Piano Lamps, What To Think About When Purchasing.

By Chuck R Stewart

The purpose of any piano lamp is to provide the best possible light so that the pianist can flawlessly play the music without difficulty in order to avoid eye strain. Because pianos differ in height and style there are lamps designed specifically for certain types of pianos. In order to decide on the right piano light for your piano, you must first know exactly what type and size of piano you have.

Upright pianos have vertical strings and are available in many different heights. Spinet, Large Spinet, Console and Full Upright are all types of Upright Pianos. Spinets come in heights ranging from 36-38. Large Spinets are from 40-42, Consoles are usually 45-46 and Full Uprights are the tallest and range from 50-56 in height.

In a Grand Piano the strings are horizontal. There are three types of Grand Pianos classified by size. The Baby Grand is the smallest of the grand pianos and measures anywhere from 4 " 5. These are typically found where space is a concern or in studios as practice pianos. The Standard Grand Piano can range in size from 5 -7. This is the size most people think of when they use the term Grand Piano. The longest in length is the Concert Grand Piano. It is available between 7 and 9. Concert Grands are used for what the name implies large settings and concerts and are the first choice for performing artists around the world. The longer the piano means the bigger the sound board and thus the bigger the sound resonation.

When choosing the proper lamp for your piano it is wisest to stick to those lamps designated specifically for your type of piano. If this is not easily determined, then follow these general guidelines: A Spinet piano lamp may be used for any upright piano but an Upright Piano Lamp is too short for most spinet pianos. Lamps listed as Grand Piano Lamps are usually too big for a Spinet or an Upright Piano. Sheet music is typically 12 wide and a well positioned light will be about 3-6 inches above the music.

The light should be pointed towards the music and away from the players eyes to avoid glare. Overhead room lighting is never good enough light for playing music for any length of time and may cause headaches and eye strain.Piano Lamps do double duty as desk lamps because they are so good for reading (as long as they are not the clip on variety) and so are well worth the cost. Because these lights offer a way to direct the light specifically onto the reading material (goose neck lamps work especially well for this) they are purchased by many non-piano-playing folk as well. The piano lamps ability to avoid glare (due to the construction of the lamp shade and the special treatment of the inside of the shade) make this ideal for reading and seeing notes on a page so that the piano player can effortlessly flow from page to page easily without eyestrain. - 18780

About the Author:

Chuck R Stewart recently purchased a piano lamp and a small piano light for his theater's two pianos.

Best Guitar For Beginners|Buying The Best Guitar For Beginners|Squier Stratocaster - The Best Guitar For Beginners|What Is The Best Guitar For Beg

By Mike Wong

Finding the best guitar for a beginner can be hard but the most important factors to consider are cost, reliability and versatility. In my experience, the Squier Stratocaster meets these criteria and is easily the best guitar for beginners.

Manufactured by Fender, the Squier Stratocaster is one of the best value beginner guitars and it can usually be found at any music store or online for $200. No beginner needs a more costly instrument and you can always buy a another guitar once your skills warrant it.

One of the main selling points of the Squier is how durable it is. The Fender name means that as long as you take care of the instrument it should last for awhile with only minor issues. For example, some people have reported that the strap buttons can come loose after a few months but this is easily solved and the fact that this is the biggest issue the Squier faces with wear is a testament to its dependability.

Of course, cost and durability mean little if the guitar isn't versatile enough. It is important that beginners have a capable guitar on which to practice everything from the blues to rock to heavy metal. The Squier Strat gives you all of these options and although it lacks the thrills of more expensive instruments, it gives beginners a solid foundation from which to improve their skills.

While shopping for this guitar, don't confuse the Squier Stratocaster with the Fender Stratocaster or the Squier Affinity Strat. The Affinity is a more budget guitar and it shows while the Fender Stratocaster is the more expensive model ($350). The Squier Stratocaster is in the middle of these two models and is the best value for the a new guitarist.

