common a few decades ago. Tablature has by some guitarists been considered cheating. Is it cheating or is it a help to have tabs at your disposal?

Personally I have as a guitar teacher experienced many instances when tablature has been a great help to my pupils. however, I would be very happy if young musicians would put more energy into the endeavor to learn to read sheet music notation.

It is a great advantage to have a working knowledge on how to read and understand music scores and the various symbols pertaining to it.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of being able to read guitar music notation:

1. You will be able to play a piece of music the way the composer has intended without having heard it before. This is possible because music notation consists of descriptions concerning the pitch and also the length of the notes and other symbols telling you how to play the notes and performing the music.

2. You will have an enormous library of sheet music from various time periods at your disposal. It is possible to play music written for other instruments as well as music notation doesn’t describe how to play the notes on a particular instrument but more which notes to play. This makes it possible for a guitarist to play violin exercises and vocal scores and so on.

3. You will as a guitarist be able to write and arrange music for other instruments in your band making it possible to shorten the rehearsal time and facilitating the use of more complicated musical arrangements.

4. Being able to read and use sheet music will help you as a composer to notate all your ideas in a way that you will remember and that you easily can share with your friends and others.

Let’s look at the advantages of using guitar tablature:

1. Being a poor sheet music reader can hinder your from playing on the level of your techniqal skills. It’s a pity that many guitar pupils play just a few boring sheet music melodies when they could really be playing melodies using the entire fretboard just by the use of tablature.

2. It is very easy to describe chords, licks and complicated riffs with the help of tablature especially if you have audio examples of the music.

3. Tablature notation is still as easy to read even when you use alternative tunings as the tab notation still tells you only how to put your fingers. Using sheet music notation with alternative tunings on the guitar is a bit difficult to say the least.

4. Internet is flooded with more or less accurate tablature renditions of popular riffs, songs and more.

Okey, but what is the best alternative, guitar tablature or guitar sheet music?

My opinion is that you can use tablature as much as you want but I recommend you to really learn to read sheet music notation because of the many advantages you will reap from it.

If you start by learning the names of the notes on the frets of the guitar you have already gained an important skill that will help you as you start to learn the notes on a music score staff.

Peter Edvinsson
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/guitar-tablature-or-sheet-music-185276.html

Over the past decade, the rise of the Internet has dramatically changed the availability and presentation of piano music. Free downloads of sheet music — as well as audio recordings of piano performances — are easy to find in abundance through a simple Web search. Because of this, old-fashioned sheet music publication has been on the decline in favor of Web-based documents — image files, .pdf’s, eBooks, and other formats. As with a lot of technological change, this is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. It’s just different. Today, conscientious adult piano players should have a basic understanding of the current state of sheet music publication, and where it is headed.

After all, when we examine our habits as consumers, we find that most of us tend to look for the cheapest and easiest options whenever possible. So these days, when there are so many free piano music downloads to be found all over the Internet, why would anyone ever pay money for sheet music?

In truth, more people cling to the old mediums of sheet music than one may think. And, of course, there is nothing wrong with this. Some people are simply not comfortable with the Internet, and may never be. Besides, what adult piano player doesn’t enjoy the look and feel of a thick, comprehensive collection of the piano works of Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, or Rachmaninoff? Most contemporary pianists learned how to play with such books, and most still own tons of those old, worn, and wrinkled collections. Until recently, these books were the lifeblood of the piano world, which had been the case ever since the advent of the printing press.

Indeed, something has certainly been lost in the decline in popularity of such books. “The Complete Piano Works of Beethoven,” for instance, holds pieces even the most passionate Beethoven fan might not know. In contrast, for years since the inception of the Internet, only the most popular works by the most famous composers have been available on the Web. When it comes to Beethoven, “Fur Elise” and “Moonlight Sonata” are easy to find on numerous sites, but what about more obscure works like “Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major?” For years, pianists were hard-pressed to find such works on the Internet.

