Over the years I have seen NUMEROUS topics which include help and questions about the piano and keyboard: playing, reading, getting better, memory, buying, sheet music and many other suggestions which are too extensive to mention in a sentence. This thread is to 1) Help people with their troubles concerning anything piano-related 2) Help keep down very small (almost spam) threads 3) Help the mods control the number of small threads.

I hope that everyone will find this thread useful and I know that there are more people than just myself who can appreciate their skills at the piano to help others and guide them along through the most simplest to the most complex problems concerning a very popular instrument.

bass notes are ACEGBD right? and the lines are ACEGD

Yeah they are. The lines are BDFAC though.

oh ok thx

0000 ignore this post

It didn't die, that's why it's on the first page and you even just posted here this week asking something. And people aren't taking the time just to read the first post (1 min. of their time) instead of creating topics close to spam when they could just ask them here.

Maybe this needs to be a sticky. I wonder if people will read it then <_<.

Hi i'm learning the piano by myself and i wanna know how to sustain a note, while playing a series of other notes ( not sustained ). The pedal sustains ALL notes. So, any help would be really appreciated =)

^ umms. I dont know if you have this pedal since my piano doesnt even have one but... theres this pedal in the middle me thinks called 'sostento' ... (i have a feeling the spelling is wrong, sorries) and what ever keys that you press on when you push down on the pedal are sustained. While these notes are sustained you can play other notes without it being sustained like it does when you push on the sustain pedal.. pedal on the left. I really hope i helped.

^ umms. I dont know if you have this pedal since my piano doesnt even have one but... theres this pedal in the middle me thinks called 'sostento' ... (i have a feeling the spelling is wrong, sorries) and what ever keys that you press on when you push down on the pedal are sustained. While these notes are sustained you can play other notes without it being sustained like it does when you push on the sustain pedal.. pedal on the left. I really hope i helped.

I agree, but there's some specifications that I want to just jab in there.

Originally, the sostenuto pedal was made to hold the notes you were pressing down (then apply the pedal, and hold it)-- and it only applied to the notes BELOW middle-C, and I still believe this is standard. On acoustic pianos (uprights, grands, etc.) you can do this, but with the sostenuto pedal held down, sustaining lower notes, you can still get an "echo" effect of the notes that you are playing up top, or at least above middle-C. The higher-grade the piano, the better sostenuto it's generally going to have (E.g. Steinway would hold and not "echo" the higher notes as much as a Yamaha up-right).

But, on a electronic keyboard/piano (with this pedal, or if you have an attachment) if will sustain those notes, below middle-C, perfectly and it won't echo the top notes at all. That's one of the FEW perks of an electronic piano.

I ran to my piano immediately after reading your posts haha.. Hmm.. I don't think i have that sostenuto pedal. The left one brings all the hammers forward, the middle one softens the notes and the right one sustains all the notes. Mine's an upright piano. Anyway, thanks a lot for all the help!

wow, I never knew this stuff! thanks guys :)

I think upright's do not actually have a sostenuto, while Grand's do.

I think upright's do not actually have a sostenuto, while Grand's do.

Certain brands of pianos, and more detailed, certain models of pianos too. My old upright (good ol' Baldwin Arosonic) had a sotenuto pedal, but since Baldwin isn't really the best of piano, the sostenuto didn't sustain extremely well and overall not the best piano. Yet, my Yamaha upright has three pedals, but the one in the middle isn't a sostenuto pedal: if you push it down, then to the left, it will stay in that position and the acoustic part of the piano is eliminated; plug in headphones, and the only sound is head through them. I haven't tried it yet, but I really would like my SOSTENUTO instead of.. ELECTRICITY. XD

Nice one. I'm saying this because I've seen that trend usually, as the three uprights at my school don't have a sostenuto pedal.

Question, are there any pedals which do the same thing as the sostenuto, but for note above middle C instead? Or is that impossible?

No-- not that I've heard of (and I've heard of a lot!)

It's always been a curiosity to me. Maybe somewhere out there heh.

@_@ im sooo confused -_-

Pray tell, why are you confused?

