Hello

I need help!! I teach the piano to children and thankfully there are lots of colourful, monster filled books for them...but from January I am taking on a few adult learners who are complete beginners and who cannot read music.

I would really appreciate some advice on which books have worked for people, or whether any particular techniques have been successful?!

I have found Carol Barratt's Classic Piano Course works generally well - as long as you have a fairly bright adult - but like David's recommendation it moves fairly quickly, and I always find we need other material once we are about halfway through - although not necessarily a problem.

Another one is Microjazz by Christopher Norton - there are two beginners' books (MJ for Absolute Beginners and MJ for Beginners) as well as books of pieces past the beginner stage. I find teenagers also sometimes enjoy this one - it's adaptable for most ages but does not have any pictures so looks more 'adult'.

Some adults actually like the childrens' books - so don't necessarily rule them out. I've used some of the Oxford Piano Time books (not the very young ones!) with adults with some success. I currently have one lady working through Piano Time book 2.

thanks for your advice, I agree actually that I shouldn't rule out the children's books - I think I would quite enjoy working from them if I was learning now...

I had noticed that some of the books I had seen (John Thompsons adult version) seemed to move quickly and new techniques/notes etc were introduced in the music rather than being explained first.

Thanks for these suggestions

I have a number of adult pupils using Alfred's Adult Piano Course. I think it's got a good balance of practical and theory and the emphasis is on becoming a good sightreader - so they can go away and play the stuff they want to play. Also, Alfred publishes other books (Rock, Pop, Xmas, etc) which match the levels of their course books. The course books are fat spiral-bound things which stay open on the piano, also they're not expensive if you choose not to get the CD version.

I started learning piano as an adult this summer and my teacher's had me using Michael Aaron's Adult Piano Course . I think it's been a good choice for me - it seems to progress in a logical way and I really like the pieces in it. I've enjoyed playing/practising all of them so far.

I can't speak for how good it is on the theory side - I've not really taken any notice of that aspect in the book because I've already got G5 theory. But I've had a quick look through and it seems to cover the basics which you'd expect it to cover.

Good luck with your new adults - hope they enjoy it as much as I'm doing

I could already read the treble clef, so my teacher started me on Pam Wedgwood's Upgrade 0-1.
BEv.

Mel

My teacher started me on Alfreds All In One Adult Piano Course. I thought it was brilliant, as it not only covers the practical but a certain amount of theory too. By the time we finished this book I had learnt so much in a year.

I could read treble clef so long as it was on the stave but as for the bass clef I had no idea what one of them was.

I still use the book now to go back when I feel like I have come to a halt, and by the time I have gone right the way through it, I find that I can then play the piece I was stuck on better.

I was the guinea pig for this book, but since then my teacher has used it with other adults alot, I know that because she emails me to ask me, "what was that book called we used for you?"

ET

I use these two books together for my adult learners. By alternating between books we don't progress too fast and it's nice to get a good mixture of styles.

Like skylark I too used the Michael Aaron Adult piano course but don't think io completed book 2. i was quickly moved on to some grade 2 stuff and also had some fun with the "making the grade" books.
Dawn

As an adult learner, I'd like to say I find the Dozen A Day exercise books really good.

^ and I found them really good as a 7 year old. I don't know if the still have the faceless stick men in, but I have fond memories of finishing a study and being allowed to colour/draw a face on the stick men/women.

I started on Alfred at the suggestion of my teacher and have been very impressed with it. It develops skills in a structured and systematic way and introduces one to two-handed playing quite soon: good for morale, I think.

More recently, I also use "The joy of first classics" - easy pieces in original form - and lastly - for fun - "Christmas Jazzin' About" (duets).