1) Who are you and what experience do you have as an accompanist?
My name is Paul Gardner, and I am the creator and owner of Piano-Accompaniments.com. I have been learning the piano for over twenty years and have been awarded a Masters degree in Music Performance from the University of Southampton. I have been accompanying soloists for many years and it has become my primary occupation. I have accompanied many hundreds of recitals, diplomas, master-classes, concerts and exams with pupils of varying ability, both in the UK and abroad. Many of these performances have been by their nature of advanced works, and as such I have covered a considerable amount of repertoire.
Back to Top2) Why did you set up Piano-Accompaniments.com?
I used to find it very useful when I was practising piano duets or concertos to record the corresponding piano/orchestral part so that I could play along (using a MiniDisc player with headphones). I found this made practising a lot more enjoyable, helped me with listening out for the accompanying part, and proved indispensable for memorising the solo parts. I later decided to translate this idea into creating accompaniments for instrumental repertoire, in particular, the medium to advanced-level repertoire that most classical musicians aspire to play.
Using high-end software and hardware, I have spent many months learning, recording and editing the tracks that you find in this catalogue, in each case creating recordings of a far superior quality to those initial examples I used to make for my own benefit. I very much hope these recordings prove useful to musicians of all ages, all over the world.
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3) What would I be getting?
Any products you purchase from Piano-Accompaniments.com will simply be music tracks of the piano accompaniment part to whichever work you choose to practice. You will need to buy any music scores of these works separately as these are not offered on this site.
If you opt to purchase MP3 tracks, then you will receive downloadable digital files that can be sent straight to your computer. You will then have complete freedom whether to play these MP3 files on your computer, load them onto your MP3 player (or compatible phone) or burn them to CD. They are also easily modifiable (see question 4 below).
If you opt to purchase a CD, you will receive through the post a compact disk containing accompaniments to the works you have requested. You can play this disk in any compact disk player, or you can use software programs (such as Windows Media Player etc.) to copy these tracks to your computer, where you can modify them if you wish (see question 4).
Pre-recorded MP3 disks are now also available, containing selections of repertoire suitable for different instruments. Because it is possible to fit so many MP3 files on to a compact disk, these disks provide great value for money.
Tuning notes are also available - make sure you select one of these notes if you want the first track of your CD to help you to tune up ready for the recordings that follow.
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4) What if these tracks are too fast or too slow for me?
These works are recorded at tempos that I consider a suitable compromise for most performers. Many of the works in the catalogue I have played before in concert so I know how they should sound, and for those works I haven’t previously played I have listened to different CD recordings in order to ascertain a satisfactory tempo for my tracks. For many of the more difficult works, I provide slower practice versions that are provided free with the full speed track.
However, the beauty of these tracks is that if you have a computer and an internet connection you can easily find suitable software to allow you to change the tempo (or even volume/reverb etc.) of any accompaniment tracks you purchase from this site. Effectively this means you can create multiple copies of any track at different speeds, to enable you to customise your practice routine. Please visit the 'More Info' page for more information.
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5) Why do some movements have practice or harpsichord versions?
For many of the more difficult works available in the catalogue, I have created additional practice versions which play at a slower and steadier tempo. Please note that in addition to these, you are welcome to create your own practice versions (see question 4 above). For certain works of the Baroque era (Bach/Handel etc.) I offer harpsichord recordings of many of the sonata movements in addition to the usual piano versions. This is because I know many people like to perform such works in their true historical setting.
Please note: If you order a sonata with practice movements on CD, the practice versions will appear after the complete performance version of the sonata. E.g. for a three movement work which has two practice versions (for movements 1 and 3) - the first three tracks will be the performance versions of movements 1-3, and the fourth and fifth tracks will be the practice versions of movements 1 and 3. The same applies to harpsichord movements.
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6) Can I use these tracks with my personal stereo/MP3 player/Ipod?
Yes, all the CDs will work in standard personal CD stereos, and any MP3 files that you download can be used with personal MP3 players or MP3-compatible phones. If you own an Apple Ipod, you should load any relevant MP3 or Wav files into your Itunes library, where you can convert them to AAC files ready to use with your Ipod.
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7) Can I copy and distribute these recordings?
Please do not make and distribute illegal copies of these recordings, as outlined in the terms and conditions. I have spent many months creating this catalogue of products, and I’m sure as a musician you will respect the amount of effort this has required. I don’t mind you lending any recordings to close friends or family, and I don’t mind how many copies of each track you make (at different tempos etc.) as long as these are for your own personal use.
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8) How do I buy from Piano-Accompaniments.com?
Click on 'Music Catalogue' to go to the product pages, and browse to the relevant products (or use the search facility). Clicking the 'Add to Cart' button puts that product in your shopping basket, then press 'continue' to continue shopping. When you have finishing adding to your basket, you should select the 'checkout' page, where you simply add your address details (make sure you add a separate delivery address if necessary), and then proceed to the payment pages. You can use most standard debit or credit cards to make your purchase, and PayPal account holders are able to use PayPal if this method proves easier. The standard checkout system transfers you to Protx secure servers to process your online payment. If you wish to pay by cheque, please email me with details of your required tracks, and I will be able to assist you.
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9) Is it secure to buy from your store?
All internet shopping done via Protx (or PayPal if you prefer) benefits from the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology, so you can be assured that your transaction is as safe as it can be. I never get to see your credit card details, so there is no question of your security being compromised.
For further information about Protx's security please click here
For further information about PayPal's security please click here
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10) How big are the downloadable files? Will I need a broadband connection?
The average size for an MP3 file is around 3.5Mb, (the smallest is about 0.5Mb and the largest is 8.5Mb). A full sonata can be anywhere between 10 to 30Mb. With a broadband connection even the largest sonata should not take any more than 10 minutes to download.
With a basic 56k modem, you can usually download 1Mb in about 2 minutes, so it could take up to an hour to download a really big sonata. However, because the sonata comes in its component parts (i.e. you download each movement separately) you don’t need to be connected for a full hour at a time, you could choose to download one movement then come back later to download another, and so on.
Occasionally, dial-up (56k modem) users may find you have trouble downloading some works from the server, if this happens please email me and I'll be able to sort the order out personally.
Please note: after you purchase any MP3 files, the links will available to download for the next 48 hours. You should try to download all the movements you have purchased within this time to save them permanently on your computer. If for any reason you find difficulty downloading within the 48 hours, please email me and I should be able to sort things out!
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11) What are the delivery charges? How long will my order take?
There are no shipping charges for MP3 downloads. CD postage and packing to the UK currently costs £2.20 irrespective of how many CDs worth of music you buy, and should reach you within 7 working days. Postage to the European Union is £3.30 and to the Rest of the World is £4.40 (allow 10 working days).
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12) Do you offer refunds?
If you are not satisfied with your order, please contact me with your reasons, and providing these are legitimate I will offer you a full refund or replacement, particularly in the case of any faulty CDs or complaints with the recordings.
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13) Why is there no repertoire for my instrument?
My apologies if there is no repertoire yet for your instrument, to start off with I have been concentrating on just a few instruments in order to start at a manageable level. As the catalogue expands, I will be adding many more works for various instruments, so do keep checking the catalogue periodically.
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14) Why is some repertoire only available on MP3 and not on CD?
Works by composers who died less than 70 years ago are subject to certain copyright restrictions, both in terms of digital products (MP3s) and physical products (CDs). The website currently has a license to distribute such digital works, and hence works like the Rachmaninov Cello Sonata are available to download. However, I do not currently have a license to provide such works on physical products such as CDs, although in the future I may try to attain one.
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