Resources

Exercises

  • Fantaisie-Impromptu exercises [.pdf] [.mid] - Are you struggling with the cross-rhythms of this ARSM/CMusA difficulty piece? Need no worry! These exercises help deconstruct the nature of the piece, provided by yours truly, William!

Books

  • Sight-Reading & Harmony (BachScholar Edition Vol. 14 for Keyboard / Theory) - Impeccable sight-reading resource! This book will get you up to scratch with your sight-reading skills if you are already undertaking piano skills after the preliminary stages. One thing to keep in mind is that the levelling system implemented in this book is entirely different to what one would be used to if one was doing AMEB, ABRSM or Trinity syllabuses. The book also fetches a hefty premium of close to 118AUD, but can be reduced by 20% using this coupon code (without quotes): "FJW"
  • Alfred's Basic Piano Library Lesson Book - Level 3 - If you are struggling to develop sight-reading skills, try using this book as a way to catch up on any missed sight-reading fundamentals!
  • Burgmuller's 25 Progressive Studies, Op. 100 - A series of Grade 1-3 pieces that also make great sight-reading enhancers.
  • Daniel McFarlane's Supersonics Piano Method - This is by far one of the best method looks we have ever used for setting up piano playing fundamentals, bar none. The sheer efficiencies of this series outshines Alfred, John Thompson and Bastien method books, just to name a few! The only real caveat is that these books can only be ordered online, as they are self-published by the man himself: Daniel McFarlane. He's also a fellow Australian as well, hailing from Queensland!

Applications

  • Metronome M1 [iOS] [Android] - My personal favourite metronome app if you wish to skip purchasing a metronome and just use your phone or tablet!
  • Tonara - Mobile & desktop app that allows seamless communications between me, the teacher, and you, the student! Makes practice tenfold more engaging by simulating an arcade points system for practising, and you can always enquire for help off-lessons.
  • Tuner T1 [iOS] [Android] - A great freeware chromatic tuner! Do keep in mind that you should not DIY tune your piano with this app (unless you're only going to use it as a visual aid or as a tuning fork), as chromatic tuners do not account for inharmonicities and stretch octaves of any individual piano. 

Games

Perhaps it seems counterintuitive to suggest video games of all things, especially to children, but believe us, rhythm games are a far more efficient (and engaging) method of establishing rhythmic dictation skills than bruteforcing clapping exercises!

  • osu!stream [iOS] - Unfortunately, this variant of osu! has now been discontinued, but its content is simple enough to get one into rhythm games! Appropriate for all ages!
  • Arcaea [iOS] [Android] - Another great vertical scrolling rhythm game, with a three-dimensional twist! Rated PG due to song choices.
  • VOEZ [iOS] [Android] [Nintendo Switch, $25] - Another great vertical scrolling rhythm game, but this time, the panels are dynamic! Rated G. Requires an Internet connection if playing the iOS/Android versions.