2016年12月25日 星期日
2016年12月22日 星期四
2016年12月21日 星期三
2016年11月25日 星期五
How is a piano considered as a good piano?
How is a piano
considered as a good piano?
It is not about the good or bad piano, but it is the good or poor
material used in making the piano. There is handmade piano (handmade pianos are
usually imported from Europe) in which the most basic upright piano costs at
least RM10000 and above.
Another type of piano is half handmade piano with the market price
below RM10000 normally. There are more than thousands of this piano manufacture
factory in China, but the proficiency and skill of the master workers should be
taken into consideration.
Another type of pianos are made from high technology. The cost of
investment of the machines in the piano manufacture factory is up to ten
thousands and above, while the master workers are trained overseas. The quality
of these pianos are more consistent and the sales covers the whole world,
including developed countries like Europe.
Besides the appearance of the piano, the emphasis should be put on
the consistency in quality and the quality of the material used in making the
piano. The sound of the piano should be more gentle and euphonious along the
times of playing it. The touch of the keys should be appropriate and suitable
for the strength of the children’s finger (so that it would not hurt their
fingers growth).
Is it good to buy a second hand piano?
Is it good to buy a
second hand piano?
Recent year, the second hand piano in Malaysia is very different
as compare to 5 years back because the Japan-made second hand pianos, which
have the highest sales and best selling price, have been bought by China piano
company. Therefore, the quality and price of second hand piano in Malaysia
market now is not as good as 5 years ago.
Most of the second hand pianos in current market are older than 30
years and the quality is at average but the selling price is few times higher
than the selling price in 5 years ago.
To get a better quality Japan-made second hand piano nowadays, the
price is above RM8000 while the current market price for a good quality new
piano is around ten thousands, with better materials and technology as compare
to second hand piano.
I would like to get my child a keyboard that costs a few hundreds, is this advisable?
I would like to get my
child a keyboard that costs a few hundreds, is this advisable?
The range of current market price for a keyboard is from RM200 to
thousands. Which keyboard is more suitable? Different keyboard model has
different quality in sound and touch. Normally, a keyboard that costs RM2000
and below has ‘electric sound’ and soft touch. If the child is 6 years old and
below, please consider the importance of hearing development. For children age
3 to 6 years old, this is the golden period for hearing. Inaccurate pitch will
influence the child’s future development of different musical instruments. In
this case, if the price of the violin is too low, the pitch will not be as
accurate, hence, influence the development of hearing directly. Moreover, the
touch of the keys is too soft and lack of rebound ability.
If I am buying a RM400 violin, which types of strings should I get?
If I am buying a RM400
violin, which types of strings should I get?
The range of current market price for violin is from RM100 up to
ten thousands. A normal violin for beginner learner, teachers and parents would
consider average price. If you bought a RM400 violin (but make sure the quality
up to the price), then we normally use the basic strings which cost about RM250
and below because good strings is softer and easier to be pressed when one is
playing the violin.
Product: How to choose a piano?
In current market, pianos are categorised into new piano, old
piano and electric piano.
Basic considerations in choosing a piano are:
a.
The age of the student
b.
The grade of piano of
the student
c.
The student’s budget of
investment
a.
If the student is below
6 years old whose body size is average, we recommend choosing electric piano
(the quality of the sound of the electric piano must not be too low, the touch
of the electric piano has to be similar to a piano)
b.
If the student is a
beginner in learning piano and above 6 years old, we recommend choosing upright
piano as the interest of the student at this moment may be shaky. Normal
upright piano is sufficient for beginner and intermediate level. When the student
is 5 grade and above, then we recommend using a grand piano as the songs
required lots of variations, rapid rebound and heavy keyboard touch.
c.
Personal preference for
the quality of the piano and the budget of investment.
4 hands play in Helicon UP125 Black and White Keys
4 hands play in Helicon UP125 Black and White Keys
Engineer of the child’s soul
There was once a little boy who
followed his sister to the art class during his kindergarten years. One day
when he was in primary one, he refused to join the art class. His mother asked
him the reason why and found out that the art teacher in primary school
punished him and requested him to redraw his art, just because he coloured the
chicken in black.
The teacher scolded him, “Where can you find a black
chicken?” Due to the scolding of the teacher, this little boy refused to take
out the colour pencils and started to cry when his mother brought him to the
class.
I was very upset and angry at that moment and told the little boy, “I
will take a photo of black chicken to your teacher and show your teacher that
how ignorant he is.” I comforted him and ensuring that there is black chicken.
After a few months of encouragement and advice, the little boy slowly walked
out from the bad experience.
Slowly, he began to regain his confidence and
started to colour and draw. Dear primary school teachers, you are either the
engineers of the children’s soul, or sadly, the executioners of their innocent
soul. Respect life, respect yourself!
2 Years Old Play Piano?
That year when you were just two years old,
granddad brought you to my office everyday from grandma house. Every time when
you were here, you would play the piano every where. However, your fingers were
too soft that the piano did not make a single sound. Sometimes, you cried
because you played it too hard and your fingers ached.
