If you’ve ever wished that the Faber Piano Adventures series had an all-in-one option for intermediate students, your wish has officially come true.

This month, Faber released the brand new Piano Adventures Grand Level 4 All-in-One Intermediate Book, combining the Lesson, Theory, Technique, and Performance books into one large volume for upper elementary and early intermediate piano students.

As a long-time Piano Adventures teacher, I was extremely curious to see what stayed the same, what changed, and whether this new format actually works in real piano lessons.

After spending time teaching from the new book, here are my honest thoughts.

What Is the Piano Adventures Grand Level 4 All-in-One Book?

The new Grand Level 4 book replaces the four separate Level 4 books from the traditional gold Piano Adventures series:

• Lesson Book
• Theory Book
• Technique & Artistry Book
• Performance Book

Instead of juggling multiple books during lessons, students now carry a single 144-page intermediate piano method book.

The new format includes:

• Core lesson repertoire
• Technique pages
• Theory assignments
• Performance pieces
• QR code video lessons
• Some brand new repertoire not found in the older books

For teachers and families who prefer all-in-one piano methods, this is a pretty major shift for the Piano Adventures series.

First Impressions of the New Grand Level 4 Book

The very first thing I noticed was honestly… the physical book itself.

The binding feels different from previous Piano Adventures books, and the book is thick. At 144 pages, it’s definitely substantial compared to the separate Level 4 books.

A few fellow teachers have wondered why the publishers didn’t use a spiral binding (as the Adult All-in-One book does). The binding does take some coaxing to stay open but instructions are included in the front cover.

Visually, Faber went with a much more streamlined aesthetic for this release. Most of the original illustrations are still included, but they’re smaller and printed in a single dark blue accent color throughout the book.

The entire book uses black plus one dark blue ink color.

Personally, I’m a little conflicted about this choice.

In certain lighting, the blue looks almost black, which makes some of the technique hints and highlighted text blend into the page instead of standing out clearly. I suspect they were aiming for a more modern, mature intermediate look, but I’m not completely convinced the color choice was successful.

What Stayed the Same?

If you already teach from the Piano Adventures Level 4 gold books, most of the material will feel very familiar.

The majority of the songs from the old Lesson and Technique books are still included, along with many pieces from the Performance book. Most theory assignments also appear throughout the new book.

The content organization is surprisingly easy to follow:

• Technique pages are clearly labeled
• Technique Secrets have bordered pages
• Theory pages are sprinkled naturally throughout the book

Overall, the structure still feels very recognizably “Piano Adventures.”

I also only noticed one actual musical change in the existing repertoire: octaves were added to the left hand in “Aurora Borealis.”

Otherwise, the notes and arrangements appear largely unchanged from the previous editions.

What Changed in the Grand Level 4 Book?

While much of the material is familiar, there are definitely some noticeable changes.

New Song Additions

Faber added several brand new pieces that were not included in the original Level 4 series.

If you already own the older books, this means there is still some fresh repertoire worth exploring.

Note that most of the new songs added are in the jazz realm and are quite challenging for this level. I’m curious to see how my Level 4 students do with these new selections!

(If you’re a member of my YouTube channel, I have a members-only peek inside at the new pieces so you can see and hear them.)

Reorganized Theory Pages

The theory pages no longer appear in the same order as the old standalone Theory Book.

The concepts are mostly the same, but the sequencing has been rearranged throughout the all-in-one format.

More Technique Guidance Inside the Music

One of the biggest layout changes is the addition of extra technique prompts directly within the pieces themselves.

You’ll see:

• circled notes
• embedded reminders
• technique hints
• “Technique Secret” callouts

I understand why Faber made this choice. They seem to be integrating technical coaching directly into the repertoire experience.

However, I do think this makes some pages feel busier than the original books.

Combined with the dark blue ink, some pages can feel a little visually cluttered compared to the cleaner layout of the older series.

Other Minor Changes

Staff size was reduced throughout the book, which is not shocking for this level. And actually it creates a little more white space on the pages.

You’ll also notice quotes added at the top of many of the song pages. Some quotes are taken from the composer of the piece and others are by other famous people or anonymous.

The Biggest Downside: Missing Technique Appendix Pages

The thing I was saddest to lose?

The appendix pages from the old Technique & Artistry Book.

The original Level 4 Technique book included:

• two-octave scales
• contrasting scales
• arpeggios
• technical review pages

Those pages are completely absent from the new all-in-one edition.

For me personally, those appendix pages were extremely useful as students transitioned from Level 4 into Level 5, especially since Piano Adventures Level 5 no longer includes a separate Technique & Artistry book.

I often used those pages alongside Hanon exercises or supplemental scale work.

Teachers can absolutely supplement this material separately, but it’s definitely something to be aware of before fully switching to the new format.

I will definitely be leaning more on my own Scale Resources to supplement the loss of appendix. If you’re interested in a new layout for warm-up patterns (scales, chords, arpeggios), be sure to check out my digital Scale Warm-up Packs in Levels 1-4. Buy once, print forever!

Missing Technique Exercises

A few supporting exercises from the old Technique book also didn’t make the transition.

One example I immediately noticed was the missing “Maple Leaf Etude,” which previously prepared students for the arpeggio patterns in “Maple Leaf Rag.”

The new book compensates somewhat by including technique reminders directly inside the piece itself, but I still miss having the dedicated preparatory etude.

What Do Students Think?

I actually asked several of my students what they thought about the new all-in-one format.

The response was overwhelmingly positive.

They liked:

• only carrying one book
• the updated layout
• the new pieces
• the idea of having videos built into the book

From a student perspective, the all-in-one format definitely feels appealing and convenient.

And honestly, if students feel excited about their books, that matters.

Will Faber Release More All-in-One Books?

Right now, the Grand Level 4 book appears to be the first intermediate all-in-one release in the Piano Adventures series.

But naturally, teachers are already wondering:

• Will Level 5 get an all-in-one version?
• Will Faber eventually combine the lower levels too?
• Could a Primer or Level 1 all-in-one actually work?

I’m genuinely curious to see where the series goes next.

Final Thoughts on the Piano Adventures Grand Level 4 All-in-One

Overall, I think the new Piano Adventures Grand Level 4 All-in-One book is a strong option for teachers and students who prefer the convenience of a single-book format.

The biggest strengths are:

• simplified organization
• integrated videos
• student appeal
• consolidated materials

The biggest drawbacks are:

• busier page layouts
• missing technique appendix pages
• loss of some supplemental technical exercises

Personally, I don’t think this completely replaces the strengths of the original four-book setup, but I do think many students will thrive with this format.

And honestly? I’m very interested to see what Faber does next.

Have you tried the new Grand Level 4 book yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Related Piano Adventures Resources

If you’re exploring Piano Adventures for the first time, you may also enjoy:

• My original Piano Adventures full method review
• A list of all Piano Adventures Levels and Books
• My First Piano Adventure review
• Other Piano Method reviews

And if you want to hear the brand new repertoire included in the Grand Level 4 book, I also shared play-throughs of the new songs over on my YouTube membership.

Ready to Check Out the New Grand Level 4 Book?

Check it out for yourself! And let me know how your students like the new format.

Check out the new Faber Piano Adventures Grand Level 4 All-in-One Intermediate Book here.