Ive noticed that Alfred now publish a Premier Piano Course along with its own dedicated website and materials.

Does anyone know how this course compares to the Adult All in One course that I'm currently using ?

Is this a replacement course ? Will it take me further etc etc ?

SL,
It's very likely the Alfred’s Premier Piano Course is an update/replacement to their dated version, the Alfred’s Basic Piano Library. It’s written for children. The Adult series has a completely different selection of pieces than the Basic Library. I don’t know the content of the Premier Course, but I don’t think it has any of the Adult series.

Have a read here. It looks very promising but if you go for it, you'd have to deal with all the kiddy stuff.

http://www.alfred.com/img/pdf/Piano/51114_103732_PPC_Ped.pdf

Yes, Nguyen is right, it's their updated version of their kids' course, rumored to be similar to the Faber Piano Adventures. The kids' course is probably more thorough than the adult course, and may move a little slower, but like Nguyen said, you will have to deal with the little made-up songs and nursery rhymes geared toward the little kids. You will also end up buying several more books than using the adult course.

Thanks for the replies. Given what you've said I think I will just stick with the Adult course. I also noticed a book called 'The Complete book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios & Cadences' which is part of the Alfred Basic Piano Library. Im going to give this a go when I've finished Level 1.

has anyone used this book themselves ?

SmokestackLightnin,

The Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios, & Cadences is a very solid book of technique drills. I would start using it right now, but just focus on a couple of exercises per key. For example: start with scales hands separate and the cadences. When you get through the most common keys (up to three or four sharps and flats), you can revisit them, adding in more of the exercises.

Here are a couple of other links for books that you may want to look at:

This one is a bit more expensive and might be a bit harder to come by. It's the reference book for scales used in RCM examinations (Canada). (There might be a more recent version, but this is the one that came up in sheetmusicplus.com) It has a few more common patterns than Alfred's version.
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/The-...dition/18354912

If you want a book that is free and has more step by step approaches to improving and learning your scales and arpeggios, look for Cooke's Mastering the Scales and Arpeggios. Here's a copy someone on the forums has posted:
http://www.mediafire.com/?9mboe91hxmy

Rich

I started with the Alfred's Adult All-In-One course, but quickly became bored with it. I just couldn't stand the music. I'm actually using the Premiere Piano Course because even though it's geared toward kids, I find it to be much more comprehensive in theory and the music is very appealing. I don't mind the kid's stuff at all. I'm using the Lesson, Theory, and Performance books. I'm picking up things much more quickly with this course than I did with the All-In-One course.