Waltz – I really liked you recordings of “Frankie and Johnnie” and “Black is the Color”. “Frankie and Johnnie” was another one of my many favorites in book 2. That transition is about the only issue I could hear in your recording, and it is a tricky one.

Undone

Thanks Undone . How did you do the transition? Fast fingers or is there another technique?

Waltz, I like the sound of Black is the Color. Very nice.

AWTPP, Did you happen to save that 6 to 7 minute performance of Solace on YouTube? I would love to see it if you still have it since I'll be moving on to this piece next.

I've got Alexander's Ragtime Band together and up to tempo, but with a few mistakes at the end.

Key Notes

Sure!

Here are a couple of clips showing the entire piece. You'll see links to other versions in the "related videos" tool bar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzRWvPMzyCU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR5hagMTuDg

This is the one that really blew me away. It's just the second movement, and the video is a little jumpy, because it appears to be taken from the player's perspective. But it shows just how simplified our version is in Alfred's. It's really something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRAhdKFsgbo

Thanks Key Notes, yes, it is a lovely tune and fairly easy to play.

AWTPP, thanks for sharing those links. The last rendition (that blew you away) seemed to be less dark than the Alfred's arrangement; more playful or frolicsome perhaps.

My playing of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRrEK8XCf58

I liked this one

Thanks AWTPP. Will check them out when I get a chance.

Key Notes

Hi Waltz,

I had to wait until I got home and tried it before I could answer your question. First a disclaimer: I am not a piano teacher nor am I currently under the tutelage of one, so anything I’m doing could well be the “wrong way”; proceed at your own risk.

With that said, they way I played this was different than when playing an entire chord with the left hand. In that case I would move the entire “hand shape” into the new position. For the left hand transition in Frankie and Johnnie (5-2-1 rinse and repeat), I keep the 2-1 more or less over the F & G and just move 5 up to play the E-flat. Then, as that is being played, I move 2-1 up into position for the B-flat & C. It feels a little funny at first, but (with a little practice) allows me to make this change without a noticeable pause.

Hope that makes sense.

Undone

Wow! You really nailed that one.

Undone

All right, that actually makes me feel better. If I understand you correctly, then how you played it is one of the strategies I had tried. However, like you said, it feels awkward at first, and so I decided to simply try increasing my speed, which I never succeeded at doing. I surmised that I was probably not talented enough to do the smooth transition but by what you said, it is probably more of a technique issue. Thanks

And thanks for listening to When Johnny Comes Marching Home and for your comments. That is such a fun thing to play

How are things going for you Undone? Have you began Book 3 or are you taking a break to work on other items?

Its been freezing cold here when I get home so I lose some practice time waiting for the heater to warm the house up!

But I ticked of Guantanamera, I can play it through without errors half the time and got a few good recordings. I am almost done with Light and Blue but I want to get a bit more speed with it and work a little more on not looking at the keyboard so much.

Keen to move onto the next few pieces though I'm still working on the two songs from the greatest hits, they seem a but harder than anything in book 2 so far.

Things are going well. I’m “hard at work” in book 3, I’ve completed the first two pieces; “A Super-Special Sorta Song” (what a name) and “Calypso Rhumba”, and have started on the third “Fandango”. There’s also a bunch of new theory work in the beginning of book 3 (circle of fifths and the names of positions within the diatonic scale). So far, so good.

Undone

Way to go! That was quick for the first two.

How is your practice time distributed each day? As far as completed pieces, new pieces, and exercises.

Yay!!! You're off to a wonderful start in book 3 Undone. That's really great, but not too surprising.




Hi Wrenn, I don't know where you live but it was in the 80s here today, pretty hot but I love it. Hope it'll warm up for you soon.

May I ask which two songs in the Alfred's Greatest Hits book you are referring to that you felt are a bit harder than some of book 2's songs which you've already encountered so far?

Key Notes

Im in Australia so it winter here. I miss the warm weather but at least the cold means its skiing season!

The book I have is actually Alfreds All-Time Favorites book 2. The first two pieces are Dance of the Hours and Gypsy Love Song. You can see the sheet music for the first piece here:

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/look_inside/3659065/image/186683

I find the first piece the hardest mainly because of the sections where the right hand plays a complicated melody, while the left hand is also doing complicated stuff. So far in most alfreds pieces the complex sections are short and usually just one hand is doing something tricky, and the other one is doing something predictable.

