Curriculum Walk Through

Who am I?

Hi! My name is Lisa, and I have been teaching piano lessons in person in my Private Studio to students of all ages and levels since graduating from University.

Over the years, I have heard so many adults lament that they wished they had taken lessons, or that they had never quit.

Many adults don’t have opportunity to take a regular piano lesson with an in-person teacher. They, and you, are turning to the internet for help. Sometimes that ‘help’ isn’t very organized. It’s my mission to change that!

Welcome to my website, PianoVideoLessons where you can tailor your piano learning exactly the way you want to.

Why are the videos free? - click here for the answer

 

Online learning is opening horizons!

The trouble with the internet is that it can be a very disorganized place with lots of misinformation. And while it’s impossible to replicate the tremendous value of a live teacher, I’m doing the best I can to present information and instruction in bite-sized, progressive, organized lessons. The free videos form an organized progression of lessons that will take you where you want to go.

Where should I start?

 

I’ve never played piano before!…

If you’ve never played the piano before, you’ll want to start at the very beginning!

This means learning your piano key names and your finger numbers. You can do this by following lessons 1 and 2 of the Pre-Staff Beginner Series. And then come on back and start YEAR 1 UNIT 1.

If you feel like you need more time to let this settle, then you can work through all 12 of the Pre-Staff Beginner lessons.
Go to Enrollment Page

I know my finger numbers and piano key names.

If you know your finger numbers and the piano key names, you’re ready for Year 1!

Year 1 Comprehensive Beginner Piano Lessons is a multi-unit series of lessons designed to teach you to play piano while gradually learning to read music.

As an adult beginner there is a lot to learn. Some of it is information and a lot of it is skill-based.

Which unit of Year 1 should I start in?

Units 1-3: Intro to Piano and Reading Music

My goal with this series is to take it slow for the first 3 units to get your fingers comfortable. These lessons combine exercises for dexterity, music theory, note reading, and of course music to play! We’ll even experiment with creating our own improvisations.

Enroll in Unit 1 Now - it's free!

 

I used to play, but it’s been a looonnngg time! …

Unit 4: Playing Hands Together

Once we hit Unit 4, things start to pick up, and we will be playing hands together with increasing complexity.

If you’re looking to recall your notes and do a quick reading checkup, you do some note review and then come back and try Unit 4:

• Note Reading Crash Course (slower paced review, or an introduction to the grand staff for people who have prior instrumental training, but not necessarily piano.)
• Note Speller For Piano (fast review of all notes on bass and treble lines and spaces.)

Enroll in Unit 4 Now - it's free!

I can read treble clef and want to learn to play chord harmony with my left hand…

Unit 5: Chord Style Piano

Unit 5 focuses on chord-style piano and lead sheets. In this unit the left hand takes a break from playing from the music and instead gets to follow a chord chart or lead sheet and have some fun playing chords while the right hand plays the melody.

Enroll in Unit 5 Now - it's free!

I am ready for some piano classics! Bring it on!…

Unit 6:

Unit 6, moves into Classical Piano music. In this unit you’ll learn arrangements of some very familiar classical pieces, including Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata, and the Pachelbel Canon to name a few. This unit is pretty challenging! So, there’s a chance I might create a unit 6A, or some other simpler classical units to help some of you take more time getting comfortable before giving these ones a go! I’ll need to know how it feels first, though, so please pass on your feedback!

Enroll in Unit 6 Now - it's free!

 

And the Ebooks?

…Jump in, if and when you’re ready!

The videos are free, but the course materials are available for a small fee (around $1 per lesson.) But, there is no obligation to purchase the materials in order to learn from the free video lessons!

You can choose to purchase the printable materials when they will enhance your learning experience.

If the lesson is too easy for you, you can move on to the next one until we match! Or, if the lessons are just right you can commit to 16 lessons and purchase a 1-unit ebook for a nominal cost. And, if the lessons are perfect for you, you can purchase a bundled multi-unit ebook and work through unit-after-unit at your own rate!

