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Great Job Kim, can I link your pages to the opening of the Alfred threads?

Crusader - you're welcome. My passion really is helping and encouraging adult beginners, so I hope that what I write is useful.

Mark - of course, I'd be honored!

Redcard - I'll send you a PM today! Thanks!

Have a great Monday everyone. The sun's shining here today after some nasty weather this weekend (if it had just been snow, it would have been so much better!).

Kim

Last week, I got to Cafe Vienna and Lullaby. I am quite content with my progress so far.

Now that I am on break from school, I have no piano to play for 3 weeks. I hope I don't forget anything.

Couple of questions that the book doesn't make clear. As I'm learning by myself, I'd like to get it right.

1. The suggested method is to learn right hand, then left hand, (or reverse), and then build up to tempo, correct?

2. I'm having real trouble hitting things on finger 4 in my right hand. Harmonic intervals are especially difficult, as is the C chord. This is due to the tendon tie between 3,4, and 5. (Yay biology) Flipping forward, I actually see a diagram from Gray's in there. Are the exercises given after that diagram a good idea of exercises?

3. I'm certain I'm doing the hand position wrong as well, any advice on that?

Tuan Vo: I love Cafe Vienna! That's one of my favorites in the whole book! I think you'll be fine without a piano. Did you bring your book home with you? You can "play" on a tabletop, you know. It can be a great exercise in reading music!

Redcard, your questions:

1) Well, there are various schools of thought on learning. The method you described is probably the most common way of pulling apart a song, and will work fine. Just be careful that you don't EXPECT that when you put your hands together, you'll be able to play as well or as fast as you do with your hands apart. In fact, it may feel as though you've gone back to the beginning. In a way, you have -- controlling two hands (and pedal, etc) is very different for your brain than controlling one hand.

Another way of learning songs is to take them apart measure by measure and beat by beat. So instead of just doing RH, you'd just look at beat 1 of measure one and see what you have to do with both hands. Then look at beat 2. And then link them together. Then, when you've worked through the song, you can pick apart RH or LH to work on the melody line, or articulation, dynamics, whatever the case may be. Try it and see what you think. Different ways of learning might work better with different songs!

2) Ah, finger 4, and the tendons in the hand, bain of the piano player! Yes, I like those exercises... as always, you just have to make sure to be completely relaxed as you work on finger strength and independence.

3) Could you be more clear about this question? Are you talking about the hand position in the exercises? Or in a certain song?

I'm talking about the general positioning of the hands above the keys. I find myself not doing the "holding a bubble" enough, and wonder what I can do to increase that.

OK, I understand now!

First, let me say that as you play songs, your hands change shape continually, so you're not aiming for the perfect "bubble" all the time.

What you're aiming for is:

- relaxed, no-tension hands
- no "wrist droop" where your wrists fall (like what happens when you type at a keyboard with your wrists resting on the desk)
- allowing your hands to slide into the keyboard (toward the piano) as needed to play chords or reach notes

I like to think of this whole "curved fingers/holding a bubble" thing a different way: think of playing with the very tip-tops of your fingers instead. This allows you the freedom to change your hand shape to fit what the music is asking you to play. (I'd personally break my bubble when I play a 7th, for example, from C up to B).

For me, that helps. I had quite a few adult students who let that holding a bubble idea develop into tension. Don't want that!

Hope that helps!

Kim

I am a college student, and am going to take up the piano next semester in January. I am most likely going to buy a Casio PX110.

A question... is the Adult All in One book the same as the Basic Adult Piano Course book but with more Theory and more Songs?

I think I'll buy the All in One series and see how far I can get this semester. (I'm a pure beginner so if I get into the tough stuff on book 1 I'll be pleased)

From what everyone has been saying I believe you are correct...

It is absolutly identical, but it is all in one. You can buy the lessons, theory, and technical all in seperate books, or you can buy them all in one book.

