In this special Pianote episode, GLASYS (aka Gil Assayas) hears APT’s reimagining of “Best Part” for the first time—and as expected, he dives in with wide-eyed wonder and sharp musical instincts. But what gear did he have on hand to process, play, and explore the track’s emotional depth?

Let’s get to the Gear Breakdown of the Keys GLASYS used.

Nord Stage 4

It’s no surprise to see the Nord Stage 4 (Europe) front and center on GLASYS’ rig. Known for its seamless performance design, rich piano samples, and powerful synth and organ engines, the Nord is a stage staple for a reason. Whether it’s punchy Rhodes, lush pads, or pristine acoustic piano, it’s all available at your fingertips—no menu diving required.

During this reaction session, GLASYS leaned into the Nord for spontaneous voicings and harmonies, pairing its vivid piano tone with his natural touch and deep musical instincts. Its interface invites quick layering, filter sweeps, and instant creativity—exactly what’s needed when you’re exploring a song live and unscripted.

Dave Smith Instruments Prophet-6

GLASYS also had the legendary Dave Smith Sequential Prophet-6 within reach. A modern reimagining of the classic Prophet-5, this analog synth is all about lush textures, fat bass, and warm, evolving tones. Even though it didn’t steal the spotlight in this particular video, its presence speaks volumes.

It’s the kind of instrument that adds emotional depth with just a few tweaks. For artists like GLASYS, who blend traditional theory with exploratory synthesis, the Prophet-6 is a perfect companion—ready to bring depth and dimension to any soundscape.

Expressive E Osmose (Unused)

Sitting quietly in the background was one of the most futuristic instruments on the market: the Expressive E Osmose (Europe). Though GLASYS didn’t use it in this video, its inclusion on the rig hints at his ongoing exploration of expressive, next-gen controllers.

The Osmose features deep polyphonic aftertouch and MPE capabilities, allowing for pitch bends, vibrato, and dynamic shaping per note—all through intuitive finger movements. It’s not just a keyboard—it’s a sound sculpting machine. Keep your eyes peeled for future GLASYS sessions where this keyboard might take center stage.

The Verdict

GLASYS brought his signature spontaneity and musical insight to this reaction—but it wouldn’t hit the same without the right tools. With the expressive muscle of the Nord Stage 4, the analog warmth of the Prophet-6, and the silent promise of the Osmose, his rig was equal parts ready and refined.

Want to level up your own keyboard journey? These instruments are a great place to start. And if GLASYS’ chops inspired you, there’s no better time to jump into Pianote and try it free for 7 days. Who knows? You might just find your own signature sound.

You can find everything mentioned in this Gear Breakdown at Sweetwater or Thomann if you are overseas. If this video lit a spark to start learning the piano (or sharpen your skills), take the next step and click the link to try Pianote, free for 7 Days.

*This article contains affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission from the product seller if you make a purchase. For more info, check out our privacy page.

The post Gear Breakdown: GLASYS Hears APT (Bruno Mars and Rosé) For The First Time  appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Kevin didn’t just survive — he shredded. And his arsenal of synths, workstations, and keytars gave him everything he needed to meet the moment. Let’s take a look at the different keys, synth and bass he used to slay this beast of a track.

Nord Stage 4

The Nord Stage 4 was Kevin’s primary controller and sonic workhorse. Known for its immaculate sample libraries, seamless splits/layers, and intuitive performance interface, this red beast was at the center of the action.

With lightning-fast program changes and buttery synth leads, Kevin leaned into the Nord for both piano articulation and synth textures, showcasing its versatility under pressure.

Check out the Nord Stage 4 on Sweetwater (Europe)

Arturia AstroLab 61

The AstroLab is Arturia’s first performance-focused stage keyboard — and Kevin put it to the test. He tapped into its powerful V Collection engine to summon classic analog tones with modern modulation depth.

From Moog-style saw waves to Prophet-style pad stacks, the AstroLab let him access hundreds of high-quality synth patches with real-time tweakability thanks to its tactile control interface.

Explore the AstroLab 61 at Sweetwater (Europe)

Moog Little Phatty Stage II

Few synths growl like a Moog. The Little Phatty Stage II brought analog weight and thick monophonic leads to Kevin’s sound. Whether dialing in portamento-laced runs or aggressive modulation effects, this beast punched through the mix with analog authority.

Its classic ladder filter and fat oscillators made it a perfect match for the shreddy, over-the-top intensity of DragonForce.

Find one on Sweetwater’s Gear Exchange

Roland AX-Edge 49-Key Keytar

Because why should guitarists have all the fun?

The Roland AX-Edge added serious stage presence with its shoulder-sling design and onboard synth engine. Kevin used it to fire off blazing leads, expressive pitch bends, and hero-moment glissandos — all while moving freely across the stage like a prog-rock sorcerer.

It’s not just a gimmick: the AX-Edge delivers in tone, control, and playability.

Rock out with the Roland AX-Edge on Sweetwater (Europe)

The Verdict

Kevin Castro’s keyboard rig was more than just eye candy — it was a carefully curated battlefield layout for one of the hardest songs in power metal history. From classic analog grit to modern digital precision, each piece of gear brought something essential to the table.

Whether you’re building your own live rig or just want to play like a prog warrior, this lineup is a masterclass in sonic range and stage-ready performance.

You can find everything mentioned in this Gear Breakdown at Sweetwater or Thomann if you are overseas. If this video lit a spark to start learning the piano (or sharpen your skills), take the next step and click the link to try Pianote, free for 7 Days.

*This article contains affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission from the product seller if you make a purchase. For more info, check out our privacy page.

The post Gear Breakdown: Kevin Castro Learns “Through The Fire And Flames” On The Spot appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for: your votes are in and we’re ready to announce the winners of the 2024 Pianote Awards!

Thanks to you, we can acknowledge and showcase some of the most accomplished players in the piano community this year.

From skilled virtuosos and teachers to inspiring and talented entertainers, we put 45 amazing pianists on the ballot—and you submitted over 20,000 votes for the ones you thought deserved the most recognition.

Scroll down to find out who won, or learn about the 2024 Pianote Awards nominees.

And if you missed the awards show live stream, you can rewatch it right here:

Your 2024 Winners

Pianist Of The Year: Jon Batiste

The Pianist of the Year is chosen for their professional achievement, exceptional artistry, technical ability, and impact on the music scene and piano community.

Your vote was heard loud and clear: Jon Batiste was your favorite.

In 2024, he released Beethoven Blues and Saturday Night (Original Score), premiered his first piano concerto, won ASCAP’s Documentary Score of the Year, and launched his first headlining tour.

Pop Pianist Of The Year: Clyde Lawrence

Pop pianists must show up night after night delivering outstanding performances, and the winner of this award is chosen for their success both live and/or in the studio crafting today’s new hits.

Clyde Lawrence had an impressive year with his band, Lawrence, which released their fourth studio album, Family Business, for which they embarked on an international tour.

Classical Pianist Of The Year: Yunchan Lim

Classical piano demands a high level of skill, and the recipient of this award is chosen for their extraordinary contributions to the classical music world.

In 2024, Yunchan Lim had a successful year that included a Carnegie Hall debut, a BBC Proms appearance, and a Chopin Études album release. He was also named Gramophone‘s Young Artist of the Year

Jazz Pianist Of The Year: Jesús Molina

Jazz piano requires a profound understanding of the masters who came before, and this year’s winner is truly at the peak of their craft.

Jesús Molina is a world-class jazz pianist who released Selah in 2024, an album brimming with jazz fusion, Latin influences, and spiritual themes, inspiring musicians worldwide.

Contemporary Pianist Of The Year: Jonah Nilsson

The recipient of this award is chosen for their musical virtuosity, effortlessly blending elements of musical genres to transcend stylistic boundaries.

Jonah Nilsson, best known as a founding member of the jazz fusion band Dirty Loops, played a key role in the release of their album Beagle, which features standout tracks like “Run Away” and “When The Time Is Right.”

Social Media Pianist Of The Year: Loren DiGiorgi

The recipient of this award is chosen for their exceptional success over the past year, gaining recognition across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

With a flair for playing songs backwards, blending classical with jazz, and mashing up composers, DiGiorgi brings a unique comedic twist to music. In 2024, he released several improvisational and jazz-inspired tracks, including “Meandering.”

YouTube Pianist Of The Year: Frank Tedesco

The YouTube Pianist of the Year Award honors a pianist or keyboardist on YouTube who has demonstrated outstanding achievement over the past year.

Frank Tedesco is known for his immersive arrangements of video game and anime soundtracks, as well as his live streams on Twitch. He released two singles—”Echoes of the Heart” and “Evermotion”—demonstrating his skillful blend of classical and contemporary piano styles.

Original Composition Of The Year: Jon Batiste “Für Elise – Reverie”

Listen to the Song

The Original Composition of the Year Award recognizes exceptional artistry, creativity, and impact of a piano or keyboard-focused work of any genre from the past year.

In 2024, Batiste released Beethoven Blues, an album reimagining Beethoven’s works with blues and gospel influences. A highlight from this album is his original composition “Für Elise – Reverie,” blending classical motifs with contemporary styles

Most Inspiring Pianist Of The Year: Elijah Stevens

The recipient of this award has made a profound impact on the piano community, inspiring others and breaking barriers with their exceptional contributions over the past year.

Elijah Stevens made history as the first Bahamian to earn an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School. In 2024, he achieved a milestone debut at Carnegie Hall, showcasing his virtuosity and artistry to critical acclaim.

Oscar Peterson Legacy Award: Billy Joel

The Oscar Peterson Award honors exceptional contributions to music, recognizing individuals who exemplify talent, dedication, and influence in their careers. Named after the legendary Canadian pianist and composer, this award celebrates those who, like Peterson, have left a lasting impact on the musical world.

Regarded as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson’s virtuosity and ability to blend classical techniques with jazz set a standard for musicians globally. As a Canadian company, we proudly celebrate our cultural heritage through his remarkable legacy in jazz.

Through an in-house panel, we selected Billy Joel to receive this award for his unparalleled contributions to music. As a timeless icon, his mastery of songwriting, piano performance, and genre-blending creativity has influenced generations of musicians and captivated audiences worldwide, cementing his enduring legacy in the music world.

Thanks so much for voting, sharing, and participating in the Pianote Awards—you’ve helped us honor and showcase some of today’s most impactful and hardworking pianists. Together, we’ve highlighted the incredible talent shaping the future of music.

The post Announcing the Winners of the Pianote Awards! appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Keep reading to learn about the categories, meet the nominees, and find out what makes them truly awesome.

Thank you to our Title Sponsor:

Vote for your top pianists of 2024!

45 nominees. 9 categories. 7 days. You decide who takes home a trophy at this year’s Pianote Awards!

Curious how we picked our short-listed nominees? It all started with some serious research into the biggest accomplishments by pianists in 2024, plus a little help from you—our amazing online community!

Achievements we looked at include collaborations with big names, touring, press, awards and award nominations, album releases, and overall impact and inspiration. But at the end of the day, we looked for people who got us excited about playing the keys!

And now it’s up to you to decide who wins! Cast your votes below—voting is open until January 19, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. PT, and we’ll announce the winners at the awards show live stream on the Pianote YouTube Channel on February 20, 2025 (set your reminders).

Award Categories

Pianist of the Year
Pop Pianist of the Year
Classical Pianist of the Year
Jazz Pianist of the Year
Contemporary Pianist of the Year
Social Media Pianist of the Year
YouTube Pianist of the Year
Original Composition of the Year
Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year

Pianist of the Year

This top prize is awarded to a pianist or keyboardist in any genre whose achievements in 2024 went above and beyond. The Pianist of the Year is chosen for their professional achievement, exceptional artistry, technical ability, and impact on the music scene and piano community.

Cory Henry

Cory Henry is a musician, composer, and producer known for his exceptional skills on the keyboard and his ability to blend jazz, gospel, and R&B. He earned a 2024 Grammy Nomination, released the album Church, and collaborated on notable singles like “Be or Busy (Mukthi)” with Sadhguru and “Butterfly” with Boney James and Marcus Miller. His musical reach continues to grow, with widespread recognition for his unique fusion of jazz and gospel influences, elevating his standing in both the R&B and jazz music scenes.

Jesús Molina

A world-class jazz pianist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, Jesús Molina is a force to be reckoned with. His 2024 achievements include the release of his album Selah, a work blending jazz fusion, Latin influences, and spiritual themes. Highlighted tracks include “Melody,” dedicated to his newborn daughter, and “Quintuplets.” Molina also collaborated with esteemed musicians like Lucia Micarelli and Hubert Laws and garnered praise for his innovative compositions and technical mastery. Additionally, Molina performed at the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival.

Jon Batiste

Jon Batiste is an exceptional pianist, and composer known for blending jazz, classical, and pop into his signature sound. In 2024, he released Beethoven Blues, Saturday Night (Original Score), and the song “Good Life” for The Garfield Movie. He premiered his first piano concerto, won ASCAP’s Documentary Score of the Year, and launched his first headlining tour. Batiste also joined The Piano as a judge, collaborated with Beyoncé and Dion on American Requiem, and earned an Oscar nomination for his original song “It Never Went Away” in American Symphony.

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys is an iconic American singer, songwriter, and producer, celebrated for her powerful voice and musical versatility. Her soundtrack for Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen garnered a Grammy nomination, highlighting its musical excellence​. Additionally, her song “If I Ain’t Got You” made history by becoming the first track written, produced, and performed by a female solo artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify​. Keys also co-published the art book GIANTS with her husband, Swizz Beatz, accompanied by a gallery show featuring their collaborative works.

Emily Bear

Emily Bear was a piano prodigy as a child and has since established herself as a groundbreaking composer and pianist. In 2024, she made history as part of the first all-female songwriting duo to compose for a Disney animated film with Moana 2, as well as the youngest composers ever for a Disney project. She also contributed to the deluxe edition of the Moana 2 soundtrack. Additionally, her music was featured in the Netflix film Our Little Secret, and she continues to shine as a talented pianist and composer.

Pop Pianist of the Year

The Pop Pianist of the Year Award honors a piano or keyboard player of exceptional achievement in popular music over the past year.

Georgie Ward

Georgie Ward is a classically trained pianist and composer known for her dynamic performances and innovative use of analog synthesizers. In 2024, she completed a tour as the keyboardist for Dua Lipa, performing at notable venues including the Tiny Desk Concert, Saturday Night Live, and Glastonbury Festival. She was featured on Yamaha Synths, showcasing her expertise with the CP88 Stage Piano. Additionally, Georgie released her single “Opening,” further establishing her presence in the music industry.

Clyde Lawrence

Clyde Lawrence is the lead vocalist and keyboardist for the soul-pop band Lawrence. In 2024, the band released their fourth studio album, Family Business, for which they embarked on an international tour including a performance at Radio City Music Hall. They debuted on The Tonight Show, performed on the Today Show, and were featured on The Spark, performing “Whatcha Want” and “Something in the Water” at a diner in NYC.

Eric Wortham II

Eric Wortham II is a renowned pianist and musical director who wrapped up his role with Adele’s residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 2024. His dynamic performance and musical direction were integral to the success of the residency, which captivated audiences for months. Eric has also collaborated with top artists such as Seal, Jill Scott, and Jazmine Sullivan, showcasing his versatility and talent.

Bonnie McIntosh

Bonnie McIntosh is a versatile keyboardist who has collaborated with artists such as Post Malone, Halsey, Kehlani, and Selena Gomez. In 2024, she completed a tour with Post Malone, showcasing her dynamic stage presence. She was also honored with the She Rocks Award, recognizing her exceptional contributions to the music industry. Despite undergoing back surgery, Bonnie demonstrated remarkable resilience by performing just six days post-operation.

Karina DePiano

Karina DePiano is a classically trained pianist and keyboardist who played a pivotal role in Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2024. Known for her expressive, emotive playing, Karina was a key member of Swift’s ensemble, performing with precision and passion throughout the tour. Her standout moment was a solo performance of “Tolerate It,” which won over fans and highlighted her unique musical artistry.

Classical Pianist of the Year

The Classical Pianist of the Year Award honors a piano or keyboard player of exceptional achievement in classical music over the past year.

