Determining whether or not a piano is a good buy can be difficult, especially if it is older and used. A piano dealer is a good source for buying, repairing and restoring these older pianos.
If you are in the market for a piano or you have found a great deal on one that needs some work, it is likely that your local piano dealer can help you out. Not only do they sell a variety of styles, but most of them also deal in restoration and repair of instruments.
Not all pianos are created equal and not all of them warrant the time and cost to have a complete restoration. Why is that you ask? The answer is because many newer brands and models have fallen prey to assembly-line mass production. Less attention is paid to sound quality and superior materials and more is paid to getting a nice-looking piece of furniture into the market. Sound quality and materials tend to fall by the wayside in this case. Now, not all new pianos are victim to this practice and your piano dealer can help you choose the right model for you.
When it comes to restoring a piece, anything that is less than 40 or so years old is not really a great investment. The best quality pieces will be at least 100 years or more and well worth the time and cost to return to its original state. That being said, if the instrument has been in your family for years and parents, children and grandchildren have learnt to play on it then restoration for sentimental reasons is definitely worth it. But, for a truly fine piano built back in the early 1900's, experienced restoration can bring back the original sound and look that it had on the day it was built.
What does the restoration process involve? This is where it is extremely important that you research and find a reputable piano dealer who is familiar with your make and model. You may also want to research your instrument on your own so you have a little background on its history and craftsmanship. Piano restoration is tedious and time consuming and you want a technician who is very knowledgeable about your instrument. Basically, the process is like building the piano in reverse. Every component is removed, inspected and repaired or replaced. The hammers, the soundboard, the keys, the pedals, the strings, everything is suspect to intense scrutiny during the process. The outside is also refinished in its original color and given a sheen that will make you think it just came from the factory.
Make sure that the piano dealer and the technician (if it is a different person) understand that you want the parts that are replaced to be of the same quality as the original. There are no standards when it comes to restoration, but a reputable dealer will have his own standards. Unfortunately, some will try to cut costs by using cheaper materials that will lessen the expected sound quality. The Piano Technicians Guild recognizes those who meet their criteria and pass their exams, but that should not be your only reason for choosing someone. Shop around, get estimates, seek out referrals and interview the dealer before deciding on who you want to handle your precious piece of history or family heirloom. Quality usually costs more, but you will be much happier with the results and you will also have made a great investment.
[Via - Piano Dealer: They Do More Than Just Selling Pianos]
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Steinway Piano Needs Your Care and Maintenance
Steinway piano needs to be cherished and maintained in top form, both visually and to the ear. Get some useful information to safeguard it forever.
Your Steinway piano may be a cherished gift that you inherited from family or a purchase you made yourself. Either way, it is a gift of beauty to be hold and to hear.
When your Steinway piano arrives at home, the first thing to consider is location, just like real estate, where it will be located is very important. You neither want to put it in a direct sunlight nor you want it in a room where the temperature will be extremely hot or cold. So avoid air conditioning vents or heating ducts. By keeping a hygrometer nearby, you can ensure the humidity is kept between 45% to 65% range which is recommended by the manufacturer.
If you have purchased it, then you will have documents listing the serial number, store where it is purchased and other details. If you inherited it, you can locate the serial number on the cast iron plate on the lower inside. When Steinway crafts a piano, its details are kept, such as the craftsman who made it, the type of wood used, the day it was finished and to whom it was sold.
By checking the serial number you will have an approximate age (within a year) of when your piano was crafted. Also, you may receive with it a detailed accounting of what maintenance has been done and by whom. The maintenance of the interior of a Steinway should be entrusted to a qualified piano technician. No one else should have access to the interior workings of it.
Taking care of your piano doesn’t take a lot of time or money, but the records of its care can increase the value, should you choose to part with it. When it was crafted, it was done so with the same hand crafted method followed by generation after generation of craftsmen. No step is rushed, hurried or pushed along. The wood components are cured at the factory, will not be used until the exact moisture levels are met.
The exterior wood should never be waxed or wiped in circular motion. Steinway offers their own line of cleaners and polishers who know better and will produce the best results. When caring for the hardwood case, use a clean piece of cheesecloth and follow the directions of the product you are using. Wipe only with the grain of the wood, which is like the factory finish. If you rub in circles, you run the risk of losing that great luster the factory created.
