Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! This helps me so much as a teacher. I’ve found myself getting lost in where’s the next step for students. Thank you thank you thank you!
Once students are done learning basics, there are unlimited choice for next level books. These are just my go-to books, but I'm glad if this can help you develop your own curriculum!
It really will help give me a plan to develop next steps for students. I taught my self @16,17 yrs old with former training in trumpet. I then took lessons in a university. I missed this part of development. I’m very happy to see a nice free format of books to go next.
Great video! These are the books I grew up with! Brings back memories. :) I’m so glad you say to encourage students to choose their own repertoire at this point, so important to keep them interested and engaged!
That book teaches you so much about musical playing, which will prepare you to Romantic music by Chopin, Schubert, etc. I'm thinking about starting a series of Burgmuller tutorials. Stay tuned. Please subscribe, like, share!
The video is so helpful!! Could you please introduce next level go to books if the students choose the classic one? It will be great if you can make another video about next level. So looking forward to it!!
After these books, students are ready for very wide range of music, so I don't have any go-to books. It really depends on each student's interest and goals, so you should combine repertoire that you think will further enhance the student's ability and ones s/he enjoys to play.
I literally started my journey today (May 30, 2022 - Memorial Day) learning piano from zero. I’m a reasonably accomplished rock guitar amateur player, but I have always loved the sound of the piano and decided to finally start learning at age 46. I bought myself an 88-key MIDI controller (Arturia Keylab mkii 88), a sustain pedal and Pianoteq 7 for the sounds. (Leaving these details here for anyone’s reference, in case it’s helpful. Also, I look forward to coming back to this post in a couple of years and check how far I have advanced :-) I just wanted to express how grateful I am that you take the time to create and publish these videos. I’ve been dissecting each and every one of yours for a few days now (while today was my first structured practice day, I’ve been setting things up and poking around the keys for the previous 4 days), and they have been incredibly helpful. Piling on with everybody else in gratitude - thank you, Akira! I look forward to watching the rest of your videos and your future ones. All the best!
Thank you for making such amazing and informative videos 😊 it helped with my decision in choosing the next book for practice. Will be taking Abrsm grade 6 next year.
Finish the scales and chords book? Wow, how do you test your students on that? I have that book but don't know how to practice all that material efficiently.
In my curriculum, for that book, I check student's accuracy including fingering and proficiency in playing all the items of each key. I usually assign 1 key at a time. My purpose of using that book is to have students experience playing all the basics in all keys to prepare for more advanced Hanon scales and arpeggios. So they don't have to play them fast yet. They just have to show me that they practiced them and are able to play them smoothly.
Been loving all of your piano videos, they have been providing me with some much-needed structure as a primarily self-taught pianist. One question, I have been working my way through the Hannon's and was wondering at what speed I should be able to move on to the next book? Obviously, for really fast speeds I will be practicing for a long time but what speed is good enough to continue practicing but also move on to more exercises? Thanks again for everything!
It depends on what level of technique you want. Generally i use 108, 120, 132 as general goal depending on the student's level, and you can move onto next one when you can play at your goal tempo evenly. After finishing all 32 exercises, you can always start over and aim for faster tempo.
This was a really helpful video for thinking about my learning process as an adult late beginner. Do you do all four books at the same time, just working on one piece from each little by little? And do you do every piece in each book?
These all depends on your current level, goal, daily practice time, etc. But my default method is to assign one piece from each book and work on 3-4 pieces at any given time.
I do have an online studio where students take lessons even from the other side of the globe :) If you are interested, you are more than welcome to sign up for regular or occasional lessons, consultations, etc. at www.pianowithakira.com
That's not a bad idea, but I personally don't, because I think Piano Adventures, Dozen a Day and scale book provides adequate technical training for that level.
After these books, you can really branch into any genre/repertoire, so I don't have go-to books for advanced students. It all depends on their interest and goal.
@@AkiraIkegamiChannel I forgot to ask you your suggestion on helping with what I find is "the" most difficult skill to master for piano...Having a spatial awareness, especially left hand, of where each octave is, each note, so as to not look at the keys?
Time it takes to finish these books really depends on the student. I usually cover the entire books except for Sonatina Album, from which I use selection of certain sonatinas and sonatas.
