The key lies in having consistency

The key to finding time to practice piano lies in balancing the responsibilities with piano practice. If you work out for a couple of hours on a single day of the week, it doesn’t help you. But if you can work out for 30 minutes five days a week it will make you stronger. If you are looking for steady results, you are going to need consistent habits. You will enjoy greater headway when you practice piano if you can take consistent efforts no matter how much time you can spend.

Establish a schedule

Nobody is going to give you the necessary time to practice piano. You will have to find the time yourself. Therefore, establish a schedule. You can set a timer for 30 minutes each day say after dinner. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? Otherwise, you can try and incorporate the piano practice time before your breakfast in the mornings. It can be perfect and consistent. After you play piano, you can move on with the rest of the day. As you have started with a creative and stress-relieving activity the day may turn out to be a great one. You can also use the lunch break, or early periods in the morning before the children wake up for practicing piano.

Develop a routine

This is similar to setting a schedule for practice time. Developing a routine for yourself is a useful strategy especially when you have limited time available for practice. If you are aware of what you will be practicing and for how long, it will become simpler to manage. In addition to that, you need to identify and isolate the things that create a skilled pianist. Developing and following a piano practice routine is a sure-fire way of achieving measurable success and targets during your progress. It will boost your confidence and raise your satisfaction level.

Get the entire family into it

When you are worried about spending family time on piano practice, just skip the worry and get the entire family involved in the endeavor. It is wonderful for the entire family to play music together and spend the time together as a single unit. In addition to this, you can let the family enjoy some of the fun aspects of playing the piano. You may get them motivated to start becoming serious about music more in their lives. You may end up having a family band.

One of the fastest ways of motivation loss when you practice piano is when you stress out during the practice and compare your skills with other popular musicians. Keep in mind that the key is in enjoying the sessions. You need to bring this feeling into playing the piano every time. These sessions should be like a game and not a daily chore. You may even end up becoming resentful of the instrument and even yourself. Avoid getting involved in this trap by not stressing out too much about these sessions. If you reside in Tampa and Brandon, FL area, and looking to buy a new piano, get in touch with Dave’s Piano Showroom for top services.

Picture Credit: Unsplash

The post How To Find The Right Balance To Practice Piano? appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Learning to play the piano later in life might sound to be a crazy idea. It certainly seems to be a daunting task especially when you always come across incredible stories of child prodigy and young pop stars. But it’s a myth and creates blocks in your subconscious mind stopping you from playing the piano. Most of us may wonder that we are too old to learn music and cannot match our favorite musicians. However, it’s never too late to study play piano and you will be surprised to know the benefits of piano practice are instantaneous.

Benefits of Learning Music Later in Life

It might be difficult to see any benefits of beginning music late in life. But surprisingly, there are several advantages of starting your piano practice at any stage of your life.

Most Musicians Achieve Success in Later Stages of Their Careers

There are numerous examples of musicians tasting success in later stages of their lives. Short-lived popularity through Spotify or YouTube might glorify the youth and their fans, but music is much beyond. For instance, artists like Bill Withers released his first album when he was 34. Bill never thought of pursuing a career till 30! Four years of hard work helped him release his first album. His story is inspiring for many who see age as a barrier to play piano or any other musical equipment.

You Have More Experience

At this stage of your life, you have more experience and enough clarity of your lifestyle and routine. You do have additional responsibilities too. But you have the experience of effectively managing your time. You probably know how important it is for you to include relaxing activities in your life now.

Also, when it comes to music, you have been listening to and see live performances for over the last decades. Thus, your idea of music is much better than a teen who has just started off listening or playing the piano. This knowledge provides you better focus when you practice and surety of what you wish to learn.

Another inspiring story is of the singer-songwriter Seasick Steve who achieved success at the age of 65. For decades he worked as a construction worker and did jobs which not many would prefer doing. But it was in 2006 when he got an opportunity to perform at the Jools’ Annual Hootenanny on New Year’s Eve. He was 65 and this event kicked off his music career. Both authenticities of his voice and success show the result of his experience and hard work.

