10 books to help your child learn to play piano and keyboard

Are you looking for a music keyboard for your child? Read our guide: Buying a child’s first electronic keyboard

Here are my recommendations for books that will help your child learn how to play the piano and keyboard, including identifying and playing notes and reading sheet music, plus some simple collections of children’s songs that you or your child can learn to play.

1. Usborne’s First Book of the Piano (with CD)

Featuring cute cartoons, large easy to use pages and diagrams, and plenty of well-known pieces of music to learn with, the Usborne First Book of the Piano is a great introduction to the piano for children.

Buy The First Book of the Piano with CD

Has similarities to the “First Book of the Piano” but is great if you’ve just bought a child’s first electronic keyboard because it also covers the basic features found on most music keyboards.

Buy First Book of the Keyboard

A huge collection (67) of piano music for kids including some modern favourites: The Addams Family Theme, Blue’s Clues Theme, Bob the Builder, Linus and Lucy, SpongeBob SquarePants theme song, Thomas the Tank Engine and Welcome to the Blue House.

Buy The Fantastic Big Book of Childrens Songs

Another “big book” from the same publisher as above.

Buy the Really Big Book of Children’s Songs

A lovely book in the same style as Usborne’s First Book of the Piano, featuring a lot of easy to play traditional songs including Merrily We Roll Along, The Grand Old Duke of York, London Bridge is Falling Down, Home on the Range, Lavender’s Blue, Scarborough Fair and Auld Lang Syne.

Buy Very Easy Piano Tunes

The first in a series of books that will help you to play Disney favourites, including Cruella De Vil, A Whole New World, The Bear Necessities, Under the Sea, Beauty and the Beast and more.

Very simple arrangements and delightfully presented.

Buy Disney’s My First Song Book for Piano

Also useful for those wanting to play the guitar, this is a huge collection of more traditional songs for you and your child to play and sing together.

Buy The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes & Children’s Songs

Book can be used with piano and keyboard instruments and comes complete with coloured stickers for labelling the notes. It’s also well illustrated.

Buy Kid Songs: Easy Play for All Keyboards

The first in another series of electronic keyboard learning books. This one comes with an audio CD and features graded lessons using 20 well-known children’s songs as examples.

Buy Progressive Electronic Keyboard for Young Beginners: Book 1

Quite an old book (1980) and one that I grew up with. Cute cartoon notes and rests explain basic musical theory and example using the piano among other instruments.

The Music People

Recommended Product: How your child can read music notes – easily and quickly

Recommended Digital Pianos

Here is my current selection of favorite digital pianos that you can buy today.

Yamaha P-85 Digital Piano

More entry level digital piano with Yamaha’s realistic digital samples, realistic graded hammer touch, half pedaling and three pedal support, song recording, variety of other sounds.

Buy the Yamaha P-85 Acoustic-Like Touch Response AWM Stereo Sampled Tabletop Piano

Yamaha DGX630

Graded soft touch full size keyboard from Yamaha, featuring a 6-track recorder, DSP sound effects, a huge range of other sounds, virtual band, half-pedaling support.

Buy the Yamaha DGX630 88 Full-Sized Keys with Weighted Graded Hammer Action – AC Adapter Included

Yamaha P140

The digital piano I currently own. Has a great touch and good sounds. Though superseded by the Yamaha P155, still a recommended purchase. Half-pedaling support, graded hammer weighting.

Buy the Yamaha P-140 Portable Digital Piano

Yamaha CP300

This digital stage piano is specially built to withstand the rigors and requirements of gigging on the road. Authentic touch, a huge range of other sounds, 5-band equalizer.

Buy the Yamaha CP300 Digital Stage Piano

Casio Privia PX120

88-key piano keyboard with weighted keys, touch response, 128 note polyphony, various effects, Auto Accompaniment.

Buy the Casio PX120 Privia Digital Piano

Roland RD-700GX

88 keys PHA II Ivory Feel Keyboard with Escapement, Stereo Multi-sampled Piano Sound, range of other sounds, synthesizer capabilities, sound expansion cards.

Buy the Roland RD-700GX 88-key Digital Piano

Nord Stage EX 88

I love Nord’s range of keyboards, as much for their look as their capabilities. This 88 note stage piano offers both weighted keys and aftertouch, so it’s great for synth work too. Nevertheless, it’s lightweight, and comes with a range of sounds and effects.

