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There have been many pianists in the 500 years since the piano was invented. However, the majority of them were mediocre, some were good and a very few were absolutely stunning. Many of those who made it to this list began their musical training at a very young age which allowed them to perfect their talent early on. This article will take a look at a handful of the most amazing pianists ever.

1. Sergei Rachmaninoff. Known for having the largest hands of all the most famous pianists, Rachmaninoff was able to span up to 14 notes at a time and he made use of this ability in his compositions, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, 8 Preludes, and others.

2. Josef Hoffman. This young prodigy began performing piano concerts at the tender age of six and at 12, he was the first recorded musician, working with Thomas Edison to create the first musical recordings.

3. Ludwig Van Beethoven. This young German composer and pianist was famous for his talent on the piano and the fact that he continued to both play and compose after losing his hearing at the age of 26.

4. Vladimir Horowitz. Perhaps one of the best known pianists of the 20th century, Horowitz studied under Felix Blumenfeld and Sergei Tarnowsky. He is well known for his ability to play strong pieces creatively rather than simply banging away on the keys.

5. Fredric Chopin. Chopin is often one of the first composers that young piano students play. He was also a child prodigy, often compared to Mozart. Steeped in the world of music from a young age, he was already playing and trying to compose at the age of six.

6. Wolfgang Mozart. One of the most famous child prodigies, Mozart was playing piano at age three and by five, he had begun to compose songs which were written down by his devoted father. He went on to give concerts from a very young age.

7. Franz Liszt. A virtuoso pianist, this Hungarian began his career at a fairly young age, though little information is available during this period of his life. It is known that not only was he an excellent pianist, he could also play several other instruments, including the cello.

8. Walter Wilhelm Gieseking. Gieseking was unique in that he supposedly never practiced on a piano. Instead, he would sit for hours in complete silence, playing the songs in his mind. Mostly self-taught, the pianist would then perform the piece flawlessly.

9. Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. A more recent pianist, Michelangeli honed his talent to perfection, producing recordings that were nearly perfect even when unedited. He was notorious for randomly canceling concerts and for his intense focus on the tiny details of the music, often forgetting the big picture.

10. Alfred Cortot. Well known for his amazing recordings and variations of the likes of Chopin, Brahms, Liszt, and many other famous composers. He also added his own variations and twists to the most common of compositions, turning them into something unique and special.

Any list of the greatest pianists is going to be somewhat subjective. Each person has their own preference and there are plenty of great pianists who simply didn’t fit onto this list of the top ten. However, you can be sure that the ones who did make it here are truly great pianists and definitely worth listening to when you have the chance. Many of them dedicated their lives to their music and some died while still playing and recording it.

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The staff is basically a set of five horizontal lines that appear vertically thus creating four spaces and on these lines and spaces as they are called, musical notes are written. The lower down the notes are written on the staff the lower the pitch and the higher up the higher the pitch. Of course, there a little bit more to it than that, so let’s go in to a bit more detail.

The Staff

The staff is a very generic term, and would be used in a musical environment such as a music teacher and pupil. A more accurate term would be musical staff. Of course even this to a non-musical person could mean a companies workforce or staff that sing every day (get it, staff that are musical). Just to confuse things even more the staff is also known as a stave or a musical stave. Depending on where in the world you learn music will determine which word you use, but they are both correct. (All this for five horizontal lines.)

Make sense of the staff

The staff on it own is quite unremarkable as you can probably imagine, just five lines, but it can be like a canvas for great works of art or simple melodies. To start creating music on these lines we first need to add a clef, which for a single musical staff is normally a treble clef, a time signature so we know how many beats to the bar the music will have. Then we need to add bar lines, which in turn create bars, and within those bars we will add musical notes and suddenly our five horizontal lines have turned in to a music composition, albeit simple, but music never the less.

The Grand Staff

This is a bit more complex than the staff and includes two sets of five lines connected together with a symbol known as a brace and also includes a treble clef on the top set of lines and a bass cleff on the bottom set of lines. Both clefs are always written on the left hand side of the Grand Staff. Again, time signature and bar lines will be added to the Grand Staff and finally musical notes added to the top set of lines, now known as the treble clef and the bottom set now called the bass clef.

From this simple canvas or manuscript as it is called, music is written for electronic keyboard and piano. The electronic keyboard normally uses the staff (one set of five lines) using the treble clef and you will often see chord symbols above it to indicate which chord should be played with the left hand. The piano will normally use a Grand Staff. The treble clef is used for the right hand and the bass clef used for the left hand.

To get a better understanding of the staff and the Grand Staff look at a piece of sheet music and you can see what has been added to those simple five horizontal lines.

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Even many musicians haven’t heard of figured bass. Also called basso continuo, a simple explanation of the term is a short way to note chords on a musical score. If you have never heard of it, it’s most likely because the method isn’t used today. However, it could be considered akin to, or a precursor of, a modern chord chart.