Yunchan Lim

Yunchan Lim is a young pianist who gained international recognition after his viral Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 performance at the 2022 Chopin Competition. In 2024, he achieved several milestones, including a Carnegie Hall debut, BBC Proms appearance, and a “Chopin Études” album release. Named Gramophone‘s Young Artist of the Year, Lim graced the magazine’s cover and earned accolades with recordings shortlisted for the Gramophone Classical Music Awards.

Bruce Liu

Bruce Liu, the 2021 winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition, is a Canadian pianist known for his exceptional skill and expressive performances. In 2024, he released Tchaikovsky: The Seasons, a deeply personal exploration of the Russian composer’s work, garnering attention for his unique interpretation. Liu was awarded the prestigious Opus KLASSIK award and his music was also featured in the UEFA Euro 2024​.

Víkingur Ólafsson

Víkingur Ólafsson is an Icelandic pianist celebrated for his profound interpretations of Bach. In 2024, he was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category for his performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Named Musical America’s Instrumentalist of the Year, Ólafsson also served as artist-in-residence at Tonhalle Zürich and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic. His year included a Tiny Desk concert and acclaimed performances at Wiener Musikverein.

Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich, widely regarded as one of the greatest living pianists, continues to captivate audiences with her artistry at 83 years old. In 2024, she performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 alongside Daniel Barenboim with the Berlin Philharmonic. Her recording of 2019 performances saw its third installment released this year. Argerich also judged the Concurso Internacional de Piano and presented the inaugural Martha Argerich Steinway Prize. Additionally, she received the 13th Obayashi Prize.

Ryan Wang

Ryan Wang, a 17-year-old Canadian pianist, has become one of the most inspiring young musicians of 2024. This year, he won the BBC Young Musician Award with a stunning performance of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, as well as the prestigious Prix du Piano Bern and Prix Cortot. The Glenn Gould Foundation also recognized him for his impressive musical achievements.

Thank you to our Gold Sponsors:

Jazz Pianist of the Year

The Jazz Pianist of the Year Award honors a piano or keyboard player of exceptional achievement in jazz music over the past year.

Jesús Molina

Jesús Molina is a world-class jazz pianist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and Berklee College of Music graduate whose artistry continues to inspire. In 2024, he released Selah, an album rich in jazz fusion, Latin influences, and spiritual themes. Highlights include “Melody,” dedicated to his daughter, and “Quintuplets.” Molina’s collaborations with esteemed musicians like Lucia Micarelli and Hubert Laws further showcased his technical brilliance and heartfelt artistry.

Eliane Elias

Eliane Elias is a renowned Brazilian pianist, vocalist, and composer celebrated for her fusion of jazz, classical, and Brazilian music. In 2024, she released her 32nd album, Time and Again, which reached #1 on several jazz charts worldwide, including iTunes and Amazon Best Seller in the USA. The album earned a nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Elias continues to captivate audiences globally with her dynamic performances and innovative compositions.

Bill Laurance

Bill Laurance, an original member of the 5-time Grammy-winning group Snarky Puppy, is a celebrated pianist, keyboardist, and composer. In 2024, he released the EP Rhodes Mk8 Sessions, as well as his album Bloom with The Untold Orchestra. Other achievements include a residency for Portal Sessions, and a Rolling Stone Argentina cover feature.

Tigran Hamasyan

Tigran Hamasyan, an Armenian jazz pianist and composer, is acclaimed for his original compositions that blend Armenian folk traditions with American jazz and progressive rock influences. In 2024, he released the album The Bird of a Thousand Voices and performed the “Land and Water” concert near Mount Khustup in Armenia. Additionally, he composed scores for the documentaries Areg and Manushak and My Sweet Land.

Brad Mehldau

Brad Mehldau, a Grammy-winning contemporary jazz pianist, is lauded for his innovative interpretations and original compositions. In 2024, he released two albums: After Bach II and Après Fauré. Additionally, he was featured on BBC Radio 3’s “Saturday Morning” and appeared on Rick Beato’s YouTube channel, where Beato referred to him as “the greatest jazz pianist of our generation.”

Contemporary Pianist of the Year

The Contemporary Pianist of the Year Award honors a pianist or keyboardist’s exceptional achievement in the past year in modern, alternative music styles such as neoclassical, fusion, avant-garde, experimental, and progressive.

Max Richter

Max Richter is a celebrated postminimalist and contemporary classical composer known for blending classical traditions with electronic innovation. In 2024, he released In a Landscape and marked 20 years of The Blue Notebooks with a special edition, touring globally to showcase his work. He held a Mark Rothko residency, and composed for the film Spaceman and the MaddAddam ballet.

Kris Bowers

Kris Bowers is an acclaimed composer, pianist, and filmmaker known for his versatility and storytelling through music. In 2024, he won an AAFCA Award for The Color Purple and an Academy Award for his documentary The Last Repair Shop. He also earned an NAACP nomination, composed the score for The Wild Robot, and debuted his first concert work, For a Younger Self, solidifying his place as a leading voice in contemporary music.

Jordan Rudess

Jordan Rudess is a renowned keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work with the progressive rock band Dream Theater. In 2024, he released his solo album Permission to Fly, which received critical acclaim and multiple nominations in the Prog Report Awards. Additionally, Rudess collaborated with MIT’s Center for Art, Science & Technology (CAST) and the MIT Media Lab, exploring the potential of AI in live collaborative musical performance.

Philip Glass

Philip Glass is a legendary composer and experimental, minimalist pianist whose work has defined contemporary music for decades. At 87, he released a new album in 2024, while his music was reimagined by artists like Third Coast Percussion and Timo Andres. The British Film Institute honored him with a retrospective of his film scores, and he served as Artistic Director for the 37th Annual Tibet Benefit Concert.

Jonah Nilsson

Jonah Nilsson is a Swedish pianist, vocalist, and composer, best known as a founding member of the jazz-fusion band Dirty Loops. In 2024, Dirty Loops released their album Beagle, featuring singles like “Run Away” and “When The Time Is Right.” Additionally, Nilsson’s collaboration with The 8-Bit Big Band on a rendition of “Last Surprise” from Persona 5  has been nominated for a Grammy.

Social Media Pianist of the Year

The Social Media Pianist of the Year Award recognizes a piano or keyboardist of exceptional achievement in the past year across Social Media channels such as TikTok and Instagram.

Joshua Aalampour (@joshuaaalampour)

Joshua Aalampour is a self-taught classical composer who began teaching himself composition at 16. In 2024, he achieved a significant milestone with the performance of the first movement of his Symphony No. 1 in G Minor by the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. Known for his intricate compositions, Aalampour continues to captivate audiences with works inspired by late Romantic traditions, showcasing his unique voice as a contemporary composer​.

Loren DiGiorgi (@LorenDiGiorgi)

Loren DiGiorgi is a musician and content creator known for making music fun and engaging. With a flair for playing songs backwards, blending classical with jazz, and mashing up composers, Loren brings a unique comedic twist to music. In 2024, he released several improvisational and jazz-inspired tracks, including “Meandering.” He has a dedicated following of over 700K across platforms!

Tony Ann (@tonyannnn)

Tony Ann is a pianist celebrated for his fusion of neoclassical, instrumental, and popular music, and is known for his fan-interactive “#playthatword” series. In 2024, he embarked on a European tour, captivating audiences with his genre-blending performances. With over 100M views and 4M followers, he continues to inspire younger audiences while building on his successful collaborations with artists like The Chainsmokers and Don Diablo, and his releases with Decca Records France.

Emil Reinert (@emilio.piano)

Emil Reinert is a pianist and social media content creator who has captivated audiences with his blend of classical and contemporary styles. In 2024, he continued to grow his presence online with over 10M TikTok followers and 5.6M YouTube subscribers, releasing original compositions and dynamic covers. His innovative teaching methods and engaging live performances, including collaborations with international brands like Qatar Airways, solidified his status as a versatile and influential artist.

Eunike Tanzil (@eunike.tanzil)

Eunike Tanzil is an Indonesian composer with degrees from Berklee College of Music and The Juilliard School. Her music blends classical, jazz, and world styles, marked by lyrical melodies and emotive harmonies. In 2024, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performed her orchestral debut, Scenes from a Voyage. Through her Hum Me A Melody series, she transforms street-hummed motifs into orchestral works, making classical music accessible.

YouTube Pianist of the Year

The YouTube Pianist of the Year Award recognizes a piano or keyboard YouTuber of exceptional achievement in the past year.

Frank Tedesco (@franktedesco_)

Frank Tedesco is a dynamic composer and pianist specializing in immersive arrangements of video game and anime soundtracks. In 2024, he released two singles—Echoes of the Heart and Evermotion—demonstrating his skillful blend of classical and contemporary piano styles. His YouTube channel surpassed 632K subscribers, solidifying his influence as an online musician. Beyond YouTube, he also streams on Twitch, offering a live window into his creative process and performances.

Charles Cornell (@CharlesCornellStudios)

Charles is a jazz pianist, content creator, and educator known for blending humor and musical excellence. His YouTube channel has expanded to over 1.7M subscribers where he continues captivating audiences with creative interpretations of music theory, jazz, and popular culture.

David Bennett (@DavidBennettPiano)

David Bennett is a renowned musician and educator, known for his engaging piano tutorials and musical insights. He gained popularity through his YouTube channel, where he blends music theory, performance, and humor to teach a wide range of piano skills. He has now garnered over 1.1M subscribers as his work continues to inspire aspiring musicians.

Gamazda (@Gamazda)

Gamazda is celebrated for her unique ability to perform rock songs on piano. A graduate of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, she began sharing piano covers on YouTube in 2019, quickly gaining a large following and currently sitting at over 919K subscribers. Her creative visuals paired with skilled performances, like her covers of songs by Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, and Linkin Park, have earned her widespread acclaim.

Nahre Sol (@NahreSol)

Nahre Sol is an acclaimed pianist, composer, and educator known for her innovative blend of classical, jazz, and minimalist influences. She was appointed Creator-in-Residence for 2023/2024 at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, where she is creating engaging content about the venue’s artistic offerings​. Sol has performed at prestigious venues worldwide, including The Kennedy Center and Walt Disney Concert Hall, and has gained over 772K subscribers on YouTube for her insightful music breakdowns​.

Original Composition of the Year

The Original Composition of the Year Award recognizes exceptional artistry, creativity, and impact of a piano or keyboard-focused work of any genre from the past year. We hope you find your next favorite song among these selections!

Tony Ann – “ICARUS“

Listen to the Song

Tony Ann, a Canadian pianist and composer, is celebrated for blending neoclassical and pop elements in his music. In 2024, he released the orchestral version of his acclaimed composition “ICARUS,” garnering over 25M global digital streams. He also completed his first European tour and is continuing his worldwide tour into early 2025.

Jesús Molina – “Quintuplets“

Listen to the Song

Jesús Molina is a Colombian jazz pianist, singer, and saxophonist. In 2024, he released the album Selah, showcasing his exceptional talent and versatility. A standout track from this album is “Quintuplets,” which exemplifies his intricate rhythms and sophisticated harmonies.

Peter Bence – “March 88“

Listen to the Song

Peter Bence, a Hungarian pianist and composer, is renowned for his virtuosic performances and innovative piano arrangements. In 2024, he released his original composition “March 88,” showcasing his dynamic playing style. He also performed as a part of the PBS special, Pianosphere in Paris, recorded at the Grand Rex.

Jon Batiste – “Für Elise (Reverie)”

Listen to the Song

Jon Batiste is a Grammy and Oscar-winning musician. In 2024, he released Beethoven Blues, an album reimagining Beethoven’s works with blues and gospel influences. A highlight from this album is his original composition “Für Elise – Reverie,” blending classical motifs with contemporary styles. Additionally, Batiste is scheduled to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl pregame in New Orleans.

Ludovico Einaudi – “Pathos“

Listen to the Song

Ludovico Einaudi, an Italian composer and pianist, is known for his minimalist and evocative compositions. In 2024, he released his album The Summer Portraits, featuring the single “Pathos,” which exemplifies his signature blend of classical and contemporary styles.

Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year

The Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year award celebrates a piano or keyboard artist whose social impact in service of the piano community was particularly inspiring last year. They embody our vision for a vibrant pianist community and they may break barriers and bring pianism to mainstream attention.

Elijah Stevens

Elijah Stevens made history as the first Bahamian to earn an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School. In 2024, he achieved a milestone debut at Carnegie Hall, showcasing his virtuosity and artistry to critical acclaim. As an ambassador for Bahamian classical music, Stevens continues to inspire audiences globally, blending technical mastery with emotive performances that celebrate his heritage and personal journey in the arts.

Nicholas McCarthy

Nicholas McCarthy, renowned one-handed pianist, continued breaking boundaries in 2024 as lead consultant for the ABRSM syllabus for one-handed students. His groundbreaking performances inspire audiences worldwide, showcasing his signature blend of artistry and resilience. A dedicated advocate for accessibility in music education, McCarthy’s achievements redefine what’s possible, making classical piano more inclusive and enriching for musicians of all abilities.

Brad Kella

Brad Kella, celebrated for his success on The Piano, made waves in 2024 by signing a major recording contract and releasing his debut single to critical acclaim. He performed for iconic audiences, including the Liverpool Football Club and at the Labour Party Conference, further solidifying his rising stardom. Kella’s unique talent and captivating performances continue to inspire fans and elevate modern piano artistry.

Nobuyuki Tsujii

Nobuyuki Tsujii, acclaimed Japanese pianist and composer who was born blind, made headlines in 2024 as the first Japanese pianist to sign an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Renowned for his emotionally resonant performances and masterful technique, Tsujii continued to captivate audiences worldwide. His 2024 concerts received extensive press coverage, highlighting his extraordinary ability to transcend boundaries through music and inspire listeners across the globe.

Zen Micheline Hung

Zen Micheline Hung, a rising pianist, gained recognition in 2024 for her unique performances and volunteer work. Featured in the news for playing piano at a New York pet shelter, Hung demonstrated how music can comfort both animals and people. Her captivating artistry and dedication to community service have solidified her reputation as an inspiring and compassionate musician in the classical music world.

THANKS FOR VOTING!

Remember to tune in to The Pianote Awards show on February 20th!

Presented By:

The post The Pianote Awards appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

As Justin Stanton of Snarky Puppy says: “We don’t need to have our PhD in knob-turning to use a keyboard.” Here’s an introduction to synthesizer basics to get you started.

What Is a Synthesizer?

A synthesizer is an electronic music instrument that creates sound by generating audio signals. With a synthesizer, you can create any sound you can imagine by customizing elements like its waveform and envelope. Many synthesizers come with a keyboard controller, but some are purely digital software. There are different types of synthesizers, including monophonic versus polyphonic synthesizers, and digital versus analog synthesizers.

The world of synthesizers is vast and this post only provides a general overview, but it’s a fascinating space and we urge you to explore it!

Types of Synthesizers

Analog vs. Digital Synthesizers

Analog synthesizers generate sound using analog electrical circuits. The waveforms generated by analog synthesizers are continuous.

Digital synthesizers are essentially computers—they generate sound using digital signal processing (DSP).

Analog synthesis is experiencing a resurgence because musicians seem to favor its more organic, more imperfect sound.

Monophonic vs. Polyphonic Synthesizers

Monophonic synthesizers can only play one note at a time; polyphonic synthesizers can handle multiple voices at once. But while monophony may seem like a weakness, monophonic synthesizers are capable of some really cool effects thanks to this very characteristic.

Synthesizer Layout

Seeing how a synthesizer is laid out can help you understand how it works. Most synthesizers follow an idiomatic layout: you customize sound parameters going left to right.

Here’s what the Moog Little Phatty looks like:

Synthesizer Basics: General Concepts

Synthesis is all about customizing the components of sound to your heart’s desire. To achieve this, understanding the following concepts will help.

Waveform

Sound is vibration and a waveform is a visual representation of that vibration. Different waveform shapes create different flavors of sound. Here are the three main waveform types you’ll encounter:

• Triangle waveforms have a mellow and round sound. Like a flute.
• Square waveforms have a brighter, reedier sound. They’re often compared to reed instruments like clarinets and oboes.
• Sawtooth waves are even buzzier and may remind you of bowed string instruments or brass instruments.

Hear the differences here.

Oscillator

The oscillator is what creates sound inside the synthesizer. The oscillator control panel, therefore, is where you’ll craft your waveforms. 

