A First Book of Ragtime: For The Beginning Pianist with Downloadable MP3s: PIano Book

Jaunty, playful, and deeply American. Ragtime's rhythmic surprises come alive even in simplified form; there's a snap and personality to these pieces that makes them feel less like etudes and more like actual music that deserves an audience.

Beginning pianists of any age who want to play authentic ragtime without wading through unedited scores full of technical obstacles. Students benefit from learning the real McCoy (Joplin, Scott, Lamb) at an accessible level rather than waiting years to tackle the original texts.

• Establish a steady tempo before diving in; ragtime's syncopated lines can feel rushed if the underlying pulse isn't rock solid. The MP3 recordings help anchor this.
• Pay close attention to the suggested fingerings in the editor's notes. They're designed to accommodate the hand positions and reach limitations of beginners while keeping the syncopation readable.
• Balance the melodic line against the left-hand accompaniment. These pieces can sound muddy if both hands play at the same dynamic level; let the melody sing through.

Program one or two selections on a spring recital to break up the usual sonata-etude-prelude formula. You can also use individual pieces as technique rewards or performance goals throughout a year of lessons; most students find ragtime intrinsically motivating.

• Reading and executing syncopated rhythms in both hands
• Managing left-hand stride accompaniment patterns
• Balancing melody and accompaniment at the keyboard
• Understanding early jazz harmony and blues-inflected chord progressions
• Building sight-reading confidence with accessible arrangements of recognizable material