Preparatory Exercises, Opus 16 for The Piano (An Alfred Masterwork Edition) [Paperback] Review

Look, if this were the only book of its kind, I wouldn't be dumping on it.But since there are so many like it, who would bother with this?

Half of it is technical exercises.If that's your bag, you're far better served by the jaw-droppingly sublime Burgmuller, Czerny & Hanon: Piano Studies Selected for Technique and Musicality - Intermediate - Volume 1, which has three volumes.It starts at a lower level than this but goes much further.So who needs this one?

The other half is basically reference material:spellings-out of various scales, arpeggios, harmonic scales, etc.If that's what you need, the reference book of choice is The Complete Book ofScales, Chords, Arpeggios and Cadences: Includes All the Major, Minor (Natural, Harmonic, Melodic) & Chromatic Scales - Plus Additional Instructions on Music Fundamentals, which has tons more than this Schmitt.

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Product Description:
Aloys Schmitt is best remembered for his Op. 16 exercises. The collection is divided into three sections. The first aids students in developing finger independence through a variety of single and double-note patterns within the range of a fifth. The second section emphasizes passing the thumb under fingers to prepare for scales and arpeggios. The final section provides traditional scales and arpeggios in a notated format with fingering.

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Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies for Solo Piano [Paperback] Review

Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies are challenging, demanding pieces. Ideal for those of you who are advanced/experienced professional pianists. Not suitable for beginner/intermediate pianists because you won't be able to play any piece. I use this book for both teaching and playing. Good layout, good fingerings. The book stays flat on the piano thus you don't need a clip to make it stay still.

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Product Description:
All 19 Rhapsodies reproduced directly from an authoritative Russian edition. All headings, footnotes translated to English. Bestone-volume edition available.


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On Stage KT7800 Padded Keyboard Bench Review

On Stage sell two benches that are easy to confuse because they have similar model numbers:

KT7880
Adjustable height:18.75", 20", 20.50"
Weight capacity: 300 lbs.
Seat: 12" x 17"; 2" cushion
Weight:11.5 lbs.

KT7880+ On Stage KT7800 Plus Keyboard Bench
Adjustable height: 19", 21", 23", 25"
Weight capacity: 360 lbs.
Seat: 12.5" x 23.5"; 3" cushion
Weight:14 lbs.

This one (KT7880) is a no-frills basic bench. Each leg has 3 holes for the pivot bolt. Height is adjusted by removing the pivot bolt and reinstalling it with two washers through a different pair of holes. This is not difficult, but if the intent is to adjust it several times a day for different members of the family, I'd choose a different style. The advantage of this design is once you set the height, it remains until you intentionally change it.

One side of the scissor base is permanently attached to the seat with brackets that allow it to pivot; the other side fits into 2 c-shaped brackets. To keep the legs from collapsing when you lift the bench off the floor, you hand tighten a bolt across the opening of each c bracket whenever you set it up; the bolts have plastic knobs. This works fine for most applications. But if I were assembling half a dozen of them several times a day, I'd prefer a single lever latch.

The larger KT7880+ has a different design for adjusting height, best understood by going to the onstagestands web site and entering "KT7800+" in the search box.

For home use, I'm happy with the KT7880. It's sturdy and comfortable, utilitarian in appearance with decent workmanship (China), folds for storage or travel, sets up and adjusts easily without tools. Cushion is a bit soft -- maybe too soft for playing guitar or other hand-held instruments. A good value.

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Product Description:
The On Stage KT7800 Keyboard Bench is an affordable 3-position, X-style seat that's perfect for fold-and-go use.Its all-purpose appeal make it a no-brainer for those looking to buy a basic bench for gigs, the studio or for home.