The Moog Phatty Justin Stanton demonstrates in our video has two oscillators. This enables you to tune each to a different pitch, thereby playing two notes at once on a monophonic synthesizer.

With two oscillators, you can also further customize your sound. Justin likes combining a square wave and a sawtooth wave.

Envelope

The envelope section of a synthesizer controls how sound changes over time. You can think of it as controlling the sound’s behavior. It is most commonly used to adjust the amplification of the sound: how loud or soft it grows over time.

An envelope comprises of four elements: attack, delay, sustain, and release (often abbreviated as ADSR).

• Attack: The attack setting controls how long it takes for volume to peak. Set it fast and the sound will be sudden and loud. Set it slow and the sound will gradually crescendo.
• Decay: The decay setting controls how fast volume will return to zero after the attack. However, if the sustain knob is used, it will override it.
• Sustain: This is used to set the volume a sound will hold for as long as the key is pressed down.
• Release: This knob sets how long it’ll take the sound to disappear once the key is released.

The Moog Foundation has a useful little chart that explains envelope and the “shape” different ADSR graphs take on depending on the instrument.

Filter

The filter section of a synthesizer controls the sound’s timbre. This is the fundamental texture of a sound—it’s what makes a violin sound different from a piano even if they’re playing the same note.

A single note contains the pitch you can identify (eg. “G”) along with frequencies called harmonics that you can’t hear. By filtering out these frequencies, you change the character of the sound (its timbre). Filtering out frequencies like this is called subtractive synthesis.

Low pass filters allow low frequencies to pass and filter out high frequencies. High pass filters are the opposite. You can customize the sound of your filter by adjusting the cutoff.

Low-Frequency Oscillator (LFO)

This oscillator emits a frequency that’s too low for human ears to pick up. However, the oscillating waveform that the L.F.O. creates can be applied to different parameters to create different effects.

• To create a tremolo effect, apply the L.F.O. to amplitude. Sound now oscillates rapidly between loud and soft.
• A vibrato effect can be created by applying the L.F.O. to frequency. Sound now oscillates rapidly between low and high pitches.
• Apply the L.F.O. to the filter and you can now adjust its cutoff point, creating oscillating changes in timbre.

Patches and Presets

With infinite ways to create sound, you’ll be right to ask what happens if you create the perfect sound and want to use it again at your next performance. That’s where patches and presets come in. They allow musicians to save and store sounds.

There is some debate over the terms “patch” and “preset,” and some people use the words interchangeably, but in general:

• Patches are what users create, save, and store
• Presets (or “factory presets”) come with the instrument

We hope you enjoyed this introduction to synthesizers! Want more Snarky Puppy content? Here’s some other stuff Justin Stanton has done with us:

• Snarky Puppy Keyboardist Hears Dua Lipa for the First Time
• 6 Facts and 6 Questions With Snarky Puppy Keyboardist Justin Stanton
• The Easiest Way to Improvise (How to Solo)

Sources and further reading:

• A Beginner’s Guide to the Synth (Gizmodo)
• Intro to Synthesizers (Sam Ash Music)
• Learning Synthesis: Filters (Perfect Circuit)
• Synthesizer Basics: Amplitude, Oscillators, Timbre (Berklee Online)
• Synthesis Fundamentals (Bob Moog Foundation)

The post Synthesizer Basics: Introduction to Synthesis appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

This is a big question! So we asked people who work with music every day. The following are interviews (edited for length and clarity) with the musicians who work behind the scenes at Pianote. We hope you’ll find their answers fascinating and inspiring!

Kevin Castro

Pianote Job: Media Manager

Side Gig: Touring pianist and keyboardist

Educational Background: Initially taught by dad, who is a pianist. Quit because he didn’t want to practice. Picked up piano again as a teen, crash-coursed himself with YouTube tutorials and theory books, and earned a Bachelor of Music in jazz and contemporary popular music.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

Whenever I hear music, I see it in my head written as sheet music.This has helped me when it comes to transcribing, because that was my first gig at Pianote: transcribing Jesús Molina.

When it comes to gigging, it’s really important to be able to read music. At least learn how to read the melody. This will inform your decisions when it comes to voice leading and how to arrange the song.

It’s a very fundamental skill for a piano player. I was always told you shouldn’t alienate yourself from job opportunities (like musical theater, pit band, or accompanist) by not knowing how to read.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I’ve always struggled with this because I think it’s extremely important to read music…but I don’t think it’s the only thing you should do.

I think too many people get into a box in their head where all they can do is read sheet music. It’s a great skill to have! But breaking out of that box becomes harder once you’ve ingrained that into yourself.

I wouldn’t say it’s a make-or-break thing. Try to find the balance between working on sight-reading and the things that make you happy when you play piano (sight-reading does not bring me joy—that’s my honest answer!).

Any music reading tips and tricks?

I would encourage people to explore different types of sheet music, such as sheet music with the chord names on top. Or try singing the melody while playing the chords.

There’s more than one way to read sheet music. And there’s more than one way to play piano.

Hélène Crowley

Pianote Job: Publishing Specialist

Side Gig: Plays piano and guitar for fun and sings in a local choir.

Education: Started playing at four or five. Completed RCM 8 and Advanced Rudiments exams. Studied piano, music history, and theory at Laurier University. Holds a Master’s in musicology.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

My job is making sure there are no mistakes in the notation we publish, so if I didn’t know how to read music, it would be really hard to do my job! And I like to play through the sheet music if I’m looking for errors because it’s the easiest way.

In my choir now, it’s a lot of sight-singing. Which I think is a lot harder than sight-reading on the piano! I learned solfege in my undergrad and I use those skills for choir too.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I know people who don’t read music and are excellent musicians. It depends on what you want to do: if you want to play in an orchestra, you should probably know how to read music. If you want to play in a band, you probably don’t need to but reading chords and understanding chord progressions would help. 

I think if you want to be a well-rounded musician, have a little bit of everything. But it’s not like an old dog can’t learn new tricks. Anyone can work on any of these skills at any point in time.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

Work on your ear training. Understanding intervals changed my entire relationship with reading music. And there are lots of resources online: Teoria is a great website! 

Georgy Manterola

Pianote Job: Social Media Manager

Side Gig: Co-founder of Arietta Entertainment, gigging pianist/keyboardist and piano teacher

Education: Started piano lessons at age 7. Attended a conservatory (ESMDM) for four years, then studied with Natalia Tibets for five years, competing in national youth contests. Played in musical theatre plays, participated in composition contests, and learned multiple music genres “in the streets”.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

Reading music helps me verify song tutorials, technique exercises, and arrangements before posting on Pianote’s socials.

At my agency, we rarely use sheet music.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I think it comes down to the genre you’re playing. For classical and musical theater, it’s essential. Jazz musicians use it for transcriptions, but in rock or pop, it’s less common.

I think it’s very useful for musicians to start ear training from an early age, because the perfect balance is to have both these abilities develop at the same level.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

Lisa’s acronyms are a great starting point. So check out our sight-reading tutorial on YouTube! 

Read sheet music with the music playing. I think seeing that relationship of when notes go high or low is very helpful. 

Start with a piece you love. There are many simplified versions of everything so you don’t have to study Clementi if it bores you! Go ahead and study John Legend but with sheet music. It’ll be a nice experience.

Richard Charter

Pianote Job: Transcription Specialist

Side Gig: Gig musician and composer.

Education: Grade 10 RCM, Bachelor’s degree in piano performance, Master’s degree in music composition.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

I’m looking at music scores constantly! I compare what other musicians have done, try it out, and see what works. And as much as my goal is to transcribe almost exactly what I’m hearing, that doesn’t necessarily translate to what’s most playable for a student or what fits the hands nicely, or what’s most pianistic.

However, I have a much stronger ear as a musician than an eye, and that obviously comes in handy for this job.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

It can be really beneficial depending on your musical interests. Anything in the classical tradition is a cultural project that requires reading music to participate in. And presently, there isn’t a methodology that teaches the classical canon without notation (I’d be curious to see if anyone’s attempting to do that!).

It’s also the case for anyone interested in being a gigging musician. Different ensembles have different standards, but I think your ability to enter into that world would be made easier with the ability to read notation.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

I recommend people take daily time to read music. I try to sit down and sight-read as often as possible.

Don’t allow yourself to stop. Something I did when I used to teach piano was cover up each measure as the student was playing, forcing them to keep moving!

Charmaine Li

Pianote Job: Content Marketing Strategist

Side Gig: Plays piano for fun and takes jazz piano lessons.

Education: Began private lessons at age six. Holds RCM Associate diploma. Picked up guitar as a teenager. Currently taking jazz lessons.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

I describe my job as making our pages as visible on Google as possible. For example, if someone asks Google “what is a dominant 7th chord,” I write content that answers that question. Knowing how to read notation definitely helps.

But at Pianote specifically, we use chord symbols a lot. I didn’t learn that in my classical piano lessons; I learned that stuff from guitar. And that’s knowledge I use every day at this job.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

There are things I can’t do that people who can’t read music can do, and to be honest I envy them! I can’t recreate melodies by ear first try. And jam sessions give me anxiety because I feel untethered.

And honestly, playing by ear, improvising, and jamming is what music is all about. So if all you can do is read sheet music, you’re missing out on a lot of what music has to offer.

But knowing how to read notation is super convenient. I can play most things put in front of me if it’s not too hard, and that’s super handy!

Any music reading tips and tricks?

Think of music as a language. In Western music tradition, notes are letters that make up chords, which are words. Patterns like sequences, scales, and arpeggios are sentences. And theory is the grammar system music is built on.

Just like learning languages, the more you practice the better you get. So be patient. It takes time!

Lisa Witt

Pianote Job: VP of Pianote

Side Gig: 100% focused on Pianote now, but used to gig and play at church.

Education: RCM Grade 8, church bands, and mostly self-taught.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

Even though I generally don’t read music as a part of my day-to-day, I still have to communicate in the language of music because I’m in this professionally. I have to teach people to understand music, and being able to read music gives you that language.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I think it’s fully optional. My belief is that you don’t need to read music to play music. I would argue that in some cases not being able to read music is a blessing.

Learning to read music was extremely difficult. I hated it.

But. I now make the choice to sit down and read music. I think a big misconception is the difference between reading music and sight reading. I think people would have a very different experience if they knew this because you can actually learn to read music rather quickly. And if you are passionate about a genre like classical, the fact that you want that skillset will make a huge impact.

On the flip side, even if you want to play pop music, there have been many occasions where I was not able to sound out something by ear, and so I would refer to notation. So, reading music has been very helpful even for a person who leans more toward using their ear.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

I think it’s mostly about not judging your experience with it. With Read Notes in 30 Days, the whole point is you show up, you’re introduced to these patterns, and you do your best. You’re not expected to play perfectly.

Success is not measured by playing every note correctly, necessarily. And you learn best by playing music. So find music that inspires you and you’ll be super motivated to figure out these notes.

We’re building neural pathways in our brain. That doesn’t quickly! It took me a lifetime, but nowhere on that journey did someone say “she’s not a musical person” or “she shouldn’t play piano.” I had different strengths.

Now I sit down and read and play Chopin and I’m actually not bad at it!

The post How Important is Reading Sheet Music? appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Understanding music symbols is crucial for reading and interpreting piano sheet music. In this blog post, we will explore the fundamental music symbols and their meanings, providing you with a comprehensive guide to navigate the world of musical notation. From the basics like notes and rests to more advanced symbols such as dynamics and articulations, we’ll decode the essential elements that bring sheet music to life.

Clefs

Bass Clef

The bass clef is also known as the F-clef because it wraps around the fourth line of the staff, where the F below middle C lives. This clef is used for lower-pitched instruments and voices, such as the bass guitar, cello, tuba, and (usually but not always!) the left hand of the piano.

Treble Clef

The treble clef is also called the G-clef because the swirl curls around the second line of the staff, where the G above middle C lives. This clef is used for higher-pitched instruments and voices, such as the violin, flute, trumpet, and (usually but not always!) the right hand of the piano.

Pitch

8va

The symbol 8va indicates that a passage should be played one octave higher than written. “8va” is usually written above the staff and affects all notes until the end of the passage indicated by a dashed line.

Flat

The flat symbol (♭) indicates a note should be lowered by a half step (semitone). For example, if you see a B♭, it means you should play the note that is one half step lower than B.

Double Flat

Tge double flat symbol (𝄫) indicates a note should be lowered by two half steps (two semitones), or a whole step, from its natural pitch. For example, if you see a B𝄫, it means you should play the note that is two half steps lower than B, which is the same pitch as A.

Natural

The natural symbol (♮) cancels any previous sharps or flats and returns the note to its original, unaltered pitch. For example, if a note has been raised to C♯ or lowered to B♭ earlier in the piece, placing a natural sign before the note would return it to a regular C or B.

Sharp

The sharp symbol (♯) indicates a note should be raised by a half step (semitone). For example, if you see a C♯, it means you should play the note that is one half step higher than C.

Double Sharp

The double sharp (𝄪) indicates a note should be raised by two half steps (two semitones), or a whole step, from its natural pitch. For example, if you see an F𝄪, it means you should play the note that is two half steps higher than F, which is the same pitch as G.

Rests and Rhythm

Common Time Symbol

The common time symbol represents a time signature of 4/4. This means there are four beats in each measure, and each beat is a quarter note in duration.

Cut Time Symbol

The cut time symbol represents a time signature of 2/2, meaning there are two beats in each measure, and each beat is a half note in duration.

> Understanding Cut Time

Eighth Rest

An eighth rest represents a silence lasting for the duration of an eighth note.

Half Rest

A half rest represents a silence lasting for the duration of a half note.

Quarter Rest

A quarter rest represents a silence lasting for the duration of a quarter note.

Sixteenth Rest

A sixteenth rest represents a silence lasting for the duration of a sixteenth note.

Thirty-Second Rest

A thirty-second rest represents a silence lasting for the duration of a thirty-second note.

Tie

A tie connects two notes of the same pitch, indicating that they should be played as a single, sustained note. Hold the note for the combined duration of both notes.

Whole Rest

A whole rest represents silence lasting for the duration of a whole note. It can also represent silence lasting for the duration of the entire measure, regardless of time signature.

Dynamics and Articulation

Accent

An accent indicates a note should be played with extra emphasis or force.

Crescendo

A crescendo indicates a gradual increase in volume. It can also be represented by the abbreviation “cresc.”

Decrescendo

A decrescendo indicates a gradual decrease in volume. It can also be represented by the abbreviation “decresc.”

Fermata

A fermata resembles half a circle with a dot above or below a note or a rest. It indicates that the note should be held or sustained longer than its written value.

Glissando

A glissando looks like a squiggly line between two notes, indicating sliding from one note to the other. 

Grace Note

A grace note is a small, decorative note written in smaller print before a main note. It is played very quickly and lightly, almost as an ornament. It is usually shown with a small slash through the stem or note head.

Mordents

Mordents are ornamental markings that look like short squiggly lines above notes. They are played as short trills, with variations of the mordent indicating the direction of the trill:

1. An upper mordent is represented by a short squiggle with no line through it. It means to quickly alternate between the main note and the note above it.
2. A lower mordent is represented by a short squiggle with a line through it. It means to quickly alternate between the main note and the note below it.

Slur

A slur connects two or more notes of different pitches, indicating that they should be played smoothly and connectedly, without any breaks between them. This technique is known as legato playing.

Staccato

A staccato indicates the note should be performed in a short, detached manner, creating a crisp, percussive effect.

Tenuto

Tenuto indicates a note should be played with its full, notated value, or slightly longer. When a note is marked with tenuto, the musician emphasizes the note, giving it a slightly more sustained and deliberate articulation.

Tremolo

To tremolo means to play the note rapidly and tremolos are often used to build tension. A tremolo is indicated by diagonal lines or slashes drawn through the stem of the note having the tremolo, with the number of lines representing speed or intensity.

Trill

A trill is an ornamentation that involves the rapid alternation between a main note and the note immediately above it in the scale. It can be indicated by the abbreviation “tr” or by a wavy line.

Turn

A turn is represented by a sideways, S-shaped symbol above a note. It’s a quick ornamentation that involves rapidly playing the note above the main note, the main note, the note below, and back to the main note.

Form

Coda

The coda symbol indicates the starting point of the concluding passage, or coda, of a piece. It is used with other navigation markings such as “D.S. al Coda” (Dal Segno al Coda) or “D.C. al Coda” (Da Capo al Coda), which instruct the musician to go back to a specified sign (Segno or the beginning, respectively) and then jump to the coda when they encounter the words “To Coda.”

