Bastien Piano Basics: Piano for the Young Beginner

Piano for the Young Beginner utilizes the middle C approach, from pre-staff notation to reading from the grand staff. Slower pacing offers additional reinforcement to ensure a solid foundation of fundamental skills and concepts. The combination of original, folk, and seasonal songs, and full-color artwork makes learning a treat. Children will love the bright, happy melodies, fun, clever lyrics, and captivating, pedagogically related illustrations. Primer A (pre-reading to early elementary level) gives a brief orientation to black key groups with supporting tunes and moves to white keys where students play by reading letter names in noteheads one note at a time. Gradually, each staff is introduced and then the grand staff is presented. All tunes are in middle C position. Primer B (elementary level) starts with tunes in middle C position and soon introduces C Major position and later G Major position. Melodic and harmonic intervals of 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, and 5ths are presented as are the concepts of dynamics, slurs and ties, sharps and flats, legato and staccato, and rests. Students who complete Primers A & B are ready for study in Level 1 of Bastien Piano Basics or any elementary level method.