Scales and Pieces in All Keys, Book 2: Piano Book

This book solves a real problem: students who can play scales in one or two keys often freeze when asked to read in unfamiliar tonalities. By anchoring extended key study to recognizable classical works, Schaum gives students both the technical requirement and the musical reward, making the progression feel purposeful rather than punitive.

A steady climb through musical geography. Opening a piece in C major feels home; by the time you've worked through Chopin or Handel in distant keys, that security has traveled with you, and unfamiliar key signatures no longer trigger panic.

Piano students in the late elementary to early intermediate range who are ready to expand beyond the most common keys. Teachers will find this especially useful for students who have completed Book 1 and need systematic preparation for broader key exposure without jumping to advanced literature.

• Play the scale exercises first in the order presented, then return to the correlated piece. This reinforces the key center before asking the student to navigate unfamiliar fingerings within a musical context.
• Isolate the opening phrase of each piece and map its relationship to the scale degree structure you just practiced. This trains the ear to hear patterns rather than treating each piece as disconnected.
• When moving between parallel and contrary motion scales, allow a few repetitions to establish muscle memory before performing the accompanying piece at tempo.

Integrate these pieces into student recitals strategically, pairing a scale study with its corresponding piece to demonstrate the intentionality behind the learning. The classical sources mean pieces stand alone as legitimate recital repertoire, not just exercises.

• Reading in all major and minor keys up to six and seven sharps and flats
• Executing parallel and contrary motion scales with consistent fingering patterns
• Recognizing tonal relationships between scale studies and musical phrases
• Interpreting fingering and dynamic choices within classical arrangements and original works
• Developing fluency in key signature identification and transposition readiness