Piano Pieces Book 1

As an adult beginner who is a child at heart, I really love this method. The illustrations are gorgeous, the pacing is excellent and it's a fab all-round method that teaches note reading, aural skills, theory and improvisation from the start. Both hands are taught from the beginning and are used in melodies, initially playing alternately but soon playing simultaneously in simple patterns. There are many new compositions and well-known pieces too, with fun titles and themes, such as haunted houses, pirates and flying kites. Dynamics, such as Forte and Piano are introduced very early on, as are Staccato and Legato articulations. What you won't find in this book, is much actual teaching because it's designed to be used alongside Tutor Book 1, following the same progression and supplementing the teaching and limited number of pieces in that book with additional pieces to practise the points studied. In Tutor Book 1, there are boxes specifying when to switch to this book and which pieces to play. I therefore wouldn't recommend it on its own to a total beginner who does not know how to sit at the piano, how to read a score and which finger to use for each note. These things are covered very well in Tutor Book 1. However, children or young-at-heart adults who are not following the Get Set Piano method but have a basic knowledge of piano gained elsewhere may appreciate it on its own for additional practice from very basic two-note melodies up to prep-test/pre-Grade 1 level. Tutor Book 2 and Pieces Book 2 continue the progression to Grade 1 level.

Great for total beginner. Kids enjoying it.

Daughter enjoys working through book but I find it doesn’t flow well enough

Anything created by Collins seems to be 5*, this book did not disappoint.

Gorgeous pieces that compliment the Get Set Tutor Book perfectly. The rhymes are silly and fun to start and continue to engage young students as they progress through the book. The duet parts are wonderful and I love the extra pieces that can download for free. If I had to make a suggestion, it would be to include links to Soualle’s and similar pieces in the book that students could go and research and listen to.