Congratulations! Your child has worked hard on their music practice, and it shows! Now that we’re nearly done with the first level of their book series, it’s time to purchase level 2!
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Books for younger beginners (generally 1st grade and below)
We will continue in the Music for Little Mozarts series. By this point, your child is playing simple songs on some of the white keys! The second book in the series introduces more notes, and eventually note reading. Note reading can be a bit tricky for younger beginners, but I try hard to make it fun! For level 2, you will need:
Lesson Book 2: the lesson materials in the form of short exercises and simple songs
Workbook 2: written exercises to reinforce lesson materials
Notespeller & Sight-playing Book 2: a combination of written exercises and sight-reading examples to improve note reading.
Level 2 Flashcards: while flashcards were only recommended for level 1, I think they are really important for level 2! Note reading is like learning to read words. Lots of practice in many different settings can really help young learners!
If you prefer an all-in-one option, this Four Book Set includes the three books listed above and the optional recital book (see below). You would still need to purchase the flashcards separately.
Optional:
If your child is interested in learning other songs, the Music for Little Mozarts series offers a few add on books. These include:
Little Mozarts go to Hollywood
If any of these sound interesting, feel free to purchase one and we will add it to our lessons. I would not recommend purchasing more than one, as we will not have time to go through all of the music before they are past this level!
Books for slightly older beginners (generally 2nd grade through 4th grade)
We will continue in the Alfred Basic Piano Library series. A little counterintuitive, but the next level of books are the 1B books.
Once again, you can purchase the four book Course Pack, which includes the Lesson, Theory, Technic, and Recital book.
If you haven’t already done so, you should also purchase the Flashcards. These are great for reinforcing note reading, and can be done anywhere!
If you prefer, you can purchase the books separately:
Lesson Book 1B: provides the weekly lesson materials and short songs for practice.
Theory Book 1B: written exercises to practice music theory concepts
Technic Book 1B: more written exercises to work on note reading
The advantage of purchasing the books separately is that you can then choose to purchase the recital book or choose a book that fits your child’s musical interests more. Your options are:
Additional resources:
Music games
Note speed is a fun music reading game that is appropriate for both young beginners (with help from their parents) and older beginners. Also great for parents wanting/needing to keep up with note reading in order to help their child practice.
Apps
Music Tutor is an excellent app available on the App Store. It is basically digital flashcards, and can be a little more fun than paper flashcards, especially if you want your child to practice on their own. The app is free to download, but I strongly recommend paying the nominal cost to purchase the ad free version. I find the ads to be very intrusive on this app. If you do purchase this app, let me know and I will share with you the proper set up for your child’s level.
Let me know if you have any questions about these books or resources!