Tuesday 27 March 2012

The Proven Benefits of Piano Lessons for Children

Children can benefit greatly form taking piano lessons. This is especially true as young children are developing their senses and piano playing can help to improve hand and eye coordination, focus and concentration. Piano lessons for children can create a sense of accomplishment, as they learn and gain more skill the will feel that they are able to be successful if they put in the effort. It has been shown that practicing the piano can also help children do well in school and this has been backed up by research that has been ongoing for over10 years. This is an important thing to consider when contemplating piano lessons for children.

A study was conducted to monitor the effect of piano lessons singapore for children and the effect that is generated on the minds learning process. The introduction of the arts showed that neurological growth was stimulated by playing and learning the piano. In February of 1997 Dr. Frances Rauscher a psychologist, worked with physicist, Dr. Gordon Shaw to conduct a study of preschoolers and the impact that musical education had on their learning. There were 3 groups of student in the study, one group was given piano lessons and the other 2 groups were the control groups, these groups were not given piano lessons. With the analysis of the research an interesting conclusion was discovered. The piano lessons for children had proven beneficial enough to enable the children to increase their math and science scores at an average of 30% over the control groups. This firm evidence shows that the arts and the piano lessons for children can positively affect students learning and problem solving abilities. Dr. Frances Rauscher working with, Dr. Gordon Shaw also noticed an increase in reasoning ability amongst college students who listened to piano music regularly. These results are interesting as they show that the mere hearing of the pianos music is beneficial to the minds reasoning process.

Other similar studies have shown that children who have taken piano lessons will score higher on IQ tests and in general will perform better in math, reasoning and science testing. This testing lends to the theory that piano lessons for children are very beneficial as while the child is playing and learning the piano, neural pathways are stimulated to the point of accelerating the learning process. These results lead some to believe that this piano practice may even be useful to those children who suffer from developmental conditions such as autism. This information will cause many parent to want to investigate piano lessons for children who may not be the most likely candidates for piano lessons. All children who are interested and willing to practice will be available to take advantage of these benefits, your child may not become a genius but they will produce results. If you are interested in using piano lessons for children as a tool to help develop your child's mind then it’s a good idea to start early in their lives. Although the benefits are there for teenagers as well as adults, its just the learning curve may not be a fast or as noticeable early on.

The information we have seen shows that there are many benefits of piano lessons for children that can be realized early on in life. If you have a small child now would be a great time to start thinking about looking for a piano teacher to help your child along with the development of the minds neural pathway development. To start the piano lessons are usually only 15 to 30 minutes and they can be at your home if you have a piano or at a local studio. By providing piano lessons for children parents are allowing their child a head start in life. You are enabling them a special advantage to excel later on in school and college.

Monday 26 March 2012

Piano Exams in Singapore Grade 1 to 8 - ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall

Many parents in Singapore like their children to go for piano exams. The most popular piano lessons singapore exams are conducted by ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall which are UK music exam boards. Exams range from pre-graded to diploma level with tens of thousands of candidates each year.

This page gives you a quick information on grading piano exams in Singapore, especially if you are looking to enroll your child in Grade 1 piano exams.

Please refer to the respective representative websites if you would like to know more about diploma exams.

What is the purpose of Piano Exams?

As with any exam system, it serves its purpose, although paper chase should not be the main objective of musicianship.

Exams with reputable exam boards provide a reliable measurement of personal progress and standard against internationally recognized benchmarks. With the many levels of grading, students can use them as milestones to progress in order to attain long term goal of standard. Exposure & performance opportunities from exams can allow students to grow.

Should a student take grading piano exams every year?

A student may begin with the grade that best suits their ability. Yearly exams are not necessary. It is not necessary to take every grade. Grades may be skipped or not, depending on the progress of the student. Enough time should be invested to develop musical and technical skills in between exams so that a student is well-prepared for the intended grade.

Pre-requisites to taking piano exams

There are no pre-requisites for grades 1-5 piano exams.

