WunderKeys Intermediate Pop Studies For Piano 1: A Pop-Infused Lesson Companion To Reinforce Scales, Chords, Triads, And Left-Hand Patterns

As a piano teacher, I have fallen in love with this book! Teaching piano aside, as a pianist, I have fallen in love with this book!Andrea Dow from Teach Piano Today has done such an amazing job with these studies, covering C Major, A minor, G Major, E minor, F Major, and D minor in this first volume. I feel like I could give this book to students of all ages (and even multiple levels) and have them truly enjoy scale work and the theory behind it. There are no actual theory workpages here, but the exercises and pieces are so intuitive and just help everything to really click into place. There are "studies" that feel and sound like pieces, lead sheets, so much good stuff.Upon playing through this book for the first time, I immediately stuck a post-it on the front and began making a list of all my students who NEED this book. Wunderkeys Intermediate Pop Studies for Piano is such a fun way to learn and doesn't feel like an assignment. As this is my first music review with a food comparison (it's what I do...), I've been a little stumped at what type of food to compare this book to... I feel like asparagus is a hidden treasure. I didn't grow up eating asparagus - not because I didn't want to or thought I didn't like it, but because it just wasn't something I grew up around, and I didn't really know about it. (I know, it's sad.) But then when I ate it for the first time, cooked so perfectly, I was like, "OH MY GOODNESS. New favorite food." Yeah. Discover this book like I discovered asparagus. It's SO good. I can't wait for more!The cost is no more than most other music books. Music is expensive, publishing is expensive, and a lot of time and work went into the making of this book.Also, the binding is no problem, just press it open in a few spots and it stays open just fine.

I purchased this book for an adult who could play some chords by ear, but did not have any foundation in theory. She wanted to play with a church band or lead worship in her home with more skill and confidence. Since she was already working through chords, I felt this book would be perfect and not a “dry” theory/technic book - or with me just writing out the drills. It turns out the material has been more challenging for this student than I expected - especially the pieces that go along with the practice in each key signature. However, at a recent lesson she played all the way through “November”, an F Major scale study, after only 2 weeks of study on this piece!! Yes, she had some pauses and some errors, but her comments included - I like this piece and I can see where we are going better now! This book is a total package - all parts fitting together, in predictable but interesting ways. The book is color coded and is a companion for the Performance Book. These pieces are extremely easy for me, so I had not played through them. After my student’s lesson, I played through both books. I would like to add that “November” is one of the prettiest, strong pedagogy and satisfying scale study solos I have ever played. Just lovely! ...and if students enjoy these pieces there are more books in the WunderKeys for teens library they will enjoy!

I have taught piano lesson for 40 years and LOVE this book for so many reasons.1. There is something for every student to love. Many times students balk at theory or exercises, however this book uses so many different techniques (sight reading, improv, lead sheet, scale/arpeggio practice disguised as an engaging song, and body rhythm (lap, clap, tap, etc) that is not only fun for the student in the studio (teacher plays, student does the rhythm and then switch) but gets the family involved at home. When they connect to at least one of the method of practicing the key signature, the students are actually excited to do the other methods as well.2. This may sound ridiculous, but these books are SO visually engaging for the students. They don't look like a standard (boring) Hanon book. In this digital world, having a printed book that looks this current is such a plus. So many students have said "this is SO COOL" before they even realize how cool the music and exercises inside are!3. The price is right on target. I try to use digital studio licensed music as much as possible but this book is one that can be used for MANY lessons and then reused long after the entire book has been mastered. Though they may not replay the scales (but I bet most do to show-off to their friends) I bet this book will be left open on the student's piano to replay the improv, rhythm, lead sheets, etc long after they were mastered.4. I have 12 students using this book right now and hardest to impress almost-teen had to admit they LOVED IT. It's a book students remember to bring every week and what they want to start their lesson with.

This book is not just for teenagers! I decided to use it with a senior lady who plays advanced classical pieces. Yes the book is easy for her, but she LOVES it. It’s good for her to ease into her other pieces, warming up using this book. She does not have a strong theory background and it’s a great way to teach her a little theory. The lap clap tap pieces, chord chart pieces, and improv work a different part of her brain.Her first improv was rather good. She didn’t limit herself to one note at a time, but played harmonic intervals with her right hand and sometimes crossed finger 2 over for the leading tone.After her first week with the book she said “I feel like a teenager!” 😆I’m sure she will want to continue throughout the series!

El contingut està molt ben estructurat: cada unitat presenta una tonalitat, els acords bàsics de la mateixa, exercicis tècnics per poder tocar l'escala, un petita peça escrita de sonoritat moderna, en la mateixa tonalitat, exercicis amb acords i patrons d'acompanyament amb notació convencional i també amb xifrat americà, lectura a vista, exercicis rítmics de percussió corporal amb acompanyament de piano i propostes per improvisar melodies sobre un acompanyament donat.És un enfoc molt innovedor i estimulant, especialment per a adolescents o persones que volen aprendre a tocar el piano però que no els agrada el repertori "clàssic".

I bought these books for several of my teen, adult and 10-12 year old piano students. They all love them. The music is beautiful and sounds really good. When I played the first piece for my 11 year old student, she just said "Wow" and was keen to learn it even though it's a little challenging for her. I love the explanation of the scale patterns and step by step instructions on how to play from lead sheets.

This is a fantastic book. Bought for a bit of fun to get my playing back to where I would like it to be and that meant revisiting some scales - groan - however, this book has taken the bordom out of it all. It came and I spent the whole evening playing through it. Not just once, not twice, but many times. It really helped, using many techniques to get those scales and chords back into my head. One small part of each chapter required a bit of imagination (they are meant for pupil and teacher) but its easily workable with if you do the exercise as two individual ones.This is a fun way to get scales, chords and triads into your head. I wish I had this when I was learning as a child.

I like how the book introduces lead sheet and improv in a very manageable manner even for younger students. It also break down each unit into the scale required to master.

I ordered five copies of this book initially to trial it in my studio, and it's been going so well that I've ordered more! It's been great for the students who resist technical work. These, ahem, lazy students particularly like the half-page chord-pattern pieces, and once they've done those, they're well prepared for the one- and two-pagers, which they seem to find less daunting. I really love how useful it is for theory concepts as well. Having a bunch of related keys in one place is super helpful, and knowing my students can look up a key signature or scale fingering easily at home is reassuring for me! I teach most of my students the Duvernoy Op.176 studies, as they cover keys up to two sharps and flats, as well as using standard chord progressions. Intermediate Pop Studies is pretty much the modern-day Duvernoy. It's got all the educational value of learning about keys and patterns in music, but with the aural appeal of today's pop music. My students and I are very much looking forward to the release of book 2!