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Hi KaylaX,

I'm sorry for the late response, but thanks for the note and update.

Sounded like you are making wonderful progress over all. I enjoyed Cafe Vienna quite a bit when I was there, and from what I remembered, Lullaby's tempo was slow but deceivingly tricky to get smooth. Your duet pieces must be lots of fun to play.

Thanks for asking about my progress with book 2 but I've just started working on it last Sunday and have only gotten up to page 11, so there isn't much to report other than that it has been quite a lot of fun still, and that it certainly does help a great deal to have already had some basic knowledge of the basic chord structures and patterns, as well as some notes reading skills. It definitely doesn't feel as scary as when I first started with book 1, where I didn't know a single thing. Although, I'm sure that some of the more difficult and challenging pieces will be coming up for me very soon.

Keep up the good work and happy playing to you!

Key Notes

Wow, Barb, you've made a lot of progress in a short time. It sounds like your teacher is really going to push you. :-) It's really great that she's already picking out supplemental pieces for you too. It's fun to have a variety of other pieces to play in addition to the lesson book. Be sure to post here often, and let us know how you are doing.

Update,

Ive decided to back up a little bit and polish up Cafe Vienna and actually work on Lullaby. Taking another look at Lullaby does reveal some tricky spots just like Key Notes mentioned. I decided I better not skip stuff.

So im back to Cafe Vienna and Lullaby!!!!

My Piano Concerto piece is pretty challenging but fun. iTs nice to have a long term piece to work on.

And at my next lesson im anxiouse to see what lies ahead for me in terms of doing the MTAC exams.

So thats it for me for now, I hope everyone else is oing good with their practicing. Its nice to have this thread so we can check in with one another. Thank you....

KaylaX

Kaylax,

Hey! BMTD was pretty tricky at first, but it really only took me a couple of hours to finally get it. But it's definitely one of the more harder songs I have come across. As for my prior music experience, I took about 1 full year of piano lessons when I was 15 (I am now 19) and I played the Alto Saxophone when I was in High School. I even marched for football games lol so I know the right hand notes off the top of my head... But as for the left hand notes. I have to think about those :p ... Overall I played Saxophone for 8 years and in the middle I played about a year of tenor. To be honest I didn't like the Tenor Sax as much as the alto so I went back to it. But as for the piano lol, I quit lessons because I didn't like it at all and I didn't think I would ever want to play later in life. Turns out I was wrong! And so now I have re-entered into the piano journey Ha, so I guess it's off to practicing :p

Kaylax,

So what are these MTAC exams all about? I have never heard of them.

Just to post some progress: I'm up to p. 106 in the All in One Book: "Got Those Blues."

Yipee!

Congratulations! That's the only one of the blues numbers in Alfred's that I can play with any degree of proficiency.

I am working on that one too, I was thinking of moving on to 'on top of old smokey' while working on the bluesy ones separately and taking my time getting them down pat

Hello all, I just started working on Cafe Vienna and am really confused about the fingering. It seems that the same notes are hit with different fingers throughout the piece. I don't get it. If there weren't fingering notations, how would one know what finger to use for what key? Anyone else have this problem? I feel like a dummy, actually there is probably a good reason why I feel like a dummy

Just the thumb on the right hand has three different positions, the more you become familiar with it you will become accustomed to the changes in fingering. I also have the same question how would one work it out if the notations wasn't there?, I believe elsewhere I asked that question, I didn't get an answer that I truly grasped, so when I am working on something from another source I just try and finger the piece to what is the most comfortable for me.

Finger notations for the most part are there to get you from point A to B most efficiently. However, when they are not there you are on your own to work it out - that is where practicing scales and arpeggios comes into play. Once I find the fingering I like, I write it into the music. If you are to memorize the piece- I think it is imperative to use the same finger to note as you memorize. FWIW

Haftaway,

Hey... I played Tenor Sax too. I started out playing the violin in elementary school and then by Jr HIgh I played Bass Clarinet and then moved on to Tenor Sax. I always admired the Alto sax but never got into playing it. I was never good enough. I also did drumline too. We did marching band competitions all over California. So I can relate to the treble clef quite well and its been the bass that throws me off. Of course this was all almost 20 years ago. I did teach myself to play flute though.

posted by Haftaway MTAC exams.

Its a certification program put out by the Music Teachers Association of California. Here is a brief explanation from their website:

Goals of Certificate of Merit:
*To provide a systematic and comprehensive plan to develop performance skill, technique, ear-training and sight reading skills, and understanding of music theory.
*To provide practical goals to help students maintain a steady and focused appreciation of their musical studies
*To encourage students to strive for musical excellence
*To create opportunities in which students may share their music


My teacher is a member of the MTAC and she has some of her students participate in the program and it sounded really interesting to me. Im going to start at Prep level because I have only been playing for 9-months.


KaylaX

HI Everyone,

I had a breakthrough!!!!!

I brought out my Alfreds greatest hits book over the weekend (after chit chatting with some members who where playing out of the book) and I tried to play a piece(Over the rainbow) that a few months back I could not get for the life of me. And guess what!!!! I played it. Not perfect but I think if I practiced for a couple days I would get it..no problem. So I guess I am progressing. Its such a great feeling ITs like warm fuzzies!!!!

I just had to share that excitement....

KaylaX

Congratulations. But, do you mean "Rainbow Connection"? I don't remember seeing "Over the Rainbow" in my Greatest Hits book.

BTW, I tried recording myself for the first time last night. Oh, it was bad! I hit all the right notes, but the tempo was uneven, and there was a slight pause that sounded like I was taking a breath on every chord change. I have a long way to go...

KaylaX:

Awesome ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Ya Ya Ya thats it. Rainbow connection. I knew it was Rainbow somthing.

I guess I need to record myself. That sounds like a good idea. I only thought of recording ones self for posting on the forum. I really never thought of it as a learning tool. My piano is acoustic so I will need to record on my digital camera. Thanks for the idea

KaylaX

Congrats KaylaX. That quite an accomplishment. I have been working on "Its a small world" Going to try recording it today.....

Hmhcho. Are you going to submit to the recital? Can't wait to hear your playing.

Way to go, KaylaX!!! I'm working on "Love Makes the World Go Round" from the Alfred Adult Pop Songbook, but it's a real struggle. I find these songs much harder than the lesson book.

Do any of you have the "Alltime Favorites" book. That's the one I want to get next. Then again, maybe I should just concentrate on learning the ones I already have.

Hey, isn't "Rainbow Connection" Kermit the Frog's song? :-)

Yes, "Rainbow Connection" is from the first Muppet Movie. The version in Greatest Hits is much shortened and simplified, though.

As far as submitting a recording, I will not be doing that until I, myself, can listen to one without cringing.

I suspect that I am trying to play too fast. When I slow things down, things get smoother. But then every piece I play sounds like a dirge.

Posted by mom3gram
Do any of you have the "Alltime Favorites" book.

I have that book. Its the level 1 book. My first teacher got it for me befor summer break last year. Its got allot of songs in it. I like it. It has allot of soimplified classical pieces. I would say its a definite plus to a music collection. Let me know if ya want more info on it.

Hmmmm im not familiar with "Love makes the world go round"?????? I need to get my paws on that pop bokk that you have. I feel a shopping trip coming on...maybe i'll reward myself with a new book when I tackle Tchaikofsky's Piano Concerto!!!!!

KaylaX