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1500 questions
18
votes
9 answers

Playing one hand loudly and the other quietly

I'm currently learning to play Comptine d'un autre été from Yann Tiersen (Sheet music(pdf) - youtube video) and when I play starting from the 13th bar I barely hear the notes my right hand plays. Obviously I should play my left hand less loud but…
Stormenet
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18
votes
6 answers

The same note on two staves

On rare occasions, I encounter the same note on two staves with overlapping durations. Attached is an example from an arragement of "The Long and Winding Road" by The Beatles (The note in question is the middle C). Is this a mistake, or should I act…
iddober
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18
votes
8 answers

Three notes on the violin?

Okay, I've been taking the rather unusual step of playing some violin scores on the mandolin (the tunings are the same, and they're about the same size, so they're usually pretty suitable parts). However, I found this score for the can-can online,…
AJFaraday
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18
votes
4 answers

Tips for background piano playing

I am playing background piano music at a dinner tonight. It is the first time I have done this and I wonder if there are guidelines on the order of pieces or if I can just wildly mix fast and slow, major and minor, jazz and classical. Also are there…
Bananach
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18
votes
3 answers

Why is my choir director telling a bunch of rednecks to drop their Rs as though they were Londoners?

I currently live in the American South, where every English speaker within a hundred miles speaks with a rhotic accent. Recently, I spent an afternoon with a local choir in practice, and was somewhat perturbed by the instructions given by the…
Nathan Tuggy
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18
votes
6 answers

When should falsetto be used for a male voice?

I'm really confused about the concept of a falsetto voice. As I understand it, past a point when I'm singing / talking, something in my vocal chords changes, I lose the "basey" sound of my voice, and with little to no effort, I can produce…
Blank
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18
votes
4 answers

Why use delay instead of reverb?

I've heard about uses of a short delay instead of reverb. When might this be better than the original effect? And what delay settings provide a reverb-like sound?
teodozjan
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18
votes
4 answers

Is playing an out-of-tune instrument damaging to the musical ear?

My piano is nearly 100 years old, and can no longer stay in tune. Repairing it would cost much more than the piano is worth, and I'm not ready to spring for a new one just yet. So for now I am stuck playing it. It's somewhat in tune with itself —…
user28
18
votes
4 answers

Are there References on Whistling Technique?

Are there any known references on professional whistling out there? I love to whistle, but I feel like it's not very pretty the way I do it and would like to learn from a professional the best way to do vibrato, increase my range, change registers…
Nate Glenn
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18
votes
1 answer

Do accidentals earlier in the measure affect a trill?

I was attempting to help someone understand all the markings in a piece with which they are unfamiliar. One, however, has given me pause: Now, I know the rule for a trill is that it ordinarily remains diatonic. If a chromatic trill is needed, an…
trlkly
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18
votes
8 answers

What scales are suitable for funk? Is there a funk scale?

I hope this question isn't too "noob"-ish for you guys (but hey I've gotta start somewhere). What scales are suitable for funk? Is there a funk scale, akin to the blues scale? I'm pretty sure the answer is no, seeing as Google doesn't turn up any…
Doctor Jones
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18
votes
6 answers

If a piano song contains a melody line, should this be removed if we add the singer?

A piano player and a singer would like to perform a song together. A piano player knows the song they like ("Memory" from "Cats - the Musical", to be precise). However it is a complete piano piece intended to sound alone, not just accompaniment…
h22
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18
votes
4 answers

How much digital piano polyphony is really needed for classical music?

I am looking for my very first piano to learn to play. I have only played a very little bit when I was a kid, and it was with a cheap acoustic upright piano at home. I'm not going to play professionally, but I love piano and good quality music, and…
texnic
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18
votes
2 answers

Music education audio lessons

I am currently learning to play the guitar, and that has sparked an interest in learning more about music in general. I would like to learn about music theory, ear training, history, musical styles and forms, ethnomusicology, and the like. When…
Brian Campbell
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18
votes
11 answers

How can I toughen up my fingertips?

Recently I played my acoustic guitar after a couple months of only playing my classical guitar. My fingers have softened considerably compared to when I was playing the acoustic regularly, and it was painful for the tips of my fingers on my left…
user28