5 comments about Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey.

1. I Really enjoyed reading this book. As a piano player myself it was great to read about another persons journey about how taxing and tormenting yet wonderful the life of any musician can be. Finding the right piano is a must for every player even if they may not be a professional. Good read.



2. As someone who has just started playing the piano, reading Grand Obsession was a wonderful experience. Perri Knize started out just like I did -- with a budget of about $3,000 for a upright piano. The major difference was that she had some experience playing the piano, so she had a much clearer vision in her head of what she was looking for in a piano. Her search then took her to places that she never imagined. First, she ended up spending more than 10 times what she had planned to spend to get a Grotrian. Second, when the piano she refinanced her house to own did not sound like it did when she heard it in New York, she embarked on a journey that took several years to complete in order to understand why and how to fix the problem.
   
   Knize's journalism experience comes through in writing the book. Her story moves along steadily and doesn't get bogged down in excessive detail. She tells the story as a good journalist should, and just as the reader is getting tired from so many dead ends in finding why her piano doesn't sound like it should, she takes us on a philosophical quest into the mystical impact of musical vibrations on the human soul and psyche, and on a journey to Europe to explore how her Grotian is built.
   
   In short, Grand Obsession is just a terrific story. If you're interested in pianos, it's a 5-Star read.



3. I fell in love with piano music pretty late in life, I don't play myself, but I'am a great fan of Glenn Gould, Sviatoslav Richter and others.
   
   This story about the quest for the perfect piano sound is highly original, interesting and very well written. I loved reading it, shame I can't read it again for the first time though. It's alway like that, isn't it...
   
   Robbert, The Netherlands.



4. I really enjoyed the book, her tales, and all the wonderful information I learned about pianos. I am a pianist, but I didn't know all the detail that goes into building a fine instrument. I am dying to hear the Schubert tuning on an instrument- I wonder how I will do that?! I might talk to my tuner next month!



5. Entertaining read of a person's journey of re-finding "the sound that got away"... The author obvisouly has an obsessive personality -- it is obvious that she spent a great deal of time and money trying to retrieve the lost sound. She would have been better off practing on the piano all this time... It really is an obession, totally unhealthy.
   
   I'm a fairly advanced pianist and found her obsession very common among pianists who do not play on different pianos (except maybe Glenn Gould, who of course was crazy, but at least he oculd play.)
   
   Ok reading material if you want to kill some time but nothing more. I borrowed the book from a library and would feel stupid if I had spent money buying this book.

5 comments about What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body.

1. I'm seeking a way to return safely to piano after recovering from bi-lateral tendonitis. Several approaches stand out: Taubman Institute, Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, and body mapping. I want an approach that is safe and effective, specific to piano, and economical (everything else being equal). Mark's book is my first purchase: the book is piano-specific, exceedingly cheap relative to the full $800.00 Taubman 10 DVD set, and sufficiently packed with accurate anatomy to impress my occupational therapist (hand specialist w/ Ph.D.). So far, so good . . .
   
   Now for the fine print: the book is 90% anatomy, not piano playing. There are isolated pointers based on anatomical facts, but the emphasis is, "Musician, heal thyself." The methodology is for the musician to learn their body, listen to their body, trust their body, obey their body. I'm looking for a recipe book (it is safe and effective to play scales like this, arpeggios like this, reach with your thumb like this, . . .), not a book about how to grow my own ingredients.
   
   This book has merit and value, and I'm glad I bought it, but it is not enough by itself to get me back in the saddle. Looks like I have some Taubman videos in my future.



2. This book contains a great deal of useful information for all kinds of pianists so the name is actually quite apropiate : What every pianist needs to know about the body. And that's exactly what it is. Unfortunately I discovered this book late, but fortunately, not too late; I've just recovered from a injury that's kept me away for over half a year from playing my beloved instrument. Now I know what I did wrong, and also how to correct it. I'm not saying I'm already done, I will need some rereads of the book. Taking in the process some notes to apply to my daily playing. It won't be easy but it will surely be worth it. I reccomend this book to everyone interested in not just recovering from injury, but also to everyone interested in improving their technique.



