Rock Keyboard - The Complete Guide Book with Online Audio (Hal Leonard Keyboard Style) | Learn Rock Piano Techniques & Play Along Tracks for Performances & Practice

This is probably my all-time favorite practice book, definitely for keyboard and probably for any instrument! I purchased it 2.5 years ago and still use it constantly. My favorite part is that the author provides some discussion of music theory with the practice drills, but doesn't get bogged down in it. I'm almost entirely self-taught and (unfortunately) the result is that I'm generally slower to recognize even the fundamental elements of a piece (e.g., key signature, modulation) without guidance. The author's helpful comments explain what are the primary components of the drill (or section, as not every drill has prefatory text) and what's happening within the piece; even better, with this practical knowledge, I've been able to build from and expand on the exercise on my own, in some cases composing full songs inspired by the exercise.The drills are so much fun to play that's it's almost impossible not to get inspired! I continually go back and review all of the chapters, experimenting with my keyboard's drum beats, changing the tempo of the piece, combining exercises, subbing in my own improvised bits... you can practice with this book almost indefinitely, changing the way you use it as your skills and knowledge improve. I'd HIGHLY recommend this awesome book to nearly any player, including relatively new ones - beginners, just be patient with yourself and work through the exercises as slowly as you need to, and your skills/dexterity will grow! But especially if you feel like you're in a musical rut or a creative lull -- have fun with these exercises, put your own twist on them, and you'll amaze yourself with what you create. 5 enthusiastic stars from me!