Step by Step Piano Course Book 2 (Bk/Cd Pack) (Willis) [Paperback] Review

I learned the piano using this series and use it with my piano students.I think it is the best series out there for teaching sight-reading skills.

Occasionally I have students come to me who have learned out of another series of books like Bastien, and they are unable to sight-read music as well.

I think the trick to the Step-by-Step Method is that it teaches the piano similar to the way you learn to type when you take typing lessons -- you master one or two keys at a time and slowly add on one letter at a time.

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Product Description:
Now beginning players can enjoy this best-selling book with a CD! This piano course provides the student the opportunity to experience the joy of playing while learning the rudiments of music in a logical order, with gradual and steady progress, presenting a challenge toward increasing pianistic facility.

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Casio AP420 Celviano Digital Piano with Bench Review

After years of playing my Yamaha DGX-500, I was looking to upgrade my digital piano to something that had graded hammer action, that would look nice in my living room, and that sounded as close to an acoustic piano as possible.I also wanted to spend around a thousand bucks.The Casio AP420, seemed to fit the bill, and having played other Casio digital pianos in my local music store (PX800, PX330, AP200), I was fairly confident in making this purchase from Amazon, sight-unseen.

The mangled box arrived in less than a week, looking like it had fallen off the truck or had been used for target practice.I was almost afraid to look inside.Fortunately, the engineers who designed the packaging did a marvelous job.Every piece was removed from the box in perfect condition.Assembly of the piano was not difficult, took less than an hour, and really did require two people.

The cabinet of the AP420 is quite attractive.I like the sliding keyboard cover, and the faux front legs of the piano, which really make it look less like a keyboard and more like an actual piece of furniture.The pedal board is quite solid, and the action of the brass pedals is firm.The included bench is built like a tank.I'm a rather big guy, and the bench easily supports my weight.The bench is height-adjustable, which is nice, but there is no way to store music inside it.The modesty panel (the back of the piano) covers all but about a 1 inch gap across the top.The gap is visible only when looking at the rear of the piano, or bending over and looking under the keyboard.Having no visible gaps in the back panel where you can see through the piano, helps give the illusion that the piano is deeper than it really is, making it look more like it's in an actual cabinet.One negative point, the music stand is not hinged. Rather, it has two pins that are inserted into holes in the top of the piano.The music stand feels sturdy enough, but the way it attaches seems kind of cheap.

The action on the AP-420 is very nice.The key surfaces (texture) have an ivory feel to them, rather than a cheap plastic feel like most other digital pianos (including some that are WAY more expensive).The action is solid, the keys don't wiggle, and the overall feel is as close to an acoustic piano as I have encountered in a digital.Now, there is a slight 'thump' sound when the keys are fully depressed (seems to be a Casio DP trait), even when the keys are played with just moderate force.This is slightly annoying, but is not really noticeable when wearing headphones, or when the volume is turned up.

The sound quality of the piano samples is probably my chief complaint.The 2x20W built in speakers/amplifier provide ample sound, which is clear, and undistorted.But the piano samples sound slightly muffled to me.This could be because the speakers point downward out of the keyboard sending sound waves directly into my carpeting.There are some attractive fabric-covered 'ports' on the left and right sides above the keyboard that I assume are there to allow some passive speaker sound emanate from the top side of the keyboard. But from what I can hear, 95 percent of the sound comes from the bottom.When playing through headphones, the piano samples sound quite a bit better.The brightness/timbre of the tones is adjustable, but the piano samples seem to take on a 'tinny' sound if adjusted from their default setting.Overall, the piano sounds are not bad; they're just not quite as good as I was hoping for.

One other nitpicky thing: There are only 7 buttons to control all of the the piano settings. For most options, you have to hold down the function button, and then locate the appropriate key on the piano keyboard to set/change the option.Some options are lightly labeled above the keys.Others (like reverb, chorus, tuning) are unmarked, and so you have to look in the manual to find out which keys to press.Fortunately, once you have configured the piano the way you want (pitch, reverb, touch, brightness) you can save your settings, so that it will remember them the next time you turn it on. (Unfortunately, the 'save' key isn't marked either, so you'll have to look that one up in the manual.)

