Hello all you book three'ers of whom I am so envious. I am nearing the end of book one, about to start on book two and was wondering if I could get some quick feedback on how long people have taken to get through book two. I know it's influenced by lots of variables, but among those of you who primarily just studied the Alfred's All in one book two, how long did it take you to complete it?

I hear it's much more difficult than book one.

Well, it took me about a year, but that was with some supplemental items in there, as well. And I didn't push super hard to finish it in a hurry, either.

And I can't compare to how long it took compared to Book 1, since I didn't use that one.

I finished book 1 & 2 in about 1 1/2 year. Book 1 was a lot faster then book 2 by the way. I guess book 1 took 4-5 months, and book 2 about a year. but during book 2 I did quite a lot of stuff 'on the side'. I played from what you guys call fake books (still do that by the way, it's good for learning chords, and fun to play popular music, or childrens tunes). I also do weekly etudes (what you call hanon I think), and I had a large 'special projects' over the last summer, which was learning all 6 Gnossiennes by Satie.

No real idea how slow slow or fast I am. But I'm having fun, and that's the most important! (for the record, I'm 43 and never played an instrument before)

It took me about 3 years combined to get thru Books 1 & 2 - not sure exactly how long on each, but sure that Book 2 took longer than Book 1 - also working on numerous other pieces from other sources simultaneously - and yes, Book 2 is more difficult than Book 1 (as you would expect and as you should hope), but the approach is gradual so that if you're persistent and consistent you shouldn't have too much trouble.

Finished off the "Prelude in D Minor" with a fairly good recording, but not quite up to the ideal tempo - currently working on the "Star Spangled Banner" and finding it not very challenging (even the tremolo part is easier than I thought it would be) - I have changed their recommended fingering in about 7 or 8 places to make it (I believe) easier, and I'm finding myself doing this much more frequently now in most of the Book 3 pieces - also working on a neat little Minuet in A minor by Johann Kreiger (a contemporary of Bach, I think) from the 1st volume of Alfred's Essential Keyboard Repertoire - in addition, working on the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" which has a very beutiful melody.

Regards, JF

P.S. Yes, I'm still around - just been very busy lately - will try to check in a little more frequently - anyone heard from our "founder" Mark? - he seems to be MIA since some of us newbies showed up here.

Before I started Alfred, my lessons were focussed on playing from a fake book so I had learned the scales, many chords, inversions and voicings. A year and a half ago I decided to learn to read all the notes and started with Alfred's level 2. It took me about six months to complete. Last spring I started on Alfred's level 3 which I am about to finish. It was more difficult than level 2, but with more effort nothing was insurmountable and many of the pieces were quite rewarding. Unlike others in this thread I worked exclusively on the pieces in Alfred as I wanted to complete the series as quickly as possible. It's amazing that I am now very comfortable reading all the notes. Here-to-fore, I never thought I could have done it. Three cheers for Alfred.

I'm here too! I haven't been on computer keyboard except to do grad papers! I am still progressing on Toccata... I'm starting the third page:-). Also, I've started Hanon and this may sound strange but I didn't realize I could play the first one at the tempo of 65!!! My instructor mentioned that I should put that on youtube:-) I'll think about that. Good luck on Moonlight Sonata, and Meir and all other fine works. Take care everyone!

Here's a personal update:

Will finish up "The Star Spangled Banner" this week in Book 3.

Also just finished work on a neat little Minuet (in the lovely key of A Minor) by the German Johann Kreiger (a contemporary of Bach & Handel). I have a good recording of this which might just show up in a Monthly Piano Bar or the next ABF Recital

Still working on the hymn "This is My Father's World", a great video of which can be found here in this thread in the ABF (the 9th post):

Favorite Video Thread

How are you all doing?

Regards, JF

JF, glad to hear of your progress. I continue to work on the Moonlight Sonata and probably will for the rest of my life. I can play all of the parts OK, but not all OK at one time, if you know what I mean. I'm also a little confused about the proper way to play the ninths. There is a U-tube video of Kempf playing the sonata in which all of the dissonance has been eliminated, which means laying off of the RH thumb. For some reason I can't bring myself to do this, even though I know it sounds better.

My final piece of work in Book 3 is Fur Elise which is also proving to be a challenge. The first two sections are OK, but when I hit the third section I have to slow down to a crawl.

My teacher suggested I try some Satie next. We'll see.

So far so good! I'm on the third page of Toccata and on Hanon #2. I'm getting some of the Communion songs from last year so I can get ready (somewhat) for this year's group practices.

