Rising up, I at all times wished to be in a band. I began piano classes after I was 6 and, by 10 years previous, I used to be getting fairly darn good! I used to show up the stereo and attempt to play together with my favourite songs, however it was actually exhausting as a result of I normally couldn’t sustain (or the track was in a tough key). I received higher at it over time, however it was a sluggish course of. Fortunately, it’s MUCH simpler for youths right now to “play with a band” at any time when they need – because of some cool new expertise from Hal-Leonard!
There are a number of websites on the Web the place you possibly can obtain MIDI information free of charge. Many of those MIDI information will embody all or many of the background instrumentation for the track you need to play, together with drums, guitars, horns, and so forth. With the suitable software program or digital piano, you possibly can even mute the components you don’t need to play together with! Even higher, you possibly can simply change keys and/or modify the playback velocity so you possibly can mute the melody half and revel in taking part in together with “the band” identical to I did as a child (minus all of the frustrations I had again then)!
Why would you need to do that (apart from simply “having enjoyable”)? Effectively, the most effective issues about taking part in with a backing observe is – it makes you a greater musician! It trains your ears to pay attention in another way and search for methods to “slot in” with the opposite devices and also you study to “really feel” the track in methods you possibly can’t when taking part in alone. It helps you hear and proper “fallacious notes” rapidly. It makes studying rhythms and tempo simpler… and – because it IS a lot extra enjoyable – it makes you need to follow extra! I can’t consider a greater follow behavior for pianists of all talent ranges!
The one draw back to MIDI, nonetheless, is it will possibly sound considerably mechanical. The backing devices are laptop generated in order that they sound good, however not as “lifelike” as an truly in-person band. That’s the place newer, game-changing expertise from Hal-Leonard is available in.
Awhile in the past, Hal-Leonard launched their unbelievable Sheet Music Direct Play-Alongside app and it remodeled the best way we performed the piano. With backing tracks comprised of actual audio recordings of dwell bands, SMD supplied an expertise that was even higher than taking part in together with MIDI information! The app even allow you to change keys, change tempo and make on-screen notes! It was THE technique to play – particularly in the event you had it linked to a Clavinova or Roland Digital Piano.
Sadly, resulting from modifications inside iOS, the Sheet Music Direct Play-Alongside app was discontinued and is not obtainable. Fortunately, we’ve discovered a workaround that also provides you many of the very important performance (and all the nice music to play together with)! You simply must be a bit… inventive… with the way you entry it.
Try this brief video we did explaining the method:
Now you possibly can as soon as once more get pleasure from taking part in together with “the band’ with out sacrificing the authenticity of your expertise. You possibly can nonetheless velocity up the music or sluggish it down. You possibly can even change keys! Play-along is again because of Hal-Leonard’s “Sheet Music Direct” web site (when accessed through a cellular gadget). You simply might need to make use of a couple of app to do all the pieces the previous app used to. It’s a small value to pay for the expertise although! When you begin taking part in with the band, you’ll by no means need to cease!
Why not give it a attempt? By integrating these instruments into your follow routine, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of rhythm and concord whereas having fun with extra inventive freedom than ever earlier than! Don’t miss out on one of the best ways to play piano in 2025! Embrace the “background band” and unlock new ranges of expression in your piano taking part in right now!
