Beginner Classical Piano Music: Teach Yourself How to Play Famous Piano Pieces by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven & the Great Composers (Book, Streaming Videos & MP3 Audio)

I have been playing piano for many years now, but was interested in using this book as a reference to some easy classics and additional teaching techniques for some of my current piano students. The videos included in the eBook make it super easy to read the information and then see the demonstration. I was glad to see Damon's focus on identifying and practicing patterns in music to assist in learning more quickly. For those who learn best by reading, he includes many tidbits about the history of the pieces and the meanings of some of the terms used in musical notation. For those who prefer learning by doing (kinetically) the videos are a great way to learn the techniques. And for those who learn through listening, many of the pieces have recorded files of the end result. Overall I think it is a great resource to work through with an instructor or by yourself for a very self-motivated person who wants to learn. It is a great value, as this book, if used for lessons could fill a student's curriculum for years.

I'll be honest, I am not entirely a beginner. I took five years of piano grudgingly as a child, though I rarely practiced when my parents didn't have time to look in on me. After having stopped though, I often miss the instrument, which is why I picked up this book. I skimmed over the first few chapters on reading notes to focus mainly on learning how to play new pieces. On this, Ferrante's book does surprisingly well. The provided MP3 files serve as a guideline as to how each piece is supposed to sound, a sort of substitute for what traditionally is a piano teacher playing out the song for you. The little notes written into the sheet music were also helpful and went into a great deal of technical music terms that I had all but forgotten. I probably got less out of this as a slightly more experienced piano player, but it was quite helpful in reviewing techniques and the basic ground knowledge of piano that's often forgotten through the years. This book would be unsuitable for a more intermediate piano player, but as a former piano slacker who suddenly regrets not sticking with the instrument, this book was a lovely reintroduction.

I am a beginner, so I use this book because it has simplified classical pieces. However, I noticed typos in some pieces and, for example, I noticed that some video lessons notes do not match the printed notes. That leaves with the uncertainty what is correct. The main issue I have though, is with MP3 file which should be helpful for a beginner to listen and understand the goal. Especially if one is learning without a teacher who can play a piece. The MP3 file provided with this book and advertised as advantageous, just plays all pieces one by one with no way to select a piece. Not easy to find and thus not very useful for a student. If not for that, I would give 4 stars, removing a star for typos.

I was looking forward to using this book, after reading other reviews. The recorded music online and the sheet music does not match for at least two songs I was trying to read and listen (Gymnopedie and Prelude in C Major). Horrible recordings ignoring all the dynamics written on the sheet music. There are no queues to find songs. I am also very disappointed with the arrangements. Most of them end very abruptly. Don't waste your money.

Don't let today's dreams become tomorrow's regret. If you think about doing something more than three times then it means you should probably do it. If learning to read music and play the piano is something you have always wanted to do then stop waiting and start playing. This book has exactly what you need to get started. Step by step this book and video instructions teaches you the basics of playing music. Unlike other self-teach books, this book caters to all kinds of learners. Becuase of the read through instructions and the video examples, all students can learn. As sad as it is to say, the music programs in our schools are underfunded and ignored. As we all know, keeping students engaged in the classroom isn't always easy and for some students, a music program is the only reason they come to school every day. This book is a low cost and highly effective way to spark the love of music in students. Directions a simple, clear and the videos keep students engaged and amazed.

I am completely new to music theory and do not play any instrument; I just want to learn enough to enjoy playing at home for fun. I bought this book to use with a keyboard I just got, and I have completed the first few chapters and accompanying exercises. The instructions are clear but each new topic is introduced very briefly, just enough to know to try out the exercises. If you want to know something in more detail, you need another book or good Internet search. But for me, someone who just wants to enjoy playing at home, this is fine. What is not that great is the binding on this book. It is bound like a "regular" book, so it does not lay flat and in the earliest chapters especially, it will not sit properly on the music guide on the keyboard. I have to clip it to the guide with a large document clip, which is a hassle to switch out every time you change pages. I gave it a 3 (really 3.5) rating because of this; if this was in a flat lying book format, I would have given this book a four star rating. I have not downloaded the videos yet; will update the review about that if there is anything new to report.

As an Adult that played the piano 30 years ago, I had forgotten everything and needed to re-learn the piano from scratch. I purchased 4 different piano lesson books and this was my least favorite. It is difficult to use because it is bound like a thick magazine and will not sit on the piano music rack, so I had to use clothes pins, clips, etc to use the book on the piano or photocopy the pages. In almost every song, the music notes have the letter printed on the note. This doesn't help you to learn the notes when you try to play from a normal music sheet. Overall I would rate this as the least useful piano instruction book I purchased of the four.

