Whistler a piano question for you

[fluteluversmom]

Hi~ I remember that you posted in your
introduction that you teach piano. My daughter has had a Yamaha electric
keyboard sitting here for a few years that she has decided that she thinks she
might want to start learning to play. I never played piano but I am assuming
that this would be very similar ? I was wondering if you could recommend a good
book that she could start with. She can already read music since she plays the
flute so I was not sure what kind of book would be good for her to start with. I
really can''t afford lessons for her yet because I am already paying for flute
lessons so I thought I would just let her give it a try to see if she enjoys it
and wants to stick with it and see what happens from there. Kim

[AG950Flute]

Kim, I hope you don't mind me kinda
butting in on this question. I started with piano and played for about 8 years.
You may want to look into some of the Alfred books - there's an Adult version
so it won't be "kiddy" like the very beginning ones for kids. I don't know if
your daughter can read bass clef, but I hear that's one of the harder things to
learn when you've originally only learned the treble clef. The Adult Alfred
books have 3 different levels and then 3 different books within each level, I
think Theory, Technic, and Repertoire or something along those lines. They also
come in a All-in-one book for each level. Anyway, I hope that helps. A music
store might also be able to aim you in a direction similar. Actually, you may
want to think about taking your daughter to a music store and have her look at
some books, that way she can look through some and determine what looks good to
her and what books don't look too silly [:)] best of luck!

[fluteluversmom]

Thanks for the input. I appreciate
all the tips I can get. My daughter doesn't know anything about the Bass cleff
so she will be learning from scratch. I will definitly take her to look at the
books that you mentioned. I wouldn't dare pick out a piano book or a flute book
without her ..that would be like buying her clothes without having her there LOL
Thanks again for the help [:)] Kim

[WhistlerCampbell]

Hi, I don't have any experience with
"teach yourself" piano books, but most music stores have several different
kinds. All my piano students use Alfred books; I would definitely recommend that
name. I hope your daughter enjoys learning to play!

[fluteluversmom]

Hi Whistler~ Thanks for the input.
The Alfred books sound like they should be the books that we look at first since
both you and Courtney recommend them. Thanks a bunch, Kim

[minsmusic]

Hi Kim, I'm a piano/keyboard/singing
teacher who recently was given a flute - yesterday in fact. That's why I'm on
the web getting some pointers. Alfred books arent' bad, I use them in
conjunction with other books, but they do emphasise 'hand position' which
isn't the best teaching method to go by, because later as you progress your
hands have to be able to move easily from one position to the next. A book I
love using is Denes Agay 'Joy of First Year Piano'. It will keep your daughter
busy for at least a year. It gives equal importance to the treble and bass
clefs, introducing two notes, then three, then four etc and gives you a bit of
practise with each. It doesn't use the hand position approach. The music is
designed for individual finger control whereas Alfred tends to use harmonic
chords. A keyboard however is different in many ways to a piano. 1. Touch. A
keyboard doesn't have the ability for dynamics. The keys are much easier to
press (makes it a great instrument for older people with arthritis) 2. Range.
Keyboards range in size. Pianos have 88 keys. Keyboard rarely have this range.
Usually around the 66, 54 or even 33. 3. Keyboards have a rhythm section that
can be manually played or 'one finger touch' which means you play the note C,
and it automatically plays a groovy accompaniment using C chord. 4. Modern
keyboards have lot of 'buttons' drum fills, introductions, endings, breaks -
to use these effectively is a skill in itself 5. Keyboards have a range of
different 'voices' which takes practise to change during a song 6. Keyboard
playing incorporates different techniques such as glissandos, chord harmonics in
the melody. 7. You can play a keyboard very effectively without reading the bass
hand. In fact, keyboard music doesn't use the bass staff, it has the chord
written above the treble. I would suggest you buy a keyboard book. 'The
Complete Keyboard Player' by Kenneth Graham isn't a bad one to start off with.
Go to www.sheetmusicplus.com. look up keyboards and type in the title or the
author and it will tell you how much it costs. You can order it online, or go to
a music store. Ask for keyboard tutor, not a piano tutor. It's easy to teach
yourself if you have the manual for your keyboard, you're patient and you have
good rhythm. I hope your daughter has fun. Let me know if I can give you anymore
advice. [:)]

