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

Looking forward to it...I think...

Let me add something. I just was going through this whole thread looking for a song and after reading the posts, don't let my time frame mess you up. It seems some people can breeze through the book pretty fast. My time frame might be off.

Just out of curiosity maybe we can have everyone who has completed book one tell us how long it took...

While looking for a song, I found these sites. It's for those who have compatible Yamaha pianos...

http://www.sheetmusicdigital.com/clavisoft.asp
http://www.stagepass.com/midi/browse_item_detail.hperl?cat=373&invnum=502547

Just wanted to share this with Beginners. I was learning with Alfred's All-in-One book for a couple of weeks. I felt something was missing and I am not progressing well. Today I got the CD of the book. Man! It made a lot of difference. I compared all the songs which I played earlier and got the errors I made. I was able to understand better now. I highly recommend the CD and midi disks for beginners using Alfred's.

It took me 9 months for alfred's doing 1 song out of alfred's at a time. I wish I could have talked my teacher into doing 3 songs from alfred's instead of from other books but it doesn't bother me very much now. I play better and better everyday and I get more variety from using other sources.

Hi everyone! I've been a long time visitor of this site, but just never got around to posting until now.

Anyways, I started learning the piano about 2 months ago, and I had this book as my main learning material. I'm self-teaching myself, so I pretty much just go on my own pace. I just finished up learning how to play "Amazing Grace" which is the last song of the book, so I'm pretty much done with it.

The funny thing with me is that despite knowing how to play every song in this book, I literally have no clue whatsoever concerning the piano theory of the book. For example, usually before each song of in the book, they give you a little lecture about new things like new chords and their names and how they relate to one another, but I pretty much just skipped over these and went straight to the songs. I really didn't have any problems playing the songs since I can read sheet music pretty well, but as far as theory goes, plain and simple I suck LOL. So my question is for you all now is should I go back and try to relearn and truly understand the piano theory in all those chords I've been playing up to this point, or should I just continue on with what I'm doing?

z32, welcome to the forum. I would say, yes. Why not do both?

I have to agree with Matt.

It also wouldn't be a bad idea to go over the songs with someone who really knows music to make sure you are doing things correctly and that you have no bad habits developing. When I started with my teacher she found some things i was wrong and helped fix them...

No matter what you have done a great job in 2 months...

Thanks for the replies! Yea, I'll definitely go back and relearn those theories then. To tell you the truth, I guess I just became a little lazy when it came to those theories. I was just really antsy to get to playing each new song in the book that I just skipped over those parts. Yea, I know that's bad. Hehe, anyways I'm planning on getting a teacher soon to really teach me the right way. Until then, hopefully I can rely on you all here if I have any questions!

Hi z32, there are 3 theory books that accompany the 3 practical books
in the Alfred's Adult Series..

Their titles are, 'Alfred's Basic Adult Theory Piano Book level X'
(X being one, two or three).
The practical book only provide the bare minimum to introduce the
new concept, the theory book provides you with a bit of 'pencil and paper' time.

The theory books contain nothing you can't find other places but it is
convenient. The books also have notes that tie the worksheets to the piece
you are working on. (i.e. assign with pages 20-21).

I found them worth every cent of the 7 or 9 dollars they cost

While I was using these books, I found, since I actually had to write something down, I would go out on the Internet, solidify the concept, then write it down.

They're good.

I actually just finished ordering 3 new books in the Alfred's line: Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book Level Two, Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Sight Reading Book Level 1, and Alfred's Basic Adult Theory Piano Book: Level One. These should keep me busy for a good while!

I am looking for a good Sight Reading book. Has anybody used Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Sight Reading Book Level 1? Could you share your opinions on it?

I'm waiting on this sightreading book by Helen Marlais. I have her books succeeding with the masters books and love them.

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?item=7863953&cart=33875138075485962

I'll make sure to let you know what I think of the Sight Reading Book once I get the chance to actually start using it.

I'm cursing under my breath, I don't know why I don't like the blues music in Alfred's but i don't and for some reason there are a lot of them. funny thing is when I see a blues song come up I grit my teeth, but when I play it I pick it up quickly can't figure that one out.

I was kind of happy go lucky until last week,when I turned the page and my teacher got this wicked look on her face, kind of like a sneer. I think she knows I don't like the bluesies, boogie woogie stuff and to top it off the next piece in my fabers was another bluesies, boogy woogie. I've been hit by a double whammy 2x4 this week and I'm hating life right now.

I just finished relearning all those theories that I skimmed through my first read, and I must say, I'm SO GLAD I did this. Now, every song in the book makes more sense to me, and I can play each one SO MUCH easier! Hehe, now it's on to Alfred's Course Level Two!

A little update.

With the teachers help I'm finally moving to the end of book one. I should be doing the Entertainer next week followed shortly by the last song, Amazing Grace. Looking through book 2 tell me it will take much longer than book one.

On the side I'm still cleaning up Moonlight in Dm. It drives me nuts that I can't get that clean recording. And finally I'm on the top of page two in Nefeli.

So how you doing class?...

I'm currently working on some recording issues, but it would be nice if the people in book one could upload their songs to help everyone else. Kind of a minature recital...