Blues, Jazz and Rock Riffs for Keyboards (Instructional) [Paperback] Review

This is a good book for anyone who hasn't played much rock or blues.The book is full of riffs - however, I found that there were sometimes riffs that were almost identical.You might play 2 pages of riffs, but it really is 2-3 riffs with some variations.

I'm not saying that this is particularly bad - especially if you would benefit from working on and perfecting some good finger patterns.These are mainly usable riffs and if you got used to playing them, I think you'd find that you use them a lot.

One of my favorite parts of this book happens to be when Mr. Eveleth writes short compositions that use these riffs one right after the other.This really gives a feel as to how you might go about using these riffs in a practical setting.

Also, almost everything is in the key of C.There are some benefits to this - but if you're going to get your money from this book, better be ready to either write out transpostions, or better yet, learn to transpose in your head.If you get all these riffs down in C, F, G and perhaps Bb and Eb, you will be able to play them without problem in most of the songs you'll come across.

I didn't personally spend much time with this book.I read through it once at the keyboard - played around with the compositions a bit, played the riffs that I liked in a few keys and otherwise, I only get it out once in a while to find a new finger pattern or idea.

This is a pretty good book if you take into consideration a few of the limiations I've mentioned!I would recommend it!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blues, Jazz and Rock Riffs for Keyboards (Instructional) [Paperback]

Product Description:
This book presents a practical approach to improvising through a system of patterns in a traditional blues style. Because so much of today's popular music has its roots in blues, the material included here is a vital component of jazz, rock, RandB, gospel, soul, and even pop. The author has compiled actual licks, riffs, turnaround phrases, embellishments, and basic patterns that define good piano blues and can be used as a basis for players to explore and create their own style.

Buy cheap Blues, Jazz and Rock Riffs for Keyboards (Instructional) [Paperback] now

FASTFORWARD: 12-BAR BLUES PIANO (Fast Forward (Music Sales)) [Audiobook] [Paperback] Review

This book provides a painless introduction to playing blues piano in six styles: Basic Shuffle, Boogie Woogie, Walking Bass, Stride, Jazz,and Rock. It presents the left and right hand parts separately, then throws them together. Each example has two tracks on the CD, with and without the piano part. The left hand parts are quite complete, but the right hand parts are a little thin, leaving out slides, crushed notes and tremelos. However, the backing tracks on the CD are outstanding. Once you master the material in the book, you can reuse the CD backing tracks with licks from other books like David Bennet Cohen's Blues Piano or Mark Harrison's Blues Piano. Had the author included more material, this could be a 5 satr book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: FASTFORWARD: 12-BAR BLUES PIANO (Fast Forward (Music Sales)) [Paperback]

Product Description:
Learn to play the 12-bar blues using authentic techniques to get the real blues sound.

Buy cheap FASTFORWARD: 12-BAR BLUES PIANO (Fast Forward (Music Sales)) [Paperback] now

Improvising Blues Piano (w/cd) (Music Sales America) [Paperback] Review

Martan Mann can most definately play piano.The accompanying CD may almost be worth the price to hear him play.However, you're looking for instruction if you're reading this.I don't want to slam his product too hard.I'll just say he doesn't teach well and there's not allot of real meat here for beginners.I've also purchased Andrew D. Gordon's 100 Ultimate Blues Riffs.Riffs in all keys with many many different basslines and virtually zero instruction.Then, finally, I got my hands on something I absolutely love and can recommend wholeheartedly to anyone without a vast musical background who wants to play the blues.Check out the book/cd combos level 1 and 2 by David Bennet Cohen.You won't be dissappointed.I just ordered "Improvising Blues Piano" by Tim Richards and am very excited about it as well.One more you might look into.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Improvising Blues Piano (w/cd) (Music Sales America) [Paperback]

Product Description:
Unlock the mystery of blues improvisation as you develop an understanding of different blues styles and express yourself through your music. Contains scores of exercises designed to get you playing the blues.

