Hi everyone,

I remembered i started my 1st post here and now i'm back to check things out. By the way I didnt finish this book, left a few pages to complete it and move on to more technical and classical stuffs. Nonetheless, I'm still playing these pieces as and when, and wonder what the favorite pieces among posters.

Well i wasn't sure myself but i always play Little Brown Jug, Chiapanceas and the all time favorite by my adiuence - On top of Old Smoky.

What about the rest of you?

Hi davinci, I am still havent finished book one also, as I have been working on my Bach studies. My favorites are Greenselves, O Solo Mio, Scarborough Fair, The Entertainer and Amazing Grace. I havent polished Amazing Grace though. I have been planning to go back and finish book one and maybe even start book two.

Hi wjs,

I'm also doing Bach. Among your list i played greensleeve and was half way working on The Entertainer but never complete it after i left for a new teacher. Which piece among your list has a bigger "Punch"? - more enjoyable if that's the right word to describe. I find greensleeve a bit dull for me. I do wanna complete my alfred but chances are my teacher is not going to go through these with me. It has to be self studied.

I'm only up to "Can-Can", so my favorites would be easier than the ones mentioned above.

My favorites - "Lullaby", "Joy to the World", "Cockles and Mussels", and "On Top of Old Smokey". Also, a simple version of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" that I got from the Free Piano Music! site.

I can't tell if "Can-Can" will be one of my favorites yet because it still sounds awful. LOL

Hi again Davinci. I guess The Entertainer and Amazing Grace would pack the most punch.. I especially like the arrangement of Amazing Grace. My teacher has me working on Bach. We are working though 1st lessons in Bach, but as an aside I am working on a harder version of The Entertainer, on my own. It is the complete song.

mom3gram. You are starting to get into some fun songs. The Can-Can will come along....

I haven't worked with Alfred's as much lately, my new teacher had a change of direction for me, Now I am working on things he wants me to do and a couple of pieces he is working me through. He is big on scales and I practice them often. I am also working on "can you feel the love tonight" from the lion King. Recently I decided to continue the Alfred's course on my own and am working on 'Lullaby'

I like to play Alpine Melody and Lavender's Blue before I get started on the section I am working on. Now that Lullaby and Cafe Vienna are starting to sound a whole lot better they might become my new warm up songs.

Unfortunately I hit a stumbling point one I got to the blues pieces; I am just not a big fan.They are most likely not going to get as polished as a few other pieces.

I like playing most of the songs from "Got those Blues" on -- just finished learning Amazing Grace last couple of weeks, and it's still not as good as it could be, but today, I'm beginning book 2. I love to play The Entertainer, Raisins and Almonds, Scarborough Fair, Greensleeves. For some reason, Chiapanceas has always been difficult, and I had to push to move on from there. I like O Sole Mio, too.

RyanJ, I wasn't crazy about any of the blues pieces so far either, and I see that there are a few more of them after I finish "Can-Can". I'm not really looking forward to them, but I've heard "The Entertainer" and "Raisins and Almonds" from Alfred1 on youtube, and they sound really good so I'm looking forward to starting those.

HI Everyone,

Some of you may know me as Aspenxtreme, Anyway, Ive been playing since April. Im now withmy second teacher andshe has me using Fabers All in one. But!!Im not to excited about the direction that the book has gone and im now turning towards Alfreds All in one. So I think I will work out of both books for now. Fabers for my teacher, and Alfreds for me. I really like the fact that Alfreds has this thread and group of people so if you guys dont mind id like to join in?????

Ive been working on the book over the Holiday break and im now on page 77, "Standing in the need of prayer".

I also like the fact that there is a book 2 & 3. Faber does have a book 2 but it moves on into "lead sheets and im not interested in moving in that direction.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderfull holiday.........KaylaX

Hi KaylaX (AspenX)! Why the name change? I really liked Standing in the Need of Prayer. It was fun to play. I work out of both books also, although I'm only on P. 71 in Faber and much farther along in Alfred. I personally like Alfred better - at least right now, but I think a lot of the teachers like the Faber series for kids better, so they start their adults in Faber also. Working out of both books will just give you more variety, and each book will probably cover a few things that the other missed. Glad to see you back.

