Play Piano Now!, Book 1. (Keyboard).

Play Piano Now!, Book 1, by William A. Palmer, Morton Manus and E. L. Lancaster. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., (P.O. Box 10003, 16320 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91410-0003), 2000. 152pp., $24.95. Easy.

This beginning piano method for adult beginners takes the conceptual core from Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course. It adds technique and reinforcement activities, additional pieces and written exercises within each unit. The result is a method that gradually introduces basic elements and skills, at a pace that allows students to absorb and integrate new skills before advancing. Each unit typically begins with the introduction of a new musical element, then is followed by sight playing, warm-ups, written work and some repertoire using the new element in different ways. The reading approach is landmark/intervallic and positional, generally using middle-C, C-major and G-major positions. It begins on black keys, progresses to playing by letter name, then moves to the grand staff in Unit Three. Unit Four introduces melodic and harmonic intervals; by Unit Six, the student is playing the C-major chord in the left ...