Method Books

[aisling_7]

Hello,
I would like to teach piano, but I haven't decide on a method book?  I have been looking at several:

Alfred
Bastien
Suzuki (with suzuki, I wouldn't be using the method, but I would use the books for repertoire.)

Also, do any of you have experience with Music for Little Mozarts?  Do any of you prefer not to use method books at all?  I was not taught consistently with any one method.

Thanks,
Jackie

[bernhard]

I do not use methods at all. My teaching is centred on the pieces the students decide to play. (But I do not have anything against using methods either).

However, if I was going to use a method I would give serious thought to:

Jon George & Mary Gae George “Artistry at the Piano” series. (Warner)

Walter and Carol Noona “Scriva” series.

I would also suggest that you have a look here. The Tobin method is just amazing (the downside of it is that you cannot pick and choose, you have to accept and use it in its entirety):

http://www.tobinmusic.co.uk/

There has been some previous forum discussion on this subject, so have a look here:

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1090883943

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1088159020

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1083892108

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1075591135

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1063573709

And also check Swan posts, she consistently supplies superlative information in this area.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[amanfang]

As far as strictly using methods, I like Faber and Faber - it covers general piano/musical concepts plus has sightreading, ear-training, composing, and the like.  You don't get stuck in the 5-finger positions that Alfred uses, and the LH is more interesting than all the chord accompaniments that Bastien uses.  The writing is more interesting too than the Frances Clark Music Tree series.  I personally think that Music for Little Mozarts is a huge waste of time and money.  It is a bunch of fluff, but very well-marketed to young children and parents with lots of money to spend on their little kids.  I really don't recommend it.  I don't really like Bastien Piano Party either.  I am not familiar with the methods Bernhard listed.  They may certainly be well worth looking into.

[aisling_7]

Does anyone on this forum actually use the Tobin Method? I have seen a lot of people on this forum criticize the Alfred method?  What's so terrible about it?  So far, it is the one I favor.

Jackie

[cziffra777]

As far as strictly using methods, I like Faber and Faber - it covers general piano/musical concepts plus has sightreading, ear-training, composing, and the like.  You don't get stuck in the 5-finger positions that Alfred uses, and the LH is more interesting than all the chord accompaniments that Bastien uses.  The writing is more interesting too than the Frances Clark Music Tree series.  I personally think that Music for Little Mozarts is a huge waste of time and money.  It is a bunch of fluff, but very well-marketed to young children and parents with lots of money to spend on their little kids.  I really don't recommend it.  I don't really like Bastien Piano Party either.  I am not familiar with the methods Bernhard listed.  They may certainly be well worth looking into.

I second the recommendation for Faber and Faber. I use their method with my students and have had pretty good success with it. I've not had any more advanced students, but I probably wouldn't use a method with them if I did. I think when students reach a certain level it is more important to give them repertoire and scales/arpeggios. I might use a book for more advanced theory study, but I almost feel that theory should be taught separately at this level. The concepts get more difficult and covering them in a 30-60 minute lesson would be impossible.

[amanfang]

Yes, many levels go too much higher than is most beneficial.  I supplement with other literature outside the methods at the end of level one or so.  You could probably switch completely out of methods by book 3 or 4.  Or sooner.  The big thing that I don't like Alfred (which is the method I grew up learning from) is that you get stuck in 5-finger patterns for so long.  If you try to give a student a  piece from a different boook but on roughly the same level without a fixed hand position, they will freeze and have no idea what note to play or which finger to put where.  

[aisling_7]

So what about the 5 finger position is so awful?  I wasn't taught any fingering at all really.  I wasn't really told my fingering was bad until I went to college.  What are the other methods to teach proper fingering?  

Jackie

[cziffra777]

So what about the 5 finger position is so awful?  I wasn't taught any fingering at all really.  I wasn't really told my fingering was bad until I went to college.  What are the other methods to teach proper fingering?  

Jackie

There isn't really anything bad about five-finger positions as long as they aren't the only thing taught. Most students who are only exposed to that approach tend to not be able to read anything that isn't in a five-finger position. This is one of the reasons I like Faber so much. It has the student playing all over the keyboard nearly from the beginning.

[bizgirl]

I really like the Faber series (Piano Adventures) as well.  Unlike most series, it begins teaching on black keys.  The songs are extremely easy, but it makes the black keys not so foreign and scary - a problem that seems to crop up when use of these keys isn't introduced until much later.

I also like how Faber teaches how music can represent something or tell a story.  For instance, there may be a piece about a bird and the student chooses which octave they play in to portray the bird.  I didn't word any of that very well, I hope it made sense.  Feel free to ask questions.

[aisling_7]

What kind of fingering does Faber teach?

Jackie

[CC]

My web site (link below) might  have some useful info for you.  Good luck!

[ptmidwest]

There has been some previous forum discussion on this subject, so have a look here:

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1090883943

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1088159020

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1083892108

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1075591135

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1063573709

Is there a reason why I cannot get to these posts?  I had been looking at material for 5-9 year-olds...

[abell88]

PTMidwest, old posts are inaccessible...but if you ask Bernhard nicely, he will probably give you a *few* links. Happy reading!

[ptmidwest]

THANK you once again, Abell88!

[Chrysalis]

some woman asked me to teach her daughters and herself...

for adult pianist choose alfred piano method... after finishing or progressing into the book you can always switch.. i have chosen czerny etudes opus 777 and opus 100 from borgmuller to teach the woman beside the piano method. The children are proceeding with alfred's piano method  volume 1..

correct me if i suck!

thereby: people who are older.. say from 18 to x want to play pieces by populair composer... (look I AM PLAYING X (x = a composer). So go for bach preludes which are very educative.

[bernhard]

Is there a reason why I cannot get to these posts?  I had been looking at material for 5-9 year-olds...

Have a look here:

http://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2192.msg18542.html#msg18542
(methods for very young students)

http://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2970.msg25991.html#msg25991
(Areas of study for a complete music syllabus – books for each area)

http://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2979.msg26080.html#msg26080
(Methods)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[ptmidwest]

(I may be in love.)

 Thank you.