Piano Musings

Got Winter Blues? Bonus Lesson 'Summer Oriole' will Warm You Up!

2012-01-28T09:59:00.000-08:00

Free improvisation - the term alone can intimidate students who have never tried it. But for pianist/composer and online teacher Edward Weiss, the term means freedom of expression and fun.

Weiss explains...

"The idea of sitting down at the piano and playing what you feel is such an alien idea for the majority of piano students. And I don't know or understand why. Especially since all it takes to do it are chords and some guidelines - both of which I provide in the lesson Summer Oriole."

Weiss has been teaching adults how to play New Age piano for over 10 years. The online course he runs now has over 140 lessons and 1100 members. Students pay a small monthly fee to access everything on the course. When asked why he teaches 'New Age' piano, Weiss elaborates:

"New Age piano is a very popular style of music. Millions around the world enjoy the beauty and relaxing effects it has to offer. But there was nothing as far as instruction goes - either online or off. I created a course where anyone who enjoys this style can go and learn how to play it without learning how to read music."

Weiss also adds:

“Most piano students assume they must learn how to read music before they attempt anything creative. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I encourage students to speak the language of music first through chords before learning how to read it.”

The free piano lesson 'Summer Oriole' can be found now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/summeroriole.pdf

The Man Who Sold New Age Music

2012-01-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

Remember Windham Hill? It was the preeminent New Age label back in the 80’s and 90’s. And Will Ackerman, former CEO of the first (and best) label for New Age music sold his beloved Windham Hill to BMG. And now, Sony owns it.

Ackerman made a lot of money off the deal. Many millions. But he also made good money (I hope) as CEO of Windham Hill. Which makes me wonder. ..

I wonder why someone who was so passionate about a style of music he literally coined, would sell the label - and along with it, pretty much the entire genre of New Age music.

You see, Windham Hill was a very respected label in the 1980‘s. Ackerman even signed George Winston - and we all know how successful he is. So why would someone abandon a growing genre of music?

According to Ackerman, he was overwhelmed with the administrative details. Understandable. Most ‘artistic types’ and Ackerman’s one of them, don’t like to attend to minutiae.

But why sell something you’ve worked so long and hard for to a conglomerate who not only failed to grow the genre of New Age music, but pretty much buried it and condemned it to an uncertain death?

Why not hand over the reins to someone who could grow and expand this beautiful, healing, and heartfelt style of music the world really hasn’t seen since classical impressionism?

It saddens and angers me when something like this happens.

I place the blame with Ackerman. Sure, he’s entitled to do what he wants and can sell and buy as his heart pleases. But when he sold Windham Hill, he also sold the idea of New Age music as something ‘not worthy’ of attention. Something that could be cast aside and bought out.

New Age music deserves better. Much better. I hope to change this as I write more and more about the genre of music that I love so much.

How to ‘Present’ Your Music to Others or Why You Should Never Apologize

2012-01-10T07:52:00.000-08:00

A present. Something you give or offer to someone as a gift. Does that sound like you playing your music for others?

Because that’s essentially what giving your music to others is - a gift. And you’d be amazed how many students belittle and try to degrade this gift by apologizing for it in the following way:

Saying it’s my first piece. This is like saying you really aren’t ready to perform or present your music to others either via concert or video. NEVER apologize for putting yourself out there! Even if it is your first piece. Why? Well for one thing, they don’t know it’s your first piece. For another, the unspoken message is it isn’t good. Both are unnecessary. Be bold. Be confident.

For example, if you make a mistake and it’s in your performance, NEVER apologize for it. Most won’t recognize it (especially in the New Age style) and even if they do, what’s important is how you ‘handle’ the mistake. Move forward boldly and act as if it’s nothing. Your audience will too. Unless it’s a huge flub. If that’s the case, you can redo it if you’re recording a video or audio. If you’re in concert and it happens (and it’s happened to me) take my advice and move on boldly.

Now that I’ve discussed the most common mistake newbie’s make when presenting their music, I’d like to talk about the ‘kind’ of artist you are. Why is this important? Because if you decide to market yourself and your music to the world, the world needs an easy way to categorize you and your music.

So, are you a ‘new age’ pianist? Or does ‘contemporary pianist’ sound better to you? Are you a ‘nature artist?’ If so, and if this is how you want to classify yourself, do it! But do it boldly and stand behind yourself with pride.

Take my word for it … people appreciate it when YOU believe in yourself. Need help with this? Listen to my ‘Affirmations for New Age Piano Playing' Mp3. It will help.

Two Ways to Learn Piano?

2011-12-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

I’ll never forget the time one of my college professors talked about types of learners. There are two I’d like to discuss here and they are the A to B learner and the one that learns in leaps and jumps.

The A to B learner, or linear learning for lack of a better term likes to progress from one point to another.

That is, they don’t want to learn anything new unless they get point A down. Then, it’s on to the next point.

These types of learners excel in science and math because these disciplines require a solid foundation based on previous knowledge. For instance, you really can’t do well in a physics course unless you already have a good understanding of basic math.

Then there are those of us who just don’t do well in an A to B world. I fall into this category and I suppose many ‘artistic’ types do as well.

Take music for example. You could actually learn how to play piano going from A to B. And most do. This is what is done in the classical music world. You start with the basics and slowly move from there. Note reading, pedagogy, technique … all are carefully planned out to produce a student who can recreate a piece of music with proficiency.

But … what if you have problems with this approach? What to do? Most teachers only teach a linear approach and this is fine when it comes to learning technique. Yet, for those who like to ‘play,’ growth can seem slow.

And this is where the term ‘leap’ really applies. Because while it seems as if the ‘leaps and jumps’ learner is getting nowhere by playing around, he really is growing and will probably leap right over his linear learning opposite. Why?

Because much IS going on at a subconscious level.

You may feel sometimes as if nothing is happening and that you aren’t growing. Not true. In fact, you probably have already progressed light years ahead of the A to B learner.

Darker Melodies for New Age Piano?

2011-12-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

A new student recently asked me about creating a 'darker' sound on the piano.

Traditionally, New Age piano is known for pleasant, consonant harmonies with very little or no dissonance. And that's the way it is for most New Age piano pieces.

Most of them are created in Major keys and stay there. But ... we can also create a 'darker' sound using something called 'modal' playing.

For example, in the video 'Gone, but Not Forgotten,' I use something called the Aeolian mode.

Based on the Aeolian scale, it's simply the white notes A to A. That is, if we start with a A minor chord and build our chords using this scale, we get a dark minor sound. This is also called 'tonality,' a very important concept in music because the sound you get is very much based on how you define it from the beginning.

Another way of looking at this is if you want a 'darker' sound, try playing around with some of the minor keys and modes.

In the video 'Gone, but Not Forgotten,' 3 chords are used ... A minor 7, F Major 7, and D minor 7. I use an ostinato pattern between the hands and improvise.

By the way ... in keeping with my philosphy of not trying to 'come up' with material, I created the music as I always do and then, came up with the title, i.e., I thought this music would work well for the picture and theme of the video!

How to Get Past Creative Blocks

2011-11-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

When I first began playing the piano and improvising, there were times when the music just wouldn't flow. No matter what I did, I couldn't make it go any further. Blocked and frustrated, I wondered why this happened. One minute I would be in flow and enjoying the process of playing the piano. The next, I would find myself trying to come up with material

I soon realized that the more I tried to "come up" with something, the more blocked I became. The solution to this particular problem is simple, yet many find it to be frustrating in itself.

The answer is simply to walk away. That's right! If you're playing the piano and it just won't come anymore, I suggest getting up and finding something else to do. Why? Because you can not force play! It's that simple. And that difficult because we want to get back into the "groove." But getting back to this place requires you to ease up a bit.

You see, the creative process is somewhat similar to meditation. Meditation can't be forced or willed into working. It must be allowed to work. So too the creative process. There are times when I won't touch the piano for weeks on end. This used to bother me until I saw that I needed time away - a regenerative period so to speak.

Natalie Goldberg of "Writing Down the Bones" fame describes this lackluster period as composting. Don't worry about losing your creative ability. You never lost it. Just give it time to compost and when you return to the music, you will hear something new and wonderful!

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

Piano Gardening? Nature and Music Meet at NewAgePianoLessons.com

2011-11-12T11:15:00.001-08:00

When ‘New Age’ pianist George Winston came out with his CD ‘December’ back in 1981, it was a new sound for the time. Quiet and contemplative, the music seemed to ring in the air and go nowhere. But it caught on and became popular. Something you wouldn’t think would have happened back in the 80’s when Madonna and Wham were all the rage.

Yet for reasons unknown, the New Age music scene died a quiet death shortly thereafter.

But now, New Age music is making a comeback. Thanks in no small part to the efforts of piano teacher and pianist Edward Weiss.

Weiss runs a website that teaches, you guessed it - New Age piano. And according to Weiss, the site keeps growing and currently has over 7500 subscribers.

Here’s what this ‘New Age’ pianist and teacher has to say about it:

“I’ve always loved music that tries to describe the natural world. New Age music is really the impressionist music of our time. Many adults would love to create in this style but think they can’t because they can’t improvise - a necessary requirement for New Age piano playing. But I teach a simple method that allows them to just sit down and play.”

The course Weiss teaches now has over 140 lessons and comes with a free workbook. Weiss, who also has a bestselling book on Amazon.com ’Free to be Creative at the Piano’ says he knew teaching New Age piano was what he wanted to do as soon as he was able to connect his digital piano to a computer some 10 years ago.

Weiss explains…

“Back in 2000 or so I tried to hook up my Roland digital piano to an old Dell computer. To my surprise, it worked and I’ve been teaching online ever since.”

A free piano lesson ‘Summer Morning’ and report ‘5 Secrets to Playing New Age Piano’ are currently being offered at Weiss’s website http://www.newagepianolessons.com/

Northern Lights? Nature and Music Meet at Quiescence Music

2011-11-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

Northern Lights ... that brilliant display of color one normally associates with arctic regions have been seen, in all places in Alabama. But that's not the only place these shimmering waves of light have occured.

People have reported seeing this amazing display in New York, Kentucy, and New Mexico. And that inspires New Age pianist and teacher Edward Weiss.

Weiss has been teaching and playing piano in the 'new age' style for over 15 years so when news broke of this rare natural phenomenon, he got out his keyboard and began composing.

Weiss has this to say about the composing process...

"When something inspires me, I take out a note pad and jot down just 2-bars of melody. That initial melody grows into a full composition. Composing this way has the benefit of allowing me to quickly pen the inspiration. It's than fleshed out more at home."

Northern Lights aren't the only things Weiss is inspired by though as evidenced by a list of the lessons he offers at his website. Titles like 'Coral Reef' and "October Sky' abound as students learn how to improvise and create their own unique new age piano creations.

Weiss remarks:

"I've always loved nature and piano music so combiing the two just seemed the thing to do. And now that I can do it, I have fun sharing what I know with others who enjoy this peaceful pastime."

The video can be viewed on YouTube at http://youtu.be/HyeG0uwMMcE

Stressed Out? Play New Age Piano!

2011-10-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

Stress … it affects us all. But it doesn’t have to put a damper on your creativity. At least that’s according to pianist/composer Edward Weiss. Weiss is also the webmaster and creator of NewAgePianoLessons.com - a website that teaches beginning adults how to play piano in the New Age style.

