Piano For Dummies »

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.

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

Library Journal

Instruct: to provide with knowledge, especially in a methodical way. That is, in fact, what Phillips and Chappel of Cherry Lane Music do in this logical, pedagogic introduction to keyboard instruments, music theory, and piano technique. The chapter on the famous--or is it infamous?--"Part of Tens" includes information about past and present masters of the instrument, ways of expanding your interest beyond the scope of the book, and tips on finding a teacher. Printed musical examples are plentiful, and an accompanying audio CD is included. This book intends to be fun and funny and succeeds in a vaudeville sort of way. Students are encouraged "to continue to seek knowledge about your instrument long after you tire of the jokes" and told that "piano teachers and method books shouldn't be forsaken forever." The do-it-yourself phenomenon has made the "Dummies" books very popular. This one is particularly appropriate for school media and public libraries.--Janet Brewer, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY

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.