Expressing Creativity Is Great at Any Stage of Your Life

You have heard about the expression saying “Music is timeless”. A universal language, music is a part of every culture and society. Everybody understands music and a C major chord is spelled the same irrespective of the place you live or the age you are.

Keep all such facts in mind and you will never feel tentative about starting to play the piano. The only thing that matters here is your desire to learn and your enthusiasm for the instrument. Music has been there before us and will stay after us. Hence, take the opportunity to become a part of the great human tradition of music.

Keep Everything In Perspective

Keeping things in perspective is important before starting to learn piano. Certainly, some musicians might have started to play the piano even before they learned to write. But that doesn’t mean you are behind or you should not give it a try to learn something you are so passionate about.

To get the best result from your practice sessions you need to have the right piano. If you are looking for one and confused about the best option suited to your needs, you can consult Dave’s Piano Showroom. They are based in Tampa Bay, FL, and have a range of pianos suiting every need or budget.

Picture Credit: Pexels

The post Learning To Play Piano Late In Life appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Sadly, limited inclusion of music in today’s general public-school curriculums has reduced the number of people having expertise and knowledge about the power, history, or depth of music. Additionally, this exclusion has robbed children of several key developmental strengths that come with music education.

Besides creating joy, strengthen your hand muscles, or improving your hand-eye coordination, there are several other benefits of learning piano or other musical instruments. Let’s look at some of the advantages of learning music.

Increases IQ & Boosts Academic Performance

Yes, it’s true! You will come across numerous texts and researches advocating that music can help in increasing IQ levels and helping you perform better in studies. It also has the power to instill a sense of self-confidence and achievement. Playing different instruments in groups helps you develop a healthier and more fulfilling social life.

Going through the Mozart Effect you will learn that listening to Mozart can boost spatial intelligence. As per research, playing piano exercises different parts of the brain leading to an increase in IQ levels in both adults and children. Another research suggests learning piano plays as an effective antidote to memory loss or multiple mental deteriorations among adults.

Music is a Universal Language

Music is regarded as a universal language as each culture or civilization has a form of musical expression. Several studies have shown a direct relationship between music and a child’s language development. It indicates that music helps them in learning to read, write and even socialize. Playing piano can increase brain activity and assist to learn foreign languages.

Improve Multi-Tasking Abilities

When learning piano, the most difficult part is to develop coordination between the left and right hands when reading the music sheets. With time and patience, you do master this skill which eventually means that you improve your ability to multi-task. It will help you in splitting your concentration and improving your hand coordination.

Generates Growth

Playing musical instruments supports having higher levels of human growth hormones. As per a study at the University of Miami, a group of people was tested for their keyboard lessons. The results showed that the entire group comparatively had increased energy levels which prevented them from issues like aches or pains. It meant that playing the piano can help in reducing your blood pressure, easing your heart health, strengthening your immune system, and contributing towards body repair and replenishing the same.

Leaves a Calming Effect

Music has the power to soothe your spirits. You may come across several metaphorical stories where music was used to tame a beast. In today’s times, music is believed to have the power to make you feel relaxed, less stressed, and take a break from crazy lifestyles.

Hence, without breaking any sweat you can reduce your stress. Experts have also concluded that it can lower blood pressure too. But to get the most from learning a piano, it is important to learn from experienced and qualified teachers. If you thinking of purchasing a new or a used piano contact Dave’s Piano Showroom to schedule an appointment with Dave. Dave’s Piano Showroom is the only technician owned and operated store serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Hernando and Manatee counties

Picture Credit: Freepik

The post Some Amazing Advantages of Learning Piano & Other Musical Instruments appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

1. Improves neuroplasticity: Neuroplasticity is the capability of your brain to recognize and form synaptic connections typically as a response to learning or treatment after injuries. In simple terms, this is the capability of your brain to convert to another form and function specifically for it when it is stimulated with physical activity. Playing the piano positively changes your brain. Studies indicate that music is responsible for stimulating the brain in a manner no other kind of activity can.