New Age music was extremely popular in the mid 1980’s and is making a big comeback now. When asked why this may be so, Weiss comments:

“I think people always used music to reduce stress. The great thing about New Age piano is that it’s also easy to create on your own.

By actually making music, students get the additional benefit of getting their creative juices flowing at the same time. It’s just a beautiful genre of music.”

The piano course offered at the website includes over 100 piano lessons and comes with a free workbook. Students sign up via paypal and pay a small monthly fee of $19 to access the lessons.

The course has been going strong for over a decade now has been praised by Grammy nominated pianist David Lanz.

Weiss, who also has written a book ‘Free to be Creative at the Piano’ offers his own unique philosophy on playing piano:

“I think many adults want to be able to go to the piano, sit down, and just play what they feel. But there aren’t many (if any) courses or lessons that teach this. Once I could easily do it myself, I wanted to share this beautiful style of music with the world by teaching others how to do it as well.”

Weiss is currently running a 'special' where prospective students can get over 140 New Age piano lessons for $19. A Free workbook is also provided. More information at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/#offer

Free Piano Sheet Music for You - October Air

2011-09-28T12:12:00.001-07:00

I'm giving a new lesson this Friday titled 'October Air' and I also had the music for this lesson transcribed into professional quality sheet music!

In this new lesson I explain the importance of melody and how by creating just a simple theme, the entire piece becomes recognizable -- regardless of the harmony used!

Meaning ... you can use simple diatonic harmony, i.e., Key of C Major to create with and the music will not sound like a harmonic wash. Not that there's anything wrong with a harmonic wash. :)

In the new lesson I'll show you how I created this step-by-step and how you can do it as well. Hint ... this entire piece is just an 8-bar phrase repeated twice!

In your new lesson, I lay it out for you and show you just how easy this is to do!

For the note readers among us, here is your free piano sheet music!

Quiescence Music membership expired? Resubscribe now and get instant access to over 140 cool New Age piano lessons plus the new lesson 'October Air' coming this Friday! Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/ to rejoin!

Affirmations for Piano Playing? Free Mp3 and Video Coming!

2011-09-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

Affirmations ... something you hold to be true and affirm. That's what they are. And a new Mp3 and video containing over 20 of them are coming to all QM members next week!

That's right! I've just written out 25 affirmations that will help you 'free' your piano playing up.

Now, you won't be hearing me say them (my voice is terrible) but I've hired a pro to record them for you over some soothing music.

I used to think affirmations were a waste of time. That is until I needed to change some deep seated beliefs about what I could or could not do at the piano. Anyway, I think these affirmations will benefit you in ways you may not even fathom now.

I worked with affirmations a whole lot in the beginning when I first started playing and noticed that I had a lot of the 'critical parent' voice in my head. The main one was 'I'm not good enough.' But, with patience and persistence, I overcame that incorrect belief.

Piano Therapy? Piano Teacher Edward Weiss has Novel Approach to Music Making

2011-08-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

Music … it has so many therapeutic uses. From a soothing background in hospitals to a relaxing ambiance in restaurants.

But the use of music as a healing agent isn’t anything new. It’s been around since people started making music thousands of years ago.

And now, pianist and teacher Edward Weiss wants to spread that message.

Weiss owns and operates a website that teaches beginning adults how to play New Age piano music. The site now boasts over 1000 subscribers and offers over 100 lessons teaching students from all over the world how to create their own healing sounds on the piano. Weiss remarks:

“Many adults just want to be able to sit down at the piano and connect with music on a personal level. The great thing about my method is no note reading or experience is required. Anyone who wants to play piano can do so. All that’s required is knowledge of a few chords and the willingness to try.”

Traditionally, piano lessons consist of a live teacher, a method book, and weekly visits that include back and forth trips on the highway. The Internet is changing all this as more and more are searching for what they want online.

Weiss, who also teaches privately has this to say…

“The Yellow Pages used to be the first thing prospective students reached for when thinking about taking piano lessons. Not anymore. Thanks to the Internet, anyone can find what they’re looking for. They can also find many non-traditional types of instruction that simply don’t exist in the brick and mortar world.”

Weiss is currently offering a 'Summer Sale' where prospective students can get over 100 New Age piano lessons for $19. A free workbook is also offered at Online Piano Lessons by Quiescence Music.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Harmony

2011-08-03T08:58:00.001-07:00

It was discovered centuries ago in Europe. Harmony that is and it’s ‘secrets.’ You see, someone discovered that a certain ‘tension’ exists between certain chords.

Especially between the Tonic and Dominant chords. In the Key of C Major, the Tonic would be C Major and the Dominant would be G Major.

Roman numerals were assigned to these chords and they are still used today. For example, the tonic chords would be written as l while the dominant would be notated as V.

Now that’s out of the way and we can focus on what’s really important here and that is THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHORDS!

Especially between the 1 and V chords. Classical composers used that very special relationship between these chords to create ’tension’ in their music. This is called ’functional harmony’ and it’s still being used today!

The other important chord in this equation is something called the sub-dominant chord. This is the lV chord and in the Key of C Major, this would be F Major. These chords … l - lV - and V comprise the backbone of 99% of western music. It’s called functional harmony because the chords function as tension and release - beginning and end.

Interesting isn’t it? Yet this is the most important thing you can learn when it comes to harmony. Learn the basic 3 chords in the Key of C Major and you’ve effectively stripped harmony down to it’s essentials.

Now, how that tension is used is where it gets really interesting! I’ve been using this in most of your lessons when I end an 8-bar phrase in the Key of C Major with a G Major chord.

You can add even more tension when you play the G major as a G7 chord. This ’seventh’ chord has the most tension in it and easily resolves into the tonic or C Major chord.

In your next lesson this Friday, I’m going to illustrate this so you can hear exactly what I’m talking about, and more importantly, how to use it in improvisations and compositions of your own!

Membership expired? Take advantage of my 'Summer Sale' now and get ready for a very cool and useful lesson!

Piano Lessons by Quiescence Music Announces ‘Summer Sale!’

2011-07-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing. And the online piano lessons site Quiescence Music is offering a ‘summer sale’ where prospective students can get over 100 piano lessons for $19.

The site, owned and operated by pianist/composer Edward Weiss teaches a style of piano playing known as ‘New Age.’ The New Age style has been around since the early 1980’s and has recently seen a resurgence in popularity.

Asked why this may be so, Weiss responds:

“I think people have always used music as a stress reducer. The style of piano playing I teach allows the beginning student to use a few chords to play what they feel right away. It’s a very therapeutic approach that offers much in the way of relaxation, but also creativity.”

Classical piano lessons have always been the style of choice for most people. Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart have left us so much beautiful music, but Weiss believes it’s much better if students can create on their own.

Weiss says…

“So many students have taken classical piano lessons and have left disappointed. I think that’s because there’s not much in the way of creative expression here. Plus, it can take years and years to even be able to play something well. My approach bypasses all that and give students the ability to just sit down and be at the piano.”

Weiss is currently offering a free piano lesson ‘Summer Morning’ and a free book ‘Free to be Creative at the Piano’ at his website Online Piano Lessons by Quiescence Music.

Piano Lessons - Are You a Sensitive Musician?

2011-07-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been told you were too ‘sensitive?’ I have. And not in a good way. For instance, my mother always used to tell me … “you’re so sensitive.”

Now, that little story relates to what I have to tell you about playing piano. And this is a good thing as Martha Stewart might say.

You see … being a ‘sensitive’ musician is where it’s at because when you play with sensitivity, it’s much easier for you to transmit your feeling. Whether you play for yourself and/or others, by playing with care, you are able to communicate much more subtly than the average musician who just sits down and ‘plunks out’ a tune.

Classical pianists have a jumpstart in this area. Most who teach this style emphasize and expect a sensitive ‘performance.’ But you don’t have to spend 4 years learning a Beethoven sonata to learn how to play like that. All it takes is the willingness to slow down and listen to yourself while you play.

Especially in the New Age style where every note ‘says something,’ it’s a good idea to reevaluate how you’re playing from time to time.

Now, I’m not saying you should spend all your time playing like a classical pianist. But if these students of Bach and Mozart have one thing to teach us as pianists, it’s that when you play as if each note counted, the music says more.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit now and get a FREE piano lesson and book!

New Lesson Coming Soon ... 'Animals in Snow'

2011-07-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

It's hot here in San Diego. Well, not as hot as it is in much of the U.S. but still, pretty sticky! So I decided to put together a 'cool' slide show with music from yours truly.

Actually, what you're listening to is just open position chords in the Key of C Major played over an 8-bar phrase. The phrase is repeated a few times and then the piece ends.

Remember when I said that by mastering the 8-bar phrase you'd be light-years ahead of most piano students? It's true because it can be used as a cornerstone for composition.

Anyway, I may record this as a lesson and give it out as a bonus. Stay tuned! And stay cool!

Your teacher,
Edward

Major Improvement Coming Tuesday!

2011-07-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the spammers have been at it - again. The QM student forums are now being used by those who think creating a profile will help them get hits to their website. Enough. I’m done with it.

But … I’m not giving up.

Here’s my idea. I’m going to open up the Yahoo Group ‘newagepianist’ (the one you’re already a member of) to posts. If you have a question for me or just want to start a discussion, you can. Of course, you can also email me privately but this will create a sense of community for all of us.

The great thing about Yahoo groups is you can choose how you would like to receive email. Here are your options:

Individual Email
The option to choose if you want to get each group message and special notice individually and immediately, as it is posted.

Daily Digest
The option to choose if you want to see all messages but limit the amount of email you receive. We'll compile an email of up to 25 messages and send daily (special notices too!).

Special Notices - Receive only important email notices from the group moderator.

Web Only - Don't get notified of the latest happenings. Read messages only on the web

To access and change options to suit your taste, just visit the group homepage at http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/newagepianist and click the ‘edit membership’ link at the top of the page. Scroll down a little and you can ‘tick’ off the option that best suits you.

I think this will work much better than the old forums. The change will go into effect on Tuesday, July 5, 2011.

Sincerely,
Edward Weiss
Quiescence Music

P.S. I’m going to be moderating all messages before they go out so you don’t have to worry about receiving spam.

P.P.S If you just want to receive notices from me, for example, when I post new lessons etc, just click the ‘special notices’ option.

New Piano Lesson Coming ... 'Summer Forest!'

2011-06-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

Summer's here. But higher temps and lackluster days does not mean you can't enjoy yourself at the piano! With that, I proudly introduce a 'sneak peek' of your next new lesson 'Summer Forest!'

Here you will learn how to create a very cool little composition in the Key of B flat Major. I'll show you how I did it and how you can compose your very own beautiful New Age piano compositions.

Look for it this Friday! Membership expired? Take advantage of my new Summer Special!

Meet Quiescence Music’s Official Mascot - Snowy

2011-06-09T09:02:00.001-07:00

You’ve seen him before. He makes an entrance in your free piano lesson Summer Morning at around the 5.45 mark.

This good looking creature is my cat Snowy. Got him over 12 years ago at my local San Diego ASPCA as a kitten.

Well, he’s all grown up now and ready to take the lead as Quiescence Music’s official mascot. Does he like New Age piano?

All I can tell you is that when I play, he sits right be me and starts his intense licking routine.

Conversely, he hates when the phone rings and really really hates closed doors. Can’t blame him for that since he thinks he owns the entire house.