I took piano lessons as a child, I stop playing and practicing as soon as my parents stopped pushing me. Later in life when I began going to many concerts, I began missing the ability to play the piano, which is why I picked up this book. I enjoyed practicing with this book. I did not feel like I was doing on my own. The book include links to downloadable MP3 files which is just like my piano teacher playing a piece for me first. The notes added onto music sheet provide extra help for beginners. The selection of pieces in the book are varied and are very nice from the masters we all recognize: Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Strauss, Grieg, Handle, Paganini, Schumann, and many more. Ali Julia review

Very happy with Ferrante's method of teaching! If you're just getting into piano, this book is a great step towards true proficiency. Ferrante begins with proper technique and music theory (note names, time signatures, and reading sheet music), essential to one's progress in music, and by the end has students confidently reading and playing some of the best known classics. While it is not an end-all method to learning piano (as implied by the title) it will smoothly transition you from beginner into intermediate piano studies. Just be sure to practice!

I finally got my wish to learn piano. This book and the videos are amazing!! Easy and truly fun. Mr. Ferrante is a master pianist and an,AWESOME teacher. Anyone who could teach me to play HAS to be good because I thought I was hopeless. He showed me I can learn. His book is easy to read,not so complex that you get tied up in all the tiny details, you just ..play. I love it!

I have been playing piano for many years now, but was interested in using this book as a reference to some easy classics and additional teaching techniques for some of my current piano students. The videos included in the eBook make it super easy to read the information and then see the demonstration. I was glad to see Damon's focus on identifying and practicing patterns in music to assist in learning more quickly. For those who learn best by reading, he includes many tidbits about the history of the pieces and the meanings of some of the terms used in musical notation. For those who prefer learning by doing (kinetically) the videos are a great way to learn the techniques. And for those who learn through listening, many of the pieces have recorded files of the end result. Overall I think it is a great resource to work through with an instructor or by yourself for a very self-motivated person who wants to learn. It is a great value, as this book, if used for lessons could fill a student's curriculum for years.

I'll be honest, I am not entirely a beginner. I took five years of piano grudgingly as a child, though I rarely practiced when my parents didn't have time to look in on me. After having stopped though, I often miss the instrument, which is why I picked up this book. I skimmed over the first few chapters on reading notes to focus mainly on learning how to play new pieces. On this, Ferrante's book does surprisingly well. The provided MP3 files serve as a guideline as to how each piece is supposed to sound, a sort of substitute for what traditionally is a piano teacher playing out the song for you. The little notes written into the sheet music were also helpful and went into a great deal of technical music terms that I had all but forgotten. I probably got less out of this as a slightly more experienced piano player, but it was quite helpful in reviewing techniques and the basic ground knowledge of piano that's often forgotten through the years. This book would be unsuitable for a more intermediate piano player, but as a former piano slacker who suddenly regrets not sticking with the instrument, this book was a lovely reintroduction.

I am a beginner, so I use this book because it has simplified classical pieces. However, I noticed typos in some pieces and, for example, I noticed that some video lessons notes do not match the printed notes. That leaves with the uncertainty what is correct. The main issue I have though, is with MP3 file which should be helpful for a beginner to listen and understand the goal. Especially if one is learning without a teacher who can play a piece. The MP3 file provided with this book and advertised as advantageous, just plays all pieces one by one with no way to select a piece. Not easy to find and thus not very useful for a student. If not for that, I would give 4 stars, removing a star for typos.

I was looking forward to using this book, after reading other reviews. The recorded music online and the sheet music does not match for at least two songs I was trying to read and listen (Gymnopedie and Prelude in C Major). Horrible recordings ignoring all the dynamics written on the sheet music. There are no queues to find songs. I am also very disappointed with the arrangements. Most of them end very abruptly. Don't waste your money.

Don't let today's dreams become tomorrow's regret. If you think about doing something more than three times then it means you should probably do it. If learning to read music and play the piano is something you have always wanted to do then stop waiting and start playing. This book has exactly what you need to get started. Step by step this book and video instructions teaches you the basics of playing music. Unlike other self-teach books, this book caters to all kinds of learners. Becuase of the read through instructions and the video examples, all students can learn. As sad as it is to say, the music programs in our schools are underfunded and ignored. As we all know, keeping students engaged in the classroom isn't always easy and for some students, a music program is the only reason they come to school every day. This book is a low cost and highly effective way to spark the love of music in students. Directions a simple, clear and the videos keep students engaged and amazed.

I am completely new to music theory and do not play any instrument; I just want to learn enough to enjoy playing at home for fun. I bought this book to use with a keyboard I just got, and I have completed the first few chapters and accompanying exercises. The instructions are clear but each new topic is introduced very briefly, just enough to know to try out the exercises. If you want to know something in more detail, you need another book or good Internet search. But for me, someone who just wants to enjoy playing at home, this is fine. What is not that great is the binding on this book. It is bound like a "regular" book, so it does not lay flat and in the earliest chapters especially, it will not sit properly on the music guide on the keyboard. I have to clip it to the guide with a large document clip, which is a hassle to switch out every time you change pages. I gave it a 3 (really 3.5) rating because of this; if this was in a flat lying book format, I would have given this book a four star rating. I have not downloaded the videos yet; will update the review about that if there is anything new to report.