I may be getting a new piano in a year or so (seems long). Just a question out of curiosity: I suppose since mini-grands are just a smaller version of a grand piano, there is a sustenuto pedal, right? I honestly don't know. XD Owned up-rights all my life.

I'm pretty sure there is going to be one. It's no harm to ask. You plan on using it?

Personally, I have not ran into any situation where I would use a sustenuto pedal, but I'm sure people have uses for them.

Lemme toss some of my curious thoughts here now...
Do left hand pianos exist?
How about a circular one?
Half-Arc one?
I'm very bored as you can see. But I seriously have thought of all those possibilities.

Oh man, I remember that a half-arced piano was custom made for a romantic composer because his wife was constantly pregnant and had trouble playing a normal piano. Right now I can't seem to remember who exactly the person was, but if memories serves me correctly, I do believe it was made for Clara Schumann.

Honestly, in the 13 years of piano playing, I have yet to use the sustenuto pendal.

@justmango... i've also been playing piano for a while and i've never used a sustenuto pedal.



Lemme toss some of my curious thoughts here now...
Do left hand pianos exist?
How about a circular one?
Half-Arc one?
I'm very bored as you can see. But I seriously have thought of all those possibilities.

LOL! you do sound kinda bored. haha
umms. i dont get it. left hand pianos... would that be the lower half of the piano from the middle C switched with the upper half of the piano? soo the left hand will be playing the treble clef orr... does that not work.
oh dude. confusing thoughts.

i wonder if pianos can come in different shapes.. like.. a star

Well I would imagine a left hand piano is quite possible, but music would be interesting.
I seriously have been thinking of an arc or circular piano. Cause I would honestly buy one if they existed lol.

Star piano...Hm...
Get a couple of them for a group, and you have the big dipper!

Well I would imagine a left hand piano is quite possible


Huh? I'm left handed, and I use any piano. Left handed pianos make no sense at all.

Umm.. Any tips on playing chords in quick succession? I can't pedal fast enough ><

To play chords in quick succession (I am guessing they're all different, yes?), you would need to practice the passage very slowly and take special attention to the preparation your hand and fingers need to hit each chord cleanly. I would look at Rachmaninoff's Prelude No. 2 in Bb Major (I played it X.x) it uses a lot of octave-spanned chords, and is a great study for chords.

Now, my question is for you, why would are you concerned with not pedaling fast enough? Could you post the music, or at least mention it? Most quick chords don't need any pedaling (you get used to not doing it) or what you could do is to just hold down the pedal, but lift it up time to time, and not worry about making a "clean and noticeable" pedal. It tough to explain when I don't know what you're situation is. Fill me in?


I may be getting a new piano in a year or so (seems long). Just a question out of curiosity: I suppose since mini-grands are just a smaller version of a grand piano, there is a sustenuto pedal, right? I honestly don't know. Owned up-rights all my life.

I think you're confusing mini-grands with "Baby" grands. Mini-grands are even smaller than "Baby" grands, which are just Grand Pianos, but are about 4-5 ft. and Grand Pianos are about 6-10.. anything bigger are *usually* specialty pianos. Mini grands look more like this:

http://www.hrovatmusic.com/roland_digital_grand_kr11_digital_grand_piano.jpg

While you could be confusing it for a Baby grand:

http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textb/images/babygrandpiano.jpg

And Mini's (as the standard-digital mini grand in the photo) DON'T have sostenuto--that's a standard! My suggestion is to get a Baby grand. If you get a good brand, that is; Steinway would be the best, then next probably a Bosendorfer.. but you couldn't find them easily in the States.


Personally, I have not ran into any situation where I would use a sustenuto pedal, but I'm sure people have uses for them.

Lemme toss some of my curious thoughts here now...
Do left hand pianos exist?
How about a circular one?
Half-Arc one?
I'm very bored as you can see. But I seriously have thought of all those possibilities.

Actually, when you get into Debussy and some Liszt you use the sostenuto at some key places. More in the later Romantic era and after do you use the sostenuto.