3. I am a 17-year-old pianist from New Jersey. I am almost finished with reading this book, and I found this book very useful for mapping my body and applying it to my own playing. This book is not just for pianists, but every musicians. You will be satisfied, and this book will make your playing easier, freer, and more expressive. You will enjoy reading this book. This book will lead you to better playing and you will be aware of your body movements. This is a very well-written book that deserves not just 5 stars, but maybe 10 stars! A wonderful guide.



4. Very informative book. I have to read it again and consult with a physiotherapist. But as far as I understood, it is an extention of Alexander Technique and it further explains all what is used on piano technique. It further explain forearm rotation which is essential for proper piano technique. It also demystifies wrong picture about fingers, wrists, shoulders. In simple words it's a musthavebook.If there is a BODYMAPING course in area where i live, i would already be on that piano class.
   
   Update, I have just finished the book. All pianists should have this book. I am anxious when they release DVD Video related to this book. There is a VHS version for purchase but i'll probably wait for digital one.



5. I am becoming so much more aware of my body in all of my life and also a much better piano teacher. It will help you to be a healthier and happier person if you take it to heart.

5 comments about Library Of Piano Classics (Library of Series).

1. I got this for my mom, who is a concert pianist, as she has been having eye problems. She enjoyed the book as it had so many classic pieces that she is familiar with. The only negative is that she said the material is simplified due to the large print. It was easy for her to add notes in between, but for someone looking for more advanced music, they may be a bit disappointed.



2. A wonderful assortment of pieces accompanied by wonderfully arranged interpretations. The songs in here provide the Piano Classics that everyone should know and provides a nice mix of easy-as-pie to finger-bleeding arrangements.
   
   Playing from this book will not only exercise your mind and help cultivate your understanding of the art, but will also provide you with wonderful presentation pieces.



3. This collection has many favorites from my first 10 years studying piano. It's delightful! The material I didn't already know is approachable and easy to learn for special occassions such as "Cinco de Mayo" breakfast!
   
   The binding is perfect for laying the music flat and now I can pick up this one album to take out to play instead of a box of albums!



4. I've had this book for probably 6 years and still play it everyday. I love these pieces. I was a piano minor in college and I used these as recital pieces many times. I would call them moderate difficulty. A great variety of songs from Rag to classical. I really have enjoyed this book through the years.



5. I recommend this with volume 2 as a starter book for all my Grade 2 and up piano students. This contains pieces from Baroque through Modern composers, in most levels of difficulty, from what I would consider advanced beginner through advanced pianist. The composers are selected from France, England, Germany, Italy, Russia, the USA and other countries so there is plenty of variety and always something new to explore. The printing is large and clear and the pieces are well-chosen and representative of the composers' works. The paper is heavy enough to withstand extensive note-taking and there's enough space on the page to be able to write notes. The students who bought this book in 2001 are still playing from it, a recommendation in itself.
   
   This is money well-spent.
   
   (This was supposed to be 5 stars but for some reason Amazon isn't letting me do it.)

5 comments about The Ultimate Christmas Fake Book: for Piano, Vocal, Guitar, Electronic Keyboard and All C Instruments (Fake Books).

1. This book is OK but not great. While there may be 275 songs most of the songs are not the traditional Christmas carols - most of the songs are not songs that I know or wanted. There are about 50 songs that I wanted most of the rest I have never heard before. I would go for a book of true Christmas songs - like the Readers Digest Christmas book.



2. I've been playing and teaching guitar for 36+ years and I use this book more than any other for christmas. If you know how to play notes and chords, it's great. If you know how to turn a single note melody into a chord solo, this book is fantastic. This book is great for the student that is ready to be taught how to create chord solos.



