 I'll bet your piano teacher sent you over here... |
| Review Date: June 14, 2001 |
| Reviewer: Eddie Landsberg, Tokyo, Japan |
| As a child, I hated technical exercise books like this. I remember the old teacher with the ruler, the Bartok book, the red pen, the check marks the circles, and ahhhhhhhhhh... I shudder... But now, years later, I've not only become a professional Jazz musician, but I teach too, and you know something, even though my particular method of teaching involves very little reading (mainly because I teach Jazz improv) this is the one book that not only do I reccomend to my students, but also that I've started picking up again, because actually the exercises are relevent to players of all levels. The reason is because regardless of what type of music you play, the finger pattern exercises in this book are universal and relevent. On the surface they look very simple, almost childish compared to some of the more nightmarish books (Czerny, anyone?) but the truth is, once you've mastered them, melodies will fall under your fingers and hopefully you'll feel as home on your piano as you do on your computer keyboard ... |
These exercises really work.
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| Review Date: August 20, 2003 |
| Reviewer: Michael P. Cohan, St. Louis, MO United States |
| If you want to strengthen your fingers and learn note patterns relevant to all types of music, you need this book. Yes, the exercises sound repetitive, and they'll drive anyone listening to you practice them nuts, but they work. And after practicing them for a while, you begin to realize that they are not as repetitive as they seem. The patterns vary in a way that becomes more obvious as you practice them more. The exercises are carefully designed to (1) strengthen the weak fingers of the hand (3-4-5), and (2) teach patterns of notes that recur not only in classical music but in melodies of all types of music. Each exercise varies in a manner that rests the fingers worked on in the previous exercise, so you can play through a series of them without overly tiring out your hands. For this reason they work great as warm-ups. The book is divided into three sections of 20 exercises each. I use the first 20 as warm-ups, playing them for about 15 minutes. The later exercises are more advanced and teach things like fast running octaves, arpeggios, and repeated notes. Since I started using these exercises, my hands are noticably stronger. I've been playing piano for 32+ years, and play at an advanced level. But these exercises (at least numbers 1 through 20) would be useful for a pianist of any level, from beginner to advanced. Yes, they can be boring to play, but the improvement you will notice from 15-20 minutes a day is worth it. |
Wow...
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| Review Date: July 6, 2005 |
| Reviewer: , |
I'm a beginner pianist and my teacher felt it necessary to have me not only practise my scales but also to strengthen my fingers, and so she gave me this book. I can't believe the difference its made. My fingers are a hundred times stronger than before!
When I first opened the book the first words out of my mouth were "You want me to play THIS!?!?!?!". But when I started playing them I realized they were actually really simple. Once you learn the first measure, you pretty much know the rest of the excersise. The excercises were really tiring at first, but after only a few days I could play the first six 4 times in a row without feeling overly tired.
I had some trouble with some of the later exercises (I've only gotten up to # 15), but that was because I didn't spend enough time on the earlier ones. Each excercise builds for the next, so that when you finish one your all ready for the following one. I don't think any of the excercises will be hard if I study the excersises I already know.
I think the excersises are alot more fun than some of the other things my teacher wants me to play. I don't think their annoying even if I repeat one over and over. I highly recomend this book. |
prefer spiral binding
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| Review Date: January 10, 2004 |
| Reviewer: Michael J. Cashen, Glen Burnie, MD USA |
| For $8.95 list, Alfred has a spiral bound edition of this great exercise book |
Hanon hurts, but in a good way!
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| Review Date: July 14, 2002 |
| Reviewer: S. Guy, Charlottesville, VA USA |
| Hanon is a great tool to pianists of all levels. The only limit is your discipline to practice it. 15-30 minutes a day minimum will yield excellent results that you will notice quickly. I also recommend it as a warm up before you begin to practice actual music. If you think there is a ceiling to your ability, I guarantee you, you don't know what it is. Practicing these exercises will enable you to play better over time than you imagined. Practice practice practice! |
A must have for any pianist!
