11 Best Piano Book For Adult Beginners
Are you an adult trying to learn piano for the first time?
These days, there are many beginners learning to play the piano, even if they are not young.
There are people around me who are adults but are learning to play the piano for the first time. I am learning to play the piano and playing it to my family and friends, or playing songs I want to play as a hobby, creating happy memories with the people around me.
These days, there are many famous pop songs that are easily arranged to suit the level of beginners. Therefore, beginners can learn piano in an interesting way.
Then, in this article, we will look at the 11 best piano books for adult beginners, as well as frequently asked questions and various information related to them.
What are the benefits of adults learning piano?
There are many advantages to adults learning to play the piano. First, playing and creating music helps reduce stress and promote emotional stability. The process of learning piano improves concentration and memory, and activates the brain to promote cognitive abilities. Playing the piano promotes fine motor skills in the hands and fingers, improving strength and flexibility and helping maintain motor skills. The joy and sense of accomplishment that comes from playing music increases self-esteem and helps with self-development. Lastly, learning the piano for adults can increase life satisfaction by providing opportunities to discover new hobbies and express themselves creatively.
11 Recommended Piano Books for Adult Beginners
1. 100 Most Popular Pieces: Sheet Music for Adult Beginners
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
For those who want to enjoy playing the piano, ‘Solo Piano 100 Most Popular Pieces’ is a piano sheet music book containing 100 popular songs at various levels from beginners to experts. This book provides easy-to-access arrangements and songs tailored to a variety of musical styles and levels, giving you the opportunity to enjoy and improve your piano skills.
Pros
Cons
- Includes popular children's songs, folk songs, and classical songs.
- Great for adult beginners
- For each song there is a video (QR code) that shows finger positions.
- Videos provide tips for better playing
- Fingering included
- Not spiral bound
Authors: Alicja Urbanowicz
List Price: 22.34$
Paperback: 148 pages
Multimedia: Video tutorial included
Best For: Beginners and adults who want to improve their sight reading skills with the most popular songs.
Weight: 13.8 ounces
Size: 8.5 x 0.34 x 11 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book contains many beautiful songs and is great to enjoy with family and friends.
2. First 50 Popular Songs You Should Play On Piano
Undine's Recommendation
piano book
adult beginner
Hal Leonard LLC, founded in 1947, is the world’s largest publisher of music performance and educational materials, with a catalog of more than one million products in physical and digital formats. has published musical works by some of the greatest composers and artists of all time, and this book provides sheet music for 50 pop classics, including music from a variety of genres and styles.
Pros
Cons
- It is a thick book of 208 pages.
- The notes in the score are printed in large size.
- Including various musical and movie songs.
- There's a code written down.
- The songs are diverse for the price.
- Not spiral bound
Authors: Jonathan Larson
List Price: $9.48 (paper back)
Paperback: 208pages
Multimedia: Audio CD
Best For: Adult beginners who can read music and want to play a variety of piano pieces
Weight: 1.4 pounds
Size: 9 x 0.51 x 12 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book helps those who are bored with using children’s textbooks and music books to develop an enjoyable repertoire.
3. Piano Book for Adult Beginners
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
Recommended by Rolling Stone magazine, this book and streaming video course is a must-have for anyone just starting out or looking to level up at the piano. Damon Ferrante’s step-by-step lessons and practical approach have been recognized by thousands of students and teachers, helping you learn great songs without having to read music.
Pros
Cons
- It starts with the basics and guides you gradually.
- The video can be viewed online.
- Left-hand and right-hand songs were distinguished.
- Simple analysis of chord progressions
- Provides basic finger patterns and techniques
- Many songs do not have lyrics.
Authors: Damon Ferrante
List Price: $28.88
Paperback: 121 pages
Multimedia: Online video lessons included
Best For: Adult beginner with some knowledge of piano
Weight: 12 ounces
Size: 8.5 x 0.28 x 11 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This can be a great book if you already know a little bit about instrument theory. It is well written and very clear for beginner pianists.