3. Having a birthday around Christmas time and as a former church organist and choir accompanyist, I'm a big fan of Christmas music in general. When I started playing jazz piano, I learned about fake books, and so even though it was February, I picked this up in anticipation of being able to play some Christmas music quickly and easily, anytime I felt like, but also in preparation for later in the year when I might (or might not) have the opportunity to "sit at the spinet" at a Christmas party somewhere. This book is great for that purpose. I could only think of one Christmas song that was not in this book, as every other secular and religious Christmas tune I know is here (not to mention a boatload I'd never heard of or was only vaguely aware of). I didn't always agree with the chord selections on every song, and some Christmas songs really are too simple with a basic melody and only three chords, but that doesn't make them any less enjoyable. Being able to move from playing "Oh Holy Night" to "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is an enviable skill, and intermediate-or-better musicians will be able to make these song arrangements work wonders for them. Beginners can stick to the melody and written chords and play respectable Christmas songs with a minimum of practice and effort. The new cover (blue) is much less obtrusive than the one pictured, so I plan on carrying this around with my real book when we get later in the season. Hallelujah! for this easy to use, complete, fun music book.



4. This book has a very thorough selection of Christmas songs. (275 songs to be exact). This is a fake book so obviously you need to know your chords well. Right hand is very basic single notes so if you are looking for easy music to play and are willing to memorize lots of chords this is the book for you.
   I love it because I can now play any christmas song with minimal practice. (once you know the chords of course).
   
   Enjoy.
   Rick



5. You need to know the chords to play the songs with both hands but I purchased this for my pre-schooler and one-handed playing is fine. Great songbook for simple playing.

5 comments about Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (Keyboard Instruction).

1. I'm a blues guitarist and I'm in the early stages of learning to play piano, so I can't give the most credible of reviews of this book yet, but I can tell you that it's chock-full of really, really, REALLY excellent comps and vamps and licks. So far I'm only able to work on the simplest of the stuff early in the book, but I've listened to the CD the whole way through, and it's just one example after another after another of killer riffs, the kind of stuff that makes me think, "YES...that is what I want to be able to play." In all kinds of blues styles.
   
   This is definitely *not* a beginner book. As I said, most of it is still way beyond me. It's not a "here's what the half-rest looks like" kind of book, nor will you find guides for fingering. One of the first signs that told me that this book is still over my head is that it shows chords like, say, a 9th chord, with all five notes shown, in a key where it appears to me that there's no possible way one hand can hit all of those notes. Does the experienced player just hit a broken chord? Is it supposed to be a two-handed chord, even though it's shown in the bass clef, and there are also notes in the treble clef? I don't know.
   
   So this is a book for people who already have some piano playing ability. But the material is terrific, and there's a ton of it. If I can ever learn to play all, or even half, of the stuff in this book, I'll be a happy man.



2. If you are on a budget and don't have a lot of free time, but still want to sit down at a party or open mike and wail the blues, this is the book for you. In chapter 2 you get 20 or so authentic left hand patterns. In chapter 3 you learn a variety of chords from basic triads to sharped fifths and ninths with various timing tricks for comping. And you play those over the left hand patterns you learned in chapter 2. In chapter 4 Harrison introduces the grace note technique and takes it thru Dr. John's "famous lick". That's 90% of what you need to play convincing blues. The key is that Harrison keeps everything in two measure units that you can easily combine. You aren't confronted with a 4 bar melody as in some other books, wondering, "Why am I playing this?" This book dosen't cover everything, but if you learn to play the exercises in this book you will sound good. If you have a few extra bucks, buy Tim Richard's book for a complementary approach.



3. This is a great step by step introduction to blues riffs, chords and solos. I only have two complaints: firstly, it is somewhat inconsistent in the ability level that it targets. It assumes that you can sight read well, transpose into other keys, work out complicated fingering yourself etc, yet it also spends a lot of time on very simple scales and chords. A beginner will be confused a lot of the time, a good pianist trained in other styles will find much of it boring, and someone in between (like me) will alternate between the two states. Secondly, the CD is annoying in that there are so many tracks - 88 if I remember rightly. Every short exercise, even only a few seconds, has its own track, and many have both slow and fast versions.
   
   If you are a beginner, you will need a more comprehensive book (not necessarily blues specific) to help you along. If you are a bit better than that, I would suggest using the book in reverse order. Listen to the full length songs at the end and learn the ones you like. Then work backwards to figure out the building blocks and how to use them yourself.



4. This is an excellent book for learning how to play the blues. It includes music theory and clear explanations of various styles. The accompanying CD is very helpful and ends with 7 full songs in differing styles.



