Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange
Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
38
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6 answers

Are there any music programming languages from after the SuperCollider era?

The history of music and sound synthesis languages can be traced back to the Music N languages starting in the 1950s. You can trace the threads from there to a variety of languages that were developed in the 90s, including CSound, ChucK and…
N. Virgo
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How to turn any (pop) song into a jazz song?

Quite often there are pop songs wich get covered in a jazz style. These covers are seen from youtube to tv. Now I tried doing something like this, with for example Bad Day by Daniel Powter. It's basically a D-G-A chord progression (1-4-5), wich is…
usealbarazer
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9 answers

How high from the ground should the keyboard from a piano be?

When installing a digital piano, I have the freedom of vertically placing the entire piano at any height I want. But, I want to know what the ideal (preferred) height is. Is there a standard height?
Kriem
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38
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9 answers

Why is the lowest note on the piano an A?

I've always wondered why almost every piano's lowest note is an A. In fact, I've never seen a piano whose lowest note is not an A, and I have also noticed that this pattern only occurs in pianos; most keyboards I've seen have a C or a G as lowest…
Lee White
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What does this note - B# - mean?

I'm confused as to how I should play the second note below, B#. Does it mean it's C? It is possible? In which case, why is it written like this, and not just C? Sonata quasi una Fantasia, First movement (Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven, OP.27 No 2) --…
laurent
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How does your brain learn to play the piano two-handed?

As a new piano player I find the entire concept of doing two separate things at once massively challenging. Even when both parts are incredibly simple and I can sight-read both lines mentally easily, I start playing and my hands just "lock up". Even…
Mr. Boy
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4 answers

Rest above a note in a piano piece

I am playing a piece and wondering, what the heck is this rest doing here above this note? The piece is in 3/4, so I see no purpose in the 1/4 rest. I've been googling around but did not find any proper explanation. Most answers says that the piece…
Samuel
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9 answers

How do I use a metronome?

I am currently a beginner at the piano. I know using the metronome is important, but I I'm feeling reluctant to use it often, as it is difficult for me to get the music coordinated with the clicks. Is there any tips on how to get used to it?
iddober
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3 answers

Why is the bridge pickup on a Stratocaster angled?

I've always wondered why the bridge pickup of a Stratocaster was angled. Is it cosmetic, or does it make a difference in the sound?
Joe
38
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6 answers

B flat minor - the key of death ... seriously?

My music teacher always rambles on about B flat minor, endlessly repeating how it is the key of death and is therefore used in movies for death scenes. Alright, I understand that it is minor, no problem. I get that it has the most flats of all the…
Tim Hargreaves
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Finger Exercises for Piano when not playing

Are there any finger exercises I can perform even when I am not near a piano to improve my dexterity and strength of my fingers?
iddober
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Is there a broader term for instruments, like the gong, whose volume briefly increases after being sounded instead of immediately decaying?

For most instruments, their sound immediately begins to decay after they first sound. When you strike a piano key, for instance, the loudest sound is at the very beginning, after which the sound immediately dies out. But some instruments, like the…
Richard
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7 answers

How can I safely extend my vocal range?

What type of vocal exercises should I be looking for? Are there any temporary influences to the vocal range, like having had a drink?
Tamara Wijsman
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How to play songs that contain one guitar when we have two or more guitarists?

I am playing drums in an alternative punk band we just started. I am wondering how to play songs that basically are from bands that contain one guitarist, as we have two guitarists. What can be the best approach? Both playing the same, or at some…
BestAboutMe
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9 answers

Can wind instruments be played out of tune?

I believed that the trombone stands almost alone among wind instruments, in that it allows to play a continuous pitch range. The rest have a discrete set of possible notes (pitches), hence things are somewhat easier, in that (providing that the…
leonbloy
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