Morning mom3gram,

I like that piece on pg 71 in the Fabers book. I would like to find a longer version of it ("Gavotte") someday. Im on pg 105 "Sleeping beauty Waltz". I have enjoyed the book up until just about now. Im about to get into penta-scales and whole steps and half steps. Kinda boring and it doesnt really make a whole lotta sense to me (the penta-scales). I like Alfreds because I think its layed out better and in some parts it makes more sense to me. Alfreds seems to focus allot more on chords (which is what I didnt like in the beginning) but I am now beginning to like them. I guess we have the best of both worlds, working out of both books

KaylaX

Oh, I finished "Standing in need of prayer last night", I like it. Its a pretty piece. Im not looking forward to the next two pages at all. "Hanon" kinda scares me , and I usually prefer to stay away from anything that is labeled Aerobics....finger excercise or otherwise...hee hee , but I will tackle it...one measure at a time.

BTW...I changed my name because I wanted something different from my e-mail addy. Thats All!!!

KaylaX, don't worry about the Hanon exercises, they are surprisingly straightforward. Way scarier than it turns out.

I assume everyone on this thread would recommend I pick up this book. I am 33 and I just bought a Petrof Upright for my wife and I, she played as a child and after two days is already ripping off noticeable pieces of music (Jealous). I have never played an instrument, but I would really like to learn the Piano. I have no training, and need to start at the beginning. Is this the right book for me? Here is what I found: A1 Books - Alfreds Basic Adult If you feel this is where I should start, can someone let me know if I am buying the right ISBN #?? Thanks, J

Hi and welcome to the thread, I believe that the book you are looking at is similar to the one most of us are using, the Adult all in one course most of us have http://www.allegromusiconline.com/Mercha...egory_Code=AAOA
I believe the difference is there is more theory in the all in one course. I am thinking the book you are looking at will work too. Someone please correct me if I am wrong

Here are the ISBNs for Alfred's Adult All-in-One Course:

ISBN 9780882848181 (just book, no CD)

ISBN 9780882849317 (book with CD)

Hi Everyone,

Thought I'd check in and let you know how I'm doing. I'm on the blues numbers in Alfred's -- Got Those Blues and Chasing the Blues Away. I'm doing OK on those, but what I'm really excited about is a new book I got yesterday at Borders. It's called How To Play From a Fake Book by Blake Neely. The author does a really good job, IMO, of explaining the concepts of building chords, chord inversions, etc. I've always kind of had the general idea in my head, but could never really grasp it. He has it laid out pretty clearly, and already I've figured out how to make all the major chords and am playing inversions on simple I, IV and V chords. If I can keep up with this I think it's really going to help. Plus, he starts you right off in other keys besides C. I learned a really cool song called Simple Gifts that I'd never heard of, and can almost play it up to speed using different inversion of C, F and G. Anyone else play this song?

Thanks,

Rodger

Thanks, Just ordered it online, should be here in a few. I will drop in from time to time to update on progress. Thanks a bunch.

J

Rodger,

I ran into that song a few weeks back in my Faber and Faber all in one book. Its a fun song. I also downloaded a free copy of it at this site makingmusicfun.net

Its not in lead sheet format though.

I havent gotten to the Blues numbers yet in Alfreds. Im at the Hanon excercises on page 78.

Is anyone else out there around page 78??

KaylaX

Its me again,

I am now on "Blow the man down". Wow!!! This one is a little tricky i must say. I hope to have it down by tomorrow, we shall see. But for the rest of the night im going to take a breather and work on a very simplified version of Tchaikovsky's "Trepak" Russian Dance from the "Nutcracker".

KaylaX

Roger, I love "Simple Gifts". I first heard it at a concert by our town band, and then came across it in one of my friend's piano books. Her version was too complicated for me at the time, so I was thrilled when I found it in my Faber's Adult book recently. It's a pretty tune. I've stumbled through the two Blues numbers until I managed to get them down reasonably well, but I wasn't too crazy about them.

