Piano Tricks of the Trade -
How Does It Compare?
Product OverviewMastering
piano tricks of
the trade can take years – unless you have a teacher that knows
how to cut through the clutter. That’s the focus behind “Mr. Ron’s”
products:
- Piano Tricks of the Trade
a multimedia eBook
his monthly lessons
and his DVD for “Visual Learners”
Mr. Ron believes in teaching one step at a time and having
the student repeat the lesson over and over. In this way, the chord or
progression becomes imprinted in the student’s mind. I can
appreciate the logic behind this approach; too many instructors teach
you a chord and move on. Becoming skilled at playing one or two chords
at a time can add permanence to the lesson.
Students are
encouraged to play daily; however, Mr. Ron says 5 to 15 minutes of study
are all that’s needed to master the material. That may depend on the
individual, although I can’t imagine many people having a problem
picking up a basic routine with that amount of exposure to it. Perhaps
the greater challenge, for busy adults anyway, would be fully committing
to a daily regimen of piano exercises – no matter how brief.
Topics include:
Piano Tricks of the Trade
includes:
- The Time Signature
- Basic Rhythm Notation
- Rhythm Note Divisions
- "Clapping" Exercises
- Finger Numbers
- Keyboard Geography
- The Treble Clef
- The Bass Clef
- How to Use the Black Keys
- Scales Steps
- Your First Melody
- Chord Inversions
- Left Hand Chord Exercises
- I-V7 Chord Progressions
- I-IV-V7 Chord Progressions
- 16-Bar Right Hand Melody Exercise
- Arpeggio Exercises
- Easy Pop and Smooth Jazz "Two-Handed" Chord Progressions
- I-ii-V7 Chord Progressions (Audio)
- ii-V7-I Chord Progressions (Audio)
- Preparatory Exercises
- Major Triad Exercises
- Video Instructional Clips
- Lead Sheet Interpretations
- ii-V7-I (9th, 11th and 13th) Chord Progression Studies (ALL 12
Keys) as used in JAZZ and Cocktail Piano
In addition to the program, Mr. Ron includes one year’s access to sheet
music and lessons to help you learn to read music. He also
provides his personal phone number to call him for assistance.
It’s hard to beat that level of support.
There’s no question
that Mr. Ron is an accomplished musician, and this is reflected in his
learning materials. We should give fair warning that his website is a
bit of a jungle in terms of content. He utilizes a lot of text
formatting to emphasize key words and phrases, which can become tedious.
Further, every so often your reading is interrupted by a testimonial or
a sales pitch or some graphic element to further excite visitors. No
doubt, Mr. Ron has employed an equally talented web marketer to promote
his products. Perhaps the services of a graphic designer are in order.
Stand-Out Features
The lessons are engaging and well planned out. But even if a
student struggles with a particular task, help is a free phone call
away. And it will be Mr. Ron himself on the other end of the call.
This greatly contributes to the value of this seemingly pricey package.
Also, many bonuses are included with your purchase to sweeten the pot.
Best of all, you can hear Mr. Ron’s own superb playing ability
when you visit the site...Just make sure your speakers are turned
on.
ConsSome may feel Piano Tricks of the Trade isn’t truly
for beginners; it’s more for those who have at least acquainted
themselves with the basics. Also, his lessons don’t come as cheaply as
the competition’s. But the value of the program can be priceless for the
eager student.Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Mr. Ron’s unique
lessons and his no-nonsense advice simply work. If you’re looking
for a program that will
grow with your skill level, this is it. The premium price is
matched by a slew of extras. You won’t be disappointed.
Back to the top of "Piano Tricks of the Trade " |