5. I have not had lessons but have been "fooling around" on the piano for years. I wanted to get a better dose of theory under my belt and have the ability to play things differently, and perhaps become good enough to play with other people! This book started out basic enough for me and it goes well beyond my current capabilities. This is exactly what I was looking for: a stepwise and slow progression through major scales, pentatonic, blues and mixolydian scales. I had heard of these things, but NOW I understand them. The CD also helps as you play along. I can recommend this book to anyone who is starting out in blues style piano. With this book the only thing standing between me and great blues is a lot of practice! But now I have a good pace and direction, and with that the practicing will be a lot more efficient than it has been.

5 comments about A Charlie Brown Christmas(TM).

1. I got this book as a present one year and was absolutely amazed. I've always loved the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and came to appreciate the music more and more as I grew up. Reading through the book, I discovered that the authors had done a painstaking job of transcribing Vince Garauldi's performance nearly note-for-note. When you first start playing "The Christmas Song" for example, you hear those flat-9 chords Vince loved to play and think to yourself, "Yeah, that's the real deal." Even the improvised solos are transcribed wonderfully.
   
   This is NOT a book for the faint of heart. If you are unfamiliar with playing jazz piano, you may quickly get overwhelmed. However, what better way to learn some advanced chord voicings than to play it exactly the way the arranger did? The songs are beautiful and incredibly fun to play, but without at least an intermediate piano skill level, you may get frustrated.



2. If you are looking for a Piano Solo book with arrangments by Vince Guaraldi for Charlie Brown Christmas music, This Is It! All of the songs from the CD "A Charlie Brown Christmas" appear in this book. Do Not be fooled by the word "arrangment", if you happen to be looking for the original music. All of this music sounds almost exactly like the CD (and movie for that matter) even to the point of being written in the same key (F Major, G Major, Ab Major sometimes). Excellent Buy!
   Level Rate:Late Intermediate-Early Advanced



3. Just received my copy of this song book last week, and like the other reviewers said this is simply great. No watered down arranged version for beginners. If you want the orginal music the way it was played then this is the one you want. Yes, it's a little demanding, but that's what practice is for. Playing it for the first time really put me in the holiday spirit. This is simply wonderful.



4. I think it should be advertised that this is Big Note book. There are some duets but it's mainly geared for the right hand only beginners. The person I bought this for is at a much higher level. The book itself is good, if you're buying for a beginner.



5. The music in this book is a true rendition of what you hear on the soundtrack. Expect Jazz Piano, tough for a beginner, but well worth it.

5 comments about Instant Scale and Chord Guide for Keyboards.

1. This is a great book for popular piano. It explains all different kinds of chords without a bunch of difficult theory. If you just want to learn to play from a fake book, get this book and get going! If you want to be a classical pianist, better hire a piano teacher.



2. The scale & chord guide arrived within a week in great condition. Exactly as advertised, ordered, and expected.



3. It's a complete book of chords. I'll be using it forever and as long as I play piano I'll need it.



4. If you want to quickly learn to play the piano, watch Scott Houston
   tv show on pbs "The Piano Guy". Well, this book is just as great
   teaching you the chords and techniques too.



5. Upon buying this book, I wanted to learn chords and scales so that I could begin to play improv piano. Unfortunately, the book was very simple. Each page is dedicated to one key (ie. C, C7, D, ect.) And really doesn't give any sense of how the chords work together. Currently, I'm still using it to memorize the chords and maybe in the long run it'll pay off, but it felt a bit too separated for me. As music seems to always work best when certain chords compliment each other, showing you a connection in your head has always been most successful at teaching me. This doesn't do that for me.
   
   In conclusion, buy this book if you want a reference guide for finger placement for a chord you know.
   Don't buy it if you are interested in learning chords for the first time.

5 comments about Ludwig Van Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas Volume 1 (Nos. 1-15).

1. As the other reviewers have noted, this book is printed with very high quality and attention to detail. I've owned mine for almost 20 years -- over that time, it has the the most-used and best-wearing piano book I've owned. As others have noted, it also lies flat, the print is very clear, and it's a total bargain.



2. I might be biased because I almost exclusively buy Dover editions of piano music, but the LVB Sonata volumes are one of the better ones.
   
