Piano Methods Comparison

 

Method

Alfred's  Basic Piano Library

Bastien  Piano Basics The Music Tree

Alfred Publishing Kjos Publishing 1985 Co., Inc. 1981 James & Jane Smisor Willard A. Palmer, Bastien Morton Manus, Amanda Vick Lethco Homepage Link All-in-One Course 1994 (Combines Lesson, Theory and Recital into 1 book) 

Component   & Alfred Supplementary Levels:  Lesson 1A Books Overview ($6.95) through 6  (All-in-One Bks. 1-5 = Basic Bks. 1-2)  

Bastien Levels: Primer ($6.45) & 1-4 (Primer A-B for younger beginner) Other:

Other: • • • •

Theory Books Technic Books Recital Books Top Hits! Solo Books and Duet Books (popular music) • Ear Training Books  • Theory Software • Duet Books • Merry Christmas Books • Classic Themes Books • Composition Books • Ensemble Books • Flash Cards • Fun Books • Group Piano Course • Hymn Books • Notespeller Books • Repertoire Books • Sight Reading Books • Sheet Music CD and General MIDI Disk accompaniments  Reading Approach

Rhythm Approach, Counting   

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Bastien Chanting "quarter, quarter, half note"  or  Durational "one, one, one-two"

Sequencing:  • • • • • • • •

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Technique Sequence 1st Book

Quarter note Half note Whole note Dotted half note (3/4 time) Tied notes Quarter rest Whole rest Incomplete measure (upbeat) Half rest

Alfred

Bastien Melodic & Harmonic Intervals-C chord 

Alfred • Black Keys Fingers 2-3-4 • Middle C Position • C Position • RH melody/LH intervals and vice versa • G Position

Bastien

Music Tree Levels:  Time to Begin (primer, $7.95), Parts 1, 2A, 2B available now.  Parts 3 and 4 to be available in 2001 and 2002, respectively.  Each book contains repertoire, technic, composing/ improvising, practice skills.

Musicality  Elements & Sequence  

General Comments  

Faber Levels: Primer, 1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5 Lesson Book $6.50

Hal Leonard Corp 1996 Barbara Kreader Fred Kern Phillip Keveren Mona Rejino Homepage Link

Hal Leonard Levels: Book 1-5 Piano Lessons $5.95 Other:

Other: ( all levels)

Piano Adventures Note recognition Intervallic   Multi key  Sequence:   • • • • • • •

Pre-reading by direction Pre-reading by letter name Treble G/Bass F Middle D-E-F Staff reading by step Bass C-B-A-G-F Staff reading by skip (3rd)

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 Piano Practice Games L 1-4 • Piano Solos   • Piano Technique • Piano Theory • Supplemental Books L 1-5 • Popular Piano Solos • Christmas Solos • Piano Ensembles CD and GM Disk orchestrated accompaniments (all books) with Practice and Performance tempos for Lesson/Solos (Books 1-3).  

Hall Leonard Multi key - Intervallic,  Sequence:   • • • • • • • • • •

Music Tree Piano Adventures Awareness of pulse and Durational "1 1 1-2"   durational counting through swinging, Sequence: stepping, chanting, etc. Sequence:   • Rhythmic grouping • Eighth notes later • Quarter   • Half • Dotted half • Whole.  

two blacks/three blacks C-D-E Mixed black key-white key patterns (whole tone) F-G-A-B FGAB/CDE using various finger sets Bass F Guide Treble G Guide Interval reading by step from guides Grand Staff -Middle C Guide/ steps and skips Use of alternative fingerings for different note groups.