Buy the Nord Stage EX 88, 88-Key Stage Piano

Disclaimer: I receive a small percentage of the sale price for anything you buy here, which goes towards maintaining this site. However, I fully endorse these digital pianos regardless of that, as I believe they are of high build quality and offer a great playing experience.

31 Brilliant Piano Photographs

Here are thirty-one really cool photos of upright and grand pianos, their innards and their surroundings, arty and close-ups.

Click on any of the photos to go to the original Flickr photostream and to view them in larger sizes — many benefit from being seen in much greater detail, particularly those of the insides of pianos.

Enjoy.

1. Grand Piano by Spojení

I love the perspective and colours on this grand piano. Spojení describes it as a “lousy picture” but I really like it.

2. Grand Piano by Kentfield

Yes, really is made out of LEGO. Ironic that this Grand Piano is in fact a tiny model.

3. Grand Piano by crabchick

Another grand piano’s inside here, again with lovely colouring. I love the patterns formed by the strings and how plush everything looks.

4. Grand Piano by unforth

A lovely ornate 19th grand piano, so decorative.

5. Miro Grand Piano by codepo8

Just love the colours and sense of fun of this Schimmel grand piano. Definitely one for the kids… of all ages.

6. Grand Piano by pajp

OK, it’s a really blurry and grainy shot but I still see something artistic in this piano.

7. Under the Hood by warrenski

Yes, another grand piano’s innards. More subtle colours to the previous photos.

8. The Piano by Arjun01

The interior of a baby grand piano, in black and white. Definitely click through to the full size image as the lines of the hammers and strings is pretty special.

9. Ivories by Jono Rotten

Photo of a weathered piano, dirtied keys, fading and bronzing of the ebony.

10. The Piano’s Been Drinking by Hryck.

A close up of damaged keys, this piano’s not in a happy state at all but it’s definitely artistic even if it would be uncomfortable to play.

11. Torley on Piano – awesomelicious art by Wynter Bracken

Just love the colouring on this art composition.

12. Piano Tombstone by NatalieMaynor

Definitely an original gravestone, this.

13. Piano Keys by mararie

These types of shots are very common, but I love the light falling on these keys and the texturing that comes out from them.

14. Piano by MaltaGirl

Lovely black and white shot of an upright piano.

15. Fats Domino’s Piano, Post Katrina by delgaudm

“In the Cabildo in Jackson SQuare, there is a small room with artifacts that will be included in a Katrina Exhibit. One of the items on display is Fats Domino’s piano. This was a practice piano of his, and is pictured on one of his album covers.”

16. Piano Keys by Gog Llundain

Another close-up of piano keys — F, F# and G — with texturing.

17. Dirty Piano Keys by eflon

Shouldn’t let a piano get into this state, but it’s a great shot nonetheless.

18. Piano Strings by easement

More lovely colours and geometry.

19. Chickering piano by ktylerconk

Close-up of the logo of this Chickering piano.

20. Hammer of Piano by Hoder Slanger

Close-up of a piano hammer mechanism.

21. 2 Remaining Pianos by Luiza

Graffiti on these pianos which have been placed outside. Very interesting shot.

22. Moo Piano by Frostey

Definitely decorated as a cow, this upright piano in the meeting house of Friends Camp, South China, Maine.

23. Piano by t.spang

Another piano in house surroundings, with great reflections coming from the polished body and lovely shadow effects.

24. Piano Keys by isaac bowen

A really clean shot of this keys close-up.

25. 2.16.09: ivory by Team Dalog

I really love the colouring, out of focus photo. “A set of keys that haven’t been tickled in a while, I must say. You can see middle C is a little lower than the rest of ‘em, and the reason for this is that it gets stuck all the damn time.”

26. My Love Affair With the Piano by cristina.m

Piano keys trailing into the distance. Lovely perspective and colouring here. The structure of the foreground keys is great.

27. Abandoned by eflon

This is probably the piano that yielded its dirty piano keys. Definitely abandoned. Great shot though.

28. A better class of busker? (mono) by Mrs Logic

This amazing photo definitely needs a closer look. Wonderful composition, bizarre setting.

29. Hammers and Brass by chelseagirl

Another really cool piano innards shot, golds and oranges.