However, grade 5 Theory of Music or Practical musicianship must be achieved before sitting for the grades 6-8 piano exams.

What is the difference between ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall

ABRSM consists of well-established music colleges in the UK, namely the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Trinity Guildhall exams are conducted by Trinity College London, also a well-reputed music college in the UK. They have slightly different requirements but generally reflect a similar standard to ABRSM exams.

Components of exam
There are 4 different components to a graded practical music exam:

1) Prepared pieces:
3 piano pieces are chosen from a set lists, practiced at home and performed during the exam.

2) Technical requirement:
Specified scales and technical exercises are to be practiced and prepared at home and tested during the exam.

3) Sight-reading:
Candidate is to play a short piece of music new to him after half a minute of preparation. Graded specimen sight reading tests are available for practice at home.

4) Aural Tests:
A group of tests are used to assess listening skills and musical understanding. Specimen aural tests which involve rhythmic, melodic and other musical skills are available for practice at home.

For specific ABRSM grade syllabus download, go to http://www.abrsm.org/en/exams/gradedMusicExams/latestSyllabuses.html

Assessment criteria for piano exams
In general, the pass mark for graded exams is 66%. Marks are given for technical competence, musical understanding and communication through the music.

For detailed ABRSM marking criteria, please refer to http://www.abrsm.org/resources/theseMusicExams0607.pdf

Here is a general quick glance of Exam Assessment Criteria.


How to register for exams

You may register through your piano teacher, your music school, as a parent or as a candidate. Please note that from 2010 all ABRSM exam entries will be accepted by online registration only.

Contact Information

Representatives for ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall exams are:

ABRSM
Singapore Symphonia Co. Ltd
11 Empress Place
3rd Storey, Music Exams Office
Victoria Memorial Hall
Singapore 179558
Tel: (65) 6339 2624
Fax: (65) 6334 3507

Website: http://www.abrsm.org/regions/en/singapore/singapore/home/


Trinity Guildhall Music Examinations Centre
TCM Examinations Centre
80 Marine Parade Road
#03-08 Parkway Parade
Singapore 449269
Tel: (65) 63463612
Fax: (65) 63447345
Email : info@tgexams.com
Website : http://www.tgexams.com/

ABRSM Piano Exams Syllabus
ABRSM's Piano Exams Grade 1 - 8 Syllabus
can be found on ABRSM's website.

ABRSM Grading / Marking Criteria
For ABRSM Grading/ Marking/ Assessment Criteria for Grade 1 to 8, click here

Sunday 18 March 2012

ABRSM Exam Grading Criteria for Grade 1 - 8

There are Pass, Merit, Distinction & Fail results for ABRSM Grading exams. Examiners do not deduct points nor add up points to derive the results. It is based on the different aspects of qualities and proficiency.

The following are the components that make up the marking scheme for ABRSM Exam.

Components of exam
There are 4 different components to a graded practical music exam. Specimen tests are available for home practice.

1. Pieces - Performance of 3 pieces chosen & prepared, from a list during exam
(Pass: 20 onwards, Max: 30) for each piece


2. Technical - Scales & Arpeggios
(Pass: 14 onwards, Max: 21)

3. Sight-reading - With 30s of time given preparation given on the spot, student is to play a new piece of music provided
(Pass: 14 onwards, Max: 21)


4. Aural Tests - Rhythmic, melodic and other music skills
(Pass: 12 onwards, Max: 18)

ABRSM Exam Marking Criteria - Pieces

Please refer to ABRSM for more information on the Grading / Marking Criteria.

For pieces, students are assessed based on accuracy, continuity and fluency, tonal awareness, musical character and a sense of performance.

For Grade 1 to Grade 8, to achieve the following band of results, one has to achieve the marks:
Distinction - 27 to 30
Merit - 24 to 26
Pass - 20 to 23
Fail - 19 & below

For Scales, Arpeggios / broken chords ABRSM Exam marking criteria,

please refer to ABRSM for more information on the Grading/ Marking Criteria.

