Dueling pianos have been a part of the entertainment landscape since at least the late nineteenth century. In the Victorian era, patrons would watch to see which of two piano players could play not only better, but also more quickly, than the other.
Nowadays, the field has changed. Instead of battling, the two musicians are more likely to work with each other in a collaborative spirit as they try to engage and amuse the audience, sometimes even inviting the crowd to sing with them in order to create a lively feeling for the performance. There are now clubs and bars that specialize in this kind of entertainment.
The style of playing in a dueling situation is very showy, with more flourishes than you'd see in a traditional recital. The performers will sometimes throw in impromptu banter, prepared jokes or funny lyrics. Sometimes the performers will work in regular teams, like a comedy duo, and other times they will be strangers or nearly strangers and will figure out their act on the fly, based on whatever their chemistry turns out to be like.
One of the features of this kind of show is that the patrons can usually ask the musicians to play specific songs. That means the pianists must be familiar with and able to play a greater number of pop and rock music pieces than it is likely for them to be able to memorize completely, even though most of the songs are popular and familiar tunes.
Many players will carry a book of sheet music which includes a lot of the songs they may be expected to be able to play. The performers will have practiced these songs in order to be able to play them, but they will not have necessarily memorized them all before a show, which is why the sheet music is helpful.
Although tipping is considered standard practice at almost any bar or club when you make a song request of the musicians, the method by which you ask for your tune changes from place to place. You may have to sign up on a list, or you may simply be able to yell your preferred song title at the performer. Other places will want you to write the song name on a napkin and pass it to the stage. Whatever the system, look for the tip receptacle where you can leave a bit of cash as a sign of gratitude.
After more than a century in the public eye, dueling pianos aren't likely to disappear any time soon. This kind of show allows piano players to show their skills to an appreciative audience in a lively setting. Whether the pianist's background includes classical training, or just experience in a rock and roll band, the point of this kind of playing is to help patrons have a great night out on the town.
dueling pianos
Nowadays, the field has changed. Instead of battling, the two musicians are more likely to work with each other in a collaborative spirit as they try to engage and amuse the audience, sometimes even inviting the crowd to sing with them in order to create a lively feeling for the performance. There are now clubs and bars that specialize in this kind of entertainment.
The style of playing in a dueling situation is very showy, with more flourishes than you'd see in a traditional recital. The performers will sometimes throw in impromptu banter, prepared jokes or funny lyrics. Sometimes the performers will work in regular teams, like a comedy duo, and other times they will be strangers or nearly strangers and will figure out their act on the fly, based on whatever their chemistry turns out to be like.
One of the features of this kind of show is that the patrons can usually ask the musicians to play specific songs. That means the pianists must be familiar with and able to play a greater number of pop and rock music pieces than it is likely for them to be able to memorize completely, even though most of the songs are popular and familiar tunes.
Many players will carry a book of sheet music which includes a lot of the songs they may be expected to be able to play. The performers will have practiced these songs in order to be able to play them, but they will not have necessarily memorized them all before a show, which is why the sheet music is helpful.
Although tipping is considered standard practice at almost any bar or club when you make a song request of the musicians, the method by which you ask for your tune changes from place to place. You may have to sign up on a list, or you may simply be able to yell your preferred song title at the performer. Other places will want you to write the song name on a napkin and pass it to the stage. Whatever the system, look for the tip receptacle where you can leave a bit of cash as a sign of gratitude.
After more than a century in the public eye, dueling pianos aren't likely to disappear any time soon. This kind of show allows piano players to show their skills to an appreciative audience in a lively setting. Whether the pianist's background includes classical training, or just experience in a rock and roll band, the point of this kind of playing is to help patrons have a great night out on the town.
dueling pianos
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