Piano lesson books

[Cortana]

We are getting a piano (yay!) and I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations for piano lesson books. We can't afford private lessons right now (maybe someday soon) but we don't want the kids to wait to learn.

 

Thanks! :001_smile:

[Ritsumei]

I suggest Faber's Piano Adventures. They are what I used to use when I was teaching piano. I do NOT like Bastian or Alfred's, because of the number of transfer students that came to me out of those books with very poor note-reading skills. IMO, the books that put a large emphasis on "hand position" (relative to the keys, not the shape of the hand) make it much more difficult for the kids to actually learn to read.

 

Are you musically experienced at all? If you are, that will make things go better. Make sure you keep an eye on the kiddos hands - they're going to want to play with flat fingers, but that won't work as they get more advanced & their teacher will nag them about it, so don't let them get into the habit to start. Also, don't let them get sloppy in the rhythm department. Counting is foundational to everything, and MUST be correct. It doesn't come naturally to very many people. I used to ask my kids to clap and count out loud first, then play and count, and finally, play and count silently.

 

If you are not experience with music you may be able to find a high school student to teach relatively inexpensively; my first teacher was in high school at the time. If you're in a university town you may be able to find a piano major for slightly more. If you go with a student, particularly a high school student, you may need to insist that they teach your kids theory. My 1st teacher did an awesome job teaching, she helped my sister and I to learn to love to play, but she hated theory herself, so we didn't learn it. When my sister decided to major in voice in college this was a HUGE disadvantage, not having had the theory in easy bits as she went along in piano lessons. And you can't tell at the outset who is going to be a concert pianist, who will want to teach themselves, who will major in music, who will play for pleasure all their lives, and who will drop out in 3 years, so it's my belief that all students ought to have all the theory instruction for the level they're at, so that it never becomes a problem. It's kind of like learning grammar in English: doesn't make a whole lot of difference at first, but for really good writing later...

 

Good luck - and feel free to pm me if you have more questions. I loved teaching, but don't really have time now, and I miss it.

[Cortana]

Thanks so much for the info! Piano Adventures is one of the programs we are looking at. Dh and I are both musically experienced (dh has played guitar & bass for 25 yrs and now teaches both, I have played clarinet for 25 yrs and sang in competition choirs in high school). You are so right about teaching theory, too many people do not put nearly enough emphasis on this. When dh teaches he always starts with theory and he always has one student who whines about the theory part but realizes later how important it is to learn it right from the start.

 

Thank you for offering to help, if I have any questions I will be sure to let you know. :)

[LMD]

I have this one: Studying Suzuki Piano and like it. It is very comprehensive, including a big intro into the philosophy, preparing to teach, technique, structuring lessons, and notes on teaching every song in the suzuki piano books 1-7. :)

Edited April 18, 2011 by LMD

[talk2ham.1]

Could you tell me about the Suzuki book? Does it just explain the methodology for the parents to help the kids at home, but they will still need a Suzuki certified teacher? Or does it explain it well enough to educate your own kids, assuming you have training yourself?

 

I have a decent background in piano and have heard many good things about Suzuki training. But the nearest Suzuki certified piano teacher is nearly a two hour drive from here, expensive, and doesn't have the training to carry them that far in the program anyway.

 

I have this one: Studying Suzuki Piano and like it. It is very comprehensive, including a big intro into the philosophy, preparing to teach, technique, structuring lessons, and notes on teaching every song in the suzuki piano books 1-7. :)

[LAmom]

I have this one: Studying Suzuki Piano and like it. It is very comprehensive, including a big intro into the philosophy, preparing to teach, technique, structuring lessons, and notes on teaching every song in the suzuki piano books 1-7. :)

 

 

What ages is this for? I heard Suzuki is more for 4ish and younger?

 

I have the same dilemma! I am getting a good piano from a friend but can't afford lessons.... ($30 a week I was told!!!). I could try to find a high schooler maybe....

 

Thanks for the good advice here. Helpful to me, too!!

[heart'sjoy]

http://www.mcpiano.com/newpages/review.php

 

I saw my kids needed more work on counting and rhythms. We've used the pre- level 1 and are currently in level 2. The jewel of this program has been the accompianment cd with each piece at three speeds, slow, medium, and fast. The theory is built into the book between the songs and has review sheets spaced throughout.