For Scales, Sight Reading ABRSM Exam marking criteria,
please refer to ABRSM for more information on the Grading/ Marking Criteria.

For Aural Tests ABRSM Exam marking criteria,
please refer to ABRSM for more information on the Grading/ Marking Criteria.

Saturday 17 March 2012

Quick Tips to Choosing the Right Piano Teacher in Singapore

Practicing and learning the piano is becoming more and more popular in Singapore. Many parents are looking to enroll their children in piano lessons, yet the challenge is where do they go to find a professional and experienced piano teacher? When planning your child’s musical education there are many issues that should be considered, one of the most relevant is the selection of the piano teacher. This choice will have a very important impact on your child’s piano learning and the way they see the piano in the future. If you select the wrong piano teacher you may accidentally cause your child to develop an aversion to learning the piano. Yet there is no need to worry, if you live in the Singapore, you should be able to find a wide selection of qualified piano teachers.

If you do not know how to search for a piano teacher, or you do not understand the general costs involved, this task can be very confusing. For a popular piano teacher the rate can be quite expensive. If you find an open seat for a lesson, make sure not to choose the first piano teacher that comes into view. Different options are to ask around the area, or you may find a quality piano teacher by looking online. But remember the piano learning process takes place over a generally long period of time, possibly for many months. It’s important to make the right decision and meet a piano teacher who will have chemistry with your young student. It’s no easy task to find that special piano teacher, one that can stimulate a child’s commitment to learn. A piano teacher that can keep the student interested as well as have the skills to put together interesting and fun lessons is one that you want to work with.

Credentials and Chemistry
At first you may think that a piano teacher singapore with a box full of credentials would be a fantastic candidate. However this is not necessarily the case. Many teachers may be fully accredited with years of experience but if they do not like to work with children they may not have much long term success with your child. If you mistakenly hire this type of teacher, his style may not be one that allows a teacher-student chemistry to develop. If you find a piano teacher that is able to build confidence as well as keep the piano instructions moving towards a constructive goal, that is a great start. Just remember, for the lessons to be fun you don’t have to find a young teacher. Likewise, to find a talented piano teacher with loads of experience and certifications, don’t think the teacher has to be old.

Rates & Cost
Depending on the piano teacher, the rate of pay here in Singapore will vary greatly. The more certifications and verifiable experience, the more often you will find higher rates, as with anything in life. But these piano teachers know that these lessons, many times will go on for years. Because of this, some teachers try to offer rate decreases for prepayment and long term agreements. Do not be misled to think that just because someone has years of experience and high fees that they are a superior option. By evaluating the costs of the piano lessons, their schedule for your convenience and the way the get along with your child, you will be more able to see the picture of how this piano teacher will rank for your needs. The next step is a mini lesson.

An Intro Lesson Speaks Volumes
If you have found a prospective piano teacher, now is the time to setup an introduction lesson, a lesson of about 15-20 minutes. This intro lesson will take place at the place where the normal lessons will be conducted, either in your house or at the piano teachers’ studio. You should plan to be there to see how things go with the lesson and see how the student and the piano teacher get along. The benefits of this mini lesson are many:

Things to Look Out For:
1. This shows how the student will respond to the teacher in the learning environment
2. You can see how the teacher will interact with your child
3. If the teaching is at a studio you can inspect the piano teachers’ facilities.
4. You can learn what the teacher expects from your child

Be a Supportive Parent
Piano teachers are always looking for new students who are passionate about learning They are expecting you to do you job though also; things like making sure to be on time for lessons and ensure that the young student is up to par with his or her practices are things to keep in mind. By looking for the right teacher with discipline and keeping up on your responsibilities as a parent, your child should be very prosperous in their new piano playing learning. If you feel that the task of finding a piano teacher is somewhat daunting don’t be concerned. Here in Singapore there are many qualified piano teachers who are ready to take on new students. With all of this information you are now more equipped to make an educated choice. Good Luck!

