Level - Preparatory

  • Course
  • 132 Lessons

The third course of Piano Playing Made Simple. Master pentascales, chords, and arpeggios in C, G, D, A, F, and Bb major, while advancing your keyboard navigation, rhythm counting, sight-reading, and note fluency. Explore preparatory-level pieces from Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods. Perfect for aspiring musicians aiming to elevate their skills!

What You'll Learn

  • Master pentascales in the keys of C, G, D, A, F, and Bb Major, along with their chords and arpeggios.

  • Play with parallel and contrary motion to enhance your hand coordination and keyboard technique.

  • Navigate the keyboard effortlessly with advanced exercises designed to improve fluency.

  • Interpret and perform Baroque, Classical, and Romantic piano literature at the preparatory level.

  • Develop stronger sight-reading skills with an enhanced ability to read notes and count rhythms accurately.

Once you reach these milestones, you’ll be ready for Level 1.

Contents

Technically Speaking/Scales, Chords, and Arpeggios

Learn the basic building blocks of music by learning the proper fingerings for scales, chords, and arpeggios.

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

🎹 C Major Scales, Chords, and Arpeggios Explanation of Practice
🎹 C Major
🎹 G Major
🎹 D Major
🎹 A Major
🎹 F Major
🎹 Bb Major

Legato Exercise Page 8

🏋 Legato Exercise Page 8 Practice
🎶 Legato Exercise Page 8 Performance

Legato Skips Page 8

🏋 Legato Skips Practice
🎶 Legato Skips Page 8 Performance

Parallel Motion Pages 8-9

🏋 Parallel Motion Practice
🎶 Parallel Motion Pages 8-9 Performance

Legato Exercise Page 9

🏋 Legato Exercise Page 9 Practice
🎶 Legato Exercise Page 9

Contrary Motion Page 9

🏋 Contrary Motion Practice
🎶 Contrary Motion Page 9 Performance

Contrary Motion Exercise Page 10

🏋 Contrary Motion Exercise Practice
🎶 Contrary Motion Exercise Page 10 Performance

Broken Thirds Etude Page 10

🏋 Broken Thirds Etude Practice
🎶 Broken Thirds Etude Page 10 Performance

Broken Fourths Etude Pages 10-11

🏋 Broken Fourths Etude Practice
🎶 Broken Fourths Etude Pages 10-11 Performance

Legato and Staccato Page 12

🏋 Legato and Staccato Practice
🎶 Legato and Staccato Page 12

Fancy Fifths Page 11

🏋 Fancy Fifths Practice
🎶 Fancy Fifths Page 11 Performance

Triads, Broken and Blocked Page 13

🏋 Triads, Broken and Blocked Practice
🎶 Triads Broken and Blocked Page 13 Performance

Notes to Pedal and Notes Not to Pedal Page 14

🟩 When to Pedal and When Not to Pedal

Technically Speaking/Etudes

Etudes are a cross between technical exercises and repertoire. They can often make a good bridge between the warm-up part of your practice routine, and the repertoire part of your routine. They will often feature technical aspects of playing more as you would find them in a piece of repertoire.

🟩 Intro to Etudes

A Short Story by Ferdinand Beyer Page 17

🟧🟦 A Short Story Page 17 Practice/Polish
🎵 A Short Story Performance

Skating by Berens Page 17

🟧🟦 Skating Page 17 Practice/Polish
🎵 Skating Performance

Going Downtown by Czerny Page 18

🟧🟦 Going Downtown Page 18 Practice/Polish
🎵 Going Downtown Performance

Lullaby by Czerny Page 18

🟧🟦 Lullaby Page 18 Practice/Polish
🎵 Lullaby Performance

Evening Song by Beyer Page 19

🟧🟦 Evening Song Page 19 Practice/Polish
🎵 Evening Song Performance

Bike Ride by Berens Page 19

🟧🟦 Bike Ride Page 19 Practice/Polish
🎵 Bike Ride Performance

Dance by Czerny Page 20

🟧🟦 Dance Page 20 Practice/Polish
🎵 Dance Performance

Relay Race by Gurlitt Page 20

🟧🟦 Relay Race Page 20 Practice/Polish
🎵 Relay Race Performance

Carefree by Turk Page 22

🟧🟦 Carefree Practice/Polish
🎵 Carefree Page 22 Performance

Little March by Turk Page 22

🟧🟦 Little March Practice/Polish
🎵 Little March Page 22 Performance

Ancient Dance by Praetorius Pages 22-23

🟧🟦 Ancient Dance Practice/Polish
🎵 Ancient Dance Pages 22-23 Performance

Theme from the Fifth Symphony by Beethoven Page 23

🟧🟦 Theme from the Fifth Symphony Practice/Polish
🎵 Theme from the Fifth Symphony Page 23 Performance

Duet in Contrary Motion by Reichardt Page 24

🟧🟦 Duet in Contrary Motion Practice/Polish
🎵 Duet in Contrary Motion Page 24 Performance

"Ah, vous dirai-je, maman"/ "I will tell you, Mother dear" Traditional page 24

🟧🟦 I Will Tell You Mother Dear Practice/Polish
🎵 "Ah, vous dirai-je, maman"/ "I Will Tell You, Mother Dear" Page 24 Performance

