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I wanted to know if learning how to play from a fake book is possible with just a teacher, or do you usually need a supplement book that teaches it? Sounds to me like alot of stuff that needs to be taught and I think having a book will save a lot of lesson time, am I correct? Oh and if you recommend on a book you've used then please do so!
As for methods like sudnow, it sounds interesting, however I think buying a thing like that, when you already have a teacher, is way too much.

Also, is there any starter's guide on the internet to get me started until I buy a book? (or until I have a lesson)

Thanks for the help!

Hi Tal

If you're talking about a starters guide for learning the piano using 'traditional' methods, I would highly recommend the free lessons at www.learnpianoonline.com , i started with these free lessons then purchased the rest as I felt they were very useful, and I think they gave me an excellent grounding to launch into more challening pieces. Good luck anyway!

Tal - I actually started with Scott Houston's "Play Piano in a Flash" and it just gives the basics on reading lead sheets and turned you loose. It was a lot of fun and IMO sounded very good until I got bored with left hand block chords. His "The Next Step" helped a ton and I feel much better going foreward. The only "drawback" are these are not the cheapest books out there and the Flash book is good if you are a complete novice, but (with the exception of Boogie Woogie/Jazz section)it just gives you a place to start. The chord building chapter is also very good if you do not have a background in chords. The Next Step is a much better place to start if you do not need the basics. I do not have any experience in any other starting books but some of them get high marks - do a search on Method Books for an idea of what's out there. BTW, I am currenty using Humphries Piano Handbook and it is excellent, but slanted to more conventional methods.

I do have the basics actully, and I didn't find the books you mentioned anyway here in the local music shop (on their internet site)
What I did find is this: How to Play the Piano Despite Years of Lessons: What Music Is and How to Make It at Home (yes a very long title)

Anybody heard of this book? It's impression is that it's a book for people who quitted piano and got frustrated. Doesn't matter though, my question is if it teaches playing from lead sheets, looks to me like it is. Anybody heard of this book?

Yes, "Despite..." is a great book! I have it, but I've only thumbed through it because I'm focusing on learning to play-by-ear right now. However, it has a LOT of cool teachings in it.

I would recommend starting at the beginning and work each exercise until you have it down pat. It's going to take a while, especially with hand jumps like the root-chord-5th-chord stuff (which I learned while learning p-b-e). But trust me, a couple of weeks with consistent practice and it really comes together.

Think of each exercise that they present as a tool for your toolkit. When you can play a song easily with block chords, then you move to the next one. You'll want to be able to mix and match the tools at any time to achieve the sound you want from your arrangement.

The only difference between playing-by-ear and playing from a fakebook is that with the former, you have to come up with your own chords. Everything else is exactly the same. So I'm looking forward to jumping into this book and several others once I have the tools that I'm already learning down pat.

Sounds great! So "Despite" the book's name, it still is about playing from a fake book right? And a good book at that? (I think it's the only option I have unless I order from amazon or something)

Yes, it's mainly about playing from fake book.

I too have read the "Despite..." book and it is very good. It is perhaps more useful in understanding how chord harmonies and progressions move in a variety of musical styles.My only criticism is that the notation and diagrams look like they were hand drawn which makes then hard to read and appreciate. Amazon has several books on embellishing Fake Book or lead sheet music.My favorites are...

How to Play from a Fake Book (Keyboard Edition)by Nealy

How to Use a Fake Book: Fakin' Accompaniments from Melodies and Chord Symbols (Fake Books) by Ann Collins

How to Play from a Fake Book by Michael Esterowitz


Robert Laughlin on his Piano Fun site also has a course on "Continuing Chord Piano" on CD which consists of 4 cds and a short manual describing his techniques further. The latter 2 involve embellishing the harmonies played by your left hand and improving on the right hand melodies. These cds have given me the most new ideas and Laughlin is a very good teacher at least on this program.The first two Cds however are basically a tutorial on memorizing major and minor chords and may not be all that useful to you.

I think any of the above are a better buy than Scott Houston's new book " The Next Step" which tends to be very,very lean on both techniques and explanations and is a very small book for its' price.

Believe it or not the old Hal Leonard Series "E-Z Play Today" has a series of supplements which are a very good buy and deal with specific embellishments to Fake Book play,my favorites are..

E6 - Exploring Right Hand Chords

E5 - Exploring Double Notes

E3 - Exploring Playing Techniques

E4 - Exploring Intros & Endings

All are still available at Sheetmusicplus.com for about $7 each.


Just my opinions of course but I have bought all the above and tried at least some of their suggestions. Good luck...

John

Hiya Tal,

I'm using How to Play from a Fake Book by Michael Esterowitz (if you go to google books
and search for "fake book" - you need the quote marks - you will be able to preview a lot of the content of the book).

I'm also using the Idiots Guide to Music Theory which is teaching me about how chords are formed (rather than just what the notes of the chords are), chord progressions etc.

Hey Tal,

I also want to start with those fake books.

The problem is : I really need guidance and take it one step at a time.

So I had a look on the web and I think I am going to buy me some 'easy' fake books to get started.

Thank you all for all your help!
I'll be looking in more stores in my area to see what books I can find, looking mainly for the titles mentioned in this thread.
Thanks again!

DenCato, before you buy a fake book don't forget to buy a book about how to play from a fake book :p

Ann Collins is an excellent teacher for you to get acquainted with, because her way leads you into jazz, which from some of your other posts I see that you're interested in. I was lucky enough to sit in on one of her teacher workshops at a past world pedagogy conference and she's fluent in chords and jazz - turning any familiar melody like you are my sunshine into a jazz solo anyone would be proud to play, and all from "fake music" or what's in her head.

Certainly learning to play from a fake book is possible with a teacher - assuming, of course, the teacher knows how to supply the information that is not included in the fake book. By definition, a "fake book" is the bare minimum a competent musician needs to play/perform a particular song. A fake book's target audience, historically speaking, has been professional musicians. Musicians that can play their instrument, can read, perhaps even transpose on sight if need be, understand chord changes, can comp & solo, know the differences between a ballad, a waltz, a jazz waltz, swing, a bossa nova ect., recognize and understand the form of a song, know their role in a band and know how to play together as a band and listen to each other. The only thing they don't know is the particular song in question. Thus, enabling a competent musician(s) to perform a particular song and sound reasonably good while doing so. But if you don't have the background musical knowledge/experience and musical skills to begin with, a fake book is not going to be enough.

Of course, that's why we gotta learn and acquire the skills first. My teacher can supply the information, point is it's 1 lesson per week, and with a book I could progress all week, and then ask him questions about stuff.
Even if he tries to progress quickly with me through our weekly 45 minutes and gimme alot of homework to work on, I believe that with a help of a book I can progress even more, or am I wrong?

I've learned to play from a fake book....mostly by having a chord chart and a fake book.

I do have one "how to play from a fakebook" book, but I've hardly touched it truthfully. Not as fun as just playing!

PianoNoob, read that book and try and study it. It is quite a good book. I used it many years ago and it helped a lot.

Another good book is called " How to play the piano depite years of lessons".

To play from a fake book you need to learn the chords. Many, many years ago, a friend recommended the Mel Bay book of chords. It merely showed all the chords in all keys. I spent time learning many of the chords and before long I was able to muddle through a piece from a fake book.

Good luck