Repeat Sign

A repeat sign indicates a section of the music should be played again. When a musician encounters this sign, they go back to the beginning of the piece or to the nearest start repeat sign.

Segno

The segno symbol indicates where a musician should return to within a piece. This symbol is often used with instructions such as “D.S.” (Dal Segno), which means “from the sign,” directing the musician to go back to the segno symbol and continue playing from that point.

The post Music Symbols and Meanings for Piano Players appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

In this (edited and condensed) interview, we visit a side of the Wizard few have met: Jordan Rudess the piano teacher! Together, we discuss better ways to approach practice, the importance of headspace, and what piano education needs more of.

I find that the best musicians aren’t always the best teachers. But I’ve been looking at your course and I absolutely love it. I think it’s both accessible and challenging and it put me in such a relaxed and meditative headspace. So, can you tell me a bit more about your teaching experience?

Teaching is very important to me. I feel that, as you mentioned, there are many great players and most of them probably can’t teach effectively. It takes a combination of skills to impart wisdom upon somebody! And when you’re doing a course like mine, you’re putting something out there that will be watched by all kinds of people from different places—maybe even coming into English from different points and trying to understand what I’m saying at different levels. So, I appreciate being someone who can translate, get ideas across, and be effective in that way. 

I feel like I have a good starting point and that comes from, well, having had amazing training myself. I’m so lucky that my piano training comes from probably the best schools in the time that we’re living. I went to Juilliard, but I also studied with Catherine Parker, who is the student of Rosina Lhévinne, who is probably the most famous piano teacher of the last 100 years. So, I got some really good information there that is the foundation for everything I do, no matter what style I play. 

Having that as my personal groundwork gives me a head start towards teaching. But there’s more to it than that. I also appreciate when somebody can explain something simply. A lot of times when people know a lot about their topic, they tend to make it too intellectual, too complicated, or too academic. That’s where, I think, a lot of professionals go wrong. I feel that when you’re showing somebody something, you want to allow them the comfort of: here it is, it’s not rocket science, and we’re all in this together.

And there’s a simple way to present things, even if it’s really complicated. Like, I can play something crazy with my left hand, talk while I’m doing it, and play something else with my right. And I can certainly go into some amazing, fantastical explanation of how it’s done. But the reality is hey, I’m a person too, and I figured it out. And this is a pathway towards that goal for somebody else, step by step.

What’s not easy is that, if you really want to get good at any of these physical instruments (like piano, violin, guitar, trombone…) it takes practice and there’s no avoiding that. But if you’re willing to go on the journey—if you’re willing to sit with me in the Pianote course—then you’ll get somewhere because we do this beautiful, step-by-step procedure. 

I’ve had a lot of experience sharing my thoughts about music and what I’ve learned throughout the years. It’s something that’s comfortable for me. And I really value when I feel from the person I’m teaching that it has some impact. 

It’s definitely one of the things I really care about.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

I like breaking down the subject that I’m talking about and making it simple.

When I first started trying arpeggios, I couldn’t really do it. I remember being at Interlochen in Michigan (the music camp) and one of my teacher’s older students was doing these fast, great arpeggios. I was watching and I thought to myself, I am going to figure this out. So I spoke to my teacher, got some tips, and spent the summer really working on that. 

I love looking at what makes the difference. In this case, if you want to play a faster arpeggio, you can’t get hung up on your thumb going under. You see people doing it and their elbow goes up, their thumb goes under, their hand tilts…and it’s a lot of extra motion.

In every instrument and everything that involves physical activity, you want the least amount of motion: to be the smoothest and fastest and most controlled. I love looking at these pianistic problems and think: how did I learn it and what were the key things I figured out to make it possible? 

My teacher used to—as I was playing a scale or an arpeggio—take my elbow and drag it along to show that having motion allows your hand to be in the right place without having to do a big turn under your thumb. It’s hard to play an arpeggio. You don’t see many people do it well, but at the same time, to do it well…it’s not that big a deal! It’s not a big deal if you can bring it down to basics.

My favorite thing is to feel that I can express and share that. Because that’s a nice thing to be able to share.

Many students who have had classical piano lessons when they were kids did not like them. But many people still like classical music; they just don’t know how to learn it in an enjoyable way. What do you think needs to happen differently in piano education? What needs to be changed from that status quo of classical piano lessons?

I think the problem is that when people learn classical piano, it’s very dry. They’re not exposed to the creative part of making music: what it’s like to make a sound. It’s more than an academic thing (learning to read music and put fingers on the right note).

As an example, I have some piano exercises that are not very hard but they’re things you can do to create a really nice sound. I’ll do something where you hold the pedal and play C-D-E-G back and forth and create a nice resonance. I think the approach should be more about making music in some way. Let’s find a way, no matter where you are—if you’re playing one note, two, 100 or 1000…let’s figure out how to offer a person that spark of creativity. 

Because there’s nothing like making music. I spend much of my life figuring out ways people can—even beyond the piano—experience how wonderful it is to make music, whether it’s with my technology, applications, things like that. 

There are ways to share that with a student that I think are really, really important. Again, we can’t escape the fact that if you want to learn to play the piano, it is physical (you have to move your fingers). But to have it be creative is super important. 

I spend much of my life figuring out ways people can experience how wonderful it is to make music.

Jordan Rudess

Now, in my personal path, my first teacher was a jazz guy. He threw out the book really fast when he found out I had a good ear. He taught me chords and that was great because I got my creativity sparked. And then, after about a year my parents realized I was talented. So they took me to a serious teacher who got me ready for Juilliard.

My Juilliard teacher said I should not improvise. She wanted me to focus on the exact notation! But I used to go to the practice room furthest away from the teacher’s studio and play boogie-woogie, show tunes, and whatever I wanted. So I always found my own way because I love music. 

It’s very natural for me to keep that creative element. If I was only in the classical space and I didn’t have the background, maybe it would be harder to connect with the creative part. Not that it’s impossible—one can express a Chopin or Bach piece and find joy in the phrasing and melody; they don’t have to be an improviser. But I guess what I’m saying is that bringing the creative element into the music, lesson, and routine is probably critical.

I was never taught how to improvise throughout my classical education, but these days I’ve been taking jazz lessons and it’s been mind blowing. Well, I was doing your course and I found myself naturally improvising. I felt like you created a recipe to help people get into the flow and practice the technique…but also have that creative element. I want to hear how you design those exercises.

Do you remember what you were trying?

The one I really liked was when your left hand does a very simple pattern, and then you gave us different right hand patterns to go on top of that.

Oh, the ostinato thing. Teaching that, to me, is so exciting because you’re opening up a new avenue of creativity…and also piano coordination. So it’s a perfect example. 

How did you come up with that exercise and present it in this way that I just love? There’s this meditative atmosphere that you create and I wonder if you have a background in mindfulness or meditation… How did you come up with those exercises that are so relaxing yet productive?

I love hearing that. Well, first of all, I’m a composer, so my whole life is creativity. It’s a fun process to boil down what I do and then communicate my ideas to the student to help them on their musical path. I enjoy having to think like that—how to take a student from point A to Z in this much time.

Some people need the key to unlock the creative world of possibilities. If you have just three or four chords on the guitar, you can write songs. Well, if you just have a few notes on the piano, you can do them in so many different ways. Say you play C-E-G, C-E-G. The most common thing to do would be to accent the C with your thumb because your thumb is heavier. Well, it doesn’t have to be like that. What about thinking of it in groups of four, even though it’s a three note pattern? You can get C-E-G, C-E-G, C-E-G and have the rhythm change.

My whole thing is, I break down the door—these doors that we lock—to creativity. I start simply, open it up, and do it in a way that’s mindful because to me, music is meditation. The only way I can do what I do is to get in that headspace. For example: playing a riff in 11/8 time while I’m talking about something else, and then playing something on top that’s different. It’s not that I’m some academic genius, it’s that I’m able to breathe, get comfortable, and allow myself to not worry about it so much. 

It’s so interesting to me that you express that because for me, the way that I get really proficient is to practice, practice, practice…but then let go. I think what prevents us from improvising and coordinating our two hands is we get very tight, involved, and just worried. Mastery—and also progress—always comes when you’ve practiced the physicality of something and then you’re able to let go.

Like, I’ve been on this guitar journey the last few years. The guitar is a new instrument for me and there are mechanics involved; it’s the same thing. I’m learning to tap with all my fingers and I begin to get tight and my body starts to tense up. And then I say to myself…it’s time to take a breath, and I can do it. And I don’t have to tighten up. I just allow it to be. So, there’s a reality there for me and also the way that I like to teach that. 

Mastery . . . always comes when you’ve practiced the physicality of something and then you’re able to let it go.

Jordan Rudess

And I totally admit that piano is not an easy instrument. None of the instruments are easy.

But the art of being able to let go if you’re playing one note, two notes or 1000 notes…that’s where it’s at. Because if all you can do is play C, I want you to make a beautiful sound. Not just hit the note. I want you to listen: what does it sound like when you hit it? As a pianist—as a musician—it’s not just about triggering the sound; it’s awareness of what the sound is like. When I hit the next note, how will it go with the one I played before? It’s about listening and responding. Especially for the piano, because the piano is an instrument where after you strike it, you don’t have control over what the sound does in the room. The strike is done. But you listen to the resonance, the volume, the tone…and you can plan what the next impact is going to be.

You can start to make music.

We’ve talked a lot about practice and how you can’t escape it. I’ve also heard you say in interviews that you enjoy practice. Well, a lot of people don’t! So I wonder: how do you perceive practice in a way that’s enjoyable? 

That’s a great question. I like the focus of it, first of all. I like feeling what it’s like to try to play something evenly and controlled.

But that can get boring. And opening a book of exercises and going through them…to me that’s boring.

It kind of leads back to my point of why I’m even doing any of this with my life…and that’s creativity. I want to be creative with everything that I’m doing. And when I’m practicing, I’m always thinking about how I can make this practice creative.

And I have a lot of techniques for that, like applying different rhythms to simple things. If you’re playing C-D-C-D-C-D, the first thing I would do is, instead of playing it with the obvious accent, I play it in triplets. And then I do it in fours, then fives. I do everything and anything, whether it’s rhythmic or melodic, to exercise my brain, my creativity, and therefore exercise my fingers as well.

So…what can the student do to be creative with their practice? Hopefully the teacher offers things to make practice more interesting.

I do everything and anything, whether it’s rhythmic or melodic, to exercise my brain, my creativity, and therefore exercise my fingers as well.

Jordan Rudess

Thanks for chatting with us, Jordan! If you’re feeling inspired, check out the following free lessons:

• How to Play Scales FAST (The Jordan Rudess Juilliard Approach)
• Jordan Rudess Teaches Arpeggios
• Dream Theater “The Dance of Eternity” – Sheet Music, Time Signatures, Analysis & More

The post Piano Lessons With Jordan Rudess (Interview) appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

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This is Marc’s piano story.

Drummer Beginnings

My musical journey goes back to Grade 6 when I got my first drum set at 12 years old. It took a year or two for me to figure out how to follow music on the radio. But eventually, I was playing to Beatles records and records from popular bands of the 80s like Queen, Foreigner, and Kiss. 

This led to my first high school band in ’83 when two guys from school wanted to start a band. They came over to my house and asked to start a beat. Next thing I knew, we were playing AC/DC and I wasn’t even familiar with them at the time! 

The guys had another hockey buddy who wanted to be a part of the band; he bought a bass and took lessons. Then, a neighborhood guy heard us playing in my mom’s basement and showed us he could sing like Brian Johnson. He became our singer, and our first 80s cover band, Dark Shadow, was off and running. We played covers of everything: AC/DC, Van Halen, Twisted Sister, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, Canada’s own Triumph, Ratt, and even complex, progressive music from our Canadian icons Rush. 

We were invited to open the high school’s “Café Étudiant”—which basically translates to “chill-out hall for students”—between classes. This became our first gig. It even got featured in the local newspaper at the time.

This led to performing at a roller rink in Dorion, ON that October in front of 800 people—the biggest crowd this place had ever seen. 

So, high school was a fun time! But eventually, we all graduated and moved on.

Discovering Prog

Before moving on to college, I stayed back to complete extra courses I needed. Popular music was taking a different direction by the late 80s, with bands like The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Tears for Fears, U2, Billy Idol, Loverboy etc. dominating the airwaves. This was when my passion for keyboards first developed—when I discovered Tony Banks and Genesis, and when I first saw the Three Sides Live show on video and that infamous “In the Cage” medley. 

> 225 Years of Rock Piano in 10 Minutes

I was hooked. I sold my massive drum set and bought my first Korg DW-6000 61-key synthesizer. I knew nothing about music theory; I simply reproduced what I heard on records and tapes, starting with simple solos like Genesis’ “Home by the Sea” and other late 80s music in bits and pieces. It got me far enough to join my former guitarist’s new “late 80s” cover band BTT for a couple of years with a different rhythm section. We ended the ’86 school year with a big show at the high school theater at the time.

We did a few other gigs, including with the local boys and girls organization. They invited us to play many of their larger banquets. It lasted a couple of years, but eventually the realities of life started hitting some of us. Knowing we were not going to make a career out of this, a few of us went to college to get a degree so we could make a living. 

More Prog, More Piano, and a Genesis Tribute Band

Music was left on the back burner for many years from that point on. But my love for complex music of the 70s like Yes, Genesis, ELP, Jethro Tull, Supertramp and early Styx still remained. By the early 2000s, I was earning a comfortable living and in a nice, stable environment. That was when I realized how much I missed playing in a band and making music with others. 

I had a coworker who was a guitarist and his brother played drums. They knew a bassist and low and behold, a new project was off and running! I took some piano lessons during those years in hopes of living up to the complex music we were playing (early Genesis, Yes, even Elton John). My lessons only lasted a year or two, but they led me to start my own Genesis tribute band, Slippermen. We began in 2003 and played many places throughout Quebec and Ontario—from Alma, Q.C. to Trois-Rivieres and all the way down to Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls.

That project ran its course in late December 2011. I simply didn’t have the training to keep up with the demands of the music: it was complex, I had to remember it all by heart, and I was learning everything by ear. I needed a break.

I stepped away from music completely for about two years. Then, a local up-and-coming teenager was interested in Genesis and started his own band. As I had the gear and remembered a large portion of the repertoire, I joined in. And even though it was never expected to be taken seriously or to the level of a tribute band, it kept me playing for a little while. Two to three years later, this teenager was off to Julliard to study jazz guitar. If anyone has the education and training to make a living out of music, it would be him.

The Comeback

In 2016, I again took time off and focused on other things. Until February 2020—right in the middle of the pandemic. 

One of the guitarists (who also sang) from my original high school heavy metal band thought it would be fun to do a one-time reunion gig. So I thought why not? It got me back into playing. And with the advancement in learning methods online, I decided to give it a go. 

We started rehearsing in the summer of 2020 with one minor change: the lead guitarist wasn’t given “permission” from his spouse to commit to a project of this level, so he was forced to step away. That was when we were approached by the then-bassist of our ’86 late 80s cover band (though he was a guitarist first). He stepped in and we haven’t looked back since. 

Our “one-time reunion band” is still going strong nearly four years later! We keep adding new material all the time to keep it fresh and interesting. We play quite a variety of music from the late 60s through the early 2000s. And we play about a half dozen gigs a year, including the annual Canadian Grand Prix festivities in Montréal. 

Returning to Music With Meniere’s

As soon as I was committed to the project, I started practicing scales, arpeggios, and chords again. But most of what I have learned and continue to do has been by ear. This eventually led me to Pianote.

Though I knew there was a whole world of styles, genres, and techniques to learn and discover, I had no real structure on how to progress and improve. Pianote has definitely helped with that. I can definitely see improvements in what I can do now compared to last summer. I’ve been learning new genres and styles, from rock’n’roll to blues to ragtime, all the while improving my sight-reading skills.

Will I ever be as good a sight reader as I am at playing music by ear? Who knows! Do I hope to play more complicated piano pieces one day? Definitely! I look forward to evolving and improving on all levels, especially after being diagnosed last summer with Meniere’s Disease in my left ear. 