As an Adult that played the piano 30 years ago, I had forgotten everything and needed to re-learn the piano from scratch. I purchased 4 different piano lesson books and this was my least favorite. It is difficult to use because it is bound like a thick magazine and will not sit on the piano music rack, so I had to use clothes pins, clips, etc to use the book on the piano or photocopy the pages. In almost every song, the music notes have the letter printed on the note. This doesn't help you to learn the notes when you try to play from a normal music sheet. Overall I would rate this as the least useful piano instruction book I purchased of the four.

I took piano lessons as a child, I stop playing and practicing as soon as my parents stopped pushing me. Later in life when I began going to many concerts, I began missing the ability to play the piano, which is why I picked up this book. I enjoyed practicing with this book. I did not feel like I was doing on my own. The book include links to downloadable MP3 files which is just like my piano teacher playing a piece for me first. The notes added onto music sheet provide extra help for beginners. The selection of pieces in the book are varied and are very nice from the masters we all recognize: Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Strauss, Grieg, Handle, Paganini, Schumann, and many more. Ali Julia review

Very happy with Ferrante's method of teaching! If you're just getting into piano, this book is a great step towards true proficiency. Ferrante begins with proper technique and music theory (note names, time signatures, and reading sheet music), essential to one's progress in music, and by the end has students confidently reading and playing some of the best known classics. While it is not an end-all method to learning piano (as implied by the title) it will smoothly transition you from beginner into intermediate piano studies. Just be sure to practice!

I finally got my wish to learn piano. This book and the videos are amazing!! Easy and truly fun. Mr. Ferrante is a master pianist and an,AWESOME teacher. Anyone who could teach me to play HAS to be good because I thought I was hopeless. He showed me I can learn. His book is easy to read,not so complex that you get tied up in all the tiny details, you just ..play. I love it!

I've always wanted to learn piano or to teach it to my children someday. This book has a very straight forward explanation and lots of visuals to help those who are more visual in their learning capabilities (such as myself). Not only are there pictures for me to follow and reference, but there are videos also, which help me out a lot. I also like that I can view this on any device, especially iPad since I can prop it up on the music sheet holder to see the instructions directly in front of me. Damon Ferrante's writing and speaking are very clear and simple, so it makes understanding the exercises very easy. While watching the videos, I almost feel silly for thinking playing piano is something too difficult to do! Each chapter is broken down in easily digestible lessons so I don't feel overwhelmed while practicing and can revisit them when needed. I also have never tried kindle before and am definitely liking having a musicbook on an app as they are usually very large and bulky. As the videos are on youtube, you will need an internet connection to view them. I also plan to use this once my infants get older so they too can learn and I can also help them along as they practice.

I can honestly say that this book is a very helpful tool in learning how to play the piano. It has been some years since I last played an instrument, and even then that instrument was nowhere near as complicated or challenging as the piano. Well, I dusted off the skills that I had, along with the little piano we have in our back room and am happy to report that I’ve really made progress. While I won’t be invited to Carnegie Hall anytime soon, I do appreciate the approach that this manual offers. You can tell the author has taught a wide range of students, with an equal range of skills- because of the care that goes in explaining each and every step, without making you feel dumb for not understanding the first time through. My favorite part is the accompanying videos to supplement the book lessons, and how I can watch them as many times as I need at my own pace. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to play the piano or anyone who wishes to pick up the piano after not playing for quite some time.

This book provides a solid foundation regarding the basics such as tempo and reading sheet music. It explains both the treble and bass clef, shows which notes are associated with which keys, and has a wide variety of different pieces which helped me in learning to read music by studying different pieces on a daily basis. It also includes online audio files to demonstrate what each piece should sound like. I struggle to get bored with this book, because once one piece becomes a little stale, I can move on to a different one. It's a good buy!

I have played the piano but it was several years ago so i needed a refresher course. What a great find this book was. I have found that some books are too much for the complete beginner and some are too advanced - this one is perfect for both. I really like the videos and the MP3. It always help to have some idea of what a piece should sound like when you are learning how to play it. I highly recommend this book to everyone just learning and also for those like me who needed a boost for their memory.

I took piano for 3 years in elementary school, and played only once in awhile until I was 30. I am 68 now, and am ready to play again but need to start over. This book is wonderful. Explanations, charts, diagrams & music are all large and great step-by-step directions.

I finished the first book after thoroughly going through it, about 3 months. I saw this book at the end, thinking that it's a progressive continuation from the 1st, it's not. It's basically the very same (good) lessons with portions of classical pieces to learn, several same songs as 1st. I was hoping for full versions of these classical songs. These arrangements don't seem to stretch the level of difficulty beyond the 1st book. I look forward to learning these songs and figure it'll take 1/3 the time. I'm looking for something a bit more challenging w/ complete songs.

I really enjoyed this eBook for beginner’s piano, and would recommend this book to anyone learning how to play! All of the photos and video accompaniments really helped me to learn because instead of just being a more abstract concept with just words, the book allows you to actually visualize and practice along. This book also teaches you valuable acronyms to remember notes, and information about correct hand position and why it is so important. They really focus on starting with the basics, which gives you a good foundation for learning how to play music. As a trumpet player, I already learned the basics of time signatures, but I really wish I had this book back when I was learning because I like how simple they make it. I also appreciate how they break down the different time signatures and encourage you to clap along with the downbeat of each measure. Overall, this eBook has a wonderful presentation – simple but packed with words, pictures, diagrams, and videos. Even while having all of this information, you are not overloaded and the pages look very nice. The video instruction is easy to understand and is not full of jargon that a beginner wouldn’t be able to comprehend.

