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I'm trying to get an overall idea of pace of learning as it's something i'm finding a little tricky. I just started playing at the beginning of May and this week i've started working on Minuet III in G major by Bach. I really don't know what level this is but so far i've worked through the first eight bars. Am i try to work on music that's too difficult for someone that has been playing barely a month? I'm not complaining, i'm enjoying it but i just don't want to get too far ahead of myself and struggle to improve and maybe give up.

I've been searching for Grade 1 music, i've found a few lists here at piano world, when i check some of these over on youtube they don't appear to me to be grade 1, some are way more difficult so i'm guessing it's different arrangements? Is there anyone who can maybe recommend some pieces at grade 1 level that i can try, i really don't mind which composer, i do like Bach but i'm interested in learning a wide variety of classical music. Thanks.

You seem to be learning w/o a teacher? You might want to get a decent method book... many here learn from the Alfred series... Grade 1 pieces are not for complete beginners... The minuet you mentioned seems a bit more advanced to me (Grade 2? 3?)... both hands do a lot and move around... Bach is in general not easy to play... that's the mean thing about him... it sounds simple and easy but it's a lot of work

There are some compilations on the market with easy, original pieces... and there should be a couple of threads with the same topic floating around here somewhere

Is it this one? http://www.free-scores.com/PDF/bach-johann-sebastian-minuet-major-9802.pdf

I think that's probably classified as late beginner.

Regarding Bach, the Anna Magdalena notebook pieces are more late beginner/early intermediate, and you won't find a (non-simplified) Bach piece below that.

There's some good inexpensive arrangements for beginners, such as James Bastien's "Favorite Classic Melodies" (the earliest are the Primer Level and Level 1) which run around $5 each. The Level 1 book has 14 pieces in it.

I didn't want to link directly to a store link because I can't remember if that's forbidden here.

I think for grade 1 most of the pieces you'll find are (easier) arrangements of more advanced pieces or folk songs, I never saw a lot of original music written for that level. YMMV though.



Edit: If you're finding it difficult to play a piece through (super slowly!) after the first couple of times (and hands separate before) it's probably too advanced for your reading level. That can get frustrating fast, though, as I said before, YMMV.

Hi, it seems I started studying at the same time as you. If you are using the arrangement of the minuet posted by caracantabile above, I think it's just right for playing after a month - maybe you even need to get a more challenging piece, because in that arrangement, the left and right hands just take turns playing, so I don't count that as playing "hands together". I don't think it should be classified as late beginner - maybe early/intermediate beginner, but that's just my opinion from my limited experience (I'm 2/3 done with Alfred's Adult Book 1).

If, however, you are tackling the original version after just a month of study, I bow down to you. I have the impression that one needs to have at least early/intermediate ability to start tackling classicals in their original, not-heavily-edited versions. But if that's the case, I can't help but wonder if you might be taking it too fast. I second the suggestion that a Method Book can help you progress systematically and in check.

Thanks for all the replies. That's correct, no teacher though i am on the lookout. I have looked at the first Alfred book but i really didn't care for 80% of the music. At the moment i'm mostly interested in Classical. I did buy The Classic Piano Course by Carol Barratt. I'm working through that but at the same time i'm looking to play other pieces to keep things interesting.

The Bach piece is Menuett G dur BWV.Anh.114 and is from a book that came with my Yamaha called 50 greats for the piano. I've looked on Youtube and here is a link to the version i'm learning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ffAityaqaE

I'm not finding this piece too difficult right now, though it's not easy for me at all, i started on bars 9 through 16 last night, i was playing it slowly my main difficulty with these bars was getting the left hand fingering correct. That is really where my inexperience shows most. Saying this i haven't started the last 16 bars or 32 as it's repeated, those do look a little more difficult.

I've been spending some time each day practicing sight reading, this piece falls within what i've learned, it covers about three octaves which is pretty much all i know at this point and i'm still a little slow on reading these. I'm not sure if this piece would be classed as Grade 2/3, it seems too basic to me but i have no experience to base that on. I have played guitar for 20 years, i'm not sure if that's helping me or not.

Ah, that's definitely not "beginner" ! But, you've had 20 years of guitar, do you read music already? So it would be easier then at least in that regard.

That piece is one of my favorite early ones

One thing I would point out from that video; the person is playing left-hand almost entirely in legato from the looks/sounds of it, and it shouldn't be. This minuet is very elegant and clear and it would be a shame to blur it up with not playing the notes precisely.

I used to read treble clef a long time ago while i was at school learning to play tenor tuba though i remember from school it being called tenor horn. For guitar it's mostly tab. I'm not sure if it helps with coordination in any way, probably not.

Thanks for the tip on the video. My Yamaha digital comes with 50 songs which match the book so i get to listen to it when i need to and i do agree about how the left hand is very elegant and distinctive. It's actually what stands out most to me in this piece.

Hi Steve. I started playing in April. I've also been tackling some 'hard' pieces. I can play a couple pieces to speed now, although learning them was a slooow process (links to other people playing them!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH8DaKcV_-U
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZJDNSp1QJA

Admittedly I'm sure a pianist would say that I'm not playing very musically if they heard me, and maybe should try something easier. But the huge upside is that I get to play music I like the sound of rather than just practice pieces because they're part of a "set course. That means that I'm happy playing for hours on end, whereas when I play boring pieces, I tire of playing after about half an hour.

I'm just starting to tackle this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfgfNthxqzM
It's very slow going, but such a beautiful piece that I'm enjoying myself even if it's too hard for me.

Funnily enough the Bach you linked is on my list of things to play - if only I had more time!

Thanks Robin, I just checked those videos out, i really like the Mendelssohn piece. That's on my list for later. If i'm able to, i'll finish my current piece by the end of the month then i'm hoping to try Bach's Minuet in G minor BWV115.

Again i have to reign myself in so i don't get too far ahead, my enthusiasm is high right now and i think that's good but i need to try and keep it in check.

I understand your enthusiasm to tackle the more difficult pieces that you really care about. I'm the same way too - I have a clear file full of 'someday I'm going to play this' pieces that are way obviously over my head. I tried playing some of them (not an entirely impossible task) but then my inadequacy of technique became evident so I stopped and decided to go the "slow and steady way" with the method book, even though I also think that most of the melodies are boring in Alfred (I've heard Piano Adventures is better in this regard). I'm just after the technique which I hope I can build up enough to tackle the pieces adequately in that clear file. What I like about method books is that each new piece is there for a reason: one teaches this kind of rhythm, one for pedal, another for this kind of note or note combination, and so on until they all build up. I think it's essential to build this foundation, especially since I have no musical background (and tone-deaf with 2 left feet to boot :D). So you obviously have a big advantage there with your prior experience playing other instruments. As for me, I'm trying my best to finish the Method Book 1 as fast as possible so I can progress to the harder pieces!

Thanks for your insight and i entirely agree about technique. Hopefully i'll learn some good technique from the book i'm using though i really would like to get a teacher eventually. The Alfred book seems to also move at a slower pace then the book i'm using, i have the Omnibus edition of The Classic Piano Course and it looks to ramp up in difficulty fairly quickly. So to me it's a great book with a lot of really interesting and exciting pieces.