It’s the same disease that Huey Lewis recently talked about in PEOPLE magazine. Many other celebrities have disclosed getting diagnosed with this. Basically, it’s an inner ear disease that causes episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, ear fullness, and partial or complete hearing loss. I’m being monitored by several specialists and on various meds, but there is no cure at this time. My live performing years may be limited, but I’m taking it one year at a time. 

Continuing the Journey With Pianote

From Victoria’s classical path to Ben’s ragtime lessons, Pianote’s variety of genres and teachers with different backgrounds have really helped me expand my musical vocabulary. Kevin’s In Theory series and his blues course has helped me develop improvising skills, which is still a work in progress. And now we’re getting technical know-how from keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess himself! Can’t wait for that.

I have definitely seen improvement. Last year, when Gowan released his “Come Sail Away” lesson, I couldn’t for the life of me keep that Alberti bass in the left hand going. (It’s similar to what Ray Manzarek from the Doors does in “Riders on the Storm.”) Now I can play “Come Sail Away” and most of “Riders on the Storm”! Though the keyboard solo needs to be a bit better before I consider it done…

One day, I hope to play the Doors’ “Light my Fire” or Debussy’s “Clair de lune.” I want to get through Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” from start to finish, and I want to play the Charlie Brown theme and Christmas music from Vince Guaraldi. These are all longer term goals. 

Hopefully, when I retire, I’ll be able to focus on getting my skills to this level—preferably before I lose my hearing altogether. Like I mentioned, one year at a time. 

It almost felt like I was starting over in February 2020, but it did come back fairly quickly. If I have any regret, it would be that I took so many years off from playing for as long stretches as I did. Today, it’s about taking small steps to achieve greater heights. I intend to continuously expand and grow my musical vocabulary on every level!

Cheers! 

ML

–

Have a piano story? We’d love to hear it! Pitch us your story here and we’ll get back to you if we’re interested in publishing it.

The post Marc’s Piano Story: Rocker’s Music Journey Comes Full Circle With the Keys appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

> Get Started

Note: If you’re having trouble with the form, please email our blog manager Charmaine at charmaine@pianote.com

Who We’re Looking For

We want to hear from piano experts! This includes (but is not limited to):

• Educators of different demographics, from young children to older adults to students with disabilities
• Career musicians such as music producers, gigging performers, accompanists, and music directors
• Instrument experts including product experts, technicians, and tuners

What We’re Looking For

We’d love in-depth but accessible articles on topics like:

• How to get gigs in the music industry as a keyboard player
• Why music producers should learn the piano
• What it’s like to teach piano to different demographics
• How to care for a piano
• Practice and technique advice
• How to avoid injury
• Piano buying advice

Why Work With Us

Pianote is a leading online platform dedicated to piano education and community building. With a mission to inspire and support pianists of all levels, Pianote provides comprehensive lessons, resources, and events to foster the growth and development of piano enthusiasts worldwide.

Our stats:

• 1.6M YouTube subscribers
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> About Our Team

Artists we’ve worked with include Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Justin Stanton (Snarky Puppy), Erskine Hawkins (Eminem), Victoria Theodore (Beyoncé), Jesús Molina, David Bennett, and Sangah Noona. We’re excited to have you join us!

Compensation is available. Send us your pitch today, and if we’re interested, we’ll reach out with an offer!

> Pitch Us

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Not a piano expert…but still want to submit?

We’re also looking for inspiring stories by people whose lives have been impacted by learning piano! Check out this post for more info.

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We’re looking for inspiring piano stories told by pianists like you to publish on our website. Just fill out the form if you want to participate. We’ll contact you if we’re interested in your pitch! If you have questions, message our blog manager Charmaine: charmaine@pianote.com.

Are you a piano expert? Check out our call for freelance piano writers!

The post Call for Submissions: Tell Us Your Piano Story! appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

In this post, we’re lucky to have Victoria Theodore break down what makes this classic hit so special.

Song Structure

“Superstition” isn’t a conventional pop song because it follows a slightly different structure. This structure is actually quite simple:

• Verse
• Pre-chorus
• Chorus
• Chant

What instruments are used in Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”?

Stevie Wonder played the clavinet and the drums and produced the song himself.

The instruments are what make this song sound so iconic. That riff is played by an instrument called the clavinet. 

The clavinet is an electromechanical instrument invented by Ernst Zacharias and produced by the Hohner company. It is also known as the Hohner Clavinet. Strings in the clavinet are struck by a piece of metal which is activated by the keys. The result is a percussive, funky twang. Most digital pianos now have a clavinet setting, so if you have a keyboard, you can play “Superstition” in its original sound!

Intro

We jump into the song via its iconic riff, played by the clavinet. There’s also a countermelody here that’s played live by the guitar. The sheet music for this section looks complex because there’s so much syncopation. “That syncopation is what gives the music its drive and its excitement,” says Victoria.

If you struggle with the sheet music, try listening to the intro a few times. You can also try breaking beats into their smallest increments like this:

Pre-chorus and Chorus

A lot of cool stuff happens here. You’ll notice many grace notes and flams. Flamming is when two notes are played just a little out of sync.

The chord progression here is also unique. It’s not a standard pop chord progression. Instead, we get a chromatic line with lots of alterations. These alterations are what give these chords their rich, colorful sound.

Bb9 – B9(b5) – Bb9 – A7(b5) – Ab9(sus4) – Bb7#5

“It’s like a window into a world every time that he changes chords,” Victoria says, “especially when he uses the chromatic movement to go between things. I don’t think the song would have been nearly as impactful without them!”

The post Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”: Sheet Music & Analysis appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

This post is a treat because we have Jordan Rudess himself breaking down the keyboard parts! And if you want to learn the song yourself (warning: it’s not for the faint of heart), go to the Pianote Members Area to download a note-for-note transcription. Not a Member yet? Enjoy a free trial on us!

The Intro

We begin with trippy time signature changes right off the bat, jumping from 4/4 to 7/8 to 3/4 over and over.

The repeating, rapid scale figure is based on the Phrygian mode. The Phrygian scale starts on a minor 2nd, creating a dark and mysterious sound. It’s part of what makes “The Dance of Eternity” so intriguing from the start.

Composure. Practice. Meditation. It’s all highly recommended.

Jordan Rudess

The Ragtime Section

One of the neatest things about this song is the cheeky ragtime section. It’s unexpected for a metal song, but it adds such an iconic twist!

In “The Dance of Eternity,” Jordan took the very “serious” and “metal” riffs John Petrucci (Dream Theater’s guitarist) was playing and played it with a honky-tonk sound, causing the entire band to crack up.

The hardest part of this section is probably the chromatically ascending octaves. (Octaves are pretty common in ragtime).

The Piano/Guitar Solo

This is perhaps the most technically challenging part of a technically challenging song! For Jordan, headspace is really important when you’re performing a song like this, especially if you play in a stadium with thousands of people.

Jordan establishes his fingering first. Then, he thinks about how he will breathe and stand during the performance. “All that is really, really important.”

You really want to practice not only just the finger motions of it but also you need to practice the headspace that you want to play it in.

Jordan Rudess

The Unison and Thirds Section

This section begins with a unison guitar and keyboard riff. The guitar and bass keep going in unison, but the keyboard starts introducing thirds and fourths…which are not easy to play fast!

The “Weird” Section

Yep, Dream Theater calls this the “weird” section! When Jordan Rudess joined the band, he brought with him a wide range of influences. He wanted to add something harmonically different to the song, hence this weird section—with its strange and augmented, surreal sound—was born.

I’ve been in the band for 25 years now and I think they’re still coming to grips with my creative thinking.

Jordan Rudess

The Unison/Time Signature Section

A question that gets asked a lot is: how many time signatures are in Dance of Eternity? We counted 127!

This particular section near the end of the song has a lot. We go from 4/4 to 3/4 to 12/16 to 10/16…and then to 5/16 and 6/16!

The Outro

The outro is refreshingly simple with a memorable theme. There are still time signature changes though, just to keep things interesting! Then, the song ends on an elegant, arpeggiated C-sharp minor chord that transitions us into the next song.

We hope you enjoyed this breakdown of a musical beast! Here’s the song in full for your listening pleasure.

The post Dream Theater “The Dance of Eternity” – Sheet Music, Time Signatures, Analysis & More appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

In February, you voted for your favorite pianist in 10 categories. Then, you tuned in to our YouTube channel on March 14, 2024 to hear the winners announced and for your chance to win some free stuff!

Keep reading to learn about the 10 categories, the nominees, and what makes them awesome.

Learn more about how we selected these nominees.

THE 2023 PIANOTE AWARDS

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Award Categories

Pianist of the Year
Pop Pianist of the Year
Classical Pianist of the Year
Jazz Pianist of the Year
Contemporary Pianist of the Year
Instagram Pianist of the Year
TikTok Pianist of the Year
YouTube Pianist of the Year
Original Composition of the Year
Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year

Pianist of the Year

This top prize is awarded to a pianist or keyboardist in any genre whose achievements in 2023 went above and beyond. The Pianist of the Year is chosen for their professional achievement, exceptional artistry, technical ability, and impact on the music scene and piano community.

Jon Batiste – WINNER

Jon Batiste is a creative powerhouse who’s made a name as a pianist, composer, singer-songwriter, and media personality. He’s probably best known as the Academy Award-winning composer of the soundtrack to Soul (2020). In 2023, Batiste received 6x nominations for the 66th GRAMMYs, 2x nominations at the SCL (Society of Composers and Lyricists) Awards, and was featured in his own documentary American Symphony. Batiste also collaborated with artists like Lil Wayne, Kenny G, and Lana del Rey on his 2023 album World Music Radio.

Yuja Wang

One of today’s top concert pianists, Yuja Wang is recognized for both her virtuosic power and iconic fashion style. In 2023, Wang’s album The American Project was nominated for a GRAMMY. She also played a marathon 4.5-hour concert of all four Rachmaninoff piano concertos plus “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini” at Carnegie Hall. Wang appeared at the BBC Proms, in a Hunger Games soundtrack, and her virtuosity was highlighted in a video by music commentator Rick Beato.

Emily Bear

It’s not every 22-year-old who gets chosen to play piano for Queen Bey. Emily Bear captured the attention of the music industry when she became Beyoncé’s keyboardist during the Renaissance World Tour. She also composed the soundtrack behind Dog Gone (2023)— becoming the youngest person ever to compose a score for a streamed feature film—and performed at the 2023 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards.

Lang Lang

World-class pianist Lang Lang is known for his virtuosity and showmanship as well as his philanthropic efforts. In 2023, Lang Lang performed at Charles III’s coronation with Nicole Scherzinger and judged the BBC talent show The Piano with Mika. He was also featured in the TV special Lang Lang Plays Disney and was shortlisted for Best Classical Artist at the 2023 Global Awards.

Jacob Collier

Best known for his virtuosity, originality, creativity, and live shows that engage audience participation, Jacob Collier is one of the most popular and respected musicians today. 2023 saw Collier collaborate with popular artists: “WELLLL” (with Remi Wolf), “Little Blue” (with Brandi Carlile), and “Witness Me” (with Shawn Mendes, Kirk Franklin, and Stormzy). His performance of “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning” (with Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick, and Amanda Taylor) was nominated for a GRAMMY. Collier’s influence extends beyond composition: his custom-made Strandberg 5-string guitar was featured in “WELLLL” and he even designed a pair of Crocs!

Pop Pianist of the Year

The Pop Pianist of the Year Award honors a piano or keyboard player of exceptional achievement in popular music over the past year.

Jemma Heigis – WINNER

A Roland Global Artist, keys player Jemma Heigis is accomplished both online and in traditional concert venues. In 2023, she toured with Karol G and played on coveted shows like Saturday Night Live and Tiny Desk. Heigis also hit 2.1 million views on her viral Bruno Mars “Chunky” reel.

Emily Bear

A former child prodigy, 22-year-old Emily Bear captured the attention of the music industry when she became Beyoncé’s keyboardist during Queen Bey’s Renaissance World Tour. She also composed the soundtrack behind Dog Gone (2023)—becoming the youngest person ever to compose a score for a streamed feature film—and performed at the 2023 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards.

Chloe Flower

Pop-classical pianist Chloe Flower first rose to fame when she performed with Cardi B at the 61st GRAMMYs. In 2023, Chloe Flower composed and performed all the commercial intros and outros, opening theme, and closing theme for the 80th Golden Globe Awards. She also graced the cover of Pianist magazine, played with Lil Baby on Saturday Night Live, and released the album Chloe Hearts Christmas.

JVKE

Best known for his viral hit “Golden Hour,” JVKE’s 2023 collaborations include “Angel Pt. 1” by Kodak Black and NLE Choppa with Jimin (BTS) and Muni Long, “Fire” by Alan Walker with YUQI of (G)I-DLE, and “Strings” by MAX with Bazzi. He also released several singles in 2023, including “This is what space feels like” and a remix of NCT Dream’s “Broken Melodies.” While “Golden Hour” was first released in 2022, Variety called it “one of 2023’s biggest hits.”

Karina DePiano

Best known as a keyboardist for A-listers like Olivia Rodrigo, Troye Sivan, and Miley Cyrus, Karina DePiano spent 2023 playing keys for the biggest tour of all time: the Taylor Swift Eras tour. She also appeared in NIKI’s Live at the Wiltern album, where she contributed as bandleader, keyboardist, and back-up vocalist.

Classical Pianist of the Year

The Classical Pianist of the Year Award honors a piano or keyboard player of exceptional achievement in classical music over the past year.

Yuja Wang – WINNER

One of today’s most popular pianists, Yuja Wang is as beloved for her charismatic style as much as her virtuosic playing. In 2023, Wang’s album The American Project was nominated for a GRAMMY. She also played a marathon 4.5-hour concert of all four Rachmaninoff piano concertos plus “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini” at Carnegie Hall. Wang appeared at the BBC Proms, in a Hunger Games soundtrack, and her virtuosity was highlighted in a video by music commentator Rick Beato.

Sir Stephen Hough

One of today’s most respected classical pianists, Sir Stephen Hough continues to make history in 2023. Last year saw Hough’s release of his memoir, Enough: Scenes from Childhood. After receiving his knighthood in 2022, he was officially knighted by King Charles III in a July 2023 ceremony. Other achievements include Hyperion releases and a Diapason d’or for his recording of Mompou: Musica Callada.

Lang Lang

Perhaps the world’s most famous pianist by name, classical virtuoso Lang Lang has had a busy year. He performed at Charles III’s coronation with Nicole Scherzinger and judged the BBC talent show The Piano with Mika. He was also featured in the TV special Lang Lang Plays Disney and was shortlisted for Best Classical Artist at the 2023 Global Awards.

Daniil Trifonov

A highly respected and popular classical pianist, Daniil Trifonov had a busy year touring North America and Europe. He also released his 2013 Deutsche Grammophon début (recorded in Carnegie Hall) on vinyl for the first time. Furthermore, his performance of the Schumann Piano Concerto was featured by Deutsche Grammophon on World Piano Day 2023.

Alice Sara Ott

You may know Alice Sara Ott from her “Claire de lune” recording, which has 95M plays on Spotify! In 2023, this rising star was featured in the first TV ad for Apple Music Classical. She also appeared on the cover of Pianist Magazine, performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk, and released the album Beethoven.

Jazz Pianist of the Year

The Jazz Pianist of the Year Award honors a piano or keyboard player of exceptional achievement in jazz music over the past year.

Cory Henry – WINNER

Best known for his work with jazz supergroup Snarky Puppy, Cory Henry continues a lucrative career in 2023. He performed a Stevie Wonder tribute at the BBC Proms and his 2023 album Live at the Piano was nominated for a GRAMMY in Best Alternative Jazz Album. Henry also appeared in BJ the Chicago Kid’s “Forgot Your Name” and BLK ODYSSY’s “ADAM & EVE.” Henry has mentioned that 2023 was his last year touring for a living.

HIROMI

HIROMI’s performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics introduced her to the world. Today, she is one of jazz’s most popular and iconic pianists. HIROMI released her album Sonicworld in 2023, created the soundtrack for the 2023 film adaptation of Blue Giant, performed at NPR’s Tiny Desk, and received lots of high-profile press.

