There was a thread for this book a while back - say over a year ago - and rather than trying to revive it, I decided to start a new one. I'm using this book as a supplement to my Alfred All-in-One, and I thought maybe there might be some other people using this book also. It's a good book with some really nice pieces.

Right now I'm a little more than halfway through the book, polishing "Sleeping Beauty Waltz". It's pretty easy compared to my Alfred Book 2 pieces, but the fingering is a little tricky in spots. But the important thing is that it is really a pretty piece. Some day when I "grow up", I'm only 65 by the way LOL, I want to learn the real thing.

If there are any others learning from this book, I would love to hear from you.

I teach a few students in this book, so if you have any questions, go ahead and post them! The Sleeping Beauty Waltz is very pretty. A common challenge with this one are the accidentals (sometimes you play b-flat in the LH and sometimes you play B natural). If I recall correctly, the thumbs share (or trade-off) on Middle C a lot.

Yes, I find myself flatting the B-natural sometimes accidentally.

Thanks for offering your help. I'm sure that there will be times when I do have questions and I may take you up on that.

I am using this book and taking 1/2 hour lessons once per week. I've only been playing, if you can call it that, for two months, but am enjoying myself. I've always wanted to play the piano and finally, at 46, decided to take lessons. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book and am pleased with my progress (although my brain understands more than my fingers will do sometimes!). I'm also trying some other "easy" pieces - Beatles easy and Scarborough Faire.

Hi, Jane! Glad to see another adult beginner. I know just what you mean about the brain understanding more than the fingers. LOL

Someone had recently mentioned this favorably, which led me to poke around and find cheap used copy which arrived yesterday. I think that if I were to use this as a method rather than a supplement, I might want to look for book 2 of the series. But first I plan to play through this one and see how I like the music -- the way it moves between the hands looks like it might be fun to play.

tangleweeds - Great minds think alike! I bought book 2 of Adult Piano Adventures when I was more than half-way through Alfred's Adult Piano Book 1 in hopes of using it as a supplement. Piano Adventures moves at a slower pace than Alfred's. Blow the Man Down in Alfred's is about the level where PA book 2 would start, and end about the middle of Alfred's 2. It has a lot more exercises to do, than Alfred's, and I've learned a few good things from it. I'm one of those people who believe that the more music books with varying viewpoints and musical material you have, the better off you are! I found it to be a worthwhile addition.

I bought my Adult Piano Adventures 1 quite a while back, when I was at one of my "stuck" periods in Alfred 1. I read that someone said it was easier. I don't think it's easier - just different. It teaches some stuff that Alfred doesn't cover, and vice versa.

I've moved through it rather slowly, since my main focus has been Alfred's and I only pick it up when I hit a wall with Alfred's and need something easier to play. Right now I'm feeling that the pieces I'm up to in Alfred 2 are over my head, so I'm happy to see that I can work the PA pieces up without struggling. And it helps to switch off books once in a while and get a different perspective.

Emissary52, how do you like the music in the Adult PA 2?

That's my motto too!

I don't have this book, but of course I'm thinking it wouldn't hurt to go through it too.

Hah -- I read that as "I find it to be a worthwhile addiction," which neatly sums up my view of my sheet music habit. I too get a lot out of looking at different methods and approaches to teaching & learning piano, and using them to find and work on my strengths and weaknesses.

Plus my inner hunter-gatherer thrives upon scouring the internet for bargains on elusive items, and then I get packages...

mom3gram - There are some nice pieces in there. It was a lot of fun to learn Brahm's Lullaby, which I won't get to, in Alfred's, for a while! Some of the songs are the same ones that are in Alfred's 1 & 2 and are in different keys! It feels different from Alfred's in a good way! mom3gram - I think this would definitely be a good book for you! It's a nice change-of-pace and you end up learning some valuable concepts (like Alberti Bass) much sooner than you do with Alfred's (it's in Bk 3)! Pedaling and inversions are well-explained too! I'm glad I bought it! I wonder how my buddy Nguyen is doing?

Me too! I miss Nguyen's posts. I hope he is still finding time to practice, and that he will drop in here one of these days.

Yes, the brain and the fingers - sometimes I think they're not attached at all!

I like this book, I do feel like I'm progressing nicely - and I'm looking forward to getting my first DP (a Casio px130 is being delivered on Friday - great for my budget, but probably not what I'll have in a few years) as I've been practicing on a 61 key, non-touch sensitive keyboard. I hope to progress faster, and certainly will be able to practice forte, piano etc. as well as using a sustain pedal (can't on what I'm using). Exciting!

