Modern books often move the thumb around immediately. Smallwood keeps the hand still. He anchors the student in C major, five fingers over five keys. This builds muscle memory and confidence before introducing thumb-tucking or scales.

As the sun began to break through the clouds, Arthur reached the end of the first section. He turned the page on his tablet, the blue light reflecting in his glasses. He wasn't just a man with a PDF; he was a student again, and William Smallwood, dead since 1897, was finally getting through to him.