Vijay Iyer

Innovative pianist-composer Vijay Iyer continued making waves last year in the jazz scene. Collaborating with Arooj Aftab and Shahzad Ismaily, the 2023 album Love in Exile was nominated for a GRAMMY in Best Alternative Jazz Album, while the track “Shadow Forces” was nominated for a GRAMMY in Best Global Music Performance. Iyer performed at Tiny Desk with his collaborators and was much discussed in music press like Stereogum, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork.

Isaiah J. Thompson

Rising jazz star Isaiah J. Thompson is the winner of the 2023 American Pianists Award and received the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz. Thompson also released two albums in 2023: A Guaraldi Holiday, which celebrates the music of Vince Guaraldi’s work with Peanuts, and the live album The Power of the Spirit, recorded at Dizzy’s Club at the Lincoln Center. He also appeared as a sideman in John Pizzarelli’s 2023 album Stage & Screen.

DOMi Louna

Best known for her keyboard work with drummer JD Beck, DOMi & JD BECK is a duo widely regarded as the future of jazz. The group started the year with a bang as a Spotify Best New Artist of 2023. They then went on a whirlwind tour across North America, Asia, and Europe. DOMi & JD Beck also played Coachella and you can catch their remix of “Big Man, Little Dignity” on Paramore’s 2023 album Re: This Is Why.

Contemporary Pianist of the Year

The Contemporary Pianist of the Year Award honors a pianist or keyboardist’s exceptional achievement in the past year in modern, alternative music styles such as neoclassical, fusion, avant-garde, experimental, and progressive.

Jordan Rudess – WINNER

Renowned for his virtuosic work with Dream Theater, Jordan Rudess continues to be one of today’s most revered keyboardists. Rudess’ 2023 collaborations include “Still Woven” with Quartarone and “Incarnation,” an original composition he produced with Mahesh Raghvan and featuring Mohini Dey, Elijah Wood, and B. C. Manjunath. He was also featured in Bradley Hall’s “Thrash Grandad.” Prolific in the world of music tech, Rudess collaborated with Drukowski Guitars to create the Wizard’s Axe and was, of course, present at NAMM 2023.

Joe Hisaishi

Best known for his work with legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Hisaishi’s music has been beloved for decades. 2023 saw the release of what is likely Miyazaki’s final film, The Boy and the Heron, of which Hisaishi’s soundtrack was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an SCL (Society of Composers & Lyricists) Award. Hisaishi also released Brahms: Complete Symphonies and Studio Ghibli compilations like A Symphonic Celebration. Furthermore, Hisaishi received the Order of the Rising Sun from the government of Japan.

Alexis Ffrench

You may know Alexis Ffrench from his 2018 piano hit “Bluebird” and as the 2022-present host of Apple Music Radio’s first classical show, where he composes 60-second sonatas based on listener stories. Best known for his classical-soul crossover style, Ffrench performed at King Charles III’s coronation ceremony in 2023. He also released an album (Christmas Piano) and an EP (Peace) last year.

Ludovico Einaudi

Neoclassical composer Ludovico Einaudi is a classical gateway for many, having become the most streamed classical artist ever. Einaudi won the 2023 Global Award for Best Classical Artist and his musical output last year includes a compilation album (Undiscovered Vol. 2) and the soundtrack for La Petite. He also worked with Thrive Conservation on the documentary Broken Wings and collaborated with Greenpeace to petition against deep sea mining.

Anomalie

Creative keyboard virtuoso Anomalie is quickly becoming an exciting voice in the keyboardist-producer scene. His 2022 album Galerie was named ADISQ Album of the Year – Jazz in 2023. The project of Montreal-based classically-trained pianist Nicolas Dupuis, Anomalie also performed two Asia tours, taught at Cory Wong’s Syncopated Summer Camp, and released his EP Holidays.

Instagram Pianist of the Year

The Instagram Pianist of the Year Award recognizes a piano or keyboard Instagrammer of exceptional achievement in the past year.

Justin Lee Schultz (@official_justinleeschultz) – WINNER

Multi-instrumentalist Justin Lee Schultz, 16, enjoyed a very busy year! He performed at NAMM 2023, played with the Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour, appeared in the JAZZIZ Editors’ Choice weekly column, was invited to join the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) 2023 New Member Class, and released an album: Just In the Moment.

Alfredo Rodriguez (@alfredormusic)

A regular Instagrammer, Alfredo Rodriguez is a jazz fusion powerhouse with influences ranging from his original home in Cuba to his adopted one in America. 2023 saw Rodriguez play an international tour, perform at NPR’s A Jazz Piano Christmas, and release the album Coral Way.

Tony Ann (@tonyannnn)

One of social media’s most popular pianist-composers, Tony Ann made the news in 2017 when his virality scored him a tour with the Chainsmokers. Today, he’s going strong with 2.6M Instagram followers and 2.3M TikTok followers. Ann’s social media hits in 2023 include mash-ups, remixes, and creatively shot videos that get upwards of millions of views per reel. Ann also released three collabs and four EPs and played his first headline show in Paris last year.

Lola Astanova (@lolaastanova)

Pianist-composer Lola Astanova has over 1.3M Instagram followers. Her 2023 highlights include a performance at the WTA Makarska Open, where she filmed a breathtaking music video in the Biokovo mountain range. Astanova also went on tour and released the majestic piece “Invictus.”

TikTok Pianist of the Year

The TikTok Pianist of the Year Award recognizes a piano or keyboard TikToker of exceptional achievement in the past year.

Margarita Sipatova (@grette_) – WINNER

Margarita Sipatova has just under a million followers on TikTok. A classically trained pianist who performs covers and livestreams, the production value of her videos is uniquely high for a fast-paced social media platform. A consistent and prolific uploader, Sipatova had several million+ view videos in 2023. She is also an opera singer!

Aylex Thunder (@aylexthunder)

With 3.9M followers, Aylex Thunder is a favorite among TikTok’s piano lovers. His 2023 highlights include several uploads with more than a million views, a collaboration with Lord Vinheteiro, and a mansion performance that went viral and made the news. Thunder also partnered with Thrive Refuge to help a teen pianist leave the war in Ukraine and study in British Columbia.

Van Toan Lam (@vantoan___)

Van Toan Lam is one of the internet’s biggest pianists with 10.3M followers on TikTok. Lam regularly posts public piano performances that gain tens of millions of views. Last year, he streamed himself playing on top of a mountain in France and collaborated with keyboard sensation Ethan Bortnick and Maltese singer Yulan Law.

Alex Doremifa (@alex_doremifa)

Alex Doremifa has 1.7M followers and was remarkably successful on TikTok last year. A creator of public piano shorts, mash-ups, and performances with other musicians, his collaborative Interstellar video received 30M views and his “Solas” video netted a whopping 105.3M views in 2023!

Andy Morris (@andy_morris)

Andy Morris’ wins in 2023 include a Genshin Impact video that earned more than 70M views, a “Golden Hour” video with more than 80M views, and a flashmob-style collaboration at Comic Con. To cap it all off, Morris was also a contestant on America’s Got Talent!

YouTube Pianist of the Year

The YouTube Pianist of the Year Award recognizes a piano or keyboard YouTuber of exceptional achievement in the past year.

Lord Vinheteiro – WINNER

With over 7.1M subscribers, Lord V is one of the internet’s most famous pianists and musical comedians. He is “the biggest piano related YouTube channel in the world” (Wikitubia) and his channel reached 1 billion views in 2023. He also collaborated with TikTok pianist Aylex Thunder and appeared on a Times Square billboard.

Nahre Sol

Composer-pianist Nahre Sol’s deep dive analysis videos are a favorite among music enthusiasts on YouTube. In 2023, Sol became the first Creator in Residence at the Elbphilharmonie for the 2023-24 season. She also premiered a new composition at the West End Micro Music Festival, released the single “Swan Song,” and published a theory book (Nahre Sol’s Elements of Music). Her 2023 video, “How I wish HARMONY was explained to me as a student” has earned over a million views.

Brendan Kavanagh

Brendan Kavanagh is a popular boogie-woogie pianist with over 2M subscribers on YouTube. Known for his performances on public pianos and jamming with folks he meets, he made the news last year when others tried to shut his performance down. Kavanagh’s 2023 highlights include a collaboration with Swiss musician Ladyva which gained over 11M views and “Baby Hears Boogie Woogie Piano For The First Time,” which got over 7M views.

Peter Bence

The energetic Peter Bence regularly posts high-production-value covers and performances to his 1.14M subscribers. Blurring the line between pop and classical, Bence was once named the “Fastest Piano Player” by the Guinness Book of World Records. 2023 was a great year for Bence: he released the album Pianosphere, went on tour, and made his solo debut in the U.K.

Charles Cornell

One of YouTube’s most popular music educators, pianist Charles Cornell boasts 1.58M YouTube subscribers on his channel, where he posts detailed music analysis videos. 2023 was a prolific year for Cornell with regular uploads, including “The Most Beautiful Song EVER Written For Film,” which earned more than 2M views. Cornell also released a cover of “Clocks” on Spotify.

Original Composition of the Year

The Original Composition of the Year Award recognizes exceptional artistry, creativity, and impact of a piano or keyboard-focused work of any genre from the past year. We hope you find your next favorite song among these selections!

“Butterfly” by Jon Batiste – WINNER

Listen to the Song

Jon Batiste’s piano-driven “Butterfly” has been nominated for a GRAMMY Song of the Year award. World Music Radio, which carries the track, was also nominated for a GRAMMY as Album of the Year. “Butterfly” is featured in Batiste’s 2023 biographical documentary American Symphony.

“The Last Smile” by Joe Hisaishi (from The Boy and the Heron)

Listen to the Song

Perhaps Miyazaki’s last film, the soundtrack for Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an SCL (Society of Composers & Lyricists) Award. The film’s main theme, “The Last Smile,” is a classic Hisaishi track with its gentle piano, lyrical melody, and nostalgic atmosphere.

“The hills” by Alexandra Stréliski

Listen to the Song

Alexandra Stréliski’s emotive piece “The hills” was inspired by the loss of a loved one. This popular piece gained 7M plays on Spotify and the album from which it comes, Néo-Romance, was longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize.

“Idea 9” by Gibran Alcocer

Listen to the Song

Best known for the viral TikTok hit “Solas,” 20-year-old Gibran Alcocer is a popular up-and-coming composer of peaceful solo piano pieces. “Idea 9” was his most popular track from 2023, clocking 9M plays on Spotify.

“Meditation 111” by RIOPY

Listen to the Song

“Meditation 111” was commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation for Mental Health Awareness Week. Designed to improve wellness, the entire piece can be played with just three fingers and learned in one hour, making it accessible to everyone. The composer, RIOPY, is a neoclassical composer who is open and vocal about his traumatic past.

Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year

The Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year award celebrates a piano or keyboard artist whose social impact in service of the piano community was particularly inspiring last year. They embody our vision for a vibrant pianist community and they may break barriers and bring pianism to mainstream attention.

Jude Kofie (“Jude Keyz”) – WINNER

12-year-old Jude Kofie made a huge splash in 2023. Autistic and born with a heart defect, Kofie’s talent went viral when a piano tuner, impressed by his self-taught piano skills, gifted him a free piano. Then, Kofie was featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show and was gifted a mentorship with Jason Halbert—Kelly Clarkson’s music director and an autistic individual himself. Kofie has since received a lot of press and was given the Heroes Award at HollyRod Foundation’s DesignCare Gala.

Lucy

Teen pianist Lucy has had an extraordinary year. Blind and neurodivergent, Lucy captured hearts worldwide when she was featured on the BBC program The Piano. She later performed at King Charles III’s coronation alongside musicians like Alexis Ffrench and Katy Perry. Furthermore, Lucy performed on World Piano Day and became an ambassador for the Lang Lang International Music Foundation.

Miki Sawada

Pianist Miki Sawada has been touring since 2017 across 50 states with a piano and a van. Called “Gather Hear,” the tour brings music to communities that may not have access to environments like traditional concert halls. Last year, Sawada toured Alabama and her documentary about her tour in Louisiana premiered at Independent Film Festival Boston.

Helen Martyniuk

Helen Martyniuk’s song “Bee Theme” went viral in 2023 and was featured on the BBC. Martyniuk is a young Ukrainian pianist who moved to the U.K. during the war. Last year, Sherwood Pianos also featured her original arrangement of the Ukrainian national album on the 1-year anniversary of the war. Active on social media, Martyniuk’s “Bee Theme” has even been arranged for orchestra.

How We Chose Our Shortlisted Nominees

We chose nominees by asking our online community and researching artists with major achievements in 2023. This includes collaboration with big names, touring, press, awards and award nominations, album releases, and overall impact and inspiration. But at the end of the day, we looked for people who got us excited about playing the keys.

Since this is our first-ever Pianote Awards, we welcome your feedback for future events! Just fill out this form.

THANKS FOR VOTING!

Remember to tune in to the 2023 Pianote Awards Show on March 14!

The post Announcing the Winners of the 2023 Pianote Awards! appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Modes. Just saying the word makes plenty of music students run for the hills. But modes don’t have to be confusing; they can be explained in several ways and they’re super useful, especially if you play jazz and/or want to improvise. In this lesson, we’ll explain what are modes in music in simple language. And we hope you walk away excited about modes—because they’re pretty neat!

What Are Modes in Music? Modes vs. Scales

Okay, so what are modes in the first place? You may have heard of modes explained alongside scales, and the two concepts are closely related. In short:

• A scale is a sequence of notes organized by a certain pattern.
• A mode is a scale arranged into a different sequence.

This might make more sense with examples. So, let’s take C major.

The C major scale…

• Is a sequence of notes that start and end on C.
• These notes are organized by the following pattern of whole and half steps: W-W-H-W-W-W-H.
• Is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.

The Dorian mode…

• Is an arrangement of a scale in which you play the scale starting and ending on its second note.
• The C major scale in Dorian mode, D Dorian, is therefore D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D.

Here’s a table of the seven modes understood in the context of C major. Notice that each mode is named after the first note that appears in its sequence, followed by a Greek name.

This is what modes are in a nutshell. If you’re lost, consider reviewing scale and chord concepts with these lessons:

• Piano Scales: Types of Scales and How to Apply Them
• How to Play ALL Piano Chords

Ways to Understand Modes

It’s important to know that modes can be understood in a number of ways, depending on what you’re doing.

The Parent Scale Method

In the first section, we described modes as different ways (“modes”!) to play a scale. Because there are seven notes in the C major scale, there are seven ways (“modes”!) to play that scale because we can start and end on any of those notes.

Knowing this, say you are given this mode: D Mixolydian. How do we play this mode?

Since the name of this mode is “D” Mixolydian, we know that we’ll start and end the sequence on D. Easy! 

But what about “Mixolydian”? Scroll back to the table in the previous section and count: you’ll see that Mixolydian is the fifth mode. This means we should treat D as the fifth note of a parent scale.

In which scale is D the fifth note? If you answered G major, that’s correct! This means we’ll use G major’s key signature in our D-to-D sequence. If you did this all correctly, you’ll land on this:

D Mixolydian Mode

D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D

The Altered Scale Method

The parent scale method is easy to understand, but it’s less useful when playing music in real-time. If you’re faced with “E-flat Lydian” or “C Locrian,” it can be time-consuming to calculate what notes to play using the parent scale method.

Some musicians believe you should understand modes as alterations made to a major scale. For example, see “C Mixolydian” as “how do we alter the degrees of the C major scale” rather than “what is C Mixolydian’s parent scale’s key signature.” This method keeps you mentally situated on “C” as the tonal center or first note of the sequence, which is where you want to be when improvising.

Which method is better? That’s largely up to you. If you’re already super familiar with keys and key signatures (looking at you, classical pianists!), understanding modes using the parent scale method may be quicker.

But if you’re coming at scales fresh, or don’t mind memorizing, the altered scale method may be right for you. Jazz musicians may find this method more helpful in the context of improvisation.

How to USE Modes (The Chord-Scale Relationship)

So, what are modes used for, anyway? Why go through the trouble of memorizing all these funny words and formulas?!

Well, modes can be useful when improvising over chords.

Let’s take a look at the chord-scale relationship.

Psst…Scales are actually chords!

Scales and chords are actually kind of the same thing! Take the C major triad, for example: C-E-G. Now, stack another third to get the Cmaj7 chord: C-E-G-B. 

Then, stack another third, and another third… And soon, you’ve stacked all the notes of C major into one chord:

Cmaj13 = C-E-G-B-D-F-A ← All the notes of the C major scale!

