What beginner books have people found good for beginner teenagers? I find the adult beginner books move too quickly, and children's one are too young.

The two Microjazz beginner books have worked for me with some teenagers. They are aimed at any age - not at any one in particular. No pictures.

They do the basics quite well, and are not particularly jazzy - you can take any direction. A student who doesn't want to learn jazz should not be put off by the title, in other words.

I have also used Carol Barratt's Classic Piano course with this age group, but really this is one of the more adult books you cite which goes a bit too quickly, so probably doesn't help.

I've just ordered "Play Piano! Teenage - Book 1" by Alan Haughton which looks good. Anyone else tried this one yet? I think it is fairly new.

It came out a few years ago. Unfortunately it is only the kids' book with a supposedly 'cooler' format. As far as I remember there is no different material at all. They changed the book shape and added some different pictures.

Sorry to rain on your parade - I think only a very 'young' teenager would find it appealing. Maybe more suitable for the 10 - 11 age group?

The Carol Barratt Classic piano course is fine for teenagers, but you do need a repetoire book, to slow the pace down, otherwise I agree that it is much too fast paced. Ideally find one which appeals to their taste in music.

Have you had a look at the Accelerated Piano Adventures? I think this covers a good middle-ground for this age group.

It also stays in C position for the whole of the book, and the repertoire book that goes with it.

I'm using this at the moment with two people, both just started. one bright but lazy almost-teenager (age 12 in other words) who asks all the relevant questions but doesn't yet have much of a sense of being able to keep going with a pulse; the other a young adult (20) who is ripping through it and finding it, while easy as yet, very satisfying. I like it; I have the technique and the theory books as well and we dip into those during the lesson.

The theory books in particular, in all the PA series, are not just notespeller and scale writing books, they contain quite a lot of sight-reading (or at least "looking" tests) and aural work, activities to be done in the lesson, and short pieces and exercises to illustrate theoretical rather than technical points. Both they and the technique book are very enjoyable to use.

Agreed. One f the good things about PA is that the supplementary books mean that it's easy to maintain a good pace without feeling that pupils are dragging or rushing.

Boo! Wish there was a music shop in my area so I could check these books out before I bought them online. Doesn't sound like what I was looking for then

My children (aged 17 and 14) both advise very firmly against any book with the word "teenage" in the title.

I often use the Waterman & Harewood Piano Lessons Book1 here
Nice and clear and not babyish.
I got irritated by the Teenage one mentioned above a couple of years ago and stopped using it. It was okish for 11yr olds, not good for teenagers.

I totally agree with this.

(I'm not a teenager, but have taught loads for forty years!)

Yes, I picked up the repertoire book very cheaply and some of the pieces are fine and I lend it out. But as a collection it is remarkably uninspiring - all middle C position, as you say, and all very, very similar.

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Some of the pages in the original 'younger kids' book were useful. I used it once or twice as a supplementary book, or in a couple of cases as a starter for the first few pages - I thought introducing the crotchet rest right at the start was not a bad idea.

However I thought the 'teenage' book was just a cheap marketing exercise. And I was seriously unimpressed to find that the accompanying 'activity ' (=theory) book had a glaring mistake in it. No thanks!

I have a young student enjoying playing with the backing tracks.
I may try it with a youngster who really is going very slowly. If he can play very simple 'tunes' in time to the backing track it will be well worthwhile.

Thanks for your replies. Haven't seen Accelerated Piano Adventures before. Wasn't too keen on the Teenage Piano book - very samey and the teenagers weren't very inspired. Seems there is a big gap in the market.

I have a copy of the Teenage book which strangely enough I never use with teenagers- I do dip into the duets near the start for my youngest pupils however (approx 6-10 ages!). Not impressed with the rest of the book, and the presentation, with its very 70s 'groovy' disco type cover and similar pages, to me, (and the teenagers I've asked) looks like a middle aged adult's attempts to be 'cool'- sorry publishers!

I generally use an adult tutor with teens, like the Bastien - have made a note of the accelerated piano adventures and will have a look when I'm next in a town with that dying breed of the music shop
I've found the easiest Microjazz Levels 1 and 2 to be successful with some of my teen students- it goes slower than the average adult tutor book and has clear print and good accompaniments.

I use Pianoworks with all my new beginners at secondary school, most are year 7 and 8 and they wouldn't want anything 'babyish' in their school bags. There are no pictures, quite a lot of writing but I generally just summarise it for them and get going with the music. Also comes with a handy CD so they can check if they're doing the right thing! (Useful as they have 25 minute paired lessons!)

It's worked well so far, and I reckon by the time they get to the end of it they'll be ready to start looking at Grade 1.

I like the titles given to the pieces, we're really explored thinking about the character of the music.