Friday 16 March 2012

Different Types of Pianos for Various Needs

There are many different types of pianos that have been developed to meet the needs of amateurs, piano students and professionals to conduct piano lesson singapore. By its nature the piano is a large and bulky instrument, for this reason smaller compact models have been built, below we will list various types of pianos in order to help you make the right choice for yourself. Whether you need a piano that is small enough to fit in a corner of your house, something easily portable for performing on the road or a full sized piano to impress a large crowd, the world of pianos has something for you. Some musicians today don’t want to use an acoustic piano; instead they prefer using electric pianos, digital pianos and digital keyboards. These devices can imitate the acoustic pianos sound very well and they have features that make them more preferred to the acoustic piano.

Categories of Different Types of Pianos
Acoustic Piano – This is the piano that is the most standard, the piano that everyone knows. It is powered by internal hammers that strike on properly tuned piano wires; these are mounted on a wooden sound board inside of a wood cabinet. This is the original piano that has been used for hundreds of years; it alone has spawned the various different types of pianos we see today.

Electric Piano – This piano is similar to the acoustic piano, however this piano has electric sound pickups on the wires. When the hammer strikes the tuned wires this sound is amplified and sent through speakers.

Electronic Piano – This piano simulates the piano’s musical tones; it does not have wires or hammers. It operates by using circuitry that is programmed with tones. This electronic piano is similar to a synthesizer or keyboards.

Digital Piano – This Digital Piano operates by using digitally sampled recorded tones. When the user presses the keys a sound that was previously recorded is played. If you press the highest key on the keyboard you will hear the prerecorded sound of the highest key on an acoustic piano. These Digital pianos are much lighter and smaller than acoustic and electric pianos.

MIDI Piano –the term MIDI represents “Musical Instrument Digital Interface” The MIDI interface allows computers and possibly other digitally empowered instruments to communicate by sending digital signals between each other. The messages inform the other instrument of which notes were played and the amount of volume that was used. In order for a device to be a genuine MIDI device it needs to have an interface system that can communicate with another digital device. Some MIDI pianos have been developed that can record songs and sounds and communicate with varying other musical instruments.


Types of Pianos – Upright vs Horizontal
As we have seen the piano comes in a varying makeup of configurations. Pianos have 2 different categories in which they are built, the upright and the horizontal. Of the different types of pianos the vertical is preferred when space is limited. For the more classical feel or for a concert setting, many people choose the classical or Grand Piano.

Upright PianosThese pianos are called upright because of their height and the way the wires and soundboard are installed. The general range of height is 36-60 inches. Of all the different types of pianos, this upright piano is the most popular type. This acoustic piano is popular because of its cost and rich sound. The design on this upright piano is unique as its wood sound board is mounted vertically; the support to this sound board is visible and adjustable from the backside. The wires are struck by hammers that swing horizontally; because of this, the hammer stroke takes slightly longer than it does in a traditional grand piano. Often the upright piano is thought of as inferior to the grand piano or horizontal piano; this opinion is due to the low price and the box-like shape of the upright piano. However this is not exactly the case, at times a large upright piano can produce louder music and just as high quality of a tone. Of the various types of pianos, the upright piano is an excellent choice for either your professional studio or home.



Type Height Measurement Description

Spinet 35 - 37" This is the smallest pianos available. It is preferred by people who live in small spaces or where room is limited. The tone and loudness of this piano is somewhat limited due to its size and design.

Consolette 38 - 39"

Console 40 - 43" This piano comes in a variety of colors and designs. It has been designed with a”direct action”. This enhanced action yields a high quality tone.

Studio 45 - 48" Because of the studio pianos compact design and quality sound this piano is often found in music studios and schools. It utilizes a larger wooden soundboard and thicker piano wires.

Full Size/Professional 48 -60" The tallest among the upright pianos is the Professional Upright. When properly maintained this piano can last well over a century. The tone is warm and it is very compact.