As you for other question. Hahah, it was quite fun to imagine those kind of pianos! XD I'm sure there are ones like those made, special ordered, and for fun. Steinway & Sons likes to make specialty grands with amazing designs and artwork on them. Herbie Hancock has one of the most modern and interesting pianos I've seen from 'em.

I don't know how big of a piano I can fit in the to-be-determined room I'm going to have, so I just wanted to make sure of the smallest piano that had a sustenuto pedal (which I believe is a valuable asset). :D Thanks for the info, Mazeppa, it really helped me out. I hope I have the budget to afford a Steinway piano; always on my wishlist.

I had never heard the term mini-grand actually used, so I thought it was always a baby grand. Thanks for clearing that up Mazeppa.

Phard, I too am a left hander, and I also play any piano. However, I was asking more on whether there exists a piano in which the left side is treble, and the right side is bass. I'm sure it is possible.

Mazeppa, I'll be sure to check those composers out then. Even if I don't have a sostenuto pedal, I'll probably get a piano with one in the future. I'll also check out Steinway and Sons also. I'm curious for spiffy grands.

Umm.. Any tips on playing chords in quick succession? I can't pedal fast enough ><

This takes practice on the specific piece you are working on. I'll try to explain the method that my teacher uses which works for me. First, with individual hacnds, play the first chord and hold it. Look at the next chord and imagine the fingering/position of your hand. When you are ready, immediately go to the next chord. keep doing this with the first/ second chord until u can do it without mistakes and even can do it with your eyes closed. then go from the second to the third using the same method etc..... Then switch with the left hand and eventually try hands together very slowly aiming for perfect notes instead of rythm. Eventually, speed it up until you can play the chords normally. Note: this will take some time especially if you are not used to this method.

@Magedark: I dont know if that would be possible.... either there would be a jump in the middle of the piano switching from high to low or else the keys would be going backwards and that would feel pretty wierd.

perfect notes instead of rythm.

rhythm*

And I disagree with this. Yes, when you're first learning the notes/chords yo should play them until you can read them, but if you aren't forcing yourself, you aren't doing any work. This is what I've learned at IMAP from one of my teacher; since I did as much technical work in a month as I did artistic.

If you can play the chords slowly and then faster without he correct rhythm, you're setting yourself up for failure in the long run. You'll be used to stopped at that SAME spot where you can't switch to the next chord in time and then what? You're ALWAYS going to have that spot. I am not saying you must die by my words, but it's dangerous not to play the music how it's written-- even if you're going 12 bpm or 320bpm in cut time.

I'll probably side with Mazeppa because that's what I'm usually doing.

The main reason I brought up the reverse piano is because it seems to be quite a unique idea I always ask people. And I was just wanted to talk a bit more about it. Maybe because people always have a fixed look on the piano, they have never really thought of it reversed.

Still, I would love to try one some day heh.

I ran to my piano immediately after reading your posts haha.. Hmm.. I don't think i have that sostenuto pedal. The left one brings all the hammers forward, the middle one softens the notes and the right one sustains all the notes. Mine's an upright piano. Anyway, thanks a lot for all the help!

Your pedal is not a sostenuto, but is called "sordina" (the english translation should be damper but I am not sure) and it has been made to avoid flying dishes in long hours of practice. Sostenuto is the middle pedal of grand pianos.

Your pedal is not a sostenuto, but is called "sordina" (the english translation should be damper but I am not sure) and it has been made to avoid flying dishes in long hours of practice. Sostenuto is the middle pedal of grand pianos.

so, the one on the right lifts up the dampening things so that the strings can vibrate, the left one makes it softer, then, what's the middle one called and do?

Depends on the piano. Grands have the sostenuto which, while uprights have the celeste pedal, which mutes the sound of the piano. However, some uprights may have a sostenuto, as mentioned in the first page.

rhythm*

And I disagree with this. Yes, when you're first learning the notes/chords yo should play them until you can read them, but if you aren't forcing yourself, you aren't doing any work. This is what I've learned at IMAP from one of my teacher; since I did as much technical work in a month as I did artistic.

