Many people may know the term The Power of Music. However, what does exactly it mean? We are launching this Listening to Music series to share our experiences of listening to music and its powerful impact on us. We also hope this series provides some insights to develop music appreciation. Why do we listen to … Read more

After two years pause, the NAMM Show is back. It is the annual event of the National Association of Music Merchants and the biggest music trade show in the world. There were more than 3,500 brands showcasing their latest products, including many well-known piano brands like Kawai, Yamaha, Casio, etc. During the three eventful days, … Read more

Musical chords consist of two or more tones (or pitches) that sound simultaneously. In our Music Fundamentals series, we have been laying building blocks one brick at a time. From explaining the Western music notations to exploring piano scales and musical intervals, let’s devote some attention to musical chords and harmonization. In this post, we … Read more

Transposition in music is the act of changing the pitches of a piece of music from one key signature to another but not altering the relationships between these tones. In a band or orchestral music, various instruments have different pitches and fingerings. Using transposition would make it easier to play a specific instrument. In vocal music, … Read more

What are musical intervals? In music theory, an interval is a distance between any two musical sounds with regard to pitch. Knowing musical intervals is essential. It is the basis of all musical construction. Moreover, intervals are examples of the simplest harmony used in music. It is also called two-part harmony. We count the interval … Read more

Music expression is the surface details of musical sound. Thus, it is how the music is played or expressed. Why do people listen to music? It is because music’s expression grabs our attention and evokes our emotional response. In order to read, write, or understand music, one must learn the expression signs, words, and abbreviations, … Read more

In this post, we are going over some basics of piano scales, including major scales and minor scales. First of all, let’s start with what a scale is. In music, a scale is a series of eight successive notes, with the eighth note duplicating the first. The notes in a piano scale are arranged systematically … Read more

Tempo and rhythm are essential to every piece of music. On the other hand, you may find that the terms tempo and rhythm are confusing because they often refer to the play speed of a song. However, they are different. Rhythm gives the structure of a piece of music, while tempo controls the speed of … Read more

As part of the music fundamentals, it is crucial to understand the tone. A tone is a musical sound. A tone has four characteristics: In this article, we are exploring more details of the tone characteristics and how Western music notation marks these characteristics. The Music Note Piano 101 introduces the Staff, the Clefs, and … Read more