Levels of Learnatune Books
Learnatune Books Level Guide
This is an overview of how some of Susan Leigh’s piano and theory books fit together in level order. Use the tabs opposite to navigate (or above on a mobile) and levels roughly correspond to a series like Piano Adventures. Teachers may be interested in my Free Books Hub which includes solutions to all the mysteries, demo tracks and a few freebies. Be the first to know about new books by subscribing to my blog.
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FREE Books Hub for music teachers
A useful companion for music teachers using my books, it includes solutions to all the mysteries, demo tracks and also freebies like ‘Reggie’s Heist’, a fun online detective game with questions that can be customised by the teacher. Find out more about the Free Books Hub by clicking here.
Primer level books for younger learners
These piano and theory books have been created with younger students in mind (approximately below the age of 7 or 8). The series of method books can be used as a method or as a standalone book to reinforce any other series.
Part of a series of 3 books featuring a mouse detective called Frankie.
- Gradual progression of concepts with tunes to learn and music theory puzzles to solve
- Off stave notation using finger numbers and letter names
- Understanding of keyboard geography including letter names of white keys and groupings of black keys
- 1 and 2 beat notes
- Introduces the treble and bass clef signs
- Note patterns going up or down
Part of a series of 3 books featuring a mouse detective called Frankie.
- Continues from ‘Who Ate The Apples?’
- Notation moves onto the stave and includes Middle CDE in treble clef and Middle CBAG in bass clef
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- The pause sign, repeat sign, ‘forte’ sign and ‘piano’ sign
A piano mystery adventure
- Piano tunes to learn with optional teacher accompaniments.
- Plus music theory puzzles with clues to solve
- Treble notes CDE and bass notes CBAG , making it an ideal reinforcement to everything learnt in ‘Mystery of the Lost Crown‘
- A primary focus is on consolidating the BAG notes in the bass clef to help students remember this useful pattern of notes
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
Part of a series of 3 books featuring a mouse detective called Frankie.
- Continues from ‘Mystery of the Lost Crown’
- Treble notes Middle CDEFG and bass notes Middle CBAGF
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats
- 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Steps and skips
- Music signs like the staccato sign, pedal, mp and mf, tied notes
A fun theory book ideal during the first year of learning
- Works alongside most method books
- Treble and bass clef signs
- Finger numbers
- Names of the white piano keys
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats
- Treble notes Middle CDEFG and bass notes Middle CBAGF
Primer level books for older learners
These piano and theory books have been created for students of around age 8 upwards to teenagers. The series of method books can be used as a method or as a standalone book to reinforce any other series.
Part of a series of 4 method books featuring Detective Drake
- Gradual progression of concepts
- Piano tunes to learn and music theory puzzles
- Middle CDEFG in treble clef and Middle CBAGF in bass clef
- Finger numbers and keyboard geography
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Music signs including pause, forte, piano, treble/bass clefs
A detective mystery for piano (also available for treble instruments)
- Piano tunes to learn with optional teacher accompaniments alongside music theory puzzles
- Treble notes Middle CDEFG and bass notes Middle CBAGF
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Tied notes, staccato, slurs, dynamic signs (p, mp, mf, f), multirests, stave, treble and bass clefs, bar line and double bar line, instruments of the orchestra
- Stem directions
A detective mystery for piano (also available for treble instruments)
- Piano tunes to learn with optional teacher accompaniments alongside music theory puzzles
- Treble notes Middle CDEFG and bass notes Middle CBAGF
- Half, 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2,4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Terms including D.C. al Fine, Fine, staccato, crescendo, decrescendo, ritardando
- Stem directions
- Music signs include slurs, staccato, accents, tied notes, bar lines, sharps, flats, pause sign, stave or staff, treble and bass clefs, dynamic signs (p, mp, mf, f)
Part of a series of 4 method books featuring Detective Drake
- Continues from ‘Who Stole the Broccoli?’
- Treble notes Middle CDEFG in and bass notes Middle CBAGFEDC
- Steps, skips and note patterns
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Music terms and signs including ritardando, rit, pause sign, staccato, legato, dynamics (p, mp, mf, f), tied notes
- Stem directions
Level 1 books
Piano mystery adventures and more at around level 1. The series of method books continue from Primer level and can be used as a method or as a standalone book to reinforce any other series.
Part of a series of 4 method books featuring Detective Drake
- Continues from ‘Mystery in Room 13’
- Treble notes Middle CDEFGAB and bass notes Middle CBAGFEDC
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Introducing steps and skips as intervals of a 2nd and 3rd . Plus intervals of a 4th and 5th
- Signs including accent, octave and pedal
- Dynamic signs as well as crescendo and decrescendo or diminuendo
Part of a series of 4 method books featuring Detective Drake
- Continues from ‘Sneaky Sabotage’
- Treble notes Middle CDEFGABCDE and bass notes Middle CBAGFEDC
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Continues with intervals of a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
- New notes are presented in pattern blocks, eg. FACE notes, the four C’s, treble notes CDE
- Introducing the upbeat
- Dynamic signs including p, mp, mf, f and crescendo, decrescendo/diminuendo
- Tempo terms lento, andante, moderato and allegro
A piano mystery adventure to help with piano reading skills
- Notation in the form of exercises with notes on the entire grand stave (including Middle C but no other ledger line notes)
- 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2 and 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Patterns including repeated notes, rhythms, bars/measures. The shape of the melody and rise and fall of notes. Intervals of a 2nd and 3rd or steps and skips.