Even though this is taking me a bit more time ( and it's worth it) I'm enjoying Bach! Haven't forgotten any of my pop songs....I'll get to those a little later.

Take care all!

Yes, I know very well what you mean - I've had the same problem putting it all together on several pieces - I think the ability to do that depends a lot on the particular piece in question, but also is a skill that will slowly come to us with much more practice over much more time - this is especially true where you work on a piece real hard for awhile, then let it go as you move on to more demanding pieces, and then come back to that piece to review it and finally nail it down - I've had this happen a number of times thru the Alfred series.

I finally turned back and took a good look at the "Moonlight" and it consists of a continuous series of triplets! And the clef sign changes several times on the upper staff! The left hand looks like it is playing mostly octaves. Glad you're working on it and not me - although I will eventually - could be a very difficult piece to memorize because the RH triplet pattern is never broken and it would be easy to get confused or lose one's place. I think for now I'll stay out of the "Ambitious Section" - the rest of Book 3 is certainly ambitious enough for me at this stage!



The Minuet I'm working on is in the "Essential Keyboard Repertoire" series (Vol.1) which was one of the advanced series that the guy from Alfred recommended some time back in a previous post, although I think he talked about starting with Book 2 or 3 after Alfred 3. The format is very nice, the pieces are enjoyable and the books all come with a CD of the recorded pieces - this could be one of several places for you to go eventually (with the approval of your teacher).

Regards, JF

Had a lesson (finally!) on Tuesday. Due to a few things that came up for both my teacher and I (including her getting married!), I hadn't seen her for 3 weeks. It was one of "those" lessons:

The 2 Martha Mier pieces are coming along pretty well. The first is just about done. I have to work on smoothing a series of chord progrssions in the right hand, but that was about the only tripping point there. The second needs some overall smoothing, and getting the eighth notes to fit in the 3/4 time signature more correctly.

Alfred's- Variations on a Sea Chanty (it's the "What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor" one) is just fun to play! I like it. Need to work on speed on that one.

Rock-A My Soul. *sigh* This one has become the bane of my existence right now!! The second page is just not coming together. Here's how the lesson went:

Her: Play that one measure for me.
Me: *plays*
Her: Again
Me: *plays*
Her: Play the right hand.
Me: *plays*
Her: Play the left hand.
Me: *plays*
Her: Again
Me: *plays*
Her: Now let's get those dotted notes right.
Me: *plays*
Her: Again. Again. Again.
It ended with her saying that one measure is what she wants me to work on this week. Get it right. If it starts to fall apart, work hands separately again. IF I get it worked out, then go on to the next measure.

At least I now have something concrete to concentrate on, and I know a bit more solidly where the problem is. I was floundering a bit with it. Hopefully, I can get it worked out this week.

Hi All!

I had a 2 week break in my lessons as well. teacher went skiiing, and we had a school holiday. I haven't been practicing a lot (shame on me) but have been happily playing a lot of old favourites. So the prelude in D is still a 'work in progress' which I hope to complete by next weeks lesson. It's nice to hear some of the fun and/or struggles you are having with some of the pieces I'll be tackling shortly. I'm especially looking forward to Rock-a-my-soul! (I'm sure you'll get it under control Irish Mak! I had a similar experience to yours with a few bars in the classy rag. brbrbr. Luckily my teacher was OK with my moderate performance this week, so we can forget about it. Hahaha!)

On the side I've been working on Gymnopedie nr 1. I tried it last summer, when I started on my Satie-mania, but decided then to do the Gnossiennes first. It was very encouraging to notice that what I found rather scary and complicated then, was a lot easier now. Ha! Progress! (Satie really made me a lot better in sight reading notes that are way out of the normal lines, those unnerving A's or B's that dangle way below the bass clef. Or having to play one note out of 4 or 5 in the bass clef with the right hand (together with some other treble clef notes). Stuff like that)

And Oldfingers...you are going to do some Satie as well?? Did you hint at it or was it your teachers idea? If you need advice, or tips or favourites or whatever ....just ask!

Ingrid

(glad to see 'we' are back by the way. I was a bit afraid our thread was going to disappear completely!)

Congratulations on making it to book 3!! I'd love to hear you play.

Those adult books move soooooooooooooo much faster then then childrens 1a, 1b, 1 ,2.......etc series.... By the end of book one it is already at an intermediete level!!!

I am working through the Suzuki piano School book series..There are seven volumes....You should try them. They are great! The pieces in them are excellent!

