Piano Playing Made Simple/Keystart Foundations Book Two

Keystart Foundations Book Two

  • Course
  • 38 Lessons
  • Includes 1 additional product

Take your piano skills to the next level with KeyStart Foundations - Book Two! Designed for aspiring musicians, this course will teach you essential techniques like playing legato and staccato, reading the notes of the entire grand staff, using the damper pedal, and identifying intervals up to an octave. You’ll also learn about sharps, flats, enharmonics, and much more.

Includes 1 additional product

What You'll Learn

  • Master basic articulations like legato and staccato to bring your playing to life

  • Read and interpret notes across the entire grand staff

  • Develop proper use of the damper pedal for expressive performance

  • Identify and play intervals ranging from seconds to octaves

  • Discover the art of keyboard choreography to play with ease and flow

  • Navigate the black keys confidently by learning about sharps, flats, and enharmonics

  • Understand and identify half steps and whole steps

  • Improve rhythm with lessons on counting with upbeats

  • Incorporate tempo changes like ritardando, accelerando, and a tempo into your playing

Once you reach these milestones, you’ll be ready for the Preparatory Level.

Contents

Building Momentum: Expanding Your Skills

Articulations, octaves, ties, slurs, and rests are more of the essential elements of music. Learn what they are and how they are used in music.

This course requires a course book. Visit the Course Books page to download a free digital copy or to order a printed book.

Articulations–C Scale Legato/C Scale Staccato
La Ottava/Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
The Tie/Morning Has Broken/Rambling
Take a Rest–The Quarter, Half, and Whole Rests
Start and Stop/Aida
Theory-Ties and Slurs

Exploring the keyboard: Unlocking More Notes

Expand your reading range farther up the treble clef. Learn to play music using more notes.

Summer Day/Combining Legato & Staccato
The Accent Sign/Raindrops
FACE the Treble Clef Spaces/Bouncing/Kayaking
Treble CDEFG/Twirling/Practice on MusicTheory.net
The Damper Pedal/The Three Pedals/Pedal Symbols
The G Major Pentascale/Middle G/Bass G
Peaceful Stream & Are You Sleeping?
Intervals Part 2
Lightly Row

Choreography for Pianists

Learning to move your hands with ease around the keyboard is a crucial skill. Learn the art of keyboard choreography.

Keyboard Choreography/Explanation of Importance
The Emperor Waltz
March Militaire
Happy Farmer

Beyond the White Keys

Learn the names of the black keys and understand how they are used as you play music that uses both the black and white keys.

Sharps
Russian Sailor Dance
Flats
Little Brook
Natural Sign
Simple Melody

Building Confidence Through Repertoire

Put the skills you have learned to use as you sharpen your skills on some classical piano music.

In the Hall of the Mountain King
March Slav
Allegro
Spring Song

Guided Tour of Musical Elements

There are many elements involved in learning to read music and play the piano. Understanding these concepts will allow you to move to the next level.

Half Steps & Whole Steps Explanation
Enharmonics Part 1
Enharmonics Part 2
Moveable Clef Signs Part 1 Treble Clef
Moveable Clef Signs Part 2 Bass Clef
The Upbeat
Ritardando, Accelerando, A Tempo/Speed Test

Bonus Theory Lessons with MusicTheory.Net

Steps and Accidentals Bonus Lesson MusicTheory.Net
Dots and Ties MusicTheory.Net