Q. I'm 13 years old and I've heard of kids my age getting jobs playing at country clubs and weddings and stuff like that. I practice 2 hours a day and have been playing for 8 years. I play piano whenever I see one. In a store, at family parties, my parents' work parties, anything. What else can I do to get people to notice me and get a job?
A. what a negative first answer!
Okay, so here's the deal:
1: You need to play a variety of music that is good for the type of gathering you're playing for. (For example, a traditional wedding will need some light classical and/or easy listening music with rolling chords and arpeggios and sing-along melodies). Someone else might want specific songs to which you will need to be able to read (given plenty of warning so you can prepare) and/or improvise (no warning at all) an accompaniment while someone sings, or fake a tune with melody (as a solo).
2: You need an 'in'. This means you need to start somewhere, playing for a friend, or a friend of a friend. Sit in with someone who is already playing a job and help out (play duets or solos when he or she is on break). This does two things: a) It gets you in the door and gaining experience. b) It gets you noticed by other people there (the hosts and the guests).
My wife and I played a duet at a wedding for a friend of my sister (she on piano playing solos, and then playing chords while I soloed melodies on the guitar. Then, when we played pieces like trumpet tunes, she would play the 'orchestra' on the piano while I played trumpet on a keyboard. For this situation, we were required only to play background music while guests mingled and ate snacks. So, we prepared (and practised) light classical music. AND, while we were on breaks, people asked us "if we were free for this date" or "if we did "bar mitzvahs." BAM! We were 'in!'
Good luck!
How Do i find the piano chords?
Q. What are the piano chords for rock and roll by eric hutchinson
A. If you can't find a piano chord online a simple alternative is to look up guitar tabs (since they are more prevalent) and simply take the guitar chords and play the corresponding piano chords! I do it all the time if I can't find the music :). Just Improvise to get the song to sound how you like! This will also improve your piano skills. :D
In what ways is Rock n Roll similar and different to Blues music?
Q. In what ways is Rock n Roll
a) Similar to Blues music
b) Different from Blues music
10 points for best answer! :)
A. I starred this question because I loved answering it =)
a) It's actually quite common for modern rock and metal to break away from the blues template, so I'll talk more about 70s style stuff. Looking at it from a guitarist's standpoint (which I am), both styles rely heavily on the Minor Pentatonic scale (root, minor 3rd, 4th, 5th, minor 7th) for solos, fills, and melodies, and use the root, 4th and 5th chords to outline the overall song progression. String bending and vibrato are essential techniques, and perhaps most importantly, both have a very "emotional" style to them.
b) The instrumentation to rock and blues is similar, but blues bands tend to be larger and include things like horn sections and pianos. Rock bands can also include these, but tend to stick more to the tried-and-true formula of guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. The beat in rock also tends to be much more driving than than in blues, played in either swing or straight time as opposed to the swing time used almost exclusively in blues, and with a heavier bassline and drum sound. Blues often relies on space between the instruments whereas rock focuses on "filling the holes." Rock usually uses more distortion and effects on the guitars than blues does, and often uses power chords where the blues would use more complex chord shapes. None of this is set in stone, however, and many bands like Led Zeppelin and The Doors blurred the lines between the two.
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Title : How do I get a job playing piano at a country club or weddings?
Description : Q. I'm 13 years old and I've heard of kids my age getting jobs playing at country clubs and weddings and stuff like that. I practic...