Piano Books
There are many different types of piano books out there to choose from and I have taught from quite a few and have found that the Faber and Faber series tends to be laid out in the most organized and logical way for a beginning piano student to have great success in learning piano. It has a great variety of songs throughout the series and a lot of them are based off of classical songs that would be familiar to the students and have interesting melody lines. They supply a Popular book that has songs the students really like from TV themes, to musicals and movies. There is a new Popular book for each level in the series. Their theory book is laid out well with a lot of interactive activities, including sight reading and ear training exercises.
Faber and Faber also has a wonderful series for young kids who are not reading yet (ages 4-6). They are filled with interactive activities that allow the student to discover rhythm, melody and allows them to become more familiar with the piano. The books come with a fun CD that allows them to play with an accompaniment and sing along with the songs in the book.
Faber and Faber also has a couple adult books that I have gone through with my adult students and it is also laid out in a practical and logical way while allowing the adults to play songs that are familiar to them and enjoy playing. Overall, no matter what stage of life or what playing level you are at, the Faber and Faber books are my recommendation.
The other main series that I have taught is Bastien and Alfred. The Alfred series is also laid out well, but tends to be a little more challenging and doesn’t have as much variety when it comes to the more “popular” songs from other genres. I have taught out of the Bastien books but do not recommend this series at all. It throws the students into new things way too fast and all of their songs sound the same after awhile and are in many of my students’ views, boring. However, if these are the books you have, I am more than willing to teach out of them.
Voice Music
I start all of my voice students with songs from the Adventures in Singing songbook. Students are not required to purchase this book since the copyright allows me to make copies. This is a collection of folk songs that start simply and advance throughout the book. Each song has different aspects that will help the students grow in their singing technique. There are even songs in other languages like Italian, German and some French. If students are thinking about going into a music career in college, they will need to learn these types of songs.
However, if that is not the route they want to go, I am open to working on any type of song, as long as the student brings in some piano music or chords that allow me to help the student with the song. I have helped students prepare for auditions, both to get into choirs and musical productions. Sometimes we work on choir music or music from the musical they are performing. I believe anyone can learn to sing. It may take longer or more practice for some, but everyone can improve when they know the right techniques and take the time to practice.
Contact Noteworthy Chords Today
You can reach me by e-mail or you can call me at 612-251-5043 between the hours of 9am and 10pm any day of the week. Feel free to ask any questions you may have or schedule a time to visit the studio before signing up for lessons. I look forward to talking with you more about your voice or piano learning experience.