Fortunately, the world of online piano sheet music is now working to overcome such shortcomings. Yes, “Fur Elise” is as easy to find as ever, but now, former no-shows such as “Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major” are almost just as available. This is thanks to a number of sites offering free downloads of piano music. The Mutopia Project, for instance — an online source of free piano music downloads — offers free piano music by hundreds of composers, from the origins of written music up to the 20th century.

Plus, piano teachers are now learning about the expansiveness of music available on the Web. Many piano teachers will tell you that the most difficult thing about their work is choosing pieces to perfectly suit the needs of a student. Because of the Internet, this is no longer such an issue. When a teacher feels that her student needs to learn a certain piece, that piece is likely available on the Internet. Just a few years ago, this wasn’t true. Now, thanks to the continued growth of the Web, almost every piece of piano music by every significant composer is available to download for free. Instead of those old, massive piano music collections, today’s piano teacher is more likely to use folders of sheet music printouts from the Web.

Of course, the availability of piano music free to download does not change the fact that many of us still love those old-fashioned piano books. After all, such books are still high-quality products, and they always make great gifts. Thus, even though the Internet is now a huge and ever-growing source of sheet music, the old mediums aren’t likely to disappear any time soon.

Duane Shinn
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/piano-sheet-music-in-the-internet-age-329802.html

Let’s say you’re a budding music star. Maybe you play the piano. Like most living humans, you probably have internet access of some kind. Sure, it’s great for sending messages to friends, streaming silly videos, and downloading every piece of software under the sun.

But what about getting onto the internet in a better fashion? Doctors use online patient-record systems. Researchers barely step into libraries anymore. Scientists harness the power of cloud computing. So why should you, an excellent pianist, not be given a chance to download the same quality stuff that the rest of them can?

A Smaller Market

Because digital piano music is quite a niche market, and only useful to a small number of people, its representation online has flagged.

It’s out of date. Just as we’re downloading books to our Kindles, why should digital piano music be left behind? Shouldn’t there at least be a dependable voice online for digital sheet music we can rely on?

One Fundamental Problem

If you thought music digital-rights-management was arcane, you should see some of the sites selling piano transcriptions.

Some ask you to have a flawless printer, because you will only have one measley opportunity to get a hard copy of what you’ve bought. If something goes wrong, you’re out of luck.

Other sites offering classical music have hugely altering standards when we look at their files. Sometimes you’ll download a PDF, other times a set of GIFs that don’t print properly, and sometimes you’ll be left with a proprietary DRM that’s generally useless.

Sites With Forums are The Way to Go

The only real way to make sure the piano transcriptions you’re downloading is proper is from the reviews of other musicians. If other budding stars are using the PDFs, and claiming that they are quality, you can buy with confidence.

One of the leading piano transcriptions portals, PianoStreet.com, has also put into place a large set of message boards around its offerings. To tell the truth, the site was born out of a pre-existing forum, called pianoforum.net, so the sale of piano transcriptions was something that they transitioned to, not a straight-up business from the start.

Audio Samples Are Crucial, Too

Why download and pay for sheet music if you can’t hear what they should sound like? Yeah, we admit, your piano teacher may have the chops to play it for you, but if you’re learning alone, you’ll need to find a real recording to hear how it should sound.

A real digital sheet music company should give you loads of mp3 recordings of what they offer, adding a ton of value to the transcribed music in the first place. Companies like PianoStreet.com have hundreds of their most typical easy/intermediate pieces online in mp3 format, the very ones that any fresh musician is dying to learn.

Pay Once, Download Forever

While it’s true that content producers are stalling as much as possible, many acknowledge that the way of the future lies in subscription models, where you will give a fixed rate and get unlimited access.

Companies like PianoStreet.com have adopted this for their business approach, providing monthly memberships that permit the user unlimited access to high-quality sheet music.

The Best Online Source for Sheet Music

So it’s not all terrible. A select few sites, led by PianoStreet.com’s examples, are changing the way digital sheet music will be sold in the future. Ignore the rest and only use the best!