Hal Leonard Durational "1  1  1-2", Feeling pulse at different speeds, Experiential: "clap-hold" and "clap-open palms" (rests) Sequence:   • • • • • • • • •

Quarter Quarter rest Whole  Half note Half rest 4/4 meter Dotted half note 3/4 meter Tie

Music Tree   Piano Adventures Hal Leonard • Form: sameness (Practice Games Book) Theory Book:  and difference Theory books: among groups • Listen & Discover • Directional reading • Identify keys Theory Book:  • Read & Discover • Measure/bar lines by interval • Spell words from • Imagine & Create • Writing notes & rests • Intervals on notes • Puzzles • Writing note • Recognizing aural keyboard and staff • Write rhythms • Musical maps stems patterns (identifying, writing, • Match terms • Flash cards • Rhythms • Drawing notes etc.).  • Draw notes, use • Games • Key names • Steps intervals, ties, (Theory Book) • Treble/bass clefs • Skips slurs, rests, • Dynamics • Clefs sharps, flats • Drawing intervals • Ties • Pulse • Games and • Notespell words • Puzzles • Pitch ( high & low) puzzles • Symbols • Ear training • Finger numbers • Eye training • Writing notes  (sightreading) • Rests   • Key name identification • Musical alphabet • Completing 4/4 meter measures • Dynamics • Rhythms • Step, Skip, Repeat, Line / Space  notes • Drawing clefs,  • Note puzzles • Treble G, Bass F & Middle C guides • Interval note writing • Dynamics: p-mp-mf-f • Tempos: Adagio, Andante, Allegro • Meter recognition • Ties Music Tree Piano Adventures • All black keys at first • Black Keys • Posture/seating • Fingers 2 and 3 Fingers  2-3-4 position alternating hands • C position • Arm weight moving across 4 • All fingers used  • Range of the octaves • Middle C thumbs keyboard • 3-2 slur, 4-3-2 slur, • D major position • Rounded hand then various • G major position position/firm combinations. fingertips Technic Book:  • Dynamic contrasts Technic Book:   • "Artistry Hints" • Intervals 2-5 • Warm ups • Blocked and • Repeated notes broken chords • Two- and three• Phrasing note slurs • Parallel motion • Harmonic and melodic intervals • Balance between hands • Staccato and legato • Hand over hand patterns

Layout/Format Alfred Bastien Music Tree • Full color • Full color • Large notes • Child-centered • Full color • New elements in illustrations • Humorous figures shaded boxes • Sidebars highlight • Large notes • Teacher duet discoveries and • New elements parts at bottom practice skills shown at top of page. • Teacher duets at • Focus on music bottom of page • Teacher duet part • Larger notes with at bottom of focus on music. pages  

Pedagogy

Hal Leonard Student Piano Library

Also Accelerated Course for the Older Beginner  Books 1 & 2

Technic • Theory (writing, sightTheory reading, ear training) Performance • Performance  Sight Reading • Technique & Artistry (Level 1- 4) • Popular Repertoire Other: • Solos • Christmas • Christmas • Classics • Hymns • Activities for Time • Favorites • Sonatinas to Begin, 1, 2A, 2B. • Hymns • Boogie/Rock & (3 and 4 as above).  • Jazz & Blues Country Each book includes • Rock 'N Roll • Notespeller  skills, drills, theory, • More Popular Sheets • Pencil work sight playing, music • Flash cards notespeller, • Flashcards-in-a-Box • Assignment book games, puzzles  for • Developing Artist  General MIDI Disk CD each level.  Literature Series accompaniments  • Literature, duet, • PracticeTime supplementary and Assignment Book technic collections CD and MIDI Disk available in 6 accompaniments intermediate and lower advanced levels to follow the Music Tree. General MIDI diskettes and CDs for each level

 

Theory Elements & Sequence

Warner Bros.  Published 1993; Publications, 2000.     Distributed by Hal Frances Clark, Louise Leonard Corp. Goss, and Sam Holland   Nancy & Randall Faber     Homepage Link #1 Homepage Link #2

Alfred's Bastien Music Tree Eclectic (combines Multi key - Intervallic  Classic landmark and elements of intervallic, interval approach. multi-key and middle Sequence:  C), (7 keys in Level Sequence:   1A) • line/space notes • off-staff to partial • G-clef/F clef Sequence: staff to grand staff • 2nds through 5ths  over 9 units.  • sharps/ flats • Pre-reading • Directional reading through measure (black keys in 2-4 octave black   • Pre-reading key pieces.   (letter names) • CDE groups •  Bass F • FGAB groups • Treble G • 8va.   • Intervals • Intervals 2nd (2nds-5ths) through 5th in • Sharps and flats sequence with staff throughout lines added as measure needed.

