2026 ~ Out with the Old and In with the New – Best Piano Book for Beginners, that Is . . .
Interested in learning piano this new year? You need the best piano book for beginners! Here’s some things to consider when comparing current method books to the new kid on the block . . .
Recently I came across an article that described one of the first – perhaps THE first – piano method books to be published: the Bertini Pianoforte Method. I found a scanned copy of the entire book but could not see a published date, so am guessing it was around the 1840s to 1850s. Henri Jerome Bertini (1798-1876) was well known in his day as a French classical composer, as well as a distinguished pianist.
Sample Bertini Pages
Here are a few pages that I thought to be most representative of the lesson progress in the 1800s Bertini Pianoforte Method book:
Lesson 1 page 2:
Lesson 2 page 4
Lesson 5 page 10
Lesson 12 page 20
The rest of the book introduces a study of scales on page 30; dynamic signs, tempos, and arpeggios in the pages up to 60; arpeggio chords and chromatic scales in pages up to 83; exercises in thirds, sixths, and octaves in pages up to 171. Whew!
Are You as Perplexed as I Am?
Remember, this Bertini Pianoforte Method was for beginners, all in one book! It’s more like an encyclopedia rather than a leveled method for learning to read and play piano music. In the 1880s that was what existed, rather than separate books of graduated skill levels. (Poor students . . . )
In the years after Bertini’s book appeared, other method books were published. Among them were:
Beginners’ Book of the Oxford Piano Course in 1928
John Thompson’s Modern Course for the Piano in 1942
John W. Schaum Piano Method in 1945
Michael Aaron Piano Primer in 1947
The Leila Fletcher Piano Course in 1950
Eckstein Piano Course in 1951
The Ada Richter Piano Course in 1954
Robert Pace Piano Series in 1954
Alfred’s Basic Piano Series in 1983
Bastien Piano Basics in 1985
Faber and Faber in 1993
In my brief examination of Bertini’s book, I suggest it is rather aligned the same as some modern piano course books – systematically coordinating beginner concepts together, leading to more difficult, and then even more difficult IS the methodology. For instance – John Thompson’s – though Thompson’s now by comparison seems a great deal more interesting and manageable than Bertini’s RAPID introduction of new concepts.
Other Issues
I came across an interesting comparison study done in 1956 – so much closer to the time these earlier publications were in popular use. Some of the statements made in the comparisons of these courses included:
- The main pedagogical weakness is the insistence on using position playing. Position-playing approaches afflict so many other methods currently in vogue.
- American-trained Suzuki students often cannot read music, depend too much on playing by ear, and can lack a strongly developed technique.
- Students who have been raised on this method exclusively sometimes seem to have limited competence in note reading and undeveloped technique.
- There is too much off-the-staff reading in the beginning.
- The lesser focus on note-reading slows the student’s reading ability and progress.
Know the Piano Method
Knowing the instructional strengths and weaknesses to look for when choosing a teaching method for piano students would be critical to the success of the learners.
Put Your Current Piano Method to the Test
Consider how the method book you currently use addresses the five main issues listed above. Does it have an easily identified methodology for introducing note-reading, or does it rely on hand positions, finger numbers, and/or rote repetition (without a critical-thinking process) as crutches the student must use in order to play any written notation? Is it the best piano book for beginners to use?
If You Can Read Words You Can Teach Yourself or Your Child Using Piano Revolution books!
This is like no other published course for learning to play the piano, as it is based on the principles of Instructional Design. One concept at a time is introduced, and the student is allowed to become somewhat proficient before introducing another concept.
The student uses a thinking process which enables him to identify lines and spaces and locate their corresponding keys. This cognitive approach facilitates keyboard playing without dependence upon hand positioning on a specific key/keys or fingering based on five-finger positions. This is critical to sight-reading notes and is similar to learning to read a language phonetically, rather than memorizing words by sight.
Would the First Lesson for a Young Student Look Like?
What Would the First Lesson for a 6 to Teen Look Like (video)?
The Backstory:
Why I Created Piano Revolution
Teaching Beginners to Read Music
Personal Reflection by Leslie M. Young, author of Piano Revolution
Leveled Piano Instruction Books in Four Series
Why It Matters
The writing and proving of the Piano Revolution books has been a decades-long journey for me. The longer I used the method as a teacher, the more frequently I saw the lasting benefits for students of various ages. This approach truly teaches learners—proven with ages 5 to 65—how to actually read and play written music from the very first lesson. It’s not just about pressing keys. It’s about unlocking literacy in music and having true independence at the piano.
Story about Actual Student #1
My new neighbor approached me about teaching her ten-year-old daughter piano. She had had two years of lessons previously, so I expected her to know quite a bit. I was so surprised to see she couldn’t read a single written note. So we started from scratch with my beginner lesson book 1. She said aloud each letter name as she played its key and used the spaces as starting points to find the line notes – using the Piano Revolution thinking method.
After three months, she was reading on a one-year level. This reaffirmed to me that its the method that makes the most difference in learning to accurately read and play music; not the teacher; not the age; not the piano; not past experience. This student continued and excelled beautifully.
Result: Method matters more than age or past experience.
Story about Actual Student #2
I met this lovely 65-year-old grandmother in 2017. She was quite active in many areas, but wanted to learn to play piano. I told this from-scratch beginner that if she practiced ten minutes a day using my first lesson book, saying each letter name as she played its key, she would progress quickly. She astonished me. After just four months, she played the original version (both hands) of Clementi’s Sonatina! Not quite up to speed, but accurately! She (and I) were quite happy with her accomplishments!