Jane, I started on an inexpensive 61 key keyboard too. Now I have a Casio AP-200 digital piano. It will probably take you a few days to a week to get used to the touch, but you will be happy with the results. I'm still working on pedalling. I can use it on some pieces, but on some of the more difficult ones it just adds to the confusion. LOL

mom3gram, thanks much for the encouragement! I've been having a difficult time with my teacher's DP (a Yamaha p80) and then coming home and practicing on the keyboard. I'm quite excited about being able to try to follow the music better. Since I haven't been able to pedal at home (and just trying to tell my foot to pretend it's there doesn't work), it's been tricky at best during the lesson.

Hi Jane, I see you are on the Central Coast of CA... I was born and raised there and attended both Cuesta Collage and Cal Poly. Took Computer Science, maybe I should have taken music looking back now. I started on a 78 key yamaha but moved to an Upright piano when I started taking lessons. It does make a difference.

Hello wj3, yes lucky me! I'm going to be using a Casio px130 starting tomorrow, but expect to graduate from that in a few years. Are you enjoying Oregon?

Golly I misspelled college. Doesn't say much for my education. Yes we like Oregon very much. Weather is alot different than the Central Coast. Spent my last few years there living in Paso Robles. Congratulations on the Casio. I think you will really enjoy it.

wj3, Sometimes the place feels like a collage! (wink)

The Casio was waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. I promptly set it up and tried it out - it is so much better than the keyboard I was working with, but I can see I have a lot of work to do about finger strength. I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

Congratulations on your new arrival! Enjoy!

thanks tangleweeds, will do! Pity my parents are in town for the weekend (just kidding!).

Today I worked on a piece called "Summer Mountain Rain". It appears to be an exercise in learning to go up or down an octave, using the whole keyboard, as well as to play loud and soft. It sounds like thunder and raindrops. The octave changes got a little confusing, but I think I'm playing it correctly. Cute little piece.

I have been playing with the Mountain rain too. It is a really nice piece, I like the use of the pedal and getting the Forte as loud as I can.

Back to my Adult PA book now, just finished "Danny Boy". It was fairly easy. I'm not Irish, but I've always loved this song. I hope to learn a more advanced version some day. :-)

It's really fun to switch books when I get stuck on one. Right now I'm working between Alfred Adult All-In-One, Book 2, Adult Piano Adventures, Bastien Basic, and Essential Piano Repertoire. And my Christmas music too. When I get stuck in one book, I just turn to the next page in another one. It keeps me from being bored, and I get to learn a lot of different music.

Which book are you using for your christmas music.

I have the Alfred Adult Merry Christmas Book 1, as well as a Bastien Christmas Favorites (not sure which level - book is downstairs). And an Alfred 1B Top Christmas Hits, with all the "fun" songs like Frosty, and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, stuff I can entertain the grandkids with.

Thanks, I see if the music store has any of these.



Oh my

A local music shop is going out of business and had books for 50% off and I found Adult Piano Adventures Book 2 in the pile so I bought it. I've thumbed through the opening pages and like what I see. My teacher has me using a book I've never seen mentioned here, Progressive Piano Book 1 (finished that last month) and Book 2 (just getting underway). I like to have books and think that one book may explain a concept better than another method.

I have lessons on a Yamaha 61 key keyboard that has a semi weighted keyboard I think. At home I have a Casio PX-800 88 key DP with fully weighted keys and I also play on a Korg SV-1 73 key DP with weighted action.

I too live on the Central Coast in Grover Beach, small world!

edited to add; My favorite book right now by far is Masterworks Classic's level 1-2 http://www.amazon.com/Masterwork-Classic...9879&sr=8-3 Not a method book of course but it has some really fun classical arrangments (I am not ready to play Village Dance but I learned it anyway, don't tell my teacher). It is an Alfreds' book as well.

We're going to a music store this week to get some Christmas music, I'll have to check this book out! I, too, like to have more than one view point. I know I learn different things in different ways, a variety of explanations help reinforce the information.

After concentrating on Christmas music for the last two months, I went through my stash of books today and picked up where I left off in my Faber Adult 1. I reviewed "Danny Boy" and "Marriage of Figaro". I decided that it's about time that I put some serious time in to finish this book. There are a lot of good pieces ahead.