Alfred Durational "1 1 1-2" or Chanting:  "quarter, quarter, half note"

Piano Adventures

Piano Adventures •

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Full color Lesson Books and Popular Repertoire Books   Others 3-color  Non-childish art

Hal Leonard • • • • • •

Finger 3 supported by thumb Black keys-mixed black/ white keys - white keys 234/432 Blocked clusters Middle C thumbs or middle B,C thumbs Alternative fingers on same note positions (e.g. 123 CDE or DEF)

Technic Book:  • • • • • • • • • • •

Hand position Black key- clusters Single notes Beautiful tone, attention to silence  Non-legato Thumb placement Legato Varying dynamics Staccato Legato between hands Non-legato between hands

Hal Leonard • • • •

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Full color original illustrations Large notes Focus on music New elements in shaded focus box Teacher duet parts at bottom of page Keyboard graphics for finger placement

Alfred Bastien Music Tree Piano Adventures Hal Leonard • Supplementary • Separate 64-page Books correlated teacher handbooks • Supplementary • Varied fingerings; • Method components page by page for Time to Begin/ lessons Sequential fingerings coordinated page by with Lesson Part 1 and Parts correlated page • Student finds starting page with technique and Books 2A/2B by page key and finger theory. • Separate • Emphasis on • Teacher duet • "Discovery" activity • Separate Teacher guide Teacher's Guide complete parts-several with piece  • Teacher Duet parts • Teacher duet musicianship, • Words for songs • "Creative" activity words to many songs parts for many understanding, for many pieces with each unit • Student improvisation on pieces projection of artistic • Practice • Teacher  duet parts FGAB and CDE • Words for all performance directions • Printed practice steps  • Magnifying glass symbol songs in early • Activity books highlighted • Certificate of for Student reminders levels correlated by page • Written work/tests Achievement • Characters Spike and • Some creative and unit • Final test • Blends discreet note Party Cat used suggestions • Cartoon characters • Certificate of reading and throughout included Chip and Bobo Achievement intervallic reading; • Lessons divided into • Some practice highlight visual and   multi-key at level 2A Introductory unit and 5 steps included aural awareness   teaching units • Written review • Avoids position• Award Certificate test at end of based reading Lesson Book • Emphasis on • Certificate of independent Promotion learning. Alfred • Dynamics p, f, mf  • Legato and staccato • Crescendo and diminuendo • Repeat sign

Bastien • •

Dynamics f, p Legato and staccato

Music Tree Piano Adventures • Pieces describe experiences of • "Artistry Hints" and childhood.  "Artistry Magic" • Singable tunes and pieces many well-known • "Technique Secrets" folk/popular applied toward melodies musical expression • f,p (sometimes to • Use of pedal be chosen by student to fit) • Non-legato/ legato • Emphasis on phrasing.

Hall Leonard • • • • • •

p-f-mf-mp Adagio, Andante, Allegro Use of damper pedal D.C. al Fine Repeat symbol Detached / connected tones

Alfred Bastien Music Tree Piano Adventures Hal Leonard • Avoids finger • Emphasis on • 12 years of prenumber communicating release testing and • Includes some • Test- marketed to 1000+ association with through music development familiar tunes teacher/ students  specific keys • Emphasis on • Avoids finger number • I, IV, V • Teacher • Lyrics that often creativity through association with accompaniment accompaniments reinforce musical composing, specific keys chords throughout  concepts improvising, and • Songs have words • Practice • Creative • Overlapping rearranging, • Pianistic gestures directions improvisation  throughout concepts with • Independent encouraged included • Songs have words/ much practice skills • Teacher • All major and variety of moods. reinforcement developed accompaniments minor keys • Research and covered by Level testing over 5 4 decades by thousands of teachers and students (previous editions in 1955, 1960, 1970, 1993) • For use in private, group, or combination of both.