Piano runs & fills - How to create them

Piano players can create runs and fills to make songs sound more exciting and interesting through the use of tremolo-fired runs.

Find a piano teacher who teaches chords!

When selecting a piano teacher, be sure that he or she knows music theory and how to use chords.

Piano Styles - Block Chords

Piano styles are many and varied, but one way to get a big sound is to use block chord styles.

Piano Techniques: Walkups & Walkdowns

Piano techniques include a walkup and a walkdown from the tonic to the dominant.

Piano Tips: Make Music Box Sounds

You can make wonderful sounds on the piano like a music box by playing high on the keyboard and using something like an Alberti bass in your left hand while playing the melody in your right hand.

The Amazing Diminished 7th Chord

Diminished 7th chords are magical, because you can do so many different things with them, and there are only 3, so you can learn them fast!

Piano chords: Diminished 7th Chords

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What is an Overture?

An overture is, simply, an introduction to a piece of music. Beyond that, its definition can become slightly unclear; what exactly constitutes an overture? Since it has no strict rules and can be found in musical theater, orchestral composition and choral ensembles, then it's possible that any introduction could be considered an overture, even the beginnings of rock songs. But that isn't necessarily the case; an overture is typically the introduction to a much longer piece of music or musical theater (especially opera) and will sometimes be in a stark contrast to the remainder of the work. Some sorts of overture, usually found in modern musicals, will act as a simple preview of the songs to be introduced within the play; it almost becomes a cut-down medley at this point. And though this may be the most common use of the overture today, it's not the most classic or traditional.


The overture got its start in 17th century French opera, most notably the works of Lully. This beginning overture form was far stricter than the form has ever been since; it involved a series of slow dotted-note rhythms intertwining with faster parts then moving back again. This type of overture was often energetic and lively, almost danceable in places. But as opera evolved to include sonata form, this type of overture became somewhat obsolete. It shifted to include the elements of sonata form, subject to somewhat experimental notions of various composers, and eventually became an art in its own right. The symphonic overture, an overture devoid of any following dramatic work, followed the same basic ideas found in the French overture, without making the dotted-note rhythms a necessity; it adhered to the slow-quick-slow pattern found in those original compositions. The rise of symphonic overture forced operatic overture into a less structured form, allowing it to exist as simply an important (and often contrasting) element within the piece, one that introduced the entire song to an awaiting audience.

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What is a "Fugue"?

A fugue is a fairly strict form of music composition; though it's loosened a bit over time, the most traditional examples of the form are very rigid. A fugue involves a variety of contrapuntal melodies, or parts, that work independently of each other until coming together near the end. It's somewhat like a canon; a fugue shares the same essential elements of counterpoint and shadowing.

A fugue usually has a bare minimum of three individual sections. The first section introduces the melodic theme, or subject, of the fugue in one part. Another part then mimics this theme but with certain variations; this following part can be a set interval above or below the leader or can even be in another key. The fugue melody then shifts to a third voice, which mimics the second; at this point, the first part will sometimes introduce a counterpoint while the second part is being shadowed. This chain of introduction and shadowing continues until every part has addressed the main subject.

The second part of a fugue develops the melody introduced in the first part but with a few crucial changes; these changes can be based on any of the melody's elements provided that it still retains an essential relation to the original subject. This contrapuntal element is given time to develop, moving through the various parts of the fugue at fixed points in time.

The ending of a fugue is usually a return to the original subject melody and its counterpoints. The rules are the most lax at this point in the fugue; the melodies can be repeated in the same or different order and can even incorporate canon-like rounds.







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What is a Harpsichord?

A harpsichord is the earliest precursor to the piano, sharing many of the same qualities; it is a stringed instrument using a series of keys to access the strings. But unlike a piano, which uses a hammer to hit the strings, a harpsichord actually plucks them, creating a distinctive sound not unlike that of a plucked violin. It was a massively popular instrument from the time of its invention (dated back to the 14th century) until the popularization of the piano. And the love of the harpsichord didn't even end at that point; many composers continued to write specifically for the instrument and many musicians (even modern, 20th century ones) frequently use it in performance.

As the term harpsichord actually means to refer to an entire family of similar instruments, there are a variety of forms and styles. The most famous harpsichord is known simply as the harpsichord, a large wooden instrument that looks not unlike a grand piano; in fact, this type of harpsichord was indeed the grand piano of the instrument group, used for public and high-society performances. The spinet harpsichord, yet another popular type, is a harpsichord with angled strings; the size of this harpsichord prevents an entirely horizontal positioning.

But the spinet harpsichord is not the smallest in the family; a series of small harpsichords were produced. The virginal harpsichord is a very small version tailored for women; the muselar virginal harpsichord is slightly larger than the virginal, with the strings attacked from their mid-points; and the spinet virginal harpsichord is a small harpsichord with angled strings. Additionally, an upright harpsichord called the clavicytherium was produced for a short time before it fell out of favor; this harpsichord was the true inspiration for the upright piano.



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