Customer Reviews

The Easy Fake Book

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a "Fake Book", which means a single staff of somewhat simplified music. "Easy" in "C" means that Hal Leonard has transposed it to C, which is most common instruments (piano, flute, harmonica...) It does NOT include tabs or frets, you do need to read music, but you don't need to parse key signatures.

Fake books are used for several things. Professionals use them to help them quickly "fake" knowing a song. A decent musician can sight-read them and sound convincing. Beginners (or less serious musicians) use them because you can enjoy playing a song you recognize without having to deal with key signatures and changing ones, odd timings and very complex bits. The cost is that some interesting parts may be simplified out and, if you play piano, you're only going to have your right hand busy; you'll have to fake with the left.

This book has a wide variety of great recognizable songs, though few current ones. Mostly old standards, few by way of rock. It's great to play to and to learn from, but if you're learning you'll eventually want a more comprehensive book, once you can take on the trickier bits. That doesn't mean you don't need this, just that eventually it will help you outgrow it. Professionals should jump right to the Ultimate Fake Books, also on Amazon.

I'm new to the piano (and music notes in general). I find this book to be very very useful... plenty of songs to choose from.... an intro is provided for every song. Highly recommended.

This book has a great mix of songs from rock to showtunes, etc... When played, they sound good, not too oversimplified for me. All song are really in the key of C, which definitely makes it easier to read and play.

I play piano by ear. My music-reading skills are very limited. Throw a couple of sharps or flats into the music and I'm completely lost.

The EASY FAKE BOOK has its music written in the key of "C". No sharps. No flats. There are also no base notes, only the upper hand. Instead, this book provides the base chords. If you're an "ear-player" like me, you simply follow the notes with your right hand, and follow the base chords with your left.

Piano playing has never been easier than this.

There are 204 great songs in this book.

The Easy Fake Book and Your First Fake Book both have very good song selections in them. I would recomend however first buying How To Play From A Fake Book (which I purchased later) because it explains more about how to use these books. They are all very exellent books and I will be back for more. Thank You.

I've purchased several of these books. They are an excellent starting point for the beginner, but can also be a great reminder for the more confident player. The only challenging thing about this book would be that the music is not presented in the large format that you will find in some of the easiest Hal Leonard books. For example, if you take a dime and place it over the staff you will cover it up from top to bottom. Most people can manage this size, but those who are visually challenged might want to know this fact. The type set, however is very dark.

If you have previously purchased a Fake Book you will know that the songs are presented in the key of C, contains the song lyrics, it comes with simplified melodies, and has five basic chord types (major, minor, seventh, diminished and augmented). This has a handy chord speller in the back. If you do not know how to play from this type of book you may wish to pick up "How to Play from a Fake Book (Keyboard Edition) by Blake Neeley. There are many different books you will want to purchase once you experience your first Fake Book. For example, there are specialty ones such as country or one that carry hymns.

It can be quite frustrating to purchase a book with only a brief sampling of its contents. Frankly it can be annoying to spend good money on a book when there are only a couple of songs you like. I hope you find this review helpful because I'm going to type a list of all the songs in this book, each one separated by an asterisk.

Alfie * All I Ask of You * All My Loving * Almost Paradise * Always * Always in My Heart * Always on My Mind * And I love Her * Angel * Any Dream Will Do * Autumn in New York * Autumn Leaves * The Blue Room * Blue Skies * By the Time I Get to Phoenix * Cabaret * Call Me Irresponsible * (They Long to Be) Close to You * Crazy * Do Nothin's Till you Hear from Me * Fields of Gold * The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face * The Glory of Love * go the Distance * God Bless' the Child * Great Balls of Fire * Grow Old with Me * Hello, Young Lovers * Here, There and Everywhere * Hey, Good Lookin' * How Are Things in Glocca Morra * How Deep Is Your Love * I Believe in You and Me * I Can't Get Started with You * I Didn't Know What Time I Was * I Left My Hear in San Francisco * I Will Remember You * I Wish I Were in Love Again * I Write the Songs * I'll Be Seeing You * I'll Be There * I've Got the World on a String * If I Imagine * In a Sentimental Mood * In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning * It Could Happen to You * It Might As Well Be Spring * It Never Entered My Mind * Jailhouse Rock * Kansas City * The Lady Is a Tramp * lazy River * Love Me with All your Heart * Makin' Whoopee! * Memories of You * Memory * Michelle * Misty * Mona Lisa * Moon River * Moonlight in Vermont * My Girl * My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from `Titanic') * (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman * The Nearness of You * A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square * One Less Bell to Answer * People * Release Me * Rockin' Chair * Save the Best for last * Skylark * Solitude * Some Enchanted Evening * Somebody Love Me * Something * Sometimes When We Touch * Sophisticated Lady * Stand by Me * Star Dust * Stella by Starlight * Tangerine * Tears in Heaven * Tennessee Waltz * There's a Small Hotel * This Can't Be Love * Unchained Melody * Valentine * The Very Thought of You * Walkin' After Midnight * The Way We Were * What a Wonderful World * What'll I Do * What's New? * Where the Boys Are * Will You Love Me Tomorrow * With a Song in My Heart * You Took Advantage of Me * You've Got a Friend * Your Cheatin' Heart

I hope you found several you will enjoy in this book. I purchased this book for someone else in the household, but certainly found many I like to listen to or play in these pages. Happy playing ... this is one book that is well worth the expenditure!

Emphasis on the word "Easy" it is exactly as the title suggests. Highly recommended.

Like I said when I reviewed "Your First Fake Book", I used to not think much about these "Easy" series type books. They are actually quite fun to play and simple chords are very easily modified if you need to get a little more "oomph" out of the songs. This one now even adds nice little intros. This book plus the first one as well as the others in this series now give starting fakers a great transitionary series to ease the way into the regular Fake Book variety.

I have many fake books and this one has songs that I was missing in my other books. Enjoying the variety.

I am enjoying playing popular tunes using The Easy Fake book. A great way to learn some music fundamentals and piano technique.