When caring for the keys, extreme care should be taken to avoid liquids of any kind getting in between the keys, as it could cause the wood underneath to swell. A very lightly dampened piece of cheesecloth can be used to wipe the keys, nothing else is necessary.
Nothing should be placed on top of its keyboard, no matter what the model is. The reason for this is two fold; you run the risk of damaging the finish on it. Hence, it will affect the sound it produces. Let its beauty stand on its own.
Depending on the environment the piano is kept in, you may need to have the interior cleaned professionally to remove dust and dirt every few years. The interior workings of Steinway can be damaged, if dirt and dust particles are present when playing. Should a foreign object (coin, pencil, paper-clip etc.) fall into it, stop playing and remove it by a professional. Remember, your Steinway is much like an exotic sports car; its workings need to be cared for by the experts! Under normal situations, it should be tuned every three or four months; however, your ear and how it sounds to you will determine the frequency of tuning.
The voicing of your piano will depend on your personal preferences also. Voicing and action regulation are extremely intricate procedures and should only be done by a professional. You can always contact your local Steinway & Son’s dealer as they have been helping customers and taking care of their cherished pianos since they started making them in 1853. With proper care and maintenance, your Steinway piano will last for generations to come and enhance many lives with its melodious music.
[Via - Steinway Piano Needs Your Care and Maintenance]
Your Steinway piano may be a cherished gift that you inherited from family or a purchase you made yourself. Either way, it is a gift of beauty to be hold and to hear.
When your Steinway piano arrives at home, the first thing to consider is location, just like real estate, where it will be located is very important. You neither want to put it in a direct sunlight nor you want it in a room where the temperature will be extremely hot or cold. So avoid air conditioning vents or heating ducts. By keeping a hygrometer nearby, you can ensure the humidity is kept between 45% to 65% range which is recommended by the manufacturer.
If you have purchased it, then you will have documents listing the serial number, store where it is purchased and other details. If you inherited it, you can locate the serial number on the cast iron plate on the lower inside. When Steinway crafts a piano, its details are kept, such as the craftsman who made it, the type of wood used, the day it was finished and to whom it was sold.
By checking the serial number you will have an approximate age (within a year) of when your piano was crafted. Also, you may receive with it a detailed accounting of what maintenance has been done and by whom. The maintenance of the interior of a Steinway should be entrusted to a qualified piano technician. No one else should have access to the interior workings of it.
Taking care of your piano doesn’t take a lot of time or money, but the records of its care can increase the value, should you choose to part with it. When it was crafted, it was done so with the same hand crafted method followed by generation after generation of craftsmen. No step is rushed, hurried or pushed along. The wood components are cured at the factory, will not be used until the exact moisture levels are met.
The exterior wood should never be waxed or wiped in circular motion. Steinway offers their own line of cleaners and polishers who know better and will produce the best results. When caring for the hardwood case, use a clean piece of cheesecloth and follow the directions of the product you are using. Wipe only with the grain of the wood, which is like the factory finish. If you rub in circles, you run the risk of losing that great luster the factory created.
When caring for the keys, extreme care should be taken to avoid liquids of any kind getting in between the keys, as it could cause the wood underneath to swell. A very lightly dampened piece of cheesecloth can be used to wipe the keys, nothing else is necessary.
Nothing should be placed on top of its keyboard, no matter what the model is. The reason for this is two fold; you run the risk of damaging the finish on it. Hence, it will affect the sound it produces. Let its beauty stand on its own.
Depending on the environment the piano is kept in, you may need to have the interior cleaned professionally to remove dust and dirt every few years. The interior workings of Steinway can be damaged, if dirt and dust particles are present when playing. Should a foreign object (coin, pencil, paper-clip etc.) fall into it, stop playing and remove it by a professional. Remember, your Steinway is much like an exotic sports car; its workings need to be cared for by the experts! Under normal situations, it should be tuned every three or four months; however, your ear and how it sounds to you will determine the frequency of tuning.
