Alfred's Teach Yourself to Play Piano: Keyboard/Piano DVD

This DVD transforms self-teaching from a solitary experience into something genuinely supported. The on-screen notation scroll removes the disconnect between reading and listening, while the MP3 tracks let students hear what they're supposed to sound like before they play it themselves. The range of styles, from Blues to Ragtime to Classical, keeps beginners engaged and shows them that the fundamentals they're learning apply everywhere.

Approachable and encouraging from the first minute. The progression moves logically from seated posture and hand placement through keyboard geography, then into actual music-making. Watching a teacher demonstrate technique while hearing the correct sound and reading the notation creates reinforcement across multiple learning channels.

Self-directed beginners of any age who want structure and multimedia support as they teach themselves. Teachers can also use this as a supplementary resource for students working between lessons or to model proper technique during group instruction.

• Start with the video at half speed if your media player allows it. Building accuracy matters far more than hitting tempo right away.
• Reference the MP3 tracks before attempting each new exercise. Hearing the target sound first creates a mental anchor that accelerates learning.
• Pause frequently to check your hand position and fingering against the on-screen demonstration. The video's visual component is there for a reason.
• Use the scrolling notation to anticipate what comes next, rather than just reacting to what's already playing. This trains reading ahead, a skill that pays dividends throughout a musician's life.

Assign this as supplementary material for students in their first year of piano study, whether they're learning in private lessons or group settings. The variety of musical styles makes it useful for middle school music programs introducing keyboard fundamentals, and the self-paced nature means students can review difficult passages without waiting for the next lesson.

• Proper hand position and posture at the keyboard
• Reading treble clef notation on the grand staff
• Finger numbering systems and hand independence
• Major and minor scales across multiple keys
• Basic chord construction and voicing
• Sight-reading across different musical styles (Pop, Blues, Classical, Folk, Hymns, Ragtime)
• Rhythmic precision through play-along synchronization
• Left-hand accompaniment patterns and rhythmic stability