Synopses & Reviews
At first glance, a piano may seem like an intimidating instrument that would be very difficult to learn how to play, but despite what your seventh-grade piano teacher may say, playing piano isn't brain surgery. It just takes time, practice, and patience.
Piano For Dummies starts at the very beginning and walks you through everything you need to know to turn that oversized hunk of furniture into an instrument that can make beautiful music. If you don't know how to read music, this book explains in friendly, uncomplicated language all the basics of music theory and applying 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.
Here are some of the topics you'll find in Piano For Dummies:
- Buying a piano: Acoustic versus electronic
- How a piano works, and how to care for one
- Left- and right-hand piano techniques
- Examining keys, scales, melodies, harmonies, and chords
- Plenty of musical examples to play
- The history of piano musical styles
- Advice for piano teachers
- A Top Ten list of pianists you should know about
Piano For Dummies also includes a glossary and a free CD, which includes audio of all of the examples in the book so that you can play along.
So if you've always wanted to learn to play piano, but you don't have the time to take piano lessons, you can pick up the basics in Piano For Dummies; you'll be tickling the ivories with ease in no time!
Synopsis
Play-along audio CD included! The fun and easy way to get started on the piano
A Reference for the Rest of Us!
Perfect for all keyboards?not just piano
Find out how to have some fun with your piano
Don't leave your keyboard in the corner collecting dust! Open the book, run through a few simple exercises with virtuoso Blake Neely, and soon you'll be tickling the ivories with the best of them. From basic scales to old favorites, classical themes, blues, boogie-woogie, and more, this friendly beginner's guide and songbook doesn't miss a beat.
All 97 songs and exercises from the book on audio CD
Play along with "Oh Sussannah." " The Beautiful Blue Danube." "Swanee River," " Ode to Joy," " Greensleaves," " Danny Boy," Berry-style blues, a boogie-woogie bass line, " Hank the Honky-Tonk" riff, and much, much more
Discover how to:
Familiarize yourself with the keyboard
Understand the language of music
Have fun when you practice scales
Impress friends with great grooves and riffs
Play classical, rock, blues, and country
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Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 288-289) and index.
About the Author
Blake Neely has been playing piano since he was about 4 years old, although it took a while before real audible music could be detected. His fascination with music led him to other instruments, such as the French horn, guitar, and drums, but the keyboard remains his baby.
Upon graduation from the University of Texas in 1991, he moved to Los Angeles to experience the music business. He licensed music for Hollywood Records and later worked for Disney Music Publishing as editor of all printed music publications.
An award-winning composer and author, he has written symphonies, a piano concerto, and numerous orchestral and chamber works. He is co-author of the acclaimed FastTrack series, published by Hal Leonard Corporation.
Blake has worked as a composer, orchestrator, arranger, copyist, engraver, musicologist, and consultant for such prominent figures as Disney, Hal Leonard Corporation, Decca Records, Hyperion Books, composers Michael Kamen and Alan Menken, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.
Currently living in Austin, Texas, Blake spends his free time tuning into his family: wife Elizabeth, daughter Jordan, and son Jacob. Blake is the proud owner of a Kawai grand piano and Kurzweil, Ensoniq, and E-Mu synths and samplers. You can reach Blake via e-mail at [email protected].
Table of Contents
Introduction.
Part I: Warming Up to the Keyboard.
Chapter 1: Meeting the Keyboard Family.
Chapter 2: What Your Parents Never Told You about Posture.
Chapter 3: Eighty-Eight Keys, Three Pedals, Ten Fingers, and Two Feet.
Part II: Getting Sound Down on Paper .
Chapter 4: Following Horizontal and Vertical Lines.
Chapter 5: Joining the Rhythm Nation.
Chapter 6: Changing the Beaten Path .
Part III: One Hand at a Time.
Chapter 7: Playing a Melody.
Chapter 8: Scaling to New Heights.
Chapter 9: Hey, Don't Forget Lefty!
Part IV: Living in Perfect Harmony.
Chapter 10: The Building Blocks of Harmony.
Chapter 11: Understanding Keys.
Chapter 12: Filling Out Your Sound with Chords.
Part V: Technique Counts for Everything.
Chapter 13: Dressing Up Your Music.
Chapter 14: Great Grooves.
Chapter 15: Perusing the Aisle of Style.
Part VI: So Many Toys, So Little Time .
Chapter 16: Finding the Perfect Keyboard.
Chapter 17: Raising Your Keyboard .
Part VII: The Part of Tens .
Chapter 18: Ten Types of Performers and Their Recordings.
Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Go Beyond This Book.
Chapter 20: Blake's Ten Teacher-Tracking Tips.
Appendix A: Glossary of Musical Terms.
Appendix B: About the CD.
Index.
Book Registration Information.