I am an adult beginner (55 yrs, in Alfred Method Book 3). I just wanted everyone to know how much I appreciate the information I have received on the forum already. Thanks!

Hi Goldy1002, welcome to the forum! What was the motivating event that got you to start? What kind of music do you like to play?

Hi Goldie what are you playing in Book three. I am playing Grieg's something of the Mountain King. How long have you been at this? I have been playing a little over three years? How fun. I haven't seen many people in the same book. Welcome

welcome goldy.i'm on book 3 also , and im looking forward to "in the hall of a mountain king" that piece is powerful. i just started the book about 2 weeks ago.

welcome and have fun playing!

Hi Gilad, I started the book over a year ago. My teacher has slooooowed me down on these pieces and have to say she has been focusing alot on technique. Either I am very slow or it is slow going. I will be interested tohear how it goes for you. I was telling someone. I wept through the Star Spangled Banner because shewould not pass me and I was really tired of weeping for my country. Sheesh. I am very excited to talk to someone else who is in book 3.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I have had to postpone piano lessons for soooo many years to take care of everyone else...now it's my turn. I have always wanted to play and am now able to live my dream. I am currently working on the Alfred version of Schubert's Unfinished Symphony. This piece is proving to be challenging for me (the coming in on weak beats). I am looking forward to someday playing Chopin. Wish me luck!

Add on to previous posting - I also would like to play anything by the Beatles.

I have to say I spent a lot of time on the Unfinished and understood completely why it was unfinished. It is very deceiving the notion of plowing through books 1 and 2 and then you really take time on 3. Sheesh. How do you feel about the pedal? I have to say I am not heavy on it and don't enjoy it as much as I think I should

Happyshawtrapp, I agree about Book 1 & 2, they went fast and now some of the pieces in Book 3 are taking up to a month to get polished. The pedal is a challenge for me that seems to be getting easier with time. I think the pedal adds a lot to the music and it helps to hold the notes while you make the big jumps, turn pages, etc. Expression seems to be the most difficult part for me. Those subtle differences that really make a piece sound like music are what is most challenging for me.

hey, yeah, i've played the first 3 pieces in book 3 and they've all been easy peezy . i've also been working on a couple of pieces i'm enjoying on the side, so thats slowed my progress in the book, but i believe aided me and given me some fresh direction. but i must get back into the alfreds, i see some interesting pieces up ahead.Happyshawtrap p, i'm so sorry you were brought to tears because your teacher wouldnt pass you, i would cry too. my teachers priority is that i have fun, he always asks me are you having fun with it all? if i've had enough of something he encourages me to move on as long as it's adequately on the right track, i'm yet to perfect anything, i get very impatient playing the same pieces over and over again. however when i go back to earlier music in book 2 i can play them better than before, which feels great and shows me that i've progressed.
what i have found most helpful recently is practising hands seperate, and then eventually together, it really saves me so much time, my mind gets to absorb the technical aspects of the piece properly. i only started doint this a week or ago, and the difference is marked.
so i'm postive i'll be able to master properly for the first time some of the material in book 3 for the above reason, and for the reason that the pieces are more musical and enjoyable.
and as for the peddal, i found myself becoming dependent on it BECAUSE i wasn't putting enough time into learning my pieces and they were disconnected, (so i tied my right foot to the chair leg, just kidding), so i went back like 20 pages and slogged them all out for a week with no pedal. i'm cured now and my overall technique and speed have improved somewhat.