Garga Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I am not a musician, but I took about 5 years of piano lessons as a kid. I know enough to teach about 2 years of piano lessons to my own kids--enough to get them started. I don't have my beginner's books anymore to teach them from. What are some recommended piano books for level 1 and 2? These are for active boys (10 yo and 8 yo) and they won't sit still for very long. I need something that gets them plunking out a little something right away and weaves in all the details about 4/4 time and rests, etc, as we go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Dd is 6, and we've been doing piano since she was 4. I have taught her most of that time since we realized that (like you), that I have just enough musical experience to teach the beginning years. We saved $$$ with me teaching her, and she progressed much faster by my teaching that with professional teachers. We are nearly done with Book B. We use My First Piano Adventures. There are 3 levels of My First Piano Adventures: A, B, and C. Each level has both a Lesson Book and a Writing Book (theory). There is a CD in one of the two books (probably the Lesson Book). There is also a Christmas book for each level, with a fun advent calendar on the back page. 4/4 time, rests, and etc are all covered. :001_smile: The more we use these books, the more impressed I am with how well they dovetail together! However, My First Piano Adventures may be two juvenile for the age your boys are. I recommend that you try one of the next levels. Again, there are lesson books, theory books, performance books, and Christmas books. If you have a Reiman Music store locally, they are probably carried for you to wander in and browse what will work best for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spillman6 Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 You might check out Alfred's Adult Basic Piano Course. I was teaching myself but got distracted. Now my 13 yo is teaching herself. Very straightforward with exercises right in the book. I think there are 2 or more levels. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gratitude Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I taught piano for 8 years before kids. Hal Leonard lays the best foundation out of all the books I looked at or tried. It is easy to teach from too. Do books 1 & 2 and then they are ready for the easiest classical pieces ( I taught classical ) or easy pieces of another genre. Sometimes it benefited to have students do the first 1/3 of book 3, but they were often ready to move on by then. It is what I plan in using this school year when I start piano with my own kids. I will use the lesson book & theory book & maybe solos. I always started with book 1 for any student younger than 9th grade. If the were a beginner and in HS I used the adult books. I hope it goes well! I took on some students once whose moms saved money by teaching the first year and they both did exceptionally well. The Hal Leonard to start beginners was recommended to me by a very well known classical pianist / teacher that I was studying under when I started teaching. I tried Faber & Faber a few years later with students & looked through Alfred. My teacher was right! Hal Leonard produced the best results each time compared to the others I tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 I played piano for nine years as a child, but i need to step up and teach my kids. I use John Thompson's Teaching Little Fingers to Play and First Grade piano course. Both are available on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Faber's Piano Adventures books seem to be popular with piano teachers. My kids use them and some of their friends are learning from the same books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 My boys -- now 10 -- both really liked Pianimals. The creators say it's good for about a year and then it's time to get a "real' teacher -- so that's what we did. Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnmusic Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I have similar background...non-musician, took piano lessons for around 4-5 years, and have been teaching my 2 kids what I know for the past 2 years. We started with Alfred Basic course books and went up to level 3, but felt it wasn't complete and giving them phobia of the black keys, so switched to Faber & Faber, starting from the beginning and went up to about level 4, and thought that was a stronger foundation than Alfred basic books...eventually got tired of juggling all the different books and by then we were ready to do more classical pieces so made the switch to Suzuki piano books, again starting from the beginning (I'm afraid of 'holes' and a big believer in more review the better) and this is what we're settling on for the long run. The pieces are gorgeous, true classical pieces, not little ditties. Still requiring kids to do 1 page of theory daily from Faber's theory book, which they enjoy for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I don't play the piano but my kids started with the Faber books- they use the theory, note speller and performance books and started from primer all the way up. The teacher also use Alfred's basic piano book by Palmer. My 10 yr old is teaching my 4 yr old and she is using my first piano adventure