Re 6:21 - 6:31 - what you said in the Hanon video, after playing exercise #1 at MM = 120 for quarter notes, was - starting at 3:38: "At this point if you master all the exercises at this speed it's pretty much safe to say you can play all the music in the world technically ...". Then you proceeded to ... "demonstrate" at MM = 132 and MM = 152 (for quarter notes) with a similar claim re-stated. I would say there might be some credibility with that statement if, by "all the exercises", you mean all 60 exercises. I would be truly impressed to see you play exercises #53 and #57 at that speed. Perhaps you could demonstrate that at some point? That would be truly impressive! But since, as you indicated, the scope of your discussion is only the first 20 exercises, that statement seems considerably inaccurate, since there is no coverage of the major and minor scales, arpeggios, dominant 7th arpeggios, octave scales, double thirds and double sixths, and chromatic scales in octaves, minor 3rds, and minor 6ths found in the remaining Hanon exercises 21 through 60 - and certainly found throughout much of " ... all the music in the world." PS - I'm not sure what the point of playing at the higher speeds is - Hanon's own markings show a range from 60 to 108 for these. PPS - the disadvantage of playing Hanon only in C is that only the natural keys are used in which the distances between each key is the same, which does not provide much benefit for playing sharps. The first 20 exercises become incredibly more valuable when played in other major keys, which introduces micro-movements between naturals and sharps/flats. For a super workout, try playing exercise #1 at MM = 120 in F# harmonic minor which includes reaches from a half-step sharp to a natural, up to a major 3rd (C# to F, and D to F#). And if that's too boring, try playing it in 3rds and 6ths PPPS - per your Hanon video at 4:24 (" If you can play at 152, your fingers are as fast as mine") ... Using a close touch - where the fingers are *not lifted* the way you lift them - I can play exercise #1 at MM = 208 for quarter notes ( - or faster ...) so - I guess they are ... PPPPS - Hanon 6:27 - 6:37 - holding your fingers up above the keys requires contracting the upper forearm extensors which conflicts with the lower forearm flexors by creating a (brief) overlapping, simultaneous pull of the two sets of muscles against each other which creates a harmful and damaging tension which can lead to injury and should *not* be done.
Hi Akira! I haven't taken a piano lesson in about a year, but I really want to get back into it. The last time I had a lesson I was just about to start Suzuki book 4. I was wondering what your opinion is on the Suzuki books. Thank you!
@@AkiraIkegamiChannel Thank you so much for getting back to me! I'll probably schedule an online lesson with you sometime soon for more guidance. I hope to meet you soon!
The people with the Hanon hate don’t understand that any exercise can be turned into a more musical exercise after first learning techniques. It’s good practice to go back and put some musicality into those Hanon exercises which encourages musical creativity and improvisation in some ways to the player. So by itself sure Hanon can seem mechanical but you don’t have to play it mechanically once you grasp the fundamentals of them. People just like to complain because it’s their nature though instead of thinking alternatively
I played piano forever as a kid but never knew what level I was. I did go through Suzuki level 4 and all the Bastien books and all the dozen a day books. I think I went through Dozen a day book 4. I was never introduced to all these books you are talking about. As I'm playing through the Hannan and burgmuller book I realize I can sight read through a lot of the burgmiller songs but not all. I can play the Hanon and I really enjoy the technical exercises but my speed is not there. I am clumsy at 108. I think I can currently do 95. I was never introduced to a metronome so that is new to me. My real question after your intermediate student complete these things would they be able to play Moonlight Sonata Movement 3? Or Tchasky Nutcracker ballet? I really want to play those pieces but I'm not sure if they are too difficult. Also, how long does it take to master a difficult piano piece like moonlight sonata movement 3? I often get frustrated with myself that it is taking months and I think it must be above my level so I give up and go back to easier repituae. I'm not sure if I'm playing above my level or if it literally takes a year to learn a song and I just need to tough it out. What are you thoughts? By the way your channel is great! I teach piano and this intermediate lesson is suuuuuper helpful! I was wondering what to do with my students after they got to a certain level.
I was frustrated with burgmuller. I hated playing it when i was a kid. I think, it is one of my trauma with piano lesson (aside my teacher’s fierce dogs. Hahaha)
@@AkiraIkegamiChannel i am 46 and if one day i take lesson again, i will bargain the teacher if she/he asks me to learn burgmuller again. I dont know. I cant connect to the pieces melody. It is ok to play others, but burgmuller is drowning for me somehow. 😢.