Jason, looking forward to adding you to our group when your book comes. I think you will like it.

KaylaX, congratulations on getting the hang of "Blow the Man Down". That was a big milestone for me, and I play it frequently just so I don't forget how to do it. The next few pieces in Alfred are a little easier than that, but they will present some of their own challenges in moving your hand around a little. I think you will like most of them. "Trepak" sounds like fun - I think I have a simplified version of it in one of my Bastien supplemental books. I haven't played from that book in a while. Maybe I will dig it out tomorrow and see if I can play it.

mom3gram,

I actually was starting "Blow the man down" on the 31st. I am still working on it. But my husband says its sounding better. Now I just need to get it up to speed. Its a tricky little piece but its fun. Its nice to have those little challenges here and there. I almost have my simplified version of "Trepak" down too. I also have thrown in, just for fun, "This little heart of mine" and " Jesus loves me". They are all simplified version from this website I found:

www.makingmusicfun.net

Just some fun little vacation pieces that I have been playing around with. Oops I think ive mentioned that website earlier....


KaylaX

Happy New Year everyone,

I am very new to Piano World. And I must say, after reading one of the many threads on this site, I am very excited to see peoples love and passion to play the piano. I just recently purchased a Yamaha Clavinova digital piano and am just fiddling with the keys at the moment, (all i know are the major scales, lol!) All i have is one semester of piano from ....years ago. I plan on learning the piano on my own, at least for a year or two. I have heard so much about Alfred's Adult course, especially the All-in-One book with CD. So, I will be going out to pick it up shortly! Just one question though, I hear often about a supplimental book, can anyone tell me what that is and how its used??

luvrofkeys

Checking in with my progress or lack of. I'm moving really slowly...only on page 35. Even though I'm still practicing every day it's getting tough to keep up motivation when I can't seem to get the bass clef correct. *sighs*

Not giving up though..just thinking my penname should have been turtle.

Don't worry about it, timeturner. Slow is good - you don't miss anything that way. And if you have gotten up to page 35, then you HAVE made progress. Most of the people who started with me last February are on to book 2 now, and I've still got a ways to go in Book 1, but it's okay because I am enjoying where I'm at and I'm actually learning to play piano. Take it at your own pace and enjoy the learning process. You are doing great!

Here is a link where you can find a free tutorial that helps learn the notes:
http://www.emusictheory.com/practice.html
There is one for note names, and one for finding notes on the keyboard that I've used with some success.

Welcome luvrofkeys, and congratulations on your new acquisition of the Yamaha Clavinova. It's wonderful that you already know your major scales.

Supplimental books, from what I've read are music books that you can use along with and in conjuntion with your method books in order to add variety of pieces of music to your learning repertoire.

Following are just a few examples of these books: Alfred's Greatest Hits, Hymns, Christmas, etc. There are many more available within the link below.

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/enter.html...t=S&SR=6720e83e

Enjoy,

Key Notes

Key Notes, thank you very much for the info. And the link to SheetMusic is a Plus.

As an update, I have now moved onto Lullaby, Rock it away, and Joy to the world.
Lullaby, finding a little tricky, but it is coming along.
Rock it away, I think that is one I will have to work hard at it to get it close to being reasonable, never mind being acceptable
Joy to the world started that tonight, that appears like it will go quite well.

Great job Dave123! Congrats on all of your wonderful progress.

I love Joy to the World, and have made the same observations regarding Lullaby. While the tempo is quite slow, (Andante-at a walking pace (76–108 bpm) according to Wikipedia, I find it to be quite a challenge to play it well also.

I'm sure you'll lay that Rock it Away down very soon as well.

Play on!

Key Notes

Thank you for the comments Key notes. I got off track for a little while. Now I am getting back to more work from Alfred's, but still following my teachers direction also. I am not sure how others find tempo and getting a piece up to speed, but I find that the most challenging of all.