Damon Ferrante’s Beginner Classical Piano Music is a great way for an aspiring pianist to learn the fundamentals of the piano. The book starts with basic finger exercises that allow the student to get familiar with correct hand positioning and posture. In the process, the students will become familiar with simple time signatures, intervals, and the location of the musical notes on the piano. The book then progresses into an in-depth lesson on the interworkings of musical notation and its correspondence with the musical staff. While learning the basics of musical theory for the piano, the student will also perform exercises with a metronome to strengthen his or her fingers and keep a steady timing. These basics will fully prepare the student for the familiar musical scores that lie ahead. I am a fan of the use of real piano pieces throughout the course of the book to keep the students interest. Who wouldn’t want to play pieces including Pachelbel’s Canon, Beethoven's Fur Elise, or Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Mirlitons from the Nutcracker? I also like the amount of detail for each used in each lesson every step of the way. The videos are the biggest bonus as I am a fan of visual learning, and I feel if a student gets stuck or doesn’t fully understand how to interpret a passage at first, they can look to the video for advice and direction. With this added feature, it feels as if my piano teacher is sitting next to me. I feel the purchaser of this book will find the same enjoyment for piano as I did, as they embark on a fine journey into the world of music.

After reading through the materials, I am ready to get started! Growing up with music lessons in the family, I followed my brother's lead in learning how to play the piano. It's been years, though, and I was sure I had lost the ability to read music. After looking through the lessons here, it is all coming back to me now. I can't wait to get started again! The lessons are easy to follow and the illustrations make them even easier to understand.

As someone who has never played piano before, I wanted a good beginning book that could guide me through the process. This book did just that. It is laid out in a clear and understandable way. The videos are good, and the author seems to have thorough knowledge of the subject. I learn best on my own so this method of teaching suited me. I still have a long way to go before I'm proficient with the piano, but this book was a good start.

Having taken piano lessons as a child for many years, I was never very good but really enjoyed playing. I had always hoped to have a piano again someday and pick up where I left off. Right! Nearly 50 years later, I finally purchased a full sized keyboard but found that playing it now wasn't as easy as I had remembered.This book is exactly what I needed. With the step-by-step book instructions and the video, I am off to a great start (or should I say a new beginning).

I'm a 59 year old beginner without a teacher. These familiar tunes are simplified so even I can play them, giving me more satisfaction and enjoyment in my playing as I learn. Before each new tune is a lesson page of what to watch out for and how to learn it.

This is a great book for the beggining or aspiring pianist, but teaches good practice skills as well. It provides links throughout the material for a good representation of the subject matter; for this, I highly recommend the Kindle version for its quick easy links to the source material. This book focouses on the development of the player through classical intimations, but lays a foundry for the reader/player to pick up on newer genres later on.

Damon Ferrante’s Beginner Classical Piano Music is an excellent way to start learning to play the piano. I have played all my life by ear, teaching myself how to play some popular songs. However, I decided to go a step further and learn some technique that would allow me to play classical pieces on the piano as well. This course is what I needed! It gives exercises and a basic introduction to musical theory. These tend to be boring, but in this course they are quite engaging. The videos give a fuller dimension to this course. Excellent price as well. I highly recommend it!

I love that it comes with lessons on the web but the classical songs i guess I'm not a fan of. They are hard for beginners and i don't recognize alot of them . But I'm over 50 and slower to learn than i used to be. Parts i liked and parts i went to another book to break things down and explain it. But you need the internet for this to help in my opinion

After 65 years, I am going back to the piano. This book takes the student on a slow but steady progression of clear lessons that build on each other. I find this book an excellent first book, because of the clarity of the lessons and the availability of free complementary video lessons. I also purchased the scales book and I am enjoying that book, as well.

This ebook was so informative! I've been looking to dive back into piano lessons, and this book was an absolute blessing! The videos integrated into the lessons are probably my favorite part, and I greatly learned from these. I'm much more a visual person, and I learn better by watching people doing things instead of reading about it, etc. This book helped me a lot because of the integrated videos that help you along the way. I completely recommend this book to others!

Really enjoying this eBook so far! I used to play piano in my high school band, but haven’t done much with it for a few years. The lessons are easy to work through and give you a great understanding of music theory. From basic scales, key signatures, and arpeggios to famous classical piano pieces, this eBook is packed with tons of great content! The interactive videos are also great at helping you work through the sections you don’t fully understand.

I have always wanted to learn the piano but never knew where to begin. I had a friend, who happens to be a wonderful musician, recommend this book to me. I am so glad I listened and decided to give it a shot. I am currently in the process of learning "Greensleeves" as it was one of my grandmother's favorites pieces. I highly doubt I would have ever stuck with it if it weren't for the recommendation!! Thanks Amelia!!

