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Practice, practice, practice to play like Chopin or the Piano Man
The piano will help you add a touch of fun to your life, impress your friends at parties, and even reduce stress. It even makes you better at math (really!). Piano Exercises For Dummies is at your service as you learn to make those 88 black and white keys sing. You'll get a quick overview of the basics before diving into practice routines and sample songs that you can use to improve your skill, whatever your level. This book gives you online access to audio files of the exercises along with digital access to the sheet music shared in the book. Learn from an experienced pianist, composer, and arranger, and start making beautiful music, the Dummies way!
* Refresh your knowledge of the piano basics so you're poised and prepared to play the right way
* Play enjoyable practice exercises and songs designed to teach specific skills and techniques in all genres
* Go online to access all the audio files, anytime, anywhere
* Bring a little more joy into your life by stepping up your piano know-how
Piano Exercises For Dummies is for new and experienced pianists alike, and useful for improving your skill in any musical style.
List of contents
Introduction 1
Part 1: Waking Up Your Fingers 7
Chapter 1: Getting Ready to Practice 9
Chapter 2: Isolating and Exercising Your Fingers 25
Chapter 3: Music for Five Fingers 41
Part 2: Developing a Strong, Supple, and Speedy Hand 55
Chapter 4: Passing Under and Crossing Over 57
Chapter 5: Playing Intervals 67
Chapter 6: Playing Chords without Tension 87
Part 3: Including Your Arms and Body 99
Chapter 7: Extending Your Scales 101
Chapter 8: Parallel and Contrary Motion 125
Chapter 9: Footwork: Using the Damper Pedal 137
Chapter 10: Jumping Across the Keyboard 149
Part 4: Integration and Independence 165
Chapter 11: Playing Arpeggios 167
Chapter 12: Alternating Hands 181
Chapter 13: Stretching Out with Octaves and Broken Octaves 201
Chapter 14: Chord Progressions and Cadences 215
Chapter 15: Trilling Thrills and Other Fancy Ornaments 231
Chapter 16: Maximum Independence: Challenging Rhythms and Syncopations 245
Part 5: The Part of Tens 261
Chapter 17: Ten Dances for Your Hands 263
Chapter 18: Ten Great Composers and Their Daily Workouts 279
Appendix: How to Use the Website 283
Index 287
About the author
David Pearl is a freelance pianist, composer, and arranger. He is the author of
Chord Theory Explained, Learn to Play Classic Rock Piano From the Masters; books of jazz transcriptions; arrangements of rock, jazz, and classical pieces; and opera arias for piano.
Summary
Practice, practice, practice to play like Chopin or the Piano Man
The piano will help you add a touch of fun to your life, impress your friends at parties, and even reduce stress. It even makes you better at math (really!). Piano Exercises For Dummies is at your service as you learn to make those 88 black and white keys sing. You'll get a quick overview of the basics before diving into practice routines and sample songs that you can use to improve your skill, whatever your level. This book gives you online access to audio files of the exercises along with digital access to the sheet music shared in the book. Learn from an experienced pianist, composer, and arranger, and start making beautiful music, the Dummies way!
* Refresh your knowledge of the piano basics so you're poised and prepared to play the right way
* Play enjoyable practice exercises and songs designed to teach specific skills and techniques in all genres
* Go online to access all the audio files, anytime, anywhere
* Bring a little more joy into your life by stepping up your piano know-how
Piano Exercises For Dummies is for new and experienced pianists alike, and useful for improving your skill in any musical style.