book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTJo1996 Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I also recommend the Faber books. My DD9 just started piano in June and she is already able to play a few songs. Now they are simple but she is thrilled! Faber has a juvenile beginner series and another series for older beginners. We are doing this book http://www.amazon.com/Accelerated-Piano-Adventures-Older-Beginner/dp/1616779497/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_z I am a musician (not professional but been playing an instrument since age 5) and I feel like this is a very good way to learn how to read music. I do have to sit down with her and help her but it's more of a reassurance role. She just wants to know that what she read is REALLY what she thinks and that she is doing things correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Building Up Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I'll give another enthusiastic recommendation for the Faber's Piano Adventure series. You could definitely use the books for older beginners with an 8 and a 10yo. My older two each started in them when they were 8 or 9. My youngest started in the Primer level as a young 6yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest callmeflower Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 We tried My First Piano Adventures, but it just wasn't for us. We are now using Alfred's and it is going better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamppost Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Gratitude, what do you have your students move on to after the 3rd Hal Leonard book? My DD 6.5 has taken a 2-year group music class and they did some piano. My MIL who used to teach piano has agreed to help her but we need some materials and MIL can't remember what she used to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pour in Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I have similar background...non-musician, took piano lessons for around 4-5 years, and have been teaching my 2 kids what I know for the past 2 years. We started with Alfred Basic course books and went up to level 3, but felt it wasn't complete and giving them phobia of the black keys, so switched to Faber & Faber, starting from the beginning and went up to about level 4, and thought that was a stronger foundation than Alfred basic books...eventually got tired of juggling all the different books and by then we were ready to do more classical pieces so made the switch to Suzuki piano books, again starting from the beginning (I'm afraid of 'holes' and a big believer in more review the better) and this is what we're settling on for the long run. The pieces are gorgeous, true classical pieces, not little ditties. Still requiring kids to do 1 page of theory daily from Faber's theory book, which they enjoy for the most part. I have a question about the Suzuki books - My dds (then 8,6,4) used the Faber for 1.5 years and were pleased and motivated to play. Our piano teacher moved and we haven't played for more than a year, I am considering teaching them myself now too. I had 6 years of piano as a kid, but it seems like I only had 6 months - I was NEVER taught that scales/chords mattered - I thought they were just warm-ups... only as an adult did I hear that if you learn these that you can play anything and not hunt and peck like I do. Goodness! So, I don't want my girls to miss the basics. I've heard people like Suzuki. Can you tell me if it covers scales/chords/whatever :rolleyes: and if you have a particular Suzuki book you would recommend (they completed level A,B, and 1 in Faber but I'm also curious about which publisher you went with)... I hope it is okay I piggy back this and hope that this may also help the OP. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy M Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 faber Piano Adventures is great, but Alfred just redid their series to compete more with Faber,and they are pretty awesome now too. I am a former piano teacher. I don't know what to recommend for you if you don't have much musical knowledge yourself though. Those books are pretty self explanatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 I have a question about the Suzuki books - My dds (then 8,6,4) used the Faber for 1.5 years and were pleased and motivated to play. Our piano teacher moved and we haven't played for more than a year, I am considering teaching them myself now too. I had 6 years of piano as a kid, but it seems like I only had 6 months - I was NEVER taught that scales/chords mattered - I thought they were just warm-ups... only as an adult did I hear that if you learn these that you can play anything and not hunt and peck like I do. Goodness! So, I don't want my girls to miss the basics. I've heard people like Suzuki. Can you tell me if it covers scales/chords/whatever :rolleyes: and if you have a particular Suzuki book you would recommend (they completed level A,B, and 1 in Faber but I'm also curious about which publisher you went with)... I hope it is okay I piggy back this and hope that this may also help the OP. Thanks! No, Suzuki books don't really cover a lot if technique. A good teacher will supplement all that. My recommendation would be to continue with the Faber books, including the technique book. Faber also has a good