The purpose of this page is to make the Fundamentals of Piano Pratice, 2nd edition book by Chuan C. Chang available free in a PDF form.
This book teaches the most basic methods for acquiring technique quickly (hands separate practice, chord attack [parallel sets], shortening difficult passages, memorizing, relaxation, eliminating speed walls, etc.). Also treats sight reading, preparing for recitals, controlling nervousness, gravity drop, which exercises are good and which ones are useless or harmful, learning perfect pitch, outlining, etc. Has a chapter on piano tuning for the amateur, explains chromatic scale, tempering.
The official site about this book contains the most up to date version in HTML form and can be accessed at the following address : http://members.aol.com/chang8828/contents.htm.
The PDF versions have been typesetted, indexed and converted to PDF by Frédéric LOYER. Feel free to send me suggestions specific to this version (typographic errors, index updates). Suggestions about the contents should more likely interest the author : C. C. Chang (cc88m@aol.com)
Enough words… Here are the PDF files produced with different style sheets. These files were converted to PDF on December 07, 2007 using the original dated November 4, 2007.
Note: theses files are rather big (around 1.3 MB). You may have to download the file you want on your disk and open it afterward with a PDF reader (more likely Acrobat Reader). If you click directly one of these links, you may have a blank page during the transfer with no progress indicator. I will try to find a way to make the first page appear during the beginning of the transfer.
You should select a "letter" or A4 format depending of the sheets you are using : letter (8.5"x11") are used in US and Canada while A4 (210x297mm) are used elsewhere.
You will quickly find all of these versions are intended to be printed duplex.