1 comments about Progressive Rock Keyboard: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (Hal Leonard Keyboard Style).

1. I don't why anyone has'nt written a review for this book yet. Its perfect, and the accompanying CD is so helpful to help learn the rhythms of progressive rock keyboard. I would greatly recommend this book if you are sick of playing yankee doodle or any other book with boring sheet music. Contained in the book is an adequate description of the genre and presents perfect examples that you can learn. I found this book very satisfying and not too hard. I also have the rock keyboard and find that one great as well. So do buy these books.

4 comments about 88: The Giants of Jazz Piano.

1. A bonus 11-track cd comes with this portrait of eighty-eight pioneers and players of jazz piano, from Jelly Roll Morton to Benny Green. Here are insights on lives, techniques, and changing perspectives on jazz piano styles and artistry, enhanced by the author's personal experience as a jazz pianist and his original interviews with many of the players. Avid fans of the genre will find The Giants Of Jazz Piano positively absorbing.



2. Raised in a Communist country, listening or playing jazz was forbidden. It was considered decadent. Yet, we craved it. So we would listen on short wave radio and hear with whatever Radio Free Europe or Voice of America would regale us. I tried to copy the great piano players the best I could, but not having the talent to emulate them, I rejoiced at listening to them. So, I have heard the music of Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Bill Evans, George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Dave Brubeck, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, etc., but until I read this book I never heard of James P. Johnson, Mary Lou Williams, Sir Roland Hanna, Roger Kellaway, or Lennie Tristano. Clearly my loss. Of the 88 masters (one for each of the piano keys) I knew of no more than half, at best. The writing is erudite without being pompous and certainly very informative. Mr. Doerschuk is a pianist himself and it shows, as he gives us the unique insights of someone who is not only a music journalist, but also "tickles the ivories." As a result of reading this book, I have started listening to jazz piano music in both historical and social contexts. I am also learning to associate styles with groups of artists in ways that I could not, before reading this book. I like Mr. Doerschuk's organization and his titles for the various chapters such as "Deep in the Mainstream," "Back to the Fountain," "Improvisation as Revelation," since they provide yet another means for organizing jazz piano in one's mind. One can use this book as a permanent reference or just for the pleasure of reading it. I, for one, don't even bother putting in back on the shelf since it feels at home right in my hands as I am discovering "new" and old masters of jazz piano. This book is timeless, just like the marvelous musicians to whom it clearly pays homage.



3. With a chapter each and running to 324 pages, this is one of the best books you can buy on Jazz Piano. The author Robert L Doerschuk is a Jazz pianist himself and writes with authority on his subjects.
   
   Starting with Jelly Roll Morton, though stride (James P Johnson, Fats Waller), Mainstream (Errol Garner Oscar Peterson) and finishing with contemporary artists such as Brad Mehldau and Geoff Keezer all the artists are given a fair analysis. All the main players are covered: Tatum, Powell, Monk, Evans, Brubeck, Tristano, Hancock, Tyner, Jarrett etc.
   
   What I like about this book is that its not all praise. Yes he likes these guys as musicians, but its an honest appraisal, so when he listens to a recording and hears flaws we're told.
   
   For example when writing about Monty Alexander:
   "then stumbles moments later with an awkard figuration that disrupts the momentum". Now in fairness to Monty Alexander most of this appraisal was as compared to Oscar Peterson at the height of his powers. But at least its honest and not just blind hero worshipping.
   
   If you're buying this book it'll certainly help if you're a musician, but its not essential, and there is plenty of interesting material here for non-musicians as well. Most noteably a CD with 11 tracks including pianists such as Mary Lou Williams, Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines and Adam Makowicz.



4. I've been playing the piano for most of my life, though only in the past 3 or 4 years have I really started listening to jazz. This book is a revelation for anybody wanting to get an overview of the great players in jazz history, beyond a just a few paragraphs about when and where they were born, a discography etc.
   The author is a jazz pianist himself and understands the genre well. He is insightful, and refreshingly candid about the performances turned in by the artists, and points out their flaws along with their strengths and unique contributions.
   For the most part, it made made me appreciate even more all these giant talents that I already held in high regard.

