NotAVampireLvr Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) I want to start giving my 7 y.o. piano lessons now that he is reading. I waited because he gets easily frustrated when he can't accomplish something easily. What piano curriculum do your kids use, and how old were they when they started? I learned using John Bastien books for 6 years then went on to another teacher where we just learned "pieces". It was never my ambition to be a musician, just to be able to play piano and sing as an adult. I feel as though my music education both inside school and with my piano lessons provided me with that. I stopped lessons after 10 years - when I graduated high school. I don't have all my my level 1 books although I have the rest of the series still. I'll need to repurchase if I go this method, but I wondered if there was another program that your kids enjoyed. Edited February 6, 2012 by NotAVampireLvr ugh grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaigeP Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) There were sooo many wonderful choices that I use a combination of 4 methods!!!!! (I'm in love with piano method/pedagogy books actually :-). My favorites, in order: 1. Hal Leonard Student Piano Library (best musicianship IMO, best songs, etc.) -- and also a PhD piano professor friend of mine said she had the best luck with it when she taught in grad school while a Julliard. Also, I love how it has SOOOOOO many supplemental books per level (Hymns, Classics, Popular Songs, etc.). Hal Leonard is not quite as NEW as the last 3, but it's still outstanding. You could go to www.pianoatpepper.com to look at the various course offerings per level. 2. Alfred Premier Piano Course 3. Succeeding at the Piano (Helen Marlais) 4. Piano Adventures All 4 of these have great duet parts and CDs if you don't want to play the duets or if you wish to pay more attention to the child's playing as opposed to your part. I do both. I also order from www.sheetmusicplus.com or www.pianoatpepper.com or get locally. Edited February 6, 2012 by PaigeP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughingmommy Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I started with level 2 with my daughter who was eight at the time. My oldest wouldn't even try it. Both of them had tinkered on the piano on their own. I LOVE these books 'cause there are a lot of "Teacher Parts" so I get to do duets with my daughter. There are also books that focus on Performance and Theory. And extra practice songs for X'mas music and popular songs. Check it out. It's so pleasurable to work through these books with my daughter. B Pei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 I started with level 2 with my daughter who was eight at the time. My oldest wouldn't even try it. Both of them had tinkered on the piano on their own. I LOVE these books 'cause there are a lot of "Teacher Parts" so I get to do duets with my daughter. There are also books that focus on Performance and Theory. And extra practice songs for X'mas music and popular songs. Check it out. It's so pleasurable to work through these books with my daughter. B Pei level 2 of what program? Anyone else? I was looking at Piano Adventures. Can I skip the primer book for a 7 y.o.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughingmommy Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 level 2 of what program? Anyone else? I was looking at Piano Adventures. Can I skip the primer book for a 7 y.o.? Sorry! Piano Adventures. (It was in the subject line.) Happy piano-ing! Pei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 My girls used Kinderbach's DVD program first, and now they use Alfred's Play Piano with DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaigeP Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) Referring to Piano Adventures the OP asked, "Can I skip the primer book for a 7 y.o.?" (adding clarification as I didn't do the "quote" right) No. Piano Adventures moves quick. For a 7 year old boy I'd start with the Primer. If he's an "immature" age 7, then he'd have fun with the My First Piano Adventure books. There are 3 sets of the My First PA series -- set A, set B, set C. Each set has a lesson book (with CD) and a writing book. They are a lot of fun but move slower than the Primer. If you DON'T do these 3 sets, then start with the Primer at age 7 (having had no lessons before) as Level 1 PA will be too difficult for him. If he's had previous piano lessons, then you could try Level 1. But if a 7 year old boy can handle level 1 right off with no prior lessons, ---- then WOW! I think the pianoadventures.com website has a flowchart of when to start which if you want to double check all of this. Good luck! Edited February 7, 2012 by PaigeP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 We really like pianimals it's also called phonics4piano if you are googling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I like Music Tree. They way they work in theory and playing by ear is nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Russian-School-Piano-Playing-Book/dp/B001GDONQ2 I use Russian School of Piano Playing. I also use this book for technique http://www.amazon.com/Elementary-Instruction-Pianoforte-William-Scharfenberg/dp/0793552885/ref=pd_vtp_b_15 And I assign one easy classical piece at a time to be mastered in 3 or 4 months. I teach reading piano mostly through dictation. I expect after the first year of study to move away from any method books learning music through compositions instead. Basically I will be assigning one sonatina, two small Bach pieces and two romantic period pieces per semester plus scale proficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SABE Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 We're working our way through Pianimals. So far, so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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