Snowy’s official mascot duties include sales and promotion. Look for him soon as he makes the late night talk show circuit. Next stop … Craig Ferguson.

Yoga for Piano? ‘New Age’ Piano Lessons Soothe Stressed-Out Students

2011-06-05T11:08:00.001-07:00

Twisting, stretching, and holding a pose … that’s what yoga students do to tone and relax the body at the same time.

But piano teacher Edward Weiss doesn’t want all those benefits to go just to yoga students.

Weiss, a pianist, composer, and teacher has developed an online piano course where students can learn how to play something called ‘new age’ piano.

The ‘new age’ genre has been around since the early 1980’s and remains a legitimate style of music. Even the Grammy awards recognize it. So it’s no surprise that someone somewhere would create a place where those wanting to learn this style of music can go.

Weiss explains…

“I’ve always loved the sound of New Age piano and wanted to bring the benefits of playing in this style to as many people as possible. The great thing about this genre of music is that no note-reading is required and students can simply sit down at the piano, relax, and play what they feel at the same time.”

The course now has over 100 lessons and 1000 members. Students have access to videos, audio, and personal instruction from Weiss who charges a small monthly fee for access to everything on the site.

When asked what his ultimate goal is for students, Weiss responds:

“If someone can just walk over to their piano or keyboard, sit down, and just play what they are feeling, then I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do which is give people a way to relax, unwind, and get creative at the piano.”

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/ now and get a FREE piano lesson and book!

Doodle 4 Google Inspires New Age Piano Teacher

2011-05-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

Well, Google‘s done it again. And this time, it has nothing to with search - at least not directly.

Doodle for Google is a competition that, according to Google, is open to K-12 students of U.S. schools to create their own Google doodle inspired by the theme, "What I'd like to do someday..."

Serious art students may put down doodling as a non-productive art form, but not New Age piano teacher Edward Weiss.

Mr. Weiss, is the creator of an online piano course that teaches adults how to play New Age piano. He's been teaching online for over 10 years so when he saw all the coverage the 'Doodle for Google' competition was generating, he got inspired.

Here's what Mr. Weiss has to say about it:

"A lot of people see New Age piano playing as doodling without really creating anything. But I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, I encourage students to just have fun and play around with chords and piano keys. This 'musical doodling' has a high value in that as long as students are enjoying the process, they've succeeded.

The course Weiss teaches takes complete beginners from not knowing anything about how to play piano to being able to just sit down and play using a chord-based approach.

New Age pianist Weiss says:

"So many adults would just love to be able to play what they feel without having to read sheet music. My approach allows them to do this quickly and easily using something called open position chords. If people want to call it doodling, so be it."

When asked how doodling and New Age piano go together, Weiss responds:

"The beauty of the New Age piano style is that it's very reflective. Many people draw and doodle to get away from the worries and hassles of the day. New Age music is really no different in that students are able to just relax and play whatever's on their minds."

A free piano lesson ‘Summer Morning' and a free book ‘Free to be Creative at the Piano are currently being offered at Weiss's website at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/

The Road to Recording - Polish and Polish Again

2011-05-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I'm coming out with a new CD. The pieeces are all composed and I thought that was the hard part. But no.

The hard part (at least for me) is the polishing. You see, you can literally polish for months if not years and this can prevent you from actually recording the music - the last and final step. After that it's mastering which isn't really that hard.

I'm not a patient person. This has served me well is some areas (like getting things done) and poorly in other areas (like being realistic about waiting.)

I initially set a May 2011 release date but pushed it up to June 2011. Hopefully the CD will be available by then but I learned a lot from recording my first 2 CDs.

The first one, 'La Jolla Suite' was recorded live in concert. I had no idea that recording equipment had been set up for a concert I was about to play so that CD was literally done in one take. I'd already rehearsed the pieces to death so really no worries there. I made a few 'flubs' but none that I couldn't recover from.

My second CD 'Anza-Borrgeo Desert Suite' was also recorded in one take. I went to a studio here in San Diego to do that one.

Now, I'm recording at home and have all the time in the world to 'get it right' but if you know about my non-perfectionist philosophy, you know that I won't wait forever to get it done. Nothing is perfect.

So ... back to polishing and hopefully, I'll have some new music for you soon!

Painting with Sound - A New Approach!

2011-04-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched an artist demonstrate how they create a painting? If not, you’re missing something wonderful … how to go from nothing to something.

How to create beauty where before there was only blank canvas.

Let’s take a landscape artist as an example and assume the subject has already been chosen - a peaceful woodland scene.

Now, how does the artist go about capturing this idea? Easy! They have a working method already in place! In art, the background is usually composed first. Foreground details are added in later. We can apply this same concept to music as well; specifically New Age piano. You see, we can also lay in the background and set the mood for the entire piece of music. And the best part about this is it’s quite easy to do.

For example, in Lesson 131: “Watercolors” you learn how to use chords to color in the background. We use chords, time, and 2, 4, or 8-bar phrases to accomplish this.

Once we have our harmonic background, we can add in more colors with a right hand improvisation. This is the technique George Winston uses in much of his early work. A left hand pattern lays in the “wash” so to speak, while the right hand creates a lovely melodic foreground. Why this isn’t taught by most piano teachers is a mystery to me. Especially since the use of this technique gives immediate satisfaction.

Entire pieces of music have been and are created using this technique. All we need to know are the chords and when the chord changes occur. This is done by placing the chord symbols on something called a chart. The chart is simply bars of music drawn out that indicate when you change chords. The cool thing about creating harmonic backgrounds is you don’t have to chart out more than 8-bars to create your musical canvas.

Even 2-bars is enough. Why? Because once you have the chord progression down, you simply keep playing it over and over. Eventually, this will get monotonous. But if we wanted to, we can add in a new harmonic background and keep the piece of music fresh!

Recommended Listening: Rebecca Oswald - New Leaf

2011-04-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a new video by pianist/composer Rebecca Oswald. What I love about this one is not just the theme (which is beautiful) but the compositional structure.

Here we have something called compound ABA form which can be written out like this: aba- cd-aba. Many variations of this can also be used.

Rebecca not only writes for piano but for orchestra as well! Find out more at her website http://www.rebeccaoswald.com/

Recommended Site: Mainly Piano

2011-03-22T10:29:00.001-07:00

The site 'Mainly Piano' is run by Kathy Parsons. Kathy has been interviewing New Age pianists for as long as I can remember.

All the names you can possibly think of that are involved in this genre - they're there. Including myself.

But the site is much more than just interviews. Kathy is a piano teacher and reviews New Age piano music CD's. And along with myself and a few others, helps keep this genre of music breathing - admittedly at a slow rate right now in the year 2011, but still alive.

Kathy also holds 'house concerts' in her home featuring many New Age pianists - some you may even be familiar with.

All in all, a fantastic site filled with many resources. Find Kathy's site at http://www.mainlypiano.com

Move Over Classical Piano lessons, New Age a Hit for Spring

2011-03-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

When most people think of taking piano lessons, the names Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart spring to mind. But not anymore. At least that’s according to Edward Weiss.

Weiss is a pianist, composer, and webmaster of NewAgePianoLessons.com - an online site that teaches, you guessed it, New Age piano.

When asked why he teaches piano in this style, Weiss responds:

“It’s a very freeing style. You don’t have to read music. You don’t have to spend years playing the ’masters.’ The whole idea is to just learn a few chords and then jump in and improvise. Something I’ve always wanted to do and now that I can, I enjoy teaching others how to do it.”

The course Weiss teaches now has over 1000 members and keeps growing at a steady pace. Students receive over 100 New Age piano lessons when signing up and also receive a free workbook.

When asked why he thinks so many people want to learn this style of piano playing now, Weiss says:

“I think people just get tired of playing other people’s music - no matter how good. They want to create on their own and the New Age style helps them do just that.”

Weiss is currently offering a free piano lesson and book at his website http://www.NewAgePianoLessons.com

Free Piano Sheet Music - Coral Reef

2011-03-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a piece of sheet music I had done professionally. I took it off of my main sheet music site because (actually, I forget why) but just rediscovered it in my .pdf files.

This is actually an exact note for note version of your Lesson 12 'Coral Reef' so for you note-readers out there, you're gonna like this.

Here's a description:

Take a magical underwater journey! Coral Reef uses broken chords in both hands to create a luscious and beautiful excursion beneath the sea.

Playing level: Intermediate
Key: A aeolian
Composer: Edward Weiss
Pages: 3
Format: PDF file

Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/coral1.pdf now to access.

Banned from Piano World

2011-03-07T13:47:00.001-08:00

Well, it finally happened. I was banned from Piano World. Many didn't like what I had to say about the topic 'Piano Masterclass - Helpful or Absurd' so when enough people complained - they pulled the plug on me.

Which is fine by me I guess.

I never really fit in there, but like others, used the forum to fill spare time and fight boredom.

But now they can have an environment that contains little or no diversity. It's all classical all the time. Which is strange since the name of the forums is 'Piano World.'

I have nothing against the owner, Frank Baxter, but some of the moderators over there are nothing but errand boys sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill. :)

Cowards really as I never broke any forum 'rules.' The only thing I did 'wrong' was to have a strong opinion. The opinion of someone who has discovered and approachd music a completely different way then what most are used to.

But live and let live I say.

If any of you are members over there, say hi for me. :)

P.S. Just noticed that the errand boy Kreisler posted a link to this blog. Good little errand boy. Your grocery clerks are now appeased. Thanks for the traffic by the way. :)

Piano Masterclass - Helpful or Absurd?

2011-03-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

Here we have something called a piano 'masterclass.' As you may have guessed, it's given by someone highly respected in the field. In this case, the 'master' is trying to help the student.

Watch the video and you'll see this teacher stop the student and explain how to play something. But what's absurd here is that if the student takes the advice, he ends up playing ... wait for it ... someone elses music someone else's way. If that's not absurd, I don't know what is.

Now, if you're into all that is classical piano, you'll probably have a different viewpoint. Let's hear it. :)

New Age Piano and Pedaling

2011-02-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

There are 3 pedals on most pianos. The one on the left dampens the strings and makes the sound come out softer. The one in the middle - I have no idea what that one does, but the one on the right - the sustain pedal - this one is the pedal I have my foot on when I play the piano.

I like to let the tones ring out, but if I keep the sustain pedal depressed for too long, the music turns into a mud puddle - hundreds of overtones coming out everywhere. Don't let anyone tell you that there is a proper way to pedal the piano.

Each style of music uses the sustain pedal differently. New age music, fortunately for us, is much more liberal with its use. Why? Because we usually throw the pedal "rules" out the window. The key to pedaling is to listen for the sound YOU WANT then pedal accordingly.

How do you think the great pianists and composers of the past did it? Do you think they asked themselves, "well maybe I should pedal here?" Of course not. They put pedal marks down where they themselves used it in a piece. You should do the same.

There's nothing like the ringing sound of overtones you get when you let the notes hang in mid-air. In fact, this is one of the charms of the piano - that mysterious echo barely discernible to the untrained ear, but there nevertheless providing warmth and realism to the music.

It's all accomplished through the use of the sustain pedal. When you want your music to breathe, use it. Experiment with it. Don't be afraid to keep it depressed for as long as you want to. For more information on how to use the piano's pedals see this WikiHow article.

