There's a lot to think about when you're buying a piano. Choosing from new or used, digital or acoustic, upright, grand, hybrid, or player pianos can overwhelm almost anyone. Piano buyers are often unfamiliar with manufacturers or manufacturing methods and materials or price ranges, which often constitute a major home furnishing investment. The Complete Idiot's Guideto Buying a Pianois the first book written by salespeople to guide prospective buyers through the process, dispelling the myths and misconceptions associated with piano selling by uncloaking common deceptions and dirty tricks. This book will save buyers time, money, and frustration by providing the straight scoop and unvarnished truths about buying pianos. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, readers will find- How to determine what the right piano is for you. A detailed but easy-to-use buyer's guide for all the well-known and many of the not-so-well-known piano models. Dispelling of the myths and misconceptions about pianos. The differences, advantages, and disadvantages among acoustic, digital, hybrid, player, antique, new, and used pianos.

Presents basic lessons in reading music notation, advice on how to select an instrument, and details how to find your way around the keyboard.

Whether you are an aspiring concert pianist or just want to play keyboards in your own band, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Playing Piano and Electronic Keyboards, Second Edition will give you just what you need to know. From reading music and learning chords, to understanding music notation or buying an instrument, expert author Brad Hill tells gets you started. With more music and expanded practice sessions, the new edition of this already popular book will be a necessity for the beginner. Learn posture, positionings, fingerings, notations, drills, and advice from the masters. Also, learn how to fake your way through accompaniment, stay motivated to practice and advance to the intermediate level.

A beautifully composed journey through music history! Music history is a required course for all music students. Unfortunately, the typical music history book is dry and academic, focusing on rote memorization of important composers and works. This leads many to think that the topic is boring, but bestselling author Michael Miller proves that isn’t so. This guide makes music history interesting and fun, for both music students and older music lovers. • Covers more than Western “classical” music—also includes non-Western music and uniquely American forms such as jazz • More than just names and dates—puts musical developments in context with key historical events

Traces the origins and history of jazz, its major artists, and its stylistic varieties, and offers suggestions for assembling a recording collection

Make sure you hit all the right notes Playing the piano is much more than just learning notes and reading music; having good dexterity, building independent finger strength, and learning proper technique is absolutely essential to mastering the instrument. Packed with everything a player needs to become a great pianist, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Piano Exercises is the perfect companion to the best-selling The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Playing Piano, Third Edition. • More than 100 challenging exercises designed to improve playing skills, including pedaling, hand crossovers, virtuoso arpeggios, playing dynamics, and more • The author owns and operates a very successful home studio, and is a virtuoso pianist

The human voice is the most popular musical instrument, and vocal singing is like any other musical endeavour- it takes discipline, practice (and some talent) to do it well. CIG to Singingoffers readers an easy-to-use guide to the process of becoming a singer. Readers will learn how to find their ideal singing range, how to improve their basic technique, how to stand and breathe properly, how to sing in different musical styles, and the book is filled with numerous illustrations, musical examples and singing exercises. An audio CD includes examples of different techniques and accompaniments for the exercises, letting the reader hear the way they're supposed to sound and practice along. The book also contains a glossary of terms, singer's pronunciation reference, vocal problems troubleshooting guide, and a list of resources.