piano notes part 1: beginners book

Starting off... WOW there is a lot to cover in the first book. But here is all the important information to start off with. Now just as a reminder- this is just the long boring notes, nothing exciting. Exciting will be later on down the road when I figure out how to make it exciting.

Knowing fingers numbers:
L.H starting with Pinkie
5-4-3-2-1

R.H. starting with thumb
1-2-3-4-5

Understanding the piano keys:
Going down means low sounds
Going up means high sounds

Keys:
Black keys come in groups of 2's and 3's
fingers used:
2 black keys- L.H 3-2 R.H 2-3
3 black keys- L.H 4-3-2 R.H 2-3-4

Understanding the Staves (Staff):
*Double bar- is used at the end of the measure
*Then you have bar lines that creates a measure
*Brace- a vertical, bow-shaped bracket connecting two or more musical staves.
*Double bar with two dots- go back to the beginning and play again
*Time signature- 4 beats 4 measures (4/4), 3 beats 4 measures (3/4) (won't look like that)
*Staff- 4 spaces; 5 lines
*Bass Clef sign- came from the letter f- left hand symbol
*Treble Clef sign- came from the letter g- right hand symbol

Notes:
*quarter note- 1 count
*half note- 2 counts
*half with a dot- 3 counts
*whole note- 4 counts
*note with a dot- staccato- separated or detached- release thee key the instant you play it- dot would be under or over the note

Rest:
*quarter rest- 1 count
*whole rest- hat down- 4 counts
*half rest- hat up- 2 counts

Dynamic signs:
*p- piano- soft
*f- forte- loud
*mf- mezzo forte- moderately loud

Piano positions:
Middle C position
L.H. R.H
F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G
5-4- 3- 2- 1-2- 3-4-5 (finger numbers)

C position
L.H R.H.
C-D-E-F-G C-D-E-F-G

G position
L.H. R.H.
G-A-B-C-D G-A-B-C-D

Legato- smoothly connected- to play legato correctly, one finger must come up just as another one goes down, like end of a seesaw.

Slur- play a legato- slur often divide the music into phase

Phase- is a musical thought or sentences

Intervals- 2nd, 3rds, etc- distance from one note to another are measured in intervals

Tied notes- when notes on the same line or space are joined by a curved line- the key is held down for the combined values of both notes

Sharp sign- Appears before a note, it applies to that note for the rest of the measure- before a note means play the next key to the right whether black or white

B flat sign- before a note means play the next key to the left, whether black or white- appears before a note it applies to that note for the rest of the measure.

New dynamic signs:
Crescendo- gradually louder (<) Diminuendo- gradually softer (>)

Plan

As of now, I am still graphic designer without a graphic design job. However, in this process of trying to make it in this economy right now; I decide to take on a piano teaching job, waitress job, and working at the yacht club.

First option is to start my own graphic design and photography firm. The 2nd one keep on job searching. 3rd option is to go back to college and get my MFA in graphic design, which leads me to a teaching position, Art director, and hopefully a better chance in getting a job. At the same time get my BA in photography so I have more options. Either way I am still figuring out what I truly want to do. Till then I will keep doing freelance positions and my other jobs.

On the plus side is I am opening my eyes around town to the companies that do not have any logos, need better graphic design work, and try and design stuff for big companies and submit it and see what happens. At the same time I need to enter into more contest.

Trying to update this I am going to try and publish my piano notes and hopefully concepts of ideas how now to make playing the piano fun. By my own studies playing the piano can be rather boring, however make it entertaining and exciting will keep the younger minds going. The next step with piano (which will be fun for me) is to design a website to make teaching piano exciting.

I have other ideas on what I want to do around Savannah, but that will just take time. Till then I am working with an industrial designer in design my black lab a dog bed for my room. Pictures will be posted of the final product.

Design Strategies for the Digital Economy

Your company’s website is the number one communications platform for promoting and expressing your brand, as well as, positioning and selling your products and services. How does this affect your marketing strategy? How will people remember your name or find your website? The survival of a communications tool from the “old media” (print) will be based on how effective it is in the new digital economy. But before we send out that condolence card…or email, let’s take a look at what the different media types offer when creating a marketing communications plan.

Know thy audience

I like the bumper sticker that says, “If you can read this then you are too close to me.”

In the new digital economy you need to know where your audience is and where they turn for key communication. Your company’s website is the number one communications platform for promoting and expressing your brand and in turn for positioning and selling your products and services. It’s a perfect example of a communication tool that takes advantage of its unique positioning &#151 it is being read by the driver behind you and the writer of that bumper sticker has used that positioning to make a point.

How does this affect your marketing strategy?

