How to Play Piano Despite Years of Lessons: What Music Is and How to Make It at Home (Instructional) [Paperback] Review

Many of those who have reviewed this book here mention that it is a book on music theory. Yes there is some theory in this book and some of it is hard to find in other beginning piano books. I find the section on harmonic progression particularly enlightening. But rather than a book on theory, this is a cookbook with recipes for creating full sounding music out the vocal lines of sheet music, lead sheets, and "fake books".
One criticism I have seen of this book is that the style of playing is only suitable for playing old standards, like those by Cole Porter or Rogers and Hart. This is partially true, but if you enjoy the kind of music that is the background in so many movies, particularly Woody Allen films, this book is a gold mine.
If you have taken lessons, you will find it fairly easy to pick up on the method here, even if you can't sit down an play anything right now. A lot of it will come back quickly. If you are a rank beginner, this will be a lot of work. Even so, if you put the effort in learning this method that you would put into getting through an adult beginning piano book, you will come away with so much more. That said, I will recommend that you also invest in a beginning piano book and work through that at the same time.
There is, or was, a companion VHS video for the book. It is extremely entertaining and allows you to see and hear examples of the methods taught in the book. It is about two hours long and very well done. I haven't seen it around lately, but if you get this book, try to find the video also.Same title as the book.

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Product Description:
This method is a truly entertaining approach to learning how to play the piano. Written by Ward Cannel of the Piano Consortium, the method breaks down music theory into visual concepts which are fun and easy to grasp, so you can learn to play the music you want to play! Perfect for those piano lesson dropouts!

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Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises: Complete (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics) [Paperback] Review

As a child, I hated technical exercise books like this. I remember the old teacher with the ruler, the Bartok book, the red pen, the check marks the circles, and ahhhhhhhhhh... I shudder... But now, years later, I've not only become a professional Jazz musician, but I teach too, and you know something, even though my particular method of teaching involves very little reading (mainly because I teach Jazz improv) this is the one book that not only do I reccomend to my students, but also that I've started picking up again, because actually the exercises are relevent to players of all levels.The reason is because regardless of what type of music you play, the finger pattern exercises in this book are universal and relevent. On the surface they look very simple, almost childish compared to some of the more nightmarish books (Czerny, anyone?) but the truth is, once you've mastered them, melodies will fall under your fingers and hopefully you'll feel as home on your piano as you do on your computer keyboard ...

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Since the first release of this classic Schirmer edition over 100 years ago, almost anyone who has taken piano lessons for more than two years has played from The Virtuoso Pianist. Millions of copies have been sold of these progressive exercises which guide a player's technique, building finger independence and strength. This was the first American edition released of this music, and remains a classic at a remarkably affordable price.

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