Alfred Publishing Palmer Manus And Lethco - Alfred's Basic Piano Lesson Book 2 - Piano

Summary of this method

Designed to guide students through structured progress, this "Lesson Book 2" method picks up exactly where Level 1B leaves off. The goal is clear: to establish good playing habits (position, coordination, consistency) while strengthening a core piano skill: reading and understanding music quickly through intervallic reading.

Throughout the lessons, students expand their rhythmic vocabulary with the introduction of dotted half notes and dotted quarter notes, then develop their aural skills and reading by exploring new intervals (6ths, 7ths, and octaves). This approach helps them identify melodic movement on the staff, anticipate skips, and build confidence in sight-reading, even when the notes move beyond the starting position.

The method also places particular emphasis on hand mobility: wider movements, hand crossings (including crossing two over one) and initial scalework exercises to develop flexibility and accuracy. In terms of harmony, students explore triads and primary chords in greater depth, alternating between blocked and broken chords—an essential step toward accompaniment, shaping the sound, and preparing richer pieces.

The varied and engaging repertoire helps students apply each concept to actual pieces. It includes: 18th Century Dance, Alouette, Blue Scales, Calypso Carnival, The Can-Can, Cockles and Mussels, The Galway Piper, Get Away!, Got Lotsa Rhythm, Kum-ba-yah!, Lavender's Blue, London Bridge, Lone Star Waltz, Malaguena, Nick Nack Paddy Wack, Ode to Joy, Oh! Susanna!, On the Bridge at Avignon, Our Special Waltz, Prelude, Red River Valley, Sarasponda, Square Dance, When You Grow Up, Why Am I Blue?. An excellent choice for learning the piano in a progressive, musical, and stimulating way.

Technical specifications

Publication

Methods

Instrumentation	Piano	Language	English
Genre	Piano Method