If You Play the Piano - You Can Talk Like This!

Communication doesn't always involve words, does it?  :)

There are many different ways that we communicate with each other, without using a single word. {:-O 

You can tell when someone wants to \o/ you on  or they :*( for you without having to hear them say it; you can see it in their face and you can feel the emotion behind their expression easily. 

The emotional content in communication is what we connect with most of the time. That's why we don't really need words to express what we're feeling to others, unless they are able to capture the emotions in the message. 

Piano players and other types of musicians excel at nonverbal communication! 

Think about this. Everything that we "say" on the piano, we say through notes, instead of words. Not just notes either, but also rhythm, dynamics, articulation, and even different key signatures: all of these communicate specific emotions and feelings to the listeners, without using words. It's incredible, really. :D

When we want to convey frustration to another using words, we will usually emphasize the words we use with a louder voice than we normally use, or we may talk really fast and put a strong emphasis on certain words. 
 
We do the same in our piano playing. 

• Playing louder and bringing out a crescendo in a certain passage will  communicate a growing intensity and it will take the listener to a specific place. 
• Accents and very hard short notes usually can convey anger or frustration. Alternatively, they can also express joy and excitement. 
• Playing decrescendos or getting softer in your music is a good way to bring a sense of calm,peace, and a resolution to the end of a section or a piece. 
• Feelings of love and tenderness are felt in music through lyrical lines, soft harmonies and gentle rhythms.
• Major Keys usually convey feelings of positiveness, happiness and being "upbeat".
• Minor Keys have more of a sad sound to them and tend to be more meloncholy than the Major Keys. 
• Long drawn out chords express finality and can be used for both happy and sad feelings. 

As you can see, most of what we play on the piano and how we play it really is just another way of communicating, especially when it comes to emotions and stimulating our imagination. 

If you have never realized that you are learning a new language, start noticing what emotions you are feeling yourself when you play a certain piece on your piano. 

• Does it make you laugh?
  
• Does it make you all of a sudden feel quiet inside?
  
• Does it make you think of someone particular or of an experience you've had before?
  
• What exactly are you feeling?

If you start answering these questions for yourself, you will understand more what the message in the music is and you'll be able to convey that message better to others. 

This is one of the huge benefits of learning how to play the piano!

We connect more with ourselves emotionally and learn other ways to express our own emotional being. This is great for those of us that have a hard time expressing our feelings through words. When we learn how to communicate in this way better, we also teach and help others do the same, even if they are just listening to us play. 

If you already play the piano, then you are excelling at nonverbal communication even if you don't realize it! Now it's time to raise your awareness of how you are emotionally interacting with your piano playing so your music will become even more of a source of inspiration, creative stimulation, and emotional connectedness for others. 

Stay Tuned to LessonsOnTheWeb to learn much more and achieve your dreams of playing the piano!