Oh Becca I'm sorry, that is so sad.
And you are going with Alfred's too. I hope you keep us posted on this thread with your progress anyway.

I, on the other hand, have already started book 2 of Accelerated PA and my assignments are "Malagueña", "Mysterious Casbah" and "Rowing on a Stormy Sea".
I didn't really think they were all that musical at first but then I played them at their original tempos and now I see what everyone is talking about. I LOVE them and can't stop practicing!

I'm still going to work out of the books on my own, so your not losing me. I just bookmarked the last section that I need to do in book 1 of accelerated, then I can move to book 2.

Ragtime.. do you find your teacher skips you ahead a lot?

Loving what you practice is such a bonus!

Congrats then on almost being done with book 1! I can't say much about that one since I didn't use it but book 2 is a blast!

Well, prior to starting Piano Adventures I was dipping here and there in Alfred's AIO 1 so I did think we were skipping a lot and that is part of why I spoke to my teacher about following through method books. I wanted a planned approach in which I could see where I was going and what was expected of me (and to have some beginner literature I could refer to later on).

Judging from the songs I am currently working on I find starting with Accelerated PA 2 is understandable. How fast a student learns just depends on the person and doesn't really matter in my opinion. I would rather work at my own pace even if it is slow so as to not turn playing into a bore and keep me interested for a long time. Maybe that is why I am not planning on doing exams anytime soon - though I must say, RCM's and Keith Snell's repertoire selection are very appealing.

Ragtime thanks for the invite here.

I have the Adult piano adventures 1 and 2, and have only just now gotten my digital piano set up; it's set up in an office trailer I've been using for storage and I'm just getting power run out to it. So I am really starting from Square One.

Then your books are just the right fit!

I think you will like Faber & Faber's arrangements. They are one of the series' strong suits!

Thanks! I read a ton on here and a bit on other places, and the consensus seems to be that Piano Adventures just edges out Alfred's for learning, and that many have both.

I guess I am also free to try out the kids' Piano Adventures books too if I like. I found a few in a used book store but they were all doodled up by some kid!

@fingers.....welcome to the forums! Not sure if you are interested, but there is a group of piano players in Berkely that meet at a senior center each month. The website is http://east-bay-musical-chairs.blogspot.com/

I finished the Alfred Adult book one but my teacher and I switched to PA (regular not adult) and I really like it.

That's great, KBS1607! What level PA are you in?

I just started out a week ago or so, I'm on page 42-43. This is in the Adult Piano Adventures book 1.

It's pretty cool; I'm actually starting to read music!

Hey Ragtimefordrones. that's an interesting user name, why did you choose it?

As for mine, it serves me well. I was doing some work involving BIG thistle plants and digging up and breaking up some very old rotten pallets, and of courses those are full of large spines and rusty nails, respectively. I purposely work without gloves because bare hands allow me to feel what I'm working with better.

Because I like the drone effect but most importantly because I don't think I'll ever have the soul to play ragtime.

Uh,

wut?

Does ragtime have a drone effect in it? I don't know a lot of musical fun-duh-mentals so it's a serious question. When I think of the drone effect I think of the drone strings on a sitar.

I'm wondering if I should look at some of the regular (kids') PA books. I found some in a used book store but they had a ton of doodles in them! :-)

I was learning Faber Adult Book Two but I find it confusing and disorienting. So I went out and bought some kid's Piano Adventures Book Two A and I", going to start again from there. This will be about my millionth time starting a new method of learning the piano. I think the first book might be a little too easy but I prefer that and then gradually moving into more challenging stuff.I found trying to learn the adult books was like being jerked around in an out of control car. And I enjoy the kid's drawings.

I am actually starting Book Two. But at the bottom of some pages it says teacher's duet and then student plays one octive higher. Does this mean I actuaaly transpose this teacher's duet? It looks more advanced then the other pieces.

alans, if you have a teacher, the teacher can play the duet part while you play the regular piece. This gives a fuller sound to the music. They're more advanced than the student music, and students aren't expected to be able to play the teacher's duet.