When you are playing a musical piece on a piano you are making additions to the brain in terms of neural connections. It primes the brain for other kinds of communication. Therefore, when you are thinking that you are only working on a difficult piece you are improving your attention span, memory, language, speech, math, and spatial skills, and also your capability to convey emotions vocally.

2. Improves hand-eye coordination: Piano playing needs you to have good hand-eye coordination. Research conducted recently suggests that a person playing piano changes the cortical mapping of his brain for increasing the finger speed. For people with lesser motoring skills, piano playing can challenge their brains for making newer connections and develop motor skills. It also helps kids and also the adults to improve hand-eye coordination later in life.

3. Greater stress relief: Studies indicate that piano playing is good for improving your mental health. People that play the piano are less likely to experience depression and anxiety than the non-musical counterparts. Playing the instrument just for a few minutes every day may improve your self-esteem and make you feel positive. It can also reduce your blood pressure. It is significant to note here that piano lessons are commonly used as a kind of therapy for ADD.

4. Good for split concentration: The split concentration is also termed as divided attention. It is an integral part of piano playing and helps in sharpening the concentration. For playing this instrument you are required to make use of both hands, read the music, work with pedals, and also listen to the notes you are playing on the machine. That is a lot you have to do all at once. If you can become adept at playing with split concentration you will find improvement in your multitasking abilities in the actual world away from the piano as well.

The wonderful part of playing the piano is that it is possible to share the event with family and friends. Music is one language that crosses all forbidding barriers such as ethnicity and age. It is also a great way of bringing together big communities and small groups of friends and families. If you want to buy a piano in the Tampa, FL area you can get in touch with the licensed firm Dave’s Piano Showroom for a reliable purchase.

Picture Credit: Freepik

The post Benefits Of Playing Piano On Your Brain appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Why Play Your Instrument Frequently

Typically, these instruments have a long lifespan. Abuse, not use, is what’s usually responsible for its deterioration. This is because the inner mechanism is very sensitive. This is what makes the engineering here so marvelous. Although its inner parts are sturdy and designed to withstand the test of time and the hardest blows your fingers can deliver, they must be in good condition to one another and overall for this to happen. Here’s a great reason to play your new piano as often as possible. By doing so you’ll appreciate its great craftsmanship and artistry.

Where to Place Your new Piano

As long as your home is well insulated, you can place your piano against any wall there. You don’t want to place it in direct sunlight or near an air vent though. Once there, try to keep your room between 72°F – 75°F. Keep the humidity in the room between 40% – 50%. This is important because excessive dryness or humidity will harm your instrument in several ways:

• Your soundboard and cabinet components will be damaged.
• The pinblock’s glue joints will grow weak.
• Rust will form on the strings.
• The soundboard and its active parts will swell making the keys sluggish and sticky.

No piano is immune to these issues. These things will result in costly repairs.

How to Move Your Instrument

Different types of pianos need to be moved differently. For instance:

• Vertical pianos with legs that aren’t attached to its main cabinet should be lifted off its front casters and rolled on its rear casters.
• Upright pianos with legs attached to a toe block can be rolled on all four casters.
• Grand pianos should be lifted and carried, not rolled.

Every piano is really heavy and could leave imprints on your floor. This is why you should have someone who’s qualified and bonded move it for you. Someone who’s inexperienced could use the wrong equipment and cause serious damage.

Tuning Your Instrument

You also need to tune your piano, which simply means bringing each string to its proper tension. With about 230 separate strings, each with 160 – 200 pounds of tension, this is a big job since each string must vibrate 440 cycles per second. Even if your piano is just ½ step below pitch you could be dealing with 3,000 – 5,000 pounds of tension. This is what technicians mean when they mention that your piano needs a “pitch raise.”

