The Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering Piano

Generally, you really, really should try to get a teacher. But if you just can't afford it, this book is the next best thing. Combine it with a few videos/DVDs (like the "Van Cliburn competition" - YES!, or even buy "The Pianist" or "Shine" right here on Amazon) so you can get an idea of how pianists hold and move their hands. (not that you'll move like these people for a long while!).

There is a crazy typographical error in my edition of the book, where an entire paragraph is repeated! This is only a little sad, because the space could have been put to use for more of the author's great information. It's not enough to drop my rating! The binding (at least in my edition) is spiral - a VERY SMART move, as it sits nicely on the music desk. I have to make photo copies to use the sheet music in other books!

This one has got my full recommendation. And better yet, if you have any musical background at all, or have had some piano lessons (even in your distant past) this book will have you flying along in no time.


Highly recommended to piano players of all skill levels   February 14, 2003
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
134 out of 137 found this review helpful

The Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide For Mastering Piano by pianist, composers, and music journalist Carl Humphries is a straightforward, "user friendly" tutorial for mastering the art of piano playing. An erudite text (illustrated with both black-and-white and color photographs) deftly detail various styles of play ranging from romantic, to classical, to jazz, rock, blues, and more, as well as technical matters such as hand positions, pedaling, tonal balance, chord progressions, etc. The Piano Handbook is enhanced with an accompanying music CD which has tracks relating to 69 different exercises. Highly recommended to piano players of all skill and experience levels seeking to improve, The Piano Handbook is designed in a spiral bound format which will conveniently lay open flat while practicing music.


A must have reference   March 23, 2003
DFE (Lake Forest, CA USA)
101 out of 103 found this review helpful

Although this book is designed to be a complete keyboard coarse, it is so densely packed with information and moves so fast from one subject to the next, that it would not make a good self-study guide for someone who knows absolutely nothing about playing the piano. The information is all there, but in a no nonsense fashion, not in a more user-friendly, take the time to really make sure anyone can grasp the concepts that are commonly found in beginner courses with much more modest goals. That said, as a comprehensive reference to playing styles, techniques and methology it is unsurpassed. Anyone with a basic grasp of piano playing, will find it most useful. Are you trying to play some Bach or Mozart but can't remember or never knew how to play a trill or mordant? This book will not only show you all of the various ornaments and explain not only how to play them, but offer many examples of what is in stylistic keeping for a given time period for a piece of that tempo. If that is not cool enough, it also explains the reasons for why it was used and relates it to later developments not in that style of music but in current styles of music, so you have a basis of information to make your artistic choices. Want to know how romantic music such as Debusey is traditional pedaled; this book will show you and explain what you are trying to acomplish soundwise. Maybe you studied classical music for year and now want to play a bit of bluegrass or jazz, this book will teach you about that too. Or maybe you want to just pick up some pop sheet music and be able to improvise a bit of additional accompanent, because what is provided sounds so empty. The answers are in this book too.

The book is divided up in too many broad chapters that explore a cluster of concepts exploring both musical theorie and practical techniques. Each section has elaborate exercise and several complete pieces of music, all of which can be heard on the accompanying cd. History notes and biographis on relevent composers round out the chapter. In fact there is so much, sidebar information, that you can learn a lot by just flipping around and reading those. There is also a large reference section in the back containing both suggestive listening and music to play and a comprehensive musical dictionarie. The only thing missing is an index, which would make it much quicker to locate the desired information. The only other thing I didn't care for was the fold out table of contents at the beginning of the book that are subject to damage when you fold them back in. They really should have been printed on the inside of the cover.

Unless you have a degree in music, it is hard to imagine that anyone could not find something to learn from this amazing book. As I look though it, I am constantly amazed by how much has been packed into this 290 page bundle. The book has a sturdy hard cover and opens to spiral bound pages that make the book a pleasure to prop up on the piano. All in all this book is well worth the price.

As a side note, Americans should be aware that the author uses the British names for notes values and time signature (i.e. semibreve rather then whole notes and crotchets instead of quarter notes, duple time for double time). They explain the two sets of names in a chart near the beginning and then ever after use the British terms. As someone use to the American/Northern Eurpean names, I find a bit confusing, but am getting used to it.


Utterly and totally fantastic - BUY IT YESTERDAY!   February 8, 2003
64 out of 65 found this review helpful

This is the greatest single book on piano that I have ever seen. It is amazingly dense with information, yet never boring or excessive. It covers EVERYTHING from history of piano, what brands to consider for purchase, how to play from A-Z including basic music theory, performance technique, various styles of music (classical, rock, blues, etc.), who to listen to, what CD's to buy, what reference books are good, etc. etc. I just can't believe what a great book this is- it would have saved me countless hours of wasted time with "sheet music" which gives you nothing but the notes. This book gives you lots of notes (hundreds of songs, along with CD to hear them), but it goes 10 steps beyond that- it gives you history of the song, the composer, things to strive for in performing the song, and all in a step-by-step (actually, unit by unit) fashion. It is bound on a spiral spline so it stays put on the piano rail (thank you!) and sports a very attractive color hard-cover that looks nice just sitting there! THe CD is a great added value, since you can hear what the songs are "supposed" to sound like before launching off on your own. This is especially useful if you are somewhat "rhythm challenged" like me. If this book cost [money]it would be worth it. My only (minor) complaint- the pages are printed on fairly glossy paper which can glare if I don't set my light at just the right angle. Carl Humphries, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Peter


The best book in the piano-learning field. Period.   November 8, 2006
Chris (Philly suburbs, PA)
37 out of 37 found this review helpful

As one other reviewer stated, this is the best book in a pretty sad category... he's right. There aren't many books that cover a LOT about learning the piano. This is by far the best of the bunch.

All books, I've noticed, by Backbeat, seem to be of the absolute highest quality with the most concise and complete information. Most Backbeat books also include a CD of examples, which is fantastic. This book's CD is no exception to excellence.

I am an ok piano player. Taught myself over the years and want to get better, much better, in the next few years.

I have been doing all the exercises in the book and can play the beginning part of Bach's "Prelude in C Major" which is one of the most beautiful solo piano pieces ever. I was proud of myself for learning it so quickly. The book helps, a lot.

It helps to know some theory, and be able to read the notes and rhythms on the staff. Most people picking up the piano probably already know that.

For $20, this book is more than worth its weight in gold. Seriously. Classical is definitely the focus, but it also covers a good deal of jazz piano technique. Easy to understand. The spiral binding is excellent, too as it perfectly lays flat on my music stand in front of my digital piano.

Pick this up and the Burgmuller 25 Easy and Progressive Pieces and you're well on your way to getting a solid foundation in classical piano technique. Also, for the brave ones, pick up Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist. I have exercise 1 down solidly, but only at 65bpm. I'm supposed to have it smooth at 108bpm. Haha. That will take some time. Those legendary books are a nice companion to this amazing, modern piano technique book.