Piano Aerobics

A Multi-Style, 40-Week Workout Program for Building Real-World Technique

Piano Aerobics by Wayne Hawkins

When I was asked to write Piano Aerobics, I immediately thought about what I could contribute to the wealth of material already published. I wanted to create a set of exercises that students would enjoy playing.

Often when students decide to play contemporary styles of music, they lack the “chops” for the job. Most traditional piano training has resulted in good interpretation and understanding of classical repertoire only. Piano Aerobics is a set of exercises that introduces students to many popular styles of music including Jazz, Salsa, Swing, Rock, Blues, New age, Gospel, Stride and Bossa Nova. Not only will these exercises strengthen their “chops”, but they will also help them to play these styles with more musical flair. In addition, there is a CD with accompaniment tracks featuring professional musicians playing in those styles

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Addendum to the book

Play-Along Tracks

  1. Finger Strengthening
  2. Boogie Woogie
  3. New Age #1
  4. Articulation
  5. Rock
  6. Blues
  7. Touch
  8. Finger Strengthening #2
  9. Bossa Nova
  10. Vertical Reading
  11. (All) Thumbs
  12. Blues And Jazz
  13. Salsa
  14. Gospel
  15. New Age #2
  16. New Age #2
  17. New Age #2
  18. Modern Jazz
  19. Ear Training
  20. Samba
  21. Stride

Musicians

  • Wayne Hawkins piano and keyboards on all tracks
  • Luiz Orsano drums and percussion on tracks 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 20, 21
  • Forest Stewart electric basses on tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 14, 19
  • Sam Wiseman drums on tracks 2, 5, 12, 14, 19
  • Anfrisio Rocha electric bass, nylon string guitar, cavaquinho on track 20
  • Aaron Simcox tenor sax, flute on tracks 13 and 14
  • Doug Talley tenor sax on tracks 10,18 and 19
  • Tim Brewer acoustic bass on tracks 10 and 18
  • Keith Kavanaugh drums on tracks 10 and 18

All Tracks were recorded in May 2011 at Healing Studios in Kansas City, Kansas. Luiz Orsano recording, mixing and mastering engineer.

Tracks produced by Wayne Hawkins

Doug Talley Quartet appears courtesy Serpentine Records

Anfrisio Rocha appears courtesy estudio Som Do Mar