Some other nifty things I like:
- SD card slot for saving midi recordings, or loading midi files.
- Adjustable reverb
- Three level adjustable touch response
- USB port (note that this piano does not have an actual MIDI port.If you need to interface with a MIDI device, you'll need to get a USB to MIDI adapter.)
- Layering of sounds (play strings and piano at the same time)
- Split keyboard (i.e. play string bass with left hand, vibra-phone with right.)
- Duet Mode (splits the keyboard into two equal pitch ranges for playing duets that might otherwise require two pianos.)
- The pedals support 'half-pedaling'
- It has a true sostenuto pedal (only dampens notes that are pressed prior to pressing the sos. pedal.)
- Two 1/4" stereo headphone jacks.
- Two 1/4" mono right/left line out jacks

I've rated it 5 stars since fractional stars aren't allowed.My personal rating is more like 4.5 stars, so I just rounded up.When looking at the features and quality, I don't think there's anything else on the market in this price range that even comes close to this instrument.I hope you enjoy yours as much as I like mine.

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Product Description:
The Casio AP420 Celviano Digital Piano features state-of-the-art high-end digital pianos.The newly developed sound source - Linear Morphing AiF - offers the entire spectrum of authentic grand piano tones from Pianissimo to Fortissimo without abrupt changes to the sound during the transitions. The touch and note replay behavior for the scaled hammer action keyboards has been improved. The new "Tri-Sensor" concept makes even the most complex and demanding playing techniques possible. Developing virtuosos. Virtuoso playing.

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Solo Piano: Philip Glass (Music Sales America) [Paperback] Review

These pieces are the songs from the Solo Piano cd.Perfect for intermediate students, they work great as finger exercises as well.The songs increase in difficulty as the book goes on.My teacher was thrilled when I brought this book in to my lessons.

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Product Description:
A collection of music arranged for solo piano, including Metamorphoses One to Five collected together for the first time. Suitable for intermediate to advanced pianists.

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The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook) [Paperback] Review

This music book is an excellent source of an easy to learn Piano-Voice-Guitar sheet music. Lauryn Hill displays her intelligence and articulate abilities in "The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill."Though Ms.Hill has yet to produce another complete studio album since "The Miseducation..." she has left a legacy, as well as an impact on our generation, and definitely those to come. I still find it amazing how far ahead of her time this album presents itself, no one would could honestly tell that this album is over a decade old; that is what good, classic music is all about.

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Product Description:
The matching folio to this multi-Grammy-winning (1998 Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best RandB Album) release includes the award-winning hit "Doo Wop (That Thing)," the title song, and 11 more: Every Ghetto, Every City * Everything Is Everything * Ex-Factor * Final Hour * Forgive Them Father * I Used to Love Him * Lost Ones * Nothing Even Matters * Superstar * To Zion * When It Hurts So Bad. Includes photos.

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My First Book of Irish Songs and Celtic Dances: 21 Favorite Pieces in Easy Piano Arrangements [Paperback] Review

I bought the book thinking it was a bit more than it is.Wherever there aren't notes, there are pictures to color...Definitely for children.However it did have a lot of famous songs such as "Danny Boy" and"When Irish Eyes are Smiling."If you are looking for anintroduction to celtic music and you are at a beginner level of piano, thisbook is great.However, you get what you pay for...

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Product Description:
Fun-to-play, pedagogically sound easy piano arrangements of 21 perennial favorites include "Danny Boy," "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," "My Wild Irish Rose," "The Wearing of the Green," "Sweet Rosie O'Grady," "Kerry Dance," "Irish Washerwoman," and much more (many include lyrics). Beginning pianists of all ages will enjoy this spirited and modestly priced collection of classic Irish airs.


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Quartal Jazz Piano Voicings (keyboard instruction) [Paperback] Review

This book exhaustively catalogs quartal and "So What" chords used in jazz.For a thin volume, it crams a dizzying amount of material into relatively few pages that will keep the diligent student busy for many months.The author has taken extreme pains to make everything digestible with thoughtful organization, and detailed annotations.It starts with the most common ii-V-I voicings, given in the key of C.This gives the user a taste of what is to come.The next section gives common voicings in all major and minor keys.The final section gives an exhaustive list of voicings in all major and minor keys.Finally, the book discusses theory and practical applications.