If you can play the chords slowly and then faster without he correct rhythm, you're setting yourself up for failure in the long run. You'll be used to stopped at that SAME spot where you can't switch to the next chord in time and then what? You're ALWAYS going to have that spot. I am not saying you must die by my words, but it's dangerous not to play the music how it's written-- even if you're going 12 bpm or 320bpm in cut time.

whoops..... forgot to mention to add rythm after u can play the chords smoothly... sorry. Especially when doing hands together. for me, the main focus is to get it so i can transition between chords smoothly so that i can actually play them with the correct rythm.

so, the one on the right lifts up the dampening things so that the strings can vibrate, the left one makes it softer, then, what's the middle one called and do?

There is a 80% probability, in an upright piano, you are talking about the practice pedal or celeste (I made a mistake before, forgive me). The action is quite simple, It softens the note but in a different manner from the soft pedal (una corda), because it drops a piece of felt between the hammers and strings (but this effect has never been used in composition because it's disagreable), while the soft pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings so the effects and the results are quite different. Many teachers usually do not want students to help themselves with the left pedal in order to achieve a better keyboard touch which is very hard to do in pieces like Chopin Nocturnes.

There is a 80% probability, in an upright piano, you are talking about the practice pedal or celeste (I made a mistake before, forgive me). The action is quite simple, It softens the note but in a different manner from the soft pedal (una corda), because it drops a piece of felt between the hammers and strings (but this effect has never been used in composition because it's disagreable), while the soft pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings so the effects and the results are quite different. Many teachers usually do not want students to help themselves with the left pedal in order to achieve a better keyboard touch which is very hard to do in pieces like Chopin Nocturnes.

I feel that that lovely left pedal is a coloring effect. If you look at my signature, click on my recording on Chopin's C# minor nocturne from last April. I use soft pedal quite a lot in it, and it has nothing to do with trying to play quieter, because pedals are for coloring -- even the commonly used pedal on the right (names going blank at the moment, hehe).

So, my discussion, Pedals are for coloring, NOT "helping" your technique. I actually often practice with my feet and legs "tied" to the bench, so I can focus on my fingers, hands, wrists, arms, etc. technical work and then when I start to understand the piece I'll "untie" them and look where I need to add and make music, after I already have perfected my pianissimo and even my forte, without any of the pedals.

I'm confused.

the left pedal is una corda, which makes the piano softer

the right pedal does that thing of lifting up the dampening things which holds out the note

and the middle pedal is different depending on the piano?

I'm confused.

the left pedal is una corda, which makes the piano softer

the right pedal does that thing of lifting up the dampening things which holds out the note

and the middle pedal is different depending on the piano?

Yes! That's exactly what the deal is when it comes to the pedals, I'm sorry we didn't sum it up like that into words. XD

okay then.

I asked my piano teacher and she said that it can hold out the note or chord you're playing.

she also said that it's only for decorations.

but on my piano, it makes kind of an eerie echo sound.

How do you mean? Everyone can get eerie sounds on their pianos, and also mushy-- it's a matter of opinion of the sound, and the skill of the pianist's ear to tell if correct pedaling is used at the appropriate time.

I feel that that lovely left pedal is a coloring effect. If you look at my signature, click on my recording on Chopin's C# minor nocturne from last April. I use soft pedal quite a lot in it, and it has nothing to do with trying to play quieter, because pedals are for coloring -- even the commonly used pedal on the right (names going blank at the moment, hehe).

So, my discussion, Pedals are for coloring, NOT "helping" your technique. I actually often practice with my feet and legs "tied" to the bench, so I can focus on my fingers, hands, wrists, arms, etc. technical work and then when I start to understand the piece I'll "untie" them and look where I need to add and make music, after I already have perfected my pianissimo and even my forte, without any of the pedals.

This is how you should study evry piano piece. But believe me, many piano students play with their feets even when they practice! I will listen your recording first then I'll send you a pm about it! :)

I don't mean to interrupt or change the subject... wait okay so actually I do, lol. :heh:

I was wondering how long does it normally take for an experienced pianist to finish and master a sheet of music. Obviously, this question is difficult since "experienced" is based on the player and it depends on the piece.

