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I decided that I had rushed a little through book 1 so I went right back to the beginning of book 1 and worked through each piece until I had them all down smoothly and at tempo. I currently have Chiapaneces and one or two other pieces that I am finishing now. Once I finish of those I'll move back to book 2 (and keep practicing The Entertainer and Amazing Grace as well).

Something else I will do before I get back into book 2 is go back to the start of book 1 again! and work on Legato. I havent been paying enough attention to it and want to work on it more before I start book 2 properly.

My keyboard doesnt have weighted keys, it just has a velocity detection type mode that you can set to soft/medium/hard, so if you hit the key softly it plays the note at low volume and if you hit the key hard it plays it louder. I havent really tried it since but I probably should.

My performance of op.10 no.3 (Chopin) :

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

I started this piece last Thursday and made this recording this Thursday morning. I really can't believe I learned this piece in only a week! It was very hard and I had to practice prodigiously. I know my performance of the piece is a bit on the fast end of the spectrum and certainly is not perfect but I am so very pleased with simply being able to play it. I really hope you guys give it a look and let me know what you think.

W

Wow, after only a week. Thats great Waltz.. You are coming along great.

Thank you wj3! Yea, I practiced it so much in the past 7 days though, every study break or whenever I could, I was obsessed with learning it. Thanks again for the nice remarks, I do really, really appreciated them.

wOw slow down Waltz :P (very nicely done BTW)

I've just finished up with Loch Lomand (like it) and will add this to my daily list. Got the last 2 (small songs) to do which will be this week's assignment then...... (drum roll) Canon in D!!

Not sure if we're going to do the book version of the whole thing since I purchased some sheet music for it separately. Then examine the circle of fifths theory (which is at the end of #2) and then I guess I'll be leaving you guys and heading over to #3

Today is (almost to the day) 10mths since I started lessons and learning and I've never been happier. Well ok, I'd he happier if I was a house-husband (kids not at home) and I could just play all day

Back with some updates soon and yes, I know I'm long overdue on the "see how my Zoom recordings came out" other stuff taking my time up at the moment...

Thanks Ttigg!

I personally hope you do the Book 2 version of Canon in D so I can hear your story on how it went, but I would understand why you may wish to learn a different arrangement. What is a "zoom" btw? I'm guessing an audio device?

ps: did you mean I played the piece too fast or tried to learn it too quickly?

Hello Book two people. I finally gave myself a pass on "Amazing Grace" in book one. I don't think I am going to get any more out of it as I can play it without the music by now... I will keep playing it for awhile as I like the song. But now I would like to join you all in Alfreds Adult AIO Level 2. I started "Down in the Valley" in todays practice session. Its mostly review from the level one book. I am looking forward to improving my playing in book 2. Wish me luck.

WELCOME wj3 (although I remember you signing your name as Walt, so maybe you would prefer that? Regardless,) !!

Yea, Amazing Grace and the Entertainer are more challenging than MANY of the pieces in the entire first half of Book 2 (even though new techniques are introduced). I'm glad you've joined us here in the AB 2 thread,

W

Zoom = audio recording microphone Not too quickly, very impressive, quick learning

Waltz:

Your Chopin recording was just the inspiration I needed. I'm working on "Streets of Laredo" (seems pretty easy) and needed something to look forward to, that sounds like "real" piano.

Nice work -- cant' wait to get there.

Waltz – that was amazing (how quickly you learned Op10 No3) and well played too! I only have a few more pieces left in book two, but I’m starting to think you may finish it before me. You have the mechanics of playing this piece down, but don’t leave it behind just yet, keep working on adding more feeling to it.

Wj3 – Welcome to Book 2. The first few pieces will be mostly review, and you may start to wonder if the book will just keep going on like that. Don’t worry, it won’t, you’ll find plenty of challenges along the way.

As for me, I’m working on Love’s Greeting and I’m having a bit of a tuff time getting this under control. Part of the reason for this is that I’m not spending enough time on it. I’m trying to get a recital piece ready and I’m really concentrating on that. Even so, I don’t know if I’ll have the recital piece ready in time (I’m keeping the title a secret until I have it ready).

Undone

Ttigg, thanks again . jrcallan: thanks for such kind words, and it certainly is a piece to anticipate. Playing Swinging Sevenths today feels like a "let down" after this past week of intense sessions with 10.3. It's hard to feel motivated, I want to learn more Chopin lol . I had been looking forward to it for most of the book so now that it's gone I only really have Canon in D to anticipate. But I've heard others comment on liking some of the other later pieces so maybe there's hope! BTW, SSevenths is absolutely no where near as difficult as its predecessor and by what John Frank said I'm guessing 10.3 may be one of the most difficult in book 2.

Undone, I had been eagerly awaiting your critique. Thanks! I am so happy you approve of the recording and certainly feel relieved. I will defintely continue to work on it, especially slowing it down and controlling the "crescendo on page 2" (the emotional climax of the piece). Thanks again Undone

W

I just started on Book 2 myself. I gave up on trying to make Tumbalalaika sound anything that remotely resembled music, and moved on to Light & Blue which I loved. My new challenge is La Raspa on page 14. It moves pretty fast for this old lady with the fat fingers!

I ventured into a new book for me, and am trying to get into "swing tempo" with the song "In the Mood". It is very difficult for me to get this tempo.

Welcome aboard Pattylynn, glad to have you with us. I’ve never played “In the Mood” on the piano (okay, I’ve fooled around with the rhythm line but not from any printed music), but back in my highschool days I played both electric bass and trumpet in a “stage band” (all big band era stuff). “In the Mood” was always one of my favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJE-onnw2gM

Undone

Hey Waltz, have you watched Valentina Igoshina playing Etude Op. 10 No. 3 in the “Just ran across this was pretty impressed – Chopin” thread?

Undone

Udone, yes, and it is beautiful. I found Igoshina a while back on youtube and was impressed by both her virtuosity at the piano and the AMAZING production quality of "that" series of videos. The lighting is absolutely brilliant. She has videos of the the pollonaise op.53, prelude 28/15, mvnt 3 from sonata 2, Fant. Impt. and a few others I think. Her performance of the raindrop prelude is probably my favorite of the series (would love to learn it someday (I actually have the sheet music for it (and 10.3), it was one of "yamaha's 50 greats for the piano" book)).

I was thinking of buying a book of "simplified" Chopin pieces (at around the early intermediate stage?). I don't know though, and it won't be before I complete book 2.

I will make another recording of 10.3 in a week or two and really, really try to slow it down to Igoshina's pace (an odd surname, isn't she French?). Anyway, I'm rambling, welcome Pattylynn (!)

W

Just updated my sig "bump"

correction: I think Igoshina is actually Russian. whoops

CONGRATULATIONS TTigg!!!!

On having survived another Live Recital.

Undone

thanks. I messed up a couple of notes but at least my bloody leg behaved this time. Had another bunch of people compliment me on my playing at the end and several more faces when I told them I'd only been playing for 10mths !