Review: Piano Masterminds

Reviews

I wanted to give a shout out to Rachel Bradley. She created a piano warm-up book, called Piano Masterminds: Warm-ups for a Growth Mindset.

As you know this year, my studio is doing a super-hero themed program, A.N.T.H.E.M. When I created A.N.T.H.E.M. I wanted to create it with a growth mindset in mind. A super-hero themed program had been on my to-do list for years and I knew these two things would work well together. So when Rachel contacted me to let me know about her Piano Masterminds book and how it is not only a piano warm-up book, but it had a super-hero AND growth mindset theme, I knew I had to check it out.

Piano Masterminds is for beginner students. There are 17 songs included in a C major 5 finger position. Each piece has a right-hand warm up and a left-hand warm up. Towards the front of the book, you will find Major and minor pentascale graphics. They are there to encourage students to transpose each song in different keys. And because each song is written in a five-finger position, this sets them up for success!

I have to share one of the pieces below, because something Rachel did, that I thought was a such a great idea especially for beginners was to include a rhythm notation version at the bottom with finger numbers. This is a great way to introduce transposition. The notes are still visible and you can show how the patterns in a new position are the same when you skip up a note just as you skip up a finger. Having those two visuals can create those “a-ha” moments.

You will also notice at the bottom of the page, Rachel includes a growth mindset practice tip and/or growth mindset questions for students to think about.

Now if the 17 warm-ups weren’t enough, Rachel included lots of worksheets with the growth mindset theme. Creating goals, questions to think about, a practice Bingo game, learning about growth mindset and learning about forming good habits are just a small selection of what is included.

Piano Masterminds is a comprehensive growth mindset resource, setting up beginner students up for success!

Piano Masterminds: Warm-ups for a Growth Mindset is an UNLIMITED REPRODUCTIONS license, which means you will receive a PDF version of the book and can print as many copies as you’d like for use with your students! In addition, Rachel has an option to purchase the mp3’s. One folder has the songs with vocals and the other folder with just accompaniment tracks.

 

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are of my own and not influenced by the composer or author. 

2 Comments

  1. Berdie Bowlsby

    Are there teacher duets for this book?

    Reply
    • Jennifer Foxx

      Hi Berdie,

      No, just the optional mp3 accompaniments.

      Reply

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