Rating: 
Summary: If You Put In a Little Work, This Book Delivers
Review: I'm 43 years old and have never played piano before. That is, not until now. I got Scott's book about 2 months ago after seeing his special on PBS. The reduction from 2 staffs to a single staff with chord symbols made sense to me, so I took a chance. And boy, I'm glad that I did. As others have said, the book is very entertaining and helps build your confidence that "Hey, I can really do this." Page 36 is especially helpful in showing you how determine finger placement for all major, minor, seventh, etc. chords.So, armed with this new-found knowledge and confidence, I made another wise decision. I ordered several "fake books" by Hal Leonard Publishing (all can be ordered through Amazon) containing the lead sheet music with chord symbols that Scott suggests. I now have "Your First Fake Book," "The Best Fake Book Ever," "The Ultimate Fake Book," "Gospel's Greatest," and "The Ultimate Christmas Fake Book." Now, here's where I get to brag. I have learned 14 new songs in just over a month! These are the songs that I have learned in the order I learned them: Alexander's Ragtime Band
Do-Re-Mi
When The Saints Go Marching In
Seventy-six Trombones
Blue Suede Shoes
Maria
Beauty and the Beast
Can You Feel the Love Tonight
Angels we Have Heard on High
Auld Lang Syne
Away in a Manger
Frosty the Snowman
Deck the Hall
Do You Hear What I Hear And the best part is that I have learned them all by heart now. That will leave my books free for those who want to sing along because all of the books I have mentioned come complete with the lyrics. As you can see, I'm quickly trying to learn some Christmas songs to impress my family and friends this year. Now, here is the best part for you. I know you can do it too. I spend just one hour per night practicing. It usually takes me 2 nights (i.e., 2 hours) to completely learn a song and to start to play it reasonably well. Almost every night I spend the first part of practice playing my entire repertoire before going on to the next song. This system seems to work very well for me. I know you can do it too. Scott is right. The best way to learn chords is by playing them in songs. Bless you, Scott, for unlocking the dream. I love the piano! P.S. My 6-year-old son has been taking traditional lessons for 2 years now. He is currently learning a little 2-liner called "Grumpy old Troll." But I can see a little envy in his eyes when I sit down and whip out a nice version of "Beauty and the Beast." We may start to have a problem if he sees his father getting too good too soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Scott Houston Should Have Been an Old West Tonic Salesman.
Review: Like so many others here, I saw Scott Houston on PBS when they were doing one of their frequent telethons and pull out all their best shows. I'll tell you that this man should have been alive in the old west, selling his bottles of Dr. Good, riding from town to town getting rich with his silver tongued pitch.
He promises a cure for the age-old affliction of having little or no talent, then convinces you that you too can play piano just like he can which, although not as good as the schooled music student, fools those of us with no formal training. Let's be honest; how many of you are absolutely astounded by anyone who can play Joplin's "The Entertainer" without a mistake? Don't be shy now, and just put those hands up.
He talks a very good game, especially to those of us who were force-fed classical music in some little old lady's home and had to struggle for 8 months to get a technical piece like Felix Arndt's "Nola" down to perfection...only to botch it up anyway at a recital. I worked my butt off on that piece too, enough to play the first page from memory, which is not an easy thing to do if you have also studied this composition.
That's the point I am making here: Some people have a gift for an instrument, and training is something they require very little of. My brother could play by ear and breezed through formal instruction within the course of a year. I don't have that gift and had to work very hard at it. Most of you will too. The one useful thing I learned from Houston's book is how to read fake books, but I still have to write each note in the chords down on the music--which takes a long time--as I plunk out the treble cleff melody. Then you must still work your butt off to perfect the song and recognize the chords. It's a little easier to play that way, but it's no less time consuming. The moral of my review is this: Nothing good comes easily to those of us who don't have a basic raw talent to start with. A little help with a simplified shortcut, however, is better than nothing.
