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OK, so I am researching methods to find one to commit to and stick with when I get my replacement piano. I really got fed to the gills with the short pieces of really dumb music in Alfred's. I am most concerned with being able to sound good playing modern style music from a fake book and sounding well. I have researched Sudnow but I think the "dot chart" without any notation at all for the melody to keep time would drive me insane because I don't know that many songs, especially the type of music he uses for examples in his materials.

I was looking around and Rocket Piano, while it doesn't explain the method, is priced right. It is down right cheap and I hear a lot of people are using it, especially in the U.K. Can someone explain the method to me? Is this just another classical method like Alfred's or is it going to get me playing well out of fake books like I want? I am not interested at all in classical at this time.

The other question is has anyone started Scott Houston's new online course at http://www.pianoinaflash.com ?? This is pretty new and seems to give a lot a value for the buck and knowing Scott we will be using lead sheets out of fake books for everything. It is so new though that it is a six level course and they have only went live with levels one and two and I am afraid they will either abandon the project or I will finish level two before the rest of the stuff is out since I am disabled and have a ton of time to play and practice the piano. It is $249.00 for both levels one and two or $149.00 each level if you buy them separately. First of all do I even need online classes for this style of playing, or could I do just as well with Scott's "The Next Step", or Neely's "How to Play from a Fake Book" and of course a good chord chart with either?

I have read a good deal but at this point am just confused. All I know is I want something I can commit to without reservation that will do what I want and stick with it until I have learned to play modern music good.

I have Rocket Piano and it is ok.

I found it rather boring to work with. If you do everything in the course you will probably become a pretty good player. I did not stay with it long enough to determine if it prepares you for playing from leadsheets.

The Piano-In-A-Flash courses you describe are new and I reviewed them after seeing your post. It sounds pretty good and should be exactly what you are looking for. It is expensive but well worth it if it actually works.

Of these two options, I would suggest the Piano-in-a-flash course.

However, I would also suggest waiting until they have finished all 6 courses. Like you said, they may never finish the courses. AND ... I would like to get a more detailed outline of the skills that these courses cover.

I will be looking into this myself during these next few months to see how this develops. If it looks good, I may jump in myself. I am a sucker for these types of courses. But I am going to have to get more detail for each course before that is going to happen.

Good Luck

Thanks Don.

There are a lot of stuff out there that can tell you the basics of how to play from a fake book in a basic way, like "How to Play from a Fake Book" by Neely the is put out by Hal Lenard. The problem is in learning to improvise a beginning and ending and more advanced topics and stuff like that. I guess I should have been a little more specific. Perhaps someone could chime in with any other resources? As far as just being able to play a chord from a symbol along with a single note melody that is written out I am sure with just a little practice and a chord chart I could do that. I think you are correct that Scott Houston's new online classes probably would foot the bill if it pans out; however, without it being complete and not talking to someone who has taken it it is a big gamble, especially for someone like myself who is on a very limited income and whatever they buy must be right the first time. I might just get Neely's book, or the one Scott co-authored called "The Next Step", and wait until someone shows up who has taken the course or at least all six sections have went live. Thanks for answering Don and best of luck.

BillTheSlink

One other comment on this ...

I have the book you mention (Neely) and it also is ... OK.

It gives basic ideas and that will get you started.

The problem with that book and maybe all of those books is that it only gives you rudimentary ideas of how to do it. It never seems to quite get to things that REALLY SOUND VERY NICE and near professional.

I have hopes that perhaps the Scott Houston course will venture more into that area but will have to wait and see.

I have the book "Piano in a Flash" by Scott Houston and I find it a bit simplistic and a bit too much "stop working, you don't have to do much to learn to play the piano for fun" but I don't know about his online training and if it goes a bit further than the book.
I personally like http://www.quaverbox.com/ and you might want to check the free videos to see if it would suit you (the full package is around $39 AUD which is less expensive but do check the videos first to see if it's what you are after (I am like you, I don't have much money so I do not want to recommend you something that would not correspond to what you are looking for). I honestly was surprised by the quality and I like the fact that he doesn't try to hide the fact that to get reasonably good, you have to work.
One thing about Quaverbox, it doesn't really teach you tunes, it rather explain how you could play a lead sheet to make it sound good (adding passing notes, a bit of re-harmonization...)

Cool news!! I found a method I can get excited about, and completely by accident. I went to my local book exchange (they sell used books and take in used books for trade) for my weekly visit and something caught my eye. "The Complete Piano Player" Omnibus addition by Kennith Baker, copyright 1985. I see some things that indicate it was published for the U.K. market. It has five progressive method books in one volume and not one hooky 45 second song in sight. It is all pop and rock songs up until the publishing date. A lot of stuff by The Beatles, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, etc. I got it for a whooping 50 cents and it is in mint condition. I can amuse myself playing from a fake book and give this serious study. After all learning chords as you go is a good thing, but this will teach me a lot. I am going to take this, "How To Play from a Fake Book", by Neely, and then as funds permit and my experience grows, quaverbox. Thank you for that site Jean-Luc. I have it bookmarked and will be sure to use it when I get my replacement piano.

You are very welcome The person who makes the Quaverbox method has quiet a few free tutorials on youtube too (I don't know if he links to them on the Quaverbox site so here it is : http://www.youtube.com/user/quaverbox/videos)

Here are a few youtube channels I find useful, maybe they will be useful to you too
Piano-ologist : http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKDa1JcNwUZSUd_jYBYrTqA (very useful, it has a lot of tips on piano playing and a very thorough series of tutorials on the body and the piano)
Bill-Hilton : http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZlOvB5LcAgJv3wwvWFOFLg (a lot of tutorials, maybe the cocktail piano ones could be useful to you since they are closely related to playing with lead sheets)
Pianogogo http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5bJ1eUfHyI4HAK2_rkw7uQ (quiet a few tutorials on basic blues and also a few video on "classic style" improvisation that I quiet enjoyed.