I have been playing the piano for more than 30 years. I remember those agonising hours stuck in a room with my music teacher whilst my friends were either riding a bike or kicking a ball outside. It seemed like eternity, not to mention the hundreds of hours required for practice. Worse still. what is Chopin and Mozart to a 6 year old kid when everyone else is playing popular tunes by the Beatles?

I learnt music the difficult way. Teaching methods then were traditional and painfully ineffective. A kid can go through the entire ABRSM music course accredited by the London Schools of Music without developing a good sense of musical hearing. In addition, an appreciation for the works of the great composers, the different music era from the Baroque, classical, romantic to the 20th century, the different musical forms and the orchestra is hardly taught in a systematic and effective way. Fortunately for me, I had a relatively good sense of musical hearing from a young age and it helped me to develop my skills in playing.

This is an excellent introduction to learning the piano.

Many beginners and aspiring musicians wonder if they can teach themselves piano. Many great musicians and piano players of the past did not have any formal training. Technology has become a significant enabler in teaching methods.

I would highly recommend this product because it uses technology to simplify the learning process and make it as easy as possible. It also emphasizes the development of aural skills. Too many beginners are eager to "get stuck into playing" without firstly understanding the basics of a scale, musical intervals, developing a sense of timing and tempo and basic exercises for the fingers. Within a day, you will have learnt to play a scale, which is the base for playing a melody. It teaches harmony in a far different way compared to how I was taught. Good harmonisation and chord progression is the basis for good musical arrangements.

To me, spending $39.95 to get started is a very small investment for something that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

For anyone who has comtemplated studying the piano, my advice is to first understand and appreciate all the different elements of music ~ the basic theory, different musical instruments, the great composers and how the different eras of music run in parallel with the eras of art. Music offers a different dimension in thinking. Although I studied the piano the difficult way, children today need not go through the same torment as the methodologies of teaching music has tremendously improved with the advancement of technology. Digital pianos abound and help a child with the physical aspects of learning while there are new methods for the development of aural skills.

I believe the piano is by far the easiest musical instrument (apart from the triangle, perhaps!) to learn because the entire scale is right in front of you at the press of a key. You do not need to "create" a note unlike the trumpet or a violin. However, to play the piano well, and to play it with good expression and clinical dexterity requires years and even decades of practice. It also requires a deep appreciation of the different ways in which music is composed. Being able to interpret the works of the great composers and doing it well, is the ultimate reward to years of practice.

When I sit by my piano today, I am now glad that I wasn't one of those kids riding a bike or kicking that ball outside.

I used the first edition of this book as a student in the early 1980s. Today, I am still referring to this book, albeit the latest edition. It provides a very comprehensive view of music ~ from its beginnings, musical forms, music instruments, the orchestra and great composers to the modern era of Michael Jackson and Alicia Keys. A must for every aspiring music student.

My favourite pianist, among many, is Lang Lang. He is a musical genius with a huge repetoire and is regarded as one of the world's leading pianists. He made his debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of 21 to thunderous reviews and accolades.

I like Lang Lang because his style is passionate and emotional, yet always maintaining total control and his playing epitomizes what it means to be in "the zone" ~ where skill is so perfect, it becomes one with how nature intended it to be. Here is a video clip of Lang Lang at his Carnegie Hall debut playing Chopin's Nocturne in D flat major, which incidentally is also one of my favourite pieces. Enjoy!