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

Cool! A month in, huh? glad to know there are some here I can learn along with! Thanks for the welcome! I'll post again when the book comes in and I start.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one. It's kind of putting me off the book. I haven't skipped any song yet, but this one is tempting me to

Welcome Mike. There are quite a few new people here too and I'm sure more will join. You'll have company. Enjoy.

Yeah isn't it pretty interesting? I can almost guarantee the original OP did not think this thread would still be alive and kicking today. Someone might even say the same couple years down the road. lol. As I mentioned before, this thread was made back in 2007!

On another note, lately things have been kind of weird and almost depressing. This last trip that I took kind of messed up my practice schedule and I don't feel bad about taking a break but I can tell that bad habits are forming upon the bad habits already concrete in my technique! lol

So here I go and look for a teacher which is very scarce in my area. I found 3 teachers, called them up, and it was unreal. All 3 were highly expensive (ranging as low as $100 to $150 a month, and it was only bi-weekly classes!) and they were rude like no other. I didn't even have the chance to ask about their credentials because of the disrespect handed to me. Maybe it's because I'm young and they thought I wouldn't be serious. Who knows. Even more disappointing is the fact that they were the only people who listed themselves to the public.

Anyway, how many teachers did you all cycle through before finding your current instructor?

I'm new to PW and pretty excited to find the ABF. Like some of you I took piano for some time as a young kid, but obviously it didn't take, since I was never able to sight-read music.

I wanted to go back to playing a little and even bought one of those inexpensive "toy" keyboards a year ago but it's been sitting in my corner collecting dust. Since finding PW, I've downloaded some free sheet music (easy classical pieces like burgmuller, fur elise, burgmuller's l'arabesque, la pastorale) and found motivation to play a little each day .. sometimes for 3 or 4 hours when I get off of work. I just ordered the Alfred books online (they just arrived yesterday) and hope to learn enough method/theory/technical skills to be able to sight read music (be able to play with both hands, in tempo, reading ahead).

It's funny how I never realized that playing piano is a lot like learning how to type:
need to practice with both hands together, slowly at first, and speed will build up over time.
daily repetition will eventually build skills that make it seem effortless.

I'm supposed to be practicing in Book #2 (just started a couple weeks ago), but I'm making a DVD of some of the pieces from Book #1. Today I was recording Scarborough Fair and...

Scarborough Cat

A little bit sweet.

Well I'm joining you all now. I'm excited to finally learn how to play.

I played the clarinet for about 6-7 years so I can read music...at least the treble clef. I've wanted to learn how to play the piano since I was in 9th grade, 25+ years ago.

I've been reading about buying a piano. I did exactly what I read not to do. I'm now the proud owner of an old piano that most would think isn't worthy to be played. 1956 Cable Nelson Spinet. The cabinet looks great and it was in tune at the little mom & pop music shop I bought it from. They delivered it yesterday and it's still in tune except for one very low note. There is a ringing on two of the mid/low notes. Hopefully it'll hold up for a few years. It was only $475 after taxes and delivery.

I'll be learning without a teacher for awhile. Just getting started with Alfred's AIO book #1 today. I'll also be going through the Bastien Piano For Adults book #1. (I couldn't decide which book to buy so I bought them both.) I'm planning to do 1.5 hours of practice a day broke up into 2-3 sessions.

Honestly, I can't imagine being able to read two different staffs at the same time.

I've been reading this thread for awhile. I'm really impressed with the pieces I've heard some of you recorded and shared. It's encouraging.

Just wanted to say hi and join you all.

Welcome DanGIMP & GracieCat. Very glad you decided to join.

fanatik, sorry to hear about your painful teacher search. I don't have one so I can't give any inputs. Best of luck though. Hope you will find one soon.

Hi, GracieCat and welcome. The Alfred book and the Bastien book will introduce you to playing with both hands gradually, so don't worry. I have two method books also, the Alfred, and Faber Adult Piano Adventures. I have sort of let the Faber book slide, but I do pick it up occasionally. It's hard to focus on both books, but it's good to have supplementary material, and it might just fill in some holes for you.

Well, today I was just tired of my Alfred pieces and my Christmas music, and just wanted something different, so I picked up my Greatest Hits book, which I haven't looked at in several months, and I was pleasantly surprised that I could play several of the songs without too much difficulty. Yippee! I must be learning something after all. :-)

That's great mom3gram. I am very happy for you. Awesome, at least we know we learn something after all these practices. Is it safe to recommend this Method now? Or do we need more proof?

The existence of this huge thread and the other two for books 2 and 3 on what is most likely the largest piano forum on the web was instrumental in my decision to purchase this course. I'd find it hard to believe there's a similar method for the beginner that is more highly recommended. Alfred's could not buy better advertisement. And congrats mom3gram. That just reinforces my belief in this course.

Well put Mike. Just out of curiosity/or you can call it nosy if you like. You seem to have joined PW quite a while ago and have accumulated a good number of posts, why only purchased and started the book now? Spent all these months looking for best mothed? Cheers

No problem, Nguyen. I waited so long because I don't do paypal or credit card on the 'net. I use a money order, and places I usually buy from(local music stores, Musicians Friend, Sweetwater) did not carry it. I finally realised my favorite local bookstore could probably get it for me. It was difficult to choose between all the methods out there, especially when trying to learn without a teacher. But there is so much info in this thread about this course that it was a no-brainer. Confidence in the method you're using to learn is important, and I doubt I could be more confident in this one.

Welcome pianonewb, danGIMP and graciecat.

Fanatik22 - I found my instructor on craigslist and chose partly by the price. I am only taking three lessons per month and my monthly cost is less than the range you posted.

I just realized today practically everyone is working out of the Alfred's All-In-One book one book whereas I'm using the Alfred's basic book one. Looks like the pieces are about the same so I guess my book does not have all the theory so I will have to buy a theory book too. Can anyone comment on this that knows more about the differences?

I was sick and missed two days of practice.

bolt, I think there are some extra songs in All-in-One book, but I am not exactly sure which ones. Alfred's series also do a theory book ,if you want to have a look at that.

I am no further than I was at the end of last week, as I had very little time at the piano over the weekend due to our 'early' Christmas get-together with some friends. We were supposed to play some Christmas carols/songs, but never got to it. in the evening... A bit disappointed, but I will play them for myself and OH this Christmas!

Scarborough Fair is going well - I can play it very slow, so just need to up the tempo a bit and remember to take my foot of the pedal at the right times! Played Raisins and Almonds couple of times, and it is very similar to Scarborough Fair in playing, so shouldn't take long. Maybe I will do them by the end of this week!

Yes I went for the basic version of Book 1 and was annoyed that I missed out on some of the tunes in the all in one. So when I bought book 2 I went for the all in one version only to find it doesn't have all the tunes that are in the basic version! It's missing some nice tunes too including Tumbalalaika which I like (I seem to have a thing for the Jewish music in Alfred) You can't win with Alfred!

No!!!! I love Tumbalalaika!!!! And I have already bought my Book 2 AIO as well...It is so not fair!

Oh well, I better keep concentrating on the last 5 songs in the book before I think about Book 2...

I know! Luckily you can view the music for Tumbalalaika in the "Look inside" feature on Amazon, I learned the piece there

Link!

Thanks for the tip, BazC! (Of to Amazon...)

You're welcome!