I have always wanted to plat the piano so I went out and got one. I can read some sheet music since I took some piano lessons when I was 10 and played the marimba in band in high school. I'm looking to start over fresh and I really want to actually learn the piano in and out. I can pick up sheet music and play some songs but to me that is just memorization. Any tips? Guides? Books? DVDs?

Here is what I got.... Nice up grade from the player piano I have downstairs... middle C doesn't even work on it. haha

YAMAHA DGX-620

This is a good book:
http://www.colindavey.com/BoogieWoogie/learn/

It teaches you the structure of boogie woogie, so you learn how to mix it all together and improvise rather than memorizing one song at a time.

This is a good DVD for learning blues improv:
http://www.homespuntapes.com/shop/product.aspx?ID=338

Check your library. They should have instructional books and movies.

DOH! I always forget about the library. Thanks for the tip! I bet they have lots of stuff.

I got some stuff might help- hope it does ;



- - For the left hand, work on accompaniment patterns of many types is very helpful. For example: Stride patterns , walking tenths , broken tenths or walking bass and boogie patterns can all be exercises.

- - Two handed devices would include playing improvised lines two octaves apart in the style of Phineas Newborn or block chords (4 note close voicing in the R.H. with the melody doubled one octave below in the L.H.) in the style of George Shearing.



KEEP IN MIND KEN - No instrument can achieve endless harmonic variation like the piano. For this reason, exploring harmony is a big part of a jazz pianists practice. Many jazz pianists achieve a good part of their personal identity through their harmonic style.

When I find a voicing I like, the first thing I practice is transposing it through all the keys (most often via the circle of 5ths). 3 note voicings like 14 7 ; 1 3 5 ; etc are good for horn guys to know.Also play the voicing in different registers. Through exploration and repetition, and simplicity via Wynton Kelly or Red Garland, I make the voicing part of my vocabulary. Transposition and repetition are the most common ways of knowing the chords cold.


ALSO- Listen to Art Tatum, Hank Jones, or George Shearing; passing chords, tritone substitutions, and chromatic movements.


http://piano.about.com/
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=23...p;v=KR8YzpjTcP0
http://www.pianolessonsreviews.net/pianolessons/

Hey I also a big fan to play the Piano. I have also just but the new one. But I can't put my picks here. But the one thing is that I can't play it in proper manner as I am teaching to play it now. I have also joined the classic for it.

I believe my homie has the same exact one you have. Very nice actually. But dont play what so ever.

Wow, it's gread synt! I'd play only on fortepianno. I started with notes of primitive melodies. You can also.

U remind me about my first time play piano it's really difficult in the begining, heh, i've just play canon in D in by my piano. should i share it here

I just learnt the basic....