Sharing Your Piano Music With Others

So you've got a few New Age piano pieces under your belt (or not) and you want to share your music with others. Can you do it? Yes! Here's a working plan for you.

Create 3 pieces of music - For those of you who are just beginning to improvise, don't worry about this. But for those who are beginning to compose, you'll need to have 3 complete pieces to play. Why? Because this will come to around 10-15 minutes of music - the perfect amount of time to have a mini-concert! If you're in the process of creating your 3 pieces and haven't finished yet set an end goal date. For example, it's a good idea to write something like this down:

By August 12, 2017, I will have 3 complete and polished pieces of music to play for others.

This is a time-based goal and will work wonders if you write it out and place it where you can read it everyday. Most likely, you will try and find excuses for why you can't finish something on time. This goal with time and date on it will continually remind you to stay on track.

Practice your 3 pieces - Practice is the only way you will build up your confidence level. Practice each piece slowly at first. Never back up if you make a mistake. I repeat… NEVER back up if you make a mistake. Why? What are you going to do when you're playing for an audience and you mess up. You're not going to stop everything and go back. No! You go forward. Chances are very good that the audience won't even notice. I can testify to this from personal experience.

When you practice, be with the music. The audience isn't really concerned with you. They want an emotional experience through the music and the best way to give that to them is for you to be in the moment.

Overcome Performance Anxiety - To do this, you must first practice until you can play all 3 pieces straight through and you must first perform for a very small audience. Perhaps one or two people. You see you have to get used to the idea that eyes will be watching you. This makes most very self-conscious. By playing for very small groups of people, or even one person first, you get used to this and you can simply shrug it off. Playing for others should be a joyful experience. It can be if you follow these simple guidelines.

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 15 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit now for a FREE piano lesson and more including how to compose.

The Artist's Way Meets the Piano!

In her bestselling book “The Artist’s Way,” Julie Cameron suggests keeping a journal. She refers to them as morning pages where each morning, you just write off the top of your head.

This free writing exercise is nothing new. It’s been done and popularized for quite some time now. But “The Artist’s Way” really brought this practice back.

I was wondering how piano players might apply the concept of free writing to improvisation. It then dawned on me that if you time your improvisations, or more accurately, set a time limit for how long you’re going to play, it creates a space where the muse is free to express.

To this end, I created a lesson titled "Timed Piano Improvisation Exercise.” It is a lesson that uses a 3-5 minute time limit. Students are encouraged to play whatever comes up within the given parameters - 3 chords in the mode of A Aeolian.

The beauty of these kinds of exercises is that the choice as to what to play has already been made! Now, all that is required is for the student to sit down and play within the limits set.

Some fight the idea of limitations thinking it constricts creativity. Not true! It actually helps you to focus in on self-expression. That’s because you’re not thinking about the next chord to play. This choice has already been made. All that is required now is to simply create in the moment.

And when the moment is a timed practice period, it gives students the freedom to just be at the piano.

After successfully trying these exercises myself, I realize how powerful they can be. Material comes that may have never appeared any other way. Why? Because we aren’t focused on creating a product. Instead, we allow the improvisational process to lead us and this always leads to the “freshest” sounding music.

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 15 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!

Receptive Attitude Necessary for Successful Improvisation

After you learn technique and theory and a little bit of improvisation skill, you will be able to grow and create in proportion to your ability to get out of the way and let the music take over. 

To do this requires a listening ability somewhat similar to meditation. That is, you must be open and receptive to what comes next - never forcing, never trying to come up with something.

When you are in this frame of mind, wonderful things begin to happen. When you try to create, you set yourself up for blocks. Why? Because the trying blocks the listening, receptive attitude necessary for improvisation. The key to getting around this is to walk away and come back later. Believe me, you can try and try but if nothing is coming, it probably won't come at this moment.

So, just get up and come back later when you are in a more meditative, receptive mood. Try to improvise in the new age style when you're angry or upset and what comes out might not sound that good. Art appears when you are in the moment. The Art of New Age piano, like any other art requires you to learn the skills and techniques - then forget about them and begin to play.

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 15 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

Secret to Learn Piano? Chords are Key says Teacher Edward Weiss

'4-way control is mastery of the keyboard' says Weiss

Chords ... knowledge of them is essential for many styles of piano playing. And according to 'New Age' piano teacher Edward Weiss, the best way to learn them is by learning 4-way control.

Edward explains....

"I first learned about 4-way control of chords from a Jazz piano teacher. He stressed the importance of having visual, aural, tactile, and intellectual control of chords on the piano keyboard."

The 4-way system relies on flash cards to help students quickly identify a chord (visual control) and then play it and actually feel the chord (tactile control) on the keyboard. According to Weiss, aural control is accomplished by being able to distinguish major from minor and minor from dominant. These 3 chord 'types' are used over and over again in the majority of music.