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| Review Date: February 16, 2006 |
| Reviewer: ck_361, |
This is a wonderful resource every pianist should have!
I work on a new exercise every week and it's amazing how much I've improved in just 8 weeks! My scales are smooth and faster, and my fingering, which was seriously lacking, is right on track.
In regards to the person who stated this is for the experienced pianist; this is a book you can grow with. It starts out with easy exercises and progressively introduces harder ones. Don't be discouraged if all you see is black on the pages. Take the first exercise and practice it s-l-o-w-l-y. Unlock the problem of each exercise by learning the correct fingering first, which is shown at the beginning of each piece. Be consistent. As you improve play it faster. Then move on to the next exercise.
It takes practice to get better and this is the best resource out there. Don't be discouraged. It works!
|
This is a great aid to strengthening your piano playing skills
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| Review Date: August 27, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Patricia A. Hanahoe-dosch, Lodi, NJ |
| These exercises have made a huge difference in my ability to play the piano. I am now up to the third part and have found that doing all the exercises at least once four or five times a week (I try to do part I everyday) has made my fingers, wrists, and hands stronger and more versatile. They have also helped me figure out many different technical issues with fingering and other things. A good teacher should start his/her students with the first exercise as beginners and slowly move them into the others as they advance. For intermediate or advanced students, like me you can leap in and work your way through them on your own. These exercises make a huge difference! |
Still the best
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| Review Date: April 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: S. Pompa, Maryland |
Hanon's Virtuoso Pianist is still the best single-volume work for the pianist. It has everything: five-note patters to improve the strength of all the fingers (particularly 4th and 5th), scales (even the dreaded scales in double-thirds!), arpeggios. If you can be patient and work hard, the rewards are priceless. And, some people have mentioned "feeling the burn" when doing the exercises. If you feel a burning sensation, STOP. Playing the piano correctly should neither hurt nor burn.
While the demands on a pianist have certainly increased since Hanon wrote his exercises, so many technical problems can be eliminated after a complete mastery of this book. If you master this book--you can do EVERY exercise in EVERY key to the metronome specification--you are well on your way to virtuosity. |
Review of "Virtuoso Pianist Complete 60"
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| Review Date: April 6, 2000 |
| Reviewer: , |
| For the price it sells for it is a steal. It contains exercises for pianists for all experience levels from beginner to the master. The techniques that Hanon uses almost guarantees that anyone who them can become stronger and better pianists. |
The Best Piano Exercise Book I've Tried
|
| Review Date: July 20, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Eric C. Sedensky, Madison, AL, US |
| For various reasons, I've had to give up on the idea of formal piano instruction. Making a go of it on my own, I felt that buying a collection of instructive manuals in technique, music reading, drills (scales and arpeggios) and general piano would be the best way to teach myself. After considering Czerny and Hanon for the drills portion, I ultimately bought this comprehensive book. I have been very satisfied. The exercises are carefully laid out and are explained in some detail. The author offers plenty of (pretty strict) advice for making the exercises as productive as possible. As advertised, the exercises are staggered in such a manner that running through two or three or more of them in succession does not unduly fatigue the hands and fingers. In fact, after covering several exercises, my hands actually feel quite invigorated. I've also found that when I come back to a set of exercises after just a day or so, I'm able to get through them in a very quick and facile manner. Honestly, I feel better at the keyboard and I think I sound better. So far, though, I have to say that for all that, the exercises are dreadfully boring. Well, that's to be understood, however, since they are exercises, so I went ahead and gave the book five stars. Promise yourself to play something lively and fun after you plunk at these exercises for a half hour or so, and listen as your playing begins to even out and your hands take you to musical places you've never been before. Hanon works for me, it should work for you, too! |
The classic finger exercises book!
