The Total Keyboard: The Complete Guide to Playing, Performing and Recording on the Piano and all Types of Electronic Keyboards [Paperback]

Terry Burrows (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2002

You can sound like Thelonius Monk, Art Tatum, Herbie Hancock--and you'd love to sound like them. But, you can't become a great keyboardist without becoming a good one first. Once you have those skills, the whole world of music opens up to you-and then you can partake of the infinite possibilities provided by modern technology: the fundamentals of MIDI programming and sequencing, digital sampling, and computer hard disk recording. Start by developing your command of the keyboard. Then try different music styles from classical, pop, and jazz, to programming modern up-to-the-minute dance music like garage and techno. A 12-lesson music course takes you from absolute beginner to expert who's able to complete pieces of music. Best of all, by studying the basics of traditional piano theory you can easily apply your knowledge to the modern-day MIDI keyboard--the central instrument of the contemporary music scene.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In his newest book, Burrows, a prolific author of music tutorials (e.g., Total Guitar), attempts to show how to play keyboard instruments. After introducing the instruments and offering some music history, he presents ten lessons that span many musical styles, from classical to techno. These lessons are intended to take the reader from "absolute beginner to expert," but because they contain a hefty dose of music theory and are well beyond the teach-yourself mode, they just don't work. Following is a nicely done chord dictionary that serves as a "reference guide for playing 27 different chord types in all twelve keys." The concluding chapter focuses on synthesizers, MIDI, programming, and recording. There are discrepancies in the invention dates for the VCS-3, Minimoog, and E-mu Emulator, but as an introduction to electronic keyboards and their myriad musical possibilities, this section provides an understandable look at an intricate subject. Sidebars, diagrams, pictures, and a glossary further supplement the text. While this book has its strengths, public libraries would be better served by Blake Neely's Piano for Dummies or Brad Hill's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing the Piano.
Janet Brewer, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Friedman (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586637037
• ISBN-13: 978-1586637033
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,641,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely the first book you should buy., November 21, 2002

By 

Aaron Johnson (Goose Creek, SC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Total Keyboard: The Complete Guide to Playing, Performing and Recording on the Piano and all Types of Electronic Keyboards (Paperback)

I have some experience playing the accordion, and when I decided to learn the keyboard, I flipped through several books and bought a couple of the cheaper ones. This one caught my eye from the beginning. ... .

Well, when I saw it here for such a low price I decided I couldn't resist and bought it. A week later I tore into it - and let me tell you, it's great. Some people may feel put off by its coverage of musical theory, but DON'T BE! Too many "teach yourself to play" books ignore the important theoretical side of music, and the author manages it in a very light and easy-to-follow way. This book is marvelous and if you do what he says and take it slow and steady and concentrate a little bit on what you're doing you'll find yourself very well on your way to a technical understanding of keyboard instruments by the time you're finished.

He also demystifies the "tech" behind keyboards and synthesizers, which I thought would never be possible. ;)
Although this section won't be useful to acoustic piano players, that doesn't mean you should pass it by. The "teach yourself" part alone is worth the full ... price tag on the back of the book.

In short: BUY IT! Don't waste your time with other books.

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect, December 7, 2011

By 

Jarret - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Total Keyboard: The Complete Guide to Playing, Performing and Recording on the Piano and all Types of Electronic Keyboards (Paperback)

Perfect book for beginners or anyone else. I started last year playing and this book has help tremendously. I teaches you everything you need to know and does a very good job in presentation. It's the only book I have and the only book I use. Two words: buy it.