Choosing a keyboard. A brief history of the piano ; Upright vs. grand ; Acoustic vs. electronic ; Stools and stands ; Maintenence and technical matters -- Getting started. Preparing to play--1 ; Preparing to play--2 ; Naming the notes ; Frère Jacques--1 ; Frère Jacques--2 -- Scales and chords. Covering eight notes with five fingers--right hand ; Covering eight notes with five fingers--left hand ; Your first chords ; Introducing the black keys ; Transposing Frère Jacques -- Introducing staff notation. The treble stave ; The bass stave--and both staves together ; Beats and bars ; How note lengths are shown with staff notation ; Do ye ken John Peel--1 ; Do ye ken John Peel--2 -- Co-ordinating your hands. Leading with the left hand ; An extended bass riff ; Two-handed workouts ; Tallis's canon -- Major and minor. Major and minor chords ; Harmonic minor scales ; Greensleeves--1; Greensleeves--2 -- Putting on the style. The sustaining pedal ; The "soft" pedal and dynamic control ; The "three-chord trick" ; Bluesy chords and syncopated rhythms ; The entertainer--1 ; The entertainer--2 ; Epilog--taking it further.
Summary
Presents a self-instruction guide on teaching the basics of playing the piano and other keyboard instruments.