Rating:
Summary: i loved the book
Review: ok, i chose this book cause i thought i didn't need to touch the chords etc like other ways when i looked at the chord section, i quickly turned back don't get me wrong, i've been trying to learn music theory for 6 years, but i never understood it, as i only remembered enough to pass the test (in fact, i got a 60%). BUT when i turned back, i saw the page of that chapter, and it said something like: you might turn back on the sight of this chapter (lol) but just remember its always here and you'll need it eventually i actually read the chapter about chords... and i was happy... cause it wasn't that bad afterall... and now i'm happy... i'm not finished with the book.. i only finished the chords part... but i'm already very happy, and this IS the first time i've commented after my 10 years of internet using. i like this book period: it really is for someone who wants to just play the piano in a flash, like me, lol
Rating: 
Summary: I agree with the don't get this book group
Review: Piano in a flash works. I myself sponsor and teach seminars like this all the time. If you're in the Michigan area and would like to find a seminar on how to play piano, check out my website and order some materials! http://www.internetpianoteacher.com or
http://www.everygoodboydoesfine.com p.s. This is the real material that Scott uses at all of his seminars. Ask him. Who do you think taught Scott Houston?
Rating:
Summary: You really can learn how to play in a short time!
Review: Piano in a flash works. I myself sponsor and teach seminars like this all the time. If you're in the Michigan area and would like to find a seminar on how to play piano, check out my website and order some materials! http://www.internetpianoteacher.com or
http://www.everygoodboydoesfine.com p.s. This is the real material that Scott uses at all of his seminars. Ask him. Who do you think taught Scott Houston?
Rating:
Summary: Review in a Flash
Review: Scott Houston's "Piano in a Flash" is a must-read for anyone who has even considered playing piano for fun. He tours constantly sharing this love of music, and his seminars explain that chords, not scales, are how piano is played. The best part of his philosophy is that piano is FUN and let's not take ourselves too seriously. His book hits all the right notes as it reiterates this concept over and over. It's packed full of various things to try ... lots of hints from the pros ... always assuring us we aren't worrying about the classical style of lessons, lessons and more lessons at considerable expense. This style of learning is fun, fast and easy on your wallet! Thanks to Scott Houston, ANYONE can have fun learning, and play immediate piano!
Rating:
Summary: Review in a Flash
Review: Scott Houston's "Piano in a Flash" is a must-read for anyone who has even considered playing piano for fun. He tours constantly sharing this love of music, and his seminars explain that chords, not scales, are how piano is played. The best part of his philosophy is that piano is FUN and let's not take ourselves too seriously. His book hits all the right notes as it reiterates this concept over and over. It's packed full of various things to try ... lots of hints from the pros ... always assuring us we aren't worrying about the classical style of lessons, lessons and more lessons at considerable expense. This style of learning is fun, fast and easy on your wallet! Thanks to Scott Houston, ANYONE can have fun learning, and play immediate piano!
Rating:
Summary: Seen it all before.
Review: The information in this book outside of a bunch of bad jokes and a writing style that treats the reader like an idiot has appeared in books written before this one. The Piano Guy lifts what it wants out of other books and adds nothing new. It is a poorly made book unusable at the piano. Basically if you MUST buy this nonsense I strongly suggest a used copy as you will not be adding to his pocket from a work copied from others.
Rating:
Summary: It' okay to break the rules!
Review: This book gives the okay to make piano playing easy. Afer 7 years of classical training, I could not sit down and play a fun piece of popular music. Mr. Houston gives simple ways to make arranging easy. Best explanation of chords that I have ever seen. I sat down and started playing a George Strait
in 2 hour!
Rating:
Summary: If I could give less than one star...
Review: This book really is a scam. Really, really it is!!! If you want to learn how to play piano from using chords, if you can't hear it, dont try. You're thinking, oh, this guy really thinks he's somethin' special. No, but you aren't either so don't buy this book!
| 
