Piano Essentials

Ross Ramsay's Piano Essentials is a method for building solid keyboard fundamentals through scales, chords, arpeggios, and cadences. Its content follows the Level 1 and 2 piano proficiency requirements at Berklee College of Music, and it suits both newcomers and experienced players who want sharper technique, faster fingerwork, and more agility.

The exercises are designed to improve reading at the keyboard and make new material easier to commit to memory. Readers also work on tone, dynamic control, and rhythmic accuracy. Written for contemporary pianists, the book prepares students for more advanced study and offers support for improvising and composing.

An online audio component includes play-along accompaniments and demonstration examples. Using the PLAYBACK+ tool, learners can slow tracks down, loop difficult passages, shift the pitch, and change the stereo balance to tailor their practice.