You can get them on Amazon. Make sure you get the CDs too...It is cheaper to buy the books with the CDs together.

Corinne

Sounds slightly amusing (at least from this distance) but I guess it wasn't while you were going thru it - must be a heck of a measure! Which one is it so I can check it out (and mark it with a warning for when I get there




Just the next measure? At this pace it's going to take you awhile ...

Regards, JF

Never fear - our beloved thread always finds a way to bounce back - it's as certain as death & taxes (and a little more pleasant!)

Regards, JF

P.S. Ingrid - when you played the "Star Spangled Banner" did you play the "tremolo" effect in the LH in the middle section?

It actually was kind of amusing. As well as kind of frustrating. And yes, my teacher says we'll be working on this one for a bit.

It's page 97, first measure in the second system. And, really, other than the held B-flat, it's just putting together the parts from the first page. But, as usual, my hands just don't want to cooperate with each other and I mess up the "swinging" feel of the dotted rhythms. It ends up sounding like straight 8's, which it is definitely not.

As for adding just one measure, I have the feeling that, since the pattern repeats, once I figure that out (if I ever do!), the others will fall into place quicker.

I hope.

John,




I'm still on clementi's prelude in D! So the star spangled banner is coming soon. Anything specific on that tremolo you want to warn me about??

And Irish Mak,



I am sure that approach will work! Just go for it!

Ingrid

Well, in case if anyone was wondering I'm still around. It's been busy for me since the first of the year.

I finished up "Classy Rag" this week and have been assigned "Prelude in D minor" It took me over a month to complete "Classy Rag" and it wasn't up to snuff IMHO. I think my teacher thought I was at the point that I wouldn't get anything else out of the piece.

Of course, I'm still swamped with all of the other supplemental pieces assigned. Plus, I have my official recital piece assigned and I'm working on memorizing and dynamics.

Cyborg - I have been wondering about you and what you've been working on - glad to hear from you again.



I spent a little extra time on "Classy Rag" myself and was fairly happy with how I was playing it - but after repeated attempts I gave up (temporarily) trying to get a decent recording of it - however, when I eventually go back and review it (as I do most of the "good" pieces) I'll try my luck at recording it again - usually I play a piece even better after review so I might have better luck with the recording. My advice to you (not that you asked ) is to let it go for awhile and then go back and work on it again - if you have time in your busy schedule.

Keep in touch, JF

It was my teacher's idea, but after listening to a Satie LP I've decided to pass. It's beyond my capabilities.

I continue to work on Fur Elise which is bugging me because I find that I need to look at the keyboard while playing the first two sections. I'd rather not memorize those sections as my memory has become quite poor, so I'm in a bit of a bind

Meanwhile I have started working on Lee Evan's "Easy Jazz Arrangements", except that they are not so easy. But they a good examples of how to make an arrangement from a lead sheet which I was not very good at doing myself. The chords are very "jazzy" sounding so I may have found my niche for awhile.

Oldfingers....

LP???? (how old are you?? LOL!)

But seriously: what have you listened to? It must have been something different then the Gnossiennes or Gymnopedies. If you are able to handle the moonlight sonata you shoud be able to play Gnossienne #1 fluently within 1 or 2 weeks! Really!! Just don't be afraid. Come on, I handled the first 5 Gnossiennes after just 1 1/2 yr of playing, without any prior experience in either playing nor reading music. Listening & dancing, that was it. And although I know I'm probably not a below-average-pupil (for my age...) I'm no genius either.

Enough peptalk???

Ingrid

Ingrid - well, this was the first time the tremolo technique was introduced and the book explains it (alternating rapidly with the LH between the two notes that make up the octave) and then goes on to say that instead of using this technique that one could simply play the octave notes simultaneously and hold them - I practiced the tremolo effect and found it easier to do than I first thought it would be (and it does provide a rather dramatic backdrop to the melody in the RH) - I was just wondering if you had used it and found it just as easy, but since you didn't start this piece yet...

Regards, JF

Ingrid, I'm so old (almost 70) that I predate LPs, 45s and 78s. In fact when I was a kid we owned a wind-up Victrola with disks that were about 1/4" thick. They sounded terrible as I recall, no bass at all.



You are a tough task-master. It's a good thing you are not my teacher. My "LP", "Piano Music of Erik Satie, Volume 1" starts with "Trois Gymnopedies" and ends with "Trois Nocturnes". The Gymnopedies and Gnossiennes are quite lovely and I think are accessible to me. If I could restrict my study of Satie to those pieces I'd definitely be interested. Thanks for the motivation.

