The Best in Popular Sheet Music. Advanced Piano

Customer Reviews

Commonplace

2006-06-30
I should have read the reviews more carefully before I bought this book. I would have been happier with the original sheet music as these arrangements were uninteresting--basically embellishments that any pianist with some experience could add on their own. At least the sheet music would have included the words. If you are looking for arrangements with pizzazz (a little "wow!" factor here and there), don't buy this book.

Great songs, challenging arrangements...

2004-03-09
This arrangement of songs by Dan Coates is definately challenging. I actually have to practice to get through these. Not for the beginning piano player. This book is for moderate to advanced talent levels. Great songs like Desperado, Angel Eyes, The Rose, Open Arms and more. My only complaint is that delivery time was VERY slow. Took nearly a month to receive.

Wow! This book is GREAT!

2004-02-21
For some time now I have been looking for a book that would challenge me and make me practice! Most of my books I have played for years and as a result I don't have to work to play any of my music. So, I started looking for some advanced books and came across this book by Dan Coates. I've had it just over a month and love it! I've love all the "extras" that have been added! I'm back on Amazon looking for more books by Dan Coates! If you are looking for a book to challange you, and a book that you will enjoy while learning each song, then you need to buy this book!!! You won't be disappointed!

One of the best I've seen

2003-03-26
This book almost single-handedly got me back into piano playing after a 20-year hiatus. I've never been happy with the arrangements in most popular sheet music, especially "PVG" and "Easy Piano" sheets -- they are too simple and have almost no left hand accompaniment to speak of. Generally, there are no chords or arpeggios -- just single note "plink, plink, plink" etc. while the right hand has to carry the whole song.

On the other hand, many of the arrangements in this book (and in Dan Coates "Advanced" and "Professional Touch" books in general) have *wonderful* left-hand accompaniments and dramatic chording and other nice touches for the right-hand. Difficulty ranges from intermediate ("The Rose", "Open Arms") to advanced ("I Will Always Love You").

Sure, if you're talented enough to arrange for yourself you might find fault, but for those of us who just read and play and like to play popular music, this is an exceptional book.

Not a good idea 2001-07-24
Sheet books of contempoary music, I have found, are generally a bad idea. They are usually mediocre arrangements that take away the beauty of a song that was never intended for a solo instrument. This compilation is no exception and many of the arrangements are unacceptable rips. I found many of the arrangements in this collection are "light" and unappealing. But admittedly the fault is more in the genre of music than in the arrangements per se.

The musician advanced enough to read this music will gain more satisfacaction trying to arrange the songs himself from a public domain chord sheet! If you're desperate and really need to play some popular music on the spot, it might be worth investing in this book.

wonderful 2000-07-11
Arranged by Dan Coates. Contains: Angel Eyes * Because You Loved Me * Desperado * From a Distance * The Greatest Love of All * (Everything I Do) I Do It for You * I Can Love You Like That * I Swear * If You Believe * Stairway to Heaven * Un-Break My Heart * Valentine and 10 more.