Result: The Piano Revolution method works for any motivated learner.
Story about the Frustrated Teacher
A very experienced piano teacher I know was having difficulty with a teen student who just was not making any progress. This student had come to her with a background of having had lessons for a few years, but he never made the connection between reading notes and locating their corresponding keys.
I could see this teacher’s frustration and heard her say perhaps the problem was with herself. I emphatically reassured her that was not the case. The issue was with the method book currently used and those previously used. They really were the same in their approach of orienting on middle C and using hand positions and finger numbers – just rote memorization.
I encouraged her to take a new approach. Start from scratch with my beginner book for older teens and adults. Just stop “cold turkey” with the hand positions and finger numbers and replace that with learning one hand/clef at a time and say each letter as its key is played. That is actual learning that cannot be faked by a student with a “good ear”.
Remind the student frequently that letters will not have to be said forever – just until solid long-term learning has occurred. That’s usually after lessons covering two books in the series. This teacher was certainly happier after our conversation, and I understand now that the teen has mastered notation-reading!
NOTE: The Piano Revolution method should be easy to use in homeschool lessons by parents with no music experience, as well as for self-teaching older students.
The Power of Instructional Design
In 1982 I found a course at the University of North Texas to be most enlightening! It was about how Instructional Design principles can be used to teach anyone anything in a way that should practically guarantee successful learning. That one experience reshaped how I thought about teaching. It showed me that learning doesn’t have to be rote copying tied to hand positions and finger numbers—it can be logical, clear, and empowering. That’s exactly how Piano Revolution is structured – now.
I realized in the 1980s that just marking out most of the printed finger numbers in songs would not solve the root problem. Those songs were purposefully written in “hand positions” so that only certain notes would be read and certain piano keys played. A student has 10 fingers. A piano has 88 keys. Instant problem.
To alleviate this problem in the beginner’s first book, I searched for recognizable songs in the public domain that would fit my new “thinking process” strategy. This also meant new songs would have to be written to provide enough sequential progress for the student. There were years spent writing and rewriting.
Then something fantastic was created . . . the Internet! . . . and with it the capability for self-publishing books! New notation software – print on demand – no inventory – the book in your hand three days from ordering – amazing! This new “thinking process” method could be in the hands of teachers, students, and parents – all over the world.
The Thinking Process: Step-by-Step
- Learn each staff separately to understand treble and bass clefs clearly.
2. Identify spaces first, then use them to name and find line notes.
3. Practice short, daily sessions (5-8 minutes).
4. Self-correct mistakes using the visual logic of the staff.
This process turns students into independent learners who can “figure it out” on their own—one of the most rewarding things a teacher can hear!The beginner learns each hand’s staff separately. This makes sense because each staff represents different portions of the piano keyboard—so that the lines and spaces of each staff have different letter names. After the spaces are gradually learned (and the location of their piano keys), the spaces are used to name and locate the line letter names and key locations, in a gradual and logical sequence.
This “thinking process” that the student acquires within a short time of repeated practice is exciting for a teacher to see in action and self-motivating for the students because they can self-correct any errors. I’ve had a student say, “I can figure this out myself, so why do I need a teacher?” That was very satisfying for me to hear!
The Method that Empowers Students to Teach Themselves
The evolution of structured teaching to read written music and perform it has spanned about 150 years. The Bertini Pianoforte Method of the 1880s was more like an encyclopedia of everything piano rather than a graduated method for beginners to learn to read and play – but it was a start. In the years after Bertini’s book appeared, other method books were published, including Beginners’ Book of the Oxford Piano Course in 1928 and John Thompson’s Modern Course for the Piano in 1942.
There are certainly more that followed, but current modern piano method books seem to be organized in the same general way as that of the 1880s: Systematically gathering beginner concepts together, leading to more difficult, and then the even more difficult – this IS the methodology.
Piano Revolution gives students independence. It teaches them not just to play by rote-copying, but to understand. Not just to perform, but to logically think.
Here’s a fun and short
cartoon video that shows the Thinking Process used in
Piano Revolution books:
What Would the First Lesson for a Young Student Look Like?
What Would the First Lesson for a 6 to Teen Look Like (video)?
View sample pages of all the books for students
ages 6 to teen:
View sample pages of all the books for students
4 to 5 years old:
View sample pages of all the books for older
teens and adults:
View the books on Amazon:
About the Author, Composer, Illustrator,
Educator, and Eternal Optimist
Leslie Young is the author, composer, and illustrator of the PIANO Revolution method books (originally titled as the Revolutionary Piano Method). She co-founded a K-12th grade charter school in Texas and has been teacher, administrator, and Curriculum Director. As a piano teacher for over 40 years, she has had experience teaching a variety of students tackling piano for the first time or as returning students.
Young believes that “learning to play the piano is more about diligence and perseverance” – but would add that just as critical to success is the method that is used, the pattern of critical thinking, and the instructional principles that promote immediate success.
She states: “In teaching piano to students of varying ages, what also varies is a commitment of time and the amount of dedication. Children of younger ages may do very well with a parent as teacher; others may need someone who is not family to instruct them. Some older children and adults prefer to make progress on their own, and this method is designed to act as a meticulous guide through new material. Some adults and teens insist on professional teachers, which also encourages continuity.
Because these books are self-explanatory, a novice or experienced professional teacher will have no trouble using the PIANO Revolution method with students. It’s an easy and effective way to learn piano.”