Okay oldfingers!

My tip: start with Gnossienne #1. it's easier then Gymnopedie 1, in spite of the at least 4 flats. With your tendency to look for the chords ( I do that as well!) you'll find out within 10 minutes that there's basically just 3 of them. That's all!!

And once you've got the hang of it (playing a single note & then the related chord with the left hand, and some single-note-melody stuff with the right hand) the nrs 2 and 3 will be easier. Nr 4 is a different story (and 5 and 6 as well) but my guess is that by that time you are so hooked that you want them ALL! And the speed of at least the 1st 3 is so slow (in fact the slower the nicer for most of them) that I am sure your 'old fingers' can handle them!

And.. I was just joking about the LP's! I'm 'only' 43, but we still have a load of them on the attic! (but no 78 ones, i must admit)

And John...thanks for the explanation on the tremolo of star spangled banner. I guess I'll be working on it next week (lesson tomorrow). Is it a nice piece to work on for a non-american? It sounds a bit bombastic for me, but we'll see....


Ingrid (gymnopedie 1 in the pocket this week!).

Ingrid - it's a tough song to sing (as we discussed above) but this particular piano arrangement is relatively enjoyable - the 1st section is fairly easy (it duplicates itself), then the short tremolo transition section isn't too bad once you get the tremolo technique under control, but then the last section is a little more difficult with some fingering changes tjhat are just a little tricky - the piece is not really "bombastic" ( although the lyrics do speak about "bombs bursting in air ...") but rather is dramatic and dynamic, as most national anthems are - it's a solid arrangement which seems "fresh', even after I've heard this piece a thousand times in a thousand ways over the years - apparently playing it yourself makes a big difference.

Regards, JF

Hi gang - here's another update:

Just finished the piece "Make Up Your Mind?" in Book 3 - well, when I first started it I coundn't "make up my mind' whether it was worth studying or not - not much of a challenge - sounds a little better if one plays it slightly uptempo and alternate soft and loud measures throughout just to jazz it up somewhat.
Now onto the "Swan Lake" piece which I know very well having heard it for years as an orchestral piece - looking forward to getting into it.

Also working on a new Minuet from the "Essential Keyboard Repertoire" book - this one in G minor by Christian Petzold, which originally was included in the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook - Petzold was the actual composer of the famous Minuet in G that is usually attributed to J.S. Bach - really nice piece!

And still working on the hymn "This is My Father's World" which is really a lovely piece but the arrangement is fairly tough with a lot of triple-note RH work throughout - forcing myself to try to get a grip on pieces like these which are slightly over my head just to "push the envelope" a little.

Regards, JF

JF, I'm glad to hear that someone is making progress. I think you will enjoy "Swan Lake". It is definitely worth the effort, as is the next one, "Scheherazade".

At the moment I have hit a bump in the road with "Fur Elise". In general I try not to look at the keyboard, but with this piece I sometimes am not exactly sure of my hand position so it's a leap of faith when I put my fingers down. My teacher encourages me to look just a little bit to get my point of reference. But when I peak and take my eyes off the music I lose my place.

Then in the third section the speed picks up dramatically, and I can't think that fast. Finally, there is an arpeggio near the end that I also can't play at speed. So it's slow going. To add to the frustration, I've been away from "Moonlight Sonata" for a couple of days, and it shows when I try to play it. It seems that I have to keep everything going at once.

On the plus side, the Lee Evan's arrangement of "Early Autumn" is starting to come along. I have to get back into the mode of 9th, 11th and 13th chords which are a lot harder to read than the chords in the Alfred books. My practice sessions are getting longer.

OldFingers - thought you just might be interested in listening to this version of Fur Elise - this version with string accompaniment came pre-recorded on my Yamaha digital piano (Clavinova) as a sample of the instrument's capabilities - I'm not really sure if this was actually played by a living, breathing human being or was recorded using midi programming techniques, but check it out:

Fur Elise

Regards, JF

Jf, I hope it was originally played by a living, breathing human being, as otherwise it would be too discouraging to know that a piece of software could learn to do it without effort. Your machine did a nice job, though. Now how can I get my old fingers to move fast enough to handle the third section?

I'm going beyond cyberspace for a month so I expect you to hold the fort.

Beyond cyberspace? What's beyond cyberspace?

See you when you get back (if you can get back )

Regards, JF