Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1

dukeofhesse. Its a fun song to play once you get the hand of it. Keep after it you can do it.

Ughhh, I've hit a point where nothing I'm supposed to work on between now and my next lesson excites me. I'm up to Lone Star Waltz, Cafe Vienna, Lullaby. She said to work one song at a time and ONLY move to the next one when I feel comfortable with the one I'm working on. I'm fairly comfortable with LSW, but not in a big hurry to start Cafe Vienna.

In my Greatest Hits book, I'm up to the Rainbow Connection (from the Muppet Movie). And in another book she has me work out of, she assigned Wild Gallop, plus wants me to continue working on all the pieces I've been working on to date. Plus my scales, arpeggios, cadences, and Hanon aeroboics.

For the first time since I started this journey two months ago, I feel like a little kid who doesn't want to practice, but the mommy voice keeps saying "you have to".

I'm sure this is a natural progression and great things are waiting for me soon if I persevere. Do you all hit these lulls where the excitement has escaped you, but you know its still out there if you just keep moving forward? If so, how do you deal with it?

BarbVA,

It sounds like you are spread thin. Using multiple sources is nice but it can become overwhelming. I can certainly relate to the "ugh" feeling with having to learn certain pieces. Each sequential Alfred's piece (in general) teaches some new technique or concept and that has always been my motivation to learn pieces which don't interest me musically (my interests are strictly classical). I think your "natural progression" sentence is very correct but I also know it is nice to enjoy the journey as well... I don't know. My post probably isn't helpful but I (and probably most here) can certainly relate to your sentiments.

Yep, I am there with "Little Brown Jug" I know I need to practice this one... but I am just not feeling it.

Of the three you mentioned - Cafe Vienna was the only one I did enjoy.

I just get frustrated a lot. I'm currently a little more than halfway through "Tomorrow" but I just can't play it correctly with any consistency. And I keep making the same mistakes over and over and over (and over) again.

There are so many times that I wish I'd started when I was a kid, but then again, maybe I would have hated the lessons and who knows if I would have kept up with it. Now I'm 40 and I'll go at my own damn pace

BarbVA,
It's interesting that you feel a little down about practicing because for the first time since I started three and a half months ago, I feel the same.

I just got through Little Brown Jug but I'm not proud of my accomplishment because it was sloppy. But I was starting to develop attitude and decided enough was enough.

Now I'm on Chiapanecas and I have to force myself to practice.
WJ3 was kind enough to post a video of how it should be played and I started really feeling bad because I know that I am so far from ever playing it that well. In fact, I'll probably never get that good. I need to get an attitude adjustment. So I know what you are going through.

Hi guys, it looks as though you are going through the practice blues. I think you are all doing quite well. I think maybe that BarbVA's teacher is really pushing the work on her.

As you get further into the Alfreds book the songs start getting more difficult to learn and you have to give yourself more time to get the songs under hand. My biggest error is to try to play to fast. When I do I don't give my brain time to keep up with the music. So I make the same mistakes over and over again effectively memorizing the mistake instead of the right notes.

I try not to compare myself with other players. There are alot of people who can play better than me. I also have to realize that the person who is playing so well has put alot of effort and time to learn to play as well as they do.

So anyway give yourselves a break and try to enjoy the journey. Its a complicated skill to learn. As for me I too wish I had started as a child and I will probably not be a great pianist, but I will be as good as I can be.

Thank you all for the welcome here. I started book 1 last night and left off at page 54-55 when I finally forced myself to go to bed! It's going pretty quickly for me, but it's getting a little more challenging.

I have to agree with wj3's post above me. I think almost everyone reaches a plateau where they just don't feel like practicing anymore...I know at times I have. Just in my own personal situation, I've always wanted to be able to play the piano...ever since I was around 6 years old when I saw the neighbors old upright in their living room. My mom couldn't afford a piano much less lessons for me and when I was able I decided to take the plunge and I'm so glad I did.

When I start feeling a bit down, I go to YouTube and watch some great videos of a particular pianist who plays Broadway/movie pieces. That's my motivation right there...I want to be able to play like him someday...he makes it look so effortless.

Anyway, don't give up!

Enough rambling and back to practicing!

