Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book 2: Piano Book

This book strikes the balance that adult learners need: substantial review that builds confidence without feeling repetitive, paired with a repertoire collection that sounds genuinely musical and spans recognizable classical excerpts alongside folk standards. The systematic progression through chord positions prepares students for real independence at the keyboard while maintaining engagement through familiar melodies.

A thoughtful expansion of piano language. The constant reinforcement and recontextualization of chords keeps your fingers confident while the repertoire variety makes each practice session feel purposeful. You move from familiar territory into pieces that sound genuinely rewarding to play, discovering that technique and joy aren't separate pursuits.

Adult students continuing their piano journey after completing Lesson Book 1, whether studying independently or with a teacher. This book serves learners who want to deepen their harmonic understanding and build repertoire that reflects their musical interests, from classical masterworks to American folk traditions.

• Work chord position changes slowly and deliberately before applying them to full pieces. Isolate the hand movements and drill them separately until the transitions feel automatic.
• Use the classical and folk pieces as anchors for technique review. When you play Pachelbel's Canon or a Brahms Lullaby excerpt, you're reinforcing voicing concepts in context, not in isolation.
• Pay close attention to the titles that incorporate sevenths and blues elements (Space Shuttle Blues, Swingin' Sevenths). These pieces introduce harmonic color beyond basic triads; let them expand your ear's comfort zone.
• Return to pieces you've already learned as your chord vocabulary grows. A piece played in week three sounds different when revisited in week eight with new harmonic awareness.

Use this as the core text for an adult group piano class over two to three semesters, or as a structured path for independent study with periodic check-ins. The repertoire works beautifully for student recitals or community performances, offering enough variety that different students can select pieces matching their interests and current abilities.

• Chord voicings in all positions across both hands
• Reinforcement of keys and chord progressions from Lesson Book 1
• Sight-reading applied to diverse musical styles
• Hand independence through systematic chord exercises
• Musical interpretation through classical excerpts and folk melodies
• Harmonic vocabulary expansion including seventh chords and blues elements