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Introduction

I. Playing on Black Keys - Rhythm

The Piano and Keyboard; Direction of Sound; Counting and Time Signatures; Improvisation on Black Keys with Rhythmic Flashcards; Playing Songs on Black Keys.

II. Playing on White Keys - Notes

Introducing Note Reading; Playing Songs on White Keys in Middle C Position.

III. Tempo, Dynamics and Sight Reading

Tempo Markings; Dynamics Markings; More Songs in Middle C Position; Sight Reading with Twisted Melodies.

IV. Both Hands Playing Together

Playing Accompaniments: Songs with Both Hands Playing Together in Middle C Position; the Sharp, Flat and Natural Signs.

V. Legato and Staccato

More Songs in Middle C Position; Counting Dotted Quarter Notes; Playing Legato, Staccato and the Two-Note Slur.

VI. The C Position and Intervals

Introducing Melodic and Harmonic Intervals; Playing Songs in C Position; Creating Melodies and Harmonies.

VII. Chords and Triads

Introducing Chords and Triads; More Songs in C Position; The C and G7 Chords; How To Make Your Own Accompaniment Using the C and G7 Chords; Broken Chords.

VIII. The G Position and Transposition

The G Position: Melodic and Harmonic Intervals; The G and D7 Chords; Playing Songs in G Position; How to Transpose a Song.

IX. The F Position and Hanon

The F Position: Melodic and Harmonic Intervals; The F and C7 Chords; Playing Songs in F Position; Transposing from F to C; Hanon Study.

X. C Major Scale and I-IV-V7 Chord Progression

Extending the Hand Position, New Melodic and Harmonic Intervals; How to Play Scales; The C Major Scale; C Major Chord Progressions; Songs Using New Intervals, C Major Scale, and Chord Progressions.

XI. G and F Major Scales, Chords and Arpeggios

The G Major Scale and Chord Progressions; Songs in G Major; The F Major Scale and Chord Progressions; Songs in F Major; How to Use the Pedal; Hands Crossing Over with Arpeggio Songs in C, G, and F Major.

XII. A Short Trip into the History of Music

Famous Melodies from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic Periods, and 20th Century American Music: Ragtime, Blues, Rock; Patriotic and Holiday Songs.

Introduction

I. Tonality and the Keyboard

Pitches; Key Signatures; Intervals; Expanded Hand Position; A Minor Scales and Chord Progression with Inversions; Hanon and Other Finger Exercises; Pieces Include Works by Beethoven, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Traditional Songs.

II. Developing Manual Dexterity and Independence

Complete Note and Rest Values; E Minor Scales and Chord Progression with Inversions; More Intervals; Hanon and Other Finger Exercises; Independence of Hands; Pieces Include Works by Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Puccini, Brahms and Traditional Songs.

III. Advanced Rhythms and Transitions

Triplets; More Intervals and Chords; Etudes; Changing Time Signatures; Pieces Include Works by Schubert, Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Debussy, Tchaikovsky and Traditional Tunes.

IV. Interpretive Expression Marks and Voicing

Expression Marks; Closed and Open Voicing; D Minor Scales and Open Chord Progression; Philipp Exercise for the Independence of Fingers; More Intervals; Pieces Include Works by Puccini, Tchaikovsky, Dukas, Saint-Saëns, Brahms, Borodin, Traditional Tunes and More.

V. Integrating Elements of Performance

More Intervals; The Diminished Chord; Hanon for Wrist Technique; Etude; Rubato; Pieces Include Works by Elgar, Handel, Chopin, Mouret, Mozart and Traditional Tunes.

VI. The Blues

The Blues Form, Scales and Progressions; Swing Rhythm; Grace Notes; Glissandos; Blues Songs Include Works by Fletcher Henderson, Jimmy Durante, Eubie Blake, Perry Bradford, W.C. Handy and Others.

VII. Improvisation Based on the Blues

Melodic, Rhythmic and Harmonic Improvisation; Walking Bass, Stride, Swing (Boogie Woogie and Other Variants), Rhythmic Repetition, Funky Rhythm; Jam Along and Make Up Your Own; Pieces Include Works by Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and “Jelly Roll” Morton.

VIII. The Piano in Ensemble

Warshauer’s Rainy Day Blues with Jazz Ensemble; The Piano Concerto with Orchestral Accompaniment (Extended Excerpts): Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 (First and Second Movements); Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concertos No. 2 and No. 3.

Developing Finger Dexterity

Exercises for 2, 3, and 4 Fingers; Hanon Exercise No. 1 in C Major, A Minor, F Major, D Minor, G Major, E Minor; Philipp’s Independence of Fingers Exercises No. 1 and No. 2.

Supplementary Scales and Intervals

Two-Octave Scales: C Major, A Minor, F Major, D Minor, G Major, E Minor; Summary of Intervals.

Review of Piano Basics

Appendix

I. Introduction, Rhythm, and Notes

Welcome; introduction to pianos and keyboards; sitting position; hand position; numbering fingers; hopping up and down groups of black keys; the Up or Down Game; notes; rests; playing on black keys; Mary Had a Little Lamb; rhythm; clapping and counting; Go Tell Aunt Rhody; Au Clair de la Lune; Alouette; Li’l Liza Jane; the Counting Game; make up your own song.

II. Introduction to Reading Notation, Landmark Notes, Steps

Notes on the staff; treble and bass clefs; the grand staff; Clef Signs and Music Staff Game; find the notes on the keyboard; landmark notes (Middle C, F for the left hand, G for the right hand); The Landmark Note Game; new notes for the right hand; Up We Go to G Song; new notes for the left hand; Walking Up to C Song; the middle C position; steps; the Treble Clef Notes Game; time signatures, measures and bar lines; Stepping Tune in 4/4 Time; Stepping Waltz in 3/4 Time; Ode to Joy; The Up or Down Stepping Game

III. Clef Exercises, Skips, Repeated Notes

Names of notes; treble clef exercises; bass clef exercises; Alouette; the Bass Clef Notes Game; skips; Skipping Tune; Skip and Hop Tune; Wedding March; the Up or Down Skipping Game; repeated notes; Surprise Symphony; Humpty Dumpty; Steps, Skips or Repeated Notes Game; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; Pop! Goes the Weasel

IV. Tempo, Dynamics

Tempo Markings; Good Morning to You!; clap and count tied notes; Minuet; Slower or Faster? Game; Red River Valley; clap and count eighth notes; Home on the Range; What Tempo is This? Game; Give My Regards to Broadway; dynamic signs; playing Forte and Piano; When the Saints Go Marching In; playing crescendo and diminuendo; Long, Long Ago; O Come All Ye Faithful; What Dynamic is This? Game

V. Melody, Harmony, Accompaniment

Melody; harmony; playing songs with accompaniment; New World Symphony; Surprise Symphony; Entr’acte from Rosamunde; Cathedral Bells; Softer or Louder? Game; Jolly Old St. Nicholas; Dreydel; In the Evening by the Moonlight; What Note is This? All Notes! Game; Amazing Grace; Jingle Bells; La Donna è Mobile