4. Complete Piano for Adult Beginners
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
This piano guide is designed for anyone to use. You can learn the basic theory through simple explanations and examples, and play songs using the letters above each note. Additionally, we provide 65 songs and melodies for you to practice along with online videos to help you improve your piano skills.
Pros
Cons
- It's written in very large type.
- A link to play the video has been included.
- Easy to read and understand.
- There are songs for one hand and songs for two hands.
- You can gain basic knowledge about playing the piano.
- A bit difficult for complete beginners.
- Not spiral bound
Authors: Open White Book, Avgusta Udartseva
List Price: $11.39
Paperback: 169 pages
Multimedia: Online video lessons included
Best For: Adult beginners who want to play a variety of songs
Weight: 14.4 ounces
Size: 8.5 x 0.39 x 11 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book is written in large print that is easy to play. There are many songs, so choosing a song is fun and helps beginner pianists improve their skills.
5. John Thompson's Adult Piano Course: Book 1
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
The updated John Thompson’s Adult Piano Course is tailored for mature students, offering a diverse selection of classical arrangements, folk tunes, and original pieces designed to be enjoyable to learn and play, with a focus on fostering artistic expression and musical understanding for adult learners.
Pros
Cons
- A lot of diverse and beautiful songs are included.
- The price is cheap.
- Briefly explains the basics of performance and the music itself.
- Encourage the development of musicianship.
- It is best to learn together with a teacher.
- No multimedia.
Authors: John Thompson
List Price: $5.50
Paperback: 80 pages
Multimedia: No
Best For: Adult beginners who want to play a variety of songs
Weight: 2.31 pounds
Size: 9 x 0.21 x 12 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This old book is one of the best books on the market written for beginners. This is a great book for anyone who has ever taken piano lessons and wants to start again.
6. Classical Piano Sheet Music for Beginners
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
This piano book provides an easy and engaging course to learn 100 famous classical solo pieces in less than 10 minutes a day. This book provides musical expression and growth through intentionally selected piano arrangements for beginners to intermediate players, and the clear, large layout of the scores makes practicing smooth and enjoyable. Additionally, you can listen to the sound of the work through free audio files, making learning more effective.
Pros
Cons
- Detailed descriptions of each classical piece are included.
- The sheet music is in large letters.
- You can play a variety of music styles.
- Famous classical music was included.
- No finger number provided.
Authors: Play ToWin
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 250 pages
Multimedia: Free audio files included.
Best For: Adult beginners who want to play a variety of songs
Weight: 1.3 pounds
Size: 8.5 x 0.57 x 11 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book is perfect for those who love classical music but have not been able to play it because they are beginners. Famous classical music is arranged at an easy beginner level, so even beginners can enjoy playing it. It is recommended for those who want to look like an expert but cannot read difficult sheet music.
7. Alfred's Basic Adult All-In-One Piano Course
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
“Alfred’s Basic Adult All-In-One Piano Course” is a comprehensive piano textbook for adults, including lessons, theory, and techniques. This book is aimed at adult beginners and introduces basic techniques and concepts to those beginning to play the piano. It is structured so that you can learn music theory and practice methods along with lessons, and play songs at various levels.
Pros
Cons
- Provides information necessary for finger number and finger placement
- The melody is familiar.
- Most popular on Amazon for adult beginners.
- The chord progression has been well organized.
- The difficulty gradually increases.
- No famous pop music included.
- Basic concepts explained quickly.
Authors: A.Letheo W.Palmer, M.Manus
List Price: $25.99
Paperback: 143 pages
Multimedia: DVD that can be purchased with the book
Best For: Beginners who want basic knowledge including detailed music theory and techniques
Weight: 1.15 pounds
Reasons for recommending:
This book focuses on theory and technology. It covers a lot of chord theory, including basic chords and blues forms, so you can learn theoretical piano skills, and is recommended for beginners interested in jazz and blues.