[minsmusic]

[:0] Correction!! Kenneth Baker, not
Kenneth Graham (he wrote The Wind in the Willows, didn't he? Or was that Graham
Kenneth - hmmmm. [:bigsmile:] ) Anyway sheetmusicplus is selling the omnibus
collection - books 1-3 including a CD for $21.95 USdollars. By Australian
standards (where I live) that's a bargain!!! Also, select 'instrument', type
in 'keyboard' and it will come up with heaps of music to buy, shows you the
front cover and gives you a little information (sometimes) Hope that helps. Let
us know how your daughter goes. Being musically bi-lingual is great.

[fluteluversmom]

Jenny~ I just found this post after
you mentioned it in your introduction Thanks so much for the information. The
omnibus collection that you mentioned sounds like a good idea so I will check
that out. I think having the CD will be very helpful !! My daughter has just
been using her easy flute books for the time being and I really need to get with
the program and pick up something for the keyboard. I can tell that she is
playing from ear quite a bit. Flute is still her first love but she is having a
blast with the keyboard and I think if she had a book that she could really
learn from she could really progress. I was wondering... would most piano
teacher's teach keyboard as well ? Or should a person look for someone that
just teaches keyboard ? Thanks again for the tips !! Kim

[minsmusic]

Kim, I'd try looking for a keyboard
teacher. In my experience I've found that piano teachers treat the keyboard
just like a piano! In all honesty (and this is being a traitor to my fellow
keyboard teachers) if your daughter already knows how to read music in the
treble clef, all she needs is probably some keyboard stickers with the names of
the notes to stick on the keys. You can also buy these on that website. Just
type in 'stickers'. As for the rhythm and accompaniment skills, just fool
around with them. It sounds like if she can play by ear, she won't have much
trouble experimenting and working out how it goes. What model Yamaha does she
have? I could give you some pointers. Anyway, look through some books, give it a
couple of weeks, and then get a keyboard teaches if she's really keen. Of
course if she REALLY enjoys the feel of playing keys without expelling air (
[:bigsmile:] ) get her a piano teacher who can teach both bass and treble. You
can learn piano skills on a keyboard to begin with - I have quite a few students
who have no choice but to do this to begin with - and then, if she loves it, buy
a piano. Whoo hoo!! Now we're talking. (I know it's extremely inappropriate to
admit this on a flute site, but I LOVE the piano!) Try out John Thompson's
"Teaching Little Fingers to Play" It's for very young students, but it's
principles are great, introduces notes very logically.

[fluteluversmom]

Jenny~ I think the Yamaha she has is
an older model as a relative gave it to her because their son lost interest and
he is quite a bit older. It is a Yamaha PSR-11. It looks like brand new. She has
the stickers for the notes on the keys. They came with the book that they gave
us with the keyboard. She can read music really well and that in combination
with playing from ear I can actually recongize some of the songs that she is
playing LOL I think it would be really neat if she could learn to play well
because then she could accompany me when I play my flute [:p] Kim

[minsmusic]

Great idea Kim! You can do it now!
Grab one of your easy flute pieces. Work out the chords the melody is structured
around and write the letter - C for C chord - above the bar/measure. Then all
your daughter has to do is push the auto accompaniment button, choose a beat
that fits your time signature - waltz for 3/4, rock for 4/4, and then she only
has to play that note that's written above the measure and voila! Instant duet.
Don't forget to push the 'hold' button to make the accompaniment continuous,
and play in the region of auto accomp. - usually the botton of the keyboard
(left). Using the auto accomp is also great for practising boring scales! You
have a rhthm that can be changed just like a metronome, only the beat sounds
groovier, and it gives you a nice full accompaniment while you asend and descend
those notes on your flute. Both of you can give it a try. You only need to press
one key on your yamaha and it plays for you leaving you free to concentrate on
your scales, arpeggios etc. Don't forget to change the chord when you change
the scale though.[;)]