I just want to know how slow or fast I'm going when it comes to finishing a piece compared to others.

it depends on the difficulty of the music.

I don't mean to interrupt or change the subject... wait okay so actually I do, lol. :heh:

I was wondering how long does it normally take for an experienced pianist to finish and master a sheet of music. Obviously, this question is difficult since "experienced" is based on the player and it depends on the piece.

I just want to know how slow or fast I'm going when it comes to finishing a piece compared to others.

Okay, I'll answer your question, but I have no idea what your specifications are. Here's a few things I need from you:

1) How long have you been playing?
2) How long have you been taking the piano seriously?
3) What piece(s)/how long have you been practicing them?
4) (optional) What are other current pieces you are learning/have learned or are you willing to learn in the next year or so?

Okay, I'll answer your question, but I have no idea what your specifications are. Here's a few things I need from you:

1) How long have you been playing?
2) How long have you been taking the piano seriously?
3) What piece(s)/how long have you been practicing them?
4) (optional) What are other current pieces you are learning/have learned or are you willing to learn in the next year or so?

1.) 4 years off and on. Self taught.
2.) Out of those 4 years? Maybe a good solid year.
3.) Solfiegetto (took 3 months to master); Aeris Theme (about a month). Mostly anime/video game music around the difficulty level of... well let's say the hardest piece I've ever played was Zelda: Link to the Past - Overworld theme and Eternal Harvest - FF9. Both of those took a long time to master.
4.) I want to get good enough to play the more complicated anime/vg music such as Zelda: Link to the Past - Dark World Theme, Super Mario World - Overworld Theme, and a lot of the harder Sonic songs.


On my quest for looking for an instructor, I had several people tell me that since I got so far without a instructor, all I would really have to do is study and pace myself with a few good books. I'm using Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course.

I guess all I really want to do is be able to read music and play the piano just as effortless as I do when I'm typing on a computer keyboard.

Okay, here's an example:

I just finished playing .hack/GU - Desktop theme. It took me about 3 days to complete it, and I'm expecting it to take another 4 days to perfect it.

Nice information.can anyone share How do I pay for these piano lessons if I learn through phone or video conferencing service?

okay then.

I asked my piano teacher and she said that it can hold out the note or chord you're playing.

she also said that it's only for decorations.

but on my piano, it makes kind of an eerie echo sound.

I know what you mean. I had a up right piano and the middle peddle gave it an echo. I never understood the Sustenuto or however you spell it at all. I think is was that type of peddle. Anyway it sort of makes an echo effect right. That's a reverb. All digital piano's come with it as a slider thing ot choose options and they don't have a middle peddle. I always thought the purpose of that middle peddle was to cause that echo. I guess not. I still don't see how you could use it to just sustain one note though.

I could actually use some advice. I'm looking to purchase a digital piano in the near future (88 keys; weighted) and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for me. It has to be portable too since I'm living in a dormitory. I'm trying to spend less than $800 total. So far, I've looked at Casio Privias (the 100, 110 and 120) and the Yamaha YPG-535 and reviews are a bit mixed so I'm looking for suggestions. Thanks!

I don't know about the best move-ability, but if you really want to get a god digital, any of them are easier to travel with than a grand or even upright piano.

As a mini-Steinway Artist, I have to recommend Roland. Even though I'm not big on digital, out of all the other digital brands, the Roland pianos are the best by far. The touch is great and the sound is amazing. I am not sure about the price range; if you want a good one you're going to have to spend a little more than $800, but you can get some other good brands of keyboards.

I just recommend Roland; expensive, but I think it's a good investment... and I'm also a little biased against Yamaha, but that just might be where you're at for this stage of time!

Good luck, sir.

I hope this doesn't sound too repetitive.

Is the only way to read notes off a music score/sheet on-the-fly to keep practising reading them? It's kind of frustrating how I either have to spend lots of time reading this note and that, or resort to using a pencil to write "what the notes are" above them to speed up my learning process of the music.

