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Articles & Books From Adam Perlmutter
The key to fast and fun piano proficiency! Whether you’re a wannabe Mozart or are an experienced hand at tinkling the ivories, the latest edition of Piano For Dummies has what you need to take you to the next level in making beautiful music using this much-loved and versatile instrument. Working as an introductory course—or as a refresher to keep those fingers nimble—you’ll find information on getting started, improving your technique and performance, and the best ways to practice until you hit finely tuned perfection.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 08-31-2021
Learning to play the piano takes a lot of practice. For that practice to be productive, though, you need to make sure your hands are in the right place to get the notes you want and that you correctly translate musical terms and symbols.Common musical symbols and terms for playing the pianoWhen you’re learning to play the piano, or any instrument for that matter, it can be hard to remember all those different musical terms and symbols — base or treble clef, whole notes or half notes, confusing time signatures, and more.
Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016
When a singer needs a good intro, the pianist needs to be able to bring it. The audience has a tendency to talk between songs, so it’s your job to shut ’em up and announce the start of the new song. Playing a few bars of show-stopping, original material really gets things hopping and leaves them begging for more.
Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016
The band is building up to the final chord, and it’s time for the big finish. The singer belts the last lyric, and it’s up to you to drop the curtain. Quick! Grab a handful of these finales and you’re sure to receive an encore request.The I Loved You, You Left Me finaleThis finale is a simple but effective ending, perhaps even a tear-jerker when played with the right emotion.
Article / Updated 04-19-2017
Keys on a piano and each one's location on the keyboard can be difficult to remember when getting started playing piano. Print this page (the notes are large enough to see easily from a distance) and place it right above the keys on your piano or keyboard to help you instantly recall the note name for each key.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
In music stores, libraries, and online, you find literally thousands of music reference books, sometimes called supplementals, about the piano. Books exist on everything from the history of keyboards to building your own piano (good luck!).
Don’t be fooled: Reference books don’t teach you how to play. They should be used in addition to, not instead of, a method book or teacher.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
You’re learning to play the piano for one simple reason: to play music. Okay, so maybe you’re also learning piano to impress your friends, but after you achieve the first goal, the second naturally just happens.
Unless you’re playing strictly by ear, you need some music to read. Enter the concept of printed music.
Article / Updated 03-01-2019
When you're learning to play the piano, or any instrument for that matter, it can be hard to remember all those different musical terms and symbols — base or treble clef, whole notes or half notes, confusing time signatures, and more. The following can help you keep all these music symbols and terms straight — and if you get stuck often, click here to print this sheet to use as a quick reference when you need it.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
When playing the piano, each hand has a specific function. The right hand, stationed in the treble-clef notes, general plays melodies and the left hand, in the bass quarters, handles the low end. Both hands generally flesh things out by adding harmony. Of course, there are exceptions to these rules; one hand sometimes ventures into the other's territory.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Arpeggios are very useful tools, to say the least. These broken chords, in which the notes are played one after the other rather than all at once, can be used for everything from warm-up exercises to accompaniment patterns. Here you work with a handful of seventh chords.
One good way to practice seventh-chord arpeggios is by using different inversions, as shown on the first five lines of music here, representing the five basic seventh-chord types based on the root note C.