Contemporary Piano Method Bk 1A

Contemporary Piano Method Book 1A

BOOK 1A: keys - C, G, D, A, E.

STAGE 1: Interval Reading in the five-finger hand-position
- including such aspects as:

• reading without looking at the hands
• playing by feel
• developing the ear by having to listen for the intervals for correction
•  transposition

STAGE 2: Introduction of Scales 

• for hand-position changes
• to learn scale pathways on the keyboard
• to learn key signatures and the cycle of fifths
• to find chords in root position.

STAGE 3: 
Extension of the five-finger position using the larger intervals: sixths, sevenths and octaves.

STAGE 4: 
(a) Chords in Inversions, Block and Broken forms. 
(b) Primary Chords in Major Keys and the Chord Table 
- how to find chords on the written music
- Chordal analysis of each piece
- 12-Bar Blues

STAGE 5: Playing in all major keys via scale pathways and interval reading

• using the key signature in the original sense of the word, as a 'key' to unlock the puzzle
• more hand-position changes along pre-learned scale pathways
• Chromatic scale. 

(N.B. During the entire course there is a progressive introduction of musical signs, touch markings, etc. plus the pieces give experience in reading in many time-signatures and all styles of music.)