Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1

Although this is the Adult Beginners forum, many here seem to be very advanced or just amazingly gifted. I don't see many true beginners here (Like me) so I thought I'd start a thread dedicated to the "True" beginner, especially those using Alfred's Adult Piano Course Level one, book one.


What I want to use this thread is for those starting out using the Alfred book. I started playing everyday in November and started the Alfred book in the beginning of December and find it to be an excellent learning tool. I have the first 55 pages down pretty well with pages 56-73 that need a lot of work. And thats were I'm at...

So where are you? Let talk about Alfred book one and whats working and whats not? Lets use this thread to help us advance and motivate...

Mark

Alfred Book Two Thread

Alfred Book Three Thread

The Alfred Adult Users Supplement Pieces Thread

Alfred Graduate List

Alfred Book One - You Tube Video Pieces

Some other pieces from our users from book one:

Harp Song performed by Choppin'

Liza Jane performed by Choppin'

Beautiful Brown Eyes performed by Choppin'

The Cuckoo

Why am I Blue? Performed by Carl Mc

Good People Performed by Carl Mc

The Stranger performed by wj3

Greensleeves

Scarborough Fair Performed by Key Notes

Rasins and Almonds performed PianoN00b
Rasins and Almonds Performed by Carl Mc

The Entertainer performed by Bob Griffin

Amazing Grace
performed by angelojf

Hi Mark!

I just wanted to say that yes, I am quite familiar with that course myself, however, It's more of a supplement to what my teacher provides me. Anywho...I'm TECHNICALLY on page 65 but like I said I don't often use that book as much as my instructor's material. Currently I'm working on Minuet in G --Bach ~feel free to ask any and all questions~
but really, this thread can be of use to many--Great Idea!

Cheers

Wow...I'm also working on Minuet in G for the last couple of weeks. Its almost there too...

I'm a true beginner, working my way through the Alfred book 1. I'm currently on page 82, and can play Alouette like nobody's business , but I haven't played much in the past 3 weeks due to the holidays, and then the weather, and then the kids needed to go to the mall...ok, ok, I've been slacking off...

Page 82...nice, but how is your Can Can song doing? :lol:

It amazing how some songs you can breeze through and others are really clunkers...

Great Idea Mark.... I had my first lesson last Thursday and I purchased the Alfred book from my teacher ( only $50.00 ..............kidding, kidding just kidding!!!! ) I covered some ground on my own so we worked up to page 27 and 29. When the Saints come Marching In ( Getting ready for my Super Bowl performance). I like the way the bass and melody switch from hand to hand. I'm getting it up to speed and really enjoying the practice time. I get carried away and relax and that when the best efforts come through. Also learning the thumb tuck method for the Cmajor scale. I have read that contemporary methods frown on the thumb under technique but I will perceiver with the teachings of my instructor until I can make a decision based on experience. Happy Playing..... Tom

Hi TsonicTsunami, looks like your moving fast. I also have been banging away at both versions of Saints...perfect timing for this week.

One trick I do with the Alfread book is I go back each day from about page 16 and do the book up to 73, where I'm at...

By doing this the earlier songs become easier and I build up the later songs. As I improve I move up my start page and leave out the super easy stuff...then I add a new page as I get better on the newer stuff...

Keep us posted on your progress. As the book goes deeper the progress does slow down. At least for me...

Mark

I am on both of the Saints versions too. I looked ahead a little in the book, and tried out the G position for about 10 minutes, and that was kind of confusing after being in the C position for a few weeks. What are some of the other books you guys buy to go with this Alfred's course?

Dale

Mark, Im in the same book, page 88, and have a suppplement book, Alfreds All Time Favorites and am working on Finlandia. The G position is strange as you have a lot of the same notes played with different fingers than with the C positions. It looks like a few of us are grouped really close in this book.

Ok, I'll play. I started lessons in the first part of October. Started with Alfred Adult Beginner Book 1. My teacher spent the first lesson figuring out where to start because I did have about a year of lessons (however unproductive) as a kid, and played flute. I finished the book just in time to start playing some christmas music the first week of November.

Now that the holiday season is over I started book two January 4th. I liked book one, but like the music in this second book even better. I'm now through page 21.

Anyone else playing from this book?

I'll have to check out Alfreds All Time Favorites.

OrdinaryGirl, you must be doing very well to go through book 1 so fast. I was moving at a fast clip to page 50, then it's been slow progress to page 73...

As for the G position, I kind of like the change after a while...Hey were talking f# now...lol

Mark

Oh sweet I was excited to see this thread. I started on Alfreds last January and in about 7 days I will have been taking piano lessons for 1 year.

I didn't move through alfreds as quickly as some of you and I think it's due to how much my teacher gave me. One alfreds song every week and sometimes 4 supplemental from other sources. Would we have cut it down i would have been done much quicker but oh well water under the bridge.

I'm on book 2 now and this week I'm on page ummm ummm ummmmm ummmm. I'm at work so I'll have to call my husband at home so he can look for me. One sec while I call him.

I'm back I'm on page 28-31 and i start page 32 tomorrow.

