Hi everybody,
Would be nice to hear different opinions about methods, etc.!
I personally have about 10 students (along with my 2 other jobs:))). To make it fun, tried to use different methods for kids students.
In my opinion, those method books are filled with all these "positions" where you are trapped within 5 finger-position only. Many children had some piano experience before, and when I start showing them that it's possible to move further (or switch finger on the same note, or just not to follow standard fingering) they get lost... I don't think that 5-finger position is a good thing, just because you have to be able to travel along the whole piano!
I am Russian, and I don't remember anybody teaching me using these "positions".
Another thing with this methods: I used Bastian's prep course for several students. They usually get bored when we start second book. I think it happens (again) because of 5-finger position, the pieces are uninteresting, it's just like going up and down, C to G, G to C.
That's why now I am in search of a real interesting book. Planning to use "John' Thompson's Piano Course" for my new adult student, it seems like an interesting book.
Let's see: Alfred's Adult piano course has mostly songs, not pieces, it also uses one-hand melody and simple chord accompaniment. I never played anything like that when I studied piano in the musical school! It's much more interesting and challenging to play a real classical piece!
Please, share your suggestions with me about piano methods. Anybody used J. Thompson's for students? Does it work well? Do they have kids series? Thanks!