Learning Piano: Piece by PieceIncludes 2 CDs / Edition 1

by Elyse Mach

Overview

Designed for non-music majors who want to learn piano "for the fun of it," Learning Piano: Piece by Piece is also ideal for courses in class piano and for individual instruction. This concise and user-friendly book presents materials in an engaging manner and in a logical piece-by-piece progression of difficulty. Offering a rich and well-rounded solo and ensemble repertoire, it enables students to master basic keyboard skills—through the study of fresh, appealing, and easy-to-play arrangements of both traditional and newly created pieces—and provides them with ample opportunities to improvise, transpose, and harmonize. By encouraging students to play music from different time periods, genres, and cultures, Learning Piano: Piece by Piece also inspires musicality and creativity.

FEATURES
* Uniquely diverse and global repertoire: Learning Piano: Piece by Piece contains a wealth of musical compositions, from classical (Baroque through the twentieth century) to folk, blues, jazz, boogie, and rock, all in interesting arrangements. It features music that is heard and played around the world, in the United States, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, China, Japan, South America, Mexico, and the Middle East. The nine ensemble pieces include such favorites as "Amazing Grace" and Pachelbel's "Canon in D." An entire unit is devoted to twentieth-century pieces.
* Accessible yet creative instruction: Laid out in an easy-to-follow, piece-by-piece format, the text also integrates numerous fun exercises, like improvising in various styles—pentatonic (creating music reminiscent of Chinese and Japanese tunes), open-fifth "new age," 12-bar blues, and Dorian mode (jazz style).
* Two CDs packaged free with each book, containing almost 100 original orchestrations by renowned composer Phillip Keveren (in both practice and performance tempi) for students to use on their own. These orchestrations are also available on MIDI disks for adopting instructors to use in class.
* Marginal icons in the text direct students to the appropriate track with the orchestration accompaniment on the CDs.
* "Practice Strategies" sections throughout give students the opportunity to practice theory and techniques immediately after they are introduced in the text.
* "On Another Note" boxes provide interesting historical information on the piano, musical styles, and composers, as well as learning tips from performing artists.
* An Instructor's Manual containing suggested lesson plans will be available online.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195170337
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/10/2005
Edition description:	Includes CD
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	10.90(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Northeastern Illinois University

Table of Contents

, PrefaceUNIT 1. KEYBOARD INSTRUCTIONSitting at the KeyboardFinger NumbersBasic Note ValuesThe KeyboardDynamicsMore Dynamic SignsUsing the White KeysUsing Black-Key Groups to Locate White KeysOctaveTermsMore TermsImprovisationRhythms to ReadTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 2. PLAYING MELODIES USING DIFFERENT POSITIONSC Five-Finger PositionTime Signature: 4/4Slur and Phrase MarkingsG Five-Finger PositionCommon Time Sign: CMiddle C PositionRestsTime Signature: 3/4Tied NotesImprovisationTechniqueUNIT 3. READING MUSICThe Staff and ClefsGrand StaffLandmark PairsIntervalsSecondsThirdsTranspositionDynamic ChangesFourthsDamper PedalFifthsUpbeat and DownbeatRhythms to ReadTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 4. MORE READING BASICSPlaying in Various OctavesFermataTempo MarkingsFlat Sign8va ————Sharp Sign8va ————Ritardando (Rit.)Natural SignStaccatoAccent SignMore Dynamic MarkingsImprovisationTechniqueRhythms to ReadTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 5. MAJOR FIVE-FINGER PATTERNS AND MAJOR TRIADSHalf StepWhole StepThe Major Five-Finger PatternMajor TriadsFive-Finger Patterns and Triads in MajorEighth NotesImprovisationTechniqueRhythms to ReadTraining the EarUNIT 6. MINOR FIVE-FINGER PATTERNS AND MINOR TRIADSThe Minor Five-Finger PatternNew Time Signature: 2/4Minor TriadsFive-Finger Patterns and Triads in Major and MinorA TempoWorksheet ReviewUNIT 7. HARMONIZING MELODIESUsing the C Major and G7 ChordsUsing the F Major ChordPlaying the C Major, F Major, and G7 Chord ProgressionDotted Quarter NotesAlla BreveChanging Five-Finger PositionsThe Damper PedalHarmonizing a Lead-Line MelodyRhythms to ReadTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 8. THE MAJOR SCALE/READING IN C MAJORThe Major ScaleThe C Major ScaleThe Major Scale in Tetrachord PositionThe C Major Scale in Tetrachord PositionPlaying the C Major Scale in Contrary MotionPlaying the C Major Scale in Parallel MotionPlaying an Arpeggio Accompnainment PatternTernary FormIntervals of Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth (Octaves)SixthsBinary FormSeventhsEighths (Octaves)Harmonizing a Lead-Line MelodyTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 9. READING IN G MAJORThe G Major ScaleThe G Major Scale in Tetrachord PositionPlaying the G Major Scale in Contrary MotionPlaying the G Major Scale in Parallel MotionUsing the G Major and D7 ChordsUsing the C Major Chord in a New PositionPlaying the G Major, C Major, and D7 Chord ProgressionPlaying a Waltz Accompaniment PatternHarmonizing a Lead-Line MelodyRhythms to ReadTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 10. TRIADS AND CHORD INVERSIONSTriads of the Major ScalePlaying Arpeggiated Chords with Alternating HandsThe Damper Pedal—Legato PedalingChord Inversions—Triads and Seventh ChordsPlaying Triad Inversions—Blocked and ArpeggiatedRhythms to ReadTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 11. READING IN F MAJORThe F Major ScaleThe F Major Scale in Tetrachord PositionPlaying the F Major Scale in Parallel MotionUsing the F Major, Bb Major, and C7 ChordsPlaying the Alberti Bass Accompaniment PatternSempre StaccatoHarmonizing a Lead-Line MelodyTraining the EarWorksheet ReviewUNIT 12. THE MINOR SCALEThe Relative Minor ScaleThe Harmonic Minor ScaleThe A Harmonic Minor Scale in Tetrachord PositionPlaying the A Harmonic Minor Scale in Contrary MotionPlaying the A Harmonic Minor Scale in Parallel MotionPlaying the i, iv, and V7 Chords in A MinorPreludeHarmonizing a Lead-Line MelodyWorksheet ReviewUNIT 13. EXPLORING THE TWENTIETH CENTURYBlues, Windy City Blues, Transcendental BluesRagtime, What Time? RagtimeJazz, Just Struttin' AlongTwentieth-Century Classics, The Bear, Springtime SongScherzando, A Little JokeInnovative Notations15ma, SeashoreMetronome MarkQuartal Harmony, The Cathedral in the SnowEnsemble: Black and WhiteImprovisation, Movin' On BluesUNIT 14. MORE REPERTOIRE TO PLAYFour Miniature ClassicsTürk, MarchKöhler, MelodyKabalevsky, DanceKabalevsky, Moving AroundGurlitt, VivaceBeethoven, Für EliseSchubert, ÉcossaiseJoplin, The EntertainerRobertson, A First NocturneOlson, Razz-Ma-TazzKeveren, Wondering, Glossary Terms, Assignment Sheets, Title Index, Composer Index, Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

"Mach has a gift of understanding how people learn, especially those who have not previously studied the piano. The curriculum is fine tuned to match the experiences of students, rather than superficially imposing new ideas."-John Blacklow, Clavier Magazine

From the Publisher