I also picked up faber and faber book 2 a couple of weeks ago and my teacher liked what she saw so I'm playing out of that one as well in addition to some other supplements.

Last week she found this guild repetoir book and she asked me to start on Tchaikovsky Italian Song. bleh leggato one hand stacatto the other. she says i have no trouble with playing one hand leggato while the other plays stacatto so I'm stuck with that.

I went through the Alfred's Book I about 2 years ago. I think I spent about 6-8 months with it. I was also using other books at the same time.

I got Alfred’s Book II a year ago and I got the CD with it. I thought the CD was disappointing. It was low quality. It sounds like it was created on a very old electric piano. The piano part is on the right channel and some horrible accompaniment on the left channel. If you just want to hear the piano you have to turn off the left channel.

The Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering Piano (with CD) Carl Humphries $29.95 is kind of expensive but I think it is a great book for a beginner who is interested in getting an introduction to classical piano music. It comes with a high quality CD with all the music and exercises from the book. I found it to be a good complement to the Alfred’s.

Scott Houston’s book Play Piano in a Flash! Play Your Favorite Songs Like a Pro--Whether You've Had Lessons or Not! is also a good book for beginners or anyone who wants to learn to play popular music from a fake book. The title is obviously outrageous but don’t get hung up on that, the book is worth reading just to pick up some of the author’s enthusiasm.

So loly, do you still go back to book one to maintain those songs or do you just move on?...As for the time frame I can see it taking a while. Like I said earlier I moved fast through the first 50 pages but now I'm at a snails pace. But as long as your learning and improving thats all that matters. I did buy book two as an incentive...

So loly as you progress with Alfred does that allow you to play other material at the same level without too much trouble?

Hi Cooper...Scotts book and TV show is what got me back into piano. I'll have to check out Humphries book...

So zoso, let us know when you hit book two...I know the end of book one gets demanding...

Hi all. Luckily I have alot of time to practice so I am a few songs away from completion. I can tell you that there were alot of times when I felt hopeless, and then after sleeping on it went back and the songs started clicking. When you are sitting there and struggling, take a break. The idea of going back and replaying songs each time up to where you are is good, as your timing improves and you can concentrate on the dynamics and pedaling. There are a few songs toward the end that are beating a dead horse and I think my teacher will let me skip a few. Once I got the rythym of blow the man down, I went back to my c version of linus an lucy and now can play that in full. I mistakenly thought you get the left hand going and simply do the melody with the right hand. Like patting head and rubbing tummy. No way. You have to take it frame by frame and get the timing down before moving to next measure. While doing this book I learned a few from Thompson's book, which were actually tougher but kept practicing interesting. Funny, just the other day I downloaded Minuet by Bach and thought that would be a doable classic piece. Not as easy as it looks but halfway there. Teach has me doing scales on the side,and we already did major chords and variations of each of those. There is a nice version of the Entertainer at the end of the book. Sounds pretty good. I tried the Joplin version and had to give up for now. I am looking forward to book two, but am committed to mastering book one first, except for a few songs that I just can't listen to.(mexican hat dance)(on top of old smoky) to name a few. I remember that when I hit Lavender Blue, it started actually sounding like a piano. That's when I decided to buy a piano, as I was playing a digital and the feel would throw me off when I went to lessons and flubbed. I am finally starting to not "clam up" when playing for others or teach. Use a metronome and go back and play songs you thought you were playing well and you will see that they sound even better when played in perfect time. Use the record feature on you digital and that will give the same(pressure) feeling that you need to overcome when playing for teach or friends. I hope you are all enjoying this as much as me.

Hi Bob, welocme to the group. You sound alot like myself. Some songs I try and say no way. Then I take a break and then slowing tear it down. Sleeping on a song does help.

What is it about blow the man down that makes it so difficult. I'm just starting to get it to click, but its been the worst song for me so far...

I also like Lavender Blue as well as Standing in the Need of Prayer...and I'm also starting to like "Got those Blues" which was strange at first.

I'm going to have check out linus an lucy...

So how long have you been working on book one bob?...and when you finally get to book two,,,keep us posted...

Mark

I think I will order that Scott Houston book, and give it a try. Thanks for sharing your favorites...

Dale

hi mark sorry for not responding immediately

I haven't gone back to alfreds book 1 I tend to move on, but I do sometimes spend a little time on the previous piece as I read somewhere that it's good to spend at least 10 minutes on your previous piece.

Yes to your other question. My teacher gives me a lot of supplemental music and all I can say is that it works. With alfreds method and a good teacher I've been able to tackle other stuff with no problems except for the usual mistakes and you know how it goes, the distractions. Oh I think I heard a pin drop, doh I missed a note.

Your teacher once you start lessons will be able to pick out other music for you from different sources that'll match where you are with alfreds and sometimes might give you a tad harder piece to keep you challenged.

thanks for this thread looking forward to more. I can always go back to my book and look to see the notes I have written on them from my lesson.
Like "Stretch fingers quit jumping" he he my teachers big into finger stretching

My pleasure, it should be fun. Keep us posted on book 2...and your progress...

Mark