First week of Book 2 went well. Straight forward so far, nothing new or noteworthy to speak of.

I have been working through Alfred’s Jazz, Rags and Blues series. I do really like that series. It gives up a lot of cliché musical phrasing, but nice context and presentation. It is very payable. That series is a lot of fun. One piece, Surfboard Boogie, has a repeating run of 12 right hand quarter notes, to be played in boogie rhythm. I started this the first of May and have just not been able to sustain the pace, tempo and rhythm. I just couldn’t get the boogie rhythm, like a hundred times in a row, maybe a thousand. That was like six or seven weeks of repetition without getting it right. Until last night. I finally did it! I managed to hear and feel and play the rhythm just like it should be. Finally I got it, and I knew I had it when I did it just right. I was there. That was very late last night, so maybe I was dreaming. Then I got up this morning (literally ran to the piano) and I still had it. I am boogie man.

YAY BOOGIE MAN!!! Congratulations!

How absolutely AWESOME!!!! Good for you!

Isn't it great when you get a breakthrough!!! Congratulations Capt0 aka Boogie man

Congratulations, Captain Zero!

Thank you for the congrats people. You are so nice. That makes me glad I shared. I am also a realist and am prepared for the next long learning plateau.

After much frustration I decided to rewind back to this book, its not as fun but at least I know it will learn me the tricks I need to advance. Haven't touched it much, but I haven't made much progress the last months so a bit frustrated so I'm just gonna sit down, suck it up and do this.

Figured I'd start around hungarian Rhapsody nr2 which is surpisingly difficult even if it looks very very easy...on the first lines, is that staccato markings or does it mean I should hold it slightly longer than a quarter note? Just can't get the tempo right, feels very awkward.

In the first bar, F# & G (dots underneath) are staccato, then land on the F natural & it's a bit longer.

Still hanging in there with "Solace". It actually sounds pretty decent most of the time. I'm working my way through "La Bamba" the same way I did with "Solace" - one phrase at a time, stringing a few of them together after getting them down solo. I'm working on not letting myself get frustrated, and just focusing on the notes. Timing comes later. In little bites, I can make better progress.

I also choose one piece from Book 1 to review every day, and one piece from either Greatest Hits or Pop Songbook, just to keep things interesting.

Hiya !

I'm going to join everyone in here now as I begin my adventures in book 2 in the morning.
I spent 3 months last year learning major scales and completed up to O Sole Mio in book 1. I then had to postpone piano adventures for a year.
I was relieved to discover last week that I could still play up to the point I had left off. I started The Entertainer last Friday and have now also memorized Amazing Grace and it is nearly at tempo.

I will take things slowly with book 2 . I have still to do level 1 greatest hits, but will do this alongside book2, rather than finish it first.
I'm also doing a lot of scales, arpeggio and broken chord practice. I love playing them 3rd and 6ths apart. Just starting on some Czerny exercises too.

Welcome, Ejay!

That's amazing (to me anyway) that you were able to pick up right where you left off after a year. You must have great muscle memory. Learning both Entertainer and Amazing Grace in a week is also impressive. You should do great with Book 2.

Hi!

I just recently came back to piano after a couple of years. I was able to basically skim through book 1 and I started on book 2. I am teaching myself to play again. I am doing La Cucaracha but I find I'm having a little bit of trouble with the second page with the timing. especially when i try to play with the cd. Has anybody else had trouble with this song?

Thanks mom3gram. I put it all down to scale practice in first 8 weeks or so of learning piano. Its lovely to see you here , still progressing steadily.

Nice to see book 2 starting with a sight reading piece.
Bridal chorus today.

Welcome aboard Dat77

Okay on to Guantanamera now.
I am not looking forward to this at all, not one bit. Making this sound musical will be a challenge as I know this tune as a football chant......

Guantanamera wasn't one of my favorites either. LOL

You might try listening to some YouTube versions (& you're right, a lot of them do sound like football chants!) For me, the definitive versions are all by Pete Seeger, and I find them quite musical:
Very early version
1993 version
more recently posted version

It took me quite a while to get Guantanamera down, but once I got it I really enjoy it. I still play it at least once a week. I've gotten Alexanders down (still need to record it) and also Solace (still need to record it also) and am working on La Bamba.... This one is going to take awhile....

-found an entire thread for book one

Thanks for the links Carol.
I still just keep hearing in my head;
"One Henrik larson, there's only one Henrik Larson "

or Neil Lennon or John Hartson or ,insert footballer of choice.. hehehe

I hope I will eventually overcome it, I managed it with O Sole Mio, which I hated at first because of the Ice cream commercial, "Just one Cornetto, give it to me, delicious ice cream from Italy...." LOL

One Hymn I just cannot play at church is Bread of Heaven .. again the words spring to my mouth " Glasgow Celtic, Glasgow Celtic, we'll support you evermore "..

WJ3 sounds like you are making good progress.

The more I play this, the more I hate it ! LOL
I don't like skipping songs but boy is this one tempting me. I absolutely hate bar4 it is the ugliest sounding collection of notes on the planet. Horrid horrid dischordant, sending shivers of disgust up my spine, rottenness !! It just sounds like I am hitting the wrong notes, its driving me up the wall.


