Piano Course’s Info Page
Early Beginner Piano Students
For students ages 5-9 I like to use “Piano Adventures Series Primer Level Books”. This includes a Lesson Book, Performance Book, Technique & Artistry Book and Theory Book. Piano Adventures is a great method to get a young student started on. I really like the intuitive nature of this method. There are a lot of duets and other teacher/student activities to perform together. This helps the student to learn more efficiently and creates a greater repoire between the student and teacher. Note: There are also lot of supplemental music that you can obtain for each level in this series. Having good supplemental music helps keep the student from loosing interest in their piano studies!
Adult Beginner
For teaching an adult beginner I use the “Alfred Adult All In One Method”. The student gets Lessons(Songs), Theory and Technique all in one book. This is not only convenient but also saves the student some money! There are three levels in this method series with each level getting more difficult. Adults and Teens seem to really like this method. Note: As the student gets into the higher levels they really need supplemented music to keep the student focused and wanting to continue with their studies. That is not so hard to do just figure out a genre that suits their needs!
Classical Piano
For students who want to follow a classical piano curriculum I like to use the “Piano Adventures Series Method Level Books (primer level – level 5)”. This includes a Lesson Book, Performance Book, Technique & Artistry Book and Theory Book. Piano Adventures is a great method to supplement a classical piano curriculum. I really like the intuitive nature of this method. There are a lot of duets and other teacher/student activities to perform together. This helps the student to learn more efficiently and creates a greater repoire between the student and teacher. As the student gains facility ,agility and strength I supplement their studies with classical music ,Hanon Exercises ,Scale Studies and Etudes!
Blues Piano Course’s
Beginner: Anyone with basic keyboard skills (equivalent to Alfred’s Basic Piano, Lesson Book 2) can dig right in and begin learning blues right away. Learn what it takes to create the distinctive sound of the blues, including basic chords and scales, blues melodies, improvisation, turnarounds and intros. Other topics include the 12-bar blues form, walking bass and playing in a band. Full of fun blues tunes to play, Beginning Blues Keyboard provides a step-by-step enjoyable way to learn the blues.
Intermediate: This book is great for keyboardists who have learned the basics of blues improvisation and composing. Beginning with a review of concepts and skills covered in Beginning Blues Keyboard, this book explores further into topics such as chord extensions, blues techniques, building bass lines, playing in the key, ii-V substitutions and slow blues. Blues forms such as the twelve-bar blues and the eight-bar blues are explored. Packed with sample licks and songs, this book is essential for any keyboardist serious about learning the blues.
Advanced: The conclusion to this power-packed blues method begins with a review of concepts of improvisation and harmony. Techniques such as tremolos, octaves, grace notes and two-handed chords will be introduced. Various styles such as Chicago blues, New Orleans R&B and jazz blues are covered. This book lays the foundation for a lifetime of exploration and enjoyment playing the blues by including many other topics such as chromaticism, motivic development, melodic expansion, groove and articulation.
Lead Sheet: Sheet music containing the words and melody for a song(and some indication of harmony) written in simple form! This would mean that no Left Hand part would be written in. You the performer would have to improvise your left hand part! So with your right hand you play the melody, left hand you would play chords or bass line figure!
Rock n Roll Piano Course’s
Beginner: Beginning Rock Keyboard (National Keyboard Workshop) – method book by Joe Bouchard, Seth Zowader, and Sheila Romeo – Anyone interested in learning to play rock keyboard can pick up this book and get started right away. This well-paced, comprehensive method covers everything from basic to advanced techniques. Beginning concepts include rock chords, left-hand patterns, arpeggios, slash chords, modes, reading lead sheets, and the pentatonic scale.
Intermediate: This book is great for keyboardists who have learned the basics of rock chords and soloing. Beginning with a review of concepts and skills covered in Beginning Rock Keyboards, this book covers chording and soloing over common rock progressions, complex chords, diatonic harmony, bass lines, arpeggios and much more. The styles and techniques of great rock keyboardists are discussed as well. Loaded with pieces to play, this book is the perfect preparation for the advanced rock concepts delivered in Mastering Rock Keyboard.
Mastering: Develop the monster-chops of a great rock keyboardist with this conclusion to the only real, step-by-step rock keyboard method available today. Starting with a quick review of music fundamentals and theory, this book moves directly into advanced techniques and counterpoint exercises. Learn the concepts and techniques used by the great progressive rock keyboard virtuoso. Other topics include odd meters, modal interchange, rhythm and groove and the roles of the keyboard player in a rhythm section. Loaded with virtuosic, dazzling rock keyboard pieces to learn, this is a major step forward in the field of rock keyboard instruction.
Lead Sheet: Sheet music containing the words and melody for a song(and some indication of harmony) written in simple form! This would mean that no Left Hand part would be written in. You the performer would have to improvise your left hand part! So with your right hand you play the melody, left hand you would play chords or bass line figure!
Rag Time Piano Course
A style of jazz piano playing with a highly syncopated melody, very popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It developed out of black minstrel music and was popularized by the pianist and composer Scott Joplin(1868–1917). For the Beginner! “A First Book Of Ragtime” by David Dutkanicz. This compilation of easy-to-play ragtime favorites features 24 rollicking melodies by “The Big Three” of ragtime — Scott Joplin, James Scott, and Joseph Lamb — plus pieces by Eubie Blake, Tom Turpin, and other artists. Popular tunes include “Maple Leaf Rag,” “The Entertainer,” and “Tiger Rag.” Novices of all ages will delight in these simplified arrangements of carefully selected pieces. The editor provides suggested fingerings and comments on each piece that include background on the composers and tips for performance. This collection includes Twenty-four piano arrangements. When the student has reach intermediate – advanced level then they can start the rags of Scott Joplin and other Rag Time Masters!
Jazz Piano Course’s
Beginner: Anyone with basic keyboard skills can dig right in. Spanning the major scale and basic triad theory all the way through 7th chords, pentatonic scales, and modulating chord progressions, this book features a full etude or tune demonstrating every new concept introduced. Beginning Jazz Keyboard breaks the age-old tradition of dry, intimidating, and confusing jazz books, and provides an actual step-by-step, enjoyable method for learning to play in this style.
Intermediate: This book is great for keyboardists who have learned the basics of jazz harmony and improvisation. Topics include a brief review of concepts and skills from Beginning Jazz Keyboard, and continue with the modes of the major scale, chord extensions, making the changes, using chromatic tones and guide tones, chord substitution, “rhythm changes,” the blues, altered dominant chords and more. Continuing the format of Beginning Jazz Keyboard, new concepts are reinforced by etudes and songs for practice. Packed with hundreds of harmony and improvisation ideas, this book is essential for any serious student of jazz keyboard.
Mastering: The conclusion to this jazz method starts with a review of concepts from Intermediate Jazz Keyboard and quickly moves on to more advanced concepts of chord voicings, modal soloing, substitution, re-harmonization, modes of the minor scales, diminished and whole-tone scales, walking bass, stride piano technique, non-diatonic progressions and much more. The perfect launching pad for a lifetime of discovery and joy of playing music, this is an essential vehicle for any keyboardist’s journey into jazz.
Lead Sheet: Sheet music containing the words and melody for a song (and some indication of harmony) written in simple form! This would mean that no Left Hand part would be written in. You the performer would have to improvise your left hand part! So with your right hand you play the melody, left hand you would play chords or bass line figure!