In other words, you can safely play any combination of notes from the C major scale over the Cmaj13 chord. And if you see a Cmaj13 on a lead sheet, you can think to yourself, “Oh, I can play C major over this.”

Play THIS Mode Over THAT Chord

The same concept can be applied to modes. You can play certain modes over certain chords that are similar to them. And this is a handy way to always sound good.

A good example is C7 (C-E-G-Bb). What mode has these notes? If you answered C Mixolydian, you’re correct! C Mixolydian has a flat 7th (Bb) which makes it fit nicely with a C7 chord.

Here are some modes that go well with certain chords. See if you can find what they have in common.

If you know your modes well, you can use them to solo over chord progressions. Try playing these modes over this jazz progression:

The Sound of Modes

Modes serve another purpose: mood. Each mode has a distinct flavor and songwriters take advantage of this to convey unique atmospheres with their songs. For example, Lydian is associated with a “bright” and “pretty” sound. Meanwhile, Phrygian and Dorian are “darker.” Locrian is a bit of an odd mode; thanks to its association with diminished chords, it sounds rather sinister.

Modes can be found all over pop music. Here are some song examples of each mode. Listen to these songs to get a sense of the mode’s mood.

These song suggestions are thanks to our friend David Bennett, who makes awesome music theory videos on YouTube. He’s made a video about songs in each mode. Check them out!

We hope this clears up your understanding of modes. If you’d like more guidance with your music journey, consider becoming a Pianote Member. You’ll get coached by real teachers and world-class pianists. And you can take guitar, drum, and vocal lessons too!

The post Modes: A Friendly Guide appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

In this lesson, we’re lucky to have David Bennett explain seven common time signatures to us in detail. David is a popular YouTuber whose content on music theory has racked up millions of views. He’s great at making complex concepts accessible. Here’s David on time signatures!

Summary

No time to read? Here’s a quick cheat:

Review: How Time Signatures Work

There are two numbers in a time signature, one on top and one on the bottom. The top number tells us how many beats are in a measure, and the bottom number tells us what kind of note counts as one beat.

The most common time signatures are 4/4, otherwise known as common time. 2/4, 3/4, and 6/8 are also popular. 2/2 or cut time means two beats per measure, with one half note equalling one beat.

4/4

4 beats per measure, 1 quarter note = 1 beat
Song example: “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift

Most music is set in a 4/4 time signature, which is also known as “common time.” This means each measure has four beats and a quarter note is worth one unit of a beat. (The “4” on the bottom represents quarter notes.)

4/4 will feel 4/4 because there’s a sense of completeness after the four beats. 4/4 is a very balanced, symmetrical time signature that will feel comfortable and familiar to most listeners.

3/4

3 beats per measure, 1 quarter note = 1 beat
Song example: “The Blue Danube” by Johann Strauss II

3/4 is the famous waltz rhythm. There’s a distinct oom-pah-pah feel to this time signature with an emphasis on the first downbeat. 

Strauss’ “The Blue Danube” is probably the most famous 3/4 song of all time. But pop songs do use this meter, such as Paul McCartney’s “Mull of Kintyre.”

5/4

5 beats per measure, 1 quarter note = 1 beat
Song example: Mission Impossible theme

This is the most common odd time signature. In 5/4, there are five beats per measure and one quarter note counts as one beat.

You can count music in 5/4 like “1-2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-4-5.” But you can also group it into subdivisions. In Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five,” the beats are grouped as “1-2-3 1-2, 1-2-3 1-2.” Subdividing time signatures with large top numbers can make counting them easier.

The Mission Impossible theme is another famous example of 5/4 in action. This one has a long-long-short-short feel:

7/4

7 beats per measure, 1 quarter note = 1 beat
Song example: “Money” by Pink Floyd

After 5/4, 7/4 is the most common odd time signature. We can count it as “1-2-3-4-5-6-7” or we can break it up into “1-2-3-4 1-2-3.” This is a rarer time signature, but you can hear its slightly disjointed feel in Pink Floyd’s “Money.”

6/8

6 beats per measure, 1 eighth note = 1 beat
Song example: “Falling” by Alicia Keys

An 8 as the bottom number of a time signature means that an eighth note equals one beat. 6/8 is a common time signature and it gives a waltz feel similar to 3/4, only quicker.

If you play this time signature with your left hand accompanying, you may notice a tendency to emphasize the first and fourth beats. Sometimes, time signatures with 8 on the bottom create two “layers” of rhythm—a smaller division (1-2-3-4-5-6) and a larger division (1-2-3, 4-5-6).

9/8

9 beats per measure, 1 eighth note = 1 beat
Song examples: “I Hung My Head” by Sting (odd feel)

9/8 is an interesting time signature because it can be both odd and not! You can subdivide it like “1-2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-4,” which is how the meter works in Sting’s “I Hung My Head.” Or, you can subdivide it like “1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3” which makes it not an odd meter at all. 

Again, when the top number is high, there’s a tendency to emphasize downbeats: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3.

15/8

15 beats per measure, 1 eighth note = 1 beat
Song examples: “Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield

https://youtu.be/KXatvzWAzLU?si=XjHK3XxeqMllJczv

There are some unique time signatures out there with big numbers, 15/8 being one! An example of 15/8 you can listen to is “Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield, which groups the 15 beats into 7 and 8.

Closing Thoughts

Time signatures aren’t always constant! Sometimes, they change in the middle of the song. For example, in “Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds” by the Beatles, the verse is in 3/4 time while the chorus is in 4/4. This gives different sections of the song a unique character.

We hope you enjoyed this introduction to time signatures! Here are more lessons about related topics: 

• How to Play Complicated Rhythms
• Understanding Cut Time
• Music Theory Basics: What to Learn First

The post 7 Common Time Signatures Explained appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Get a kick out of watching Lord Vinheteiro play these songs and explore their stories.

1. “Moonlight” Sonata – Ludwig van Beethoven

The sonata we know and love (or hate?) as “Moonlight” was not named as such by its composer. For most of its life, the piece was simply Piano Sonata No. 14, Op. 27 with the subtitle sonata quasi una fantasia or “sonata like a fantasia.” The nickname “Moonlight” was given by another Ludwig, the music critic Ludwig Rellstab, because the song reminded him of the glittering moonlight above Lake Lucerne.

> How to Play “Moonlight” Sonata (With Sheet Music)

2. “A Thousand Miles” – Vanessa Carlton

“A Thousand Miles” was an anthem during its heyday in the 2000s, and the song still has loyal fans today. Originally titled “Interlude,” the song was in the middle of Vanessa Carlton’s demo CD, which was destined for the slush pile until producer Ron Fair heard it at the last minute. The rest is history. The song peaked at #5 on Billboard and was part of an iconic scene in the movie White Chicks. In 2021, VICE made a short documentary on the song that later got nominated for an Emmy.

> Iconic Piano Intros You Have To Know

3. “The Entertainer” – Scott Joplin (aka the Ice Cream Truck Song)

If this song makes you instantly think of the ice cream truck, you’re not alone. The reason why children across North America recognize the same few songs as ice cream truck music is because nearly every ice cream truck uses a music box by Nichols Electronics. Mark Nichols still runs his father’s company today.

> How to Play “The Entertainer” (With Sheet Music)

4. “Für Elise” – Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven’s Bagatelle No. 25, commonly known as “Für Elise,” is considered a rite of passage for many piano players. And while we’re not sure who Elise was, we have a few contenders: 1) Therese Malfatti, Beethoven’s love interest and in whose belongings the piece was found; 2) Elizabeth Röckel, an opera singer who refused to marry Beethoven; and 3) Elise Barensfield, a piano student of Therese’s.

> The Best “Für Elise” Tutorial on the Internet

5. The Knuckle Song

Along with “Chopsticks” and “Heart and Soul,” this is one of the first piano songs people learn. And it’s a neat one, making use of the knuckles to roll an F# major pentatonic scale. The origins of this song are blurry, but it’s been attributed to the music comedy group Barry & the Bookbinders. Here’s a neat duet version of the song with a catchy melody.

6. Canon in D – Johann Pachelbel

Beloved at weddings and bemoaned by cellists (who play the same eight notes throughout the entire song), Pachelbel’s “Canon” is one of those classical tunes nearly everybody knows. Yet despite its blatant popularity, not much is known about the piece. We’re not even sure in what year it was written! We do know that composers like Mozart and Beethoven used Pachelbel’s bassline, and that the song exploded in popularity after a recording conducted by Jean-François Paillard.

> How to Play Canon in D (With Sheet Music)

7. “River Flows In You” – Yiruma

Several things make “River Flows In You” such a viral success: the longing melody (eerily similar to “Für Elise”), the tried-and-true vi-IV-I-V progression, the open voicings of the left-hand arpeggios… The song has received multiple blips of fame: it was first released in 2001, then it became associated with the Twilight franchise, and then it received another surge of popularity during the coronavirus pandemic when new pianists started learning during lockdown.

> Why “River Flows In You” Is So Popular

8. “Rush E” – Sheet Music Boss

The story behind “Rush E” is a little convoluted, but it was originally inspired by the Lord Marquaad E meme. Created by Sheet Music Boss, it’s designed to be unplayable by humans. Humans have, nevertheless, created their own playable versions. Most recently, we got Sangah Noona to figure the song out by ear in our studio.

> Pro Pianist Learns “Rush E” By Ear

9. Prelude No. 1 in C Major – J.S. Bach

Bach’s ethereal first prelude is a beginner-friendly piece that sounds delicate yet sophisticated. It’s also the first of 48 preludes in fugues in all major and minor keys. The piece may look intimidating on paper, but it’s actually quite accessible, consisting mostly of broken, arpeggiated chords in a simple C major progression.

> 3 Easy Classical Piano Pieces

10. “Heart and Soul” – Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser

“Heart and Soul” is a catchy melody beloved by duos. It may sound musically simple, but the original jazz standard can be quite complex (see Charles Cornell demo in this video). The song was written in 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Frank Loesser, and first came into the public eye through a film called A Song Is Born, where it was performed by Bea Wain and Larry Clinton and His Orchestra.

We hope you learned something new about these overplayed piano songs! More song lists to check out:

• 50 Best Piano Songs of All Time (All Genres)
• 40+ Legendary Classical Piano Songs By Difficulty
• 36 Greatest Piano Rock Songs
• 10 Easy Jazz Standards to Learn First

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The piano has been around for a very long time and many music terms are Italian due to Italy’s influence on classical music. However, the piano is a truly multidisciplinary instrument with a big role in genres like blues, jazz, pop, and rock. So, we’ve included piano terms here from as many musical genres as possible.

HOW TO USE THIS PIANO TERMS GLOSSARY

We’ve organized piano terms in alphabetical order in this glossary. You can also browse sections by clicking on topics in the Table of Contents above.

If you have a specific term in mind and are on desktop, press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) and then type in the term in question. Your computer will find the term and highlight it.

Here’s how to do the same on mobile:

ARTICULATION

Piano terms to do with how notes are played.

Acciaccatura

An acciaccatura looks like a small note before a main note with a slash through it. Acciaccaturas are played briefly as a small, passing ornament that resolves to the main note. Unlike appoggiaturas, they are not played on the downbeat. Acciaccaturas and appoggiaturas are types of grace note.

Appoggiatura

An appoggiatura looks like a small note before a main note. Appoggiaturas are brief ornaments that resolve toward the main note. Unlike acciaccaturas, appoggiaturas are played on the downbeat and get more emphasis, taking some of the note value away from the main note. Acciaccaturas and appoggiaturas are types of grace note.

Fermata

A fermata resembles half a circle with a dot above or below a note or a rest. It indicates that the note should be held or sustained longer than its written value.

Glissando

A glissando looks like a squiggly line between two notes, indicating sliding from one note to the other.

Grace note

A grace note looks like a small note written right before a main one. Meant as an embellishment to the main note, it adds decorative flair and is typically performed quickly. Grace notes can be acciaccaturas or appoggiaturas.

Legato

Play smoothly and connected.

Leggiero

Play with a light touch.

Mordent

Mordents are ornamental markings that look like short squiggly lines above notes. They are played as short trills, with variations of the mordent indicating the direction of the trill:

1. An upper mordent is represented by a short squiggle with no line through it. It means to quickly alternate between the main note and the note above it.
2. A lower mordent is represented by a short squiggle with a line through it. It means to quickly alternate between the main note and the note below it.

Slur

A slur is a curved line connecting two or more notes of different pitches, indicating that they should be played smoothly and without separation, creating a legato effect.

Staccato

A staccato is represented by a small dot above or below a note and indicates playing in a short, detached manner.

Tenuto

Tenuto indicates that a note should be sustained for its full duration, receiving full value. It is often represented by a horizontal line placed above or below the note and is used to emphasize a note.

Tie

A tie is a curved line connecting two or more notes of the same pitch, indicating that their durations should be combined and played as a single note.

Tremolo

To tremolo means to play the note rapidly and tremolos are often used to build tension. A tremolo is indicated by diagonal lines or slashes drawn through the stem of the note having the tremolo, with the number of lines representing speed or intensity.

Trill

A trill is a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes. Trills are often represented by the letters “tr” above the note being trilled or by a long horizontal squiggly line.

Turn

A turn is represented by a sideways, S-shaped symbol above a note. It’s a quick ornamentation that involves rapidly playing the note above the main note, the main note, the note below, and back to the main note.

DYNAMICS AND EXPRESSION

Words to do with dynamics (loudness and softness) and expression.

Accelerando

Gradually get faster.

Adagio

Slowly.

Cantabile

In a singing style.

Con brio

“With vigor.”

Crescendo

Gradually get louder.

Decrescendo

Gradually get softer.

Diminuendo

Gradually get softer.

Fun fact: Schubert interpreted “diminuendo” as meaning to gradually get softer and slow down, while “decrescendo” for Schubert just meant to get softer.

Dolce

Sweetly.

Forte

Loud.

Fortissimo

Very loud; louder than forte.

Mezzo-forte

Moderately loud.

Mezzo-piano

Moderately soft.

Pianissimo

Very soft; softer than piano.

Piano

Soft.

FORM AND STRUCTURE

Terms about a piece’s flow, form, and structure.

A-A-A

Also called strophic form, each section is set to the same music in this structure. You can think of it as a verse-chorus structure with no choruses.

A-B

Also called binary form. A two-part musical form with two contrasting sections. Common in Baroque music.

A-B-A

Also called ternary form. A three-part musical form with a contrasting section between two repeating or similar sections. Common in jazz.

12 Bar Blues

The 12 bar blues is a common chord progression and musical form that consists of four-measure phrases using the I, IV, and V chords.

> How to Play Blues Piano: Beginner’s Guide

Coda

Also called the “tail,” the coda is a concluding section or passage at the end of a piece.

Da capo

Meaning “from the head,” da capo or “D.C.” means to play from the beginning up to an indicated point in sheet music.

D.C. al fine

“Da capo al fine” means “from the beginning to the end.” Repeat from the beginning of a piece to the point where “fine” is  noted.

D.C. al coda

“Da capo al coda” means to repeat the piece from the beginning to the coda symbol, after which, go to the second coda symbol and play to the end.

D.C. al segno

“Da capo al segno” means “from the beginning to the sign.” Repeat the piece from the beginning until you reach the sign symbol.

Rondo

Rondo form is a musical structure consisting of a recurring theme (A) alternating with contrasting sections (B, C, D, etc.). It’s often represented as ABACA or ABACABA.

Sonata-allegro

A classical form with exposition, development, and recapitulation sections, with contrasting themes and key modulations.

Through-Composed

A structure where each section contains new material with no repeating parts.

GENRES

Terms to do with specific genres of music.

12 Bar Blues

The 12 bar blues is a chord progression and song structure that typically consists of 12 measures and is built on the I, IV, and V chords.

> How to Play Blues Piano: Beginner’s Guide

Alberti bass

The Alberti bass is a type of broken chord accompaniment popular in classical music. Named after Italian composer Domenico Alberti, it involves playing a triad in a specific pattern: root, fifth, third, fifth repeatedly.

Boogie-woogie

Boogie-woogie is a style of blues-based piano music characterized by a repetitive and syncopated bass line. It emerged in the early 20th century and is known for its energetic and lively rhythm.

