Piano Guidance
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How many levels does Faber piano have?

eight levels Faber includes eight levels titled: Primer.

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While we could talk all day about the Faber piano method, we feel we should get down to business and explain what the method does. Everyone has their own taste. There is no “right way” to teach music so long as children understand rhythms, music reading, and develop facility on their instrument. While the piano is one of the most complex instruments known to man, private piano lessons in Washington DC must be taught to beginners in the simplest manner possible. Is the Faber piano method perfect? No—neither are any of the others. Let’s take a look at why the Faber piano method will work for you, if you need to use it for all your beginners, or if it should be mixed with other methods.

Who Is the Faber Piano Method For?

Some people call it Faber & Faber. Some people call it Piano Adventures. It doesn’t matter what you call it—it’s Faber. This method consists of a series of lessons, theory, performance, and other books. Is it for little kids? It can be. Is it for beginning adults? It can be. It can be used for anyone depending on what the teacher prefers and how the student responds to the method. Now that you know what Faber is, we should decide if you want to use it.

How Many Levels Are In The Faber Piano Method?

Why do you need all these books? (We just talked about this—(Lesson, Performance, Theory.) Can’t you just go with another series that has all the information all in one place?

Well, you kind of can’t. The most popular piano methods on the market (Alfred, Bastien, and Faber) all have different books that include theory, practice, and more all at different levels. These books are not like books you would expect to see for single-line instruments like flute, clarinet, or violin. You do not drop $50 and get one method that takes you from “I have no idea what a whole note is” to “I’m playing a mini-concerto at the end of the book.” Now you see—piano performance is complicated and difficult to convey in just one book. Faber includes eight levels titled:

Primer

1

2A

2B

3A

3B

4

5

Their books at each level include:

Core Set

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Lesson

Theory

Technique & Artistry

Performance

Teacher Guide

Enhanced Lesson Book w/CD

There’s also a Christmas music and popular music book at each level. There’s a sticker book at the Primer level, and there’s even a Gold Star Performance book for each level. There are so many books, that people often feel it is too expensive. At the same time, a young kid who starts out will enjoy the accomplishment they feel as they complete each book. For the right child, it is extremely motivating. Plus, using the book with adults might not be so difficult because they can plunk down a few bucks every time they finish a book.

What Kind Of Material Does Faber Include?

Faber touches on something that is vitally important for all pianists. Yes, the method has a theory book (and you kind of need to know theory if you play piano—you’re literally producing all the harmony on your own). However, the book makes sure to cover intervals and note-reading. This means that you get “this is C and this is the G above it.” That is great because students learn to read in both treble and bass clef. On top of that, the student learns, “this is C and this is G above it—these notes are a fifth apart.” Students can literally count the keys on the keyboard. They can relate the intervals to the notes they are reading. While you may not be dazzled by intervallic relationships, Faber believes this is one of the most important parts of playing piano. In fact it is—pianists measure their reach in intervals—you need to know these concepts even at a young age.

How Is Faber Different From Alfred Or Bastien?

A common complaint among those who use or have tried the Faber method is that it focuses too much on the Middle C Position. The student learns, almost exclusively, that Middle C is 1 and that’s it. That works great for little kids because they need a place to focus. You don’t necessarily want them going all over the keyboard and losing touch with what they should be doing. However, older students will instantly question how they would play anything else if they are only learning Middle C Position. Still, Faber is a great place to start that you could simply supplement with other books or music. Yes, it moves to other positions later, but it takes a bit. Patience is a virtue, after all.

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Why Supplementing Your Method With Other Materials Matters

Some people want the new lesson to be on the next page like they would find in the Alfred method or something similar. However, consider who the book is for. Some students need more review, and Faber is a good book for review. Moving faster (for the most part) is for people who are learning fast. Say you started with Faber with all your students. Someone who moves slowly can stay in Faber. Someone who moves faster might move over to a method that moves faster. It’s that simple. The performance books have duets that allow the teacher to guide the student. These duets are good for anyone to play, but they do incorporate the same Middle C Position teaching style that starts the book series. Of course, you cannot play in Middle C Position forever, but some people might find it comforting to see those same concepts in music your students might play at a recital. As the kids learn new positions, their performance books change positions, too. (Again, if you think your student is past something so simple, you can supplement with or move to another book series.) You know your students (or your child,) and that information will tell you if this type of book is right for you. It always goes back to what is best for the student. When you sign up for piano lessons in Fairfax, VA, you might as well start with the Faber method. Talk to the teacher, ask which method they plan to use, and take a look at how much the books cost to see if this method is cost-effective for you. Faber is a good place for little kids to start, or it might help someone who has taken band classes for years but doesn’t know how to get their hands to do two different things. If you don’t like it, Alfred and Bastien are waiting for you. It’s ok to prefer one method over another.

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