   Firstly, it's clear that you can't Dover on value. It'd cost more to photocopy the entire book than to buy it. I like the binding of the books, as they are well-made. I do have some trouble keeping the pages open in the thicker books (esp. the Scriabin Etudes book), but I can't complain.
   
   Secondly, the notes are printed as a good size, and notation/fingering is good. I like Heinrich Schenker's notation and commentary, and I feel that it's very helpful for the amateur pianist for suggestions. There are some fingerings that I don't necessarily agree with, but it's unobstrusive enough to not bother me. I'd rather have some suggestion than none at all.
   
   For Beethoven Sonatas, Dover is a good choice, unless you'd prefer Henle Urtext, which is at least 2x or 3x the price of this. I would avoid the Schirmer editions, as they butcher the markings.



3. I'm a piano major in college and I know several people who own this edition and have in soem cases for years and they're all still in very good condition for their age. Surprisingly, it holds up well over time and the pieces are excellently presented...I've never heard any editing complaints.
   
   I myself own the Henley Urtext edition of the volume 2, but own teh Dover for the volume 1. If you're strapped for cash in your music shopping *which I have been many times*, this is a great choice!



4. Obviously there is nothing to say about the Beethoven sonatas. Simply amazing.
   
   This edition has given us 1-15 in a very reasonably priced book. The binding is sturdy, and I have put it through some strain, trying to make it stay open. It will stay open, if you will work with the binding. But the binding seems to have no problem standing up to the strain I have put on it. Highly recommended.



5. The Dover edition of the sonatas of Beethoven definately isn't the urtext edition. This edition is very cheap and that is a nice thing. But sometimes it misses some parts and has wrong notes. This edition is favorable to many people. However I suggest that this edition isn't the ideal edition. The cheap price tells you what's in the book.

2 comments about Suzuki Piano School, Vol. 2.

1. As it goes with all Suzuki Piano Books, this one is truly exceptional. All the pieces are ordered in a way so that learning is progressive--when you learn one song, you learn a whole slew of points, techniques, and so forth, considering you have a Suzuki Piano teacher. I, as a student of the Suzuki Piano method, completed this book recently, and enjoyed every moment of it!



2. This book is to be used by teachers who have had teacher training in the Suzuki Method through the Suzuki Association of the Americas. The student listens to it's companion CD daily to help develop his ability to hear the music more clearly and to get a feel for the flow of the music. Through a positive environment, the trained teacher guides the student in acquiring excellent piano technique and a natural feel for the music, as well as self-confidence. For more information, go to www.suzukiassociation.org.

3 comments about Bastien Piano Basics: Piano (Primer Level, Wp200).

1. This is one of many books in a series for the 7-11 year old beginner. My daughter just started lessons, and her teacher required us to buy all the books in the series. There are 5 levels; this is one from the first level to be used along with Theory WP205, Performance WP210, and Technic WP 215. These books are half size, this one being 63 pages of very basic kid songs(such as Skip To My Lou). The advantage that I see to these particular books is that thay are very self explanatory, along with pictures of how to hold the hands, etc. and would enable a parent to teach piano and reading music, etc. without prior knowledge or without the expensive piano teacher. The disadvantages that I see are that these books are not particularly creative( is it possible to be creative at this stage of learning the basics?) and that it looks like we will be through this 1st series within a month. With 4 to 5 new books in each series this could be a tidy little financial investment. Also, much as I love Amazon, the books were the same price at my local music store minus the special order fee, because they were already in stock. By the way, my 9 year old says she likes the books a lot.



2. My 4 year old started this book 3 weeks ago and LOVES it. She wants to practice throughout the day with no prompting from me, and wants to try ALL the pieces. The progression from basic fingering (starting with the black keys) up to sight reading on a staff is really well done. I must say, the illustrations are silly, but perfect for little kids who are overwhelmed by the starkness of a Suzuki book! I don't play the piano myself, but have been able to keep up with my daughter just fine as we learn together. I highly recommend this book!



3. I recently found my Technic book, from way back in 1989 when I was just a beginning piano player. I have been teaching my 8 year old and 4 year old daughters from these books, and they are still as easy to teach with and learn from, as they ever where. I highly recommend this series.