2 comments about The Art of Fugue: Bach Fugues for Keyboard, 1715-1750.

1. I loved this book. The technical analysis seemed very dense, but I suspect I will return to this book again and again for the rest of my life, learning more and more about Bach.
   
   I love how the book includes a beautiful cd of many of the pieces analyzed, and how the cd-rom includes the scores for all of the pieces analyzed. What a wonderful learning tool. Bless you, Joseph Kerman, for all of your wonderful books.



2. I find Joseph Kerman's writing almost universally elucidating. This book is no exception, although -- when Kerman ventures into areas of performance practice for which he is not prepared -- some small errors are made. Nothing, for example, about the Gigue to the G-minor English Suite suggests a two-manual harpsichord (something about the exoticism of the harpsichord's second manual always arouses pianists, making them want to insist on its necessarity; Elwood Derr makes the same error in discussing the Inventions). But Kerman's lapses are tiny.
   
   But his lapse in taste in choosing second-rate performers for the accompanying CD is more irritating. Karen Rosenak is an unknown quantity who will likely remain unknown. Davitt Moroney is a voice from the past whose mechanical and lifeless manner of playing some still feel is appropriate to fugal counterpoint. I don't in the least, finding his playing, instead, absolutely anaesthetising.
   
   One last quibble: the title is misleading. One expects a book on Die Kunst der Fuge and gets, instead, a compendium of analyses and music-critical pieces on all sorts of Bach fugues, from Gigue-fugues to Die Kunst der Fuge itself and everything in between. The writing suggests an erudite, specialist audience (it is musicology of the best kind: insightful and clearly written. But it is surely not intended for a lay audience) of the kind that might have preferred that he shine his considerable light on the whole of Art of Fugue, or the whole of Well-Tempered Clavier.
   
   Still, I find this a worthwhile purchase. But, by all means, place the accompanying CD straightaway in the dust bin.

No comments about Figured Harmony at the Keyboard: Part I (Figured Harmony at the Keyboard).

2 comments about Organ-Stops and Their Artistic Registration.

1. Detailed descriptions of every stop, rank and division of the organ. This book even explains how the pipes are made.



2. One of the best books on the topic. A "must have", I think. I appreciated a lot the taxonomy of stops in different languages, but the rest is good too

3 comments about Complete Jazz Keyboard Method: Beginning Jazz Keyboard (Complete Jazz Keyboard Method).

1. Great value for money
   It'a all you need to get your music basics on the run
   the complete trio (Begining Jazz keyboards, Intermediate Jazz keyboards and Mastering Jazz keyboards) is all a keyboardist with Jazz aspirations need for a succsessful music carreer...



2. what a help easy to follow the teacher and I seen him on TV playing he's a Pro,and I'm mastering it quite well open a new door to many posibilities,if you have not gotten it yet get it!a whole new world a waits you and it's so easy!



3. This book is a great investment if you are new to piano and love jazz or are stuck in major/minor boredom and want to look into more exotic chords and scales. I am a drummer/guitarist who wanted to learn more about theory, finally go beyond the "hunt-and-peck" stage on my keyboard, and understand the world beyond the pentatonic scale on my guitar. I feel very enlightened, and especially love the tables that summarize all the key info, and a CD is always a bonus. Enjoy!

5 comments about On Piano Playing: Motion, Sound, and Expression.

1. This is an exceptionally useful book on piano playing. Mr. Sandor is himself a virtuoso and has helped many gifted pianists develop virtuoso technique over the years. The writing in the book is simple and clear. The book is organized quite logically.

   The book is in three parts. The first discusses the facts of the piano mechanism and what can and can't be done at the piano. Mr. Sandor also discusses the physiology of the parts of the human body that go into piano playing from the fingers through the back (and the feet for the pedals). What I like about his descriptions is his emphasis on coordinating the various elements without strain, pressure, or awkwardness.