Buy cheap Improvising Blues Piano (w/cd) (Music Sales America) [Paperback] now

Complete Jazz Keyboard Method: Intermediate Jazz Keyboard [Paperback] Review

I bought "Mastering Jazz Keyboard" at a local music store and found that it was just a little too advanced for me, though I liked the tone and pace of the book. So I ordered "Intermediate Jazz Keyboard," and so far, I've found that it's just what I was looking for.

I'm a classically trained pianist looking to branch out into jazz improvisation. I sightread really easily, I know my major and minor scales inside and out, but I was always a little confused by chord markings like "Emin7b5" and "Csus". I knew what they meant, but I didn't really get what you'd use them for. What Baerman does is explain when - and why - to use advanced chords.

The best part of the book is the accompanying CD. After reading a few pages, you'll find yourself wanting to try things out but not quite knowing how. Every topic has at least one example track on the CD, usually more than one. And all the tracks are written out in notation, so those of us who are used to reading music won't feel too disoriented.

All in all, this book has a great balance of theory and practice, with a good sense of humor and bits of jazz history thrown in to boot. The only thing that would make it more complete would be a few worksheets or tables to fill in, just for practice constructing chords or scales.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Complete Jazz Keyboard Method: Intermediate Jazz Keyboard [Paperback]

Product Description:
This book is great for keyboardists who have learned the basics of jazz harmony and improvisation.Topics include a brief review of concepts and skills from Beginning Jazz Keyboard, and continue with the modes of the major scale, chord extensions, making the changes, using chromatic tones and guide tones, chord substitution, ""rhythm changes,"" the blues, altered dominant chords and more.Continuing the format of Beginning Jazz Keyboard, new concepts are reinforced by etudes and songs for practice.Packed with hundreds of harmony and improvisation ideas, this book is essential for any serious student of jazz keyboard.The CD includes examples and opportunities to play along.

Buy cheap Complete Jazz Keyboard Method: Intermediate Jazz Keyboard [Paperback] now

How To Play Boogie Woogie Piano (Music Sales America) [Paperback] Review

I have been playing piano for ten years and I finally decided it was time to move away from classical music and try something new. I looked into several Boogie Woogie books and ended up buying this one about a week ago.

This book has a wonderful collection of songs which are fun to play and sound like professional pieces. The book orders the songs from easy to the more difficult to help build on your skills.

The music is not hard at all. Most of the time the same bass pattern is kept in the left hand while the right hand plays the melody. There are no tricky fingerings or even rhythms. The pieces are all in either C, F, or G (from one flat to one sharp) and use familiar notes and chords. The difficulty of this book is a 6 on a scale from 1 to 10 - 10 being the hardest.

This book is perfect for beginners - beginning piano players, maybe not - but if you've never tried Boogie Woogie before and are looking for something new, this book is for you.

Anyone who has taken a year or more of piano lessons should have no problem with this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: How To Play Boogie Woogie Piano (Music Sales America) [Paperback]

Product Description:
A collection of 14 boogie woogie solos for piano, with tips on playing technique. They include such favorites as Barrel House Boogie, Tommy DorseyÂ's Boogie Woogie, and Bad Penny Blues.

Buy cheap How To Play Boogie Woogie Piano (Music Sales America) [Paperback] now Get 32% OFF

Improvising Blues Piano [Paperback] Review

This is a great book! I'm a beginning/intermediate piano player, I went through the first two Alfred's All-in-One Adult piano books and really enjoyed them (and recommend them!). But I found myself at a fork in the road: I was happy to continue memorizing "pieces", and practicing "technique", but I found myself wanting to know more about improvising. I play drums in a blues band, and I've had some music theory for keyboard percussion, so I'm not a total musical-novice. I tried out some other books (Mark Harrison's "Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series", but it's still a little over my head, perhaps in a year or so it'll be good for me. Also "David Bennett Cohen Teaches Blues Piano: A Hands-On Course in Traditional Blues Piano", but it really didn't light my fire either, and if I recall correctly, didn't have finger markings which I still find helpful.)This book pulls it all together for me: some blues music theory, some blues history, clearly-marked "assignments", a CD included, (a spiral binding that lays flat on the stand!) ... I'm hooked!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Improvising Blues Piano [Paperback]

Product Description:
The basic principles of blues piano explained for the intermediate-level pianist in an easy-to-grasp fashion.

