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Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist In Sixty Exercises For The Piano, Vol. 925, Complete (Schirmer's Library Of Musical Classics)?
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22 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446
This is a warmup book I have used for 10 years and I love it with all my heart. Although it doesn’t have any impressive technique or pieces, your keystriking and fluency while playing will improve if you do these warmups every day.
My two cents as a lapsed classical pianist: If you want to go old school and learn to read music a bit too, struggle your way through the Hanon exercises for piano, specifically the scales and octave scale progression through all keys.
It is boring, dry stuff. But I will be damned if I don't still remember every scale once I start off on the right note, even if I don't remember any of the classical pieces themselves. Because of that bastard Hanon and his exercises.
If you’re three months into piano, and especially if you’re teaching yourself, I’d recommend Hanon.. Of course, keep doing what you’re doing because it’s amazing. Hanon really helps strengthen your fingers.
Good job, especially for three months. :)
I understand! I really do, because I actually taught myself piano for years before I took any kind of formal lesson. What I can highly recommend in this case would be the Hanon exercices. The same advice about forcing yourself to read the notes (rather than memorize the exercises) applies.
These exercices are used even by skilled pianists as warm ups, and for beginners, they will provide you with a LOT of finger agility and independence, at the same time as giving you a simple, beginner level framework for practicing reading.
Here is the Amazon link! https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=hanon&qid=1611353214&sr=8-1
When I was younger and actually had time to practice and play, I did scales and it actually helped my left hand to gain strength and keep in tempo with the right. Especially the pinky and ring finger, which tend to be the weakest.
I actually learned from this book and it really helped.
That falls under the same umbrella as music theory and is really helped with a teacher. Scales and exercises help you develop the muscle memory that guides your fingers when you read music. This book is the go to for many piano teachers. Work through the exercises slowly at first and slowly speed yourself up. It really works unusual finger movements that help you learn how to navigate the keyboard as you play. Will also help with your reading.
I've used these when I first started. Assuming you are able to sit and doing musically boring exercises these are a good way to build the muscles in your hands. However I recommend you find someone to listen to you to make sure you're timing and technique are on point.
I just started last August, and Im 30. Im advancing pretty quickly too. I think having a logical brain for math, you'll take to theory really quickly. It's honestly just a matter of sitting down and staying consistent with your practicing. Definitely get a weighted 88 key piano or digital piano. I started on the Roland Go Keys, while fun for the different instruments, was a mistake for technique building. I moved on and bought a Yamaha P-45, which has been working like a charm.
As far as learning, Youtube is great for theory explanations and exercises. I love the Pianote channel.
Hanon exercises are easy to start with and will build technique: Amazon
I also started with the Alfred's series of books, which were pretty fun to go through: Amazon
If you go with Alfred's, there are youtube channels dedicated to going through the songs in the book, which is super helpful. This guy is good.
I say go for it. It has been so rewarding!
Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises, Complete (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, Vol. 925) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0793525446/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_G.l.FbDKSWMCH
The first thing to do is to define what your goals are, and they could be very different, or even a combination of several
- Jazz
- Classical
- Playing by ear
- Song writing
- Producing
The first two options have much documented learning paths through grading. There are the Alfred piano books, and many students use the Hanon books for technical exercises: https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446
I didn't do any of that! I learnt music theory, and through what I knew from other instruments, and more general 'learn keyboard' books concentrated on goals 3-5. The key is to practice every day. The training goal isn't as tough as you might think. Play for fifteen minutes every day and you'll get better.
One of the first things any keyboard/piano player needs to learn is scales. You can get those from here: https://pianoscales.org/
When you learn to be able to play in multiple scales, and learn the theory behind chords, you can pretty much play any tune in your head. It's the piano books that feature pre-composed arrangements that teach you more interesting ways and techniques of using those chords/scales to enhance the presentation of those songs.
I would like to throw in the suggestion to try a moderate amount of fingering exercises from the very famous Hanon Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446/ref=sr_1_1?crid=G9WCJSFW7N24&keywords=hannon+the+virtuoso+pianist&qid=1648187823&sprefix=Hannon%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-1
True story: I played the exercises a while in the beginning and then drifted away pursuing other directions. Five years later I discover some significant weakness in my left hand fourth finger in one piece. I started Hanon back up and already feel stronger within a week. It touts that it builds strength, coordination, precision, & speed - who can’t use more of that! I’m sold and vow to make it a regular daily part of my practice. Hint: when you’re playing the exercises pretend you’re a famous pianist playing a concert and make it your goal to make them as smooth and beautiful sounding as possible.