Got Piano News? Examiner.com Approves Edward Weiss as National Piano Writer

2011-02-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

Well known composer and pianist, Edward Weiss, has been approved as a national writer for the online multimedia publication, Examiner.com. Weiss will be featured in the Arts & Entertainment section of the publication’s national edition.

“I’m very pleased to be chosen as a writer for such a prestigious publication,” said Weiss. “The Examiner.com has very high editorial standards and I’m proud to have been selected.”

Writing for the Examiner.com is another brightly colored feather in Weiss’s cap. Weiss is a composer, pianist and recording artist of New Age music. He’s also a teacher of 15 years, providing private lessons and group instruction. Weiss is the author of several books on the art of playing New Age piano and the originator of Paiku, an art form he developed that’s comprised of short piano improvisations of two minutes or less.

Weiss is the owner of Quiescence Music and the creator of a unique New Age piano course. His instructional methods teach people of all ages how to play New Age piano music through lessons delivered online. His course is the only one of its kind available and is endorsed by Grammy award winning composers.

The Examiner.com is owned by the Anschutz Company, a division of the Clarity Media Group. Launched in April 2008 in 60 cities, the publication now serves hundreds of markets in the U.S. and Canada. The online publication distributes news, information and entertainment to a national and local audience, and is the inside source for everything local.

Examiner.com covers a wide range of topics that include arts and entertainment, business and finance, and careers and workplace. The publication also covers topics that include fashion, green living, politics, religion, health, pets, society and recreation.

The award-winning publication represents one of the largest information pools in the world and receives 14 million visitors per month. It’s one of the fastest growing websites in the U.S., featuring over 3,000 new and original articles per day. The online publication adheres to the highest ethical and journalistic standards to deliver the news that is important to its readers.

More information about the Examiner.com can be found at http://www.examiner.com/piano-in-national/edward-weiss.

For more information about Weiss and his New Age online piano course, visit his website at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/

Piano Lessons By Quiescence Music Passes 1,000 Subscribers Mark

2011-02-08T08:42:00.001-08:00

One of the most popular learn-at-home courses available online is Edward Weiss 's Piano Lessons by Quiescence Music. In just a few short years, Weiss has amassed over 1,000 subscribers to his non-traditional method of learning to play the piano.

“My method is extremely popular since it doesn't involve long hours of practicing scales and arranging student's schedules around inconvenient lessons," said Weiss. “Students can access the lessons whenever it's convenient for them, any time of the day or night."

The well-known pianist and composer has been instructing students in how to play New Age piano for over 15 years. An author and composer, Weiss now gives group lessons and works with private students.

Through Piano Lessons by Quiescence Music, people of all ages can learn how to play piano in the New Age style. His New Age piano course makes a radical departure from traditional methods of learning to play the piano. Courses are offered entirely online and students can be playing their own New Age musical creations in just a few hours.

The system is the only one of its kind for piano currently available. It's endorsed by Grammy nominated New Age pianist, David Lanz, considered by many to be the originator of New Age Music. His album, “Cristofori's Dream," was number one on Billboard's New Age chart for 27 weeks and went platinum.

Weiss's course walks students step-by-step through the process of learning to play New Age piano music. The course includes examples, videos and easy to understand instruction that can quickly be put into practical application. His methods are easy to implement, allowing students to begin composing their own music in a very short time. Students also receive Weiss's 342-page book, “Free to be Creative at the Piano."

Those who wish to sign up for the course can do so for just $19 and take a month to examine, explore and experiment with the system. Individuals who want to learn more can continue their lessons on a monthly basis. Anyone who decides not to pursue their musical endeavors can cancel and owe nothing more. Students who sign up now will also receive Weiss's book, “New Age Piano Made Easy."

Edward Weiss's Piano Lessons by Quiescence Music provides anyone with the means to learn New Age piano quickly and easily. In a busy society, Weiss's music lessons offer a convenient way of learning to make New Age music, known for its healing and stress-relieving abilities, without years of practice and expensive music instructors.

For more information about Weiss's New Age piano course, visit the website at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/

Recommended Listening - Jane Leslie: "Southampton Sunset"

2011-02-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

A couple things I like about this one. First, there's melody. So many 'New Age' piano compositions disregard melody in favor of textures. As I've mentioned many times before, I love that style as well, but why leave out the most memorable thing music has to offer? Melody will stay with you far longer than mere whisps of texture.

Another thing I like about this is 'how' she plays - with sensitivity and artistry. Notice too how the theme is developed through various repetitions. Nothing complicated here. Just a nice melody harmonized and then performed well. Learn more about Jane at her website http://janelesliemusic.com/_/Home.html

Recommended Site: The New Age Music Circle

2011-01-24T08:38:00.001-08:00

I discovered this site after plugging in the term 'new age music' into Google. And I was happy to have found it!

Here, everything really is 'New Age' so to speak. Flutes, nature sounds, piano, and any other kind of instrument you can think of that creates soothing music.

Actually, this is a 'Ning" site. Ning developed social networking platforms for webmasters to use. And Suzanne Doucett, the webmaster for this site, has used it to really good advantage.

I've posted a number of articles here along with various videos.

If you're into New Age music as a whole, this site is a must visit! Find the site at http://newagemusik.ning.com/

Edward Weiss Develops ‘Paiku’ – A New Piano Improvisation Technique

2011-01-16T12:43:00.000-08:00

Here's a press release on my idea for creating short piano improvs or paiku!

Teacher, author and composer Edward Weiss has come up with a novel and intriguing method for helping his students learn the joys of musical improvisation (or improv for short) on the piano.

He’s christened it Paiku – a fusion of the word piano and the Japanese poetic art of haiku. A haiku is a short poem about a present moment experience. So a Paiku is the exact same thing, only for music.

So, how exactly is Paiku played?

Paiku is a short piano piece using no more than 3 chords and lasting no longer than 2 minutes. Edward states his this compositional method allows his students to easily grasp the concept of piano improv, while at the same time creating hauntingly beautiful music in a very short period of time. And Ed says even rank beginners can master this skill with just a few days of practice.

Here’s how Edward says it’s done:

“First, all we do is choose a key to play in. This can be anything from a Major chord to a minor modal. If you don’t have a key in mind, no problem. Let yourself go and choose one just by playing around on the piano keyboard, allowing your inner spirit in helping you find the right sound.

“Second, begin improvising right away by using the first chord. For example, let’s say Isit down at the piano and like the idea of playing something in E Major. I reach for an E Major 7 chord and this begins the improvisation.

“Last but not least, you’re only allowed 3 chords to play with." Ed’s main point is this: Keep it simple so you can focus on the improvisation and stay in the present.

By the way ... members have full access to the entire video. Membership expired? Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/ now to rejoin and get instant access to 'Koi Pond!'

Recommended Listening: The Phrygian Mode

2011-01-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

Thought this was interesting. Especially since she's using an open position chord in the left hand. Modes are pretty cool as they give you 'new' sounds. On the white keys, E to E is called the Phrygian mode and has a somewhat mysterious sound to it.

She's playing two 'shell chords' in the left hand (E minor and A minor without the third) and improvises a melody in the right using the tones from the Phrygian scale.

Actually, I think I'll show you how to really get some cool modal sounds in my next lesson coming soon! :) Membership expired or want to join? Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/#offer to take advantage of my New Year's special!

Recommended Listening: Amber Waves by Chuck Brown

2011-01-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

I liked this one immediately. Love the harmonies used here. But what I'd like for you to 'get' in this one is how Chuck uses repetition and contrast to create his music.

The piece begins with some nice chords and a bit of melody - yet this is plenty to create a 'theme.' A theme Chuck returns to again and again. Contrast is introduced and a (B) section makes it's appearance. Actually, if I were to 'chart out' this composition, it might look like this: ABABA.

Chuck Brown has some very nice sites. Visit http://freesolopiano.com/ now to see one I really like!

Recommended Listening: Siren - Louis Landon

2010-12-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a good example of a left-hand ostinato pattern and right hand improvisation. Louis gets the left hand down and plays all kinds of nice arpeggios in the right.

Notice how he uses contrast to alleviate the 'boredom' that occurs if too much repetition is involved. Nothing complicated. Just some nice melodic contrast and then a return again to the original 'idea.'

Louis is a 'Whisperings' artist and performs regularly. More info at his website http://www.louislandon.com

Happy Holidays from Quiescence Music

2010-12-26T10:06:00.001-08:00

Dear Quiescence Music student,

Just wanted to wish you a very happy holiday season. 2011 is almost upon us and I have a feeling it's going to be better than 2010 - hopefully! :)

Also, I want to thank you for being one of my online students. It's people like you that make what I do worthwhile. Actually, it's people like you that allow me to share New Age piano with the world so ... thanks!

My warmest wishes,
Edward Weiss

Recommended Listening: Solomon Keal - Peace of Heaven

2010-12-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

I liked this one right away. Solomon opens the piece with a simple melody in the right hand and a crossover pattern in the left. This goes on for some time and then contrast is introduced as a descending arpeggio in the right hand.

Now, what makes this piece so interesting to me is that a very simple melody and a judicious use of material makes for a compelling musical experience. Nothing complicated here - just some very nice music played beautifully.

This is a good example of how a composer uses the principles of repetition and contrast. Watch and learn. Learn more about Solomon - visit his site at http://www.solomonkeal.com

Recommended Listening: Emily Bear - Northern Lights

2010-12-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

This one's just amazing. Why? Because the pianist/composer you're listening to here was 7 years old when she composed this. Watch the right hand as it creates the mood for the entire piece right away! A quick little ostinato pattern is played in the right while she adds in a bass melody.

But she's not done here. Contrast is introduced now as the left hand gets the ostinato pattern. She returns to a 'modified' version of her original idea a bit later.

If I hadn't known she was 7, I'd think this was done by a mature adult. As I said before ... amazing! Find Emily's website at http://emilybear.com/index2.html

Recommended Listening - Joe Bongiorno - Beyond Forever

2010-12-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

This one's interesting. First thing I noticed with this one is the 'tremelo' in the right hand. Do you see what Joe is doing here? Tremelo is a technique where the fingers rapidly move back and forth creating a kind of sustaining sound. And while this is going on, an arpeggio in the left hand.

Actually, you never hear tremelo being used in most New Age piano music. I know George Winston used it for one of his piano pieces (forget which one) to good affect.

Joe has a recording studio in Seattle where he records and gives piano concerts usually featuring Whisperings artists. Find Joe's site at http://www.joebongiorno.com/

Your Piano Music Featured on Piano Musings!

2010-12-07T12:29:00.001-08:00

If you've been reading this blog you know I like to feature New Age piano music via YouTube. But lately, it's getting harder to find videos with people playing piano in the New Age style.

Which brings me to the point of this blog post. Would you like to be featured on Piano Musings? If so, let me know via my email at edward.weiss@yahoo.com

If you're one of my students and want to be featured all the better! And if you're not, no worries. Just send me an email with the url to one of your YouTube videos and I'll take it from there.

If your video is selected, I'll feature it on this blog along with a write up about it (don't worry - it'll be positive.)

I'll also distribute the post and ping it to many social networking sites so you'll get a lot of exposure!

This is a great opportunity to have your music seen by a lot of people. Take advantage of it.

Recommended Listening - When the Evening Fades

2010-11-29T12:10:00.001-08:00

It never fails to amaze me ... more and more New Age piano music coming out. And as I surf the net I occasionally come across pianists I really like - and want to share with others.

