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Piano Lessons in Las Vegas

 Pianos are made in various sizes, styles, colors, and materials. But there are three primary types of pianos in the market which include the Grands, Electronic, and Upright. These primary styles are often resized, restructured, and reconfigured to combine.

The Grand pianos are known to be the largest type of piano, as well as the most expensive. Grand pianos are known for their unique characteristics from their horizontal soundboards that stretch upwards of 4 ft. Soundboards are encased in a supportable opening platform that lifts upwards on to the right. The casing is usually bottomlessly allowing you to see the soundboard support case in all its glory. The grand piano has the standard 88 wooden keys usually coated in ivory or at a time of pure ivory, yet for sustainability reasons, other materials to substitute ivory have now been used as well.

A very popular resized style of the Grand piano is the Baby Grand. It is essentially the smaller version of the grand piano with the same 88 key setups, but a smaller soundboard which creates a softer sound.

Another type of piano is upright, which is the most common acoustic piano and a popular addition in many living rooms. Uprights are a bit more cost-effective, are more compact, and offer a softer warmer sound. The upright pianos have a vertical soundboard and are visible on the backside of the piano. These types of pianos can compete with grand piano acoustics, as the upright piano can produce a quality tone and a fairly high level of loudness.

Last, but not least is the electric pianos which are suitable for beginner piano players. The electric pianos are also a great option for those piano performers who are constantly moving. Other than being the most affordable type of piano, it doesn’t offer the same quality of acoustic sound as a grand or upright piano does. Yet, sounds continue to improve in these electronic pianos. A great addition to these pianos that acoustic pianos cannot produce is the range of setting and sound variety including organ, guitar, choir, percussion, and many more. The sound and setting variety allow for the electronic piano to become its own moving portable band, becoming more and more popular in modern bands. 

The Black & White Keys 

Learning how to play the piano is much more than pushing the right keys and knowing how to read sheet music. There are also piano techniques and proper etiquette when it comes to playing the piano.

Correct posture is essential when playing the piano because incorrect posture can lead to unnecessary strains on your body. Great posture and sitting position will allow you to distribute your weight adequately from your body to your fingertips. With the right posture and positioning, you can also play with more expression and a wide dynamic range.

What you sit on when playing doesn’t technically matter as long as it's comfortable, solid and the correct height for you. Foot placement should also be considered and should be placed flat on the ground below your feet. The placement of feet will later be important as you will start to move your feet from their resting position to use the piano’s pedals.

Now that you have a great posture, sitting position, and feet placement you should also take the time to acknowledge how to play the keys properly. Playing the black and white keys is all about control over playing the notes. Maximizing your piano’s available dynamic range is key. hand and fingertip placement are essential when starting to play. The left side of your thumb’s fingertip should be touching the key, while the rest of your hand is curled as to be holding an imaginary ball. Now, when playing a key, it is important to just let your finger fall into the key then hitting it. Have your wrist lose as this will improve the natural movement and will allow you to play a smoother, less stiff, and dynamic range.

But every pianist has their own style of playing the ivory keys at the end of the day. Experiment by playing the keys harder and holding them until the sound rhythms. Play the key hard again but pull away quickly and pay attention to the difference in sound and vibration. Getting to know the different sounds will allow you to understand each key and how it can make a single note have a different sound.

Las Vegas Piano Scene

The music scene in Las Vegas is like any music scene in any major city, but better. Las Vegas always seems to make it a little more over the top with residencies with some of the most sought-after artists and musicians in the world from Celine Dion to Elton John.

In these residencies piano also takes the limelight from world-renowned artists like Elton John’s The Million Dollar Piano concert residency which included 197 shows from 2011 to 2018. But before Elton John had his Million Dollar Piano residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, he had The Red Piano concert residency from 2004 to 2009. Since the Red Piano residency was such a coveted show with a total of 247 shows, Caesars Palace extended the residency but renamed it to The Million Dollar Piano.

But Elton John isn’t the only memorable modern pianist in the Las Vegas scene. The Greatest Piano Men took the stage at the Flamingo Las Vegas and blew opening week away. The 90-minute production that opened in April 2019 featured pianists Donnie Kehr, Peter Peterkin, Greg Ransom, and Stephan Snyder. The show included cover versions of songs written specifically for the piano from Beethoven to Elton John.

If grand piano shows are not your style, then a piano bar in Sin City is your best bet. From dueling piano bars like New York  New York Hotel’s Bar at Time Square to a classier setting at the Eastside Lounge at the Encore at Wynn. These piano bars and lounges will give you the same amazing classic tunes while enjoying a nice glass of wine or your cocktail of choice.