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| Review Date: June 10, 2002 |
| Reviewer: Claus Hetting, Gentofte, Copenhagen Denmark |
| This book is a classic, and for a good reason. It provides an excellent framework (for students at all leves) to achieve finger independence and dexterity. Part One essentially is 5-tone exercises, while Part Two continues with scale studies, and double stops. Hanon himself proposes that the whole volume be played through daily (after familiarizing oneself with the material). For most this is a bit over the top, but certainly 15-20 minutes a day will do all pianists a lot of good. Don't forget to read Hanon's comments carefully and follow his instructions. And finally, at this price this book is a STEAL!!! |
A guitarist uses Hanon
|
| Review Date: January 15, 2007 |
| Reviewer: P. Hanks, Michigan, USA |
| Way back in the days of Beatlemania, at a time when I had had about five years of piano lessons, and was beginning to play Bach's Eighteen Little Preludes and Fugues, I got my first guitar, and, not too very long after that, abandoned my studies of the piano. I played in a rock band, studied with a really fine jazz guitarist, ended up getting a Master of Music degree in classical guitar performance, and then, ended up playing electric bass in a rock band for three years. When I taught private lessons, which I did for a long time, I always emphasised finger and hand conditioning, that students get their hands in shape, that they learn their scales, finger exercises, etc., so that their fingers would always be strong and flexible enough to efficiently do whatever the music might require of the hands and fingers. When I met my wife, (who is a singer/songwriter), I began accompanying for her, both on guitar and keyboard. It was then that I re-discovered Hanon. As both a guitarist and keyboardist, I cannot recommend these exercises too much! Andres Segovia talked about scale work and technical exercises as important for producing "physical beauty of tone." To me this means that the way the hands address the guitar strings, (or piano keyboard), occurs in such a way that the quality of the tone is enhanced by the very nature of the manual contact itself. If you wish to condition the hands to automatically play the piano with strength, confidence, assurance, and control, and to do so with ease, then Hanon is for you. If you play any other instrument that requires you to use your hands, then Hanon will help you maintain your hands in tip-top overall condition for your instrument, (even if you just play the first twenty exercises). Is Hanon repetitious? Yes! Does my wife like to listen to the Hanon exercises being played? No! Does she like being accompanied by someone who practises these execises? Yes! Is Hanon worth it? To me, and to many others, yes! Whatever your musical endeavours may be, Hanon will help you play better, and will do so in a remarkably short length of time. Do yourself a favour and give Hanon a fair chance. You will not regret it! Wishing you good music making! |
The book we love to hate
|
| Review Date: August 16, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Jill, USA |
| I took a year of piano when I was in primary school and then quit. I am now a senior in high school and have been teaching myself piano for the last 5 years. I use these exercises as a warmup for at least 20 minutes every day, and could tell immediately after starting how much it helped me. The exercises can get very monotonous and they drive my younger sister up the wall. But they work. I just started piano lessons a few weeks ago, and my teacher was amazed how far I progressed on my own, most of which I credit to Hannon. I hate doing these exercises with a passion, but the benefits outway the bordom by far, and I will continue to use this book for many years. |
I wish I had this book earlier.
|
| Review Date: January 16, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Douglas E. Wong, Riverside, CA |
I went through 7 or 8 years of taking piano lessons as a child before quitting. I still dabbled here and there, but was ultimately all-too-aware of my lack of fitness. So, years later, I did some research, and based on the reviews here, bought this book.
And boy am I ever glad I did. I only wish I had gotten it sooner. Growing up, I was told to practice this scale and that, 5 times each hand, blah blah. But having a method now, with recommended tempos, a strict regimen, guidance! It's a godsend.
Now, instead of playing the same Ben Folds lick over and over again until I hate it, I can play this over and over again, and then switch over to Ben Folds, play it, and not be absolutely sick of it just when I can actually play it.
Part of the appeal is also this: I can literally "feel the burn." And it makes all the difference, in that I feel like I'm making some serious progress every time I run through these exercises.
If you haven't ever played this, buy it. If you're a teacher, recommend it to your students.
