Which course should I choose...?

If you have always really wanted to play piano but just never got round to it...
If you had lessons as a child and found it gruelling, gave up, but wish that it had worked out...
If you can play a bit by ear but need to develop some theory and technique...
If you can sight read music but cannot play anything without it...

Then choose Beginners.


If you can sight read music but need to understand chord symbols...
If you had traditional tuition but want to play boogie-woogie, blues, Jazz or whatever...
If you can play by ear but need to get to grips with notation and or theory...
If you have completed the Beginners course...

Then start with the first modules.

If you're still not sure then just email us, we'll help you work it out.


Because of the different structure of the course some items in 'Beginners' will be found in intermediate and/or advanced elsewhere. That doesn't mean that our course is noticably harder but perhaps we have a better way of explaining things!

Scales. Often mentioned as the reason people gave up the piano! At this stage we don't 'memorise' individual scales or devote lots of time to anything too repetitive. As long as the student is aware of how to develop good fingering it is better if this takes place at a later stage i.e. after the course. We concentrate on developing an understanding of how a scale is structured, and how it sounds, so that the students can utilise and develop them when encountered/needed. Scale fingering techniques are included though as, along with other exercises, they are important to develop muscle tone and smooth playing.

General objectives for the Beginners course

Although there is a lot of general flexibility the Beginners course sets out to achieve the following;

1. A secure (non sequential) knowledge of all the note names on the keyboard and an understanding of basic intervals i.e. tones and semitones.
2. Development of viable fingering and ability to complete (evenly) the cycle of fifths/fourths in both hands and in both directions.
3. Ability to transpose a pentatonic scale from the black notes to any white notes using a combination of intervals and ear training.
4. A practical understanding of the basic (Major, pentatonic, natural, harmonic and melodic minor) scale structures and an ability to create a scale using a combination of interval knowledge, Major scale deviation and ear training.
5. Familiarity with basic triad chord structures (Major, minor, suspended, augmented and diminished) and an ability to invert them in a musical context.
6. A basic ability to work with a simple lead sheet and I, IV, V chord patterns.

The Intermediate course

Full details of the Intermediate course will be here shortly..


click here for the separate module descriptions...

Lapis Piano

Please contact us for more info or if you have questions about the course