19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super!, December 17, 2006
This review is from: Teach Yourself VISUALLY Piano (Paperback)
Great for beginners or people needing to brush up on the basics. I had trouble with a lot of the advanced chords til I picked up this book. I was confused for a long time, but there in a few pages everything suddenly made sense! If you want to learn the fundemantals of the piano definitely get this book. It has simple, easy, to-the-point text and real pictures. The only thing is I wish they had made it spiral bound. Oh well. It's worth it.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Let's be honest with ourselves!, February 22, 2007
This review is from: Teach Yourself VISUALLY Piano (Paperback)
I borrowed this book from my local library on three occasions. Enough! I thought. I must have one of my own. After wasting money and time on professed "quick fix" solutions, I came to the realisation that to play the piano requires dedication and hour upon hour of practice. Nothing less will do. As a tool to help you achieve this goal and to guide you through the difficult process, nothing can surpass the program which this book offers. I haven't travelled the journey yet, but I am on my way, knowing that I will eventually get there, given ongoing patience and my own copy of this book.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great beginnings, September 8, 2010
This review is from: Teach Yourself VISUALLY Piano (Paperback)
I returned to the piano after trying it out several years back. I'd ignored it as a feminine instrument and took to guitar instead but found it unparalleled in its simplicity by comparison. I still think it's the absolute best way to learn music. My return was aided by the fact that I have been playing guitar for many years now so I do understand some music theory. I reapproached the piano without a book, working from scales, chords and the circle of fifths with endless practice, and lastly moving on to sheet music. To my surprise my method is not very different from what is being presented here, which makes me feel quite validated and this book an absolute bargain.
The approach here is rooted in music theory, which is to say that if you understand what songs are made of you will get a better grasp on playing them. You can't expect to understand this stuff right out of the box but this book eases you into these ideas. It's not the only approach, of course. The other method is playing basic songs and building to more complex ones picking up music theory along the way: The Karate Kid 'Wax on, Wax off' method, so to speak. "The Complete Piano Player" series (or Omnibus edition) by Kenneth Baker is a great book for that method. Really you should consider both methods because they're really getting at the same thing and at some point one runs into the other, kind of like Liebnitz and Newton's different takes on Calculus.
The only flaw of the book is the choice of not printing with a ring binding so that it lays flat while you practice but a large paperclip does the job fine. Someone else complained about the glossy print but I'd say move away from that tanning lamp. One complaint that hasn't come up yet but I'm sure will is the book's thoroughness, or lack of. Some might think it doesn't take you far enough. The fact is no single book will, but this will point you in the right direction and has enough practice exercises to get you started properly, and practice really is the key. You must set aside time to train your hands, eyes and brain to learn these concepts so that they become second nature. You must play around with the keys to really learn them, which goes to say that in order to play well you have to play. Makes sense, right? That said, learning this book is as much about doing what's in it as well as thinking about what's in it and running with it. Create exercises based on what's here and you'll have plenty to grow from.
I think the book to move on to from this one is "The Piano Handbook" by Carl Humphries. It does have spiral binding, which is nice, but more important is that it takes all that you'll learn here one step further. It does cover the same material as this book but it does so too briefly for my taste in starter books. It's value is that it goes into greater depth with the advanced topics Visually touches upon.
Best of luck to all new pianists... now get back to that keyboard and practice, practice, practice, you worm!
:-)
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