Figured bass originated in the Baroque era of the17th and 18th century. Music has evolved over the centuries and still does today. The development of figured bass came in response to one of these early musical style evolutions. The Baroque music period came on the heels of the Renaissance period. Music from the Renaissance was generally characterized by its reliance upon intervals of thirds. Of course, musical trends evolve over a period of time. For this reason, it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact year when this trend shifted. Usually a new musical era is well under way before anyone realizes there has been a change. Modal characteristics of Renaissance music eventually gave way to more tonal music. The defining characteristic of tonal music is its use of fifths. This is in contrast to the previous intervals of thirds. This led the way for Baroque style music.

Composers and musicians in this period began using more elaborate instrumentation during the Baroque period. New musical instruments were being developed that contributed to the trend. Many of them had wider range capabilities, allowing for more variety in musical scores. New playing techniques were also developed, lending a distinction to music of this period such as had not previously been heard.

The more complex nature of Baroque music made a new form of musical notation a necessity. This is how figured bass was born. Playing music by reading figured bass required more than rudimentary musical skills. With this method, the melody line and the bass line are noted on a traditional musical scale (bass clef and treble clef). The instrumentalist(s) would fill in the harmony lines based on the bass note. The harmony part, or the part that was implied but not written in the score, was known as the continuo.

To play figured bass, it is necessary to have a working understanding of chords. An instrumentalist reading a score with figured bass would see the melody notes and the bass notes. The instrumentalist would assume that the continuo notes that would accompany would be a standard fifth interval unless otherwise noted. If another variation was desired, numbers would appear on the score underneath the bass note indicating the appropriate interval.

Like many trends, the use of the figured bass method became obsolete. Today, chords are often indicated by abbreviating their names (i.e.,”C7″ for a C major/minor seventh chord). Similar to figured bass, instrumentalists have some leeway for improvisation with this type of musical annotation. This is in contrast to music that has every note for each part annotated on a musical staff. Like shorthand once was to writing, so was figured bass to music. And like shorthand, changes in technology and trends have greatly diminished the use of figured bass.

Duane Shinn is the author of the popular online newsletter on piano chords, available free at “Exciting Piano Chords & Chord Progressions!”

Do you love Native American Rattles and other Indian musical instruments? Rattles are excellent Native American symbols and representations of Indian people and their unique culture. They are also among the most used musical instruments for use in ceremonies and rituals throughout most Indian tribes. Rattles, for many years and for the majority of American Indians, have always played a large part in the spiritual connection with the creator as well as for use in social events.

As you study the intriguing history of American Indians and their use of Native American rattles, you will learn that they are symbolic among the Indigenous people and are essential to the tribal ceremony in which they are played. It is said that they symbolize the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. The animal kingdom is exemplified in the form of the container or decorative feather of the rattle. The mineral kingdom is represented by the rocks that make the sound or also by the paint used for the artwork pictured on the rattle. And, the plant kingdom is symbolized by the handle.

When researching the uses of Native American rattles and how they are played, you will learn that almost every tribe and Indian culture including the Navajo culture, play rattles in their ceremonial rituals. Among the many variations of Indian rattles, along with the popular gourd rattles and turtle shell rattles, the simple rawhide rattle is the most used in Native American tribes.

The images, such as the Navajo bear or Navajo eagle, used in the artwork depicted on the rattles, differ with each tribe. You will find it intriguing that the different tribes including the Cherokee, Navajo, Apache, Pueblo, Zuni and Hopi, can all be recognized by the variations of the beautiful art work on their hand crafts. One thing these people do have in common is that they all play rattles in various ceremonial rituals and as part of music, dance, medicine and spirituality.

The Indian rattles are really very beautiful and are made with a number of natural materials such as turtle shell, leather, rawhide, bead work and Native American feathers. Fur, fringe, seeds, rocks, antlers, horns, bones and shells are used to create that unique Indian style. Clay beads, blue corn, manzanita seeds or small smooth stones such as those found at the mouth of an ant hill, are also sometimes inserted in the rattles to give it the desired sound.

Indian people have always used music, songs, stories and legends to express their cultural beliefs and traditions to each other and to those around them. It is in harmony with these forms of learning that rattles have come to be an important part in the ritualistic ceremonies of the Indian people.

That is the reason there is nothing more fascinating than owning genuine Indian musical instruments and hand crafts. You can easily buy Native rattles online and sometimes in stores that sell southwest home decorating items. If you are intrigued by authentic Indian musical instruments, or are looking for the perfect instrument to play in your drumming circles, you will no doubt enjoy the beautiful sound of Native American rattles.

Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey and offers free information online about purchasing Native American rattles for musical groups and Native ceremonies. For more information visit http://www.missiondelrey.com

There is something about the beat and the feel of playing the drums. Even little kids love banging away at a pot with the kitchen spoon. It probably has something to do with a primal instinct. The drums is one of the most interesting part of the music history. Drums and drum sets form quite a variety and is almost an integral part of many different cultures. Rhythm and beat are all parts of our pre wiring.

There are probably lots of you that would love to have drums, or even learned, but then had to stop due to the noise level of an acoustic set. There is however, a solution. That solution lies in electronics. The whole synthesizer thing was popular in the 80’s and has sort of died out, but the technology in the electronic set can be leveraged to still allow you to have a set and have a great time playing, either professionally, or recreationally.

