Eric Steiner Piano Course, Book 1: Piano Book

Steiner's course respects the intelligence and pace of each student, whether they are eight or eighty. The balance between technical studies, classical masterworks, folk music, and original compositions keeps learners engaged without the grinding repetition that sours early musical study. Teachers return to this course because it delivers genuine progress on the instrument while building musicianship organically.

The course feels like learning from a mentor who knows exactly how much to give you at each stage. You move through recognizable folk melodies and pieces by composers like Bach and Mozart while your fingers grow steadier and your eyes learn to read more fluently. There is pleasure in both the mastery and the music itself.

This book is designed for beginners of any age starting formal piano study. It serves equally well for young children discovering music for the first time and adults resuming or beginning study later in life. Both will find thoughtful, unrushed material that builds skill and musicality without overwhelm.

• Work through the theory section alongside the pieces rather than as separate material; understanding the harmonic or rhythmic concept before encountering it in the music accelerates retention.
• Pace your progress through the technical exercises to match the student's comfort with the repertoire pieces of the same level; they reinforce each other.
• Use the folk melodies and original compositions as confidence builders between more challenging technical passages.

Book 1 serves as the foundation for any piano studio working with beginners. Complete it before moving to Book 2 in the series, allowing a full term or more depending on student pace and practice frequency. The folk songs and original pieces also work well as early recital material once a student has gained basic fluency.

• Reading treble clef and basic grand staff notation
• Hand position, posture, and foundational technique
• Finger independence and evenness in scale passages
• Basic music theory including time signatures, note values, and interval recognition
• Sight-reading simple melodies and accompaniment patterns
• Pedal use introduction
• Interpretation of tempo and dynamic markings