Customer Reviews

WP33 - Bastien Older Beginner Piano Course Level 2

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This weekend I played my way through this entire book -- minus the fingering exercises. (I already know how to play piano.)

Which is good, since I think if I had used this method to teach myself, it would have been a much more difficult experience. Instead I used Alfred's Adult Piano method. I see its advantages over the Bastien method as being the following:

1. The Bastien method for adults comprises only two books, whereas the Alfred's method comprises 3. Thus the Alfred's gives you more practice in difficult subjects and generally makes the pace less packed and stressful.

2. The Bastien method has got some good songs, but unfortunately, this is not supposed to be a book of popular favorites. The songs here, one would think, are included solely to yield practice in the tricky concept du jour. Instead, the book will introduce the concept of playing in, say, G flat major, and only offer one song in this key! The next two or three songs following will be back in the key of G or F, reviewing stuff you don't need to review. No, no, no. I'm not here to listen to or play pretty songs: I'm here to get better. Why not more practice in the key of G flat major so you can really get the feel of the key into your blood? Nope. Instead, it's on to something easier. The entire book is like that.

3. The Alfred's course goes far deeper with the student before pronouncing him finished.

4. It seems like there's always something just a little off about the Bastien arrangements: "Greensleeves" has an unsatisfying bass, "O Susanna" has some weird rests, etc. The songs are not very gratifying when played strictly by what's there on the page. The ones in Alfred's, on the other hand, are always crowd-pleasers.

5. Alfred's has WAY more supplementary books (a dizzying amount, really) that you can transition to seamlessly once you've worked your way through the third book. The Bastien series does not.

I am indeed an older beginner. This book is fantastic for beginning piano players who have tinkered around in the past or have basic music reading skills. A nice piece that'll last and be on hand for basics. Piano playing is a good form of keeping our brain active and challenged, as well as helping young students increase their math skills. It's proven! That means it'll help me with my grocery budget :-)

I bought these books to continue in the series that I started in a college class but was unable to continue to attend. These are pretty good and easy to read/understand. No baby nonsense and nothing too complicated. So far I have nothing contrary to say about these books. I have lots of beginner books and these dont stand out as particulary great or bad, but if you are considering buying them for their intended use, I doubt you will be diappointed OR thrilled.