Horizontally Designed Grand Pianos

Of all the varying types of pianos, the Grand piano is not only the largest but it is seen as the most prestigious piano available. The soundboard can often be as long as 4 feet in horizontal length and it has a hinged top that opens to reveal the hammers, the wires and the soundboard for easy access and tuning. The case of this piano does not have a traditional bottom, the soundboard along with its supports are exposed to the underside. The keys are made of wood that is coated in Ivory or at times on more deluxe models the keys are pure ivory. In the case of the Grand piano there are 88 keys. On the top just above the keys there usually is a platform for sheet music. Grand pianos are usually said by many to produce the finest sound and have the most responsive action. There has been an ongoing debate as to which piano of the various types of pianos, has the best quality sound and tone, yet most people agree that they key action of the Grand Piano is more favorable.


Type Height Measurement Description

Petite Grand 4'5" - 4'11" The most compact and small of the horizontal pianos.

Baby Grand 4'11" - 5'6" A popular model because of its compact size, the classy look of a grand piano and more affordable price.

Medium Grand / Living Room / Palour 5'7" - 6'4"

Semi-Concert Grand / Balroom 6'5" - 7'5"

Concert Grand 7'5" - 9' + The biggest of the Grand Pianos, this piano has the longest sound board on the market.

Monday 12 March 2012

Acoustic vs Digital Piano – Understanding the differences

Since the digital piano came onto the scene, there has been a debate over which piano is better. In the early days this really wasn’t such a hard decision, however as now technology is changing, the supporters of the digital piano have more reason to be selecting the digital piano. Yet the acoustic piano still has the natural tone and this is something the digital piano manufacturers are always striving to improve.

Some digital pianos and computers can reproduce the pianos sounds closely. Essentially, a digital piano is a computer with more features and specialized controls to produce effects that pianos players will appreciate. Modern digital piano technologies include things like authentic sampling technology and near exact reproductions of the acoustic pianos tones. The major digital piano manufacturers are continually making improvements as they try to minimize the differences between the two types of pianos. The acoustic vs digital piano war is being intensely fought as there are hundreds of millions of dollars on the line for the company that can sway people’s minds and their purchase.

One of the changes being worked on is the move to make the digital piano feel more like the real acoustic piano, by adjusting the pianos key with weighted mechanisms the digital piano manufactures can produce a keyboard that simulates the real thing.

Then we have the sound quality and what these companies are doing to try to control the reproduction of the acoustic pianos sound. As this is one of the most essential gap to close between the acoustic vs digital piano and it is continually being studied by digital piano manufacturers. One way that these companies are approaching this challenge is to use multiple recorded samples of acoustic piano sounds. This is the way they can reproduce the pianos tone at different levels depending on how the user presses the pianos key.

Digital Piano Manufacturer’s Clever Tactics
When the digital piano manufacturers program the sounds into the pianos, they have recordings of an acoustic pianos keys being struck softly, a medium strike and then struck with force. These recordings are then used to generate the tone depending on how the player of the digital piano plays the instrument. So if you are playing with aggression and striking the keys forcefully, a reproduction based on a loudly played acoustic piano is what you will hear. The software has varying samples and it can combine and average out so these samples will create a more lifelike sound. This is critical as in a real piano the sound will vary as the force of the key strike varies and the timbre will change as varying pressures are applied. As these digital pianos manufactures relentlessly work to narrow the gap of acoustic vs digital piano technology, they are coming up with some amazing insight. There are now manufactures that are reproducing the most intricate sounds that the acoustic piano will produce. Sounds that many novice piano players might not even be aware of. Things like the internal sounds of the hammers hitting the strings, the light sound of the keys as they are released from the strings as well as the damper pedals as they being pressed and released. All of these different things are used to create a much more realistic piano playing experience. But is this is enough to change minds in the debate of acoustic vs digital piano, which one is better?