You’ll understand music even without the teacher this is the book you have been looking for. And the table of contents referenced other books to get. Ode to joy is my favorite

This piano book is good for beginners who have never had any musical experience. The selection of songs that you get to play from are awesome. It’s an exceptional way to start learning piano with no experience, and this book can be used by many ages. I was learning quickly and efficiently, and I never felt lost. I really enjoyed the MP3 recording of all the songs in the book, because it was good to verify what I was doing on the piano. Also, it was good to play along with. The videos were cool, too. I felt more motivated with the videos as the concepts were explained out further. I thoroughly enjoyed this piano book. My favorite piece was Mozart's Turkish Rondo.

I've always been intrigued by the piano and those who are able to play. This book is a great way to get started. The beginning teaches some basic fundamentals with easy to understand terms and images. Im eager to work my way through this book while learning the valuable information it has to offer. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in playing the piano.

Loving this piano eBook! It’s great for all learners regardless of experience. The interactive videos really help you practice and learn piano on your own. The music included is wonderful, as well. Classics such as Beethoven’s Fur Elise, J.S. Bach’s Prelude in C Major, and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker are included, and many more! Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to learn piano!

I've taken piano for quite some time, but one thing that I've always struggled with when teaching children is how to get them engaged. Introductory piano books can sometimes seem so out of touch with the music that older children hear. The lessons, while useful, don't do much to create long-term interest in the summer courses that I am an aide of. That's why this book will be especially useful. Going through some of the exercises, the combination of theory with popular and recognizable tunes made the experience of skimming this piano book for content not only easier but actually enjoyable. I was rusty, so I skipped to the back of the book and felt actually challenged by some of the later pieces. It's a great book that I think will really help answer the question for the students I teach about, "so, why do these exercises even matter?" The video guides also serve as a great option for those who want to teach themselves or can't afford lessons. All in all, a good, beginner piano book.

I completed one music book for beginners. I'm teaching myself and am not at all gifted. I could not make the next step to so called beginner music. So, I am using this book which has been working out as a very good second level beginner. One of my issues has been knowing where to move my hands once they get past the home position and a little reach to right or left. Having the finger numbers is giving a much better feel for this. Also, it works the chords a bit beyond my first book. This book is also providing additional guidance in technique and reading music.

This book does not include any full piano pieces.

Great book that provides a moderate challenge for adults returning to piano. I didn’t need all the pages of review since I didn’t entirely forget all musical notation, key signatures, etc, but beyond those pages the actual music is enjoyable to play.

Damon Ferrante's book makes me want to learn how to play the piano. It looks extremely easy to follow. One of the neat things in this book is that you can click on the link in each lesson and watch it on YouTube. It's like having your own piano teacher. I also like how many songs you will be able to learn.

This is a great resource for individuals either wanting to learn piano or to get back into playing piano. As someone who teaches beginner piano, I appreciated how much material this book offers. This is a great resource that I will be sharing with students!

This book does a fantastic job at teaching the basics. As someone who took piano, almost 12 years ago, this book is a great refresher for trying to get back into playing!

This book is excellent beginner piano book for those just starting out and for those who have not played in a long time. After taking interest in the piano again for the first time since my childhood lessons, this book gave me the tools to pull out previous knowledge that I had forgotten. I have had great success with restarting my piano lessons. Also, the video lessons are great tool! Through most book lessons you lose the aspect of learning through experiencing first-hand. These video lessons remedy that issue. The video lessons provide an example to follow. This book is a great resource for all those beginning to learn the piano.

I have been looking for something that incorporates videos with the text! This allows me to visually learn which is exactly what I needed! The book is very thorough and easy to understand even for a beginner like myself! I waited years to learn piano and never thought that I would be able to and kept telling myself that it would be too hard. This has absolutely changed my mind! I'm learning simple things first and I'm actually able to use my mother's old piano now!!!

Perfect for a self teaching beginner. You do not have to know how to read music to learn. Helps with fi ger placement and flow right from the start. Definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to learn!

I'm very rusty on playing any instrument, much less the piano, but the lessons in this book bring a lot of old music classes back and lay out the basics of piano playing very well. Ferrante is positive and encouraging without coming off fake, as some music instruction books do, which helps you have realistic expectations for your own progress. However, it's not just the book that does a good job! If you're more visual and understand things better by seeing someone do them, then there are free online videos that act as a companion to the book. They help immensely. I'd absolutely recommend this book to someone who wants to learn.

I was just looking for some beginner repertoire not really the need for beginner lessons in what the notes are and the name of the notes to be written inside the notes etc.

I am a complete novice to the piano but found this book teaches very well and is easy to follow. Planned to give it to my kids but I’ve found myself using it just as much!

I used to play piano a few years ago and wanted to re-learn some beginner songs. I took advantage of the free Kindle copy last week, and am happy I did. Damon Ferrante has created an amazing book that’s easy to read and helped me re-learn a lot of the classical songs I used to know. I suggest every beginner uses this book!

