Online Music Dictionaries

This year, I will be "strongly encouraging" my students to look up definitions to music terms in their songs. At the Kiwanis Music Festival this spring, one adjudicator told all the students that it's THEIR job to look up the words they don't know. Not their teacher's job and not their parent's job. The following are some helpful online music dictionaries that you can explore:

1. Music Dictionary Online

2. Music Outfitters Inc. Online Music Dictionary

3. OnMusic Dictionary

Happy exploring!

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

On Injuries and Piano Practice - Part II

The unthinkable for musicians happened to me last week - I injured a finger. An attempt to carve some pot roast with Dad's funky new carving knife landed me in Emergency to get stitches on my LH finger 2. My finger is healing well but I had to promise the doctor that I wouldn't type or practice piano on that finger for a week. So long as the bandage is large enough, I remember not to type on it (tubular gauze is wonderful). However, practicing is another issue. I can't just skip that finger without learning a brand new set of fingering. Nor can I risk hitting my injured finger on keys while trying to play around it. Ergo, no practicing for my LH.

Piano Camp is less than a week away so I've had to make some modifications to my practicing. You may recall my first article On Injuries and Piano Practice from last year. The following are a few more techniques I've been employing to prepare:

• have my uninjured RH play its line while I sing the LH line. Then get my RH to play the LH line while I sing the RH line.

• have my RH play its line while my uninjured fingers on my LH tap its rhythm. This hasn't worked too well since the movement jiggles my injured finger too much, so I've resorted to saying silly syllables for the LH rhythm. Then get my RH to play the LH line while I say the rhythm for the RH part. (Aug. 6 update: Having my LH play the rhythm on castanets seems to work).

• Score study. I think I have nearly all my modulations and cadences memorized for my Soler sonata.

• Listen to recordings of your songs and conduct it how you would shape the music.

• Hands separate work. Obviously, my RH has to play my LH part, which really makes me think.

Even if you aren't nursing an injury, these are good practice techniques to try. You may wind up noticing a pattern you overlooked that would simplify memorization. Or notice that you missed the melody's appearance in a different register because of all the other action happening in the bass and soprano lines. Rhythms become a little easier to deal with and so on.

The stitches come out in a few days, giving me the weekend to get my left hand back into shape. Challenging, but not impossible.

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Fun with Ensemble Music

While my students are enjoying their summer off from lessons, I'm practicing madly for an intense one-week piano camp, offered by the Calgary Arts Summer School.One of the songs that I'm working on is a two piano, eight hand arrangement of "Stars and Stripes Forever". I'm learning the Piano II - Primo part.

Now, I can't vouch for whether my quartet members and I will be able to play this sucker at this speed after only one week of practice together, but this performance is pretty exciting:

I haven't played in a piano quartet since my university days. For an April Fools' Day recital, my classmates and I performed the Blue Danube for one piano, four noses!

At any rate, ensemble playing can be really fun - once you get over the hurdle of everyone counting beats together.

Want to learn this arrangement? Check it out here:

look inside

The Stars and Stripes Forever Composed by Mack Wilberg (1955-). Intermediate Level piece for the Piano Quartet Event-Two Pianos, Eight Hands with the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Festivals Bulletin 2008-2009-2010. Patriotic. Music book. Neil A. Kjos Music Company #WP181. Published by Neil A. Kjos Music Company (KJ.WP181).

Game Sheet Music

After a hectic school year, it's nice to stop and catch my breath. One of the ways I've been relaxing is to play some video game music transcriptions. Yes, I know I really should be practicing for Piano Camp (and I have) but even music teachers need to play some fun stuff and yesterday, "fun stuff" for me meant playing Tetris Theme (Korobeiniki) and the theme from Zelda until my fingers gave out.

Hunting for game sheet music can be an adventure. Your local music retailer will tell you that it's cheaper to find it online. Oh yes, you'll find all sorts of sheet music online.

A few otakus have sat down transcribed their favorite themes and share them with other fans. You have to commend those with the patience and determination to listen to their mp3 player ad nauseum until they've picked out all the notes. And as far as I know, the transcriber can share their rendition with others.

On the other hand, one would like to smack those who have bought sheet music and have uploaded copies to the Internet for people to take for free.

Enough of that, here are a few places with video game music to explore:

• Animenation - music from the Japanese anime and game Bleach to Final Fantasy (and everywhere in between). I bought the Inuyasha sheet music from them a while back when some of my students were on an Inuyasha kick. It looks like I'll be placing an order soon since there are a few good collections available.

• Ichigos - otaku who have transcribed their favourite themes and share their arrangements as well as their own compositions

• Josh's Anime Sheet Music Collection -Josh Agarrado shares his own arrangements/transcriptions of anime and games on this site.

• Pianosquall.com - Game and anime pianist Michael Gluck performs at anime cons, game cons and charity fundraisers. He has published some of his arrangements here.

• Risembool Rangers -A fan site dedicated to voice actor Vic Mignogna, best known for his portrayal of Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist in the English dub. Vic plays an active role on this site and even shares his own sheet music. He's great with his fans. I um, er asked him to transcribe two songs from his Metafiction CD that I like. Still waiting but I know, he's a busy guy.

Happy exploring!

PS: Since it's summertime, I won't be posting as often as I strive to during the school year. Must go enjoy the sun!

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada.

Relief for Musicians with Cold Fingers

One issue musicians must contend with on occasion (some more than others) is cold fingers. My hands tend to go ice cold just before a performance. Not good when you have to perform something like Ginestera's Danza del gaucho matrero which clocks in at 152 dotted quarter notes per minute. That means that you're playing 456 eighth notes per minute for most of the piece!

Thanks to my colleague Andrea Kazmaier for sharing this. At a conference, she discovered Wristies. They keep one's hands, forearms and wrists warm without impeding upon the dexterity required to play an instrument. It's good for people who are at the computer a lot.

Andrea enjoys her leopard print Wristies very much.

I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Black Original Wrisites and Black Light Wristies. The one I really can't wait to don are the Serengetti Short Wristies (pictured to the right). Someone should request ones with a piano keyboard pattern.

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada.