Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1

Ben.. I think you will get all of the theroy you will need in Alfreds all in one. Twenty six bucks seems alot for what you would get. Alot of people like the Idiots guide to music theroy as a reference....

Carl Humphries book The Piano Handbook is a beautiful book. It seems to move a little fast as a method book and really focuses on classical. I have the Handbook and the workbook and someday will sit down and go through them. Right now I am working on Alfreds AIO book two and "First Lessons in Bach"

I hope I answered your question.

wj3, yes you've answered that question. Thanks!

Will the Alfred AIO books ensure that I'm keeping the rhythm? I've been researching online for how to practice the rhythm of a new song and I'm getting conflicting answers. Some say to plow through the song by only learning the notes, then learn the rhythm, and others say to plow through the song by learning the notes and the rhythm because of muscle memory. What do I do? How do I learn the rhythm of a song? Metronome? Counting aloud? When do I do this and how long do I do this?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-5-Ways-To-Develop-Your-Piano-Rhythm&id=946590

That website is one of the few with clear cut instructions and I'm looking for concrete instructions on how to train my brain to learn the rhythm.

Carl Mc, on this forum, said "count aloud '1,2,3,4' when counting 1/4 & 1/2 notes. I use the '1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and' when counting 1/8 notes and dotted 1/4 notes."

If that's what I have to do, then I'll do it! I just need to know when and how long to count aloud, use a metronome or anything else. If there's a website resource for this, you may simply give me that. Thanks!

Don't use the metronome until you have learned the notes, its just too much to contend with while learning the notes...Count the smallest notes. Say the song has 1/8 notes then count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. if its just quarter notes count 1, 2, 3, 4. I have a little book called "Basic timing for the Pianist" by Alan Small. Its published by Alfred.... I think I got it at Amazon. Anyway its a bunch of little exercises you play that helps with your timing. Another book I have is called Sight Reading Piano. Also published by Alfred. Its written for kids (I got over it) but it includes exercises in which you clap the rythym while counting and play while counting. Its really helps alot.

P.S. I just looked at that website and yes its five pretty good ways to learn rhythm. I think I use all of them....

@benghaner1: I don't think that the Alfred AIO book itself will ensure that you keep to the rhythm. It is you who will have to do that by yourself. Since you've been playing for a while already, I'm sure you already have the basics of music theory under your belt (time signatures, note values...). Maybe you just need practice in applying what you already know. Since you're keen on developing your rhythm, it is probably a good idea to get a beginner book that has very simple pieces that will help you get the hang of COUNTING and keeping to the rhythm without much trouble (with very simple pieces you don't need to concentrate so much on the notes but on the beat itself). I think any reputable Level One book or repertoire collection can help you with that.

I have an atrocious sense of rhythm, and that's what I specifically told my teacher during our first lesson. Thankfully, my teacher taught me how to count and with some practice, I can now play the songs at my level at the correct rhythm (something that I marvel to even now ). When I've more or less internalized the rhythm that I don't need to count constantly, I tap my foot at times (like with a whole note for example) to make sure I don't rush it. Playing with the metronome comes last - it's an invaluable tool but playing with the metronome on too early would probably just frustrate you. Nowadays I use it more for checking my rhythm, not to build it. And if you've never played with the metronome before, don't expect it to 'get it' on your first try. My teacher told me I was one of the few students she has that could keep time with the metronome, but that's because I've practiced countless gruelling hours with it before....

Another thing...I find that playing pieces you don't know is great for honing rhythm. That's because your previous knowledge of the song does not color your own playing. I find that when I know the tune of the piece, I rely more on my knowledge than on counting the notes, and that's where I trip up (often, the arrangement of the piece I'm working on is a bit different than the tune I have in my head).

Update...... I had my piano lesson a while ago and I feel like a learned a lot today, especially on how to play more smoothly and putting accents. I passed both O Sole Mio and Jericho but The Stranger still needs polishing. At least I got the go-signal to start working on Greensleeves. I also hav 2 new short pieces and 1 other long piece assigned (not from Alfred). Lots of 'homework' to do...and I'm loving it There are so few pages left at the back of the Alfred book but they sure take a long time to finish!

We went to a couple of piano stores on the week end and I think we are actually buying a Yamaha Clavinova CLP 330. The store will get them in a week or two. I'm excited and scared at the same time. What am I doing? I'm totally obsessed with the piano. And I can't stop thinking about getting an acoustic next. Right now I only practise in the evenings when the kids are asleep. Acoustic makes no sence at this point. And I want to make sure I am not going to quit before I buy an instrument. My husband says he doesn't want to hear about it at least for a year and then, if I'm still playing we can start looking at our options. So instead of being glad about Clavinova I'm living a year ahead in my imagination. Upright or grand? Such happy thoughts.

What is this 'Greatest hits level 1'that is mentioned in the book (page 54). I have googled but to no avail. Can anyone direct me to a webpage where I can purchase it?