The second isn't that hard, it just feels hard because I haven't practiced it much yet ;-)

If I’m lucky, I can get about an hour to practice each weekday (more time usually, but not always, is available to me on the weekends). I always start out with some scales and such to warm up and then go right into my “current/new pieces”. I try to spend the bulk of my practice time on these, but I save a little time at the end to run through “my repertoire” (and I use the term lightly) of pieces that I try to keep somewhat in shape. For these I have a list of pieces that I simply rotate through at the end of a practice session playing anywhere from one to three of them a day. If I have some extra time, this is also where I will play around with some of the other music in my ever expanding collection in search of pieces that I’d like to add to my “current/new pieces” study that come from sources other then my current Alfred’s A-I-O book.

Right now my “current/new pieces” consists solely of Book 3 pieces (which is why I’m making some decent progress). I’m sure this won’t last however; I always have other pieces I’m itching to work on.

Undone

Waltz excellent job on When Johnny Comes Marching Home It really sounds like you had fun with that one.

It's interesting that you spend most of your time on new pieces, something I will keep in mind. I have thought of reorganizing the method I practice. Thanks for sharing that Undone.

EDIT: Do you practice arpeggios or Hanon along with scales? Currently, I only really do scale exercises. Thanks again Undone.

Thanks HBG! It is a fun thing to play, not too hard but an exercise for the hands

My playing of Waltz in G Minor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh40MwjZ9Tc

Wrenn,

Thanks for the informations and the link. Dance of the Hours does looked pretty hard, especially section where you have to maintain LH staccato while playing the poco accelerando at the same time. I love Fantasia, both the music and the animations, and especially enjoyed that scene of the Hippopotamus dancing.

I'm not sure if you've already heard or seen the following YouTube video but I thought that it also sounded very nice on organ as well.



Cheers,

Key Notes

Waltz,

Nice job with Waltz in G Minor, another beautiful tune.

Key Notes

Thanks Key Notes

After hearing Undones's performance of this I had been anticipating it with eager. It's certainly a "Waltz", but it, to me, is slightly dark. Perhaps it's due to the minor key

Hmm, I see what you mean, very smooth and fuid. Beautifully played.

Okay, I'll be brave. Here's my current work-in-progress of "Alexander's Ragtime Band". I would appreciate any tips and pointers as to how I can better improve upon it.

I need to stop short of pulverizing the tips of my fingers, especially the pinkies, practicing this song. They're obviously out of conditions and in desperate need of getting more exercises.

Alexder's Ragtime Band

Cheers,

Key Notes

Waltz – I’ve done a little Hanon and I’ve tried a few arpeggios, but for the most part I’m just doing scales right now. I should add arpeggios; when I first tried them I was having trouble understanding just how I should be playing them, I should probably give them another look now.

Undone

Waltz – Great job on “You in G Minor”. I really liked playing that piece myself, yes it does have a rather “dark” mood to it, but I think that’s one of the things I really like about it.

Undone

Key Notes – Way to be brave! You’re doing quite well with “ARB” and that’s no easy piece. It’s always best to start out strong, people are paying close attention as you begin and will notice things that may otherwise slip by them later in the piece, so in the spirit of "tips and pointers" I would just point out that the rhythm of you first measure (and several other places where this is repeated) is a little rushed. (I’m speaking of the part where the lyrics would be “Come on and hear” or “Come on along”.)

Try listening to just that first couple of measures on either page one of this thread (John Frank’s) or Always Wanted To Play Piano’s recording here: http://www.box.net/shared/ygm84tc1lp and then maybe try singing the words to yourself as you play this part.

Undone

Key Notes,

I enjoyed listening to that, and I think you're already playing the piece rather well. I noticed that, through some of the tricky spots, there were some hesitations, which is understandable. I also agree with Undone, in that you are playing the piece quickly. Perhaps slowing it down a tad would help smooth it out. Regardless, you certainly have the technical aspects of this piece down.

Undone,

Thanks so much about Waltz in G min!
Also, I am just like you, I only do scale exercises. I've really tried to to arpeggios from this book I have, but I really, really suck at them. Perhaps when I am better at playing piano I will add them to my practice routine. For now, however, only scales for me as well.

Thanks Undone and Waltz for the wonderfully helpful hints and pointers. I definitely agree that I needed to slow the over-all tempo down just a bit.

In addition to the segments that Undone had already mentioned, I also thought that I should be taking a bit of a longer pause/break (breath) in between each phrase or sentences of the song as well.

Asides from the lack of skills and talents, I have to also confess that I was kind of rushing it a bit after a (gazillion) takes. Needed to get up early for an early morning hike.

It has definitely been the most challenging and fun piece to learn so far.

Thanks again.

Key Notes