All in One it is. I'm starting in January when I'm back at school. I'll certainly use this thread for guidance, and to ask questions.

It's a pretty good course. The AIO has some theory, but it's pretty limited. I think they've could have beefed the theory up a bit more, but what the heck. I've supplemented the theory in the book with some of the on-line sources recommended here.

BTW: I'm polishing O Sole Mio, Chiapanecas, The Stranger and starting Greensleeves.

Good Luck.

I must confess I haven't been doing the ammount of practicing of the Alfred's songs as I should have been, I've sidetracked and been playing music from other sources. I can play through all of the songs in Alfred's Book #1 so my sight reading is progressing well, the only thing holding me back is the pedaling, but I'll get it down eventually. I have Alfreds All-in-one Book #2 here waiting for me to start once I think I'm finished with Book #1, or once I think it can't hold my interest any longer and I need to press on. That's my progress update.

I'm in the same boat as you Crusader. My new teacher shifted me to Helen Curtis and we do Alfred's because I asked her if I could stay on it but it's one piece every 2 weeks.

However I trust her fully (have I mentioned what a brilliant pianist she is?) and I got a really nice surprise last week.

She critiqued me and put me at level 3 and I owe it all to her because she gives me challenging music and makes sure I do it perfectly.

Although I love Alfred's I'm finding that taking lessons with her will get me where I want to be faster without missing anything.

I've also had Alfred on hold. I got him out again yesterday and reviewed 3 familiar pieces, The Entertainer, Guantanamera and Theme from the Overture. My hands hurt. The other, non-Alfred, pieces I work on do not create that level of discomfort. I am inclined to think it is due to the chords as my LH hurt the worse. Obviously a fault in my technique. I just received a couple of volumes by Helen Marlais, Succeeding With The Masters, so I rather think my focus will shift to those. Much more my thing.

Hi, Oxfords Gal, I think I would progress faster with a teacher, I need someone to set goals for me to aim for.

Hi Sundew, Which Helen Marlais volumes did you purchase, I may buy a couple myself to add to my music library? You could always check your technique by watching the pieces being performed on You Tube.

I purchased a number of other piano methods before I settled on Alfred's and I found Alfred's to be the best of the bunch, as I'm self learning. All methods tend to have some pretty corny old tunes in them, they just have to treated as exercises. Considering I really haven't put the practice time in I'm pleased that Alfred's has got me through to my present level.

I got a HUGEEEE Questions about this book, I am on London Bridge, in and around page 57 (intervals of 6ths coming up next). But I look down the book (Can Can etc) and it seems like there is different fingerings for every song after...where does all this tie in??? I think between 70 and 75 will be tough!

Is this something my teacher will be showing me or what (different finger positions etc)?

Hi Crusader - I have the Baroque and Romantic Vol 1. It is early days to comment on them but I like the idea that each piece is introduced with tuition on technique and the accompanying CD will be useful.

Alfred was my first method, like you I have tried a few! I think most give something. Alfred Book 1 has given me a good base to explore other methods and move forwards. I could never focus on one particular method - I flit about, which probably holds me back but I enjoy the flitting. I'm going to follow Kim's lessons with interest {thanks Kim}and limit my Alfred time so my hands don't hurt.

I got a HUGEEEE Questions about this book, I am on London Bridge, in and around page 57 (intervals of 6ths coming up next). But I look down the book (Can Can etc) and it seems like there is different fingerings for every song after...where does all this tie in??? I think between 70 and 75 will be tough!

Sorry Pete105, fingering is one of my weak points, so far I have difficulty playing music without fingering. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will answer your question soon, in which case I too will be following the answer with interest.

Thats ok crusader, I am slowly reading through the book, the different fingering positions (oppose to C,mC,G so far what Ive learned) comes from the different intervals (4ths 5ths 6ths etc) again, from what I can see of it...thats what it is...havent had a lesson yet since XMAS...anyone feel free to correct me ofcourse!