I heard about it 20 years too late. |
Invaluable if used correctly
|
| Review Date: January 22, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Johnny, Boston, MA |
This is an essential book for pianists who are serious about improving their technique. Casual pianists may find the excercises repetitive and boring, but those who have the desire to improve will find them extremely rewarding. I find that these excercises have a pleasant sound and I do not get bored of them, but not everyone sees them so favorably in that respect.
One point of note: you will not derive much value from this book if you do not practice the excercises intently. I used to play the book incorrectly; I thought I had completed the majority of the first section when, in fact, I had not completed a single excercise to a satisfactory level. Some say that hanon can be played while the mind wanders; this is incorrect until you are VERY familiar with the excercise in question. Take special care that every note is played perfectly evenly, that every finger moves confidently and efficiently. Make sure that your weak fingers make the same mechanical motion as your strong fingers, and only then will the benefits become apparent.
Once I started focusing on these points, Hanon became truly valuable...and enjoyable! |
The most valuable piano resource you'll ever own
|
| Review Date: April 28, 2001 |
| Reviewer: Michael, Jupiter, FL, USA |
This book can (and WILL) actually take you from a beginner-intermediate level to virtuoso pianist status. The introduction of the book states that a person can start using this book as early as one year of lessons! If you've been studying piano for at least one year, you should get this book...NOW!
A metronome is very helpful. Usually, each exercise has both hands doing the same thing in sixteenth note, one or two measure patterns. The book suggests you start each exercise at a metronome marking of 60, and gradually (at your own pace) increase the speed to 108.
Virtuoso Pianist is divided into three 20-exercise sections. Within each section, detailed instructions and tips are given on HOW to play each piece, HOW MANY TIME to play each piece, and WHAT the piece helps strengthen. The organization of the book is flawless.
... You simply can't afford to pass this up. Whether you are abeginner or an advanced student, this is the book you're looking forto take you to the next level. |
Hanon : A Classic book
|
| Review Date: March 14, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Mete Ibanoglu, Ankara, Turkey |
Hi there,
I'm a piano student and would like to tell everyone that this book is a great book for building dexterity and strengthening fingers. This book is not for beginners, no matter what all the people say. True, first exercises are easy and they get progressively harder, but beginners should go with Beyer first. Perhaps something easier.
I'm also against the idea that "I can learn piano on my own." Unless you are an extremely talented person you can't do it on your own in the correct way, even the most talented pianists took courses. This is a fact. For classical piano at least, I can't comment on jazz or other types of music.
My advice would be to find a good piano instructor and study with him/her. This book will be of utmost importance in further studies. Even the great master Horowitz was very fond of this book, supposedly he was entombed with his copy of Hanon. |
great book!...
|
| Review Date: May 23, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Will Mcphee, Concord, Ca |
The reason why I love this book is because the drills get progressively difficult, but at a pace that is totally manageable... If you can get through this book and you can read music, I'm a firm believer that you will be able to play most anything that you wish to...
The drills contained in this book can knock 5-10 years off of taking piano lessons etc. There are generally two aspects of piano playing, reading music and technical ability and dexterity... This book can help elevate your technical ability and dexterity and confidence very effectively in a relatively short period of time with focused effort... It's a great book for the practicing technical pianist! |
Necessary Evil
|
| Review Date: December 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Gareth Scullion, |
This book is B.O.R.I.N.G.
That said, practicing exercises in it has made me a much better pianist thus far. I've been playing them for about two weeks, and right now I can get through the first part in about an hour. I'm still not near where I need to be, but this book is helping me get their faster than I could have imagined. |
brings you right up to speed in record time
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| Review Date: July 25, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Peggy Miller, Akron, NY USA |
| I broke my wrist. I couldn't play the piano, very frustrating. Once the brace came off I couldn't move my fingers, even more frustrating. I pulled out this book and started my drills - slow at first. Wrist and finger flexibility returned in record time. As a child, I resented this book - as an adult I recommend this book. If you've been away from the piano and need to get up to speed on it again, this is your book. |
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