 

Year 1 Overview:

All of the Video Lessons are free. Just click on the unit title (above the photo or below the contents list) to go to the course page for that unit and get started watching right now!

Unit 1: 1-1 The Staff 1-2 Treble Clef Landmarks 1-3 Rhythm Lesson 1 1-4 Finger Gym #1 1-5 Bass Clef Landmarks 1-6 Treble G Neighbors F and A 1-7 Two Practice Pieces 1-8 Finger Gym #2 1-9 Bass F Neighbors E and G 1-10 Sight Reading 1-11 Two Practice Pieces 1-12 Finger Gym #3 1-13 Time and Measures 1-14 Practice Piece 1-15 Ear Training Up/Down 1-16 Finger Gym #4 Unit 1 EBook: Buy the eBook Go to Unit 1 Course and Free Videos.	Unit 2: 2-1 Treble Clef D and E 2-2 Playing loud and soft 2-3 Sight Reading/Rhythm Echo 2-4 Finger Gym #5 HT! 2-5 Bass Clef A and B 2-6 Moving by Skips 2-7 Hands Together 2-8 Contrary Motion 2-9 Landmarks: Mirror C's 2-10 C's in Space 2-11 Ode to Joy 2-12 C Major Pentascale 2-13 Bass Clef D and Treble B 2-14 Windchimes 2-15 Ear Training - which melody? 2-16 Finger Gym Unit 2 EBook: Buy the eBook Go to Unit 2 Course and Free Videos.	Unit 3: 3-1Dotted Half Note 3-2 Intervallic Thinking 3-3 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 3-4 Hanon 3-5 Fourths 3-6 Melody Patterns 3-7 Mezzo forte 3-8 Hanon 3-9 Fifths 3-10 Sharps 3-11 Staccato 3-12 Hanon 3-13 Sight Reading 3-14 Slurs/Legato 3-15 8va 3-16 Hanon Unit 3 EBook: Buy the eBook Go to Unit 3 Course and Free Videos.
Unit 4: 4-1 Eighth notes 4-2 Grand Staff Notes 4-3 Primary Chords in C Major 4-4 D Major 4-5 Mezzoforte 4-6 Transposing I 4-7 Interval Review 4-8 Transposing II 4-9 Amazing Grace 4-10 Chord Inversions 4-11 Happy Birthday 4-12 Chord Drill 4-13 Andantino by Kohler 4-14 Melody Writing 4-15 Building Major Scales 4-16 Playing Major Scales Unit 4 EBook: Buy the eBook Go to Unit 4 Course and Free Videos.	Unit 5: 5-1 All the Major Chords 5-2 Lead Sheets: Alphabet Song 5-3 All the Minor Chords 5-4 Major/Minor - Blow Man Down 5-5 Diatonic Chords in C 5-6 Danny Boy 5-7 Oom Pa Pa - Morning Broken 5-8 [1-5-8 Pattern] Skye Boat Song 5-9 Minor:All the Pretty Horses 5-10 Chord Progressions 5-11 Pachelbel Canon in D 5-12 Arpeggios 5-13 Inversions - Early 1 Morning 5-14 Music Box Pattern 5-15 Intros - Happy Birthday 5-16 Chord Strumming - Hallelujah Unit 5 EBook: Buy the eBook Go to Unit 5 Course and Free Videos.	Unit 6: 6-1 Key Signatures 6-2 Brahms Lullaby 6-3 Dotted Quarter Note 6-4 Key of B Flat Major 6-5 From the New World 6-6 Ledger Lines 6-7 Key of A Minor 6-8 March Slav 6-9 Ties 6-10 Key of E Minor 6-11 Moonlight Sonata 6-12 Sixteenth Notes 6-13 Key of D Major 6-14 Pachelbel Canon 6-15 Three Eight Time 6-16 Fur Elise Unit 6 EBook: Buy the eBook Go to Unit 6 Course and Free Videos.