supplementary book called, The Developing Artist, that introduces classical pieces. You can start the first level about the time you finish the Primer. I usually transition my students out of method books after level 3. There are a wealth of good repertoire books available besides Suzuki. And many, many scale/technique books as well. Edited for autocorrect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pour in Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Amy and Sara thank you so much for responding! I think I'll continue on with Faber then until we can find another piano teacher(: Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gratitude Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Gratitude, what do you have your students move on to after the 3rd Hal Leonard book? My DD 6.5 has taken a 2-year group music class and they did some piano. My MIL who used to teach piano has agreed to help her but we need some materials and MIL can't remember what she used to use. After the 3rd Hal Leonard I would use the following book: An Introduction To Classics To Moderns - Easy Piano Sheet Music | Sheet Music Plus It looks like the Music for Millions books, but it is different. It is 40 very easy classical pieces that are a great next step and starts them playing classical music. I didn't use technique books, but I did start them on five finger piano exercises starting in book one. They would put the right thumb on middle C and the left pinky an octave below middle C. Then I would give them weekly exercises starting with a simple C-D-E-F-G-F-E-D-C and then mixing them up. The technique though was to keep their fingers on the keys and use the small finger muscles while keeping all 5 fingers resting on the key and only moving the muscle of the finger playing. Relaxed hand, fingers not lifting up, one finger pushing down, rounded hand, arm positioned towards pinkies. When the five finger exercises became good I would start them on the C major scale. I tended to not use music for scales but taught them to memory. Smooth thumb transitions, as even as one can expect in the early years, etc. Then the G major scale, then D major, etc. Up the sharps. I would also teach them the circle of 5ths at this point for music theory and scales. Add a sharp move up a 5th. Add a Bb go down a 5th. So F is one 5th below middle C for a scale with one flat of Bb. I also used Hanon 5 finger exercises with this book: Virtuoso Pianist In 60 Exercises - Complete Sheet Music by Charles-Louis Hanon | Sheet Music Plus I think I started Hanon after book 3 or so. C major scale usually started sometime in Hal Leonard Book 2 or 3; it depended on the student. Then after the 40 easy pieces book that has a lot of pieces where they don't have to move around the key board much but have more rhythm challenges, etc. I would use this book by Faber and Faber: Piano Literature - Book 1 Sheet Music | Sheet Music Plus It is authentic keyboard works for Late Elementary Series. I don't like the Adventures series by Faber and Faber as much, but I did really like the Developing Artist series. Book 2 of the series starts Early Intermediate Pieces. By the time they did books 1, 2, and 3 of the Developing Artist series I could move them onto Intermediate Study: Bach Inventions (Original text), Simpler Beethoven, etc. When they started the Late Elementary Series I started trying to work on some more technique with them ~ arm weight, etc. Brief introduction that built the further they went. By Intermediate level the lessons were 45 minutes and a lot of the teaching was scales, arpeggios, etc. followed by using the pieces they were working on to teach various technique. Coloring, arm weight, softer softs and louder loud, arm positioning, etc. I hope this is helpful, and isn't too much information! In answer to your first question though that 40 easy piece book (An Introduction To Classics To Moderns - Easy Piano Sheet Music | Sheet Music Plus) helped pull so many transfer students together in their ability to read music and play coming from a number of different methods with varying abilities. It was a gem. It also really bridged the gap between method books and elementary classical music by introducing classical music in a manageable way for success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamppost Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Wow, thank you so much for the thorough response! I will definitely get what you suggest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I also really enjoyed Alfred's for a beginning step. I have no music experience and I was learning right along with my kids for awhile. I am reaching the point though where I need to reach out and get a professional instructor for them. I at the point where I am not learning as fast as my kids and I spend more time flipping back to make sure the positioning is correct --- I really wish I could find a way to funnel money into some lessons for my girls. OH! If only I could win the lotto! One more thing- I have a fun , free piano printable for young beginner piano students. The OP's kids might be a bit too old to enjoy it though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajaabney Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 We used Alfred's ,too. It's very easy to follow, even for kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.