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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction 2
2.0 The realistic Educational Progression of Tutor Book Content
2.1 The Music People
2.2 Encore on Keys
2.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course 3
3.0 Accurate Communication of Articulation, Posture and Finger Technique
3.1 The Music People
3.2 Encore on Keys
3.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course 4
4.0 The Capacity of the Tutor Book to Cater to Students of Various Learning Styles and
Integrate with Other Learning Resources.
4.1 The Music People
4.2 Encore on Keys
4.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course 5
5.0 The Most Suitable Environment the Tutor Book Identifies With
5.1 The Music People
5.2 Encore on Keys
5.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course
6.0 Summary 6
7.0 Appendices 7
7.1 Appendix 1
7.2 Appendix 2 8
7.3 Appendix 3 9
8.0 References 10
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1.0 Introduction

Choosing the best resources as a piano teacher can be a daunting task. There are a plethora
of tutor books available for the beginner pianist, often leaving teachers wondering which
‘tried and true’ methods and/or novel concepts they should explore. There are four main
considerations that create a useful framework for determining the strengths and
weaknesses of a tutor book. These are:

1. The realistic educational progression of the content.

2. How accurately articulation, posture and finger technique are communicated.
3. The ability of the book to cater to students of various learning styles (alongside its
ability to integrate with other learning resources and educational platforms).
4. The most suitable environment the tutor book identifies with.

Three tutor books were chosen to demonstrate this scaffold: The Music People (Carter &
Carter, 1980), Encore on Keys, Junior Series 1 (Gibson, Robinson & Stavrinoudis, 1997) and
Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course, Book 1 (Aaron, 1947).

2.0 The Realistic Educational Progression of Tutor Book Content

2.1 The Music People

This tutor book progresses at a steady pace, taking an integrated approach to the
theoretical and practical aspects of piano playing.

Carter and Carter (1980) do a passable job of ensuring that new concepts are reinforced
after introduction, however there are instances where concepts are glazed over and
reintroduced at problematic moments. An example of this can be seen with the
introduction of ties on page 27. They do not reappear until page 37 – immediately after
rests are introduced and simultaneous to the introduction of staccatos (App. 7.1, Fig. 1).
While the progression of content in the tutor book is mostly realistic, it is at points like this
that the need for supplementation from other sources is demonstrated.

The book is overwhelming in the amount of written information it imparts, covering six
different topics in the first sixteen pages, with almost no opportunities to explore the
instrument. This would take considerable input from the teacher to create a palatable
learning experience for the student, despite the story-book style presentation.

2.2 Encore on Keys

This tutor book is designed to take half a year to cover (14 weeks for a typical school
semester). This is an overly optimistic timeframe for the completion of this book, as it would
require the student to complete two to three activities every lesson. Certain components
would take much longer to learn and consolidate, for example the repertoire piece ‘Exotic
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Market’ (App. 7.2, Fig. 1), which introduces the grand stave, staccatos and hands together
playing simultaneously (Gibson et al., 1998, p. 19). A teacher would not realistically expect a
student to gain competency in all three of these components in a week, while also focusing
on at least one other new activity given in the same lesson.

2.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course

This book moves quickly and efficiently through materials. The choice of fast-paced
education progression assumes a level of commitment and understanding from the student,
based on age and maturity. The student can engage with a new piece of repertoire and its
accompanying technical exercise almost weekly, contributing to a sense of progress and
satisfaction – an important motivating factor for adult students. Concepts are constructed in
a logical sequence; however supplementation with a theory book would be essential in
order to ensure the student successfully assimilates these concepts long-term, as there are
no revision opportunities built into the core text.

3.0 Accurate Communication of Articulation, Posture and Finger Technique

3.1 The Music People

This tutor book does very little in the way of communicating articulation and does not touch
on posture at all. There are only three references to articulation in the entire book – two
pieces that incorporate staccatos and a very brief mention of legato: “Make this melody
sound like a single strand – legato between the hands as well as between the fingers. Don’t
Hurry – aim for a nice regular flow” (Carter and Carter, 1980, p. 39). Supplementary
repertoire focusing specifically on five finger legato, phrasing and dynamics – all of which
are omitted from the tutor book – would be necessary.

The overall reading approach of this tutor book is the middle C position, which could be
considered both a concern and benefit in reinforcing pitch reading, It allows more time for
the student to orientate themselves with the white keys but limits opportunities to read
notes at greater interval distances. It also has the potential to create associations between
specific fingers and keys, which can be detrimental to the development of confident
keyboard geography skills later on.

3.2 Encore on Keys

No reference to posture or how to correctly approach sitting at the piano is made in this
tutor book. Only very brief and basic instructions on how to relax and balance the hand in
preparation for playing are included, relying on the teacher to effectively implement the
most comfortable and efficient hand positioning for each student.

Articulation and finger technique are well established throughout the book through the
incorporation of ‘Finger Tap’ and ‘Finger Zip’ activities (App. 7.2, Fig. 2). These allow the
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student to gain familiarity with new rhythms, finger patterns, pitch names and theoretical
components such as clefs and phrase markings before consolidating them through the
repertoire.