Vanessa
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/a-better-way-to-buy-your-sheet-music-946888.html

The goal of technology is to make people’s lives easier, more convenient, and better. Nowhere is this more prominently demonstrated than in audio books for the blind.

Our society has always been visual and is becoming increasingly so: from newspapers and books to computer screens, blind people have faced the struggle of accessing information that is readily available to most other people. The ability to read a book or newspaper is taken for granted by many of us, but it is a pleasure that is often denied the blind.

Today’s biggest technological advancements - computers and internet access - provide an opportunity to view even more information, but in a format that is difficult for those with visual impairments. Braille, of course, is one method that blind people can enjoy written language and learn. However, this tactile form of reading is expensive, making it unhelpful for many who are blind.

With one seemingly simple advancement, doors to gaining information, being entertained, and staying current with the news were thrown open: enter audio books for the blind.

For the first time, visually impaired people could go online and download their choice of books. The mass production of audio books for the blind, the opportunity came to learn in a way that had never been available before. In addition, the audio books were inexpensive or even free, making them accessible to most blind people.

Technology really can help improve and enhance people’s lives: in the case of audio books, it has helped blind and visually impaired individuals obtain knowledge in a way that they couldn’t just five or ten years previous.

Art, music, drama, history, geography, economics, current events, fiction, biographies, poetry - no genre, subject, or style is off limits when it comes to audio books. Visually impaired people have access to the world of knowledge that was previously housed in books, newspapers, or magazines.

In the area of education, audio books have been particularly helpful and effective. Core subjects of reading, writing, math, and science are able to be learned through audio books, making easy access to education a right enjoyed by the blind and visually impaired.

There is more to audio books than education. They can be accessed solely for the pleasure of hearing a story. Thousands of titles are available in audio formats, including popular and contemporary authors, classics, fiction, non-fiction, and much more.

With all the technological advancements being made, it is easy to forget the people that are an integral part of the equation. Audio books for the blind are an example of technology at its best and most helpful.

Brad Morgan
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/audio-books-for-the-blind-technology-bridges-the-gap-593912.html

The goal of technology is to make people’s lives easier, more convenient, and better. Nowhere is this more prominently demonstrated than in audio books for the blind.

Our society has always been visual and is becoming increasingly so: from newspapers and books to computer screens, blind people have faced the struggle of accessing information that is readily available to most other people. The ability to read a book or newspaper is taken for granted by many of us, but it is a pleasure that is often denied the blind.

Today’s biggest technological advancements - computers and internet access - provide an opportunity to view even more information, but in a format that is difficult for those with visual impairments. Braille, of course, is one method that blind people can enjoy written language and learn. However, this tactile form of reading is expensive, making it unhelpful for many who are blind.

With one seemingly simple advancement, doors to gaining information, being entertained, and staying current with the news were thrown open: enter audio books for the blind.

For the first time, visually impaired people could go online and download their choice of books. The mass production of audio books for the blind, the opportunity came to learn in a way that had never been available before. In addition, the audio books were inexpensive or even free, making them accessible to most blind people.

Technology really can help improve and enhance people’s lives: in the case of audio books, it has helped blind and visually impaired individuals obtain knowledge in a way that they couldn’t just five or ten years previous.

Art, music, drama, history, geography, economics, current events, fiction, biographies, poetry - no genre, subject, or style is off limits when it comes to audio books. Visually impaired people have access to the world of knowledge that was previously housed in books, newspapers, or magazines.

In the area of education, audio books have been particularly helpful and effective. Core subjects of reading, writing, math, and science are able to be learned through audio books, making easy access to education a right enjoyed by the blind and visually impaired.

There is more to audio books than education. They can be accessed solely for the pleasure of hearing a story. Thousands of titles are available in audio formats, including popular and contemporary authors, classics, fiction, non-fiction, and much more.

With all the technological advancements being made, it is easy to forget the people that are an integral part of the equation. Audio books for the blind are an example of technology at its best and most helpful.

Brad Morgan
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/audio-books-for-the-blind-technology-bridges-the-gap-593912.html