Hiya,

I will be soon finishing John Thompson's Easiest Piano Course Part 1 with a student. It is not my favourite book to use and I stopped using it a good while ago but this student arrived with it as it was in their house from another family member having used it.

I am not too keen to use John Thompson Part 2. I was wondering what any of you would recommend to replace J T 2 - but that would more or less pick up from where J T 1 finishes.

The student in question is very quick and I have been giving them other pieces to play like from Pauline Hall Piano Time Book 1 and Jibbidy F.

what dont you like about it? I quite like the duets in the john thompson series - esp Sweet and Low.

Is the student maybe ready for the prep test?

I just think many of the pieces have old fashioned titles etc. I don't mind using the pieces as supplementary pieces but not to have a child continuously working from it.

I won't be putting them in for the prep test - maybe an exam soon. But I still like to have a book to work from. Also working through the first book of Dozen a Day - and they are loving it

What is the age of the pupil?

six

Anyone else got any ideas?

Why not continue with one of the books you've been using to supplement JT1?

It's not a tutor book but how about Making The Grade Preparatory by Linda Frith (the older version not the new one) - it starts off with tunes in the five finger position just like John Thompson book one and about half way through starts to add other notes. I use this a lot with my pupils and they like the fact it has lots of well-known tunes in.

I'm not certain but I think "Me and My Piano" is like John Thompson in that book one is in the five finger position and then book two starts adding other notes. Perhaps someone else might be able to confirm this.

I would go onto Bastien level 1 (the follow on from their beginner book). It is still an American book but the pupils like the tunes a lot.

I learned from the Bastien series as a child - I loved them

Pauline Hall: More tunes for 10 fingers is excellent, I use it with almost all my 6-7 year olds. Then I use either John Thompson 2 or Fanny Waterman Me and my piano book 2, although that moves a little quickly but the brighter ones can manage it. Then I use John Thompson 3, by the end of which they are hopefully ready to start Grade 1 pieces. Yes John Thompson is old fashioned, but i like the layout, the slowish rate of progress and the cute little gnomes/monsters!

I like the John Thompson Book 1 but have never been quite as keen on books 2 & 3 although I have used them...and then I tend to abandon the series part way through book 3 anyway, if I haven't already done so.....