Gina Trapani writes in the Harvard Business Review (online—not in print) “It’s pretty simple: Google is the new business card.” Is the business card now DOA? Not so fast. We believe the business card in its perfect 2 × 3.5 size format will be the key survivor. How else will people remember your name or find your website? Letterheads and envelopes may be on life-support, but the business card offers an easy and effective way to pass along your contact info with a quick visual reference and a URL. The survival of a communications tool from the “old media” of print will be based on how effective it is in the new digital economy.

People don’t read like they used to

Our traditional way of reading (from start to finish) is inadequate for today’s audiences. People tend to read headlines, view imagery and charts, scan captions, subheads, call-outs and even view footnotes before they read the body text. Most people never get around to reading the body text. Jakob Nielsen, a usability expert, says, “In print, you can spice up linear narrative with anecdotes and individual examples that support a storytelling approach to exposition. On the Web, such content often feels like filler; it slows down users and stands in the way of their getting to the point.” You need to know what media you are communicating in and play to the strengths of each mode. Crafting your message with this in mind will strengthen your communications strategy.

Know your audience

The financial restraints of the recession and the speed of the Internet are forcing the hand of communicators to redefine the purpose and mission of everything we do. One thing we learn is that information must be presented in a clear and distinct manner. Writing has not gone the way of the horse and buggy. Studies have shown that writing has actually improved since the advent of email, Facebook…and––God help us––Twitter. Clive Thompson writes in Wired magazine, “The fact that students today almost always write for an audience (something virtually no one in my generation did) gives them a different sense of what constitutes good writing.” People today are writing much more frequently than ever before. Thompson concludes, “knowing who you’re writing for and why you’re writing might be the most critical factor of all.”

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

How does this inform design strategies? Designers must craft a page design that is engaging and inviting and has a visual flow with imagery that supports the content. In fact, often imagery is the content. If the 64 page glossy annual report or capabilities brochure is dead, what is replacing it? We see an opportunity in creating a “whole is greater than the sum of its parts” approach to marketing. It’s best to celebrate the individual program successes in the context of how they support the vision and the mission of the overall organization. Content must be crafted in precise ways that deliver key messages that are relevant to your target audiences.

Use images to drive home key messages

Should the annual report or the capabilities brochure survive in the new digital economy?

The traditional annual report or capabilities brochure must become a more succinct document that reinforces the mission of the organization. We’re doing this with storytelling. The bigger vision is coming through by showing how success stories interrelate and collectively express the values of an organization. More and more, the reports generated are reflecting their missions with concrete examples rather than a self-serving laundry list of everything they did last year. This is tricky, how do you determine what gets in and what gets out? How do you satisfy all audiences? The real audience of the reports are clients, prospects, investors, donors, legislators and they are not interested in a laundry list. They want to know what makes each organization tick. We look for stories that reflect the spirit of the enterprise, then use images, captions, statistics and factoids to drive home the key messages that the organization wants to share.

The mantra

Our mantra has been to promote all communications in three key modes: online, in print and on site. Strong marketing programs are reinforced when communications are delivered consistently in content and visual design. Knowing the unique strengths of each communication mode is critical. For print to survive it must take advantage of its ability to hold attention longer and use design methods that encourage visual and analytical thinking.

David Langton is a principal at Langton Cherubino Group, a branding and interactive design agency in New York. www.langtoncherubino.com

Graphic Design USA magazine named David Langton and Norman Cherubino the principals at the design communications firm, Langton Cherubino Group as “People to Watch in 2009.”

Article located: http://artbistro.monster.com

Announcement

I know it has been since January I have updated this site. I do have a very good reason; both of my jobs have been demanding my time, with the internship I have took on. This internship was a trail run basic for the company to see if they want to an internship program. I am not sure how well it worked out for them, but I was very grateful. I learned more about photography with techniques, stage setups, and how to run a business better.

During these busy times, I went to a job fair offer by Savannah College of Art and Design. I cannot complain. I talked to a bunch of companies, and enjoy meeting with them. After meeting with companies, that encourage me to get back on the band wagon and start applying once again.

Along with the job fair I decided to foster (soon adopt if possible) a baby black lab. He is the most adorable and a very sweet pup that I could ask for; for starting with a pup so young. In the next couple of days, I will have the picture of Bear's 1st Easter pose posted.

Final announcement, I never realize my form went down on my website. That was horrible, I did not receive anything from anyone pass couple of months. On the plus side it is back up, running, and fix. There were minor errors on the website that are now fix. Enjoy the site, soon I will have time to redesign my website with a better flash purpose.

I promise to get back on the band wagon and update this the best I can.