Which book to buy for a complete adult beginner to learn by myself?

[Dexter]

Which book i should buy for a complete adult beginner to learn by myself?

 

[happyrat1]

I'd recommend these to start for an adult.

https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Reading-Music-Step-Step/dp/1593373244/

https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Essential-Music-Theory-Book/dp/1440583390/

https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Piano-Book-CD-classical/dp/1598699768/

https://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Teach-Yourself-Play-Piano/dp/147063211X/

Also check out the tutorial links thread here on the forum.

https://www.keyboardforums.com/threads/good-tutorial-links.24556/

Gary

 

[Biggles]

Dexter

Can I ask if you want to learn to play the piano or a keyboard?

Playing a Piano will be playing melodies with RH and primarily Bass lines with the LH

Playing a Keyboard gets you going quicker since you play melodies with RH and with the LH you play chords and the auto accompaniment of the Keyboard plays the backing rytham which is based upon what you select from the music Style menu.

I am being simplistic in the explanation as there is consideable overlap.

If you wish to play a keyboard then an additional set of books to those Gary has quoted will help.

Check out the Kenneth Baker series on Amazon, he does books for Piano and books for Keyboard.

 

[Dexter]

I tried playing the piano but didn't like the weight of the keys. I prefer non weighted keys. If I had the money I would go for the nord electro 6d 73 but my budget is limited to around 300 euros.

 

[Biggles]

With the budget you have I would suggest that you buy:-

• Yamaha PSR E453 or the Casio CTK7200
• A double X frame keyboard stand
• Stool
• The remainder on books, start with the Kenneth Baker Complete Keyboard player there are three books but do buy those which have the CD as on the CD there are the samples of the songs you will learn and a backing track for each song. The Music theory books that Gary gave you will also be needed at some stage.

Do look at the links Gary gave you as there are some great online Video Tutorials.

Before you do anything do look on Youtube for video tutorials and reviews of the above Keyboards.

Good luck its a great pastime, just remember little and often is the best way to learn.

 

[happyrat1]

What the hell is a CTX7200? Do you mean CTK-7200?

Gary

 

[Rayblewit]

300 euros would get you a not too shabby 2nd hand keyboard (maybe 2 or 3 or 5 yrs old) better than new entry models.
Try ebay, gumtree and craigs.
Cheers ray

 

[Dexter]

So are piano learning and keyboard learning different from each other?

 

[Biggles]

So are piano learning and keyboard learning different from each other?

Yes they are different.

A digital piano has 81 keys a Keyboard 61 (some have more but they are expensive).

A digital Piano has a limited range of instrument sound whereas a Keyboard has over 500 different instrument sounds, I think my Arranger has over 1000 instrument voices. An Arranger can play accompanying music Styles as backing.

If you look on Youtube at someone playing a classical piece of music you will see both hands working in a coordinated manner but yet playing independently.

Then look at someone playing a Keyboard in a pop video, the left hand plays far less, it is often one hand plays, holds the notes, then the other plays and holds the notes, repeat etc. The left also tends to make the adjustments to the sounds, backing, and uses the control wheels.

With a keyboard like the 453, the Keybed is electronically split with the left playing chords and the auto accompanyment style providing the backing, playing different LH chords triggers changes in the backing, RH plays the melody line or vocal accompanyment.

The 453 is what is called an Arranger keyboard and this is its function to sound like a whole band or orchestra from one instrument.

That said the keyboard split on Arrangers can be turned off so the whole Keyboard acts as one instrument, hence why an Arranger is the best option to learn on if you want to play Keyboard, if you want to play Piano then get a one as they will have the full 88 keys where a Keyboard will only have 61 keys.

When I switched from guitar to keyboards I took some lessons to get me started and the first thing the Instructor said was, ....... do you want to play piano or keyboard? They are different. ....... Hence my question.

 

[Rayblewit]

I learnt to play keyboard not knowing anything about music.
In my case I just learnt (self taught) how to match which key on the keyboard relates to the position of the music note on the staff with my right hand. I also learnt how to play chords and accompiaments with with my left hand. I had no idea till much later that the notes on the bass cleff staff were totally different than the treble cleff.

So that's the main difference in learning to play piano compared to keyboard. To learn piano you need to learn treble cleff and bass cleff. Of course there is much more to it.

That is my very basic knowhow. My methods of learning are very unorthodox and not recommended. I cannot play bass. I have tried but unable to grasp it. I have no idea how to play piano. But I can play keyboard with acmp.

I wish I learnt piano early in my life.
I would suggest learning to play piano should be paramount before learning keyboard. I regret not doing it. At my age now its hard to revert back to basics.

Learn piano and keyboard skills will develop.
Learn keyboard and piano skills will not develop.

Ray

 

[Greg Barker]

Gary mentioned one book in the Alfred series, but there are others, depending on what you hope to accomplish. The Adult All-In-One Course is what I started with. I found a teacher a little bit after getting into the second book. The All-In-One includes theory and technique, oriented to the piano, of course. I would say that all would transfer to a keyboard, but the keyboards have a lot of potential that this particular Alfred series would not address.

I am no expert, but the way, on the potential of keyboards. I have largely been using my keyboard as a portable or silent practice instrument for when I cannot play a piano. I just started working on a harpsichord piece as well, like dipping one baby toe into the pool of keyboard potential.

Your comment on weighted keys was interesting. I used to love the action on the Petrof that I learned on (and still use). Since using the keyboard, I now recognize how stiff the action on the Petrof is. Light action allows faster finger response, assuming whatever instrument you are using can keep up, and there are pianos out there than cannot keep up with a fast pianist. Have any of the others on the list encountered a keyboard that cannot keep up with you?