There is another exercise book I use now also just for the left hand; Berens - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0793552249/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.
Best of luck - enjoy THE PURSUIT.
If he is learning-learning then I must recommend the #1 most useful (and possibly also #1 least-liked) book… Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 exercises. 5-10 minutes a day, working thru a new exercise each week. In 60 weeks it’ll be a clear change. $7 on Amazon. Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises, Complete (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, Vol. 925) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0793525446/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8A918PSPQN9TZMZNNZ8R
Another great, all around useful, book is Improvising Jazz Piano by John Mehegan. $25 on Amazon. Improvising Jazz Piano https://www.amazon.com/dp/0825619130/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QDA197AXSF3RSC60NE4X
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| Hanon - Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises - Comple… | - | - | 4.8/5.0 |
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Try a book with set exercises in it. I'd suggest Hanon, and later Czerny. Try setting a goal to finish, say, learning one or two exercises per week. While you work on this, buy the grade one RCM piano book. As you progress, move up the RCM books, and take exams if you feel it necessary. I'd also recommend finding a teacher with a good reputation. Having private instruction will help you progress at a much faster speed and learn in a more structured way.
Have Fun!!
Look into Hanon exercises:
https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446
As for a piece to maybe try next, Pachelbel’s Canon in D?
Get a copy of C.L. Hanon https://www.amazon.com/Virtuoso-Pianist-Exercises-Complete-Lb925/dp/0793525446/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=c.+l.+hanon+60+exercises&qid=1601497854&s=books&sr=1-3 , do it, and activate your metronome.
you can try Hanon or Czerny https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446
Then this, and a nice metronome (unless the piano already has one).
a purchase Url for OP: https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446
Worth noting that it is available free, but getting it bound is worth it in my opinion.
Hey man, I'm kind of the in the same boat you are. By that, I mean I used to play for about 7 years with lessons once a week, but I never really practiced much and put effort into it. At the beginning of this October, I started to take it up again and started playing every single day, making sure to do scales, play from Hanon, trill exercises, argpeggios, etc... and then moving on to playing my pieces. I play anywhere from an hour to seven hours a day depending on how I'm feeling instead of playing video games or watching tv and average about 3-4 hours a day. The last piece I had played before quitting a while back was Chopin's Nocturne Op.9 no.2, but it was an absolute wreck. I was able to completely refine it within the month of October and I moved onto other stuff. I tried tackling some Rachmaninov and Beethoven, but they were beyond my skill level for now so I decided to table them and I'm currently in the middle of refining Claire de Lune and taking another stab at Rachmaninov waltz I tabled. Claire de lune a fairly simple piece, at least technically, and if you've learned a basic George Winston song, it should be well-within reach. You might have fingering troubles with the chords and the key is a little hard to play in, but that's about it.
Practice your major and minor scales. They are a huge part of fundamentals that people overlook way too often. They help with fingerings and memorization of the keys on the piano.
buy a copy of this http://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446 it has a ton of exercises ranging from trill exercises, scale runs, arpeggios, chord trills, etc... Play a few of the first 10 exercises every day maybe 3-4 times and it's a great warm-up. It's immensely useful in building up your hand strength and stamina so doing it everyday is a must. Use a metronome while doing this because keeping tempo and not rushing/dragging will be very important. It also helps to monitor your progress as you get faster and faster. Play the exercises as fast as you can without messing up 3 times perfectly before moving onto the next tempo.
Break the piece into multiple chunks. They are pretty clear sections of the song so work on each section individually until you get each section down perfectly. Write down fingerings on tricky chords or runs so that you can remember them and not have to fumble around the next time you come across it. Take it nice and slow. Rushing it will only take more time in the end. I wouldn't worry too much about tempo and just worry about getting the notes right for now.
In the end though, getting a teacher is probably your best bet as they can give you more detailed instruction. What I said for you is if you're looking to pursue this without any instruction similar to what I'm doing right now. My goal by the end of this year is to be able to play Chopin Etude Op. 10 no. 4 by the end of this year practicing about 3 hours a day at least a tempo of 140 (I think I can do it). I currently am not taking lessons either, but I personally am not at the level yet where previous training hasn't covered me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIKdCTmcTLs This is my goal for the end of the year if you're interested.
Hannon exercises are GREAT for finger dexterity and stamina. I've used them for years.
I got this book: https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446
Which is meant to do exactly that. Haven't gotten too far but it seems pretty good so far. It's a bit difficult to maintain the dedication to do the exercises in since I'd rather just be playing actual songs though.
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