Ask any piano teacher which part of the lesson students dread most, and you’ll probably hear the same answer: scales, chords, and technique drills. That’s exactly the problem Foundations was built to solve. First previewed for teachers at MTNA, Foundations: Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Edition, Level 1A is now complete and available in the MakeMusic Studio Music Library, bringing cinematic backing tracks to the fundamentals every young pianist needs.
What is Foundations?
Foundations started with a simple question from composer and educator Brian Balmages. Could technical exercises be written to fit right over a real film score, so students improve while they play along? A few weeks later, Mega Foundations was released, and thousands of band and string students jumped in.
The idea is not a watered-down melody play-along. Every movie cue carries a specific technique objective, whether that’s long tones, lip slurs, bow distribution, or rudiments, so students practice real fundamentals without feeling like they’re drilling. The series has since grown to include Hogwarts Foundations, a Marvel Studios edition, and Foundations: Habits Edition, correlated to the GIA Habits series.
The results speak for themselves: students who use Foundations log twice as much practice time. Now, piano students get their turn.
Inside Foundations: Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Edition
This new book takes the four building blocks of early piano study (scales, chords, reading, and rhythm) and pairs every exercise with a professionally produced, fully orchestrated backing track. Each exercise is correlated to Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Level 1A, so it slots right into the method many teachers already use, and each one targets one specific skill.
The soundtrack list reads like a student’s favorite movie night: Superman, Harry Potter, The Minecraft Movie, Elf, The Polar Express, and more.
A few early highlights:
- “Look Up” from Superman (2025) builds confidence around Treble G and Middle C.
- “Ken Makes a Discovery” introduces C position in both hands, with a playful nod to Barbie.
- “Cantina Band” from Star Wars: A New Hope teaches the difference between staccato and legato.
It’s proof that even the most rudimentary parts of piano practice can feel like an adventure.
Why Piano Teachers Will Love It
It fits the curriculum you already teach. Because every exercise lines up with Alfred’s Basic Level 1A, there’s no need to rebuild lesson plans. Assign the Foundations exercise that matches this week’s lesson book page and students reinforce the exact concept you just introduced.
It turns home practice into something students want to do. The biggest challenge in any studio is what happens between lessons. Band and string students already spend up to twice as long practicing with Foundations, and piano students now get the same motivation: a film score waiting for them every time they sit down.
Every exercise has a purpose. These aren’t pop arrangements that trade technique for fun. Each track isolates one skill, such as hand position, articulation, or note reading, so students master the building blocks without feeling like they’re doing drills.
Start Practicing with Foundations Today
Foundations: Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Edition is available now in the MakeMusic Studio Music Library. Open it up, assign your first exercise, and watch your students discover that the fundamentals every pianist needs can sound a lot like the movies they love. Log in, or start a free 14-day trial today to experience this new book for yourself.