John Kramer is such a pianist. His CD 'When the Evening Fades' is something special Very 'Winstonesque,' this one has what I call the 'x factor,' that quality you know is there but can't quite put a finger on.

What really blew me away when I first checked into John and his music is how young he is compared to the emotional maturity of the music.

You can listen to tracks and purchase the CD at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BO8FQW?ie=UTF8&seller=A18QML44I1JZCE

John also has a website where you can learn more about him and his music at http://www.johnkraemermusic.com

Enjoy the music!

Help Me Name my New CD - And Win a Free Month of Lessons!

2010-11-16T14:47:00.001-08:00

Well, things are moving along nicely now as far as composing the music for my new CD. Problem is, I need a great title to go along with the music.

The CD will be a combo of nature sounds and piano music - my 2 favorite things!

I'd like to have the word 'Forest' in the title so if you come up with something, be sure to include that.

Here's what I have so far...

"Forest Moods," "Forest Dreams,"
"Quiet Forest," "Forest Rain," "Autumn Forest"

Out of these, I like 'Forest Rain' the best.

By the way, 'Forest Piano' is already taken by another composer. :) If I like a title and use it, I'll let you know and you'll recieve a FREE month of lessons and a free CD when it comes out - hopefully by or sooner than April 2011.

P.S. Please post your suggestions in the 'Comments' section below. Just click the link.

Learning About Improvisation from a Harpist?

2010-11-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

Yes ... a harpist. And why not? It's a harmony producing instrument just like piano. The following is from an article on how to improvise for the Celtic Harp. I wanted you to see this because it's just as applicable for piano. Here's the article...

Learning to create a music improvisation on the Celtic harp is really easy. Not only that, but it is a skill that improves so many other areas of your harp playing. Here's an overview of what the simple practice of music improvisation can do for you:

~ Allow you to play anywhere, anytime, without music
~ Generate ideas you can use in arranging
~ Generate ideas you can use in composing your own music
~ Free you to respond completely to the person you're playing for
~ Allow you to play with many other musicians easily
~ Make playing the Celtic harp way more fun and easy
~ Teach you to be flexible and adapatable in life

There is a reason that music improvisation seems out of reach to many. Because of musical experiences in life that left us less than sure of our abilities and a culture that worships the few star musicians in any genre, most adult musicians (and especially beginners) believe they can't create their own music. They believe that music is a language understood only by a gifted few, and that it's too mysterious for those of us not born prodigies.

It isn't easy to discard a belief like that, so for now I won't ask you to. I'll simply ask you to set it aside, on a shelf in your mind somewhere, and just be willing to play and expeiment for yourself. It will get easier and easier; I promise! Ready? Click here to read the rest of this article.

Recommended Listening - Serenity by Roy Todd

2010-11-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting one. I just discovered this music and wanted to share. What I like about it is how 'unrushed' it is. Yet it still conveys a compelling emotional experience. The tempo is slow but the playing is sublime! A good lesson to take away from this one is you don't have to play 'a lot of notes' to convey emotion and feeling.

Roy is from the UK! Visit his site at http://roytoddmusic.co.uk

Recommended Listening - Marias River Breakdown by Phillip Aaberg

2010-10-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here's one of my favorite 'new age' piano composers. And the guy who inspired George Winston to create his minimalistic sound. This piece is an excellent example of how much music can be created using a simple ostinato pattern. Listen how he subtlely changes tempo and phrasing but keeps that pattern going.

Aaberg used to record for the Windham Hill label and released 'High Plains' in 1990. The track Marias River Breakdown is from this CD. If you like the music playing here, the rest of the album is just as good! Highly recommended.

-- Edward

New Age Piano and YouTube!

2010-10-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

I use YouTube and video marketing to draw more people into the New Age style of piano playing. It's a great tool because people who may have never been exposed to this piano music can get a chance to see and hear it. Having said that, the music in this short video is composed in the Key of G Major and uses 4 chords. Once again, 8-bar phrases are used to create a 'quick sketch' of feelings.

If you like this video please share it by clicking one of the social network buttons below. You can share on Facebook and Twitter!

Nature Sounds and New Age Piano

2010-10-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a new video I just put together. I created it using a program called Audacity. It allows you to mix nature sounds and anything else you want into one file. It's not the 'best' program on the market, but it's free and you can't argue with that.

Anyway, one of my favorite things to do is create mini 'nature cards' so to speak. It's quite easy to do. You simply find a photo or picture you like and add music to it. I use Windows movie maker and only use the easiest settings to accomplish this.

If you like nature and music as much as I, give it a try!

Meet Pianist/Composer Edward Weiss

2010-09-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a video I shot - yesterday actually. It's just me walking through my favorite part of San Diego - Balboa park. It's adjacent to the San Diego zoo so I get the best of both worlds. One of the coolest things here is the artists center. Here there are over 30 different artists all practicing their craft.

In this video I take you on a 'tour' of Balboa park and explain how I got into New Age piano and my teaching philosophy.

Recommended Listening 'Goodbye Waltz'by Laura McMillan

2010-09-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog for some time, you know I like to feature different 'New Age' pianists from time to time. I just stumbled upon this video and I really like it. Watch her left hand and see how much 'sound' you can get by creating a bass-chord pattern like she does.

But don't forget about the melody! A really nice one here. Simple yet profound enough to create an emotional response. I hope you enjoy Laura's music as much as I. Laura's website is at http://perhapspiano.com

-- Edward

Exciting New Videos: Boot Camp for Clumsy Piano Fingers!

2010-09-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

You have been invited to participate in a ground floor release of an exciting new videoseries that will help your hands and fingers finally cooperate with you on the piano!

Just for clarification up front...this special invite is absolutely free.

I've introduced you to my friend and colleague in the past - her name is Lisa Steeple and she has shared with me an exciting new program that will Get rid of Clumsy Fingers Forever!

This series is for anyone playing the piano - and it doesn't matter if it's with me, or with someone else, or if you're just tinkering around on the keys for fun...

This is for anyone who wants to get rid of that clumsy, awkward feeling and finally get your hands and fingers moving the way you ask them to! No more clumsy or awkward movements! Banish those long pauses in the middle of your songs, switch between chords easily, locate keys instantly, and keep your rhythm perfect!

Lisa calls this "Boot Camp for Clumsy Piano Fingers" and she's agreed to invite not only her students, but mine as well to participate in free pre-camp membership! This is definitely an opportunity worth your while.

Check it out here: http://clumsypianofingers.com/edwards-students I'm sure you won't be disappointed...and if you are, what have you got to lose? This is completely free!

P.S. Say hello to Lisa for me.

15 Ways to Improvise a C Chord in Your Left Hand!

2010-09-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

Thought this was interesting. Here we have someone playing various 'patterns' using, for the most part, the crossover technique. If I were doing this, I probably would have identified each one by name. Actually, now that I think about it, I just might do something like this!

By the way, the pianist hear is also playing bass-chord technique among others. :)

Recommended Listening - Wayne Gratz - Birds in Flight

2010-08-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Just took a listen to this one and wanted to share. This music video is a perfect example of what I like - feeling behind the notes. In much New Age piano music, you have people playing technically well, but it really doesn't do much for you.

It all has to do with you! You see, if you're not present, if your mind is somewhere else, it will register in the music. It's an instant transmission of feeling in the present. Which is why some people 'have it' and some don't. This isn't to say those who don't 'have it' can't, it's just that they need to really get an idea of being able to stay in the present with the music.

Wayne Gratz gets it. But, that's just me. :)

A Vegetable Orchestra? You Better Believe It!

2010-08-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Thought this was interesting. And a little 'new agey' if you ask me. Playing and creating music using nothing but veggies! Tasty and useful, this orchestra is amazing in that the innovation required to do this is high. Not to mention skill!

I've never played a radish or fingered a carrot, but these people have no problem with it! :)

New Age Piano Tricks - Chord Structures

2010-08-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting little tutorial. Guess what chord structure he's using here? Open position - only he's using a different voicing then what you play in your workbook. Like the sound? I do. The only thing here is he's going to fast and the playing is sloppy.

But what you want to take away from this is the 'sound' he gets using this particular arrangement.

Musician Edward Weiss Develops ‘Paiku’ – A New Piano Improvisation Technique

2010-08-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Teacher, author and composer Edward Weiss has come up with a novel and intriguing method for helping his students learn the joys of musical improvisation (or improv for short) on the piano.

He’s christened it Paiku – a fusion of the word piano and the Japanese poetic art of haiku. A haiku is a short poem about a present moment experience. So a Paiku is the exact same thing, only for music.

So, how exactly is Paiku played?

Paiku is a short piano piece using no more than 3 chords and lasting no longer than 2 minutes. Edward states his this compositional method allows his students to easily grasp the concept of piano improv, while at the same time creating hauntingly beautiful music in a very short period of time. And Ed says even rank beginners can master this skill with just a few days of practice.

Composing Music For More Than 14 Years

For well over a decade this musician has been in the forefront of the style called New Age Music, melodies combining the free form strains of the 60’s “Age of Aquarius” movement with underlying tones of classical cadence. Endorsed by the grand master of New Age Music himself, David Lanz – Edward Weiss has devoted his energies to bringing this wonderful musical style into the mainstream. He’s now gone one giant step further with his Paiku style of composing.

Here’s how this master of the piano says it’s done:

“First, all we do is choose a key to play in. This can be anything from a Major chord to a minor modal. If you don’t have a key in mind, no problem. Let yourself go and choose one just by playing around on the piano keyboard, allowing your inner spirit in helping you find the right sound.

“Second, begin improvising right away by using the first chord. For example, let’s say I sit down at the piano and like the idea of playing something in E Major. I reach for an E Major 7 chord and this begins the improvisation.

“Last but not least, you’re only allowed 3 chords to play with. For instance, in the above example I begin by playing a E Major 7 chord. The first chord determines the Key so I can play any other chord from the Key of E Major. Chords must be within the Key so I can’t go outside of E Major.”

Ed’s main point is this: Keep it simple so you can focus on the improvisation and stay in the present.

Edward Weiss is not only a pianist/composer, but webmaster of his own online learning center: Quiescence Music. He’s been helping people learn how to play piano in every stage and from every walk of life, working with students in private, in groups, and of course over the internet.

Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/paiku.html for more information.

Another New Age Piano Teacher?

2010-08-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Just found this video on YouTube. Her name is Susan Capestro and yes, she teaches New Age piano. Or at least I think she includes it in the other styles of piano she teaches.

What I like about this video is how slow she goes in teaching hand coordination. Basically, you have a black key ostinato pattern going on in the left-hand while the right plays melody notes. An excellent introduction to improvisation for those new to the piano! Susan's website is at http://wholeoctave.com/

P.S. If you have problems watching this video, let the whole thing load first. Then watch. :)

Recommended Listening: Alexandre Desplat - The Meadow

2010-07-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

Just discvoered this guy. He's a french film composer most notable for composing music to the 'Twilight' movies. In fact, this piece is from the film 'New Moon.'

What I like about this music is how he creates a simple theme, uses the principles of repetion and contrast to create a pleasing whole. I think the piece starts out in A harmonic minor and modulates to major. The form is sectional (although I haven't completely analyzed it yet) but here we have new and modern music that many enjoy.

What I really like is that younger generations are getting exposed to this kind of piano music via popular films. The New Age piano genre is sadly underexposed (thanks in no small part to the term 'new age.') Films like the 'Twilight' series and composers like Desplat are slowly bringing it back!

