Reviews of "VISUAL CHORD SHAPES for KEYBOARDS"
"Bill has put together a fantastic reference guide for keyboard players (and accordion players like myself!)
It is set out in an easy to follow format. I particularly like the way it shows how each chord relates in a visual display.
I find it helps me to understand the structure of chords and the varying symbols that are used by different composers and arrangers. I highly recommend this book to keyboard players."
7th of November 2017 - Greg, Professional Saxophone and Piano Acordian Player.
"My first impression of this book was the huge amount of work that has gone into it. It is unique in my experience and a new way of looking at playing chords. It has been very helpful in my playing and continues to be a source of inspiration for me.
I can't thank the author enough for the work he has put into this book. I have made a lot progress in my playing using this book.
3rd November 2017 - Phil, Novice Piano Player
"After having received a copy of the Visual Chord Shapes manual, I was totally surprised to see how easy it is now to remember chords in shape form rather than notes that make a chord. As a lower than average keyboard player I am finding that my playing is slowly improving because I don`t need to move all over the keyboard to change a three chord song, it`s all there in the one position, and `that less to think about. Thank you, if only this was available 20 years ago.
I would recommend this publication to up and coming piano players and home bodies who enjoy music."
7th November 2017 - Carlo, Professional Bass Player
I would recommend Visual chord shapes to any aspiring musician. This book is great for anyone who is a pianist as it clearly shows you how to voice chords and how to use the inversions. When playing the piano I have often struggled with chord theory and how to voice and play the inversions. Especially for me the more difficult chords such as the 9ths 13ths. So instead of having to do mentle backflips on the chords and their numerous inversions Bill has laied out the chords visually so that not only are they easy to follow but remembering them becomes second nature. I would highly recommend anyone who plays piano or any instrument who wants to have a better understanding of how chords work . I also find that I use the book as a companion when I'm playing a jazz peice and want a quick reference to the different options available with the chords I can have while playing.
10th November 2017 - Gabriella, Novice Piano Player.
" I was particularly excited to discover this book. It is a comprehensive treatment of chords for the keyboard in a way that relates finger positions to their harmonic structure, enabling each chord and its inversions to be internalised visually as a shape. This provides users of the bewildering number of chords and their inversions with a technique for memorising patterns and finger placement. It is an extension of the usual musical notation layout of chords found in traditional chord books and transforms them into patterns. Once mastered, this technique is invaluable in transitioning through chords as presented in the modern chart notation in a smooth and efficient manner and encourages the user to visualise common modulations such as ii V I.
The book is equally valuable to beginners and experienced keyboard musicians alike as it contains not only the major, minor, 6ths and 7ths but dim, half dim, min/maj complete with their inversions but flat and sharp variations of these as well. Beginners would start with the simple three fingered major and minor chords and their inversions then progress to the four fingered 7ths and so on.
Experienced musicians would make use of the more exotic chords such as 11#9, Cmin #5 and their different inversions to speed up the process of providing voicing's particularly when accompanying singers.
Another group who may find this book of great benefit are non keyboard based arrangers. For example a brass player with little keyboard familiarity arranging for a concert band would have a ready made collection of chord structures simplifying the process of movement of notes in chord progressions.
In all, a throughly recommended addition to any chord using musician's library."
Dr. Ted Gould, Amateur Piano Player. (7th November 2017)