Now that you have a solid understanding of how to care for your new instrument, you should stop by Dave’s Piano Showroom. Here you’ll find a great choice of pianos to choose from, including one that will make a great new addition to your home.

Image credit: Hallet Davis

The post Getting a new Piano From Hallet Davis Piano appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

The great thing about music is that it is not only for anyone to enjoy but also for anyone to produce or play. Whether it is the piano, the guitar, or some other instrument, there is likely an instrument out there that you will enjoy learning and playing. Being able to play an instrument gives you yet another connection to this deep cultural institution and it allows you to not only make a deeper connection with music out there but can help in developing technical skills as well. Furthermore, you may find it to be a good method of relaxation or enjoyment, which many of us can use more of in our lives.

The power of music in the literature goes back to ancient times when in Greece, music had the power to heal via the concept of Harmonia. This central importance of music to that culture played an important role in its success and arguably the central role of music in today’s culture does the same for us. Government around the world have considered this reality in supporting music programs for children. A comprehensive program in the United Kingdom is one of the more prominent examples.

Amongst the benefits of learning to play an instrument like the piano or developing a better understanding of music are improvements in reading comprehension, improved spatial reasoning, and better concentration. In fact, playing music is correlated with a much larger set of positive mental abilities and skills and is especially profound in children who are still developing.

In terms of social development, music has the ability to increase confidence, self-esteem, relatability, and much more. Playing in a band or orchestra teaches discipline, teamwork, social skills, and reinforces mutual support mechanisms. Even when it comes to the mind and body, music can have a positive impact. It has been shown to increase hand-eye coordination, improve breathing, and even reduce depression and burnout.

The effects of music are far-reaching and likely encompass an even larger scale than is noted here. It can be a great development tool for children and adults alike and one which allows for a better harmony with society and culture in general. There are really very few reasons not to give playing an instrument a chance unless you truly do not enjoy it on any level, although that is likely a rarity. Music is grace and rhythm and in today’s hectic and go, go, go the world, many of us can use more of that. If you have never tried playing an instrument it is never too late to pick one up and give it a shot- it may just change your life.

Image Credit: allegralchaple0

The post The Importance of Music Education appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Playing music can help limit decline in cognitive function, something that is of particular concern in the elderly population (particularly with the increasing rates of Alzheimer’s disease and similar ailments). Even minor amounts of training have been shown to have an impact due to the positive role learning and playing instruments like the piano have on our synaptic plasticity. Our brains really are things that get better the more we use them and the complexity of learning to play an instrument can be a great training tool to keep our brains sharp. The dexterity, audible perception, and reading skills that are combined when playing music combine to make a great workout for the brain. In doing so, it keeps our plasticity higher than it might otherwise be.

When it comes to an instrument like the piano, with so many keys and the necessary hand movements to play it, a player’s dexterity can also improve. Because of this additional challenge for the hands and moving certain fingers which we may not otherwise move in that way outside of playing the instrument, piano has shown to help stroke patients retain finger movements. This is a great example of the benefit in motor skills that instruments afford us.

In addition to the impact on cognitive thinking abilities and motor skills, playing an instrument can also create challenges and in turn a sense of achievement for those who try. It can be a great social activity and help ward off depression and other mental illness. It may also be calming and help reduce stress as many other leisurely activities also do. Music is generally a very emotional experience for many people and it can help keep older people engaged and entertained.

It is never too late to pick up an instrument and try to learn playing it. There are many websites and videos online which can teach you to play whatever instrument you prefer (everything from piano to the clarinet to drums and beyond) at zero cost. It may have synergistic benefits for your health and wellness in the form of improvement cognitively, mentally, and in your motor skills. If you or someone you know has the time to pick up a new hobby, consider an instrument as it can be an additional challenge and quite an addition to one’s life.

Image credit: pahham

The post Music and Wellness appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.