Overall, the Squier Stratocaster is a great guitar for beginners. Its value, durability and versatility make it the perfect choice for anyone just starting to learn the guitar. Look around and see if you can pick one up. Pair it up with a good guitar course and you will definitely have fun with it. - 18780

About the Author:

Still interested in discovering the best guitar for beginners? Then visit the Best Guitar Course blog where you will discover instructive articles on buying guitars and ways to learn guitar.

The Ancient And Celebrated History Of The Drum

By Jim Samposzi

The history of the drum goes way back in time. People played them to generate sounds as far back in time as 6000 B.C. In these old cultures, like the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas, drums were a huge part of celebrations and gatherings of large ethnic groups. Drums were dug up in many mountains of these ancient burial areas by scientists and discoverers.

Many individuals figure that it is the stock of the drum that is responsible for making sound. But, it is not; it is the tightly held fabric over the top, sometimes referred to as the membrane, that makes the noise. The sound is triggered by impact from a stick or other object. When the drum is drummed on, the membrane vibrates and noise produced is sent through the hollow of the drum. The Indians actually used real wooden sticks to hit the drum with during rituals and special times.

In the 1900's, drums began to be further enhanced, and in time, the drum set was born. A drum set includes: a tom-tom, cymbals, snare drums, and bass drums (one of them has a foot pedal to beat the drum from. Other percussion instruments like bells, chimes, and wood blocks were incorporated with this collection to produce even more sounds to add to the overall melody of a song. These collections were popular in the 30's up to the 50's, then drum kits similar to the types described above were a vital component of musical groups. You were left in the dust if you were without drums.

Like many other types of media and sensory objects, drums became digitized for more enhancement. Digital instruments, such as keyboards, synthesizers, and drum machines provide the ability for someone to make their own drum sounds. These sounds created from synthesizers were unique and could not be produced from a physical set of drums. Therefore, modern music employed these include these synthesizers in its repertoire of instruments.

Drums weren't just used for tunes. In fact, people of other continents used to play them to send communications. A series of drum tones would signal something that others in the tribe would understand. Drums furthermore remained as a symbol of religion for Native Americans and people around the world. Most referred to drums as a male and so gave them to male children when they became of age as a rite of passage.

The drum produces a sound like instruments of no other kinds. Drums have been played in different types of music, such as: rock and roll, jazz, blues, classical music, and other music groups. Next time you are attending a concert of music, look around the stage and you can view a drum or arrangement of drums of a number of different styles. These instruments are good for percussion and low tones; because of this, these instruments can be a perfect addition to a concert or band of any kind. - 18780

About the Author:

Jim Samposzi is a gazetteer with over fifteen years editorial experience. Jim is consulting as a publicist with many well-known b2b portals and is considered the company authority on drum kits. Take the time to visit our very useful web portal for additional information on Junior Drum Set and Junior Drum Sets.

The Various Parts Of The Melodic Cello

By Jim Samposzi

The cello is a spin-off of the string group and is typically played alone, with an orchestra or played as an inclusion in chamber music. The cello is one of the largest string instruments , second to the double bass.

This stringed instrument is also called a little violone - a large Italian string type which is similar to a violin. The reference cello was developed from the Italian term vioncello which in translation is violin. The cello, in comparison, very alike a violin because it carries notes in C2 and close to middle C. The cello's strings go as far as G2, D3, and A3. The variation is that the cello includes an octave lower if working to full ability.

A traditional cello was very well built and looked brilliant in design. The back, neck, and sides were typically lathed in a authentic maple. In addition, the top is usually made with spruce. Also, in these centuries, cellos were hand-made by a single craftsman. However, nowadays, most cellos are made with electronic machinery, out of bad wood, and at times, aluminum. The cello's design, consists intricate shapes in the top and back of the instrument. These detailed designs are known as, purling. These intricate designs are etched for decoration. Though, after they become adhered to the instrument's structure, they become structural. If a purling is chipped or split, it will travel down the side and make the sound that is produced compromised.

A good recipe for cellos lately has been carbon fiber. These kinds play best outdoors and last longer. Others prefer this kind for the sounds are crisper and the acoustics better. Also, carbon fiber and other metal-made cellos are said to last a long time and be resistant to breaking, chipping, or splitting.