Blah.

do the pencil thing first, when you can do without them, erase them. it comes with time (and practice) so yes, there is no quick way there. you need a lot of patience.

after 14 years. i still have to count lines sometimes.

do the pencil thing first, when you can do without them, erase them. it comes with time (and practice) so yes, there is no quick way there. you need a lot of patience.

after 14 years. i still have to count lines sometimes.
Well, at least you (and the others around here) have persevered so far...

I'm just a little worried my interest will die off again (and again).

That means using your own ways to learn is fine, right? Thanks, I shall keep trying!

Any way is fine. That is, any way that works. :)

anyone know how my left hand can reach and play these 3 notes at the same time its kinda far apart o.o [B# G# D#]

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u109/Tran225/Piano.jpg?t=1245523162

just trying to start a good thread what was your last vinyl purchase?

ive been kinda broke the last few months and havent been able to pick up much :
but for me it was

Paradox - Musician As Outsider - Reinforced = CLASSIC

Hey, I'm trying to play Passion from Kingdom Hearts and I cant do crap with it. It's the one that's on the Ichigos website. I wanna learn how to play it so bad. Help!

How is it challenging for you? We can't really help you if all you tell us is "I can't do crap with it." Can you read sheet music? I don't even know if you play the piano?

I want to help, but, what can I help you with? :)

ok well... what can i say... lets start here... i have trouble with doing Both parts on a Piano Piece, i cannot have my hands doing different things at the same time, it is to difficult for me. I can play both parts with the hand i am supposed to play with (left and right) but i cannot play both at the same time... i am not sure you can help me but i might as well give it a shot. (or i could just have something wrong with my brain... oh well)

You have to start playing your piece very slowly. The key of studying first the right hand ant then the left hand or viceversa is to memorize melodies and extensions. Then you have to put those together. Take your time. The metronome is your best friend in this process.

How is it challenging for you? We can't really help you if all you tell us is "I can't do crap with it." Can you read sheet music? I don't even know if you play the piano?

I want to help, but, what can I help you with? :)

Yes I can read sheet music and yes i can play piano. My problem is exactly what CCG said. Also I'm self-taught and I have a problem using proper fingerings. Heck, I don't even know what the proper fingerings are! I just use whichever finger can reach the key on time and doesnt cause me pain in my fingers.

There are many different ways you can approach this, but they take a lot of practice and dedication to get a good hand and finger independence. The first step, however, is actually easier than you might think.

Chopin4525 gave a pretty nice suggestion. He said to learn both parts separately and then slowly put them together. I think that'll work, but I have a little more practical way to taking this up. It might be faster, but it a little more difficult, at first.

This is what I did when I was learning how to play. I also have the sheet music for Passion in another window on my computer for accurate reference. :)

1) Be sure you're in the state of mind where you are focused on what you are doing. You're probably going to mess up quite a few times, but don't let that make you quit or try any less-- just make that motivate you!

2) Start by playing the first 9 measures. Do it VERY SLOWLY, but make sure you stay in as close to a tempo as possible. It doesn't matter if you can hit notes with both hands, because they both need to be perfectly in sync. Don't start a bad habit by learning pieces note-by-note.

3) Practice those measures until they're close to the normal tempo. Move on to the next 4 measures. These should be easier.

4) This next section is where it gets quite hard! Take these parts only a few measures at a time, and practice them very slowly, very metronomically, and be sure you hit every note.

5) Basically, step 4 is all you need to keep it mind. I would suggest you listen to the recording that was posted with the sheet music. It will help with playing those crazy syncopated rhythms with those running scales, big chords and octaves to get in the way. Hands-separate works at this point for really learning the notes and learning them well.

This will take sometime, since this would be your first piece that you'll be playing with both hands. Like I said, it's going to be a lot of work, but it should pay off.

You said something about fingerings. A quality someone gets after playing the piano for a while is the ability to know what "correct" fingerings are. It's a problem solving skill. Your best bet to be better at fingerings is to get a teacher. Tell them what you want to get better at (anything and everything, but be fairly specific) and they will help you. If you have any passages where you are just lost in what fingers to use, just tell me the measures and me (or another friend) shall take up the task or giving fingering suggestions.

