h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

so as not to clutter up the book thread

sorry to be intrusive, but I would like to learn the piano, but I can't afford a real one (and I guess I'm going to have to be really quiet) so... are you using a piano or one of the new fangled keyboard type jobbies?

The book, though, sounds great. And oh how I wish I'd practiced during 6 years of piano lessons!

Oh, hi Sho. Don't worry, you're not intruding.

I've a newfangled electric keyboard, though most of the buttons confuse me and I have to turn the thing off and back on to reset it after playing with them. It's a long time since I played a proper piano, but I think the keys are less responsive.

As for the book I just picked it up from Leeds Central Library, which has a great music library. It appears to be a compendium edition for what was originally five separate volumes. I don't know whether to recommend it or not. The problems for me are that it starts off without showing you sheet music for the first two songs and it's not until the end of part one that you're expected to play with both hands simultaneously. I also find the way it fills in all the note names off-putting, but that gets phased out later on.

Good points are that it explains things decently and gives plenty of different tunes to practise on. And I haven't found any errors in the scores, unlike in Play Piano Today, the previous book I had.

I might see if I can find it on Amazon, then. My local library is rubbish for things like that. (mostly because I'd have to get it in German )

I've been able to read music since I picked up a recorder in the 1st year juniors, so it seems strange to me that the book doesn't bring it in until later, but then - it scares a lot of music newbies.

I've had an offer of a keyboard for free, so it might be worth giving it a go.

thanks!

I guess musical notation could scare beginners, but I'm sure the book I had when I was a kid used the full stave even for the very simple first "tune", which went: "I am C | Middle C | Left hand | Right hand | Middle C."

Anyhow, good luck. Getting started on a keyboard instrument is pretty simple, it's when you have to play with both hands and move up and down the keyboard that it gets tricky. That's where I am in part 2 now.