Piano Safari Repertoire Book 1

Piano Safari – Piano Repertoire Book 1 (2nd Edition)

Piano Safari Repertoire Book 1 is the core lesson book for Level 1 of the Piano Safari piano method, written for beginners ages 6 to 11. It’s the book every lesson is built around (SKU PSRep1).

Here’s what makes it different from most first-year piano books. Students learn on two tracks at once. Rote pieces are taught by listening and copying the teacher, so a beginner can play full, rich-sounding music across the whole keyboard in the first weeks. Reading pieces move at their own slower pace, teaching kids to read by the distance between notes instead of memorizing every note name. The ear stays ahead of the eyes, and the music never has to wait for reading to catch up.

Who is this book for?

Publisher level: Level 1, listed by Piano Safari as Early Elementary.
Approximate student level: Early Elementary.

It’s for true beginners, usually starting around age 6 or 7. No reading experience is needed. Children who finished Piano Safari Friends move straight into this book. Piano Safari says most students take about a year to finish Level 1. Younger children may take up to two years, and older or very steady students can finish in about six months.

What’s inside Piano Safari Repertoire Book 1?

The book opens with an Introductory Unit, then five main units. Each unit mixes six kinds of material:

• Rote pieces — patterned pieces learned by ear and imitation, with teacher duet parts
• Reading pieces — one hand at a time, moving from pre-staff notes to the staff
• Folk songs — familiar tunes that review finger numbers
• Technique exercises — seven animal exercises for healthy playing habits
• Improvisation pieces — short “sound pieces” that tie the piano to moods and nature
• Theory pages — worksheet-style review

How the reading builds, unit by unit:

The seven animal techniques: Lion Paw (arm weight), Zechariah Zebra and Kangaroo (quick repeated notes with firm fingertips), Tall Giraffe (detached notes), Tree Frog (smooth, connected notes), Soaring Bird (a three-note slur in one motion), and Monkey (forearm rotation).

Rhythm: whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes, counted with syllables (“Ta” and “Ta-ti”) and named Animal Rhythm Patterns.

By the end of the book, a student reads unisons, 2nds, and 3rds on the staff from landmark notes, plays with all five fingers in both hands, and has a solid set of technical motions ready for Level 2.

How is Repertoire Book 1 used?

This is a teacher-led method book. At home, students listen to the audio tracks to get familiar with rote pieces before and after they learn them at the lesson. Reading pieces are not on the audio on purpose, so students really read them. Free Reminder Videos on Piano Safari’s website show how each rote piece and technique exercise goes, which is a big help for parents who don’t play.

Worth knowing: students aren’t expected to read the printed music for their rote pieces. Those pages are a reference for the teacher and parent. That’s part of the design, not a sign your child is behind.

The audio download code is printed on the book.

Where does Book 1 fit in the Piano Safari series?

Piano Safari Friends (ages 4–6) comes before it. Level 2 follows, with Repertoire Book 2 and a separate Technique Book 2. For beginners age 12 and up, Piano Safari has a separate Older Student series.

Level 1 companions at August Muse (sold separately):

• Sight Reading & Rhythm Cards 1 (SKU PSSR1) — short daily reading and rhythm practice that matches each unit. Piano Safari treats the book and cards as a set.
• Theory Book 1 (SKU PSTheory1) — extra written practice for each unit
• Piece Cards 1 (SKU PSPiece1)
• Piano Decorating Kit (SKU PSPDK)

Is there more than one edition?

Yes. Repertoire Book 1 was updated in a 2nd edition in 2018, and that’s the current book. The Sight Reading & Rhythm Cards 1 were not changed, so they work with it. If your teacher’s list says “2nd edition” or “2018,” this is the one. If your child already has a first-edition book, check with the teacher before buying a new one.

Product Details

Frequently asked questions

Does my child need to read music to start Repertoire Book 1?
No. The first unit is all by ear and imitation. Reading starts in Unit 1 with simple pre-staff notes.

Do we need the Sight Reading Cards too?
Piano Safari designed the book and cards to work together and sells them as its Level 1 Pack. The cards give the daily reading practice. Check your teacher’s list.

Is there a separate Technique Book 1?
No. The Level 1 technique exercises are inside Repertoire Book 1. A separate Technique Book starts at Level 2.

My child is 12. Is this the right book?
It can work, but Piano Safari also has an Older Student series written for beginners 12 and up. Check with your teacher.

Best For

• Beginning piano students ages 6 to 11
• Students moving up from Piano Safari Friends
• Children who learn quickly by ear but need patient reading steps
• Families whose teacher uses the Piano Safari method
• Private or group piano lessons

Available at August Muse

Piano Safari Repertoire Book 1 is available at August Muse in downtown Elizabethton, TN, along with the matching Level 1 cards and theory book. Stop in, or call ahead and we’ll set a copy aside.