Learning how to sit properly at a piano is essential if you want to play for long periods of time. If you constantly slouch, use poor wrist and finger placement, or place your feet poorly, playing will become less enjoyable than it should be.
I don't like being a stickler many things, but I do think that it's important to get the basics of how to sit at a piano down sooner rather than later. There's a reason that teachers get up in arms about this sort of thing!
Check out the video below for a brief overview of how to sit at a piano. I cover seating, hand and finger placement, and foot placement.
Be sure to like the video and subscribe to my YouTube channel if you find this information helpful! And leave comments with any questions or requests for topics of future videos :-)
What other music resources would you find helpful?
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About two weeks ago I recorded my first long(er) form video for my YouTube channel. It's a concise explanation of where I come from as a musician, what I've been doing recently, and what I hope to accomplish with Jack of All Staves going forward. You can view it below.
(Remember to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and ring the bell for notifications!)
Leave a comment on the video and let me know what you think! I'd also love to know what instrument(s) you play (and/or want to learn) and any other questions you have.
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I remember being at a local battle of the bands show when I was in high school. I loved the energy and mood. I loved the people I was there with. I loved the music.
Usually.
On this particular day, I was anticipating an epic show. The guitar and bass players had top-shelf instruments, enough pedals to make anyone dizzy, and amps bigger than their bodies. I awaited what was sure to be a life-altering performance.
And my life was altered, but not in the way I had expected.
The band sucked. Completely, utterly, and totally sucked. I mean, I'm sure they were nice enough guys, but they barely should have received a participation trophy. All the glitz, glam, and splendor of their rigs couldn't make up for the absolute lack of true musical skill demonstrated that day. But hey, at least Mommy and Daddy's money made them look good, right?
I wish this were an isolated case, but it happens all the time in so many areas of life. People want to start something new, so they go out and spend, spend, spend on the latest and greatest equipment thinking it will help them get there. In reality, about 1% of that equipment might be necessary at the outset; the rest is just...frosting.
Yes, frosting: the part of the cake that is the prettiest to look at, but lacks substance. Sugar. Pretty colors. Maybe some butter, if you're lucky.
Think about it: if you make a cake with just frosting, it's just a...um...blob of frosting. Now, I'm sure there are people out there just salivating at that thought, but I, for one, am not. Gross.
If I'm going to eat cake, I want it to be about 5-10% frosting (if that) to complement the overall flavor and texture of the cake itself. Solid, simple, and delicious!
The guys in that band from earlier had fallen for the frosting effect: good looks, but no musical substance.
Now, it's important to note that I have no problem with nice instruments, cool effect pedals, and giant amps. In the right hands, these things are tools to create amazing works of musical art. However, it's a losing game to think that just by possessing them someone will magically be a good musician. Some thinks like skill, feel, and musicality can't be bought on a shelf.
So what's an aspiring musician to do? I believe the answer is to start simply.
Once you know what instrument(s) you want to learn how to play:
Pick up a good beginner instrument
Find a trusted guide that can get you started
Commit to small, achievable goals to grind towards
Listen intently to the music you're interested in playing
The next trick after starting simply is to simply start. Like seriously: do it. Do the work! Find time. Make time. Be consistent. Take baby steps. Improve gradually and consistently. There is no shortcut to musicality, but the way has been made clear by those who have gone before: Do. The. Work.
As you grow and become more competent on your instrument's fundamentals and get some "chops," it may be appropriate to invest in supplementary gear such as pedals, fancy sticks, software plugins, etc. However, these will only complement musicality; they cannot be a substitute for it. You've been warned.
So, will you do the work to become a solid musician, or will you fall into the frosting effect trap? The choice is yours. Choose wisely. Your listeners will thank you!
What other music resources would you find helpful?
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I have a major in biology and minor in religious studies (and chemistry!). I never wanted to study abroad during college, but ended up living in Spain for three years afterwards (and marrying a Spaniard!). I have worked as a barista and as a roofing contractor. I got sick of being in a laboratory during organic chemistry lab, but now work as a medical laboratory scientist in a hospital full time.
Despite the variety in my past, one thing has consistently been in the background (and the foreground, occasionally): music. A brief history:
I took piano lessons when I was in grade school (but ended up quitting because I wanted to spend more time playing Nintendo).
I picked up the baritone horn (imagine a trombone having a baby with a tuba, for the uninitiated) in fourth grade and played in marching bands and well-performing ensembles through high school.