Can 2 Chords Set You Free?

2010-07-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

'Monterey Beach' is an improvisation exercise I came up with to teach students about the power of limits. That is, by limiting choice (playing just 2 open position chords) focus is easily achieved. How? Because you know what you'll be playing - you just don't know how you'll be playing it.

I've used these kinds of exercises with great success. Especially for students who, for one reason or another, have problems letting go and just 'going with' the music. Actually, doing something like this is excellent improvisation practice anytime you want to 'loosen up' at the piano!

The Flowering Of Children's Creativity

2010-07-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a video by my artistic mentor Michelle Cassou. Over 10 years ago, Michelle and Stewart Cubley wrote a book together titled "Life, Paint, and Passion." Now, I'm no painter (although I do enjoy the visual arts) but I picked up this book and couldn't put it down.

Why? Because here was a philosophy that focused exclusively on the process of painting. The primary concern of both authors was to go past anything you might have learned and rely entirely on intuition. A very radical approach to painting since most adults want to create a product worthy of admiration.

But Cassou and Cubley wisely saw past this obession for creating an end product and shrewdly introduced a new way to paint. A way where the product wasn't nearly as important as tapping into your own creative source.

How to Polish a Piano Piece For Performance

2010-07-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my articles for some time now, you know I'm all about 'process.' That is, I place more importance on being in the moment and experiencing the music first hand.

But... what if you want to perform your music for others?

Or, what if you want to create a CD of your music? What then? You have to 'polish' your pieces! So, how do you do that? Let me explain how I do it.

First, I won't begin to polish a piece until it 'gels.' This simply means that the piece, for all intents and purposes is finished. Once it's at this stage, I go for slow practice and aim for working on passages or parts that give me trouble. I usually don't have this problem because most music in the New Age piano style is relatively easy. But don't let that fool you! Slow and easy pieces can be the hardest to play since what you're going for is expression of emotion.

When I was working on my CD "La Jolla Suite," for example, I would play the piece through 3 times without stopping. I would do this for all the music. Then, if I were working up to performance, I would play the music exactly as it would be live for people.

Make no mistake... working up music for a performance or a recording can be hard work. It can even get grueling as you subconsciously prepare yourself for the task at hand.

But the rewards are worth it. Once 'polished' you can now perform the music whenever you want - that is if you don't take too long a break.

The cool thing about the New Age piano style is that it's not nearly as difficult to do this as say, in the classical world where some practice for 12 + hours on end to perfect the music. As always, perfection isn't the goal - communication is.

Recommended Listening - Winged Realm by John Herberman

2010-07-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here we have a very nice piece of music by one of my favoirte pianist/composers - John Herberman. What I'd like for you to 'get' in this one is how he composes. First we have a nice little 4-bar introduction and then right into the main theme. I love how he keeps it simple ... yet the music itself is so beautiful and moving (at least to me.)

The main theme is played twice followed by a contrasting section. If I were to 'chart out' this piece (not a bad idea for those into composing) I'd write it out like this: Intro ABABCAB ... and so on. I didn't finish writing this out but if you want to know how another composer uses the tools of repetition and contrast, writing out the form is an excellent way for you to discover this!

Classical Piano - It's About Control

2010-06-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

Do you know how long this woman spent learning how to play this piece? I don't either. But I can pretty much guarantee you it took a few years. Much feedback about 'how' to play it was probably also offered. You see ... it's all about 'control' in the classical piano world.

You have to control your velocity, dynamics, tone, etc. And for what? So you can get to play other people's music? Absurd in my opinion. And also a waste of time. Yes, the music is good and worthy of preserving. But we already have many, many recordings by those who've spent their entire lives trying to 'perfect' their playing.

Where's the need for one's own creative output? Usually, it's squashed out of you at a very early age. It's a tradegy that happens all the time.

Online Community - A Cool Way to Connect!

2010-06-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Internet really has changed the world. And it's only beginning. Soon, you'll be able to integrate your phone, TV, and... actually, that line's from the movie 'Cable Guy.'

But ... thanks to the web, people, who normally wouldn't be able to, can connect with others all over the world!

That's really incredible when you think about it. Which brings me to the real purpose of this blog post ... the new forums at Quiescence Music!

The old ones got hacked by someone from Russia who believes all information should be free. Not that I'm arguing that point, but why hack a blog on New Age piano?

Anyway, please check out and register on the new QM forums. Find them at http://quiescencemusic.com/forums/index.php

Sincerely,
Edward

Allow Yourself to ‘Be’ at the Piano

2010-06-11T09:04:00.001-07:00

My biggest creative inspiration in life is nature …. life itself. When I’m in nature, I relax, and have a chance to reflect.

There is no need to ‘do’ anything other than just be. Something we all need to experience more these days.

Now, what I like to do as well is ‘be’ at the piano. No thinking, or need to try and come up with material here (unless I’m completing a melodic sketch). I allow myself to feel and express through music. Which is why I’ve always enjoyed the New Age style.

You see, it’s really a ‘healing’ music and this because most of the musicians involved in this genre seem to want to transfer feelings of peace and serenity into notes and chords.

Visual artists have been doing this for the longest time. Just look at some of the paintings of Monet and the Impressionists and you’ll see what I mean.

When you try and come up with something, you create a separation between what you feel in the present and what your ego wants to create. This ‘divide’ must be resolved because you simply cannot have both. And the amazing irony of all of this is that your ‘best’ product will ALWAYS come from your spirit and not the ego.

Don’t try to create something. Instead, allow yourself to just ‘be’ at the piano and remarkable things will happen!

Try this: Spend some time in nature. Just enjoy yourself and admire what your senses take in. Now go to your piano and play the first thing that comes to mind. What you are doing is transferring feeling into notes. This action on your part can not only heal you, but those who are fortunate enough to hear the music that is now coming out of your piano.

Recommended Listening: Michael Jones ~ Water's Edge

2010-06-08T10:36:00.000-07:00

What I like about this one?... Lots of things! His style, the melody, the chords he plays. But what I really wanted to share with you here is that it's not JUST solo piano. Many other instruments are also playing here.

Someone once asked me if you can play with other people in the New Age piano style. "Of course," I responded.

And here you can hear it done. Michael Jones was one of the first to record for the Narada label. New Age piano was 'hot' back in the mid 80's. But I think it will come back even stronger in this decade as more and more people search for peace and respite. Especially in the music they listen to.

Playing with Chords? Oh Yeah!

2010-06-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here we have a woman playing the music of Debussy - a famous classical composer. Now to most, what she's doing here seems like magic. But to those who understand a little about chords, it's nothing but a woman 'playing' around with certain chords.

Debussy was fond of something called the 'augmented chord.' It's where the fifth note of the scale is sharped. For example, a C augmented chord would be spelled c - e - g#. By using this chord and the whole tone scale, Debussy was able to create a sound that literally has no functional harmony. That is, there is no G 7 to C Major resolution as is found in most western music.

Revolutionary for the time, Debussy wanted something more 'French" and less bavarian. In fact, he disliked the music of Beethoven.

Anyway, the real reason I wanted to show you this video is because in your next lesson, you'll be learning how to improvise like this using chords!

Recommended Site - Newagepiano.com

2010-05-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

There aren't too many sites about New Age piano. Sure, mine's one of them, but this genre is sadly underexposed.

Which is why I'm recommending this cool little site at http://www.newagepiano.com/

It's hosted on Ning, which is a social networking platform. Here you can post your own blog, connect with others on a forum, post pictures and video and so on.

If you're into New Age piano music, this site's a must see.

-- Edward

Get Rid of Clumsy Fingers Forever!

2010-05-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

My friend and fellow piano teacher, Lisa Steeple is working on something I feel might benefit you.

She’s developing a video series for anyone playing the piano who is experiencing the feeling of clumsiness.

Lisa promises that this will finally get your hands and fingers moving the way you ask them to! No more clumsy or awkward movements. Banish those long pauses in the middle of your songs, switch between chords easily, locate keys instantly, and keep your rhythm perfect.

She is doing a preliminary release to only a few people who are willing to help give feedback during the development stages. This is a beta release at a low introductory price.

Here is what she currently has completed:

59 videos are completed with at least 20 more in production. Plus she has awesome bonuses that you will absolutely be thrilled with. (In fact, the bonus items might be exactly what you are looking for.. so keep reading!)

This is a time sensitive release, so be sure to take a peek at this in case it's something you would like to participate in:

http://www.learnpianoonline.com/clumsyfinger_overview.html

I hope you enjoy this special release.

-- Edward

Recommended Listening - Rejuvenating Rain

2010-05-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me know that I really like John Herberman. In fact, this guy has had a profound influence on my own style of piano playing.

Why? Simple. I like his music. You see, it’s what’s behind the notes. And this guy really gets it. At least for me.

As I was searching for books to relieve my ever growing back pain, I needed an extra $15 to qualify for free super saver shipping. I typed in the name of my favorite pianist/composer and guess what? A new CD!

Sorry, but I bought the last copy. You can still listen to the tracks though and I highly suggest you do.

Thanks for Making my New Book #1 on Amazon!

2010-05-03T13:40:00.000-07:00

Yes ... you helped make my book #1 for the piano category on Amazon. Amazon calculates book sales and refreshes the results every hour. I'm not #1 right now, but for a while there, I had the #1 spot in 3 categories!

So ... thank you! Here's a new press release about the book and yours truly!

SAN DIEGO, CA, May 03, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Music fans take note: Edward Weiss has just completed his extensive new book on creating, composing and playing "New Age" piano compositions.

A distillation of Ed's 20 years as an instructor and composer, "Free to Be Creative at the Piano" promises to take even novice players step by step through the process of creating music from scratch. In fact, in his book, Edward even effectively teaches those of us who've never touched a keyboard in our lives.

As the author explains:

"I wanted to let people know playing the piano is not some deep, dark secret skill only obtained through years of tedious practice. Anyone with a desire to play can easily master the basic chords, and move on to actually creating and composing their own musical scores.

"Mr. Weiss covers the entire spectrum of learning to play New Age Music, from composing your first musical piece to musical improvisation to tips on performing in front of others - and everything in-between.

About the only thing that doesn't come with this book is an actual keyboard.

So Why New Age Music?

What many people don't realize is that New Age piano is just a style of music. It has nothing to do with philosophy. It has nothing to do with religion. It's just a style of music like zydeco or polka. It was given this name because clueless record executives didn't know how to classify these relatively modern sounds. So the name "New Age" stuck.

Edward adds:

"For the last 10 years, I've been helping my students learn piano and play New Age style music through my website: Piano Lessons by Quiescence Music. Literally thousands of people who thought playing music was something they could never achieve have now mastered all the skills necessary to fulfill their musical dreams. All that knowledge and the techniques I use are finally available in one convenient, comprehensive book.

"If you love New Age Music, and have always wished you too could be among the musical elite composing this hauntingly beautiful style, stop wishing and get Edward's new book. In this case - dreams really do come true.

"Free to Be Creative at the Piano" is now available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/1451595247

Using a Visual Prompt at the Piano

2010-04-22T10:57:00.001-07:00

Writers use something called ‘writing prompts’ for inspiration. What’s a ‘writing prompt’ you ask? It’s a directive … a set of limitations that allow the writer to focus in on a specific topic or theme.