8. How to Read Music in 30 Days
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
This book presents a 30-day program for mastering music notation and theory in a simple and enjoyable way, featuring over 150 music examples, 100 exercises, and online access to audio examples. It aims to provide a strong foundation for reading music, playing instruments, singing, composing, and more, answering music theory questions comprehensively. With feedback from hundreds of students, the 3rd edition is tailored to suit all beginner musicians, offering a practical approach to learning music theory.
Pros
Cons
- It was divided into three basic sections: rhythm, pitch, and expression.
- Helps you write, view and listen to music.
- The website provides web application content for free.
- Includes a music download to listen to the sound.
- Clear and easy to follow.
- You must have a good internet connection to find the material.
Authors: Matthew Ellul
List Price: $20.44
Paperback: 171 pages
Multimedia: Free provision of web application content
Best For: Beginners who want to understand music, including reading sheet music
Weight: 14.6 ounces
Size: 8.5 x 0.39 x 11 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book is a music theory book recommended for beginners who want to understand music in general, including reading sheet music. If you have difficulty reading sheet music while practicing the piano, you can read sheet music accurately and understand music theory by using this book. It is also very helpful for people who need to sing while reading sheet music, such as choirs.
9. Best Songs Ever Super Easy Piano Songbook
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
Pros
Cons
- Melody and chords are indicated.
- The code is explained in diagram form.
- Suitable for those who want to play jazz style.
- Every song just has a melody.
- This can be difficult if you don't know code.
Authors: Matthew Ellul
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 120 pages
Multimedia: Free provision of web application content
Best For: Beginners who want to play popular music with melody and chords
Weight: 15.2 ounces
Size: 9 x 0.34 x 12 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book is recommended for beginners who want to read and play chords. It’s good for those who want to play the left hand freely along with the melody, and it’s more fun to play if you already know some chords.
10. Bastien Piano for Adults - a Beginning Course Book
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
Bastien Piano for Adults offers a new, rich course specifically designed for adult beginners, combining lessons, theory, technique, and sight-reading in one easy-to-use book. This series ensures progressive learning to boost confidence and success, featuring tailored music ranging from famous classical themes to innovative Bastien original pieces teaching various genres like folk, gospel, ragtime, blues, boogie, jazz, and fundamentals in a simple yet innovative manner.
Pros
Cons
- Excellent and easy to understand music theory
- The answer to the theory practice quizzes is on the back, making it great for learning.
- Good music is included.
- Practice and theory books are integrated.
- A bit difficult for complete beginners.
Authors: Jane Smisor Bastien
List Price: $24.85
Paperback: 160 pages
Best For: Beginners who enjoy playing the piano and taking theoretical quizzes
Weight: Weight: 1.26 pounds
Size: 9.25 x 0.5 x 11.5 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book is recommended for beginners who want to start from the basics and want to understand and play more difficult concepts and pieces. This can be helpful for those who want to learn how to play the piano properly in their spare time.
11. Hal Leonard Adult Piano Method - Book 1
Undine's Recommendation
solo piano
adult beginner
The Educational Piano Library presents an adult piano method designed for busy individuals, offering a comprehensive all-in-one approach to learning piano with lessons, solos, technique, and theory conveniently combined in a single volume, featuring a logical step-by-step progression tailored for adult learners, with over 150 accompaniments for streaming or download, supplemental books including popular hits and seasonal favorites, and versatile audio access via unique codes, ensuring a rewarding musical journey whether with an instructor or self-guided.
Pros
Cons
- It unfolds quickly so you won't get bored.
- Helps your fingers get used to the piano keys.
- The song is good.
- Progress is made one step at a time.
- It gives you a feeling of achieving your goal quickly.
- There is little guidance regarding notes, rests, and rhythm.
Authors: Fred Kern, Barbara Kreader, Phillip Keveren, Mona Rejino
List Price: $18.33
Paperback: 96 pages
Multimedia: Audio CD
Best For: Beginners and adults who want to improve their sight reading skills with the most popular songs.
