Smallwood's Piano Tutor

Synopsis

Smallwood's Piano Tutor starts by introducing beginner players to the very basics of musical theory: measures, names of notes, clefs, time, etc. The player is then guided through elementary daily exercises and eventually introduced to major and minor scales with complimentary short pieces which makes use of the appropriate scale progression. This tutor also includes a very useful dictionary of musical terms.

Summary

Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Piano
The first chapter of Smallwood's Piano Tutor introduces the reader to the basics of the piano. It explains the layout of the keyboard and how to identify the different keys. It also talks about proper posture and hand placement.

Example: Sarah has always been interested in learning how to play the piano. She reads the first chapter of Smallwood's Piano Tutor and takes note of the proper hand placement and posture. She then sits down at her piano and practices placing her hands on the keyboard in the correct position.

Chapter 2: Understanding Rhythm
This chapter delves into the concept of rhythm and its importance in piano playing. It explains the different time signatures and how to count beats. It also introduces the concept of using a metronome.

Example: John has been playing the piano for a few months but has always struggled with keeping a steady rhythm. He reads chapter 2 of Smallwood's Piano Tutor and learns about time signatures. He then practices counting beats and uses a metronome to help him stay on tempo.

Chapter 3: Playing with Proper Technique
Chapter 3 focuses on the importance of proper technique when playing the piano. It discusses finger placement, hand position, and how to produce a good tone from the keys. It also introduces scales and arpeggios.

Example: Emily has been self-teaching herself how to play the piano and has developed some bad habits. After reading chapter 3, she realizes the importance of proper technique and starts to retrain her fingers to play with the correct finger placement and hand position. She also starts practicing scales and arpeggios to improve her overall technique.

Chapter 4: Reading Sheet Music
In this chapter, Smallwood's Piano Tutor teaches the basics of reading sheet music. It covers the musical alphabet, note values, and how to read both treble and bass clef.

Example: Michael has always been intimidated by sheet music and has only relied on playing by ear. He decides to give reading sheet music a try after reading chapter 4 of Smallwood's Piano Tutor. He learns the musical alphabet and how to identify notes on both clefs.

Chapter 5: Playing Simple Pieces
Chapter 5 introduces the reader to playing simple pieces on the piano. It teaches basic melodies and chords and how to combine them to create a song.

Example: After mastering the basics of sheet music, Michael decides to try playing a simple piece as suggested in chapter 5. He follows the instructions and successfully plays his first song on the piano.

Chapter 6: Introducing Dynamics
This chapter focuses on dynamics, which is the volume or intensity of a piece of music. It teaches how to recognize and play different dynamics such as pianissimo and fortissimo.

Example: Sarah has been playing some easy pieces on the piano but wants to take her playing to the next level. She reads chapter 6 and starts practicing playing at various dynamics. She also pays more attention to the dynamics written on her sheet music.

Chapter 7: Developing Hand Independence
Chapter 7 deals with the important skill of hand independence. It teaches how to play different rhythms with each hand and also how to play different melodies with each hand.

Example: John has been struggling with playing with both hands simultaneously. He reads chapter 7 and starts practicing hand independence exercises. He slowly works his way up to being able to play different rhythms and melodies with each hand.

Chapter 8: Learning to Play with Expression
This chapter delves into expressing emotions through playing the piano. It teaches different techniques such as phrasing, dynamics, and pedal usage to add expression to a piece of music.

Example: Emily has been practicing playing simple pieces and has started to feel like her playing lacks emotion. She reads chapter 8 and learns about different techniques to add expression to her playing. She practices using dynamics and pedal usage to make her playing more expressive.

Chapter 9: Playing Chords and Accompaniments
Chapter 9 introduces chords and how to use them to accompany a melody. It also teaches different chord progressions and how to use them in a song.

Example: After learning about basic chords in chapter 9, Michael decides to try accompanying a song with his playing. He follows the instructions in the book and successfully plays chords while singing along to his favorite song.

Chapter 10: Putting it All Together
The final chapter of Smallwood's Piano Tutor brings everything together and encourages the reader to continue practicing and learning new pieces. It also provides tips on how to improve and how to continue progressing as a piano player.

Example: Sarah has been following Smallwood's Piano Tutor diligently and has come a long way in her piano playing. She reaches the last chapter and is pleased to see how much she has learned. She takes the advice and continues to practice and improve her skills as a piano player.