For example, it might be something like … ‘write about a weird day at your workplace’ or ‘in 200 words, describe a hot day.’

Do you see how this can quickly free the writer within?

Having a writing prompt to work with is a great way to bypass the ‘what’ to write about and get on with the process of actually writing.

We musicians can do the same thing! For instance, in one of your lessons I ask you to focus on a workbook exercise and play for 5 minutes.

But one of my favorite ways to get inspired (and focused) is to look at a beautiful nature scene. Let’s face it - New Age piano and nature go together like coffee and creamer. In fact, I keep a book of nature pictures on my piano just so I can get instant inspiration.

You see, having something like this allows you to stop thinking and start feeling. And nothing is more important in art for what is communicated IS feeling! It certainly isn’t thought. Which is why art is so cool! And why so many people turn to it for healing, entertainment, and inspiration.

In your next lesson, I’m going to show you how to use a visual prompt to easily enter the creative flow!

New Book Almost Ready!

2010-04-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

My new book "Free to be Creative at the Piano" is almost ready! I ordered a copy from Createspace and once I approve the final - it'll be ready for sale.

Should be another week or two. I'd lilke to make it faster of course, but what can you do?

Anyway, here's the thread that started it all. I got into it with some of the posters over at the Piano World forums. Looking back, I'm not sorry I posted that article. Here's part of the article (with the title 'Free to be Creative at the Piano') and a link to the rest of the 10 page thread.

---------------------------

I sometimes wonder why people even bother taking piano lessons. I suppose the hope is that one day, with a lot of practice, they too will be able to play Beethoven, Mozart, etc.

The idea of creating one's own music seems to be a foreign notion to most piano students. They believe it is beyond their ability. And with this belief they limit themselves.

In fact, I think music may be the only area where students are not encouraged to be creative. Not only that, but the majority of piano teachers want you to learn how to note read before you learn how to play chords - that is, if they teach you chords at all.

You see, classical piano teachers can stretch their curriculum out forever. You could literally spend 10 years learning how to play other peoples music. And while there's no denying this music is "good," it's also been played and recorded by people who have dedicated their entire life to getting it right.

Click here to read the rest of this article and the entire thread at Piano World.

How to Go From Nothing to Something

2010-04-07T14:29:00.001-07:00

Have you ever watched an artist demonstrate how they create a painting? If not, you’re missing something wonderful … how to go from nothing to something.

How to create beauty where before there was only blank canvas.

Let’s take a landscape artist as an example and assume the subject has already been chosen - a peaceful woodland scene.

Now, how does the artist go about capturing this idea? Easy! They have a working method already in place! In art, the background is usually composed first.

Foreground details are added in later.

We can apply this same concept to music composition as well; specifically New Age piano composition. You see, we can also lay in the background and set the mood for the entire piece of music. And the best part about this is it’s quite easy to do.

For example, in the lesson “Watercolors” you learn how to use chords to color in the background. We use chords, time, and 2, 4, or 8-bar phrases to accomplish this. Once we have our harmonic background, we can add in more colors with a right hand improvisation.

This is the technique George Winston uses in much of his early work. A left hand pattern lays in the “wash” so to speak, while the right hand creates a lovely melodic foreground. Why this isn’t taught by most piano teachers is a mystery to me. Especially since the use of this technique gives immediate satisfaction.

Entire pieces of music have been and are created using this technique. All we need to know are the chords and when the chord changes occur. This is done by placing the chord symbols on something called a chart.

The chart is simply bars of music drawn out that indicate when you change chords. The cool thing about creating harmonic backgrounds is you don’t have to chart out more than 8-bars to create your musical canvas. Even 2-bars is enough. Why? Because once you have the chord progression down, you simply keep playing it over and over.

Eventually, this will get monotonous. But if we wanted to, we can add in a new harmonic background and keep the piece of music fresh!

Something That Sounds Like Music

2010-03-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I’ve decided not to post at Piano World for a while. Got beat up pretty bad there when I posted the article “Free to be Creative at the Piano.”

But what should I have expected? I had no idea so many would be so hostile to what I have to say - my philosophy on playing the piano. But what I really wanted to share with you on this post is the phrase ‘something that sounds like music.’

You see, I was reading over the lesson ‘Reflections in Water’ and I had written this: “The reason why so many people have problems with the piano is they give up out of sheer boredom! They sense that it will take months if not years to create something that sounds like music on it. So they give up.”

And I realized that for the most part, that statement is true. At least it is for me. Let me tell you something - I have little patience. It’s a character flaw I know. But I’ve never had much patience and the way it has served me is that I can quickly discover if something has value or not.

For example, there are hundreds of books on how to paint in watercolor.

I would like to get into this but after looking over literally hundreds of books on the topic, I've not found a single one that will take a rank beginner like me and show me the most important part (sketching) in many steps.

Anyway, the good thing that came out of the Piano World fiasco is that my new book has the title “Free to be Creative at the Piano.” Look for it soon!

Recommended Listening: 'Watercolor'- Michael Gettel

2010-03-20T11:25:00.001-07:00

Here's an interesting one. Using a bass-chord pattern in the left hand, Gettel creates a very nice background mood ... very similar to what watercolor artists do actually.

He 'paints in' the background first using the left hand bass and chords and then adds in a very nice melody in the right hand. The result is a very nice piece of music.

Michael Gettel has been in the piano game for some time. He used to record for the Narada label but now? Ah... well you know, New Age music hit it's peak in the mid 80's but is making a come back.

Anyway, wanted to share this with you as it illustrates a nice technique - left hand bass and chord!

How the Writing Process Works...

2010-03-17T14:10:00.001-07:00

Thought this was funny. You see, this is what happens when you place product over process. Captain Kirk is clearly a 'product' writer who, when told his effort needed more work, quickly became enraged,

Spock would have handled it differently. Calm and cool, he might say ... 'I have no need for you to approve or disapprove of this writing."

Seriously though, when you focus on the 'process' of creating rather than the product, you get the benefit of actually enjoying yourself instead of suffering. It really is all about values here.

If you want a product, you can get one. If you want the experience of actually feeling something at the piano instead, you can have that as well.

The cool thing is that when you focus on the process instead of product, the end result is usually a 'better' product.

Edward Weiss Soon to be Amazon.com Bestselling Author!

2010-03-09T12:12:00.001-08:00

Yes ... you heard right! Sometime near the beginning of April, I'm coming out with a new book titled: "Free to be Creative at the Piano!"

My goal is to have it rank as a bestseller.

And thanks to the Internet, it's actually possible to do - with your help of course.

You see, after starting the thread "Free to be Creative at the Piano" over at the Piano World forums, I realized that what I have to say is worth saying and deserves a wider audience.

To that end, I'm working on a book that may do for the piano what Natalie Goldberg's book "Writing Down the Bones" has done for writing. I know there are a lot of people out there who want to quickly tap into their creativty and play what they feel at the piano. More and more adults are discovering a new way to play that bypasses note reading and focuses on exploring with chords. This is very exciting. More details to follow soon!

Quiescence Music Celebrates 10 Years Online!

2010-03-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

I've been online 10 years now! 10 whole years. That's a lot of time for any Internet business. But I owe it all to you and your love of New Age piano playing. Thank you! Below is a new press release about it...

The year was 2000, the cusp of a new millennium. The Internet was big and about to get a whole lot bigger. And composer-teacher Edward Weiss had an insight:

I constantly saw business after business starting up online stores and selling products. But the same technology that could sell books and software could also be used to help people learn new skills. Playing the piano was one of them.

And so Quiescence Music was born an online academy of music where anyone with a computer, a musical keyboard and the desire could learn to play piano.

Edwards approach took the mystique and trepidation out of learning to play. People who never thought they had a musical bone in their body were not only able to master the chords, but actually compose their own musical scores, particularly New Age music.

As Edward describes:

I chose New Age music because this style just seems to naturally flow along with learning to play. Its a liberating, inner expression of music and one that students pick up almost without any conscious thought.

Success may have been initially slow, but year by year the sites popularity grew and so did Edwards reputation.

In fact, endorsed by one of the grand masters of New Age music David Lanz, and listed on the prestigious Steinway & Sons compilation of professional teachers, Edward has gained a bit of well deserved fame himself.

Says Weiss:

I never thought a giant like David Lanz, with multiple platinum albums to his credit, would even notice my work, much less enthusiastically endorse it. But he did, and soon after that Steinway gave me their thumbs up as well. Its been an interesting decade.

For anyone wanting to put their untapped talents (and their unused pianos) to use, starting couldn't be simpler. Edwards method is basically Look, Listen and Learn. He promises his online direction can teach anyone to play the piano or electronic keyboard and be composing their own New Age piano music right away.

His detailed video instructions provide everything needed except of course the keyboard. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/ for more information.

Creating a Skilled Performer

2010-02-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Recently I posted an article at the Piano World forums that generated a lot of ‘heat.’ What I posted was titled “Free to be Creative at the Piano.”

Well, it didn’t go over big. In fact, one poster argued that I wouldn’t be creating ‘skilled performers’ with my approach.

I agreed with him. Creating a skilled performer is not high on the pianist values chart for me.

You see, there are literally thousands of teachers out there who will happily turn you into a skilled performer. Then you can play for other people and get the accolades so many strive for.

I understand the appeal of this. But I also understand that so many are literally starving to ‘feel’ something without having to perform like an autobot.

I place much more value on helping someone get in touch with intuition and then allowing that to express and inform the music. A radical departure from the linear A to B approach, my approach requires only that you have the courage to sit in front of your piano keyboard and allow for the unexpected.

Simple materials will help you accomplish this.

Will I post at Piano World again? I’m thinking about it. I didn’t expect that much of a reaction from what I wrote but I feel what I have to say deserves to be heard.

My Recent Experience at the Piano World Forums

2010-02-16T10:48:00.001-08:00

When I first posted the article "Free to be Creative at the Piano" over at the Piano World forums, I knew there would be those who disagreed with my philosophy on playing the piano.

What I didn't know was how nasty the thread was going to get. You can read the thread here.

You see, most people who post there are into classical piano and all that goes with it - the right way to play, the repertoire, the need to practice for hours at a time.

What I said in that article can be very threatening for those who have spent years learning how to play the music of the 'masters.'

I can be provocative when I want and perhaps I shouldn't have posted that article in this particular forum. But when you teach what I do, you sometimes have to get attention by being different. And as a QM student, you already know how 'different' my course is.

Anyway, the thread has died down now, but who knows. It might become active real quick once again.

Recommended Listening - "Breath" by Galya

2010-02-02T13:21:00.001-08:00

Breathing space. A quality important in New Age piano music (and many other kinds of music as well.) She 'gets it.' No rushing here. No need too.

But what I'd like for you to get here is the 'textural' approach. This piece is very 'textural.' That is, she's playing chords and using those chords to create interesting patterns. Melody is present but it's the underlying harmonies that take center stage here.

Much like what George Winston used to do in his older material. You take a few chords, create some kind of ostinato pattern and have fun creating! And this piece by Galya is a perfect example of this.

Recommended Listening: George Winston - January Stars

2010-01-26T13:26:00.001-08:00

We have a nice little 'mood' opening here with the right hand. Just a few whisps of melody to set the mood for 'January Stars.'
Then another short contrasting section and back to the 'whisps.' A small ABA form if you will.

