Piano for Beginners

4/5 ( ratings)

Contents
Guiding you every step of the way and providing you with everything you need
to start learning to read music and play the piano
Getting started
10 The ultimate guide to
the piano
Unleash your musical talent
20 How to sit correctly at
the piano
Perfect posture is an essential task to master
22 Learn the white keys
Understand the natural keys on your piano
24 Learn the black keys
Get acquainted with the world of flats and sharps
26 Using the piano’s pedals
Advance your playing style
Understanding
theory
30 What is musical notation?
The symbols that affect the way we play a piece
32 Introducing the staves
The five horizontal lines that enable us to read music
33 Notes and their values
Some of the different types of notes you’ll find
34 How to read musical notation
Learn which notes go where
38 Understand time signatures
Explaining beats and bars
40 Interpret key signatures
Why they are needed and how to read them
42 Learn about ledger lines
Get to grips with these essential parts of notation
44 Change note lengths
Learn how the duration of notes can be modified
46 Alter a note’s pitch
with accidentals
Learn what these quirky symbols mean
48 Navigate music notation
Time to get score savvy and stay on track
6 Piano for Beginners
Give it a try
Look out for this logo on each page,
as it means that an audio file is
available online to help you master a
certain tutorial.
110 Record on a PC
Learn about Audacity
114 Improve your technique
with apps
Get creative with an iPhone or iPad
Play in the style of
We outline the various musical genres and sounds that
can be achieved on your piano
118 Pop
Pleasant progressions and simple melodies
120 Blues
A broad genre with a few defining characteristics
122 Jazz
A passionate and diverse genre
124 The Classical period
Rich, obvious melodies and simple patterns
126 The Romantic period
Expressing freedom and creativity
128 Contemporary piano music
Fusing classical and pop
Reference
132 Helpdesk
Answering common queries
142 Glossary
Musical terms explained
144 Essential scales
All the scales you need to know
152 Chords list
All the chords that matter
74 Learn about intervals
Playing two notes at the same time
78 Understanding chords
How to construct and play common chords
80 Using inversions
Achieve a different take on chords
82 Major chords
An essential tool for budding pianists
84 Minor chords
The mood-swingers of your chord repertoire
86 Suspended chords
Shake things up and add some variation
88 Augmented chords
Add a bit of spice to your chords
89 Diminished chords
How to use them properly
90 Dominant seventh chords
Introducing four-note chords
92 Major seventh chords
A warm, jazzy-sounding chord type
93 Minor seventh chords
How to transform a plain minor triad
94 Use chord progressions
The first step towards writing a song
96 Left-hand patterns
Use your left hand to support a melody
98 Learn arpeggios
Break up chords to make your music flow
The next step
102