Alfred's Group Piano for Adults: Student Book 1 (2nd Edition): Piano Comb Bound Book & CD-ROM

This book reflects the lived experience of someone who ran a successful group piano program and listened carefully to what teachers and students actually needed. The second edition incorporates real classroom feedback, which means the pacing, examples, and difficulty progression all come from years of watching adults learn keyboard skills. The 26-unit structure gives you a clear roadmap for two semesters of study without guessing whether you're moving too fast or too slow.

Opening this book feels like stepping into a well-organized studio where someone has already worked out which concepts build on each other. The comb binding lets the pages lie flat as you practice, creating a physical ease that removes one small barrier to getting started. Throughout the 360 pages, theory, playing, reading, and creative work weave together so naturally that you never feel like you're doing a disconnected drill.

This book is designed for adult students in college group piano classes who are not keyboard majors and have little or no prior piano experience. It works equally well for community music schools, adult continuing education programs, and private teachers working with adult students who need a structured, comprehensive foundation.

• Work through the accompaniments on the included CD-ROM while practicing each unit's repertoire; hearing the professional arrangements will help you shape phrasing and tempo naturally.
• Use the sight-reading examples provided in the Piano Maestro app as a daily drill separate from your main practice session, building fluency without overtaxing your practice time.
• Approach the improvisation and harmonization activities as creative problem solving rather than technical exercises; they develop your ear and musical intuition in ways that pure technique work cannot.

Use Book 1 as the core text for a full college-level group piano sequence spanning two semesters, with each weekly unit covering enough material to fill a 50-minute class plus home practice. The built-in accompaniments and variety of activities mean you can teach directly from the book without needing to assemble supplementary materials, giving you time to focus on individual student needs.

• Reading treble and bass clef notation at a functional level
• Basic keyboard technique and hand position for adult learners
• Sight-reading fluency through consistent weekly exercises
• Harmonic function and voice leading in four-part writing
• Improvisation and basic chord harmonization
• Ensemble playing with other keyboard students and accompanying instruments
• Understanding of intervals, scales, key signatures, and foundational music theory