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Hey Waltz,

I listen "Calipso Carnival" in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djf7jwkTDRo. It's very quick piece! How you say, is not easy... good luck!!

As an update, I prematurely reacted to CC. It actually isn't so hard to play after a few hours of practice (although it certainly is at first). I nearly have it down but I have a quick question:

What is meant by the designation mf-p? Does this mean a decrescendo or to simply pick between mezzo forte and piano? Thanks,

Waltz.

Well,

mf-p it's mezzo forte but not piano!! How you say, "pick between mezzo forte and piano"

Huh?

Ooh, nice new visuals.



Hi rwvaldivia,

Thanks for asking but I'm not that good, or that brave yet so I don't have any mp3 or videos to show you, but I did uploaded and shared a piece from the Alfred's Adult AIO, level 1 book last month in January when I finished with that book via www.box.net, and here it is. I hope that you'll enjoy it.

Scarborough Fair

Cheers,

Key Notes

Walts, mf-p means to play it mezzo forte (mf) the first time through and piano (p) the second time through.

Undone

Hey gang,

I was finally able to give myself a “pass” on “Ballin’ the Jack”. It took me a long time to complete this one, but not for the reasons I would have thought. There were a few tricky spots in this piece that took some time to get down, but this didn’t take as long as I thought it might. Instead, what took all the time was simply trying to play through the entire piece, with the repeats, without making any major mistakes or having any long out of place pauses. It’s easy to hit a wrong note in this one – your hands are often performing quite different tasks at the same time. Anyway, here it is:

Ballin' the Jack

While working on this piece I also managed to complete “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” and “La Donna E Mobile” is well underway. I just started on “Frankie and Johnny” and was glad I spent the time to get the level 2 version of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” down since they both use the same rhythm and bass progression.

Undone

Checking in to say "Hello" and this week = La Donna E Mobile Rigoletto. I keep telling myself Sunday is my biggest day to practice and try to get a heads up for the week prior to Thursday's lesson.

Gotta step away from David N (Wonderland) and get going on the lesson stuff (lol)

Thanks Undone. I wish they'd give reminders. How long have you been on book 2?

Hi Undone,

Nice job on "Ballin the Jack". It sounded like it would be a very fun piece to learn to play with its upbeat rhythms and all. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it.

And just a bit of an update from my side. I'm now able to get the tremolo ending part of "Light and Blue" piece to sound a bit better now, as well as currently working on another supplimental piece from my Richard Clayderman Anthology book. Still having such a wonderful time whenever I do sit down at the piano.

Best,

Key Notes

Waltz, I've been working on book 2 for about 10 months now. I've also been working on scales and a number of other supplemental pieces during this time frame.

Undone

Please forgive me if this question has been asked and answered before in this thread but I gave up trying to search for it.

I am about a month or so from finishing Alfred's Self Teaching Course level one which corresponds/is almost identical to the All in One level one book. My question is; how does the level two, or book two compare to the level one book? Does it seem to just pick up where the other left off, does it seem harder, easier or just new and different?

I've been assuming it would just be like going from one grade to the next in elementary school. Any opinions? Thanks.
Once again, sorry if this is a redundant question.

Undone,
Your time spent certainly reflects your uploaded performances (absolutely top notch).

dukeofhesse,
You're grade level analogy is mostly accurate. However (IMHO) book one would be equivalent to the 8th grade (yes, not elementary, sorry to deviate) while book two is the whole of high school (grades 9 - 12). Book two will (more than likely) take much, much more time and effort (and frustration).

I have completed Book Two and am impressed with the selection of Alfred's music throughout. We must remember we do not have to necessarily "like" the music but rather learn what is being spoon fed to us and progress from it.

I found the Alfred books great in that regard. I started into Book Three but soon found out I was at my maximum capability due to my age and other factors. So now I pick and choose tunes in the blues genre, which I enjoy, but I still go back and play tunes from Alfred, such as The Entertainer, Amazing Grace, Canon in D, Frankie and Johnnie and so on.

DarenO, could you elaborate why you felt you were at your maximum capability? Congrats on completing book 2; regardless, that is an accomplishment of which to be proud.

Hello Waltz, possibly that was an exaggeration. It was actually Canon in D at the end of Book Two that took me quite awhile to play it reasonably well. So I thought that the pieces in Book Three would be more difficult. Part of the problem was that I have had an injury to three fingers on my right hand that makes the measures on the last page of Canon hard to finger apart from some pain. On looking through Book Threee however I see many pieces I am sure I could learn.

The other problem is that I started piano when I was 72 without having had any musical training prior to that and now into my 4th year I fully realize I have no natural talent. If I had known it was going to be this difficult I probably would never have started. The reason I started the piano and took lessons was so that I could learn to play some blues. So at this point I am putting Alfred aside and trying some blues tunes as well as some boogie my teacher has picked out for me. My fingers can't move fast enough for boogie so after awhile I may return to Alfred!

As for what you are studying ... classic ... no way for me but best wishes to you.

Daren T

I understand now and I am sorry to hear of your injury. It is not fun to aggravate an injury, even if while doing something you love. Do you plan on doing blues/boogie lesson books or will you and your teacher pick pieces from various sources?

I really don't want to get into a "course" for blues although I did check one out on the Internet offered by Willie Myette as well as the David Sudnow Method. No, I will look for some fairly simple arrangements that do not include four finger chords. My teacher, a wonderful young lady, who has a university degree in music and has her own band, will help me choose pieces within my level of competence.

However, Waltz, if you know of any good pieces or source on the Internet I would appreciate hearing from you.

Cheers!

DarenO, I don't know of any but I'll be on the look out ; love to hear some future blues recordings, if you record any in the future be sure to post them here!

Best,

Waltz

Hi all,

I have completed the Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Book #1, but my teacher decided to start me on the ABRSM syllabus and stop this series of books, starting from Grade 1. Anyone of you did the same after you completed Book #1, or Book #2? She says that this series are not good enough for a serious learner, and usually adult books move very quickly into music with little emphasis on techniques. What are your thoughts?