Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Rocket, Piano for All, or Piano in a Flash

I'm looking at these three products and they all seem to be about the same price but have a couple questions. I have a woodwind musical background but would like to play some tunes on a piano. I have no desire for a real teacher or classical training. I just want to play some tunes and stuff from fake books. Are these the products I should look at? Do all three use the same basic approach to teaching? I can't tell from the little info that's on their website. I've seen the Piano Guy on PBS and that looks like the style I should pursue but I'm just not sure if the other two use a similar technique.

Also I'm wondering if anyone has taken the PDF books that come with these courses to Kinkos for printing? Did they do a good job? What did they charge?

Thanks
Ken

Hi Ken,

Sorry that I can't give you specifics on the products you mentioned. But, before making any decisions, you should consider checking out www.sudnow.com

The Sudnow method is all about reading songs from a fakebook. The course starts with playing standards. You learn how to work up your own arrangements of songs. I have recently branched out to playing some easy listening pop.

Barb

Well I guess that adds a fourth to the mix although this Sudnow is a little more expensive.

Best bang for your buck ... get the package deal.

www.pianoforall.com

Ken,

If I were you, I would thoroughly investigate all options. Find the right method, with the sound you want, and you will have a lifetime of joy at the piano. Check out my website for the Sudnow sound. If that it not what you are looking for, then try to find others who have studied the 3 methods you mentioned. Listen to their sound. Words are not enough in describing a method. You need to HEAR what others are learning.

Barb

I hear you Dannac but can you answer any of my questions? Like I said the website doesn't seem to specific on details of the method used. How does the Pianoforall differ from Rocket. The price looks to be the same the last time I checked.

I bought Rocket Piano and returned it because it was too easy for me. I also got Piano for All and haven't used that one either. Don't know about Piano in a Flash. I didn't like SUdnow either.

You can join Willie Myette's jazzpianolessons.com for 3 days for free. He's got lots of online lessons with PDF files (which you can't get unless you join) You can join for one month, I think it's about $25. He has songs for beginners on their and a bunch of other stuff. He's the best piano teacher online around.

Someone from here also posted some free online lessons which are good. There are several free lessons on another site which escapes me.

Rocket Piano is very comprehensive of the 3 that might be the best for a beginner, and I was able to get a refund without too much trouble.

But I like to try things out. Don't you have a music store that you can check out for some books with CDs of piano lessons.

Google some free piano lesson sites before you buy.

Nikalette,
When you say they were to easy it might help if you can tell me what level you were at going into them. Like I said I have a music background but nothing on the piano except tinkering. I have a good ear and can pick out melody lines pretty easy but know nothing of chords and the left hand. I will say that I'm leaning towards the Pianoforall stuff.

Did you watch the video/trailor (top right on webpage)

He teaches all that stuff in the course, but it does start off as though you are a complete beginner to piano.

I am not familiar with Rocket or Flash.

str1der,

Here are 2 more sources for your "mix".

www.learnpianowithrosa.com
There are 3 series of courses:
1. Color Chord Improvisation. It's for fake book playing.
It starts from the basics, but progresses with theory, song analysis, rhythmic variations, clear practice suggestions and guidance, creative improv for more intermediate players.
2. Play By Ear. This is for picking out melodies and chords, from scratch.
3. 7 Secrets series
- "Roadmap" video course on the mindset and thinking behind playing by ear. Unique insights.
- "modules" which consist of creative practice and very unique, structured approach to build up fake-book playing skills.

The website is a bit information packed, which I think is a bit of a pitfall. But don't let that deter your checking it out, as the courses are excellent and unique on the market.

I highly recommend these products, if you don't have much foundation of BY-EAR playing (theory and/or skills.) (I highlight "by-ear" because having "by-score" skills isn't quite the same thing. Only some of that is transferable to by-ear playing. There is a lot more knowledge and different skills involved, speaking from my own experience. )

EDIT: Actually, the listings for the courses may be clearer in this link.
http://www.forum.learnpianowithrosa.com/viewforum.php?f=44

www.learnpianowithelssa.com
There are 3 instructional videos (download only) right now.
This is for intermediate (or at least adv. beginning) BY-EAR players. (Again, IMO, that's not the same as intermediate of adv. beginning by-score players.)
If you have classical training (like I do), but knows little about chords other than the basic triads, or have little understanding about chord progressions, you are likely to have trouble fully following, learning and enjoying the GEM that these courses are.
But if you have some by-ear understanding (extension/color tones, circle of fifth), then this can be PERFECT!


Let us know what you end up with among this GROWING mix!

Learn and Master Piano with William Barrow is another option. Seems affordable for the material.

BTW, I've read quite a few comments in old ABF posts that Rocket piano isn't too good.

I was at the intermediate level already. I've had some computer crashes so it's hard for me to look back, but I think Rocket was better than Piano for all.

I have play piano in a flash/piano for dummies ebooks.
[Removed c/o forum's policy against copyright infringement]

Hi Guys, Rocket Piano is a good course and I recommend it to people regularly but only really for real child beginners.
Piano For All by Robin Hall is a better option for an adult who has some prior knowledge of music as the starter of this thread has. It's $39.99 and comes with 200 videos and 500 audio files which is great if you're doing this without a teacher because sometimes you have to literally see something done before you can grasp it properly. At that price I think it's really good value and certainly comes in a lot cheaper than private lessons..

I own Pianoforall, Learn and Master, and I am a member a Willie Myette's Jazz and Gospel sites. Of the three, Pianoforall is by far the best value, Learn and Master has the best presentation, and Myette's has the best content. I would avoid Piano Magic--this investment was a complete waste of money. PlayPianoToday is another good source but is limited to accompaniment only.

I have read great reviews of Yoke Wong's courses. You can review her stuff on You-tube.

I found another one: www.thepianobyear.com
I don't know how good it is though

Well I ended up purchasing Pianoforall. Haven't even looked at it yet but am curious if anyone has had the PDFs printed into books for easier reading at the keyboard

You can have the PDF's printed as any PDF page ....

but I think they are meant to be viewed from computer because many have audio/video files embedded or linked, to where you can hear/see what the lesson should sound like.

str1der,

I own Pianoforall and I think it is great learning resource especially for the price. I mostly use it as a reference guide more than a learning guide as I'm familiar with many of the concepts presented. But I couldn't resist getting this package because of the price. The author is a member of the forums and has responded in the past to questions forum members had about his product.

I agree with dannac that PFA is best viewed on the computer rather than in printed form to view or listen to the embedded files as you encounter them in the PDF documents.