I think it is super important as one is learning the piano to become comfortable playing in all of the keys. Students benefit so much as they are able to play chords in any key, including major and minor, and chords in all of the different inversions. As students learn to play simple chord progressions and to play different accompaniment patterns in these progressions, not only will they be able to learn (and understand!) their pieces more easily, but they will have skills and knowledge that will be so important in composing, improvising, and other creative keyboard skills. I wish that I had learned more of these skills right from the get-go in my piano study as a young girl. It’s totally possible even for beginning students to acquire these skills quickly and to feel confident playing anywhere on the piano – it will help them to soar in their piano progress!
Now available to purchase on the Muscle Builders page are Levels 2 and 3 of the Piano Muscle Builders for Older Beginners. (See Level 1 here.) I love the visual aspect of these books, which include easy-to-follow chord diagrams in each of the keys.
These books cover the same (and more!) material as the Muscle Builder Books for kids, but they are much more concise. They explain concepts more in-depth so the older beginners can understand everything, and they include reviews in playing, spelling, and notating on the staff the different chords and concepts learned.
Here is what is covered in each of the levels!
Level 2: Chords
Level 2 builds on the concepts learned in Level 1, and we learn all different varieties of chords in the white key major and minor keys. This includes chord inversions, tonic, subdominant and dominant 7th chords, simple chord progressions, and left hand accompaniment patterns in those progressions.
Here are some sample pages from Level 2:
Level 3: Black Key 5-Finger Patterns
Level 3 teaches all of the black key major and minor five-finger scales and chords. In preparation for these scales with trickier fingerings, students will learn how to cross thumbs under and fingers over. Emphasis is placed on playing these scales with correct fingerings, and also in playing them in five different musical ways. Students will play scales and chords in each of these major and minor keys, and then at the end will review by playing them all in a row, spelling the chords and notating the chords on the staff.
Here are some sample pages from Level 3:
Each book is a digital download. A download link will be emailed to you immediately following purchase (please check your email settings to ensure it does not go to your junk mail folder). Purchase below or on the Muscle Builders page.
Piano Muscle Builders for Older Beginners Level 2: Chords
Digital download, 16 pages
Piano Muscle Builders for Older Beginners Level 3: Black Key 5-Finger Patterns
Digital download, 11 pages