Finishing up Book 1 this week, that is so exciting to me.

I have not played through all the scales and arpeggio's at the end of the book. How does everyone handle these? My teacher said that I can do them as I please, just wondering what everyone else does.

PianoPraise how long did you work on Book one?

Does everyone here have a teacher? I hope I can still move forward with this book without a teacher?

I like the music arrangement in this book, recorded a couple of simple ones. Welcome any comments and critics.

Wish4 Thing, I love love love your rendition of Whirling Leaves.

You have all the notes correct on the Classical Dance. Here's a thought on expression for it -- what would it sound like if you lightened up on beat 2? Right now it sounds like you're stabbing it, and emphasizing it more than any of the other beats. I'm thinking of something almost like a sigh on beat 2 -- three ONE {sigh} three and ONE {sigh} etc.

Thank you for posting these. I enjoyed listening to them.

wish4thing, great recordings! You have just started book 2? How are you liking it? I have a teacher and lately we have stopped working out of the last 3 or 4 pieces in book 1. She has plans to go back, but she wanted to "push me" with some intermiate pieces she selected. I read that you were self taught. You have much stronger discipline than I! Good luck with your learning, and by the sound of it, it will go well!
david

Thanks, PianoStudent88! (I feel like calling you PianoTeacher now:) I really needed feedback like that, it helps me to improve my dynamics. I'll re-do the Classical Dance piece. Thanks again!

Whirling Leaves reminded me of an old piece I played long time ago, Autumn Ballad. It was way over my level back then... but now with whirling leaves, I kept thinking of autumn:)

Thanks for the encouragement, djheinen! Hope to listen to your recordings some day!

I'm about finishing up Alfred's All-in-one Level one book. While I'm still practicing the last song, I started Faber's book (as PianoStudent88 suggested some time ago). At the beginning, I felt like a big stepback going from last songs in Alfred to Faber's accelerated lesson book 2. But I do realize that my weak spot is my dynamics, and this "stepback" is a good way to help me to leap forward in the future, hopefully:)

I'm not as disciplined as I should... I have been playing on and off... every year I started from Jan (new year resolution of course ) and stopped for the rest of the year... I hope I will do better this year with all the encouragement and support from this forum!

I know for sure that you with a teacher will improve a lot faster than I do!

It has taken me a little over a year. I don't know if this is a normal pace, but I was a complete beginner. I also had a hard time moving to another piece until I got the current one almost perfect.

I am happy with my progress.

I do have a teacher, I need the accountability when things get tough

Is anyone on piano adventures book 4? I just saw a wonderful clip on YouTube of kids playing one of nancy's songs called Chanson. It is so beautiful and sweet. I can't wait to get there.

PianoPraise one year on Book One is commendable. I think you must have put a lot of hard work into it if you were a complete beginner before.

Hiya Alans. I'm working in book 1 accelerated adventures. I think the level doesn't really matter (kids, accelerated, adult) as they are all good.

Wish: I started out with no teacher and used Faber to teach myself the basics, then I got a teacher, now I'm not sure if I have one or not so I might be going back to self teaching again! LOL (yeah that's complicated.) I haven't had a teacher for long (maybe 5 lessons total) but I didn't notice any great leaps in learning. Still the same plodding along but the teacher was able to show me tricks to getting through some tough hang ups. YMMV

Thanks, Becca and PianoPraise.

Becca, I always believed I can learn everything by myself...:) until I saw my friend's kid making huge leap because of changing to a new teacher... now I'm convinced a good teacher can help a great deal... However, since my job is very demanding and I travel a lot too, I didn't feel like adding more stress by having to go to lessons regularly, especially on weekends.

I did went to one performance class with my friend's kid, it lasted several hours, that's the only long hour class I can sit through:) and I felt I learned alot from that one class!

Another impression I got is that, Faber's books are preferred by teachers?