Concerto

A concerto is a musical composition that features a solo instrument or group of instruments in dialogue with an accompanying orchestra or ensemble. It typically consists of multiple movements and showcases the virtuosity and expressive capabilities of the soloist(s).

Nocturne

A nocturne is a composition meant to evoke nighttime. Frédèric Chopin is famous for his many piano nocturnes.

Prelude and fugue

Commonly paired together, a prelude is a short introductory piece while a fugue is an intricate piece with complex counterpoint of many voices. Johann Sebastian Bach is most famous for his 48 preludes and fugues in The Well-Tempered Clavier.

Ragtime

Ragtime is a musical style characterized by syncopated rhythm, a steady bass line, and distinctive melodic patterns. A piano-focused genre, ragtime originated in African-American communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is considered a precursor to jazz.

Sonata

A sonata is a musical composition usually intended for a solo instrument. Popular in the classical era, it typically consists of multiple structured movements with contrasting themes.

(Piano) Trio

In jazz, a piano trio typically consists of a piano, bass, and drums. In classical music, a piano, cello, and violin often make up a trio.

Walking Bass

A rhythmic, steady, and continuous bass line common in blues and jazz that adds rhythm and a “walking” feel.

INSTRUMENT

Piano terms that relate to the piano as an instrument.

Action

The mechanism that translates the pressing of keys into the striking of strings, allowing control over dynamics and expression. “Action” is often used to describe how a piano feels when played.

Damper pedal

Also known as the sustain pedal, the damper pedal is located at the very right of most pianos and is the most commonly used pedal. It lifts all the dampers from the strings, allowing notes to resonate freely.

Digital piano

An instrument designed to mimic the sound and playing experience of an acoustic piano. Sound in a digital piano is created through sampling or modeling.

> Keyboard vs. Piano: What’s the difference?

Fallboard

The piano fallboard is the hinged cover that can be opened or closed to protect the keys and internal components of the piano when not in use.

Hammer

Hammers are small, felt-covered wooden devices that strike strings when a key is pressed, producing sound in an acoustic piano.

Keyboard

A musical interface used on piano and piano-like instruments with black and white keys. Colloquially, “keyboard” can refer to digital pianos.

> Keyboard vs. Piano: What’s the Difference?

Pinblock

A wooden inner component in pianos that anchors the tuning pins and plays a significant role in keeping the piano in tune.

Sostenuto Pedal

The sostenuto pedal is the middle pedal, usually found only in grand pianos. It sustains only the notes held down at the moment the pedal is pressed, allowing selective sustain.

Soundboard

Typically made of spruce, the piano soundboard is a wooden resonating surface beneath the strings that amplifies and enhances the sound produced by the vibrations of the piano strings.

Sustain pedal

Also known as the damper pedal, the sustain pedal is located at the very right of most pianos and is the most commonly used pedal. It lifts all the dampers from the strings, allowing notes to resonate freely.

Synthesizer

A synthesizer is an electronic musical instrument, often controlled by a piano keyboard, that generates and manipulates sound through oscillators, filters, and amplifiers.

Una corda

Also known as the soft pedal, the una corda produces a softer, more muted tone. In a grand piano, the una corda is typically located on the left and, when pressed, shifts the entire keyboard slightly to the side, causing the hammers to strike only one of the two or three strings. On an upright piano, pressing the una corda causes a cloth cover to fall between the hammers and strings. “Una corda” means “one string.”

TEMPO

Terms to do with the speed of music.

A tempo

Return to the original tempo.

Allegro

Fast and bright.

Allegretto

Moderately fast; slower than allegro.

Andante

At a walking pace.

Largo

Slowly and broadly.

Larghetto

Similar to largo, but a little faster.

Lento

At a slow tempo.

Moderato

At a moderate tempo.

Presto

Very fast.

Prestissimo

Extremely fast; faster than presto.

Rallentando (rall.)

Gradually slow down.

Ritardando (rit.)

Gradually slow down.

Rit. vs. ral.: What’s the difference between rallentando and ritardando? If we look at the original Italian, ritardando implies more deliberate effort while rallentando implies a more natural dying-off of speed.

Rubato

“Robbed time.” Push and pull at the tempo to create expression.

Vivace

Fast and lively.

THEORY

Terms to do with music theory.

Aeolian mode

Aeolian mode is a scale whose formula (based on the major scale) is 1-2-♭3-4-5-♭6-♭7. You can think of the Aeolian mode as starting and ending a scale on the sixth degree of the major scale. The Aeolian mode is equal to the relative natural minor scale.

> Piano Scales: Types of Scales & How to Apply Them

Augmented

“Augmented” means “larger.” An augmented interval is a major interval that has been increased by a half step. Augmented chords contain an augmented interval. For example, a C augmented triad contains the notes C-E-G#, where C-G# is an augmented fifth interval.

Blues scale

The blues scale is a six-note scale. “Blues scale” usually refers to the minor blues scale, which has the following formula: 1, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, ♭7. 

> The Blues Scale Formula: Theory & Diagrams

Chord extension

Chord extensions are additional notes beyond the basic triad (root, third, and fifth) that are added to create richer and more complex harmonies.

> How to Play All Piano Chords: Chord Extensions

Chromatic scale

The chromatic scale consists of all twelve pitches in an octave, ascending or descending by half steps.

Diatonic

Intervals and chords that naturally occur on a given scale are said to be “diatonic.” For example, the major third interval D-F# is diatonic to D major, but not diatonic to C major because F# does not occur in the C major scale.

Diatonic chord

A diatonic chord is a chord built entirely out of notes that occur naturally in a given scale.

> What Are Diatonic Chords?

Diminished

“Diminished” means “smaller.” A diminished interval is a minor interval that has been decreased by a half step. Diminished chords contain a diminished interval. For example, a C diminished triad contains the notes C-E♭-G♭, where C-G♭ is a diminished fifth interval.

Diminished 7th chord

A Diminished 7th chord consists of a diminished triad and a diminished seventh interval. It can also be thought of as a stack of minor thirds.

> Ultimate Guide to 7th Chords on Piano

Dominant

The fifth note of the scale. The dominant of C major is G.

Dominant 7th

A dominant 7th chord is built on the fifth note of the scale and follows the key signature of that scale. It consists of a major triad and a minor seventh interval.

> Ultimate Guide to 7th Chords on Piano

Dorian mode

Dorian mode is a scale whose formula (based on the major scale) is 1-2-♭3-4-5-6-♭7. You can also think of Dorian mode as starting and ending a scale on the second degree of the scale.

> Piano Scales: Types of Scales & How to Apply Them

Enharmonic

“Enharmonic” refers to equivalent pitches that are named differently, such as C-sharp and D-flat.

Flat

The flat symbol looks like a lowercase “b.” It means to lower a note by one half step.

Half-diminished 7th chord

A half-diminished 7th chord is a minor 7th chord with a flatted fifth. It consists of a diminished triad and minor seventh. For example: C-Eb-Gb-Bb.

> Ultimate Guide to 7th Chords on Piano

Half step / semitone

A “half step” or “semitone” is the smallest interval in Western music, equivalent to the distance between two adjacent keys on a piano keyboard.

Harmonic minor

The harmonic minor scale is a minor scale that contains a raised seventh note.

Interval

The distance between two notes.

Ionian mode

Ionian mode is a scale whose formula (based on the major scale) is 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. Therefore, the Ionian mode is equivalent to the major scale. You can also think of Ionian mode as starting and ending the major scale on its first degree.

> Piano Scales: Types of Scales & How to Apply Them

Key

Key refers to the tonal center of a piece of music. It determines the scale, chords, and overall harmonic framework of a piece.

Key signature

The key signature is a set of sharp or flat symbols at the beginning of a piece of music, indicating the piece’s key.

Leading tone

Seventh note of the scale. The leading tone of C major is B.

Locrian mode

Locrian mode is a scale whose formula (based on the major scale) is 1-♭2-♭3-4-♭5-♭6-♭7. You can also think of Locrian mode as starting and ending the major scale on the seventh degree.

Lydian mode

Lydian mode is a scale whose formula (based on the major scale) is 1-2-3-#4-5-6-7. You can also think of Lydian mode as starting and ending the major scale on the fourth degree.

> Piano Scales: Types of Scales & How to Apply Them

Mediant

Third note of the scale. The mediant of C major is E.

Melodic minor

The melodic minor is a minor scale variation that raises the sixth and seventh degrees up one half step when ascending, but lowers them back down to the natural minor when descending.

Mixolydian mode

Mixolydian mode is a scale whose formula (based on the major scale) is 1-2-3-4-5-6-♭7. You can think of Mixolydian mode as starting and ending the major scale on the fifth degree.

Mode

A mode is a scale with a specific pattern of whole and half steps that give it a distinct tonal character and mood.

> Piano Scales: Types of Scales & How to Apply Them

Natural

The natural symbol looks like a square with jutting sides. When placed before a note, it cancels any previous sharp or flat alterations, restoring the note to its natural, unaltered pitch.

Passing tone

A passing tone is a non-chord tone that connects two chord tones.

Pentatonic scale

Pentatonic scales are five-note scales. The major pentatonic scale consists of the major scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. The minor pentatonic scale consists of the major scale degrees 1, ♭3, 4, 5, and ♭7.

Phrygian mode

Phrygian mode is a scale whose formula (based on the major scale) is 1-♭2-♭3-4-5-♭6-♭7. You can think of Phrygian mode as starting and ending the major scale on the third degree.

Relative major/minor

Relative major and minor scales share the same key signature but start and end on different notes and have different tonal centers.

Scale

A scale is a sequence of musical pitches played in ascending or descending order, often following a specific pattern of whole and half steps.

> Piano Scales: Types of Scales & How to Apply Them

Scale degree

Scale degree refers to the position of a note within a scale. For example, G is the fifth scale degree (or “dominant”) in the C major scale.

Secondary dominant

A chord outside the key of a given piece, which is the dominant (V) chord of the chord it is resolving towards. For example, if our piece is in C major, the E7 in the following progression is a secondary dominant because it is the dominant 7th chord in the key of A.

E7 – Am – C

Sharp

Raise a note up by one half step.

Subdominant

Fourth degree of the scale. F is the subdominant of C major.

Submediant

Sixth degree of the scale. A is the submediant of C major.

Supertonic

Second degree of the scale. D is the supertonic of C major.

Tonal center

The tonal center is the main or central pitch within a piece or key. It serves as a point of stability, focus, and resolution. For example, the tonal center of a piece in C major or the C major scale is C.

Tonic

First degree of the scale. C is the tonic of C major.

Triad

A triad is a three-note chord that consists of a root, third, and fifth.

Tritone

Also known as a diminished 5th or augmented 4th, a tritone is an interval of three whole steps. It’s often considered dissonant and unstable, and is commonly used to create tension in music.

Whole tone / Whole step

A “whole step” or “whole tone” is an interval that spans two half steps or two semitones. It is equivalent to the distance between two keys one key apart on the piano keyboard.

The post The Complete Piano Terms Glossary: Piano Words You Should Know appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Have you ever seen a pianist play a medley or cover and wondered how they did it? Or, do you have a beautiful melody in mind and want to give it your own signature spin? In this lesson, we’ll teach you how to arrange a song. You’ll need a basic understanding of music theory, but we’ve designed this lesson to be accessible for beginners and we hope everyone can get something out of it!

How to Arrange a Song: Harmonize Your Melody

As an example, we’ll be using a simple yet iconic eight-measure melody: Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”

The first step in arranging is to harmonize your melody. If you’re new to harmonizing, we have a full lesson on how to harmonize a melody here.

If you’re arranging a pop song, you can use ultimate-guitar.com as a shortcut to find chords that match the melody.

In general, melodies can be harmonized by the three “primary chords” (I, IV, and V) in the melody’s key. Since we’re in the key of C major, our primary chords are C, F, and G. Using them to harmonize “Ode to Joy” gives us something like this:

This is a great starting point! So let’s see what we can do to make this simple arrangement more unique. We’ll run through a few arranging techniques next, from simplest to more advanced.

Other lessons you may want to reference if you’re just getting started with harmony:

• The Number System
• Diatonic Chords

Harmonize With Thirds

A simple way to add more “oomph” to your melody is by harmonizing it with thirds. Simply add a third below your melody note for some extra meat.

To prevent everything from sounding too muddy, try just playing shell chords (fifths) in your left hand if you choose to harmonize in thirds with your right.

Thirds almost always sound good. (Sixths works well too.)

Our ears naturally gravitate towards the highest note, so as long as you keep the melody as the highest note, your melody will remain recognizable over everything.

Pedal Points

This is a common technique in classical music. A pedal point is when you hold out a note longer than its expected place in a chord progression. A good candidate for this note is the V. The V really wants to resolve to the I. So by holding it out, we build tension, anticipation, and drama as our audience waits for that resolution.

In “Ode to Joy,” we can add a V pedal point one measure early in m. 7. Like this:

Notice that to make this version even more dramatic, we’ve harmonized our melody with some even bigger chords in the right hand. These are just inverted C and G triads.

V7-I FRIENDS

You may have noticed that we harmonized our cadence with a V7 (G7) chord instead of a V. That’s because the V7 is especially in love with the I! Because the 7th (F in the case of G7) resolves neatly to the E in the C chord, V7-I is an especially smooth progression.

The Relative Minor Chord

So far, we’ve only been using major chords. Major chords sound great, but sometimes we want to add a little moodiness and extra color to our arrangements.

The relative minor (vi chord) is a great go-to chord to add to any arrangement. In C major, that’s Am. Am has the notes A-C-E, so find a place in your melody where one or more of these notes occur.

Here’s an example of the vi chord in action in “Ode to Joy”:

Another minor chord you can add is the relative minor chord of any chord. So, you can substitute a G major chord with the relative minor of G major: Em. This is a more advanced technique, but it sounds very sophisticated:

Secondary Dominants

Now let’s try adding chords from outside the key. We can do this by using a technique called secondary dominants.

The “dominant” is the fifth note (V) of the scale. Chords that are dominant chords (ie. dominant 7ths) are built on the fifth note of the scale.

V chords really want to resolve to I chords. (They’re soulmates!) Here’s where it gets interesting: we can designate any chord as a “I” chord and use the V of that chord to resolve it. This is called a secondary dominant.

So, for example, we can designate our Am chord as our i chord. Then slip in the V⁷ of A minor right before it. That’s E7, and this chord adds a super interesting flavor to our progression.

Here is our E7 secondary dominant:

Replacing Dominant 7ths With Diminished 7ths

You can add further crunchiness to your secondary dominant reharmonization by substituting your dominant 7th chord with a diminished 7th chord. Here’s an example of this, along with further harmonization of the melody line:

We can do this by simply omitting the root (E) from our E7 chord. This gives us G#dim. Why this works is because 1) G#dim7 is part of E7; and 2) we can use the root note (G#) to walk up from G to A. Human ears like chromatic walk-ups and walk-downs very much!

> Ultimate Guide to 7th Chords

Passing 2-5-1

A common arrangement technique from jazz is the passing 2-5-1. This means inserting a ii and V before a chord to resolve it.

In our example, it means inserting a Dm before that final G-C cadence.

We can even turn these into 7th chords (Dm7-G7-Cmaj7) to make it sound jazzy. Try it yourself.

> The 2-5-1 Chord Progression: A Beginner’s Guide

Super Bowl Ending

Both the pedal point and passing 2-5-1 are fantastic enders. Pedal points are preferred by classical musicians while 2-5-1s are most popular in jazz.

But what about pop? The “Super Bowl ending” is another awesome conclusion. This progression uses a ♭VI and ♭VII chord to lead into the I. Dragged out across multiple measures, it produces a dramatic ending that you’d associate with a stadium performance.

More Tips

We’ve used simple root position block chords to illustrate these concepts, which hopefully makes them easier to understand. But you’ll probably want to put your own twist on these chords.

Once you’ve got your basic progression down, you can:

• Draw out chords and extend pedal points across many measures, playing arpeggios all up and down the keyboard—this drives tension!
• Use 7th chords and chord extensions to add a jazzier feel.
• Do the unexpected: play a jazzy classical tune, or play a classical-style pop tune!
• Experiment with dynamics, rhythm, and articulation—even tiny tweaks can make a big difference.
• Don’t overplay. Sometimes, less is more. Use reharmonization techniques sparingly for maximum impact.

The post How to Arrange a Song: Arranging & Reharmonization Tips appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.