Slurs and staccatos are well reinforced in the repertoire; however two note slurs are never
differentiated from longer slurs. This is an area that teachers should consider supplementing
with extra pieces, to ensure that students gain an understanding of how to effectively
articulate these phrases.

3.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course

This method book initially orientates the student on the keyboard using the middle C
position; however it quickly introduces different hand positions. This encourages a firm
foundation in pitch reading, directional reading and interval recognition. Pitch reading is
reinforced through the extensive scope of the repertoire, sight reading activities and
technical exercises. The pieces alternate between simple duple, triple, quadruple and
compound duple time, however time signatures are never adequately explained. A rather
dubious explanation of time signatures is given next to the rhythmic pattern for ‘Ode to Joy’
(Aaron, 1947, p. 7). The meaning of the lower number in the time signature is never
properly explained or revisited; requiring teacher guidance and/or theoretical
supplementation (App. 7.3, Fig. 1).

Similarly to the other two tutor books, The Michael Aaron Piano Course does not provide
any demonstrations for correct posture or seating at the piano; nor does it explain correct
hand positioning and structure. Again, it is left to the teacher to introduce and reinforce
basic technique through supplementary exercises.

4.0 The Capacity of the Tutor Book to Cater to Students of Various Learning
Styles and Integrate with Other Learning Resources.

4.1 The Music People

The colourful illustrations throughout this book would greatly benefit a visual learner,
however the amount of information on each page may become overwhelming and
confusing for many children. There is a supplementary tape available for purchase with
recordings of the songs to assist the aural learner; however this does not come included
with the book.

4.2 Encore on Keys

This tutor book incorporates a broad range of musical genres, which is beneficial in
appealing to students of various musical interests, especially those that do not particularly
gravitate towards traditional, classical repertoire. It has colourful characters that accompany
the student on their musical journey, making it quite appealing from a visual perspective.
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The included flash cards are also good for the visual learner. The CD backing tracks assist the
audio learner and also provide interest and motivation for students, replicating an ensemble
experience.

4.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course

There is a good balance of text, illustrations and repertoire on each page. Because this tutor
book is designed for adults, it omits colour and any unnecessary illustrations. The
illustrations that are given are purely for reference, though are helpful for the visual learner
(App. 7.3, Fig. 2). There are no recordings and the black and white layout makes this tutor
book feel more like a textbook. It is left to the teacher to approach the material in such a
way as to cater to each adult beginner’s needs.

5.0 The Most Suitable Environment the Tutor Book Identifies With

5.1 The Music People

Due to the overwhelming amount of text used throughout the book and the need for
students to revisit the material in between lessons for consolidation, The Music People
(Carter & Carter, 1980) should only be considered an appropriate resource for primary
school aged children (5 to 12 years old) who are already reading with confidence. While
sections of this book could be useful as a supplement to classroom music or group lessons, it
is not designed primarily for this purpose. It is most suited to one-on-one lessons with a
teacher.

5.2 Encore on Keys

The Encore on Keys, Primary Series (Gibson et al., 1998) is designed specifically for children
between the ages of 8 and 12. Its inclusion of ensemble and percussion opportunities means
that it can easily be adapted for use in group piano lessons and school music classes, as well
as one-on-one tuition. It could suitably be used as either a primary or supplementary
resource, as each activity can be taken out of the context of the tutor book and still work
effectively on its own. There are a wide range of supporting materials, such as a teacher’s
guide (including character cards and student report pads), flashcards and CDs with backing
tracks for each piece of repertoire.

5.3 Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course

This piano method is best suited to private one-on-one tuition, due to the pace at which
concepts are introduced and the increasing difficulty of the repertoire. The choice of
repertoire centres on famous classical works that are easily recognisable and there are no
opportunities for group or ensemble work, making it unsuitable for group lessons.
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6.0 Summary

Each of the books could be used as either primary or secondary resources in a one-on-one
teaching environment. While all of them have their positive attributes, each demonstrates a
need for supplementation by the teacher, either through extra theoretical, technical or
repertory resources. In the end the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of a piano lesson does
not hinge on the tutor book used, but rather on the way in which the teacher engages the
student with the material. As Albert Einstein very famously said: “I never teach my pupils; I
only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn” (Holland, 2014, p.63).
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7.0 Appendices

7.1 Appendix 1

Figure 1:
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7.2 Appendix 2

Figure 1:

Figure 2:
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7.3 Appendix 3

Figure 1:

Figure 2:
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8.0 References

Aaron, M. (1947). Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course (Vol. 1). New York, N. Y.: Belwin
Mills Publishing Corp

Carter, A., & Carter, L. (1980). The Music People. London W1A 2BR: Chappell Music
Ltd.

Gibson, M., Robinson, M., & Stavrinoudis, J. (1998). Encore on Keys Primary Series 1
(4th ed.). Enoggera, QLD: Accent Publishing Pty Ltd.

Holland, J. L. (2014). Train the Brain to Hear: Understanding and Treating Auditory
Processing Disorder, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyspraxia, Short Term Memory, Executive
Function, Comprehension, and ADD/ADHD (2nd ed.): Universal Publishers.