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M-Audio Prokeys Sono 88 Review

I bought it for my wife,alas it didn't work.I suppose, because it was packed not enough secure and also it has very light weight and therefore fragile.I 've sent it back and had my money back but not the shipment money

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Product Description:
The ProKeys Sono 88 portable digial piano with audio interface lets keyboard players and songwriters bridge the gap between writing, recording and performance.88 semi-weighted, velocity-sensiive keys, advanced keybed scanning technology and a sereo-sampled Steinway grand sound deliver in incredibly expressive piano experience.Six additional instant-access instrutments and 128 on-board General MIDI sounds round out a premium performance solution that can be used with or without a computer.In the studio, the keyboard's built-in USB audio interface makes it easy to record your performance - plus vocals and instrutments - directly to the computer with the included software.ProKeys Sono 88 provides an intuitive and seamless experience from start to finish, whether you're jamming live, creating professional-quality recordings or teaching music.

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Complete Sonatas for Pianoforte Solo [Paperback] Review

Many piano scores are visually cluttered, possibly to save space and printing costs.They are printed on rubbishy paper and are a great dampener on wanting to spend the time necessary to master a piece. Some are socompressed that they have the ambience of an El Greco painting. Not so the Dover editions of piano music! They are nicely spaced and showcrisp, black notes on quality, firm paper. They are aesthetically excellentand makes one feel relaxed to practice the works. The Dover CompleteSchubert Pianoforte Sonatas contains the great D major work, the hauntinglybeautiful second movement of which was used in that fine Frenchfilm,"Tous Les Matins du Monde", starring Gerard Depardieu. Thissonata seems to be missing in some of the other so-called"complete" sets. Also, it is great to have all the sonatas in onevolume,as in the Dover edition. In sum, a most satisfying,usefulcontribution to the making of Schubert's piano sonatas better known topianists,as they so deserve.

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Product Description:
This affordable edition includes all 15 of Schubert's sonatas, reprinted from the authoritative and extremely expensive Breitkopf & Härtel edition.

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Contemporary Disney: E-Z Play Today Volume 3 (book 3) [Paperback] Review

What could be better than a book containing 50 of the best songs from Disney's best period? Included in this collection are tracks from the Oscar winning scores by Alan Menken(The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Pocahontas), Stephen Shwartz(Pocahontas) and Hans Zimmer(The Lion King). All my favorites are in here and the music is easy enough for most occasional players to follow.
The only dissapointing thing is that the book only covers Disney's contemporary films. Music from such classics as The Jungle Book and The Aristocats is sadley left out. A must have for any fan of the music of perhaps the greatest film company in history!

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Product Description:
This exciting collection features 32 songs from Disney's most recent movies (from The Little Mermaid to The Emperor's New Groove), arranged in our famous easy-to-play notation. Includes: Be Our Guest * Beauty and the Beast * Can You Feel the Love Tonight * Circle of Life * Colors of the Wind * Friend like Me * Go the Distance * Hakuna Matata * Kiss the Girl * My Funny Friend and Me * Out There * Reflection * Someday * Under the Sea * When She Loved Me * A Whole New World * You'll Be in My Heart * You've Got a Friend in Me * and more!

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88: The Giants of Jazz Piano [Hardcover] Review

A bonus 11-track cd comes with this portrait of eighty-eight pioneers and players of jazz piano, from Jelly Roll Morton to Benny Green. Here are insights on lives, techniques, and changing perspectives on jazz piano styles and artistry, enhanced by the author's personal experience as a jazz pianist and his original interviews with many of the players. Avid fans of the genre will find The Giants Of Jazz Piano positively absorbing.

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Product Description:
This handsome, insightful hardcover volume delves deep into the music of 88 visionaries who have made an indelible mark on the world of jazz through their mastery of the pianoÃ-s 88 keys. This engaging collection describes the intriguing personality and performance characteristics of each pianist. Seven major figures are covered in depth: Jelly Roll Morton, Earl Hines, Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Keith Jarrett and Cecil Taylor. Other featured artists include: James P. Johnson, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Nat "King" Cole, Oscar Peterson, Les McCann, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck, Billy Taylor, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and 70 others, in styles ranging from stride to swing, bebop to post-bop, funk to avant garde, and more. Includes a bonus CD with 11 great jazz tracks, 100 photos, and a foreword by Keith Jarrett.
"Like great solos, these essays have grace, wit, and a sense of personal involvement ... Immensely valuable stuff!"
- Dick Hyman

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