When you were four years old, your fingers began to
be stronger to hit on the keys. I recommended you to practice single keys on
the piano. When you were at five, your fingers were strong enough and you could
finally play a simple nursery rhymes. At this moment, you played the piano and
sang happily and confidently.
Classical guitar
If one day, we carry a six-string guitar, ride on a
horse and travel around the world. We play this nylon stringed wooden
instrument while admiring the environment around us. How amazing will it be?
Playing on the strings and singing in the nature,
the musical notes fly with the maple leaves. Look at the six years old
children, dance with the music, hug our guitars and play with their pure voice
and laughter.
“Piano teacher as best friend”
There
was a customer who came and look for a piano. I explained to her a lot of
information about the structure of the piano. At the end, just like most of the
parents, she visited again with her most trusted “teacher”
and “friend” to
look at the chosen piano.
This
ten years friend of hers is also her child’s
tuition and piano teacher. Once they came, she acted like a professional
quality control expert, started to criticize the customer’s
choice. Fortunately, we are well-trained in the product quality and have almost
30 years of experience in this industry, if not, we would be frightened.
Then,
she asked how much commission would she get. I explained to her that it is the
same as the market. At the end, she mentioned that the previous dealers offered
her the minimum price and let her fix the price herself.
Then,
she requested for discount and demanded for free gifts, if not, she would feel
uneasy. I told her, “It
is already the lowest price that we can offer, we cannot afford to sell the
piano at a loss, I rather wait for another buyer to come. Or else, you give
your commission rebate to your friend.” She answered, “No,
I’m
here to take what I should get.”
In
the end, she threatened me, “If
you don’t
give more free gift, once I walked outside, there will be more sellers for me
to choose, what is your final decision?”
I
stood on my ground and said, “I’m
sorry, I can’t
do business at a loss. If you are willing to help me then please convince your
friend.”
Listen.
What is the “child’s drawing” talking about?
That
day, there were over hundreds children above 4 years old came to take part in
yearly children’s art competition. Some of them accompanied by their parents,
while some came with their teachers.
When
the competition started, everyone was nervous. Once they got the art paper from
the organiser, they were eager to pick up the pencil and start drawing.
Among
the people, I saw a five-year-old child drawing attentively. She drew a big
head girl with braid. There was a smaller girl beside this girl, and at the
most left of these two girls, there was a boy who was only half of the size of
the big girl. In the middle of these three people, there was a more than
slightly distorted ten storeys building with a lot of windows. There were two
cotton clouds above the building, an air plane and a bird in between the two
clouds.
The
colouring of this little girl is just average, not too bright and not too dull.
At
that moment, I asked her curiously, “Who is this big girl?” She said that the
big one is her mother while the small girl is her. Then I asked her about the
little boy. She said that it is her father. I asked again curiously, “Why is
your father smaller?” The girl answered me naively, “It is because I love my
mother more and my father always not at home.” They stayed in a tall building
that enables them to see the flight of air planes.
From
this drawing, I can see that the girl came from a well-off family. The girl has
strong relationship with her mother. Relatively, the dependency on father is
less important than the mother because the father is not always around. This
girl has a happy family.
A
brief history of flute
Seven
thousand years of history
Before
Han Dynasty> More to vertical whistle. Since the
Qin and Han Dynasties, flute=vertical Bamboo flute and horizontal flute
Bei
Dynasty>Flute is popular, with bigger changes
in shapes, length and width.
Bei
Zhou and Sui-Tang Dynasty> Has the name
of “horizontal flute”.
Tang
Dynasty> There are difference in large and
small cross-blowing. Vertical blowing flute is called “Xiao”, horizontal
blowing flute is called “Di”.
Made
from bamboo stick, inner joints are removed, there are one blowing hole, one
film hole and six key holes.
Advantages for parents nowadays
In the current market, there are a lot of
choices of piano and hence provide advantages to the parents. Parents can
understand the product better through introduction and recommendation from
experts from different factory. Meanwhile, the experienced staff possesses good
knowledge of choosing piano, whereby the development of the children and the
psychological issue of the children should be taken into consideration. As long
as the seller is trustworthy, possesses comprehensive knowledge, honest and
willing to share information, choosing piano is not a difficult task.
Importantly, we must not fall into the trap and buy something worthless.
However, one needs at least 5 years of
experience of working with imported piano branding, truly engages with not less
than 500 pianos with different brands and understands the psychology of adults
and children learners in order to provide professional answers to the questions
of customers.
Is the value of branded piano good for the
money
Beside first-tier world renowned piano, we can
normally get quite good second-tier piano for children to practice. Japan piano
normally made in China, Indonesia, Vietnam and other third world countries, while
the earliest piano that we see in developing Asia countries is the Japan piano.
In the early stage, Japan piano came from Japan. Japan is famous of its quality
control in product, therefore, we can enjoy good quality of piano from Japan.