Buy cheap Improvising Blues Piano [Paperback] now Get 34% OFF

Beginning Blues Piano (Music Sales America) [Paperback] Review

Amazon, to balance two bogus reviews from:

A Reviewer: Chris (Dorset,england) -
B Reviewer: Joshua Carter (Lafayette, CO USA)

Obviously someone wrote two fake reviews under two different names:

Compare:
Chris: bought this book about 3 weeks ago, and I've been having a load of fun with it. I needed something that would be reasonably easy to play,

Joshua; bought this book about 2 weeks ago, and I've been having a bunch of fun with it. I wanted something that would be reasonably easy to play, but still be interesting.

then compare:
Chris; About half the songs are in C, the other half in pretty easy keys, so you don't get tangled up in reading the music

Joshua; About half the songs are in C, the other half in pretty easy keys, so I don't get tangled up in reading the music.

then compare:

Chris; You can tell he loves this music, loves its roots, and he wants you to love it, too.

Joshua; you can tell he loves this music, loves its roots, and he wants you to love it, too.

The only original sentence is a plug for his other book:

Joshua; I just bought Eric Kriss' other book, "Barrelhouse and Boogie Piano," ....

If someone can't put enough time into creating simple reviews to make them different, they won't put much time into writing their book.

My experience is , I purchased several similar books, including those by David Bennett CohenandMark Harrison..
both of those were far better books.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Beginning Blues Piano (Music Sales America) [Paperback]

Product Description:
Expert blues piano teacher and player, Eric Kriss presents a step-by-step format of the major styles and techniques essential for mastering the blues. He explains chord structure, tonality, bass lines, slides, and syncopation.

Buy cheap Beginning Blues Piano (Music Sales America) [Paperback] now Get 10% OFF

The Ultimate Beginner Series: Blues Keyboard Basics, Steps One & Two Combined [Paperback] Review

I am a beginning piano player, but this book had me playing the blues within hours. First listen to the CD while following along in the book and I'll bet you'll be so stoked you will stop and try the exercises! This is a winner!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Ultimate Beginner Series: Blues Keyboard Basics, Steps One & Two Combined [Paperback]

Product Description:
Take the first step towards experiencing the fun of playing blues keyboards. This book/CD will guide you through everything you need to knowto begin playing blues keyboards: the 12-bar progression, shuffle patterns, triplet feels, inversions, and much more!

Buy cheap The Ultimate Beginner Series: Blues Keyboard Basics, Steps One & Two Combined [Paperback] now Get 10% OFF

Intermediate Blues Keyboard: The Complete Blues Keyboard Method [Paperback] Review

This little book has distilled quite a bit of blues music history and style into an easy-to-understand format.It's really directed at quickly playing blues concepts with just enough explanation and practice exercises.I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I could play the material and use it in my more traditional jazz playing

Click Here to see more reviews about: Intermediate Blues Keyboard: The Complete Blues Keyboard Method [Paperback]

Product Description:
This book is great for keyboardists who have learned the basics of blues improvisation and composing. Beginning with a review of concepts and skills covered in Beginning Blues Keyboard, this book explores further into topics such as chord extensions, blues techniques, building basslines, playing in the key, ii-V substitutions and slow blues.Blues forms such as the twelve-bar blues and the eight-bar blues are explored. Packed with sample licks and songs, this book is essential for any keyboardist serious about learning the blues.

