Introduction 1 Book I: Piano & Keyboard 101 5 Chapter 1: Warming Up to the Piano and Keyboard 7 Chapter 2: Looking at the Different Keyboard Options 21 Chapter 3: Choosing and Buying Your Keyboard 41 Chapter 4: The Setup and Care of Your Instrument 63 Chapter 5: Getting Comfy at the Keyboard 81 Book II: Understanding Theory and the Language of Music 97 Chapter 1: Looking at Notes and Beats 99 Chapter 2: Stopping for a Rest 109 Chapter 3: Tempo, Measures, and Time Signatures 115 Chapter 4: Navigating Sheet Music 125 Chapter 5: Varying Beats and Rhythms 137 Book III: Beginning to Play 153 Chapter 1: Playing a Melody 155 Chapter 2: Working with Scales 171 Chapter 3: Adding the Left Hand 187 Chapter 4: Examining Form: Melody, Harmony, and Song Form 209 Chapter 5: Keys, Key Signatures, and the Circle of Fifths 235 Chapter 6: Building Chords to Accompany Melodies 257 Book IV: Refining Your Technique and Exploring Styles 281 Chapter 1: Adding Effects and Flair to Your Piano Playing 283 Chapter 2: Getting into the Groove 305 Chapter 3: Going Classical 325 Chapter 4: Perusing Popular Genres and Forms 337 Book V: Exercises: Practice, Practice, Practice 357 Chapter 1: Developing Hand Technique 359 Chapter 2: Extending Your Scales 387 Chapter 3: Improving Finger Coordination and Footwork 409 Chapter 4: Jumping Across the Keyboard 429 Chapter 5: Exercising with Arpeggios and Alternating Hands 443 Chapter 6: Stepping Up to Octaves and Chord Progressions 463 Book VI: Exploring Electronic Keyboard Technology 479 Chapter 1: Choosing Sounds and Effects 481 Chapter 2: Adding Accompaniment, Rhythm Patterns, and Arpeggiation 499 Chapter 3: Recording and Editing Your Sounds 525 Chapter 4: Using Onboard Learning Systems 551 Chapter 5: Playing Along with Recordings and Using Music Software 565 Appendix: Accessing the Audio Tracks 593 Index 601.