   The second part introduces Mr. Sandor's own notation for marking up scores in relation to technique (which I found surprisingly helpful in understanding his concepts). He also introduces the various means of playing. Some people like what he says here, some reject this or that. What I like most is his way of helping the pianist gain the maximum ability to play the piano by getting out of his own way. Mr. Sandor simplifies things so you don't waste time trying to do things from awkward positions or through impossibly contradictory methods. You will find this skill common to all great instructors trying to teach students. So much can be gained by just being coordinated and efficient. But what seems simple after the instruction was hopelessly obscure before the master showed you the simple way.

   The third part of the book is about taking these techniques and applying them in making music. The author addresses how to recognize when to use the various patterns - how to combine them. He discusses pedals, practicing, memorization, and performance tips. He is always so supportive of the student. For example, in memorization, he discusses that this is a legacy of Liszt and that many wonderful pianists use the open score in performance and it is quite often used in making recordings. He also says that simply because you might have a memory slip does not indicate that you don't know the piece. It is a human frailty to get distracted and that you should simply get back to it and work a little more without becoming discouraged.

   Really, I enjoyed this book quite a bit and found some things that are helping me and I think you will be able to find things that will help you.




2. I've implemented a few of the tips I read in here, and--to me at least--it sounds like my tone has already improved. I can't comment on the more advanced technique advice now, but it sounded rational enough.
   
   Two complaints: one, some of the diagrams at the beginning of the book are confusing. Two, I'm not sure how accurate Sandor's explanation of the learning mechanism is--he goes through the roles of the subconcious, conscious, and unconscious mind, or some such. I was suspicious, but it may be right for all I know. At any rate, it's a minor part of the book, and it erroneous, the falsity may well still be useful.
   
   Sandor thinks that relaxation isn't the key nor is tension, but rather--which sounds quite rational--a mix of the two. He believes many exercises and pianists are misguided in their preaching strengthening the fingers: Sandor argues that there's no need for this, when the upper arms have near limitless energy that simply needs to be tapped.
   
   Coordination is the key. Sandor provides various exercises to improve this, technique by technique: rotation, scales and arpeggios, free fall, thrust, and later chapters touch on various topics.
   
   Myriad musical examples (Sandor believes in using the literature to improve, not various etudes, which teach destructive repetitive mechanics) are provided, mostly Romantics, some Bach. A lot of Chopin, and the Waldstein Sonata again and again.
   
   It's concise, it's approachable, and certainly seems useful. Sandor is clear in his favored technique, and makes it known quite well how to pick it up yourself. His opinions are honest and forthright, his examples usually meticulously remarked upon, and the goals vividly described.
   
   At a brief 200 pages, few pianists have an excuse not to read this book.



3. 
   The egregious presence and his unforgettable art as one of the sheerest pianists of the XX Century, deep thinker and notable musician, finds another additional reason throughout the clever observations and smart statements around the art of interpretation.
   
   I will never forget the moment I shook hands with him that evening of December 1982, after a peerless recital.
   
   Sandor left us on December 9 2005 but, bequeathed us his reason to live through memorable recordings and this invaluable book.
   
   He followed his bliss and achieved the coveted pearl.



4. On one level this book is very helpful because it makes you very concientous about the human body and how to properly use your own equipment. It brings the reader an awareness of what is being used and how to avoid overuse or misuse. But the usefulness of the text stops there. He advocates a technique for a good portion of the book that did not work for me. It may work for you but I spent four months studying and putting it to practice with little results. My piano professor now, who was a student of Fisher and Kottler, a Julliard and Indiana graduate, and a regular performer at Carnegie Hall, says that Sandor was not well-regarded for his technique when he was alive. My professor studied at the same school that Sandor taught at. The technique used, mainly of wrist movement is actually very cumbersome and hard to practice. Piano playing does not become effortless but a huge challenge. And some of the things that Sandor advocates are all too obvious and are already being practiced by every pianist based on the structure of the human body. If you want to try it out to see of it will work for you then heres one exercise. This is the main technique: When you wish to play the thumb the wrist plays low and to the left. If you were to place both hands in this position and touch the wrists you create a V-shape. The ideal position for the middle finger is a level wrist with the keyboard, played in a central position. The pinkie is of course played furthest to the right and is the highest position of the wrist. The hands when placed together at the pinkie position create a spade shape between the two hands. None of these positions should be taken to the extreme. In fact their positions are almost natural. After trying it out, with difficult literature because that is the only way to test it, you will most likely conclude that the piano is an instrument that requires a much greater arsenal of approaches that takes years to develop. Its silly to think that great piano playing can be achieved by one very simple technique. Its much too complex than that. In the end, I hope you find a good technique, because with hard work and great perseverance, piano playing becomes effortless in its own right and thoroughly enjoyable from a technical standpoint. But it must be acheived through hard work. Find a good teacher!!! good luck.



