Piano

I was recently sent a copy of the book Maran Illustrated Piano from the maranGraphics Development Group. It's another subject treatment using the "maran illustrated" technique, and again it's an excellent work... Chapter List: Piano Basics; The Basics of Reading Music; Basic Hand Positions; Playing Scales; Playing Chords; Beyond the Basics of Reading Music; Tips to Improve Your Playing; Special Playing Techniques; Improvising and Playing with Others; Styles of Music; Buying and Caring for Your Piano; Quick Reference; Index The Maran books use a graphic-intensive format with liberal use of color and heavy-stock paper. With Frank Horvat as the technical consultant, they take the reader through an informative history of the piano, famous composers, and the structure of the piano (along with the various styles and related instruments). From there, they get into how to read music as well as the basic hand positioning for playing. The material on reading music is well done for anyone who needs to acquire that skill, even if they aren't interested in the piano. The book then starts to show how to play scales, chords, and progressively more difficult pieces. It would be very easy to use this book to do your own self-learning program, and it'd be a great way to figure out if you want to take the next step and find a piano teacher to help you progress. The illustrations and photography of hand placement jump off the pages with the high-quality printing and paper. The pictures of Horvat sitting at the piano look a little stilted, but there's only so much "action" you can add to those settings. The only photo series I didn't much care for in the book have to do with the piano pedals. The pedal photos have someone's black shoe, white sock, and bare leg in the frame. That's just wrong... :-) Shoes and socks aside, this is an excellent choice if you are looking to learn how to play the piano on your own. You will gain a solid foundation with the instrument, and from there you can take it to whatever level appeals to you...

For all the many self-help, how-to books published The Maran Family has polished the book-led guide to learning to a fare-thee-well. This well-conceived and very well written book is an excellent introduction to the joys of sitting down in front of a piano keyboard and actually creating music instead of fantasies. As one of the maranGraphics books (others include such wide ranging topics as Weight Training, Computer Guides, Dog training, Guitar, Yoga, and Knitting and Crocheting!), this volume uses the technical consulting of Frank Horvat, a composer, performer and piano teacher, and then applies the approach to the keyboard in a highly visual series of photographs and schematics that begin a survey of the types of keyboard instruments, the history of the piano, and progress to the basics of what makes a piano make music and ultimately walks the willing student through a very sound technique of learning. As a life-long pianist I am amazed at the facility developed in this beautifully designed book. For those who question learning to play the piano by a 'how to' book, just peruse the careful steps and clarity of instruction offered by this helpful guide. Much musicology is included and many examples of fine piano music are used in the lessons. Whether it is the classical route you wish or the popular medium of chord based music or the intricacies of blues and improvisation, the steps are here. At the end of the book is a fine discussion on how to choose your piano from the many types that exist and even a discussion on the various periods of piano music history (although brief these are succinctly to the point). Terrific for the adults who moan 'if I'd only taken lessons as a child' as well for the young students who are willing to commit to the goal of learning to 'make their own music', this Illustrated Guide to the Piano is a solid source of didactics. And for those addicted to the computer, there are even "MP3 files available to listen to and play along with for all the chords, scales, exercises and practice pieces in this book." Truly a book for the 21st Century! Grady Harp, June 05