I am now going to try and improve it so I can still practise. I am going to play the right hand up an octave, so the notes don't clash against each other so badly.

I had the same feeling that I was hitting wrong notes when I played it. Kept checking but I was definitely playing the right ones. Good to know that it wasn't only me.

this is the 2001 reply!




sorry I couldn't resist...

I was over in Book 1 reading through it. There is a lot of activity and interesting posts over there. I am wondering why the relative quiet in the Book 2 Forum. I know I am less active with the forum because I now spend a lot of time outside or independent of Alfred’s. I have not abandoned AIO. I just have other interests going now. Interests I could not support with my Book 1 skills. Now I have de-prioritized AIO; however, I do keep going with it because I trust it. It has structure and direction. I do want to follow that path in the long run. I just have some side trips I want to take right now. So, all in all, I am less active within AIO and the Book 2 forum but no less active in piano study in general. What do you think? Is it typical to develop other interests at the Book 1 – Book 2 juncture?

I am following EJay and starting Guantanamera now. Teacher played it through and it was beautiful. I did not know the tune by name. Once I heard it I did recognize it. Teacher suggested to start with only left hand and focus on that. Not sure why, maybe unrelated to this particular piece. I have an adventurous left hand, complete with a chicken wing arm.

I am a little in awe of (dat77 and Quagles) those who are comnfortable to start somewhere in Book 2 as a stating point. I don't think if I was to have an extedned absence, that I would be mearly as capable. In any case, I think that is an interesting experience. I hope that works out. It is best for me to start at the begininng and plod my way through.

I am just doing the one Alfred’s piece right now. The rest of my time is consumed with a couple Rags I want to smooth. I have a wonderful book of folk tunes from around the world I am using for sight reading. I spend a lot of time on that right now. Sight reading is large time expense for me, Hannon is constant, other theory studies as they come up can consume a lot of time, all reducing time for piece practice... and reducing time for AIO. I suppose this practice routine will eventually swing back in time. Back to more time spent with AIO and musical pieces. I do expect to keep in touch with the forum. You have my ear.

Well I am now playing Guantanamera with Marimba voice selected. It means I can practice the rhythm and chord changes, without the notes bothering me so much. I am just tidying it up now, so have started theme from Overture now.
I love this piece !
I will be taking my time on it though, no rushing. It will take a bit of practice, I suspect, to get the staccato in left hand while maintaining legato in right hand.

I can't get the Keith Snell series in UK and am not paying customs fees to get shipped from US, but have managed to order some of Helen Marlais' books.

Still working on scales and chords etc and some Czerny exercises.
Saying that I will need to rest over the weekend. I did too much crochet without resting yesterday and my wrist is a little sore.

Just onto Guantanamera for me too .. It looks tough!

I listened to the Guantanumera song. It sounds like it would be a nice song to learn. I do not have it in my book. I am doing the basic book. When I did take lessons that's the book my teacher told me to buy I do wish I had started with the all in one. It does seem like not that many people are doing the Alfred's book 2 right now.

The good thing about the Alfred's thread is how long they have been here. The previous pages discussion may take a while to read, but they are still relevant to newcomers to each level.
the other good thing is everyone is constantly progressing along, and there are a few people from book one who will be joining us shortly.

I have guantanamera to a reasonable standard now, will just keep it in my review list for a while. I just love Overture, but can't practice today ( or knit or crochet.. boo hoo) as my wrist is still sore. Will do some theory study instead.

So much for not playing today.. I couldn't resist a quick half hour..

Did I say I am loving Theme for Overture ?
I should really be moving on to Light and Blue now, but I keep playing the repeated section over and over like a broken record( boy there's a phrase thats out of date now..)

My teacher told me today that she's moving to another city - a small town, actually, but it's an expensive ferry ride away - & I'm feeling really sad about it. It's possible she'll still be in town once in a while, but realistically I guess I'm looking for a new teacher.

On the up side, I passed La Bamba!! Also Festive Dance, Scherzo, & Introduction and Dance. I didn't think I'd pass I+D, but I played it OK, on my teacher's piano, too. & she commented how much better my playing is since last time she saw me (before I injured my arm). We worked on Streets of Laredo a bit, & she showed me a couple of fingering moves to keep the legato happening in a place where it seemed to be impossible. & it worked! I'm SO going to miss her.

Ejay, I love Theme for Overture, too - I still play that one quite often, just because I like it so much.

I haven't touched my piano in 3 days. I have my 11 year old grandson staying with me this week, to get some alone time and personal attention without his 6 siblings. We've gone for walks, saw Toy Story 3, spent a couple of hours each day at my town pool, and worked on his coin collecting Boy Scout merit badge. He brought stuff to do for his art merit badge, since I am a watercolor artist and I have other media and papers here that he can use, and I can give him some direction. I'm exhausted. LOL

I'm hoping to have his sister next week. She is also interested in art - and swimming, but she also plays piano, so I/we may get some piano time in. I hope I don't forget how to play Solace.