Accelerando, Book 3: Elementary (all ages) Piano Book

The Accelerando series stands out because it treats technique as a means to musical expression, not an end in itself. Book 3 introduces real harmonic color (major/minor triads, accidentals) while staying rooted in positions that students can master quickly, creating immediate success and the confidence to tackle what comes next.

Fresh and exploratory. The introduction of major and minor tonalities, contrasting articulations, and thumb-under passages opens new musical territory while the familiar hand positions keep the technical hurdles manageable. Each study feels like a small discovery rather than a drill.

Elementary pianists ready to expand beyond simple 5-finger positions and explore harmonic color through added tones and accidentals. This book works equally well for young children and adult learners, as its clear structure and achievable goals create steady progress regardless of age.

• Encourage students to play the transposition chart exercises daily before moving to new pieces; the patterns lock in faster than sight-reading new transpositions each time.
• Set the metronome at a tempo where students can execute clean articulation contrasts without rushing, then gradually increase speed over several days rather than in a single practice session.
• Have students identify the harmonic function of each triad (tonic, subdominant, dominant) before playing multi-voice studies; naming the harmony makes the hand movements more purposeful.
• Use the 'hold' studies to build awareness of which fingers stay down while others move; this coordination skill transfers immediately to more complex repertoire.

Accelerando Book 3 functions best as the core technique foundation for students in their second or third year of lessons, bridging the gap between position-based playing and the freer hand movement required for intermediate repertoire. Assign studies alongside complementary pieces that use the same harmonic or technical elements, reinforcing both in context.

• Playing stable and traveling studies within C major/minor and A major/minor five-finger positions
• Reading and executing eighth-note rhythms with precision
• Distinguishing and performing contrasting articulations (staccato vs. legato) in the same phrase
• Building major and minor triads and recognizing their harmonic function
• Navigating accidentals within a fixed hand position
• Executing thumb-under passages with smooth hand transitions
• Coordinating alternating hands in rhythmic independence studies
• Managing multiple voices within a five-finger position, including sustained notes while others move
• Transposing melodies using accidentals while maintaining consistent hand position