RosieCotton Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I'm needing to start this for them but don't know what books are the best to start them at? I want to start this now and continue thru the fall and then reasses for private lessons. Of course I'd love to simply put them all in lessons now but 250-300 per month I do not have. :( Thanks for the suggestions! I have musical background just need a jumping off point and keep getting lost down the rabbit hole on this one!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewdropfairy Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 My boys' teachers started them in the Bastien Piano Basics for the Young Beginner. They started lessons at ages 7 and 9. It was a bit basic for the older one, but he moved through it quickly and then moved on to Bastien Piano Basics Primer Level. I believe both levels have a couple of books to get. They're hard to find around here so we ordered from Sheetmusicplus.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicianmom Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Faber's My First Piano Adventures would be perfect for your 4yo and 6yo. Too juvenile for your 8yo, who would need the primer level of Piano Adventures. I think Faber is the best traditional piano method out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I asked this question last month for my 4yo. We haven't started yet, I'm waiting another 6 months or so, but people gave me some great, fun looking suggestions (including Faber.) http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/503591-piano-for-the-very-young/?do=findComment&comment=5483089 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 My boys' teachers started them in the Bastien Piano Basics for the Young Beginner. They started lessons at ages 7 and 9. It was a bit basic for the older one, but he moved through it quickly and then moved on to Bastien Piano Basics Primer Level. I believe both levels have a couple of books to get. They're hard to find around here so we ordered from Sheetmusicplus.com Thanks so much - I'll search for these tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Faber's My First Piano Adventures would be perfect for your 4yo and 6yo. Too juvenile for your 8yo, who would need the primer level of Piano Adventures. I think Faber is the best traditional piano method out there. Thanks for the suggestion - I'm checking this out tonight and making a decision. This looks fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 My husband learned with this and highly recommends it. He is now using it with our 3 year old. I wouldn't use anything else, though I am far from an expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Bastien and Faber seem to the standards, but the music school that my DD went to has recently switched to Celebrate Piano! for kids. I have no music training, but I actually think that the order it introduces topics makes playing a lot easier for children. FWIW, her teacher also had DD buy Grace Vandendool's Keyboard Theory book (says it's better for younger kids than the more standard piano theory book used by a lot of teachers, which is the Keith Snell series), and Robert Starer's Basic Rhythmic Training. She told us to do the Vandendool book at our own pace, whenever the whim takes us, but they've only done one thing from Basic Rhythmic Training and she said that one gets phased in more slowly. Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 My husband learned with this and highly recommends it. He is now using it with our 3 year old. I wouldn't use anything else, though I am far from an expert. Thanks so much for this one. I have a few of the dozen a day books in my big box of books and pieces from when I learned, and I believe after seeing this one that this is how I started playing in K. I contacted my piano teacher (now 84!) and she said it definately was. It served me when and started me on my 10 years of lessons so now I think I may switch up from faber and try this one. I can always add more theory as we go with the olders. I know there are always so many new curriculums that become popular, but tried and true and this being used by so many piano teachers in the 60s and 70s hold alot of weight with me. Maybe it is because I hate change :) Now I'm a curriculum hoarder so I might get faber too just to compare, then resell if I don't like it or return. :) Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Bastien and Faber seem to the standards, but the music school that my DD went to has recently switched to Celebrate Piano! for kids. I have no music training, but I actually think that the order it introduces topics makes playing a lot easier for children. FWIW, her teacher also had DD buy Grace Vandendool's Keyboard Theory book (says it's better for younger kids than the more standard piano theory book used by a lot of teachers, which is the Keith Snell series), and Robert Starer's Basic Rhythmic Training. She told us to do the Vandendool book at our own pace, whenever the whim takes us, but they've only done one thing from Basic Rhythmic Training and she said that one gets phased in more slowly. Hope that helps! I've never heard of Vanderpool or Starer - I'll check them out thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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