30. The Pink Octave by active metabolite

Just love how this photo has been composed. Great colour.

31. Chords by sanbeiji

Superb close up of the piano strings.

Roland intros new JUNO-Di portable versatile synth

Roland has expanded its line of JUNO synths with the addition of the JUNO-Di.

Features include:

• high portability – can run off batteries
• 1000+ sounds including grand and electric pianos, lush strings, beautiful guitars, powerful brass, percussion, plus banks of exotic instruments, modern synth sounds, and much more.
• Easy sound modification system.
• Simple navigation with dedicated sound category buttons and setting up of layers, splits and rhythms.
• Large LCD.
• Microphone input and vocoder section.
• Built-in USB-based song player

Full specifications below:

Product page | Buy Roland JUNO synths at Amazon

Moog to end Voyager Old School production

Moog Music has announced that only 40 more Voyager Old School synthesizers will be built.

If you need some encouragement to go and get a first (or second) Voyager OS, take a look at what Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman has to say:

“Only Bob Moog could come up with a unique machine such as this. In the 70′s, the original Minimoog changed the face of music with it’s incredible sounds that were an absolute must for keyboard featured themes and solos, and the Voyager is no less than a 21st century equivalent.

My advice to anyone who has ever owned a Minimoog and loved it, is to go straight out and to buy a Voyager…and if you’re a keyboard player and have never had the pleasure of owning or playing a Minimoog…then go out and get a Voyager anyway, you will never regret it.

Quite simply it’s an absolute necessity for any keyboard rig, but has created a problem for me, as when I fall in love with something such as the Voyager, and also being the eccentric I am, I have found that I cannot be happy with just the one and will therefore be getting a second as soon as possible!”

Van Cliburn 2009 piano finalists announced

The thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition now has six chosen finalists.

They are:

• Mr. Evgeni Bozhanov, 25 (Bulgaria)
• Ms. Yeol Eum Son, 23 (South Korea)
• Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii, 20 (Japan)
• Ms. Mariangela Vacatello, 27 (Italy)
• Ms. Di Wu, 24 (China)
• Mr. Haochen Zhang, 19 (China)

Each pianist will perform two concerti of his/her choice with the acclaimed Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of renowned American conductor James Conlon. Each finalist will also perform a fifty-minute solo recital of works not performed in previous rounds.

The Final Round will be held Wednesday, June 3 through Sunday, June 7, and every concert will feature three artists.

There will be live webcasts of the finalists performing in rehearsals and during the competition with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Here are brief biographies of the finalists:

Evgeni Bozhanov, 24 (Bulgaria)

Evgeni Bozhanov was born in Rousse, Bulgaria, and made his orchestral debut with his hometown orchestra at age twelve. Currently pursuing post-graduate studies at the Robert Schumann Musikhochschule in Duesseldorf, Germany, he earned top prizes at both the 2008 Casagrande (Terni, Italy), and Sviatoslav Richter (Moscow, Russia) competitions. Also first-prize winner at the Carl Beckstein Competition in 2006, he has performed in several major concert halls in Germany and looks forward to a tour of Italian cities.

Yeol Eum Son, 23 (South Korea)

Yeol Eum Son has performed with the Israel, New York, Seoul, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras, among other noted orchestras. Third-prize winner of the 2005 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition, Ms. Son has made debuts at several international music festivals, including the Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw, the Rheingau Festival in Germany, and the Bowdoin Festival in the United States. She currently studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover, Germany, and has recorded a CD of Chopin etudes for Universal Music in Korea.

Nobuyuki Tsujii, 20 (Japan)

Nobuyuki Tsujii’s performance credits include the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, and Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. At the age of twelve, he made noted recital debuts at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. An acclaimed debut album released by Avex classics in 2007 led to a fifteen-city tour of Japan and a second CD featuring Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, released in 2008. Blind since birth, Mr. Tsujii states his firm belief that “there are no barriers in the field of music.” He participates in the performer’s program at the Ueno Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo.

