Full Description
The comprehensive go-to guide for building keyboard skills
Being able to play a tune on the piano can bring you a lifetime of sheer aesthetic pleasure—and put you in serious demand at parties! Whatever your motivation for tinkling the ivories, the latest edition of Piano & Keyboard All-In-One For Dummies gives you the essentials you need both to build your playing skills and expand your knowledge of music theory, from deciding what keyboard suits you best to musing on the science of what makes music so emotionally compelling.
This indispensable resource combines the best of Piano For Dummies, Keyboard For Dummies, Music Theory For Dummies, and Piano Exercises For Dummies and includes practice strategies, as well as access to streaming and downloadable audio to help guide your progress. In addition to becoming acquainted with the latest in music theory, you'll learn to develop your sight-reading skills and performance techniques—until you can reproduce pieces flawlessly on request!
Choose and care for your keyboard
Practice until perfect
Compose your own songs
Hook up to speakers, computers, and more
Learning to play the keys is a never-ending journey of new discoveries and joy, and there's no better companion on your voyage than this friendly, erudite, and comprehensive guide.
P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you're probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Piano and Keyboard AIO For Dummies (9781118837429). The book you see here shouldn't be considered a new or updated product. But if you're in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We're always writing about new topics!
Contents
Introduction 1
Book 1: Piano & Keyboard 101 5
Chapter 1: Warming Up to the Piano and Keyboard 7
Chapter 2: Looking at the Different Keyboard Options 21
Chapter 3: Choosing and Buying Your Keyboard 39
Chapter 4: The Setup and Care of Your Instrument 61
Chapter 5: Getting Comfy at the Keyboard 79
Book 2: Understanding Theory and the Language of Music 93
Chapter 1: Looking at Notes and Beats 95
Chapter 2: Stopping for a Rest 105
Chapter 3: Tempo, Measures, and Time Signatures 111
Chapter 4: Navigating Sheet Music 121
Chapter 5: Varying Beats and Rhythms 133
Book 3: Beginning to Play 149
Chapter 1: Playing a Melody 151
Chapter 2: Working with Scales 167
Chapter 3: Adding the Left Hand 183
Chapter 4: Examining Form: Melody, Harmony, and Song Form 205
Chapter 5: Keys, Key Signatures, and the Circle of Fifths 229
Chapter 6: Building Chords to Accompany Melodies 249
Book 4: Refining Your Technique and Exploring Styles 273
Chapter 1: Adding Effects and Flair to Your Piano Playing 275
Chapter 2: Getting into the Groove 297
Chapter 3: Going Classical 317
Chapter 4: Perusing Popular Genres and Forms 327
Book 5: Exercises: Practice, Practice, Practice 347
Chapter 1: Developing Hand Technique 349
Chapter 2: Extending Your Scales 377
Chapter 3: Improving Finger Coordination and Footwork 399
Chapter 4: Jumping Across the Keyboard 419
Chapter 5: Exercising with Arpeggios and Alternating Hands 433
Chapter 6: Stepping Up to Octaves and Chord Progressions 453
Book 6: Exploring Electronic Keyboard Technology 469
Chapter 1: Choosing Sounds and Effects 471
Chapter 2: Adding Accompaniment, Rhythm Patterns, and Arpeggiation 489
Chapter 3: Recording and Editing Your Sounds 515
Chapter 4: Using Onboard Learning Systems 543
Chapter 5: Playing Along with Recordings and Using Music Software 557
Appendix: Accessing the Audio Tracks 583
Index 591
