How to Buy, Play, and Enjoy a Digital Piano

Introduction

This book, How to Buy, Learn, and Enjoy Digital Pianos, is written to help anyone get the most from that wonder of modern electronics, the digital piano. As you will read, I believe that, for learning to play and for enjoying music at an amateur level, there is no finer musical instrument available than today’s digital piano.

I have twenty years of experience teaching and performing professionally on digital pianos. Additionally, I serve as “tech support” for Tucson, Arizona’s top digital piano dealership. I’ve recorded three CDs of my own compositions on my digital piano. I’ve taught hundreds of adults - businessmen, engineers, doctors, accountants, and retirees - people just like you - to play the digital piano.

What this book WILL and WILL NOT do for you:

• It WILL explain exactly why a digital piano is absolutely your best choice for learning to play, affordability, enjoyment of music, and family fun. (Chapter One)
• It WILL NOT sell you on any particular brand name, make, model, or store.
• It WILL provide tips on shopping for a digital piano and explain which features are vital, which features are nice, and which features are “bells and whistles” not worth your money. (Chapter One)
• It WILL NOT (and CANNOT) get completely specific about any of the rapidly changing makes and models of digital pianos.
• It WILL give you the basics about the actual use of the major features and how to adapt piano sheet music to your digital, and will also include many musical and graphic examples to illustrate the text. (Chapters Two and Three)
• It WILL NOT substitute for a good digital piano teacher.
• It WILL help you make sense out that owner’s manual. (Chapters Two and Three)
• It WILL NOT allow you to ignore the owner’s manual.
• It WILL explain how to use the features of the digital piano to vastly improve your speed and enjoyment in learning to play. (Chapter Four)
• It WILL NOT teach you to play the piano if you do not know already.

If you are a beginning pianist, please click this link for information vital to your success. (The material at this link has little bearing for those of you who already are good or even excellent pianists. The training YOU need relates to the special features of DIGITAL pianos and that’s what this book covers. You’ll be able to apply it immediately. Here is a complete list of the book’s contents).

What, exactly, IS a digital piano?
How is a digital piano different than a regular piano or a portable keyboard?
Is a digital piano a “serious musical instrument?”
Why do so many people buy digital pianos?
Which instrument is better for learning to play – a regular piano or a digital piano?
Which instrument is better for a child– a regular piano or a digital piano?
Which instrument is better for family fun and enjoyment of music?
How much should I pay for my instrument?
Where should I buy a digital piano –at a dealership, a discount store, or on the Internet?
Which features are important and valuable and which are not?
How can I tell if I’m getting a good deal?
Should I buy new or used?
Should I buy software?
Do I have to read the owner’s manual?
Can I harm or erase anything while I am learning?
Do I have to learn to read music?
Where do I buy sheet music for my digital?
Do I need a teacher?

Why so many sounds?
How a digital makes super-realistic sounds
“Splits” and “Layers” – What they are and what they’re for
Choosing the proper sound for any occasion
Finding your favorites (Demo Function)
Saving your choices: Registration Memory
One button does it ALL
What the heck is Reverb, DSP, etc and should I care?
Adapting piano music to the digital piano

Me? An arranger? An overview of using Auto-accompaniment
Your choice: Auto-accompaniment (left hand chords) or traditional piano approach
What is a “Fake Book” and how is it used?
What is a “Style”?
Choosing the proper style for any occasion
Chords – the magic ingredient
How to “fancy-up” a tune
Saving your choices (and your sanity)
Why “Single Finger Mode” ends up in disaster

Disclaimer: Beginners still need a teacher
Recording your practices
Tempo: The “slow way” is the fastest
The metronome: Satan’s ticker
Composition and improvisation on the digital

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