The FJH First Scale Book: Piano Book

Students don't have to wait until they've memorized an entire method book before beginning serious technical work. The structure here respects what beginners already understand while introducing the vocabulary and patterns they'll build on for years. McArthur's decades of classroom experience shine through in how the concepts are organized and explained, making this a reference students can actually read and retain.

Clear and methodical without being sterile. The book respects the learner's growing musicianship while building the technical foundation that makes advanced playing possible. Working through it feels like learning the language of scales rather than memorizing arbitrary finger patterns.

Elementary piano students who have completed their first few lessons and are ready to understand the structure beneath what they're playing. Teachers seeking a comprehensive yet accessible resource that doesn't talk down to young learners. Group piano classes where students need consistent reference material they can follow independently.

• Start with pentascales before attempting full octave scales. They establish hand position and finger strength without overwhelming young players.
• Use the chord inversions section to help students hear the relationship between root position and its inversions, building ear training alongside technique.
• Reference the fingering guide consistently. Consistent fingering patterns now prevent relearning later.
• Connect cadences to pieces students are already learning. When they recognize the V-I progression in their lesson pieces, the theory becomes concrete.

Introduce pentascales and major chord inversions once students have solid hand position established, typically by week three or four of lessons. Keep it at the piano bench as an ongoing reference throughout the elementary years, returning to sections as new concepts arise in lesson pieces. The cadence section pairs naturally with repertoire study, grounding harmonic theory in the music they're learning to play.

• Pentascale technique on white keys with proper fingering
• Major and minor scale construction and one-octave patterns
• Chord root position, first inversion, and second inversion recognition and execution
• Arpeggio patterns and hand coordination across octaves
• Identification and playing of authentic and plagal cadences
• Fingering consistency and transfer to new keys