Being sent for piano lessons was probably the single worst thing that could have happened in my young life. But thanks to an exceptional lady and piano teacher named Florence Powers, I wound up unexpectedly becoming a professional piano player. Here are some curious things about the piano that I picked up along the way.
Playing the piano has got to be one of life’s greatest treasures. In my estimation, there are few other activities that can even begin to compare with the ability to play this amazing instrument. As you can probably guess, I have the highest regard for those individuals who have mastered the art of playing the piano. Some performers have taken the art to a very high level, often out of the reach of most players. But my aim here is to present a simple accessible approach on learning how to listen to, or how to approach playing the piano for ones own pleasure first and foremost. This self-centered idea doesn't necessarily imply being selfish, but it probably does require a slight adjustment to ones priorities. However, if you can get around this inconvenience, the possibilities are sitting right there in front of you and all you have to do is reach out and take. My aim here is to demystify the piano for both listeners or those who wish to learn how to get started in learning how play this amazing instrument. In any event, I feel that pleasure can be derived by having a wider understanding as just what the piano actually is. And while a book such as this one may be helpful to those who wish to learn to play the piano, there is no substitute for a live teacher. However, its extremely important to find a teacher that can fulfill ones personal musical taste and ambition. There is much involved if a student wishes to become a proficient music reader, thus having a good teacher is essential to success in this area. Take your time in finding the right one and good luck!
However, before looking at the piano, its also important to establish what kind of music one is interested in, whether for listening or performing. For purposes of this book, I have arbitrarily broken it down into four major forms: Classical, Standards, Popular and Jazz. Classical leads the list as the music that has been around longer, much longer than the other two forms of music. It represents the foundation of all of todays music. Much of it is seriously challenging to play, and requires years of dedicated practice. At the concert level, Olympic style discipline prevails, as the techniques of performance far surpasses the scope of this book. Be that as it may, classical music has an abundance of priceless melodies that can be played in a simplified manner while still retaining their pure magic for listeners. (and pianists) Music operates on principles that were founded in the past 600 years, they carry with them an enormous amount of human cultural genius, including the invention of equal temperament.