Good luck! Hope his helps! Happy practicing :)

Thanks so much!:worship:

All of that really helps. And its not my first piece that I've played with both hands, so maybe that'll speed up the process. I just have one problem. I don't have a piano, I have a keyboard. And on said keyboard the lowest note is the first C under the base clef. What should I do about that?

That shouldn't matter too much in this piece. The only notes that go below your keyboard are B and A. And the only time you have those is with an octave, so just omit that lower note and just play one B or A instead of the octave. You get me? :)

That's what I figured.

Thats what I was doin to other songs but I wanted to know is there another way.

That depends. In some cases, you can move notes up one octave (or chords, or octaves) if it works musically. In this piece, you can't really do that, since when you would move notes up and octave it make the left hand sounds VERY out of context and wouldn't make any logical (or even practical) musical/pianistic sense.

You're better off omitting. :)

Thats what I was doin to other songs but I wanted to know is there another way.

Transposition. In evry good keyboard you can traspose octave.

Ahh.

I just want to know a few names of some techniques used in playing the piano. I know how to play it, but I'd just like to know the name.

Firstly, there is a squiggly line which snakes on the side of a few notes. What would that be called?

And secondly, there are 3 thick black lines which extends from one chord/note to another. You play it in a vibrato fashion. Would this be called a vibrato or something else?

Also I get confused with a slur and a staccato dot all stretched along a few notes. How would I exactly play that? Perhaps a video would be better answering this.

1) That squggly line marking means you should roll the chord; the chord is arpeggiated. If often looks like this in music:

http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Music-arpeggio.svg/100px-Music-arpeggio.svg.png

This means, play the G then the B then the D. After you play each note, hold them down.

2) These lines mean that you tremolo between the two notes, or chords. The each line signifies how fast. One line would be an eight note, two would be sixteenths, and (like in the example below) you'd play thiry-second notes:

http://media.wiley.com/assets/25/93/0-7645-5105-1_1310.jpg

3) This is the term "Portato." You would start the note like any other, but the release would be that of a "long" stacatto. Just think of it as a "mezzo stacatto." Example C is what it often looks like:

http://www.lilypond.org/doc/v2.12/Documentation/user/38/lily-00572af8.png

Hope this helps! :)

probably belongs in another thread but decided to put here

im stuck which of Chopin's Ballades to work on for the rest of the year and i love them all. could either revisit 1 or 3, finish off 4 or learn 2. leaning towards finishing 4 but what do people think?

I truly love the third ballad because it is the first one I approached thanks to my fiancée and also for the sensitive, or feminine touch to quote my teacher, it requires. If you're studying the fourth ballad, my suggestion is to finish off this one which surpasses the preceding ones for creative maturity and represents for sure one of the culminating pinnacles attained by Chopin's art together with his Barcarola and Fantasia. My heart says third, my brain fourth. I guess you should also decide following your own tastes and also considering an eventual program if you are going to execute the ballad together with other pieces because the fourth requires particular accuracy and major efforts compared to the previous ones. It's up to you. ;)

You guys should really try jazz if you haven't already

I had. Jelly Roll Morton in particular. :)

im new around here, i wonder if anyone is familiar with chord progressions?
they help greatly with ear playing and such.
i can give an example:
21 guns on piano
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KttanulBtc

if anyone would be willing to post stuff with regards to chord progressions
and ear playing. That would so so so deeply appreciated!

Hey it might be a bit late but the common chord progression is

Dm/ Bb / F / C

Hope that helps!

I find my chord progressions by trial and error - for the most part - on piano.

Finding tonality is the easiest part, and that's usually the starting point, and you can do this easiest by playing out a melody. When you play the melody and figure out the key (if you know your scales), that'll be the tonality.

The progression is weirder for me. I have a basic understanding of chord progressions that make sense from the knowledge of what kind of chords are built on top of each note in the scale at work in the song. But after that point it's still trial and error for me. "Is it this chord that comes next? no... try again... maybe instead of a Cm it's a EbMaj... yeah that's better."

Knowing basic music theory helps a lot and that's where I come from. This site might help if you're on the same boat: http://www.musictheory.net/