Synopses & Reviews
The fun and easy way to learn piano!Whether you've only ever admired the piano or are looking to rekindle a past hobby, Piano For Dummies, 2nd Edition, gives you everything you need to make beautiful music with confidence and ease. You'll get practical, easy-to-follow guidance on how to read music, keep rhythm, and use your fingers and feet to play tons of popular pieces and songs.
Warming up to the keyboard — discover the differences (and similarities) between acoustic and electric keyboards and get tips on finding the keyboard that's right for you
Getting sound down on paper — learn the many symbols, lines, and dots that make up written music and understand how they're translated into actual songs
One hand at a time — practical guidance on how to play the melodies of well-known songs, starting with just your right hand and gradually inviting your left hand to join the party
Living in perfect harmony — find out what harmony is, how it's made, and how you can use it to fill out songs
Open the book and find:
Practice lessons, teaching techniques, and examples
Ways to make the most of your practice time
Tips on how to count rhythms
Exercises for playing with your left hand
Tricks, techniques, and stylish embellishments to dress up the music you play
Scales and chords in major and minor keys
Handy accompaniment patterns, intros, and outros
Bonus CD Includes
- More than 90 recorded performances of the exercises and pieces featured in the book
- Pieces performed using a count-off, allowing you to play along in time with the music
- Style samplers featuring riffs in jazz, rock, classical, country, and soul
Synopsis
This updated and revised edition of the best-selling Piano For Dummies covers the playing of this instrument from introductory lessons to the playing of popular musical pieces and songs. The included CD provides readers with an audio example for all of the pieces presented in the text.
Synopsis
The long-awaited update to the bestselling Piano For Dummies-featuring a new audio CDHave you always wanted to play piano? This revised edition of the popular Piano for Dummies makes it easier and more fun than ever. If you don't know how to read music, this book explains in friendly, uncomplicated language all the basics of music theory and applies it to playing the piano. And if you've been playing piano for a while – or took piano lessons when you were a child but haven't played since – you can pick up some valuable tips to improve your playing or use the book as a refresher course.
This new edition features fresh and updated practice lessons, teaching techniques, and musical examples, as well as a new audio CD with examples for all pieces presented in the book. You get expert information on left- and right-hand piano techniques; playing scales, melodies, harmonies, and chords; and practicing to improve your technique.
- Everything you need to start playing piano today
- Plenty of popular musical pieces and songs, with companion audio CD to play along with
- Instruction in playing various musical styles, from classical and rock to blues and country
- Blake Neely is an Emmy-nominated composer and accomplished pianist who has composed numerous TV and movie scores
If you've always wanted to tickle the ivories like a pro, Piano For Dummies, 2nd Edition is your ideal resource!
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
About the Author
Blake Neely is a composer, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, and pianist who scored an Emmy nomination for his composition of the Everwood main title theme. Since then, Blake has enjoyed a celebrated career of scoring and orchestrating, with credits such as the movie The Wedding Date, the TV series Brothers and Sisters, and the smash Disney movie, Enchanted.
Table of Contents
Introduction.Part I: Warming Up to the Keyboard.
Chapter 1: I Love a Piano.
Chapter 2: Meeting the Keyboard Family.
Chapter 3: Finding the Perfect Keyboard.
Chapter 4: Taking Good Care of Your Keyboard.
Chapter 5: Eighty-Eight Keys, Three Pedals, Ten Fingers, and Two Feet.
Part II: Getting Sound Down on Paper.
Chapter 6: Reading Lines and Spaces.
Chapter 7: Joining the Rhythm Nation.
Chapter 8: Changing the Beaten Path.
Part III: One Hand at a Time.
Chapter 9: Playing a Melody.
Chapter 10: Scaling to New Heights.
Chapter 11: Hey, Don’t Forget Lefty!
Part IV: Living in Perfect Harmony.
Chapter 12: The Building Blocks of Harmony.
Chapter 13: Understanding Keys.
Chapter 14: Filling Out Your Sound with Chords.
Part V: Technique Counts for Everything.
Chapter 15: Dressing Up Your Music.
Chapter 16: Great Grooves.
Chapter 17: Perusing the Aisle of Style.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Improve Your Practice and Performance.
Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Go Beyond This Book.
Chapter 20: Blake’s Ten Questions to Ask Prospective Teachers.
Appendix: About the CD.
Index.