Weight: 13.3 ounces
Size: 9 x 0.29 x 12 inches
Reasons for recommending:
This book is suitable for beginners who want to start playing the piano right away. It is recommended for beginners who want to quickly achieve their goals because it helps them practice piano right away without having to learn theoretical elements such as rhythm and beat for a long time.
Which piano books are most helpful for beginners?
When choosing a piano book for beginners, you should consider several factors. This includes the book’s structure, teaching methods, variety of practice materials, and whether it’s right for you. The books reviewed above are all popular piano textbooks for beginners, but your choice may vary depending on your personal preferences and learning style. If possible, it is a good idea to compare several books and choose the one that best suits you.
Can I learn piano without a teacher?
You can learn piano without a teacher. However, teacher guidance is always one of the most effective ways to learn. You can use online resources, tutorial videos, and music education apps to master basic skills and improve your lessons without a teacher.
Can you master the basics of piano with just one book?
It’s difficult to completely master piano basics with just one book, but with the right books and consistent practice, you can acquire sufficient basic skills. However, it is recommended that you supplement your learning with professional guidance or supporting materials.
Frequently Asked Questions: 11 Best Piano book for adult beginners
What is the best book to learn piano from home?
The best book for learning piano from home depends on individual preferences and learning styles. Popular choices include Alfred’s Basic Piano Library, Piano Adventures, and John Thompson’s Easiest Piano Course.
Can I learn piano with just a book?
While you can learn piano with just a book, it’s generally more effective when combined with other resources like online tutorials, instructional videos, or apps. However, having a good method book as a foundation is essential.
Is 2 years enough to learn piano?
Two years can be enough time to make significant progress in learning piano, especially with consistent practice and dedication. However, mastery of the instrument is a lifelong journey, and progress varies from person to person.
Are piano books worth it?
Yes, piano books are worth it as they provide structured learning, comprehensive exercises, and a variety of musical pieces to practice. They can also serve as valuable references for theory and technique.
What is the best piano series for beginners?
For beginners, series like Alfred’s Basic Piano Library, John Thompson’s Easiest Piano Course are highly recommended due to their systematic approach, engaging content, and variety of music genres.
Is self-taught piano better?
Whether self-taught piano is better depends on the individual. While self-teaching offers flexibility and independence, having a teacher can provide personalized guidance, feedback, and accountability, which can be beneficial for progress.
What is the best piano technique book?
Popular choices for piano technique books include “Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises” and “Czerny: Practical Method for Beginners on the Pianoforte.” These books focus on building finger strength, agility, and coordination.
Are 30 minute piano lessons worth it?
Yes, 30-minute piano lessons can be worth it, especially for beginners or those with limited time. It allows for focused instruction on specific aspects of playing and can be more affordable than longer lessons.
Is learning piano good for the brain?
Yes, learning piano has numerous cognitive benefits, including improved memory, coordination, concentration, and problem-solving skills. It can also provide emotional and creative outlets, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being.
11 Best Piano book for adult beginners - summary
There are many songs on the market for adult beginners. I hope that after comparing the books introduced in this article that are good for you to use, you will be able to heal your heart through beautiful piano playing. 🎹
- 1. 100 Most Popular Pieces: Sheet Music for Adult Beginners
- 2. First 50 Popular Songs You Should Play On Piano
- 3. Piano Book for Adult Beginners
- 4. Complete Piano for Adult Beginners
- 5. John Thompson’s Adult Piano Course: Book 1
- 6. Classical Piano Sheet Music for Beginners
- 7. Alfred’s Basic Adult All-In-One Piano Course
- 8. How to Read Music in 30 Days
- 9. Best Songs Ever Super Easy Piano Songbook
- 10. Bastien Piano for Adults – a Beginning Course Book
- 11. Hal Leonard Adult Piano Method – Book 1
– This article is not sponsored by Amazon.