For example, the quality of Japan imported new piano in Malaysia 25 years ago
is very good, but then due to the competition in the market, a lot of
second-tier piano factories shifted out from Japan. The people of the third
world countries do not control the quality of the product as strict as the
Japanese, therefore, in 5 years ago, there is a case in Malaysia that the wood
of one of the Japan piano from a factory is damped and moulded. At the end,
some of the customers managed to get a replacement, while the others did not.
Some even negotiated with the dealer for months to get a replacement.
Most of the teachers only know two or three
choices of piano in the early stage. However, with the advancement of the
technology nowadays, good skills have spread due to computerization, maturity
of skills, globalisation and the upsurge of wages in Europe and America.
Special skills during industrial period have also been popularized. Only with
high expectations of the president, who demands for strict quality control,
that the perfect piano can be produced with the technology and skills from
Europe and America.
At the same time, due to the maturity of
skills, a lot of unbranded piano in the early stage has equivalence sound,
quality and control as compare to branded piano. More often, these unbranded
pianos are better in market demands and the price of these pianos is more
reasonable.
Lost in piano brands
Do the piano teachers fully understand the
structure of piano?
Most parents have common doubt and helplessness
and thought that the piano, which is used by the teacher, is the best piano
while the piano teacher is professional and possesses rich and accurate
knowledge about piano.
Pitiful parents who know nothing about
instrument and music have to depend on the teachers’ recommendation. More
often, in this materialistic society, we have been in this industry for more
than 30 years and it is most common to see teachers who are realistic.
Guzheng
Guzheng is also named as Qinzheng. Since Qin and Han Dynasty, Guzheng spreads all over the country starting from the north-west region and is rich in local specialities.
Guzheng is also called “Chinese Harp”. Guzheng has soft and charming sound and is easy to play because it has only five key range of sound while the music score is indicated with numbers. Normally, guzheng attracts people to fulfil their dreams of learning music. Therefore, guzheng has become the most favourite instrument among the people in Malaysia recently. Guzheng is easy to learn, yet it is not expensive, hence, it is popular.
So,
learning drums is easier than what I have thought
Although
I have been long working in an environment filled with music and talents, I
have always busy working. When I notice that playing drums required the
movements and coordination of hands and legs, I always hesitate and doubt my
ability to do so even though I love drums.
Last
month, I had finally built up my courage and taken out some spare time to learn
how to play drum, only then that I realize that learning drums is easier than
what I have ever thought.
Actually,
it is alike with learning electronic organ, first with the right hand, then
with the left hand and from right leg to the left leg. Lastly, with the
combinations of hands and legs, hit the drums together while counting the beats
in my heart.
As a
result, it only takes 15 minutes to learn how to hit the first 8 key scale in a
30 minutes class.
Distinguish between classical guitar
and Acoustic guitar
The easiest way to distinguish the
differences between a classical guitar and a Acoustic guitar is through
observing the differences in their strings. However, people may ask, “If I install steel strings on a classical guitar,
do I call it a Acoustic guitar? Identically, if the Acoustic guitar is
installed with nylon strings, will it be called as a classical guitar?”This is a very interesting question.
Let’s put it this way. “The type of guitar”actually indicates “the combinations of the hardware”, including every parts of the guitars, such as the
width of the fretboard, the type of strings used, the design of the body and
others. Due to these combinations, the guitar produces its unique sound,
allowing the user to compose the most suitable song with this unique sound.
Moreover, the design of guitars are different and unique based on the usage of
the guitars. For instance, classical guitars are mainly used for play, in which
require the fingers to be moving frequently, hence, the fretboard is wider to
prevent touching other strings when moving along the scale. Whereas for folk
pop guitar, it is mainly used for playing and sing along, the focus is not only
on the play but also to be used with singing, whereby the playing mostly acts
as an accompaniment with certain main chords. Due to the changes in pressing
the strings are not as frequent as classical guitar, the fretboard of an acoustic
guitar is narrower to prevent tiredness of the fingers when pressing chords.
Besides that, the neck of acoustic guitar is normally longer than the neck of
classical guitar. One of the reason for this is that the acoustic guitar is mainly used to sing along that
everyone has different range in sound, the user will always use a capo to
change key easily. Therefore, if the neck of acoustic guitar is short, the
higher key the capo is fixed at, the lesser the guitar can be played, hence, it
causes inconvenience during play. Therefore, different design of the guitars
has different theory in it!
Let’s go back to the first question. The type of
strings is the main factors that causes the differences between the sound of
the guitars. If we change the classical guitar with steel strings, will the
sound be more like a acoustic guitar? A lot of beginners might have this idea
and thought that if the guitar is installed with steel strings, then it is acoustic
guitar. This is a wrong concept. The tension of six steel strings is a lot
greater than the tension of six nylon strings. Classical guitar is designed to
bear with the tension of nylon strings. If we install steel strings on the
classical guitar, not only that the sound will not be alike as folk pop guitar,
it will even cause deformation and damage to the guitar due to overly high
tension of the strings. It is not a joke!
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