- Dynamic signs p, mp, mf, f, plus the pause
A detective mystery for piano
- Piano tunes to learn with optional teacher accompaniments
- Music theory puzzles with clues to solve
- Notation covers the entire grand stave as well as note G sitting on top of the stave in the treble clef (plus middle C but this is the only ledger line note)
- Half, 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2, 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Steps and skips, stem directions, sharp/flat/natural signs
- Signs such as pause, slur, staccato, accent, tied note, dynamic signs (p, mp, mf, f and crescendo, decrescendo/diminuendo)
- Terms such as lento, andante, rallentando
Level 1 note reading books
Level 1 is often the stage where students might need reinforcement of note recognition. The following books are all ideal for practising note naming in treble and/or bass clefs.
A treble clef note naming mystery featuring the mice that live underneath Mozart’s floorboards!
- Includes all the notes on the lines and spaces of the treble clef stave
- Puzzles reveal clues that lead to the mouse who took one of Mozart’s notes!
- Scrambles, mazes, matchups and more
A bass clef note naming challenge. Beat Bob and his team at over 30 sporting events!
- Includes all the notes on the lines and spaces of the bass clef stave
- Running, javelin, tennis, pole vault, ice skating, table tennis, hockey, gymnastics, rock climbing and more!
- Scrambles, mazes, matchups and more
A treble clef note naming challenge. Beat Freddie in games at the funfair!
- Includes all the notes on the lines and spaces of the treble clef stave
- Play ‘hook a duck’, coconut shy, balloon darts, tin can alley, bumper cars, toy grabber, test your strength and more!
- Scrambles, mazes, matchups and more
Level 2A books
Piano mystery adventures and more at around level 2A. Ideal to supplement any method series.
A detective mystery for piano
- Piano tunes to learn with optional teacher accompaniments
- Music theory puzzles with clues to solve
- Notation covers the entire grand stave (plus middle C’s and also ledger line D in the bass clef)
- Half, 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2, 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Signs such as pause, slur, staccato, accent, tied note, dynamic signs (p, mp, mf, f and crescendo, decrescendo/diminuendo)
- Sharp, flat and natural signs
- Stem directions
- Terms of metronome, ritardando, andante, moderato and allegro
- Tones and semitones plus intervals of a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
- Names of instruments like the flute, trumpet, clarinet
Level 2B books
Piano mystery adventures and more at around level 2B. Ideal to supplement any method series.
A detective mystery for piano
- Piano tunes to learn with optional teacher accompaniments
- Music theory puzzles with clues to solve
- Notation covers the entire grand stave (plus middle C, D in the bass clef, and ledger line high treble C and low bass C ). A feature is the stretch of a 6th interval (played together and separately)
- Half, 1,2,3,4 beat notes and 1,2, 4 or whole bar/measure rests
- Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure
- Signs such as pause, slur, staccato, accent, tied note, dynamic signs (p, mp, mf, f and crescendo, decrescendo/diminuendo, also sf or sforzando)
- Sharp, flat and natural signs
- Key signatures of C, G and F major including the scales in those keys (plus the tonic, dominant and leading tones)
- Terms of ritardando, andante, and allegro
- Tones and semitones plus intervals of a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
Level 3A books
Piano mystery adventures and more at around level 3A. Ideal to supplement any method series.
A detective mystery for piano
- Piano tunes to learn with optional teacher accompaniments
- Music theory puzzles with clues to solve
- Piano music uses notes on all lines and spaces plus a few ledger line notes. Theory puzzles include identifying up to three ledger lines in both clefs
- There is simple stretching and moving out of hand positions. Puzzles include recognising intervals up to an 8th, tones and semitones, and identifying/playing mini chromatic scale patterns
- Half, 1,2,3,4 beat notes and half, 1,2, 4 or whole bar/measure rests. Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats in a bar/measure, plus 6/8 and also common time
- A big feature of the piano music is the sustaining pedal. Other signs such as the octave sign, accent, staccato etc. also appear
- Key signatures of C, G and F major. Some of the music is in minor keys to give a mysterious atmosphere but this is not included in the theory puzzles
- To solve the mystery and escape, students search for musical terms. These are based on tempo words, dynamics, names of instruments, and also performance directions and names of musical signs.
A music theory adventure
- ABRSM exam board grade 1 level (roughly equivalent to music theory level 3A)
- All stave treble and bass notes, sharp/flat/natural signs, plus tones/semitones
- Note values of a quarter, half, 1, 2, 3 and 4 beats. Rest values of a quarter, half, 1, 2 and 4 (or a whole bar rest). Dotted note values. Time signatures of 2,3,4 beats
- Key signatures of C, D, F and G major in both treble and bass clefs, including their position on the stave. Plus working out the key of a piece of music. Scales of these keys and also degrees of the scale
- Intervals and tonic triads in keys of C, D, F and G major
- Music signs including staccato, slurs, pause sign, repeat, metronome mark, accent, dynamic signs. Terms such as cantabile, dolce, and fine.
- The planets in this mystery are all named after tempo terms and are a great way to introduce students to them. They include rallentando, ritardando, lento, accelerando, allegro, moderato, adagio, moderato, presto, andante, vivace, allegretto, largo, vivo, andantino, grave, larghetto, stringendo, prestissimo, adagietto, allargando.