Buy cheap Intermediate Blues Keyboard: The Complete Blues Keyboard Method [Paperback] now Get 25% OFF

Progressive Rock Keyboard: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] Review

I don't why anyone has'nt written a review for this book yet. Its perfect, and the accompanying CD is so helpful to help learn the rhythms of progressive rock keyboard. I would greatly recommend this book if you are sick of playing yankee doodle or any other book with boring sheet music. Contained in the book is an adequate description of the genre and presents perfect examples that you can learn. I found this book very satisfying and not too hard. I also have the rock keyboard and find that one great as well. So do buy these books.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Progressive Rock Keyboard: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback]

Product Description:
From the classic sounds of the '70s to modern progressive stylings, this book/CD provides you with the theory and technique to play and compose in a multitude of prog rock styles. You'll learn how soloing techniques, form, rhythmic and metrical devices, harmony, and counterpoint all come together to make this style of rock the unique and exciting genre it is. Also included is an introduction to classic and contemporary keyboard instruments and sounds, and how they can be used in different combinations to produce authentic-sounding keyboard parts. The accompanying CD features many of the examples covered in the book, as well as six complete progressive rock songs recorded by a real band.

Buy cheap Progressive Rock Keyboard: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] now Get 32% OFF

Bebop Jazz Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] Review

I have a few of the other books in this series and find them all great! John Valerio is a wonderful composer and teacher and has a very similar style to Mark Harrison (another composer in this series). This book includes important information about chords, voicings, harmony, chord progressions, scales, tonality, melodic figures and patters, comping, characteristic tunes, styles of Bud Powell and Theolonious Monk...anything that is used in any type of bebop jazz. It goes through the history and evolution of Bebop. The book moves quickly but provides the information that is important. It comes with a very handy CD which allows to hear what it's supposed to sound like. I highly recommend this book and have found that using it with some of the other books in the series is beyond helpful!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bebop Jazz Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback]

Product Description:
In this book in the Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series, author John Valerio provides essential, detailed information for bebop and jazz pianists on the following topics: chords and voicings, harmony and chord progressions, scales and tonality, common melodic figures and patterns, comping, characteristic tunes, the styles of Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, and much more. The accompanying CD features many of the examples in the book performed either solo or with a full band. Also included are combo performances of five of the tunes featured at the end of the book.

Buy cheap Bebop Jazz Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] now Get 22% OFF

Beginning Blues Keyboard (Book & CD) (Complete Blues Keyboard Method) [Paperback] Review

This is one of the best beginning blues instruction books I've found. It teaches a bit of blues theory and provides the basic framework for the blues, but Tricia also provides the beginner with a few blues tunes to play. You can find books with advanced blues songs (from established performers) and you can find books with blues "riffs"....but you won't find many bookes for beginners that have good sounding, playable, blues tunes. Ms. Woods delivers on all fronts.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Beginning Blues Keyboard (Book & CD) (Complete Blues Keyboard Method) [Paperback]

Product Description:
Anyone with basic keyboard skills (equivalent to Alfred's Basic Piano, Lesson Book 2) can dig right in and begin learning blues right away. Learn what it takes to create the distinctive sound of the blues, including basic chords and scales, blues melodies, improvisation, turnarounds and intros. Other topics include the twelve-bar blues form, walking bass and playing in a band. Full of fun blues tunes to play, Beginning Blues Keyboard provides a step-by-step enjoyable way to learn the blues.