Consider electronic drums to allow you to get going with playing and keeping everyone around you sane.

Electronic drums are kind of percussion instruments where the sound is produced by an electronic waveform generator or sampler instead of by acoustic vibration. When an electronic drum pad is hit, a change in voltage is activated in the embedded piezoelectric transducer (piezo) or force sensitive resistor (FSR).

The signals emitted are then transmitted to an electronic drum brain via TS or TRS cables, which are then decoded into digital waveforms. The result is the production of the preferred percussion sound assigned to that particular trigger pad.

These pads are all pressure sensitive, so the pad and trigger can recreate volume based on the hit on the set. When you hit the pad harder, it creates a louder sound.

Popular and new drum modules have triggered inputs for a kick, 3 to 4 toms, 2 or more cymbals, hi-hat, and a dual-zone snare (head and rim). The hi-hat has a foot controller which creates open and closed sounds; there are some models which also offer variations in-between. Many of the earlier sets, and beginner sets were made with rubber pads, but with technology, you can also find mesh head kits that closely resemble the feel of a natural head. Cymbal pads used to come in with only rubber, but now you can find electronic cymbals that closely resemble the feel and play of the real thing. The more natural the feel of the kit, the more expensive it typically is.

All electronic kits are controlled by a module. The module is basically the brain for the set, and all the pads and triggers connect to the module. The module is also what is connected to the sound system.

The modern drum modules are bundled with amazing features and the power to create unlimited drum kits. Acoustic drum kits build their sound through physical divisions of the drums, such as the shell, head and trapped air pressure within the drums. Modules come in many different memory capacities, and offer different features. They come very basic, and scale up to models that have hundreds of programmed kit sounds. They can also record your playing, and load different tracks. The module comes loaded with beats, and metronome.

In comparison to many other musical instruments, the electronic drums are next to silent. The inbuilt electrical sensors pick up the energy produced by the stick-movement and convey it to the drum module for processing. If you do have a rubber kit, you will experience some reverb sound.

There are four electronic drum companies that control the market today. Each offers a range of models and prices to suit the choice and taste of the amateurists to the experienced professionals. Roland, Pintech, Yamaha and Hart Dynamics are the four in the business, which covers 80 percent of the market. You can also work with some companies to build custom sets. In general, if you are looking for something to practice, the entry level models from the companies listed can be found prices between $800-$900. More advanced sets start at $1000, and can go upwards to $3000 or more depending on add ons and module.

A majority of professional players still perfer the acoustic drum set over the electronic set due to feel, and true sound, but an electronic set is an excellent piece to add on if you need a way to practice in small quarters, or you are playing in a very small venue where the acoustic set would be much too loud.

When you are ready to buy drum sets, visit http://getdrumbeat.com for great pricing on used drum sets and cheap drum sets.

Sheet music can be expensive to purchase on a regular basis. If you want to expand your piano music library without spending a lot of money, download free sheet music from the Internet. A simple Internet search for “free sheet music,” “free piano music” and “piano music online” opens up many avenues for you to explore. Consider even more variations and your website possibilities will overflow.

Many sites offer total access to their piano music library. Others permit limited access to free sheet music. If you desire their full complement of music, you may have to sign up for a membership and pay a fee. However, even limited access to their free resources may give you the music you require.

The best sheet music sites allow you to refine your search for piano tunes. Many have detailed search functions that let you search by artist, genre or period. You can specify Baroque or Impressionist classical music and find what you need quicker. You can perform a search that narrows things down even more, for example, indicating you want “Jazz Christmas Tunes.” You can be as specific as you need to be on a quality piano music website.

When searching for free piano music, you will find music directories that list other sites that can offer piano music. These directories are a valuable resource. With these sites you obtain links to a host of other sites containing a wide variety of music. A good piano music site often has little extras. Some supply the sheet music in a PDF format for download.

Many sites supply free piano music and have accompanying audio files that allow you to listen to songs as you print them. Some incorporate free music lessons and piano tutorials in a digital feed format. You can find lots of free piano music online by joining a music forum. Here you can chat with other musicians and share information about where to find the piano music you need. You will find that others often know about less popular websites that have great databases of free sheet music. You cannot efficiently search every website in cyberspace yourself; why not get help from those who already know where the good ones are?

Another great source for free piano music is university or college online libraries. You can find specific music to download on many of these sites. Many of these also provide links to even more sites that have free sheet music downloads. A university site is a wonderful resource for older collections of piano music as well.

One caveat is to be sure the sites are truly free sites. Don’t be lured into giving out your credit card number as a one-time administration fee or anything like that. While you may access a lot of music, you did pay. You may find you will pay even more if you do not read the fine print and have authorized monthly payments on your card for a membership to a site.
A savvy searcher can find tons of free piano music online. Free piano music from reputable websites can provide you with an endless stream of music for your enjoyment.

Duane Shinn is the author of the popular online newsletter on piano chords, available free at “Exciting Piano Chords & Chord Progressions!”