[LMD]

Could you tell me about the Suzuki book? Does it just explain the methodology for the parents to help the kids at home, but they will still need a Suzuki certified teacher?

Sure, I'll try! The book is written more to the teacher, than a parent, it's pretty comprehensive. I'm not a teacher, in fact - I bought the book because I'm going back to studying Piano myself (after only learning a little as a teen) and hope to teach my kids a little at home. DD does violin lessons with a Suzuki qualified teacher (though not purely suzuki method), so I get a peek at how it's done practically. This particular book, I think, does explain the methadology quite well. It is specific, ie. dot points on what to include in a lesson, quite a detailed chapter called 'the first lessons' including photo's of good posture/position.

Or does it explain it well enough to educate your own kids, assuming you have training yourself?

This is my plan. :)

 

What ages is this for? I heard Suzuki is more for 4ish and younger?

Suzuki method recommends starting young as optimal (even from birth by being surrounded by a positive music environment), and is taught with the idea that picking up music by being surrounded by it, like one picks up a language, is what helps lead to success. The method encourages lots of listening to the song so it's in your head correctly while you're learning to play it. So it is especially good for starting children young, because you don't need to be able to read to begin, but you can start anytime - like I'm starting nearly from scratch again now, in my late 20's!

 

I've got the book here if you have any specific questions.

 

eta: I just checked out the book on amazon to see the reviews http://www.amazon.com/Studying-Suzuki-Piano-Handbook-Reference/dp/0874875862 all 5 star btw. ;)

Edited April 19, 2011 by LMD

[talk2ham.1]

Sure, I'll try! The book is written more to the teacher, than a parent, it's pretty comprehensive. I'm not a teacher, in fact - I bought the book because I'm going back to studying Piano myself (after only learning a little as a teen) and hope to teach my kids a little at home. DD does violin lessons with a Suzuki qualified teacher (though not purely suzuki method), so I get a peek at how it's done practically. This particular book, I think, does explain the methadology quite well. It is specific, ie. dot points on what to include in a lesson, quite a detailed chapter called 'the first lessons' including photo's of good posture/position. This is my plan. :)

 

Suzuki method recommends starting young as optimal (even from birth by being surrounded by a positive music environment), and is taught with the idea that picking up music by being surrounded by it, like one picks up a language, is what helps lead to success. The method encourages lots of listening to the song so it's in your head correctly while you're learning to play it. So it is especially good for starting children young, because you don't need to be able to read to begin, but you can start anytime - like I'm starting nearly from scratch again now, in my late 20's!

 

I've got the book here if you have any specific questions.

 

eta: I just checked out the book on amazon to see the reviews http://www.amazon.com/Studying-Suzuki-Piano-Handbook-Reference/dp/0874875862 all 5 star btw. ;)

 

Thank you! Very helpful!

[nikkid]

I am a piano teacher and have loved the Faber series as well. I highly encourage you to start with the My First Piano Adventures if your child is kinder thru 2nd grade. The accompaniment cd that comes with it is very fun and easy on the parent's ears, too! There is less on a page than the regular Piano Adventures primer level (pre-staff reading music) so the child can focus better and feel like they are progressing faster which is especially important at first. A parent with some music ability can teach this series on their own, but I have found it difficult to motivate my own daughter to practice since she is strong-willed and doesn't feel accountable to me, despite rewards and seeing my other students progress faster than her. She also dislikes when I try to vary the teaching method as I do with all my students to make sure they don't rely too much on ear training, sight, or touch, since she thinks she can negotiate with me at times. But we are working on it. It can be done with more effort and patience on my part.

 

I have been really impressed with Faber's methodology. Their entire program is well thought through for a good foundation in theory, reading, and playing.

 

If you are tight on resources, I have loved supplementing my lessons with makingmusicfun.net. Lots of free sheet music,games, and even very basic piano lessons. This alone won't provide a sound methodology without a lot of work on your part to figure out what order to introduce songs and games in and such, but it can really help a student in a slump.

 

If you'd like more advice, feel free to pm me. =)

 

Nikki

[Cortana]

Thanks for all the info and insight, I appreciate it so much! :)