The Piano System was launched in December 2008 and claims to be "the most comprehensive piano training course" available. Creator Nathan Bosch promises to teach anyone to play the piano by ear. His $US147 tuition package is made up of beginner, intermediate, and advanced level DVDs, two play-along DVDs and CDs, and two booklets. An animated piano graphic illuminates the keys as Bosch plays.
The Piano System Method
The 12 Steps to Playing Piano DVD is an introduction to the piano and the rest of the course. Originally released as a pre-launch teaser to the Piano System, these lessons look at the C major and G major scales, basic chords and progressions and rhythms.
The beginner DVD covers hand positioning, fingering, pedalling, and basic music theory. Bosch also teaches you some simple original songs that utilise the techniques that have been learned.
The intermediate DVD expands on your music theory. Bosch shows you the basics of music notation, as well as interval recognition, scales and keys, and building increasingly complex chords. It also covers chord progressions, tips on working out songs by ear and improvisation, and some of the elements of blues, country, and gospel music.
The advanced DVD looks at elements of jazz and rock 'n' roll, and briefly discusses dynamics and timing, before ending with four piano solos from Bosch.
The play-along DVDs include band performances and piano tutorials of 14 original songs, as well as the 12-Bar Blues and Bosch's arrangement of Christian hymm Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. The play-along CDs contain all 16 songs with the piano tracks removed. Lead sheets for the songs are included.
Advantages and Disadvantages of The Piano System
While the focus is on popular and contemporary music styles, The Piano System is influenced by Bosch's classical training. The Piano System is, in many ways, a simplified version of traditional piano lessons, but with one key difference: the focus is on playing and listening to the music rather than reading it.
What may take years to learn in traditional lessons is condensed into hours, providing students with the tools to continually grow as musicians. However, this is no quick fix. Even though they have been broken down and simplified, Bosch correctly emphasises that lots of practise is still required to master the concepts. The aim is to provide a solid musical foundation that some online courses overlook. On the other hand, much of this may be tedious to watch and practise, and harder to follow without the guidance of a live teacher.
Getting the most out of this course requires a great deal of commitment and some self-experimentation. Bosch is there to provide the training wheels and a push.
See Also
An Overview of Pattern Piano and Keyboard
 |