Would you suggest all of this for say an adult learner in their 30's who took piano lessons in their teens but stopped playing by their 20's, who can't play fast pieces without messing up and wants to work on their technique and up their skills? They already know the basics so, should they start here?
I'm not familiar with that, but I'm sure there are many other exercises that are as good. These are just the ones I'm familiar with and can fit in one-hour lessons.
Hello Sir ! I am currently at the levels of Hanon and some few easy Czerny pieces and now thinking in advance i'm quite confused what to do after intermediate level going to advance and to the expert level i guess, can you recommend some pieces i need to focus or i need to do after intermediate level, sorry if the request is quite rude or something i'm really sorry ! Also the pieces i am aiming for well to be precise the piece i am aiming for is Chopin's Ballade no. 1 which is really far from me yet i still want to play it someday also i'm a self taught pianist. Thank you for reading ! also Thank you in advance !
The question is not rude at all. It is actually a very good question. However, the topic is just too broad to answer. After you properly learn intermediate repertoires, it really depends on individual situation like your strength, weakness, goal, etc. So there is no go-to advance repertoire, I just have to assess each student and make custom repertoire choice from wide selection of available pieces.
@@AkiraIkegamiChannel Thank you for your Response ! So after i properly learn intermediate repertoires i will strengthen my skills and fix my weaknesses well i do have many weaknesses i guess i do need to fix it Noted ! And i guess for the goal is to start from your target composer's easy pieces and climbing to the preferred piece ? Sorry for taking your time ! Thank you once again for your response this gave me an idea on my learning map it is very helpful and for the notes to remember too ! Thank you !
I have learned five pieces in Burgmuller op 100 as a late beginner/early intermediate level. Some of the Burgmuller pieces are still too difficult. Are there of there very fun pieces you recommend at this level?
There are a lot of repertoire you can play before Burgmuller, but it all depends on what you need, so it's hard to make a suggestion without seeing you play.
Hello Akira. What is your opinion on Czerny 740? It has ap. 177 pages. What level does it fall Into and how is it compared to Brahms 51 exercises? Thanks for your evaluation.
Definitely! By playing hands separately, you start seeing each hand's weakness that's hard to hear when both hands are playing. People say "I can play both hands better but using only one hand messes me up," but most likely hands are just hiding each other's weakness and the same issue exists even when you are playing both hands together. In other words, if you play hands separately and there is no flaw, you have truly mastered that exercise. It's good to double-check once in a while.
Basically I use the same material while explaining things a little differently depending on the student's age. I think materials in the se books are good to work on no matter what age you are, while I explain things a little differently during lessons.
LoL my teacher ask me what do you really wannaplay. I said winter wind then my teacher said ok but you have to smash through brick wall that i create . And now i still stuck in the brick wall name L'orage 😂
Sir , i am from India , I am currently at hanon study of scales but can very well play mozart Sonata facile , should i stick to the order of books? Or practice whatever i want . I don't have a teacher i am self taught.
It never hurts to go through the basics to fill in any gap that may occur. With that said, if you can handle more, I always encourage students to mix in pieces they really want to play. After all, that's why you study piano.
@@AkiraIkegamiChannel also I've noticed there are multiple versions of czerny 849 with different fingerings have u seen them or I just stumbled upon something wrong ?
There are different editions of pretty much everything. Which edition is good depends on your situation. It's too complicated to write it here, but maybe one day I will make a video about it.
Yes. I don't see much point in advancing without being able to handle the current level. It'll only come back and bite you later. All of my students have to learn each piece to age/level appropriate performance level.
@@AkiraIkegamiChannel after they finish the book or is there a point when you have your students play out of both books? Also, at what point would you start czerny 261 if you use it with your students?
Thank you! Im doing burgmuller op 100 and contemporary im doing the sonatina album and i wanted to ask, how much should it take learn a whole sonatina? ( i mean all the movements) I know it is personal but usually how much time your students spend on a sonatina before passing on ? Thanks, you are a really good teacher
You can totally skip the Hanon book and just use the other three books. There is a chance before getting "Hanon out of the way", piano is already out of your child's interest.