Experts for the most part still agree that the acoustic piano is the preferred instrument, especially to the trained ear. In a concert setting, you will still encounter the real acoustic piano being played. In society, from what I have read and people that I have talked to, still many people vote for the acoustic pianos as the choice of the connoisseur. Will there ever be a day when the opinions are changed; opinions related to the acoustic vs digital piano superiority are still up for discussion. Let’s take a look at the breakdown of facts and information, the pros and cons. These varied ideas will help you to decide on what matters to you in the debate between the acoustic vs digital piano.

Digital Pianos- Advantages
Digital pianos have many options that acoustic pianos do not offer. For some, these options are enough to earn these digital piano companies new customers. As improvements are made and the sales of the digital pianos increase, the proponents of the digital piano are growing. What do you see, a war or harmony of acoustic vs digital piano?

•Digital Pianos offer a wide range of sounds
•You may select sounds like the flute, stringed instruments, organ or even drums.
•Rhythm synchronization is coordinated to keep up with your playing
•Headphones can be used for privacy during practice
•Easy setup and take down for increased portability, they are also lighter in weight
•These digital pianos never need to be tuned.
•You have the option to record and play back your playing (Depending on which model)
•Digital pianos are usually less expensive than acoustics

Some of these options are only available on newer and more expensive digital pianos. If you are a new piano player who is looking to buy a digital piano you may not be able to find all of these options unless you buy a more expensive model.

Digital Pianos - Disadvantages
The most apparent problem with digital pianos is that they can not duplicate the tone and feel of the real thing. This has plagued the digital piano since its inception, as we mentioned earlier piano manufacturers are making some improvement in this area yet it is still an issue in the debate between the acoustic vs digital piano superiority. The acoustic piano has the ability to blend sounds naturally as the keys are struck, the wood sound board construction of the piano can help create a rich warm sound. Some who reject the digital piano claim that the digital sound is almost “sterile” as it has a electronic and non natural feel.

For some, there is the issue of value, once a digital piano become old and possibly obsolete the resale value also can take a dramatic drop.

To piano purists, the sound and feel of playing the piano is part of the joy. Many of the more expensive digital pianos have tried to introduce an acoustic pianos feel by creating weighted mechanisms to give the piano that natural feel, as the keys are pressed this weighted key feature is supposed to give the sense of playing the real thing. Even then, the response and feedback is does not reach a consensus.

Acoustic Pianos - Advantages
•Polyphony - Have you heard of “Polyphony”? Polyphony is at word that is used to reference the number of musical notes that can be heard simultaneously. If you are a piano player who plays rapidly, you can create a melted together natural sound that is a challenge for the digital piano to reproduce. This limit to Polyphony is another strike against the digital piano in the debate between acoustic vs digital piano superiority.
•Practicality is another use of the acoustic piano; you don’t need any electricity to use an acoustic piano, so you can enjoy playing the piano at any time and save electricity.
•As we have already mentioned the sound of the acoustic piano is difficult to reproduce, there are many reasons why from the construction to the way the pedals, wires and keys are designed within the piano. This design yields the rich sound that can not be duplicated by a digital device. Inside the piano there are damper pedal assemblies that press on the wires when the player depresses the pedals, this in turn creates a unique set of piano vibrations and sounds.

The digital piano is a computer that reproduces the pianos’ natural sounds. It is constructed using computer chips and speakers; although the higher quality models make a good effort at making their version of a reproduction, it is still just that a reproduction. It’s important to mention that the digital piano is imitating the acoustic piano, what does that mean to you? You may have heard the expression “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”, well what does that say for the acoustic piano? If you are looking for a keyboard that can be transported easily or a device that can be used to practice in privacy by using headphones, then the digital piano is an option. However remember that it can not compare with the musical quality of the acoustic piano. I hope this information has helped you study the differences between the 2 options, thus acoustic vs digital piano. If you are looking to buy a piano, do also consider your needs, think long term if you are serious and consider your budget.