The voicing of your piano will depend on your personal preferences also. Voicing and action regulation are extremely intricate procedures and should only be done by a professional. You can always contact your local Steinway & Son’s dealer as they have been helping customers and taking care of their cherished pianos since they started making them in 1853. With proper care and maintenance, your Steinway piano will last for generations to come and enhance many lives with its melodious music.
[Via - Steinway Piano Needs Your Care and Maintenance]
Piano Technique and Methods for Beginners
Purchase a piano for your child; give it a little time to see if the enthusiasm stays or if tomorrow they want to be a fire fighter. The article discusses techniques and methods to teach young children piano.
Your child can announce that he wants to play the piano when he comes home. The question of he is too young, always arises. Generally anything under 4 or 5 is too young however children under 4 can still be introduced to music in many forms including piano that is appropriate for age and attention span. Many lessons can be learned by young children when put in the form of music. If your child is under 4, check with the local musical schools or pre-schools to see if they have any kind of musical programs for your child.
There have been many studies done regarding children and exposure to music with many positive results. Children exposed or involved in music early, learn to read earlier and generally score better on tests (even standardized tests such as SAT etc.).
Only you can tell if purchasing an acoustic piano is right for you and your budget; or perhaps you want to let your child first start with a digital one (less expensive) and judge to see if the expense is warranted based on your child’s enthusiasm.
Upright pianos and the grand piano style are examples of an acoustic piano. A digital one is just the key board and the electronics give all the sounds of a piano without taking up the room like an acoustic takes. Perhaps if space is tight in your house then a digital piano might be the way to go.
Since we are talking about teaching young children, the prospective teacher should be approachable, with the ability to motivate your child through inventive lessons. A devoted teacher will treat each child as an individual and gear lessons towards both your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Ask the teacher about their philosophy on piano technique. Some teach that the fingers and only the fingers should be involved in playing, while others believe the whole arm is involved. See what the teacher feels is appropriate for your child and ask how they go about teaching it.
One method of teaching that does work with very young music students is called the Suzuki method. The drawback of this method is that it concentrates on developing istening skills but doesn’t teach the reading of musical notes until the child gets older. Some teachers swear by this method while others disagree.
The Music Tree (or Clark Method) does a very good job teaching the basics. The lessons teach the reading of music as well as counting, phrases and form from day one.
A very popular series is written by Nancy and Randall Faber (Faber & Faber) and is used by many teachers. The position method is taught in these books and it reinforces proper hand position and appropriate suggestions for counting.
There are many other methods used by teachers and the goal will be to find the right teacher and method for your child. Many teachers believe that playing scales over and over is the right thing to do, where as others feel it’s making a child do something that is not necessary. Some children do well with one method and not with another.
When speaking with the prospective teacher, ask about what books they use. Is it possible they loan the books to you until you know if the method they are going to use will be good for your child. That way should your child decide he doesn’t want to play piano anymore; maybe it has to do with the method being taught. Find out how flexible is the teacher when it comes to method.
By doing some foot work following your child’s announcement of wanting to play piano, you will be giving your child the gift of music today and long into their future.
[Via - Piano Technique and Methods for Beginners]
Your child can announce that he wants to play the piano when he comes home. The question of he is too young, always arises. Generally anything under 4 or 5 is too young however children under 4 can still be introduced to music in many forms including piano that is appropriate for age and attention span. Many lessons can be learned by young children when put in the form of music. If your child is under 4, check with the local musical schools or pre-schools to see if they have any kind of musical programs for your child.
There have been many studies done regarding children and exposure to music with many positive results. Children exposed or involved in music early, learn to read earlier and generally score better on tests (even standardized tests such as SAT etc.).
Only you can tell if purchasing an acoustic piano is right for you and your budget; or perhaps you want to let your child first start with a digital one (less expensive) and judge to see if the expense is warranted based on your child’s enthusiasm.
Upright pianos and the grand piano style are examples of an acoustic piano. A digital one is just the key board and the electronics give all the sounds of a piano without taking up the room like an acoustic takes. Perhaps if space is tight in your house then a digital piano might be the way to go.