5. This is an outstanding book. The style being a little dry for some tastes is of no consequence when you realise how much there is to learn on every page of this book. Sandor was a student of Bartok and is best known his performances of Prokofiev, Kodaly and Bartok's fiendishly difficult piano music. His first performance at Carneige Hall included Bach, Schuman and Brahms.
   
   Sandor has been praised many times for his subtlety and fine articulation when playing. As well as a performer he was also a teacher at Julliard and Southern Methodist University, Dallas and the University of Michigan.
   
   The book is well set out making it easy to use, with margin space available to make notes if you wish. The chapters are clearly defined, so if you are looking to solve certain technical problems you are having it is possible to `dip in' and find a solution. I'm sure, however, once you 'dip' you will want start from the beginning and discover everything this master pianist and teacher has to say. The photos and descriptions make it possible for pianists to model Sandor's excellent technique which helps with fluidity and stops some of the alleged problems of piano playing such as strain on various joints. I notice an immediate improvement in tone and phrasing when using these techniques with new piano students. It isn't for beginners, but as a teacher it is possible to incorporate some of the techniques included in this book at a very early stage.
   
   The book's teachings show Sandor's forward thinking and is a totally invaluable reference for pianists of all levels. I, for one, would not be able to teach without it! Highly recommended. Goodbye Hanon!

1 comments about How to Teach Suzuki Piano (About Suzuki).

1. This 20-page book is a short introduction to the philosophy behind the Suzuki method of teaching piano. It gives very general guidelines on how piano teaching should be tackled. It provides the reader with a general idea on the Suzuki method but it is not very useful for someone interested in learning how to teach piano. It does not include any specifics and merely refers to the other books of the author about the method. The author's statements are not well justified and are only bases on the personal experience of the author. Some of them make sense but not all of them. It contains no figures nor music scores.

2 comments about Mel Bay 100 Tunes For Piano Accordion.

1. If you're at the beginner/intermediate level, this is a good book to pick up on after you finish your Mel Bay Deluxe Accordion Method book. ;)

   I've only mastered (well, learned, anyway) a couple of the songs, but 100 songs for this price ain't bad.




2. This book is a wonderful collection: cover-to-cover old-timey tunes that (some) people still like to dance to. Most of them are reels for square dancing and jigs, with a few hornpipes and strathspeys thrown into the mix. Key signatures range from C (no sharps or flats) to E (four sharps) on one end to B-flat (two flats) on the other. The tunes are not complicated, but several of them have chord sequences that can surprise you. There are no troublesome two-note harmonies to worry about--just the straight melodies. I like to flip through the pages to practice sight reading. If I find one I really like, I'll add in the left hand and work on it.
   
   So this book is good in more than one way. You can learn tunes from it. You can practice sight reading. If you enjoy playing folk music, or if you have a friend who plays in a string band at square dances, you can probably find some familiar tunes in it. Learn those and practice with the band. I guarantee that your squeeze box sound will add something unusual to what would otherwise be just another square dance band.

1 comments about The Well-Tempered Keyboard Teacher.

1. This is a great reference for teachers at all levels. In it's well layed out pages it explores differant methods, types of students and gives practical advice on running a studio. I don't own it, but have checked it out from the library 3 or 4 times!