I started playing the bass guitar in eighth grade in response to a personal spiritual awakening (not to mention my dad buying me a bass, paying for lessons, and being my transportation)
I (co)founded a ska band in high school as the bassist, played some gigs, made some questionable clothing choices, and even recorded an LP
I picked up acoustic guitar as a sophomore in high school by learning chord shapes for Spanish praise music (my youth pastor needed someone to play for our upcoming trip to Mexico)
I started playing the upright bass that year as well (again, thanks to my dad for driving to downtown Chicago to buy me a beginner bass from the Bass Place, carrying it several blocks in the cold, and driving me to lessons nearly an hour away each week)
I restarted piano lessons in high school with an emphasis on music theory from a woman that led a Bible study for our youth group
I joined the Cherry Street jazz combo at Knox College as a bassist my freshman year and played weekly 4 hour gigs most of the way through graduation
I played guitar and led worship songs for my college's chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
I picked up the drumset in college (thanks again to Mom and Dad for paying for lessons), and ended up playing in the Knox Jazz Ensemble big band during my senior year
I played freelance jazz gigs in downstate Illinois the year before I moved to Spain
I played a guitar solo at a conference in Austria in front of a few thousand people
I toured a bit as the upright bass player with a Spanish folk/flamenco/celtic/jazzy group (Papel Mache)
I studied music and theology at the Forerunner Music Academy in Kansas City where I refined my piano, guitar, bass, drums, vocal, and music theory skills
After graduation, I taught group classes and private lessons, created curriculum, and instructed student ensembles
Then we had children. Two boys. And I soon realized that they would never eat less than they did at that point, so something needed to change.
Whereas my teaching position was *ahem* "semi-volunteer" (i.e. small stipends for a lot of work), I did what I never thought I would do when I left the organic chemistry lab: I went back to school to become a Medical Laboratory Scientist so that I could better take care of my family.
And it worked.
Fast forward about 5 years and the boys are still eating more food, but we they haven't bankrupted us (yet...).
Many sacrifices were made along the way as I studied late, woke early, took on night shits, day shits, weekend shifts, overtime shifts, extra projects, etc. to get us financially stable. One of these sacrifices was playing and teaching music. For a time, I was too busy (tired?) to miss it, but lately I've felt that something's missing.
I miss playing instruments and feeling the notes produced as an extension of what I hear in my mind. I miss teaching and helping other understand how to play, and how to explain why what they're playing works (or doesn't). Perhaps more than anything else, I miss the intimacy and community that come with playing and creating with other musicians.
I realized I needed to change something.
Over the years, I've compiled a wealth of knowledge and skill in music that was missing an outlet. I don't have availability for private lessons or consistent gigs, but I want to help other aspiring musicians while keeping up my skills.
I'd often thought about creating a sort of musical "cross training" program that would help new and experienced musicians grow their skills by learning drums, guitar, bass, piano, and music theory concurrently. Until recently, this idea has been quietly residing in the back of my mind, but that changed one morning as I was driving to work.
On March 18, 2021 I was nearing the hospital when this musical cross training idea popped up again. I started to think of what someone that's decently skilled in a lot of things is often called: a jack of all trades. I mulled the term over, thinking if I could use some sort of word play to make it apply to music (this process is nearly automatic, given my propensity towards puns and dad jokes).
Then the name hit me: Jack of All Staves.
Why does this name work for music? Well, this is where things get nerdy (nerdier?).
Stay with me...
A staff in music is the group of lines (usually 5) that notes are written on. The plural of staff is "staves" (Professor Google assures me that this is pronounced with the "A" sound like in "aviator," so the word play sounds are solid!). Clef signs are written on the staves to indicate how high or low in pitch the written notes should sound. The most commonly used clefs each correspond to an instrument that I teach.
Treble clef = guitar
Bass clef = bass
Percussion clef = drum set
Grand staff = piano
So it follows that a Jack of All Staves would be a musician that is proficient on each of these instruments. This certainly doesn't mean that mastery of any or all of them is impossible, but rather that a comprehensive understanding of how each works in relation to the others will create a stronger musical foundation for any specific musical pursuits that may arise on one's journey.
Whereas the saying goes, "Jack of all trades, master of none," it is my goal to be and to teach how to become a "Jack of all staves, master of some."
I want to invite you to journey with me into a comprehensive exploration of these instruments--and the theory that binds them together--from the ground up. Whether you're just starting out or have some experience, I want to guide you to musical understanding that can make them more well-rounded, and better on your primary instrument(s) of choice. I want to provide knowledge, skills, and access to equipment and gear that can help along the way, but allow you to move at your own pace.
Ultimately, I want to be the resource that I wish I had access to when my musical journey began decades ago.
To that end, I will be creating an instructional video about one of these instruments (or the theory that's at work) each week. I will demonstrate how learning a skill on one instrument can be laterally applied on another. I will demonstrate how the instruments function individually and how they function as a group. After all, there's a reason why the majority of popular music throughout the last century has included various expressions of them working together (the so-called rhythm section)!
Additionally, I will be writing articles, anecdotes, and reviews of instruments, equipment, and gear that may be helpful purchases for the journey. I'll also provide opportunities to respond to your questions and concerns, as well as to celebrate your achievements along the way.
Growing as a musician is a life-long journey. I've been at it for over 30 years now, and there's so much more to learn. Still, I'm confident that I am in a position to assist others in getting started and/or progressing in their personal musical journeys, and look forward to doing just that.
So won't you join with me on an adventure to become a Jack of All Staves: Master of Some.
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