Too difficult for beginners

I had two years of piano lessons when I was younger and then self taught myself the rest of what I know. The one thing that I noticed right away was how I was using the wrong fingers when going up and down the piano. I am enjoying learning to use the right fingers so that I can play more smoothly and with less looking at the piano. I wish I had this when I was trying to teach my boys piano. First they would have liked a man teaching and they would have gotten to play songs that they and others could enjoy sooner. This is much more rewarding than the sterile way I learned to play the piano. I was so excited to get a metallic star then but that did not motivate my boys enough. The videos add so much to this way of learning the piano. It turns piano language into a language that you can see and understand. More than worth my time for downloading and playing.

I'm an adult player that had lessons as a kid. This book is great for remembering the basics and learning some famous pieces. It's my favorite book to practice with.

I always wanted to learn how to play the piano. It seemed so intimidating though. But reading through this book I feel that I actually can do this. This is good for anyone who has a fear of not being musical. It is written in simple language that is easy to understand.

I played piano years and years ago and forgot so much. This is one the best books I have found to get myself playing and understanding piano music. Easy to read and understand.

I played piano as a kid, but lost almost all of it. I picked this up to try and learn a bit again without doing a bunch of kids songs. It has been great. Very easy to follow. The pieces are clearly geared towards adults. I also bought the scales book (black) and the kids one (blue) for my son. They are all great.

This book is wonderful! I have been dying to learn how to play the piano, but haven't been able to afford lessons. Each section gives a step by step tutorial to read and play music along with the visual aspect of watching videos and seeing a real life example. I can't say enough good things about this book.

Took me a minute to get to the videoI like the “free” instructional videos. It seems to be helpful to get you back playing and remembering some of the basics.

This book is helping me tremendously. It starts out with simple basics for learning the piano and note reading. It moves on to more difficult aspects of the piano a little at a time. The video lessons included are extremely helpful for a beginner like myself. I am pleased with my purchase.

Really good book with clear instructions. Easy to follow and beginning piano players will find it to be simple and easy to follow along. I will be looking for other titles by this author for enrichment but this book can stand alone. My fingers are aching for more

This beginner piano book helps out a lot with people who are starting to learn. They're is just the regular book but, you can also follow their links to videos so you can learn it that way if it's better. I recommend this book to anyway playing or going to learn piano.

this book is actually really great for me I had learned how to play the piano when I was a kid and now this is bringing back the muscle memory that I had developed back then. Thank you for creating this book and helping me get back into this great instrument

Concise and easy to follow. Gives a great breakdown of concepts and techniques that can seem too daunting when trying to learn on your own. Great visuals as well.

I would not say this book is for beginners. Not terribly complex arrangements but you do need to be well beyond beginner level to play these and you need to be able to read music well of course.

Great course! I took piano lessons at a young age and this was a great way to refresh those skills, as well as expand them. The videos and diagrams were extremely helpful, especially for visual learners. Overall, easy to understand and if you've always wanted to learn to play piano, I definitely recommend this course.

Good song selection. Easy to read.

This book has been fantastic so far. It is very detailed and goes at a pace that is easy for me as a complete beginner to follow. I have always wanted to play and I know this book is really helping me. Love it!!

Excellent book. Teaches you the basic in a really easy way to understand!

Damon Ferrate's book & videos are great for beginners. As a lady who only knows one song on the piano and, does not read music I appreciate how this book is set up. Not only are their videos linked but, they review the key-board for newbies like me. I think there explanations are simple enough for a child to understand as well as, adults. I am enjoying that there are examples of how to hold your hands and, excercises to review what you have learned. Having an ebook version of the book in this day and age is perfect. I can upload it to my kindle app and, have it on my phone or, iPad. My grandmother and, aunt and uncle have pianos so, bringing a book back and, forth could get annoying. I have my phone with me all the time which means I would have my ebook the whole time.

This was a fun book. The kids and I enjoyed playing around and seeing what music we could make!

This is a great book for an adult or teenager/child that is just starting to know and play the piano. I wouldn't recommend it to someone that already knows the basics of playing and recognizing finger positions and notes.

Wonderful book, very easy to follow. I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn how to play the piano.

This book is so awesome I wanted to learn how to play piano to support my family and this helped me do it

Well laid out lessons. My advice to the beginner is to use this book every day for a half hour.

This piano method is easy to follow and quickly takes students from the basics to familiar music. It is ideal for folks who want to learn on their own or used to play piano and need to review and then progress to more difficult music.

Should have spiral or comb binding so it stays open

I liked the educational value of the book and especially the ease with which I could play the pieces in the book. it is perfect for giving a student incentive because they can play pieces that appear to be harder than they are.

Easy to learn.There are areas that will need a professor in order to answer some questions .

I enjoy the music.

Great for beginners

This is a good and helpful book but it should have a different binding. It will not stay open when you are trying to play the piano. I have to really crease it hard to get it to stay open and I'm afraid it will fall apart if I keep doing that. The content is good.

I purchased this for myself as a refresher and to teach my daughter. The overall book does not look extremely exciting. I would've expected more music notes and pictures to get my curiosity flowing. I do love how there are videos are added to each lesson. I wish this was along when I was a child because it would've kept me much more interested when I was learning. This is great for beginners and extremely easy to follow along.