Since we are talking about teaching young children, the prospective teacher should be approachable, with the ability to motivate your child through inventive lessons. A devoted teacher will treat each child as an individual and gear lessons towards both your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Ask the teacher about their philosophy on piano technique. Some teach that the fingers and only the fingers should be involved in playing, while others believe the whole arm is involved. See what the teacher feels is appropriate for your child and ask how they go about teaching it.
One method of teaching that does work with very young music students is called the Suzuki method. The drawback of this method is that it concentrates on developing istening skills but doesn’t teach the reading of musical notes until the child gets older. Some teachers swear by this method while others disagree.
The Music Tree (or Clark Method) does a very good job teaching the basics. The lessons teach the reading of music as well as counting, phrases and form from day one.
A very popular series is written by Nancy and Randall Faber (Faber & Faber) and is used by many teachers. The position method is taught in these books and it reinforces proper hand position and appropriate suggestions for counting.
There are many other methods used by teachers and the goal will be to find the right teacher and method for your child. Many teachers believe that playing scales over and over is the right thing to do, where as others feel it’s making a child do something that is not necessary. Some children do well with one method and not with another.
When speaking with the prospective teacher, ask about what books they use. Is it possible they loan the books to you until you know if the method they are going to use will be good for your child. That way should your child decide he doesn’t want to play piano anymore; maybe it has to do with the method being taught. Find out how flexible is the teacher when it comes to method.
By doing some foot work following your child’s announcement of wanting to play piano, you will be giving your child the gift of music today and long into their future.
[Via - Piano Technique and Methods for Beginners]
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Making money selling music without DRM: the rise of eMusic
The Holy Grail of online music sales is the ability to offer iPod-compatible tracks. Like the quest for the mythical cup itself, the search for iPod compatibility has been largely fruitless for Apple's competitors, whose DRM schemes are incompatible with the iconic music player. For a music store that wants to succeed, reaching the iPod audience is all but a necessity in the the US market, where Apple products account for 78 percent of the total players sold. Perhaps that's why eMusic CEO David Pakman sounds downright gleeful when he points out that "there's only two companies in the world that can sell to them—Apple and eMusic."
It's rather a startling point—given the worldwide success that Apple has had selling iPods, one would think that music stores would do whatever it takes to make their offerings iPod-compatible. Attempts at bypassing or emulating Apple's FairPlay have not been successful, however, and FairPlay is (famously) unavailable for licensing. So what's a music store to do? To eMusic, the answer was simple: you offer songs as high quality, variable bit rate MP3 files instead. DRM is removed, consumers are happy, and the vast white fields of the iPod are ready for harvest.
It sounds like such a simple idea, but in the context of the music business, this is radical, French Revolution-type stuff. What's perhaps even more interesting is the fact that eMusic's decision to offer unprotected MP3 files was not an ideological one; the idea made great business sense, and has established eMusic as the #2 retailer of downloadable music behind the iTunes Music Store. The fact that it opened the way for iPod compatibility was really just a bonus, since a couple of years back, it was much less clear that Apple would come to dominate the market in the way that it does today.
"It's really not a philosophical decision; it's a practical one," says Pakman. "Early on, the belief was that we had to sell music in the only universally compatible format that existed. TiVo was just about to come out with MP3 playback on their machine and we didn't know if that was going to be big. There were a bunch of MP3 players on the market, including the iPod, and that market was growing. There were MP3 car stereos happening. There weren't any phones, but you can see that's where it was going. Everyone was putting MP3 in their device, so why not sell in a format that works in all those places?"
Indeed, when put this way, it sounds amazing that no one else (apart from some dubious Russians) has released music that will play on the widest possible array of devices. There's a reason this doesn't happen, of course: the music labels won't allow it. Actually, the major music labels won't allow it—but there's a whole ecosystem of independent music labels that want nothing more than wide exposure and fair compensation. What eMusic has done is to construct a business model built around indie music—and they're now selling 5 million tracks a month doing it.