The world needs a book like this.It requires much time and effort to absorb, but the results will be a "mature" sound that separates the jazz artists from the hacks.If that is where you want to take your playing, and you are willing to put in the time, get this book and keep it handy for future reference.

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Product Description:
This book is a complete guide to the captivating and complex chord voicings prevalent in modern jazz. It includes: quickest voicings - a guide to the first and best quartal voicings one should know; selected voicings - good voicings in all keys; all voicings - every possible quartal voicing followed by traditional jazz theory; quartal voicings applied to a standard jazz chord progression; the theory behind deriving quartal voicings; and more.

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Goldberg Variations: Piano Solo (Piano Large Works) [Paperback] Review

Bach wrote very, very few variation compositions like the "Goldberg Variations," but the one's he wrote are most memorable and monumental.Early in his career, he wrote a magnificant "Aria with Variations in the Italian Manner" (BWV989).Its repeating aria at the end along with the alternating fast/bright and slow/contemplative variations foreshadowed a model in these so-called Goldberg Variations- one of the towering 'summation works' Bach wrote late in his life at Leipzig.

With a full quiver of splendid recordings of Bach's keyboard music, it is not hard to believe that Angela Hewitt is the top-selling musical artist for the British Hyperion label.And this recording of her personal favorite Golderg Variations is another worthwhile CD in the series.Angela Hewitt's Goldbergs - and really all her Bach or Couperin in general - may be most simplistically characterized as having a more gentle, graceful and heartfelt style.She particularly excells on bringing out the joyful rhythms in the many Baroque-era 'dances' and as well as the inherent songfulness within the music.Technically, her smooth-as-silk long legato line, tasteful ornamental infusions, and intelligent progression all combine to create a delightful experience with Bach as heard in this fine recording.

Additionally, Hewitt is a master tonal colorist and is not shy to tactfully use the pedals and nuances of the modern piano to create a greater richness in the music - while taking care to avoid blurring her individual lines.Accordingly, she elects a wide dynamic range for this recording to elicit maximum expressivity.Her creativity in ornamentation and well-chosen shifts of tempo in the repeats (which she observes here) adds stylistic interest - but without straying too far from Bach's musical intentions.

In comparison to other Goldberg recordings (such as Perhahia's Sony recording), Angela Hewitt's readings seem to possess a more introspective, pensive mood at times. Perhaps in the back of her mind she is tempering her expression in light of the legend that Bach wrote these pieces for his student Goldberg to play at night to help his employer, the insomniac Count Keyserling, pass the time during his sleepness nights.Hewitt's expressivity in the opening and closing Aria is as expected, thoughtful and beautiful.In the famous 25th "Black Pearl" Variation, she creates a somewhat veiled atmosphere with a slower tempo.Personally, I felt it a bit heavy rather than the more poignant and optimistic mood of Perahia - but such is art and individual preference. Contrastingly, in the brilliant fast variations, Miss Hewitt brings an ebulient clarity and precision to the music that is refreshing to mind and spirit.

Hewitt's Goldberg CD received strong ratings from from many of the top reviewers like Penguin Guide and Gramophone and stands with a few others among the finer recordings.ClassicsToday was a bit more critical, giving this CD a rating of 8/10 for Artistic Quality and 9/10 for Sound Quality (noting a tendency for restraint in some variations). An additional highlight of this Hyperion CD is surely the superbly annotated notes revealing some history of this music and Ms. Hewitt's musical insights and approaches to each of the 30 variations.The voluminous notes alone might make Hewitt's CD preferable to some others if you already have a version or two you really like.All-in-all, a most attractive and admirable recording of one of the world's great keyboard compositions.

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Product Description:
We've answered your requests and have added this newly re-engraved edition of the famous Bach Goldberg Variations to the popular Belwin Classic Library. This publication includes editorial markings by the well-known Bach expert Hans Bischoff, whose editions are often preferred by teachers and students. Also included are a preface listing source materials and Bischoff's table of Baroque embellishments. Our competitively priced edition is sure to please pianists.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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