AndyBob09 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hey all, I'm looking to start to learn piano and am looking for a few good books to get me started. Does anyone know of any good piano books for beginners? Thanks in advance. AB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Have a look at Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commando Jack Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I've been working through [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Late-Play-Piano-Learn-as-you-play/dp/0571512313"]It's never too late to play piano[/url] by Pamela Wedgewood. It seems ok, but I don't really have a frame of reference except that my wife's piano teacher told her to buy it and used it as a teaching aid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1343386924' post='1749892'] Have a look at Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course. [/quote] will alfred mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1343391997' post='1750030'] ...will alfred mind? [/quote] No, he's dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musophilr Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I saw some books that my mum used when she was a little girl. Fingering in those days made sense 1,2,3,4 were what you'd expect them to mean and + was the thumb. Modern books use 1,2,3,4,5 which might seem logical to the people who write them, but confuses the hell out of a simple minded guitarist like me. 1 is always the index finger, never the thumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Unless you want to become a keyboard player (like me ) practice your left hand at least as much. I grew up on the old Kenneth Baker books (I think...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1343392310' post='1750043'] No, he's dead. [/quote] but there will usually be some busybody somewhere who will mind 'professionally' on his behalf no? good luck mr andybob - ive tried this too in the past but i just could not get my head around the whole lefthand/righthand independence thing in much the same way that i cant play bass and sing at the same time...although some might say i just cant play bass full stop Edited July 27, 2012 by steve-bbb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesparky Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Yup, I second the Alfred course. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Course-Lesson/dp/0882848321 There are three books in this series and they're great for an adult beginner - I started learning on this course about 18 months ago and I'm now just finishing the 3rd book with a view to take Grade 3 or 4 in December. Once you've finished the 3rd book it leaves you in good idea of what direction you want to take your playing and also be at the standard where you are able to play "proper" pop / rock songs that you may know & like rather than the stuff that educational books will give you.. (i.e. Life on Mars, Virtual insanity, Nightswimming etc - rather than the American National Anthem or traditional shepherd's folk songs etc!) Good luck, I'm loving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westie9 Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 If you can, I'd always suggest booking up a few lessons, learning correctly and quickly. Books are ok but never really helped me... Rather like a false economy really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 [quote name='charic' timestamp='1343394352' post='1750093'] I grew up on the old Kenneth Baker books (I think...) [/quote] I'm not sure how that's going to help with the piano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-Bass-M Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 If you're looking for finger strengthening / dexterity exercises, then take a look at Hanon: [url="http://www.hanon-online.com/"]http://www.hanon-online.com/[/url] Not the most exciting thing to do, but valuable nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I can't remember what the books was that I started with (sooo long ago), but I'd suggest you get a couple of lessons & read the basic keyboard theory bits. I find it much easier to find a note anywhere on a keyboard than I do with any other instrument as it's a simple repetitition. I see each octave split in 1/2 as C to F & G to B, no idea why, but it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1351187430' post='1848487'] I see each octave split in 1/2 as C to F & G to B, no idea why, but it works. [/quote] You're strange If anything it should be C-E F-B as that's where the two white keys sit together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 [quote name='charic' timestamp='1351235197' post='1848935'] You're strange If anything it should be C-E F-B as that's where the two white keys sit together [/quote] Sorry, I meant to say C-F# G-B. I did start off C-E, but when I was a kid (probably about 10 at the oldest) I somehow moved it to make it an even split. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1343395733' post='1750125'] ive tried this too in the past but i just could not get my head around the whole lefthand/righthand independence thing in much the same way that i cant play bass and sing at the same time...although some might say i just cant play bass full stop [/quote] Some would say I can't do either, full stop.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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