Discover the Basics®

Discover the Basics® is a four-volume series (A, B, C and D) of introductory keyboard study for any keyboard instrument. The objectives are to develop the skills of (1) music reading, (2) keyboard coordination, and (3) musicianship, and to introduce (1) the primary composers for the piano and organ, (2) a brief history and mechanical understanding of all keyboard instruments, and (3) the basic sounds of the organ. approximately 70% of the compositions have duet parts for the teacher. Discover the Basics ® utilizes an intervallic approach to reading music. Gradually, the names of all the lines and spaces are learned.

Each book is complete, in that it contains lessons, theory, repertoire, and technique materials, therefore eliminating the need to buy multiple books for each level. Book A introduces intervals up to and including fifths. Book B reinforces these intervals within the context of the grand staff. Book C presents eighth notes and beginning two-part playing. Book D introduces the intervals of sixths, sevenths, and eighths, more expanded two-part playing, and the beginning playing of three very easy simultaneous parts and emphasizes note spelling. Many pieces have optional pedal points and approximately 70 percent of the compositions in all four books have a duet part for the teacher to play. Folk songs and spirituals from many different countries and cultures are used extensively. The four families of organ tone are gradually presented and practice suggestions throughout the four books assist the student in developing good practice habits. Several distinctive features with many illustrations broaden the student’s general musical knowledge: (1) a brief history of the organ at the beginning of Book C; (2) a brief history of stringed, keyboard instruments (clavichord, harpsichord, and piano) at the beginning of Book D; and (3) brief biographical sketches of composers throughout books B, C, and D, who significantly contributed to the organ, piano, and harpsichord literature. 

Book A may begin with students as early as the third grade. Older children and adult beginners may begin with Book B. Book B also may be used for adult beginning class keyboard instruction. In our test-teacher program the B, C, and D books have been used very successfully in colleges and universities as the texts for their beginning class keyboard courses. A supplemental beginning book of hymns and carols is also available: Christmas Season at the Organ (beginning level). While studying in the beginning series, a student may use any keyboard instrument for daily practice, i.e., a piano, electronic keyboard, or an organ. When the student has progressed to the level one materials (see below), it is recommended that he or she have at least one practice session a week at an organ to become comfortable with the optional simple one- or two-note pedal parts.

Discover the Basics®: A Beginning Series for Any Keyboard Instrument, may be used in a variety of different ways: (1) it can be the beginning method for a student beginning keyboard study exclusively on the organ; (2) it can be the beginning method for a student beginning keyboard study exclusively on the piano, with no interest in ever playing the organ (in such a situation, the explanations about the organ sounds, the registration suggestions, and the suggestions for optional pedal points can be ignored) and (3) this beginning series also can be used in an approach of blending the initial teaching of the keyboard between both the piano and the organ. In such a situation, the student can use a piano for daily practice and can take his/her weekly lesson on a piano. However, in addition, the teacher also may take the student to an organ during the weekly lesson, where he/she again may play some or all of the assigned pieces on the organ, utilizing the suggested registrations and pedal points for the feet. Because of the thoroughness of the Discover the Basics® beginning series, a separate piano primer series is not necessary. A student could continue this simultaneous study of both instruments indefinitely. When he/she has finished the Discover the Basics® series and has progressed to the level one books for continued organ study (see below), he/she also could progress into any standard classical piano literature series for continued piano study. This approach would give the student the exposure to and advantages of both keyboard instruments. The profound advantage of the first and third approaches, from the perspective of the organ, is that more students will be exposed to the organ much earlier in their educational experience than traditionally has been done in the past. Hopefully, in the long term, this approach will generate more interest in the organ among more young students who then will continue to study the organ and will eventually become active organists (amateurs and/or professionals) and church musicians.

Upon completion of Book D, the student progresses to Discover the Organ® in the various series of level one (Basic Organ Repertoire, Modern Keyboard Technique, Christmas Season at the Organ, Easter and Pentecost Seasons at the Organ, and Organ and One Instrument). The first two are considered basic series while the remaining three are supplemental. The levels one through four of the Discover the Organ® method roughly parallel the technical-difficulty levels of the Bastian Piano Literature Series, volumes 1 – 4.