But then we get something new. Some change - an ostinato pattern in the left hand with a new melody from the right. Some suggest New Age piano music has no form. And some of it has very little. But Winston is very interesting here. He goes back and forth between the first ABA section and the ostinato pattern or 'C' section to create a first rate New Age piano composition.

In Piano Playing - Is Technique the Holy Grail?

2010-01-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting discussion that was started recently on the Piano World forums.

Someone posed this question as a straw horse - a question that he already had an answer for. If you've been reading my articles and blog posts for some time, you already know where I stand on this topic ...

Technique is required to some degree but the main goal is communication.

Of course, the person who posted this is speaking about classical music, but in my mind, music is music is music. What matters most is if 'feeling' came through. Was it being communicated?

You can read this ongoing thread here.

In the Recording Studio with Robin Spielberg

2010-01-14T11:39:00.001-08:00

Here's an interesting video from New Age pianist Robin Spielberg. Robin talks about her process here - her composing process.

She says she sits with a piece for many years before committing it to a recording. I understand this. Not saying I would wait that long because a piece will never be "perfect." But I respect her approach.

Happy New Year from Quiescence Music!

2009-12-30T14:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Quiescence Music student,

Well, another year has come and gone. And this decade is finally over. Much has happened in 2009. Quiescence Music continues to grow as more and more disgruntled piano students find their way to my site and learn how to express themselves musically - perhaps for the first time in their life.

My goal of having a new solo piano CD by Jan 2010 is not going to happen.

That’s the beauty of New Year’s resolutions though - I get to set another one! Now my plan is to have the finished CD ready by the summer of 2010.

I’m not going to rush it. Not this time. And I’m not going to release it until I’m completely satisfied with the material. I can only tell you it will be solo piano music with nature sounds and will be “nature” themed.

I’m so very happy you’ve been one of my students and I want to wish you a very happy and healthy New Year!

Sincerely,
Edward Weiss
Quiescence Music

Piano Improvisation - It's All About Letting Go

2009-12-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

Empty and marvelous is a phrase from one of Zen practitioner and philosopher Allan Watts books. It represents a state of being where desire is gone and only acceptance of the present is known.

In a way, that's what improvisation is about too! We empty ourselves of ego and allow the music to take us away. And we are amazed by this process because it seems that the music has a life of its own - if we let it.

This requires a certain attitude. One that many find hard to attain because of the need to be in charge.

If we learn to empty ourselves of what kind of music we want to create, we come up with something that has a special quality that could never have been created by ego alone! This is the X factor that is missing from so much music today.

Here in the West, we are used to achieving something. We want a good music, a nice music, or something that is worthy of performance. We don't want music to change or transform us. This wouldn't be something we could use. We aren't used to attaching value to something unless it can do something for us. But it is exactly this kind of music that gives us so much and has much to offer!

If we play and enjoy the process, just for process sake, we begin to understand the true meaning of the phrase "empty and marvelous." We begin to feel the music and know that something special is taking place. It's like a musical meditation that heals and comforts, not just the player, but everyone around who is fortunate enough to be listening.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com/ now and get a FREE piano lesson!

How to Create an Original Melody!

2009-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a method I use that works. First, sit down at your piano or keyboard and just improvise. I suggest improvising first because music that is created in this way is at its freshest.

It's not adulterated or thought up. It is pure inspiration.

Now, there will come times during improvisation where you may say to yourself, "this is nice and I'd like to develop it." You see, now you have an original melody to develop.

The trick is you don't need a lot of material to begin with. JUST TWO BARS IS ENOUGH to start you on your way. I usually work within 8-bar phrases so I know that the melody will usually end or repeat itself after 8-bars.

I say usually because sometimes, the melody does not want to fit nice and neat into a predefined 8-bar phrase. But more times than not, the 8-bar phrase will serve you well

Now, to be able to grow the initial 2-bars of inspired melody into 8, you can either harmonize the melody with a few chords or just write out the rest of the melody as it comes.

Once I have the first 2-bars, I usually have already identified what Key the piece will be in. It then becomes a matter of choosing a few chords from the Key and the rest of the material is easily flushed out into 8-bars. In the piece "Rainforest," I use 2 chords for an entire 8-bar phrase ( 4-bars for G Maj. and 4 for E-minor) and improvise the melody on top.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

George Winston Releases New Album - And it Ain't New Age

2009-12-08T15:33:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I prefer Winston's older stuff. You know, the music that made him famous. I love that music.

I like Vince Guaraldi too, but come on! I guess the man will play and record what he enjoys and you can't knock him for that. You can however be disappointed that he no longer creates the kind of music that put his name on the musical map.

Here's a press release about the new Winston CD...

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Pianist George Winston recorded a tribute album in 1996 to jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976), a musician beloved by generations for the compositions he recorded for various Charlie Brown television specials and for his standard "Cast Your Fate to the Wind." That album was Linus & Lucy-The Music of Vince Guaraldi, and Winston revisits his musical hero a second time with Love Will Come-The Music of Vince Guaraldi, Vol. 2, a collection of a wide range of Guaraldi interpretations. The 16-song album will be available February 2nd.

Many of the songs from Winston's new album are from the Charlie Brown episodes, and tracks for them written by Guaraldi include "Time For Love" from the episode, There's No Time For Love Charlie Brown, "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown," "Love Will Come," "Woodstock," "Little Birdie," "It Was a Short Summer Charlie Brown," "Rain, Rain, Go Away," "Air Music," and "You're Elected Charlie Brown." The album also features other Guaraldi compositions from his jazz albums.

As a sixteen year old Winston (not yet playing music, but an avid fan of instrumental music) became captivated by the Charles Schulz film, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Immediately after purchasing the soundtrack, Winston immersed himself in the sixteen Peanuts® television specials scored by Guaraldi, becoming captivated by Vince's sounds and compositions. Many of the songs featured on Linus & Lucy were also from Vince's soundtracks from the Peanuts® series.

"There are three composers that I have at one time or another tried to play all of their songs: New Orleans R&B pianist Professor Longhair, The Doors, and Vince Guaraldi," says Winston. Vince Guaraldi and his music are so much a part of the deep heart and soul of San Francisco, and for those that know his music, of the experience of childhood, and people of all ages. I love Vince's melodies and his chord progressions and his piano playing - especially his left hand."

George Winston integrates his passion for Vince's music and New Orleans R&B piano, together with childhood experiences in order to create a sound inspired by legends such as The Doors, and New Orleans pianists Henry Butler, James Booker, and Professor Longhair. Winston conveys a sense of life through his music with a sensibility of the seasons and topographies of Mother Earth.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

Creative Dry Spells and What to Do About Them

2009-12-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

A student recently emailed me saying that she was through with piano playing. She was very upset because the desire to play piano had disappeared. My sage advice? It happens to everone!

Look, if we were meant to have the muse on 24/7 we would burn out faster than an accountant on espresso.

There's something about the creative spark that does not like to be pressured. Sure, you can show up at the piano and try and enter in to the music, but if your spirit is not in it, chances are you're not going to want to play.

As frustrating as these "dry spells" can be, they are necessary for further creative growth. Patience is key here but many creative types (myself included) are not patient people. As I said before, forcing rarely works and will leave you even more frustrated. The only real solution to this is to see that we are more than who we are when we sit down to play the piano.

If we identify only with our creative self, we set ourselves up for frustration. It's also good to know that 99.9 times out of 100, creativity returns and we can relax and entertain the muse once more.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

Happy Thanksgiving from Quiescence Music!

2009-11-26T07:58:00.000-08:00

Well, another year another Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S. For those not familiar with this holiday, it’s a time to celebrate and give thanks for what we have.

There’s more to it, but I won’t bore you with a history lesson.

So I’d like to thank you for being one of my students! I love giving these lessons to you. It’s a lot of fun creating them and thanks to the Internet, easy for me to share them with students from the U.S. and around the world.

So, what am I doing this Thanksgiving?

Going over to one of my wife’s friends house here in San Diego. I usually stay home as I’m not big on a lot of fanfare. But it beats cooking and cleaning up.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Edward Weiss
Quiescence Music

Something That Will Revolutionize Your Playing!

2009-11-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

What I'm about to share with you took me years to learn! And I'm still learning it. What am I talking about? I'm talking about something that will revolutionize your playing.

I'm talking about being present at the piano while you're playing!

See. I told you it was simple. Simple to say but not so simple to do.

Let me tell you how I approach this. Some time ago, I sat down at my piano to work on some pieces for a new CD project. I'd completed the first sections on many of these pieces but the rest of the music just wouldn't come.

I can't begin to tell you how frustrating this was (and sometimes still is) for me! Anyway, I decided to take a walk and figure out what the problem was. I started walking and unwinding and then it hit me... the reason nothing was coming was because of my own expectations.

You see, I wanted to complete the pieces I'd been working on so badly that I was creating an atmosphere of anxiety. The joy of making music was gone. It was replaced for the need to create a product. And once this need appears - any progress is sure to be halted. Why?

Because the ego is never satisfied and wants something that is in direct opposition to artistic expression.

Now I have a different approach. I tell myself that my job is to just show up at the piano. To be present with the music. If new material comes, then fine. If not, that's OK too. Just as long as I show up and remain present to the process.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

What Happened to New Age Piano?

2009-11-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

It all began in the early 1980's with a recording titled "December." The artist was George Winston and for some strange reason, people really liked it.

The music was different. It seemed to go nowhere and float on the air. No matter. People liked it.

Then something peculiar happened. Marketing executives at various record labels didn't know what to call it. After all, this music needed some kind of label or classification to sell it to the public but what?

Then some idiot came up with the name "New Age" and the genre has suffered ever since. Even George Winston hates the term and calls his piano music "rural folk."

But, and here's the really weird thing, lots of people really like this music! Unfortunately, many were turned off by the New Age thing. It's true. They liked the music but just didn't want anything to do with anything with New Age (whatever that is). I've even had someone email me saying they liked my sample lessons but didn't want to sign up for fear of being labeled New Age.

Look, New Age piano is just a style of music. It has nothing to do with philosophy. It has nothing to do with religion. It's just a style of music like zydeco or polka music. You either like it or you don't. It's a shame to let such a beautiful and worthy thing as New Age piano fall to the wayside because of labels.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

Michael Gettel - Gentle Earth and Sky - by Sparkster

2009-11-13T09:40:00.001-08:00

Michael Gettel recorded for the Narada label back in the mid 80's when New Age piano hit it's peak. Notice the sound here. It's very "New Agey." Notice what the left hand is doing. It's playing a very nice arpeggio pattern.

This kind of pattern was used a lot back then. But what you should take away from this is the kind of "sound" you hear.

The first thing I do (if I'm analyzing a piece of music) is listen for the form or structure. After a nice introduction here, we hear the main theme being played - and that great left hand comes in.

We get a little contrast later on, but as always in most music, it's back to the main theme again. Nice piece!

Loops. Solo piano music

2009-11-09T12:06:00.001-08:00

Thought this was interesting. I like how he starts the piece with the left. Then the right comes in with a very interesting textural approach.

So, what's he actually doing here? He's using chords and playing around with them to create the sound you here. This is a textural composition or improv ... I don't know if he composed this or just improvised.

Contrast is introuduced around the two minute mark where he plays a softer passage. Then back to the original idea only with some differenences. Composers and arranges like to call this the A' section or A prime where the same idea is used but the composer changes it a little.

So what do you think of this piece? Like it? Don't like it? Leave your comments below.