This beautiful string instrument has other intricate parts ,for instance, the peg box, holes, and scroll. The wood-carved neck exists towards the top of the instrument and gives way for the scroll and pegs. The peg box is located on top of the carved neck .Also, the fingerboard gives way to the peg box, which holds the strings and contains knobs for tuning. The scroll is the detailed swirled shape portion of wood that sits at the very top. Scrolls are unique to cellos and other member instruments of this group.

The strings of this instrument are typically constructed of metal or synthetic alloys. Most all cellos sold today are stringed with aluminum or titanium. In addition, chrome is sometimes used as well. As with all these type instruments, players have different preferences on the brand of strings they most often use.

The lower part of the cello consists of strings, a tailpiece, end pin, bridge, and f-shaped holes referred to as f-holes. Then, on up, the bridge secures the strings on top of the hollowed out part of the body. The f-holes are the f-shaped craters on each side of the aforementioned metal bridge. The tailpiece holds all the strings in place against the hollow of the torso. And, down lower, the end pin positions the large instrument for playing. - 18780

About the Author:

Jim Samposzi is a national correspondent with more than fifteen years writing experience. Jim is currently engaged as a technical writer with our b2b site and has become the company guru on cellos. Be sure to visit our great website for additional information on Cello and Cello Case.

The Long And Impressive Story Of The Saxophone

By Jim Samposzi

The saxophone, or sax, is a vibrant and important instrument belonging to the woodwind group of instruments. The sax is mostly made of brass and is typically used in an orchestra, band, or other musical production. The saxophone goes way back to the days of jazz and big band. But the saxophone has been a key instrument for blues and lately, modern rock. This important instrument has also been popular for use in the military.

The saxophone is a complicated instrument that is made up of the following parts:

Brass stock/horn

Single-reed mouthpiece

Tone holes (20-30)

Speaker holes

Keys (or pad cups)

Spit Valve

The components of this instrument have been developed over the years to include richer sounds through engineering and trial. The mouthpiece, in example, has been built out of different metals, like: gold, silver, rubber, glass, wood, porcelain, crystal, or bone. Manufacturers over the years have tried a multitude of different things to make the sound clearer, brighter, and crisper.

Saxophones have increased in popularity since their inception by Adolphe Sax in 1841. Sax was bent on making an instrument that would cover the pitch between all other woodwinds and brass types with horns. He was very successful in his endeavors and the saxophone was common in orchestras in the late 19th century. For military, the sax did great when pitched in B and E. Also, the saxophone was the perfect instrument to get a C and F tone. Down the road, this brass instrument was used in the introduction and inception of jazz music and developed to include and produce pitches of all kind (A, B, C, G, F, and E).

After time, Adolphe Sax's invention reached a patent expiration in 1866 which lead to the vast manufacturing of new saxophones by several organizations. And, in the 1950's, a gentleman by the name of M. Houvenaghel of Western Europe, introduced a new kind of saxophones which included a single-tone key arrangement which enabled the musician to create octaves with just the thumb; this development became common with the sax and was used ongoing in sax production. Other kinds of saxophones were built and tried but this arrangement was said to be the most successful and created the best control over the tones of the sax.

Today, the sax is most seen in rock, jazz, and military bands. Saxophones are built of either brass or bronze and differ in cost and usability. Preferences are typical with different musicians of jazz and funk; many jazz professionals like mouthpieces with a more shallow chamber because it produces the high baffle, louder, and sharper tone. Other classical players appreciate a larger chamber because they tend to generate a softer, easier sound. No matter the band, the saxophone is an effective instrument for all bands. From its beginnings to day, the sax has made strides by leaps and bounds and is thought to be the most important component jazz and funk. - 18780

About the Author:

Jim Samposzi is a columnist with over 12 years writing experience. Jim is currently working as a publicist with our b2b site and has become the in house expert on saxophones. Visit our very useful website for more information on Saxophones and Soprano Saxophone.