As per my previous post, you should know that I am currently completing the ARCT Teacher’s program with the Royal Conservatory of Music.
During the first part, I learned about a variety of piano beginner books. There are SO many out there, so it got me wondering how the publishers market their books.
One of the beginner method books that I had to browse through and learn about, is “Celebrate Piano!”, published by Fredrick Harris Music. For this book, the publishers sent out free copies to a large number of teachers in hopes that they’ll come to like it. They know for a fact that if you over the teacher, their new students will more than likely have to buy the book! Students must have their own copy of the piano music, so targeting teacher’s is fairly effective. I know for a fact that my piano teacher prefers Alfred’s Prep series. Any new students she has, has to own a copy. I still have mines from years back.
Other beginner method book series such as Alfred’s Piano Course, Piano Adventures and Piano Basics, all have a wide number of beginner “lines”. For example, Alfred has their “Prep Course” along with their “Premier Piano Course” etc. Most piano beginner method book publishers know that the people who begin lessons vary in age. So, for each age group, they have separate books! In other words, they have separate books for each of their target markets!
Alfred, has done a good job with their beginner method lines. They have also produced a chart showing which books are equivalent in difficulty. For example, two books of one beginner line might equal one book in some other line.
Since there are so many beginner method books out there, the authors/publisher must be good marketers if they want to stay in the business.
How would i pick a beginner method book? Well, there are many factors that teachers look at:
- Is it visually and aurally appealing?
- Does it contain familiar and unfamiliar tunes?
- Does it introduce dynamics/the staff/accidentals?
- etc etc
Anyways, it should be fairly obvious by now, but Piano is a business as well! Lots of business regarding Pianos and other musical instruments. (RCM is definitely in it for the business)
Oh. That reminds me, my teacher has informed me that RCM has just introduced a level higher than ARCT. HM. For sure that’s just another money maker. Haha