This is great to have! Love how easy it is to read and understand. Great for starting out with the piano. It's really helped me a lot and I appreciate that. I also love how I can have this on my phone for easy access! Awesome!

Perfect for my return to the piano

This was easy to follow and I can see how if I could really give enough time to practice I would succeed . Enjoyed the video sections. I felt like it was a review of what I had learned in college courses !! He makes it seem like I will master the techniques to play the piano someday !!??

Practicing songs by world famous composers is a dream come true. I am a visual learner, to have videos is an added plus. I am very excited adding this book to my collection. I will treasure it for years to help me become a better pianist.

Excellent songs in easy to understand lessons.

This book has been wonderful so far. It is very detailed and goes at a pace that is easy for my four year old to follow as well. She has been very into playing and this book helps give her proper techniques and excits her and myself. I have always wanted to play and I feel this book is helping get me there. Love it!

Well presented lessons with great music.

Just what I ordered to get back to playing piano.

Ok

Good book

I was taught when I was younger and this book combined with the videos brought it all back. I am so excited to continue working on my piano skills thanks to this book! So happy I was able to get it on the promo day!

is good for beginners

family library collection

Loved the adult approach and the use of familiar classical music.

Great book for beginners, I've always wanted to play piano but haven't found the time for lessons. The step by step guide and helpful videos are easy to follow along with and understand.

Would recommend this book. Great instruction

I received the wrong book.

Easy to follow instructions

This is a great book if you are nervous about learning piano and want to progress quickly. This is really more of a book for adults than children, though it may be good for older kids, say over 10. It's easy to follow, clear instructions, and the video lessons are helpful. I would particularly recommend this for those who do not know how to read music or have tried to read music and were turned off by it being complex or confusing. Tip: if you have a kindle or iPad, set it up at your piano as you would a regular book. You can't really read it and then go to the piano, you must follow along like a paper book.

Really easy to use and I love the interactive videos! I have introduced this book to my other family members and they love it as well!

The kids love it! They started trying out new techniques already

As a musician who loves picking up as many instruments as possible, I have always wanted to learn how to play the piano. As an adult it is tough to find time for things like lessons, which are more accessible when younger. I haven't made it through whole eBook yet but I can tell already (and see, since I have made some progress) that it is going to help quite a bit. The lessons are easy to grasp and the exercises are not difficult to perform and both are laid out at a nice, gradual pace. I think my favorite part about it has to be the videos that you can simply tap to load, because sometimes it is nice to actually see examples instead of read them. This is a great resource for someone who wants to learn at their own pace in between day to day life.

Great guide to learning a wide variety of classic music tunes.

Great beginner's piano book.

This is a cool concept. I like the combination of learning skills while working through recognizable music. I haven't had my daughter start it yet, so it's sort of an untried review, but I can see her being able to work through it on her own with occasional help from me, which is what I was looking for. I played some of the pieces for her last night and she was excited about learning them because she recognized them. Excitement is definitely more that half the battle with her! She's a great little pianist and I think this book will help keep her motivated.

This is a great beginning piano book! I have played for many years but I downloaded the Kindle version for my daughter (8 yo) to start learning. She was sooooo excited!! She especially loved the videos integrated into each lesson. I loved that it's seamless to reach these lessons. My daughter was so excited she flew threw the first six lessons right away. I was impressed! I'm looking forward for her to keep going and learn some of the great classical pieces listed. I definitely recommend this book as one for anyone who has always wanted to learn piano but maybe was intimidated by needing to know how to read music or have some other knowledge before starting....this book really starts from the ground up. More advanced players can start in the middle and move forward with the lessons. As far as I can see, this is really several years of lessons rolled into one book. Great value!

I'm on the 3rd lesson and feel that this video series is well done. I took lessons years ago but didn't follow through, I'm hoping with this thorough lesson series I will be able to play piano properly. I would have given a 5 star but it was difficult to navigate

As a relatively new piano player, this has been extremely helpful in clearing off the rust that I have had since the last time I practiced. This book lays ideas out in a nice, concise manner, and the videos linked are easy to follow. I've only been reading for a few days so I haven't seen major progress yet, but I do think this book will help me learn faster. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking to pick up the piano as a new instrument, especially those without a huge musical background.

Easy to understand. Easy both visually as well as understanding the teacher. Fun educational and entertaining.

I like the book it's very helpful and learn new things from it. Really amazing the things you learn in it.

It is a good book for my sister.

After being highly disappointed with a very highly rated book that I purchased on Amazon that dealt with self teaching oneself the piano, I purchased this book after happening on to a video on YouTube by the author. This the book to buy if you really want some effective self-teaching whether it be for learning classical piano pieces or just learning the piano. All of the questions that I still had after getting through a portion of the other book are answered up front in this book and the playing instructions for the music could not be more clearly written. In addition, there is a video supplement for just about everything which makes for a great review of the studied text. Get this one if you want to teach yourself piano in a very understandable, efficient manner!

