Suggested Book For Grade 1 / 2 Level?

[gazcobain]

Hi guys - new to the forum so hello to all!

I've registered to ask your opinions on which book would be best for starting to learn piano. I'm 29 and have always wanted to learn, so finally decided to teach myself. I'm using a second-hand electric keyboard / digital piano until I can afford to buy myself a full piano. It's only got 61 keys, but should do me for a while.

Anyway, the problem I have is that I am an accomplished rhythm guitarist, and I played keyboard for quite a while when I were a young lad, but any book I've looked at assumes I've got no knowledge of music at all, which isn't the case.

I have a couple of books but they're of the type that include pieces suitable for all grades contained within 100-odd pages.

What I'm looking for is a book that is entirely devoted to exercises and music suitable for Grade 1 and Grade 2, with plenty of practice pieces to play.

Does such a thing exist, and if so, what's the best one to go for? I've tried Googling but there appears to be a minefield of information out there.

Many thanks!

[lloyd_cdb]

Welcome!

Frederick Harris makes a series called the Celebration Series that has books for each grade level.  There are 2 sets of books, one for studies and one for repetoire.  I used them a decade ago.  In the time since the cover has changed as well as the name slightly, so I honestly don't know if its the same books I used.

This is what I used:

https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Odyssey-Repertoire-Celebration/dp/0887977324/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347127884&sr=1-5&keywords=frederick+harris+odyssey

This is what I found when trying to find it:

Grade 2 Studies

Grade 2 repetoire

As an example of difficulty, this is one of the pieces contained in the Grade 2 Repetoire:

https://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/3/35/IMSLP109920-PMLP64414-Mozart_KV_6_Piano-Menuet_1_Transc.RSB_.pdf

(but with suggested fingering)