The Piano Un-Method

[yamaha]

Hi all 

Does this book actually contain sheet music or is it just a repetoire/level guide? Ive been to the website and cant really tell and I have also emailed the authors but my mail was returned for some reason 

[sarahlein]

It's a repetoire guide, no sheet music I'm afraid 

[yamaha]

  Oh well.  Thanks for the reply, I was considering buying it but I guess I wont now 

[m1469]

Oh well.  Thanks for the reply, I was considering buying it but I guess I wont now 

Well, just because it does not contain repertoire sheets in it, does not mean it would not be helpful (you can get the sheets from other places, including here at PS).  It might be extremely useful to you still in terms of helping you organize.  From what I understand, that is its very function.  I, also, am thinking about purchasing it.  Also, you might find this thread interesting where it is discussed in greater detail :

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,8246.msg88765.html#msg88765



m1469 

[yamaha]

hmm..    you are right of course, I just dont want to waste money, I buy far too many books online, some of which turn out to be pretty useless!!   

I may give it a whirl, have you bought it yet?  If so, what do you think?  or 

[m1469]

hmm..  :-  you are right of course, I just dont want to waste money, I buy far too many books online, some of which turn out to be pretty useless!!   

Yeah, I guess we have to take chances sometimes on all of this stuff.  I have not purchased it yet, nor have I seriously looked into it even.  I am sure there are reviews of it on the website (of course, whose going to post bad reviews ?  ) and perhaps there is more information on the forum here.  I am starting to feel though that it would be very beneficial to purchase it.  I am not sure what there would be to lose, actually, as it seems strictly information-based.

...what do you think?    or   

ha ha... you're funny.  Well, as I said I have not purchased it yet, but my magic 8-ball predicts that I will think  and not 

Hey, we can be un-method book purchasing twins 


m1469

[Bob]

What book is this?  Do you have more info?   

Is it a list of pieces to be used in place of the standard method book?

[maryruth]

Yep, it's a guide to using the standard reportoire right from the get-go.   It categorizes everything by level (USA 1-10) and also by technical skill involved.  It's a handy-dandy little book.  I own a copy--well worth the US$30, I think.  I've used it quite a bit.  It also got me well acquainted with the literature available. 

[sarahlein]

I've also found it very useful especially ever since I started adopting Bernhard's suggested way of teaching repertoire. (The students chose the piece/s they'd like to learn and if it's above their current level then the teacher finds pieces to take them there)

My repertoire knowledge is somewhat limited ( I'm working on it, although every time Bernhard or others post repertoire pieces I get the feeling I'll never get there  )

Anyway, the Un-Method book has proved to be a useful guide with this goal in mind 

P.S Mind you using it with " The Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature" by Jane Magrath works even better

[maryruth]

Yes, I also use Jane Magrath's guide to standard literature.  These two reference books, I think, are a must for any piano teacher--especially those just starting out.  I use these books ALL of the time.  They're the best books yet as far as reference books go.  The second step was then acquiring a copy of most of the pieces mentioned in the Unmethod Book.  This is an investment well worth it, I have found.  In the past year, after having bought these books and worked through and looked at a lot of this repertoire, I feel so much more confident in my knowledge, etc...

[m1469]

Thanks for your reviews and book suggestion !    I will definitely be purchasing both of them, at some point (hopefully soon).


m1469 

[Bob]

How do you go about getting the pieces?

And then what?  Loan out your books to the students?


$ $ $  Ouch!

[maryruth]

The pieces come from composers collections--so a beginner may have to buy 2-3 books at first (if you were using a method series, they'd have to do the same)...for example, a new beginner would start with the simplest pieces from Kabalevsky Op 39 and Bartok First term.  These books have level 1 pieces.  As you move into level 2 rep you can still use the Kabalevsky op 39...it has good pieces at level 2 and 3 as well.  So, you start looking at level 2 rep...You know the sounds your student likes so you choose a composer or two that suits him.  I think it can all be well planned, and several composers children's piece collection have peices at a range of levels.  Some of these collections are cheap, too.  I mean KJOS prints Kabalevsky Op 39 for $3.95.

[Astyron]

For those that are familiar with the unmethod reference book, and also the "Classics to Modern" repertoire books, do you find there are many titles in the "Classics" volumes that are listed in the Unmethod book?

[bernhard]

The pieces come from composers collections--so a beginner may have to buy 2-3 books at first (if you were using a method series, they'd have to do the same)...for example, a new beginner would start with the simplest pieces from Kabalevsky Op 39 and Bartok First term.  These books have level 1 pieces.  As you move into level 2 rep you can still use the Kabalevsky op 39...it has good pieces at level 2 and 3 as well.  So, you start looking at level 2 rep...You know the sounds your student likes so you choose a composer or two that suits him.  I think it can all be well planned, and several composers children's piece collection have peices at a range of levels.  Some of these collections are cheap, too.  I mean KJOS prints Kabalevsky Op 39 for $3.95.

To add to that, don't think of these pieces as "beginner pieces" or "student's pieces", that is some sort of stage one eventually grows out of.

Instead select from them pieces that you consider true repertory, that is, pieces that in spite of being easy are still great pieces that you yourself would like to add to your own repertory.

I rarely let the student choose pieces from an infinite pool. Rather I slyly select the pieces I would like myself to learn and let them choose from that pool. In this way your investment is not just for the student, but primarily for yourself.

Best wishes,
Benrhard.

[sarahlein]

How do you go about getting the pieces?

And then what?  Loan out your books to the students?


$ $ $  Ouch!

What I did is I've found pdf files and audio files of the pieces (not all but a good number of them) from various public domains and added them on my webside.
All I need then to do is have my students listen to (pre-chosen by myself ) pieces and simply print out the sheet music of the piece/s they liked.

This has at least 3 advantages.

1. I can check the score-accuracy (someone said the quality of sheet music from these pages is not always that good)

2. The students don't need to search through all these pages to find their pieces

3. I've notised that sometimes they may like only 2 or 3 out of a whole collection of say... 20 pieces so why buy the whole book if we'll only end up using just 3 pieces!

On the other hand if they like to learn all 20 pieces then I'll probably have them buy the book 

[yamaha]

Hmm,  I haven't come across The Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance before    Is it worth getting both books?

[Bob]

Jane McGrath.

I'm sold.  I want to get the one I don't have yet.



Can someone tell me more about how to use these books though?

You buy these books, then buy the collection books?, you look through all the pieces?, then have your students buy a collection book?...