Mariangela Vacatello, 27 (Italy)

Born in Naples to a musical family, Mariangela Vacatello made her official debut in Milan with the Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra when she was fourteen. At seventeen, she was second-prize winner of the 1999 Liszt Piano Competition (Utrecht, Netherlands), and in 2005 she was awarded the same distinction at the Busoni Competition (Italy). Ms. Vacatello has performed in Italy’s most renowned concert halls and festivals. Recent international engagements include recitals at Brussels’ Palais des Beaux Arts, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Montpellier Festival and Salle Cortot in France, and extensive tours throughout Mexico and South Africa. She is a graduate of both the Piano Academy “Incontri col Maestro” in Imola, Italy, and of London’s Royal Academy of Music.

Di Wu, 24, (China)

Recently singled out by Musical America as a young artist to watch, Di Wu made her orchestral debut with the Beijing Symphony at age fourteen. She is currently enrolled in Juilliard’s artist diploma program and has performed with the National, New Jersey, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, and twice with the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. International engagements include recitals at the Busoni International Piano Festival in Italy and at Germany’s Klavier Festival Ruhr, as well as at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Winner of Juilliard’s 2009 William Petschek Award, Ms. Wu will make her Alice Tully Hall recital debut at Lincoln Center in May 2009.

Haochen Zhang, 19 (China)

The youngest participant in the 2009 Cliburn Competition, Haochen Zhang gave his debut recital at the Shanghai Music Hall at the age of five, performing all of Bach’s two-part inventions, as well as sonatas by Haydn and Mozart. He performed with orchestra at age six, and moved to the United States at fifteen to attend the Curtis Institute of Music. First-prize winner of the 2007 China International Piano Competition, Mr. Zhang has performed with the China National Symphony Orchestra, Krakow State Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and has concertized throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. He also excels at ping pong and enjoys writing poetry.

SCHEDULE OF FINAL ROUND PERFORMANCES

Wednesday, June 3
Evening Performance:
7:30pm – Ms. Mariangela Vacatello (Recital)
intermission
8:45pm – Mr. Evgeni Bozhanov (Chopin, Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op. 11)
intermission
9:45pm – Ms. Di Wu (Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19)

Thursday, June 4
Evening Performance:
7:30pm – Ms. Yeol Eum Son (Recital)
intermission
8:45pm – Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii (Chopin, Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op. 11)
intermission
9:45pm – Mr. Haochen Zhang (Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466)

Friday, June 5
Evening Performance:
7:30pm – Mr. Evgeni Bozhanov (Recital)
intermission
8:45pm – Ms. Yeol Eum Son (Chopin, Piano Concerto No.2 in E minor, Op. 21)
intermission
9:45pm – Ms. Mariangela Vacatello (Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58)

Saturday, June 6
Matinee Performance:
1:30pm – Mr. Haochen Zhang (Recital)
intermission
2:45pm – Ms. Yeol Eum Son (Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16)
intermission
3:45pm – Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii (Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18)

Evening Performance:
7:30pm – Ms. Di Wu (Recital)
intermission
8:45pm – Mr. Evgeni Bozhanov (Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18)
intermission
9:45pm – Ms. Mariangela Vacatello (Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26)

Sunday, June 7
Matinee Performance:
1:30pm – Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii (Recital)
intermission
2:45pm – Mr. Haochen Zhang (Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16)
intermission
3:45pm – Ms. Di Wu (Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30)

5:00pm – Awards Ceremony

Van Cliburn Foundation

Find: Modified Casio SK-1 Sampling Keyboard

Here, a Casio SK-1 Sampling Keyboard has been modified by placing it in Moog-like housing and adding more.

Seller Chris describes it:

Casio SK-1 in Moog-ish Housing with full 2 channel 20 Input RCA Patch-bay, Pitch and Polyphonic Potentiometers, 4 Momentary Push Buttons with Corresponding Potentiometers, 2 Normally Open Glitch Push Buttons, Hard and Soft Reset, 2 Antennas that act as body contacts for pitch control, 1/4 inch Output and Input for Microphone, and a Distortion Toggle. There are also two extra 1/4 inch plugs which could be used as thru’s or extra inputs or outputs. The sides are inch thick Birch Ply-board stained to a darker maple finish, the front and back panels are 1/4 inch Birch Ply-board in a vintage pale green. The sampling function works fine and with the 1/4 input you can run a guitar or just about anything in.

$500 – Link

Piano Craft: Miniature Piano Pendant Necklace

For the piano lover who wants to wear their passion as jewellery, how about this Miniature Piano Pendant Necklace.

Made from silver metal and hanging on a silver chain, It’s only $6.90 and definitely makes a slightly different statement.

Link