Anybody Can Play PIANO
Some lesson levels will have not only activity sheets, but also instructional videos on YouTube. To access the videos, just type "karla crossett" in the top search bar on the YouTube page and you will be taken to the karla crossett channel. Videos for these free lessons will be on a Playlist labeled "FREE piano lessons".
These lessons are suitable for beginners with no music background - as young as 3! The "prep" videos and activities are primarily for the very young beginner.
The songs in order make a vertical curriculum. Learn each song well (easy to play and memorized) before going on to the next level song. Using a vertical curriculum and memorizing each song trains the memory reflex which is a transferrable (and fantastic) skill. Making sure correct fingering is always being used while learning each song also trains muscle memory - a wonderful skill for pianists!
FOR THE VERY YOUNG BEGINNER STUDENTS WHO NEED COLOR CODED KEYS!
Making Those Keystrips
We use what we call Key Strips to show beginner students where to place their hands. Since little keyboards are all different sizes this PDF has templates for keystrips that can be used in addition to information on how they are used, etc. Hopefully one of these templates is the size of your little keyboard keys! To download click here.FOR THOSE KEYBOARDS WITH NO MUSIC RACK...
Our Binder Music Rack
In the beginning we tend to always use lttle "Stand Up Boxes" that fit behind the keys. However we quickly move on to needing a music rack. Mini keyboards tend not to have one, so 3 ring binders work really well!To download this half page description click here.
PREP VIDEOS FOR BIBLE BASED PIANO CURRICULUM
These are good preparation for very young beginner students.
These videos are on YouTube on the "Karla Hastings Crossett" channel-
...........Playlist "FREE piano lessons".
Pre-Level One: OUR RH FINGER COLORS!
This is the title page on YouTube for the instructional video for pretend finger colors. This is primarily for very young students who are not familiar with numbers, but are recognizing colors. Color coding also helps tremendously when learning to play a melody with both hands in unison.
To download the activity sheets click here. Video on YouTube.
Pre-Level One: KEY PATTERNS
This is the title page on YouTube for the instructional video for the 2 and 3 black key activity sheets. Again, this is primarily for the very young student that has not had much experience with patterns.
To download the activity sheets click here. Video on YouTube.
Pre-Level One: THOSE FUNNY LOOKING NOTES
Pre-Level One
This video presents some basic notes - how they look, their names, number of beats, etc. This is a good video to study before working on that first song.To download activity sheets click here. Video on YouTube.
Level One: INTRODUCTORY SONG: GOING UP
Our first little song! This song just uses fingers 1, 2, and 3. It is important that the prep videos and worksheets are done before learning this song. Finger colors, finding the D, and understanding a little bit about notes makes the learning much easier.To download activity sheets click here. Video on YouTube.
BIBLE BASED PIANO CURRICULUM
Song Number One For Beginner Students:
MULTIPLE FORMAT ACTIVITY SHEETS for GOING UP
These are lesson sheets for GOING Up that have multiple formats, not just the Stand Up Boxes like what is used for the video. You may want to begin with a coloring sheet - or skip to the whole song that hangs on the binder music rack for older beginners that know how to "read" from left to right and top to bottom when there are multiple lines. To download click here.Song Two
Choose JESUS SAID or HOT CROSS BUNS (or both!)
FINGERS: 1,2,3 - NOTES: Quarter, Eighth, and Half)
No video is necessary for these two songs....Identical levels... Written instructions are included and several formats for ease in teaching different ages.
To download JESUS SAID click here. To download HOT CROSS BUNS click here.
Song Three
NOW USING ALL FIVE RIGHT HAND FINGERS!
WALKING UP TO G song
This song uses all 5 fingers of the right hand. Music notation is used more at this point, so it may be a good time to begin those Silly Songs. At this point both hands could be used - apart and together - since the song simply "walks" up and down those 5 keys.
To download the activitiy sheets click here.
BEGINNING TO READ MUSIC NOTATION WITH SILLY SONGS!
Fun, visual and tactile instructions make learning to read music easy for young beginners.... These instruction sheets are the ones used in the You Tube video. Students make their own fun "Silly" songs with the
first 3 notes they are learning.
To download the activitiy sheets click here. Video on YouTube.
A PRACTICE KEYBOARD!
This is a little practice keyboard that has keys the size of those little mini keyboards. This works well for tapping through songs or finding the correct keys when learning notation. If laminated it will last really well. There are two keyboards per sheet with instructions that can be attached to the back of the sheets if laminated. These keyboards were made for parents who have children in a group setting that are learning to play the piano or teachers that are teaching a group of young beginners - that's why the instructions. To download the keyboard sheets click here.NOW ADDING CONTRARY MOTION!
Each of these songs still has a right hand only version for very young students who can learn another song, but not yet in contrary motion. And, it is always fun for students to just play the right hand version when someone asks them to play the piano, then jump into the contrary version to "surprise" their listener!.
Song Four: The B.I.B.L.E.
Formats:
C Major 5 Finger Hand Positions
1. RH only using color coded fingering for the very beginner;
2. RH and LH in simple contrary motion using color coded fingering;
3. RH in notation with large color coded fingering
4. RH and LH in notation in simple contrary motion with large fingering; and
5. RH and LH in regular notation, simple contrary motion.
6. Whole song on one sheet: regular notatioin, simple contrary motion.
.........TAKE A LOOK at the PDF....To download, click here.
Song Five: JESUS SAID with added ending + contrary motion
.....THE WORDS TO THE SONG.....
Jesus said: Let the little children come to Me!
Thank you Lord for loving me!
This song is like the first version of JESUS SAID with an additional ending plus contrary motion.
.....Formats:
C Major 5 Finger Hand Positions
1. RH only: color coded fingering and tiny notes indicating rhythm;
2. RH and LH: simple contrary motion using color coded fingering;
3. RH and LH: contrary motion in notation with color coded fingering;
4. RH and LH: contrary motion in regular notation.
.........TAKE A LOOK at the PDF....To download, click here.
Song Six: I WILL NOT FORGET
.....THE WORDS TO THE SONG.....
I will not forget, no I will not forget, that Jesus is my loving Saviour!
Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord. Thank you for loving me!
.....Formats:
Moves Beyond C Major 5 Finger Position
1. RH only with color coded finger numbers;
2. Contrary motion with color coded finger numbers;
3. Contrary motion notation with "help" - colored fingering, etc.;
4. Contrary motion, regular, large notation;
5. Contrary motion complete song on one page, regular notation.
.........TAKE A LOOK at the PDF....To download, click here.
Song Seven: RISE AND SHINE!
.....THE WORDS TO THE SONG.....
Rise and shine and give God the glory!
RISE AND SHINE! RISE AND SHINE!
Give God the glory children of the Lord.
.....Formats:
Lots of Different Hand Positions
1. RH only with color coded finger numbers;
2. Contrary motion notation with "helps - colored fingering, etc.;
3. Contrary motion, regular, large notation;
5. Contrary motion complete song on one page, regular notation.
.........TAKE A LOOK at the PDF....To download, click here.
JESUS LOVES ME in multi formats
This PDF has many different arrangements/levels for the very young beginner as well as intermediate and advanced. More arrangements will be coming as well..........TAKE A LOOK at the PDF....To download, click here.