How fun to find this thread! I have always wanted to learn how to play the piano, and now at 53, I am finally giving myself this gift. AWESOME!
I am on page 88 - 90 of the Alfred's #1 book. Raisins & Almonds is not exactly a catchy tune to say the least, but I am struggling through it. This thread is an inspiration.

How often and for how long do you all practice?

Hi Patty, welcome to the thread! Raisins and Almonds is one of my favorite tunes from the book playing wise, it's not something I would choose to listen to but I do enjoy playing it!

I put in between 1 and 2 hours a day.

Welcome to the forums Pattylynn. Looks like you are working on the infamous "Blow the man down". Page 89. It was one of my milestone songs in the book. Raisins and Almonds is also a fun song to play. Glad to have you on the thread. Please keep us informed as to your progress.

Thank you. I am glad I found you guys; it gives me hope!

I decided I need to put in more practice time; so this morning I followed the advice of someone earlier on this thread, and went back to the beginning of Alfred's # 1, and started all over. I had never used the pedal and by the time I got to Raisins & Almonds, the pedal was too hard to pick up. So it is back to the beginning for me, this time with the pedal. UGH!

My teacher doesn't want me to use the pedal. He wanted me to learn to play finger legato. So I didn't now I am to the point that I need to learn to use the pedal too. So I did just what you did. I went back to the beginning. At least its easier the second time around.

I practice between 1 and 2 hours a day. Mostly closer to one.

Welcome Pattylynn! I made it up to Blow the Man Down last night...I'm progressing fairly quickly, but I know I'm going to slam into a wall soon. The place I have trouble with is that D7th chord...just feels so awkward! But I took the suggestion of sliding your fingers up the keys and it definitely does help. I do fine on the songs...except I forget to apply the dynamics like the Forte, pedal and crescendo, etc...not good!

Yesterday I practiced probably about 4 hours, but that's not the daily norm for me because we babysit our 2-1/2 year old granddaughter M-F. I really have to make up for it on the weekends. Going off to practice now!

I just wanted to say welcome Pattylynn and Guinnie, glad you both decided to join us, sounds as if you are both making great progress. Keep up the good work!

Welcome to both of you. I'm pretty new here myself. Bought my piano on Jan. 4 and my Alfred AIO book 1 on Jan. 15. Ideally, I like to practice an hour in the morning and an hour at night but recently it's been all in one sitting for an hour or two.

Did either of you get the Greatest Hits Volume 1 companion book?

hi everyone,

I used to similar book too. Is thrill to find out that this book is so popular among the adult beginners.

I'm currently learning Greensleeves. Btw, i usually listen to PianoNoob in Youtube. Is great that he posted up all the song the in book. Do I consider myself cheating?

No, Amanda, it's not cheating. A lot of us listen to Alex's (PianoNoob) Youtube pieces as a guide. It's especially helpful if you are not familiar with the song, but you suspect that the awful noise coming out of your own piano is not how it should sound. :-)

I also check from time to time to hear his newest pieces, as they give me inspiration for the future.

I listen to Youtube alot when trying to figure out how a piece is supposed to sound. It really helps me to hear the song correctly before trying to figure it out.

I guess I am somewhat of a slackard, I TRY to practice an hour a day, but usually get in 30 minutes or so. Work has a way of taking up more of my time than I like!

When I began playing late last fall, I was playing from several songbooks, and able to play each song a few minutes before moving on to another one. Now, as the songs are getting harder in the Alfred #1 book, and the pedal has added a whole new dimension to things, I find I do better to really focus on the one book, and one or two songs at a time. Starting from the beginning yesterday showed me how much I had glossed over the first time through.
It has been a fascinating trip.

After spending about 5 days on "Tomorrow", I can finally play it near perfectly, which is MUCH better than I thought I'd be able to. After making the same mistakes repeatedly, I broke it down into its' three main parts and tried to memorize each. Although I wasn't quite able to memorize the last part, just trying really helped and now I can play it through a combination of memory and reading. I'm so happy after I finish something that I procrastinate moving on to the next thing; in this case, "Why am I Blue". But I found that after tackling a full song from the Greatest Hits book, the lessons songs come relatively easy.