That's because indie music doesn't (necessarily) mean bands with a fan club of six. A good chunk of the best work being done today comes from indie musicians like Bloc Party, the Drive-By Truckers, Gomez, Interpol, Belle & Sebastian, Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Pedro the Lion, Dolorean, Calexico, Arcade Fire, Spoon, Dar Williams, Ron Sexsmith, Modern Skirts, and Ryan Adams, all of whom are carried by eMusic. The company has built itself into an indie music powerhouse that now offers more than a million tracks and 175,000 subscribers, and it sells its songs for about a quarter each. Though in no danger of eclipsing Apple's one billion track sales, the company looks well-placed to cater to the over-25 music lover, a group not always well-served by the major labels.
But things haven't always gone so well for the company...
[Via - Making money selling music without DRM: the rise of eMusic]
It's rather a startling point—given the worldwide success that Apple has had selling iPods, one would think that music stores would do whatever it takes to make their offerings iPod-compatible. Attempts at bypassing or emulating Apple's FairPlay have not been successful, however, and FairPlay is (famously) unavailable for licensing. So what's a music store to do? To eMusic, the answer was simple: you offer songs as high quality, variable bit rate MP3 files instead. DRM is removed, consumers are happy, and the vast white fields of the iPod are ready for harvest.
It sounds like such a simple idea, but in the context of the music business, this is radical, French Revolution-type stuff. What's perhaps even more interesting is the fact that eMusic's decision to offer unprotected MP3 files was not an ideological one; the idea made great business sense, and has established eMusic as the #2 retailer of downloadable music behind the iTunes Music Store. The fact that it opened the way for iPod compatibility was really just a bonus, since a couple of years back, it was much less clear that Apple would come to dominate the market in the way that it does today.
"It's really not a philosophical decision; it's a practical one," says Pakman. "Early on, the belief was that we had to sell music in the only universally compatible format that existed. TiVo was just about to come out with MP3 playback on their machine and we didn't know if that was going to be big. There were a bunch of MP3 players on the market, including the iPod, and that market was growing. There were MP3 car stereos happening. There weren't any phones, but you can see that's where it was going. Everyone was putting MP3 in their device, so why not sell in a format that works in all those places?"
Indeed, when put this way, it sounds amazing that no one else (apart from some dubious Russians) has released music that will play on the widest possible array of devices. There's a reason this doesn't happen, of course: the music labels won't allow it. Actually, the major music labels won't allow it—but there's a whole ecosystem of independent music labels that want nothing more than wide exposure and fair compensation. What eMusic has done is to construct a business model built around indie music—and they're now selling 5 million tracks a month doing it.
That's because indie music doesn't (necessarily) mean bands with a fan club of six. A good chunk of the best work being done today comes from indie musicians like Bloc Party, the Drive-By Truckers, Gomez, Interpol, Belle & Sebastian, Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Pedro the Lion, Dolorean, Calexico, Arcade Fire, Spoon, Dar Williams, Ron Sexsmith, Modern Skirts, and Ryan Adams, all of whom are carried by eMusic. The company has built itself into an indie music powerhouse that now offers more than a million tracks and 175,000 subscribers, and it sells its songs for about a quarter each. Though in no danger of eclipsing Apple's one billion track sales, the company looks well-placed to cater to the over-25 music lover, a group not always well-served by the major labels.
But things haven't always gone so well for the company...
[Via - Making money selling music without DRM: the rise of eMusic]
MySpace music store unveiled today?
MySpace's frequently rumored music download store could launch as early as today, according to a rumor put forward by CNET. The publication claims to know sources who say that an initial announcement is planned that will expand the site's currently hands-off music section into a service that offers a combination of downloads and streams. Mirroring past stories, the feature would allegedly let users either pay to download full MP3 songs and ringtones or else stream songs for free on the web. Users could also buy their concert tickets directly from the site.
The social network is also said to have overcome licensing barriers, having already signed music catalogs from Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner; EMI is not yet onboard but is in the late stages of completing an agreement. Also repeating past rumors, the new report claims that each label would have a minority stake in the venture and therefore share revenue independent of their specific sales.
The Universal deal would represent a key breakthrough, as the label recently sued MySpace for copyright infringement but is now said to be receiving a large settlement.
A launch for the store would not come right away and is instead planned for coming months.
MySpace's store is already being positioned as a likely competitor to iTunes, which the major labels have sought to undermine in recent months by offering DRM-free tracks to initially smaller but promising digital stores such as Amazon MP3 and Wal-Mart. A MySpace service is seen as a way of gaining immediate, widespread exposure for a music service to its core audience. A Facebook store has also purportedly been in development but may not be as close to launch as the MySpace feature.
