Center Stage Music School Blog

“I play the piano…I play the keyboard… WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?!”

2011-07-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

Blog written by Mrs. Rebecca Brambila, piano instructor for Center Stage Music School........

Though some people make the mistake of believing one or the other is better, the most important thing to consider when looking at a piano versus a keyboard is this: what are your musical goals?
Basic differences are obvious between the two instruments themselves. With the piano, you will have a live, full sound, which will also require upkeep. Expect to pay at least $1000 for a serious piano investment, and up to $100,000 if you want “the best”. Considerations such as home environment, temperature, humidity, etc., will all affect the soundboard and tuning. An electronic keyboard can range anywhere from $100 to $5,000 or more, again, depending on what you invest in. You can digitally tune your keyboard, and upkeep will be a reflection of your care.
“But which one do I need?” you still ask: do you want to play Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms? Do you want to be the next keyboardist in a hit rock band? Either instrument or style requires dedication, practice, and a healthy amount of effort. The piano will offer many things a keyboard simply cannot: weighted keys, a response to your physical input to the instrument, fuller sound (no matter how much you “turn the volume up” on your keyboard, it will never give the same sound as a live piano), and in most cases, a full length of keys which allow your creativity and ability to go as far as possible. A keyboard will offer you some options which the piano cannot: headphones, playback, recording, input and output for recording are just some of the options to consider when looking at a keyboard. However, the most advantageous option for a keyboard is probably the ability to change sound output (most keyboards offer at least 6 different sound categories, with many offering variety of sounds into the hundreds) and the mobility of the instrument. If you desire to play in a band or accompany other instruments or singers, a keyboard is probably the direction you want to go.
For the parent who is struggling with “what can my child get by on for now?”, I offer this advice. A keyboard will certainly be the cheaper route to go at first. HOWEVER, be sure to purchase one with at LEAST 60+ keys, and more is preferable. Your child will never learn the basic concepts on a $20 toy keyboard. Weighted keys and keys that are touch responsive are a must. If the volume cannot be controlled from the hand, it is a waste of your time and money (unless you think it would be a good idea to go back in time 300 years to when the technology for a weighted response hadn’t been developed). Also, be certain that there is an input for a pedal that can sustain sound. Again, your child will lose valuable technique if the ability to sustain cannot be mastered. You will probably be looking at several hundred dollars for a keyboard that will actually help your child advance. A piano, on the other hand, will have all of this ability already built in: responsive, weighted keys, full keyboard, sustain pedal, damper pedal, etc. You must consider the cost of a real piano, as well as a yearly or semi-yearly tuning, and any repair that may need to be done. If you invest in a good piano to begin with, and keep it in a regulated environment, your repair and tuning costs will be minimal.
Above all, consider your interest as a musician, or your child’s interest. A better instrument gives a better sound, and in turn, much more motivation to play. As a musician for over 20 years, I can say the same is true for me. Once given an opportunity to play a violin which was over 160 years old, I found myself a better musician than I thought I was – thanks to a far superior instrument than I had ever played. As a pianist and keyboardist, I have both instruments on hand, each for very different purposes. Consider your goals, and keep playing until you reach them!

Music makes adults smarter too

2011-07-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

The research is in! Learning and playing an instrument makes you smarter! For children this is especially true and many formal studies have been done to prove that fact however what hasn’t been studied nearly so much are the effects on an adult.

As children our brains are similar to a sponge and absorb new information easily and quickly and as adults we have all heard the adage“ You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. This is absolutely not true and a study done in 1995 by Thomas Elbert of the University of Konstanz in Germany and Edward Taub of the University of Alabama would suggest otherwise.

“Twenty years ago people thought that the structure of the brain develops during childhood and once that organization in the brain has been developed that there is very little room for changes and for plastic alterations. Now we know that there is enormous capacity.” Thomas Elbert.

Scientific studies are all well and good but most anyone born before the computer age can attest to the fact that they as adults have continued to grow, learn, and cope with these advances in technology. If you can learn to operate a computer, surf the internet, or operate an unfamiliar device then chances are you can learn to play music too.

Children's activities

2011-06-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

As parents we often we look for activities like music, dance, youth groups, and sports for our kids that we hope are both constructive and fun. Many of these activities however do not last year round, which for parents who want to expose their kids to as much as possible works out rather well. At Center Stage Music School we share this vision and though we would like our students to stay with us throughout the year we understand that it is not the ideal situation for many families. By offering a 4 month commitment our parents are not locked into a long term agreement and our students get a solid introduction to music. We also believe that private music lessons may not be suitable for every child so our agreement also includes an “introductory period”, which is the first 4 lessons that a student will take. This allows parents and students ample time to determine whether to continue involvement for another 3 months or to withdraw and move on to something different. If the student has found a love for music which we hope they do, they can continue on a month to month basis without a formal agreement.

Acoustic or electric guitar for the beginner?

2011-05-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

Most guitars sold today are affordable “entry level” instruments that are usually well built but like anything else they are not as well made as their more expensive counterparts. This blog relates specifically to entry level guitars and the average customer who has set out to buy one. Mom, dad, grandparent, or beginning adult this is for you.

Price and availability are usually the first things in mind when making any new purchase and instruments are no different so lets begin there. I do not recommend buying any instrument online period. It is far better to put your eyes and hands on an instrument before you purchase it and most music store prices are fairly competitive with the internet anyway. Once you find a local dealer you will likely see a large and somewhat confusing array of instruments but fear not. Do your research beforehand, ask questions, and find the guitars that are in your price range. A good entry level guitar can sell for as little as $150.00 and there are many to choose from in this range. Look for the guitar that suits the players taste and size. Size is important for any player under the age of 10 so be sure to ask about the smaller ¾ scale guitars if this is the case. When comparing entry level instruments based on price alone no single manufacturer is so significantly better than another that a regrettable choice will be made.

Volume control and drum kits

2011-05-26T18:49:00.001-07:00

The biggest obstacle a drummer or parent of a drummer must over come is the volume that these instruments produce. Most drum kits bought today fall into the “acoustic drum” category which means that they produce a loud sound when the drum is struck without the need for amplification. These are the type kits you see and hear in almost every live musical performance and are responsible for the thud, thud, thud that you hear from your neighbors garage 6 houses down.

A modern variation of the acoustic drum kit is the electronic kit which cannot produce a drum sound without the aid of a digital processor, triggers, and amplification. These drums are readily available and are great for low volume playing however most are made almost entirely of hard plastic or rubber and do not do an adequate job of reproducing the stick “rebound” that an acoustic drum has. The hard striking surfaces of these drums can also cause damage to the small and still developing bones of young drummers. Conventional acoustic drums use a thin, plastic, membrane for the drum head that has significant give when stretched over the drum shell. There is very little concussion to the wrists however due to the volume generated, damage to ones hearing is possible and without adequate protection is inevitable.

Finally we have an option that gives us the best of both worlds, volume control and proper stick rebound. Originally designed for the electronic drum kit, mesh drum heads are now available that have thousands of tiny perforations that almost entirely eliminate the volume associated with playing drums and provide proper stick rebound. This is no big secret but what isn’t widely known is that these mesh heads ,along with triggers and a processor can be used to convert existing acoustic drums to electronic. It’s a significant purchase for all the components but they are readily available and cheaper than buying a brand new electronic drum kit.