Fizzy243,

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title...se-Greatest-Hits-Level-1-Book-CD/4105065

http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic...nstruments&qid=1250542459&sr=8-8

Cheaper on amazon.com because it doesn't come with the cd, which I don't think you'll need for these simple pieces.

Anyways, so, I'm done. I just finished playing Amazing Grace without error a few times and so now I'm moving on to book 2 Finally...it's been fun though.

I've already started with book 2 while I was working on Amazing Grace and it's going well. The first few pages are just review so that's good. Anyways, I'll see you guys in the book 2 message board or whatever it's called. Good luck everyone. Keep practicing

Congrats Romolo, I'll catch you in thread two shortly.

Kanadaka, I have a sort of similar deal going with my hubby. We went for an older used piano, its not bad, but I get piano envy everytime I play on my teacher's Yamaha piano. Our deal is when I finish the Alfred series (all 3 books) we'll look at upgrading. I think that is fair, as if I stick it out that long, I'm probably with it for the long haul.

Does anyone have The Stranger down or already have it recorded and can upload it? It must be one of those ones that is in the AIO but not the basic, as PianoNoob doesn't have it. Thanks in advance if you can!

Wow~! Congrats Romolo! I'm looking forward to catching up with you on Book 2 as well

BarbVa.. I have a recording of The Stranger... Its not my best recording but I think it will help. Here it is.....

http://www.box.net/shared/s8iq9lb7r0

Good luck...

Thanks Romolo....I've been searching ages for the thing

Thanks Wj3, great job that sounds really nice. I can't believe I'm getting ready to start that, it sounds like REAL piano playing, lol.

Thanks BarbVA. Yes the Stranger is alot of fun to play. The songs just keep getting more and more like real music. Have Fun.....

This is a great book. I'm practicing the amazing grace too. Also I wish I could play the moonlight sonata. I also found a great free ebook on www.pianoencyclopedia.com to give me a few "begginer's theories on chords"

Wow thanks Koolaws...I've been looking for something exactly like this. Some sort of chart with all the major and minor chords to print out. Thanks

Yeah, thanks for the link. Good little free download reference.
My only criticism of the PianoEncyclopedia charts is that they do not include fingering (you know, 1 on G, 3 on E, 5 on C, etc...)
Maybe the fingering explanation is buried in the text and I have not found it yet, but as for being on the charts themselves, I would like to see fingering.
Especially for the "wider" beyond 5ths chords.
Unless... omission of fingering is intentional, and the author assumes you should first progress to the point where fingering is taken for granted.

Thanks again for the link,
AC

I still cannot do the "Can-can", having problems around the 3rd, 5th measures and so on when you play to notes in same succession, with a triple chord, and when you have to change which finger plays the same key. Terrible explanation, but I just can't seem to do manage doing it right unless I just do two chords instead of three, my hands doesn't want me to do the third.

"Why am I blue" is pretty much down though, I think at least but some notes are played a bit uneven, but since its blues I think that's ok. Starting to sound right but having slight trouble figuring out the final measure but I don't think that's much of a problem.

I have taken a look at both "Good People" and "Little Brown Jug" and actually tempted to try Little brown jug first but we'll see. But what does playing with emphasis mean in piano? I see it says so in the "Little Brown Jug" but I'm not sure if I understand it. How is it any different from playing the notes the normal way?

I'm going to start piano lessons in September. I'm so excited. Just had a trial lessons yesterday and loved it. My teacher thought I did pretty good on my own. I hope I made a right decision and will be able to practise enough to make lessons worth it. She thinks we can finish level 1 pretty quickly (I'm up to Go down Moses) and then decide what we want to do next.

Well I'm back from vacation in California and back to practicing. Yosemite was beautiful, albeit very dry so the waterfalls were not their usual amazing selves. But we made it to the High Sierra on a lovely day hike out of Tuolumne Meadows (for those of you who know and love Yosemite) and that was nourishing for the soul.

Since I've been away two weeks, I'm solidifying what I thought was pretty much done, i.e. LBJ and Chiapanecas. But it won't be long before I'll be able to move on from there.

Welcome to Kanadka - I also have kids, two of them, ages 10 and 11. So much changes between age 3 and age 10 of course, so it's hard to compare. I would say though that when kids observe parents doing something that they love, especially something beautiful and authentic like teaching themselves to play piano, they can't help but be affected in a positive way. Provided it stays in balance, I think it's a great thing.

My entry into piano was the opposite way: my son stuck with his lessons for four years, and inspired me to get into it. It was when we were researching together the purchase of his (our) new piano - we ended up with a Young Chang Platinum 5'3" baby grand that we all love - that I caught the bug myself. Now I have added a used Yamaha P90 digital that I purchased from Craigslist, because I am shy about my lame playing in front of my family. It's in the basement, and it has become my special zone.

Marimorimo - congratulations on your progress! Maybe if I work hard in the next few weeks I can catch up.

Best to all, great to be back on the wonderful world of AIO Book 1 on the ABF.