[Via - MySpace music store unveiled today?]
The social network is also said to have overcome licensing barriers, having already signed music catalogs from Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner; EMI is not yet onboard but is in the late stages of completing an agreement. Also repeating past rumors, the new report claims that each label would have a minority stake in the venture and therefore share revenue independent of their specific sales.
The Universal deal would represent a key breakthrough, as the label recently sued MySpace for copyright infringement but is now said to be receiving a large settlement.
A launch for the store would not come right away and is instead planned for coming months.
MySpace's store is already being positioned as a likely competitor to iTunes, which the major labels have sought to undermine in recent months by offering DRM-free tracks to initially smaller but promising digital stores such as Amazon MP3 and Wal-Mart. A MySpace service is seen as a way of gaining immediate, widespread exposure for a music service to its core audience. A Facebook store has also purportedly been in development but may not be as close to launch as the MySpace feature.
[Via - MySpace music store unveiled today?]
Amarok adds built-in music store
Free software and DRM-free music met this week when the Amarok music player added a built-in "iTunes-like" music store in its latest release -- making it the first open source music application to include such a service.
Version 1.4.4 of the KDE audio player integrates a front end to the Magnatune record label, through which users can preview songs and purchase DRM-free tracks and albums in MP3 format.
Magnatune offers free track downloads for all of its artists through its Web site, so -- strictly speaking -- the Amarok feature brings no new functionality, just convenience.
Apple's iTunes Store offers songs from multiple, major record labels, and thus far more artists and artists of wider popularity. Magnatune, however, offers a direct-to-artist royalty scheme that it would claim is more fair to performers, and its commitment to the standard MP3 format, with no digital rights management, is more fair to consumers. As to the relative merits of indie versus major label artists, there is no accounting for taste.
The Amarok development team says that the Magnatune deal was not a planned partnership. Nikolaj Hald Nielsen told the Amarok mailing list "Magnatune just made their entire catalogue available as an XML file on their site (which was what gave me the idea for this feature) and proved responsive to my request for an API to purchase music directly from within other programs."
For its part Magnatune is receptive to the possibility of working with other third-party application developers to bring its music to a wider audience. The site already publishes information about using Magnatune XML feeds, including demos and instructions for embedding a music mini-browser in Web sites and applications. Using the service to enable music purchases requires an API key, which must be requested and approved by Magnatune.
[Via - Amarok adds built-in music store]
Version 1.4.4 of the KDE audio player integrates a front end to the Magnatune record label, through which users can preview songs and purchase DRM-free tracks and albums in MP3 format.
Magnatune offers free track downloads for all of its artists through its Web site, so -- strictly speaking -- the Amarok feature brings no new functionality, just convenience.
Apple's iTunes Store offers songs from multiple, major record labels, and thus far more artists and artists of wider popularity. Magnatune, however, offers a direct-to-artist royalty scheme that it would claim is more fair to performers, and its commitment to the standard MP3 format, with no digital rights management, is more fair to consumers. As to the relative merits of indie versus major label artists, there is no accounting for taste.
The Amarok development team says that the Magnatune deal was not a planned partnership. Nikolaj Hald Nielsen told the Amarok mailing list "Magnatune just made their entire catalogue available as an XML file on their site (which was what gave me the idea for this feature) and proved responsive to my request for an API to purchase music directly from within other programs."
For its part Magnatune is receptive to the possibility of working with other third-party application developers to bring its music to a wider audience. The site already publishes information about using Magnatune XML feeds, including demos and instructions for embedding a music mini-browser in Web sites and applications. Using the service to enable music purchases requires an API key, which must be requested and approved by Magnatune.
[Via - Amarok adds built-in music store]
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
International Profit Associates
International Profit Associates IPA-IBA is a U.S. leader in business development and management consulting services for small and medium-size companies. IPA-IBA is one of the fastest growing management consulting companies. It is widely held that it is one of the only management consulting firm in the world that delivers such a broad array of professional services to the small and medium-size business marketplace.
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