As I am a beginner at the piano i cant really review the pieces. From the few I took the time to play, and compared to some of my other sheet music it seems like most of the pieces sound legit and not dumbed down like some beginner music. My review is mostly based on the format of the book itself. Firstly, it seems like this book must be focused on those perhaps returning to the piano after some years because it literally starts at the beginning of how to read music. Also there are notes included before each piece that are helpful as well as the music is written out to be helpful as well. What i mean by that is instead of repeats, the music is just repeated on the page and the notes have the names of the keys inside. I found it all to be very helpful. A nice touch would be the included music- which isnt really included, its on a website so unfortunately you have to navigate outside of the book, and the pieces are divided in half, so you can listen but you cant click on the actual song you are working on, so i found that really to be more of a bother than actually useful. And the format also is annoying, at least on my fire tablet, if i accidentally tapped on the page at the wrong spot, it would try navigate to a webpage, which was really frustrating along with the fact that it cannot be zoomed in on so it was difficult to even see the notes. I will be looking elsewhere for a better formatted classics book.

Great book for beginning piano learners. Follows organized, linear lesson plans that makes it easy for readers to develop and then build on each lesson. A bit text-heavy at some points, it could use some improvements on readability and layout on pages with diagrams, but once you get used to the appearance they're really helpful. The best feature is probably the accompanying videos that help walk you through the lessons, a very useful component for visual learners. The selection of classical pieces is lovely as well; it's a great way keep one's eyes on the prize.

I really enjoyed taking a look at “Beginner Classical Piano Music” by Damon Ferrante. I’m experienced with playing the piano, but wanted to take a look at the book to see how it might work for people I know who have never played the piano before and have had no musical experience. I think overall, the book is great! It’s wonderful at explaining the basics. For example, learning concepts such as notes, middle c, intervals, are very straight forward in the instructions. It does this by using easy comparisons to get the idea across. This is great for those who have no experience. This is also great for transitioning into the grand staff. It doesn’t feel rushed, and it is still very informative throughout the transitions of new concepts and getting more advanced throughout the music. I think that the pieces chosen will keep you interested and wanting to continue to learn new stuff. I also really appreciate the videos, which give more information about what you are doing. It really makes this book stand out to other piano books. The bonus lessons are a great addition as well. I will definitely make sure to check out some other books!

I've never had any piano lessons before trying this book, I actually really enjoyed learning with it. I'd always wanted to learn but it always seemed like it was be too big a challenge. After just getting through the beginner lessons on some basic music concepts, I'm already feeling like it's something I actually will be able to do. I'm excited continue learning and to be able to play some of the classics. :D The linked instructional videos are a huge help. I've always been a much more visual learner, and getting those quick demonstrations is a big help for me to pick up things like proper hand positioning and reading music, which I always had trouble trying to pick up on my own before.

Quick and concise and basic, true to the composer. An enjoyment to a beginner who wants to enjoy classical immediately. An excellent teaching book

This book is definitely a great beginner book! My son has been wanting to learn how to play the piano and he has been asking to get piano lessons for a few months now but I have not had the ability to hire a tutor. I got this book recently and I have to say, I'm amazed at how simplistic the teaching method is. I feel that with all the lessons included in this book, plus the videos, that I might can teach our son the basics and fuel his interest in music. Will recommend this to anyone!

Beginner Classical Piano Music really impressed me. I liked the musical pieces that you get with this learning method. There are a variety of tips for making things easier as you are learning. There is a generous amount of information on each page for the songs. It gradually introduces new concepts throughout the piece, which is definitely beneficial. It succeeds at explaining hand positions and how to present your hands on the keys. I enjoyed how easy it was to watch the videos, because it felt like your own personal piano instructor. The pages are clear, clean, and concise so you aren’t overwhelmed with each new topic. Would definitely recommend for those trying to learn the piano.

This book features a good amount of arranged classical music to learn from and begins to introduce some basic music theory as well. Concepts are clearly described, and videos were helpful. There is a good variety of songs, and the book introduces a breadth of musical concepts. All songs are transposed in C and, while the book introduces the idea of sharps and flats, it does not go into key signatures which are a very important part of learning piano. Audio quality in the videos is fair, but not professional quality.

Why have I not seen this book before??? Gosh! I didn't realize I can actually learn how to play the piano on my own. I mean, I haven't fully learned yet, but this book gives me a great start. The exercises are so helpful. The layout of the text and the pictures is easy on the eyes. THe elements are well organized. Green is not my favorite color though, so I'm not the biggest fan of the outside. But then again, don't judge the book by its cover, right? lol THis is a good one!!

This book is a great intro to learning classical piano! It has basically all of the primary songs someone learning classical piano would be perhaps expected to learn. The book is easy to read through with little distractions and everything is arranged just as I would hope. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to get their feet wet in classical style piano playing. Or, even piano playing in general for that matter!

I recently purchased this book and I’ve been working with it for about a week now. I have never played an instrument in my life but thought it was time to try something new. It was really helpful right from the beginning. I loved the videos and the helpful visuals. So happy I was able to get this on promo day!

This books looks very easy to follow. I was looking for very easy songs for adults to learn. Indeed, this book is a great resource.