Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Alfred's Basic and All in One Adult Piano Course Book #2

Yes if I don't play a tune for a while it does get pretty rusty so I try to play half a dozen or so review pieces every day to keep them memorised. You only need to play them through once or twice so it doesn't take long. They're never quite as smooth as when I'm practising them properly though.

I started reviewing some of my later Book 1 pieces. I'm reviewing a few pieces each day, in addition to what I'm working on in Book 2. When I get to ones that I really want to keep, I will put them on my playlist, and continue to review them daily. I hate that I worked so hard to learn them and then forgot them so easily.

I started practicing the first phrase of "Alexander's Ragtime Band" today. I'm going to really like this one!

Unfortunately, I will be away from the piano for a week, starting Wednesday, so I will need to do a lot of "makeup" work when I get back.

Sorry for my poor participation here. I know I said I was going to cruise through some Book 2 pieces, but I am finding myself putting a lot of time in my recital piece. I'll be back soon.

Always Wanted to Play Piano, your name is so long it crunches all the titles on the AB forum...

And this post fixes it... lol

Working forever on Guantanamera.
Theme from overature done.
Light & Blue coming along.
Hungarian Rhapsody just started.

Well, I'd have chosen "Mark..." but it was already taken. And it's not my name. Two major strikes against that. So I went with the next best thing.

Actually, doesn't it wrap?

It crunches the thread titles for me until I post...:)

I'm mostly just bumping this thread back up to page 1.

I returned from a week long trip to Georgia to visit family, and am back to working on "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and reviewing previous pieces. It only took me a couple of tries to get my fingers working again.

Glad to see you back, lively and happy mom3gram. Welcome home

I hit a snag on the first bar of the second page of "Alexander's..". It looks simple enough, but my left hand just isn't cooperating. I've played just that section over and over again today but I can't execute it smoothly. Gee, the first page went so well that I thought this one would be a piece of cake.

I struggled with that section too mom3gram but eventually it started to come.

I'm ramping up on the Hokey-Pokey. It's got that dangerous combination of "touch, but annoying". I tend not to finish such pieces.

I am in two books Two. Alfred's Adult AND Alfred's All-in-One book Two. I have a problem with collecting books. Guantanamera is giving me fits though. I have a problem with timing. I am much better at sight reading the notes. When my French horn playing daughter is home again I am going to get her to help me with this.

Kim in IL

I have a problem with collecting books too. As a matter of fact, I just ordered a set of Alfred Premier Piano Success Kit 1A yesterday. After a recent discussion here and a read through its very promising Pedagogy, I have the urge to see what it’s all about. LOL.

Guantanamera has been and will always be giving almost everybody fits. Everyone else also has problem with timing, if by timing you mean rhythm & counting.

Hang in there Kim

Thanks so much. Does everyone else hate metronomes, also? My teacher says it's because the metronome is the boss of me. I am getting much better at working on pieces rather than just acting like a 7 yr old and not doing it. I spent the first five years of lessons acting like I needed a mom to make me practice. I am glad to find these forums.

Kim in IL

Ha ha! I'm a book collector too. I have a large collection of level 1 books, and now I'm expanding that with a collection of level 2 books. LOL I am also a watercolor artist, and have a VAST collection of watercolor books.

"Guantanamera" - didn't like it much but got through it. Probably never got it up to optimum speed. I too have a problem with timing - and I can only seem to play with the metronome once I've got the timing down myself - which sort of defeats the purpose.

"Light and Blue" is coming up for you - a nightmare in timing and rhythm for me. I'm still working on it.

As Nguyen says, hang in there. :-)

Started on La Bamba, looks like this one is going to take me a while.

If you're looking for something to supplement book 2, I can recommend Carol Barratt's The Classic Piano Course book 2 as well. It's around the same level, but not as focused on the chord approach. It's got a similar selection of different music genres, with perhaps a bit more classical music.

I had barely figured out the timing for La Bamba when I broke my arm. I finally got it by slowing it down to where I was counting each bar as 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and (= 8 beats) & had JUST got it up to something like normal speed. Knowing I'll have to relearn it has been one of the WORST things about not being able to play for the past 4 weeks!

Ouch Carol. Didn't knowy ou broke your arm. Get well soon!

I put the entire Book 2 CD into my iPod and listen every morning on my train to work. I have to admit, there aren't many I like except for 1, "Introduction to Dance". :sigh:

Ouch! When does your cast come off? You may have to take it very slow and easy for a while when it does, and maybe even find some physical therapy exercises to do to limber up.

It shouldn't take you as long to learn La Bamba the second time around. Or you could just take a pass on it if you really don't want to go through that again.

Here's hoping that you heal fast and well.