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It's a tough and long one, but overall I think you handled it well. You're fast approaching the Etude

Thanks Waltz. Is this one of the pieces you recorded too? I listened to John Frank's version, and I like the slower tempo there.

Hi, I'm starting to get near the end of book 1 now with only Amazing Grace and The Entertainer left but I'm wondering where people bought the all in one book 2? I'm from Europe (Norway more specific.) so I'm having a bit trouble knowing where I should order it from and I should probably order it soon since it'll take time for it to come.

So where did other Europeans order from? I can find the basic book with just the courses but its a bit more troublesome to find the all in one, so I hope to get some opinions from others who made the purchase so I hopefully won't have any problem with getting it.

Also I'm kind of curious, how "long" is the second book, compared to the first book? I'm kind of at least thinking it'll take a bit longer to finish the second one. Since you don't start out with pieces that can be learned in 5minutes at the first pages :p

I've taken a look at the song list and I'm afraid ill get discouraged since there's not many songs that I'm actually looking forward to :p but I hope I won't. Though I'm looking forward to Canon in D even if its far away, been wanting to play that ever since picked up the piano.

Anyways looking forward to join you after some weeks of polishing the last songs in book 1. If anyone got an idea where I can order the 2nd all in one book, would be greatly appreciated.

Quagles..I got mine from Amazon but I am in the U.S. Level two only has 63 songs as compared to level ones 83. The first two songs are a bit easier than the last two songs in book one (The Entertainer and Amazing Grace) but the book ramps up quickly. I have been working on Guantamerea for weeks now. I am not quite happy with the results yet though I can play it mostly without error. I guess I ought to just move on. Alfreds isn't my main method book. My teacher has me working out of "First Lessons in Bach". So I have been trying to finish the Alfreds series on my own. So its going to take awhile.

By the way WELCOME to the Book two Thread... You seemed to blaze through Book one. Glad to have you in our group..

Anyone out there good with notation? This is a general question, so please take a look even if you haven't gotten to this song yet.

In Space Shuttle Blues (page 75), there are 4 beats per measure in a 4/4 time signature. The second measure is two 1/8th notes followed by one half note. That adds up to 3 quarter notes! I understand the tie to the next measure, but I still think they should show another quarter note in that measure. Comments?

That was a very good job indeed! ...only because I know how difficult it is.

This was cool, and easy to play!

Space Shuttle Blues

MiM, thanks for you compliment on Hava Nagila.

You nailed SSB. I remember it being pretty and that's probably why I didn't record it. I remember hearing some others' recordings of it playing at a fast tempo which sounds nice as well. I played it very similar to you, at a sort of moderate Blues tempo. Good job. What's up next for you?

Next is one that is definitely challenging, which is Olympic Procession. I think this is one of those pieces that requires more than just straight playing of the notes, if you know what I mean. There is a certain majestic aura that needs to be captured with dynamics, etc. I will try.

Congrats on the 500 club Waltz!

Oh Lord! What am I in lol? I hadn't noticed my new banner until you just mentioned it

Hi all,

I just finished Book 1, and now I am working on Tumbalalaika on Book 2.

I have 2 questions:
1) On last note, A is tied with previous note, so should I just press on the C and E, and hold A ?
2) I think the fingering of left hand fingering on the last 2 bars is:
5 12 5 5 531
Is it correct ?

Any suggestion is greatly appreciated.

Welcome pianobeginner1! Yes, for that A you are referring to, you just add C and E to the already pressed A, and the fingering is correct.

Hello everyone.

I've also just finished book one. Now working on perfecting Guantanamara, for which I had cheated and skipped ahead to earlier, and on Overture, which I started this morning. I have two questions.

In Guantanamara I'm having some trouble getting the dynamics right. I use a Yamaha ez200 keyboard and have trouble with getting gradations of soft play to sound, well, different. As in, soft, then just a little louder, then back to soft, then to real soft. It all kind of just sounds the same to me. Is this a common problem for the electronic keyboard? Also, I find that trying to play softly I sometimes unwittingly slow my tempo, I think to ensure I get a good tone from each note.

In Overture I'm finding it hard to play the right hand legato notes when there is a simultaneous staccato note or chord played in the left. The hands seem to both want to play either legato or staccato at the same time, but not both at once. Anyone have an exercise or something to help with this?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Welcome to the club JimF, and hope you do well in Book 2.

Is your keyboard touch sensitive? If so, you should be able to hear the difference in sound volume as you press hard. Regarding slowing the tempo, you are right, I now understand why some of the recordings I hear around the forum sometimes suddenly slow the tempo. It looks like some people mistakenly assume cresc. and dimin. marks refer to tempo.

Finally on the staccato and legato issue, what you can do is practice playing with your LH C, D, E, F, and G in a staccato fashion, while at the same time, your RH plays the same notes one octave higher legato. Just do this a few times slowly, alternating between the two hands. I'm sure you'll get it in a few minutes.

I agree with Music-in-Me on learning the legato + staccato technique. I would like to reiterate MiM's point on slowness while practicing. If you do it slowly enough, you will be able to consciously control you hands without too much problem. Slowly increase speed from there and the technique should come.

Pianobeginner and JimE:

Welcome to ABF's Alfred's 2 thread! It's a great place. I only just recently left for the book 3 thread, but I probably hang out here more than there

Thanks for the tip and the welcome, MiM and Waltz. I'll try the little two handed exercise tonight.

MiM - yes, the keyboard is touch sensitive (even has a button to turn that feature off). So, I can hear the difference in sound volume as I press hard. The problem seems to be the smaller gradations, like early in Guantanamara when you are playing piano and there is little cresc. followed by a little dimin.. I assumed those gradations are all the while still playing generally "soft." Is that incorrect? And the slowing down isn't mistaking the cresc/dimin. for tempo, at least in my case -- more like a result of trying to hit the keys so softly that I unconsciously slow down. I'm thinking that maybe the keyboard is just never going to have the full range of expression that is written on the page, although without a regular piano to compare I really don't know if this is the case.

Hmmmmmmm, I smell the justification for an expensive new toy coming up somewhere ;-)

Legato is pretty easy it seems to be the natural way to want to play the songs. I'm running into some staccato issues again with "Calypso Carnival", it seems playing staccato can sometimes make the songs sound so robotic and non musical.

JimE,

How loud to go with the crescendo is, I think, up to the performer. Personally, I agree with you, I would keep it soft in general, not going all the way to a "booming" forte.

Investing in a Digital Piano early in my learning was one of the wisest decisions I've made. This DP was mentioned in an earlier thread:

http://www.casio.com/products/Musical_Instruments/Privia_Digital_Pianos/PX-130/


It seems like a lot of "bang for your buck".

Bobjr:

Nice progress! CC is a tricky piece, but it has a nice rhythm and musicality, you'll eventually bring it out