5.0 out of 5 stars A great contemporary approach to learning piano

P. · 3 March 2019

I came across a review of this book on Pianodao blog within reviews of piano books for adult learners. I am just about to try it with a new adult learner I am going to teach. I like the fact that it concentrates on technique from the beginning with beautiful sounding pieces with pedal, encouraging wrist circles and forearm rotation. I have some teenage pupils who I feel will love the later pieces. Feels good value for money, clearly laid out and good that all the pieces can be listened to on the website. Delivery was prompt. A quick response from the composer too when I had a query which was great.

5.0 out of 5 stars UNIQUE TECHNIQUE. IT WORKS!

l.j. · 15 March 2020

After giving up the piano 6 months ago I bought this book for my daughter. She had lost heart and was getting frustrated as shes didn't believe she was progressing with the piano.Within a few lessons one can hear positive results and this has given her a restored confidence.It even surprised me hearing what the pedal techniques in the book allows a novice to sound like in a short space of time.This book makes her smile when she uses it as she is once again enjoying piano lessons.Onward's and Upwards!

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant for beginners

S. · 18 November 2020

Played through the first few exercises, nice flowing piano method that makes it clear and simple what to do.Deffo recommend for beginners and Improving pedaling.One Teeny Thing was the corner of the book was bent in the parcel but that's not a big deal really.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book

R. · 16 June 2020

Looking forward to using this with my pupils, so much more interesting than some of the traditional tutor books. I think any pupil using this will get a good grasp of how chords work and some of the amazing sounds you can get with some relatively simple ingredients including use of the pedal. I love the modern sounds of the pieces.

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to follow step by step guide.

C. · 3 July 2020

Really useful book with lots of good information for both learners and teachers throughout. It has an emphasis on technique, and as the title suggests, introduces the pedal at an early stage.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful tutor book. Worth every penny.

B. · 28 March 2020

I love this book. The introduction of the peddle so early on is a wonderful idea and the overall emphasis on musicality throughout the book makes a refreshing change.

5.0 out of 5 stars nice pieces

A.C. · 17 July 2025

Great advice on technique, integrated into to all his pieces. Would recommend.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book for adult learners of the piano!

A.C. · 17 June 2025

This is a great book for adult learners of the piano. I had tried learning the piano for some time but found the music books to be very childish and didn't appeal to the type of music I like listening to. This book was found for me by a wonderful piano teacher and she and I have been working through this book together. I started the book on 6th February 2025 and am now onto piece 16. River Flow. I have been challenged and I will admit that I am a slow learner, but the book clearly describes what is needed and you are taken through the stages of music constantly building up on your musical abilities. When I got to Endless Journey I thought that I was the equivalent of a concert pianist (obviously not but it was such an achievement for me!). This is such a good book for anyone of a more mature age hoping to learn the piano. Marcel is a talented composer who has created a book that you will enjoy going back to even when you are a great pianist (still an aspirational place for me!).

Kindle Book format not available

s. · 14 February 2020

I wish it was available on kindle with audio tracks inserted

Love the Music; Fast Paced

M.C. · 6 July 2025

I'm a piano teacher, and I love this book for certain students. As many teachers know, one of the biggest problem adult students have is that they know how they want to sound, and even though they know they're beginners, they get frustrated sounding like a total beginner for the first few days/weeks/months (depending on the student). I do usually start them on some basic improv, chords, and scales relatively early, but nothing compares to what this book does for them. They sound "good" right away! I also love that this book has both US and UK terms.This book is very fast paced. I think with a total beginner who has never played an instrument or read music before, I would supplement heavily to make sure each concept is reinforced before going on to the next song and concept(s). Right now I'm using it with a teen beginner who has already played the trumpet and guitar for a few years, and with an adult who has played the clarinet for several years. It's a great book for both. I think I may still need to supplement with an occasional song, but not a huge amount. When I do need to supplement, this book matches decently well with the sound, writing style, and concept introduction of the music in Supersonics Plus, which I have a subscription to, so I'm not concerned with needing to supplement. I've previously had adult and teen beginners in the Piano Adventures accelerated/older beginner books, and even though there are a few books at each level and they move much more slowly than this one, I've still found myself supplementing with quite a bit of additional music. I love that this book introduces the damper pedal immediately, with overlapping pedaling just a few pieces later--I usually find myself introducing pedaling much earlier than most method books do, with good results.Anyway, I feel like I was rambling a bit, but the main point is that this is a great book to use with teen or adult beginners, especially if they already read music. I will be keeping an extra copy or two of this book on hand at all times from now on!

HARD TO BEAT!

M.A. · 29 November 2023

This remarkable book has only forty-nine pages but rewards the adult beginner in a superb journey from simple exercises though to rich two-hand practice pieces. Each page is a clearly focused step that builds on the previous and leads naturally to the next. I’ve personally never come across a piano instruction package that’s priced so affordably and yet delivers such practical help with such easy-to-follow instruction. Moreover, it introduces the use of the sustained pedal from page one, a bonus for the adult beginner to develop an early appreciation for enhanced tone management. What a great gift!

Great Beginner Book my children loved using the sustain pedal.

L.Y. · 19 September 2024

I’ve tried several piano methods, but the Hey Presto is by far the best. The book’s approach to teaching the sustain pedal from the start is fantastic, and the variety of music styles keeps practice enjoyable. The clear instructions and engaging pieces have made learning the piano both fun and rewarding. Highly recommend!

Good to learn pedaling

V. · 25 February 2022

This book was recommended to me to help with pedaling practice. And indeed it did help me. But not just with that, it has good theory information, and I can concentrate on technique. The exercises are pleasant to play and listen to.They also have a YouTube video that plays each song, so if you get stuck or confused on timing, you can listen to it.I am over half way through it at this point, and I have had it for a month or so. But I practice a lot of other stuff too.