After the H Book, Volume 2: Piano Book

This book arrives exactly when many teachers wonder what comes next after their students finish the "H" Book. Schaum designed Volume 2 specifically to maintain momentum and expand horizons rather than restart, so students experience their progression as natural growth. The Grade 6 1/2 level sits in a productive sweet spot where students can tackle richer textures and longer forms without losing the motivational satisfaction of completing material regularly.

These pieces invite students to move beyond note-reading security into genuine musical expression. The material has substance and character without overwhelming advancing students, creating that rewarding moment when technical difficulty recedes and playing becomes about interpretation and tone.

Piano students who have completed the "H" Book of the Schaum method and are ready to expand their technical and musical vocabulary at the Grade 6 1/2 level. Teachers seeking post-intermediate repertoire that maintains the pedagogical clarity Schaum's students know while introducing greater sophistication will find this volume bridges the gap between method-book security and wider performance literature.

• Work through the pieces in order rather than jumping ahead. Schaum sequenced each piece to build on skills from the previous one, so following the progression strengthens foundation before introducing the next challenge.
• Pay close attention to tempo markings and dynamic range. Volume 2 introduces more nuanced expression than earlier levels, and respecting these details transforms adequate playing into genuine musicianship.
• Practice hands separately first, then hands together slowly before bringing pieces to tempo. This deliberate approach prevents students from rushing through technical passages and helps them hear the music they're playing.
• Record yourself periodically. Listening back reveals rhythmic inconsistencies and uneven phrasing that the student's ear might miss in real time.

Assign Volume 2 as continuing study material for private students advancing beyond the H Book, allowing them to deepen their Schaum foundation with material specifically designed for their next level. Teachers can also draw individual pieces for student recitals when they want accessible yet musically substantial selections that students will practice seriously.

• Reading and executing more complex rhythmic patterns and mixed meters
• Technical facility in moderate tempo passages with varied hand positions
• Dynamic shaping and pedal control for expressive effect
• Sight-reading confidence with expanded key signatures and articulations
• Phrasing and musical interpretation beyond mechanical execution