Weiss also stresses the importance of intellectual control - the ability to build chords from scratch. Weiss elaborates...

"Eventually, most students want to know how a chord is constructed. It's all done with simple math and I show students how to do this as well. When a student can finger a chord from a flash card quickly and easily, they've established automatic control of chords. Something that can be done in a short amount of time with practice."

The lesson offered at Weiss's website comes with video and comprehensive notes. Those interested can sign up for the lesson and a complete New Age piano course now.  Click for a risk-FREE special!! 

New Age Piano Lesson ‘Rainforest’ Has Students Instantly Making Music

Piano lessons. Just mentioning these words brings dread for those thinking of learning the ‘king of instruments.’ Yet teacher Edward Weiss believes piano is the easiest instrument to begin on and starts students off right away with harmony and improvisation. In fact, he does that in one of his lessons titled ‘Rainforest.’

Weiss talks about the unique lesson he created...

“Rainforest’ is a lesson I designed to get students creating something musical immediately. It uses two chords in the left hand and melody from a specific scale in the right. The student is given guidelines or limits and then it’s off to the wonderful world of music making. The key is giving the right kind of limits that will set a students playing free.”

Not the usual method of instruction to say the least, Weiss’s course has been online for over 10 years and thousands have taken it. The goal, according to this New Age piano teacher is to focus in and enjoy the process of creating while letting go of the outcome or need to produce a finished product. This process oriented approach is intended to ‘free up ‘ the student’s intuition and allow them to express themselves quickly and easily at the piano.

Mr. Weiss talks about his intuitive approach to piano playing:

“Developing and trusting intuition is crucial for being able to move past the critical parent voice that haunts many trying to create. Writers have much help in this area where they learn how to free the writer within. My approach is somewhat similar in that I help students overcome their self-doubt and get them jumping in the musical waters right away. Once students don’t care what’s coming out of them, a major milestone has been reached. They’re now free to create.”

The lesson ‘Rainforest’ along with a complete New Age piano course is now available at Weiss’s website http://www.quiescencemusic.com/

Unique Valentine’s Day Gift Idea: Create a Piano Song for Your Loved One!

Another year has flown by, and it’s hard to believe Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching.

Instead of giving chocolates or flowers, why not do something different for a change? Learn how to compose and play your very own piano music for your special love– even if you never touched a keyboard in your life! 

Sound far fetched? Not at all according to maestro Edward Weiss, teacher, author and composer of piano music for over 15 years. 

As Edward explains: “Most people automatically assume you have to be a gifted musician who’s spent years in a conservatory to compose original piano scores. Nothing could be further from the truth."

“Piano Improvisation is a musical art form anyone can learn. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, or if you’ve never even sat down at a piano or played an instrument in your life.” 

The secret? Edward’s step by step online video instructions allowing his students to literally Look, Listen and Learn. 

Outside of an internet connection, the only other thing an aspiring artist needs is a keyboard – and of course the desire to do something different! 

“Creating your own piano music is one of the most fulfilling adventures a person can take. My method lets you do just that - composing your very own pieces - easily and effortlessly. And he or she will love you for it!"

Ready to dive in? Click for Risk-FREE special!! 

Piano Improvisation Tips - Enjoy the Process First!

"I'm having problems staying with the music," wrote one student. "I can't seem to get it. What I mean is, I get stuck or blocked only after a few seconds of improvising. What can I do?"

The above complaint is a very common problem among newbies at improvisation. They don't understand how to keep an improvisation going. Why? Because they have it backwards!

You're not supposed to keep an improvisation going. No. That's the wrong approach to improvisation. The right approach is to let go of your need to control the outcome. Then and only then will your intuition come to your aid.

Listen, you may want to create something beautiful on the piano, but it is exactly your desire that is creating blocks! How? Because the ego is never satisfied and wants a perfect music, a good music, or something that will satisfy it. The ego is insatiable and is never satisfied.

That's why when you focus on and enjoy the process of improvising, you free yourself from this trap.

Many of us are obsessed with creating a product. Something we can be proud of and show off to friends and family. Look, there's nothing wrong with wanting to have something you can call your own, but when you are only concerned with creating the end result, your creative self (inspiration) will dry up and leave you feeling empty.

But, if you put process over product, not only will you enjoy the whole experience more, the outcome will be far superior to any forced ego product you may end up having.

To enjoy the act of making music, we must let up on ourselves and adapt an attitude of exploration. We must allow for mistakes and listen for where the music itself wants to go. This idea may be strange to some of you. I can understand that but once you really let go of trying to control the outcome, wonderful things begin to happen!

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!