Buy cheap Beginning Blues Keyboard (Book & CD) (Complete Blues Keyboard Method) [Paperback] now Get 25% OFF

Jazz-Blues Piano: The Complete Guide with CD! Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] Review

I've been playing jazz piano for about two years now, and have had great success with The Jazz Piano Book (as one might imagine). The next book that has served me well is Post-Bop Jazz Piano - The Complete Guide with CD!: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series, which is from the same series as the Jazz Blues Piano book under review. So, when I began looking for a book to help me sound bluesy, something noticeably lacking from my skill set, I gravitated toward this book for that reason and because my piano instructor didn't have this book (although he had many others in the same series). I have to say, that overnight, this became my favorite book to work from. There are a lot of reasons for that. First is that this book contains a good dose of easy-to-digest jazz music theory and explanation. The student can choose to skip over this and concentrate on playing the exercises, but I chose to read everything carefully and to try and understand and apply it, and I found it very useful. I was also quite pleasantly surprised when I found myself playing a ii-V-I progression (the backbone of jazz music) in a fashion I had never been shown before (with a moving bass note changing the mode of the chord). I was fascinated, and it made it easy for me to work on doing it in all twelve keys (which is normally drudgery), and to quickly press on in the book. As I played through the exercises, read through the material, then reached the exercises that are on the CD, I kept working on the suggested chords. Because I'm not a raw beginner, the first twenty pages went very quickly, and all of a sudden I found myself at about twenty pages in on exercise 9practicing a straight up blues lick. That's right: two hours and I was playing blues. Very, very exciting. Like all piano books, including a number I have reviewed, this still requires practice and stick-to-itive-ness, but this book provides some small rewards on every page, which I find quite motivational and desirable. I can easily picture myself working through this entire book in a relatively short period of time. Beginning piano students will still need to work on some of this material with an instructor, but anybody with a good technical foundation in piano and at least a small amount of jazz knowledge should be able to work through most of this by themselves, thanks to the useful and well executed CD. Although there are many options and levels available, if you want to sound jazzy or bluesy, without a lot of fuss and without spending a lot of money or time, I really think this book is the best and simplest place to start.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Jazz-Blues Piano: The Complete Guide with CD Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback]

Product Description:
This comprehensive book/CD pack will teach you the basic skills needed to play jazz-blues piano. From comping to soloing, you'll learn the theory, the tools, and the tricks used by the pros. The accompanying CD features many of the examples in the book performed either solo, or with a full band, including a full chapter of complete songs. Topics covered include: scales and chords * harmony and voicings * progressions and comping * melodies and soloing * characteristic stylings.

Buy cheap Jazz-Blues Piano: The Complete Guide with CD Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] now Get 32% OFF

Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (Keyboard Instruction) [Paperback] Review

I got this book along with a number of other blues books, and this one has been my favorite.It doesn't contain as much material as the multivolume Alfred series, but I find the organization, presentation, and *especially* the examples to be superior in Mark's work.The way the examples build section by section and chapter by chapter is exquisite.They are musically interesting yet very focused on the point at hand--I always enjoyed playing through the examples, but was never confused by unnecessary complications.

The companion CD is the best I've seen in any music instruction book, ever.Most examples have the left and right hand parts on the left and right channels, so you can mute one speaker or the other for "hands seperate" practicing.I personally don't use this much, as I prefer to work it out with the metronome, but I'm glad it's there and you may appreciate it.On tracks that have a backing band, the band is on one side and the keyboard on the other so you can play along to just the band.Finally, the "complete" examples at the end of the book feature a "slow" and "fast" version on the CD.One nitpick: I wish he'd included (in the text) the metronome settings he used, making it easier to practice/jam without the CD.

I've got several of the Hal Leonard books in this series, and they're not all by Mark Harrison.His books are definitely a cut above.All in all, if you have any interest in the subject whatsoever, you can't go wrong with this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (Keyboard Instruction) [Paperback]

Product Description:
Ever wanted to play the blues, but weren't sure where to start? Blues Piano will teach you the basic skills you need. From comping to soloing, you'll learn the theory, the tools, and even the tricks that the pros use. And, you get seven complete tunes to jam on. Listen to the CD, then start playing along! Covers: scales and chords; left-hand patterns; walking bass; endings and turnarounds; right-hand techniques; how to solo with blues scales; crossover licks; and more.

Buy cheap Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (Keyboard Instruction) [Paperback] now Get 32% OFF