Theme from the Farewell Symphony by Haydn Page 25

🟧 Theme from the Farewell Symphony Practice Video
🟦 Theme from the Farewell Symphony Polish Video
🎵 Theme from the Farewell Symphony Page 25 Performance

Sonatina and Minuet by Wilton Page 26

🟧🟦 Sonatina and Minuet Practice/Polish
🎵 Sonatina and Minuet by Wilton Page 26 Performance

Theme from the "Jupiter" Symphony by Mozart Page 27

🟧🟦 Theme from the Jupiter Symphony Practice/Polish
🎵 Theme from the Jupiter Symphony Page 27 Performance

Procession by Reinagle Page 27

🟧🟦 Procession Practice/Polish
🎵 Procession Page 27 Performance

Brave Knight by Vogel Page 28

🟧🟦 Brave Knight Practice/Polish
🎵 Brave Knight Page 28 Performance

Simple Song by Reinagle Page 28

🟧🟦 Simple Song Practice/Polish
🎵 Simple Song Page 28 Performance

Allegretto Op. 300 by Kohler Page 29

🟧🟦 Allegretto Opus 300 Practice/Polish
🎵 Allegretto Opus 300 Page 29 Performance

Theme from the "Eroica" Symphony by Beethoven Page 29

🟧🟦 Theme from the "Eroica" Symphony by Beethoven Practice/Polish
🎵 Theme from "Eroica" Symphony Page 29 Performance

Circle Dance by Beyer Page 30

🟧 Circle Dance Practice Video
🟦 Circle Dance Polish Video
🎵 Circle Dance Page 30 Performance

Theme from Symphony in D Minor by Franck Page 31

🟧🟦 Theme from the Symphony in D Minor Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from Symphony in D Minor Page 31 Performance

Theme from "Pagliacci" by Leoncavallo Page 31

🟧🟦 Theme from Pagliacci Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from "Pagliacci" Page 31 Performance

Theme from Tuneful Dialogue by Attwood Page 32

🟧🟦 Tuneful Dialogue Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Tuneful Dialogue Page 32 Performance

Bagpipe Anonymous Page 32

🟧🟦 Bagpipe Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Bagpipe Page 32 Performance

Echo Dance by Hainhofer Page 32

🟧🟦 Echo Dance Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Echo Dance Pages 32-33 Performance

Theme from Symphony No. 40 by W. A. Mozart Page 33

🟧🟦 Theme from Symphony No. 4 Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from Symphony No. 40 Page 33 Performance

Promenade by Reinagle Page 34

🟧🟦 Promenade Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Promenade Page 34 Performance

Waltz by Gurlitt Page 34

🟧🟦 Waltz Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Waltz Pages 34-35 Performance

Duet by Kohler Page 35

🟧🟦 Duet Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Duet Page 35 Performance

Country Ride by Kohler Page 35

🟧 Country Ride Practice Video
🟦 Country Ride Polish Video
🎵 Country Ride Page 35 Performance

Melody by Beyer Page 36

🟧🟦 Melody Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Melody Page 36 Performance

Theme from "The Clock" Symphony by Haydn Page 36

🟧🟦 Theme from "The Clock Symphony" Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from "The Clock" Symphony Pages 36-37 Performance

Russian Dance by Goedicke Page 37

🟧🟦 Russian Dance Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Russian Dance Page 37 Performance

Canario by von der Hofe Page 38

🟧🟦 Canario Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Canario Page 38 Performance

Theme from "La Boheme" by Puccini Page 38

🟧🟦 Theme from La Boheme Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from "La Boheme" Page 38 Performance

Theme from the "Pastorale" Symphony Page 39

🟧🟦 Theme from the Pastorale Symphony Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from the "Pastorale" Symphony Page 39 Performance

March in F by Turk Page 39

🟧🟦 March in F Practice/Polish Video
🎵 March in F Page 39 Performance

Morning by Diabelli Page 40

🟧🟦 Morning Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Morning Page 40 Performance

Theme from the "Pathetique" Symphony by Tchaikovsky Page 40

🟧🟦 Theme from the Pathetique Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from the "Pathetique" Symphony Pages 40-41 Performance

Theme from Aria "La riverdra nell'estasi" by Verdi Page 41

🟧🟦 Aria La Riverdra nell'estasi Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Aria "La riverdra nell'estasi" Page 41 Performance

Theme from "Till Eugenspiegel" by Strauss Page 42

🟧🟦 Theme from Till Eugenspiegel Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from "Till Eugenspiegel" Page 42 Performance

Theme from Symphony No. 4 by Tchaikovsky Page 42

🟧🟦 Theme from Symphony No. 4 Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Theme from Symphony No. 4 Performance

Folk Dance by Bartok Page 43

🟧🟦 Folk Dance Practice/Polish Video
🎵 Folk Dance Page 43 Performance

In Theory

The study of music theory is crucial to a good understanding of music in general, and will often contribute to good sight-reading in ways you may not expect. Taking even a small amount of time to work on the various theory concepts presented here will contribute greatly to your musical knowledge and understanding.

🟪 In Theory Page 46 Learning to Draw Intervals
🟪 Bonus Interval Lesson
🟪 In Theory Page 46 Stem Placement
🟪 In Theory Pages 46-47 Take a Rest
🟪 In Theory Page 47 Drawing Accidentals
🟪 In Theory Page 48 Learning to Write Music