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Update... polished off BTMD this past weekend without too much trouble - except that I could not get the stupid song out of head!
Not familiar with Cafe Vienna and did not do well my first run through.
Jayde Musica Pro For PC really works for me. I have practiced every morning on my note identification and it is paying great dividends. I am now adding the F clef.

A follow up to my BTMD saga. I did try it very, very, very slowly and managed to more or less get through it. Didn't at all sound like music. But I also discovered that the pieces I have the most trouble with are those with the G7 chord which I hate the sound of, and hate even more the sound of a broken G7 chord. I get through the first half up to where that chord starts pretty well, so maybe there's a mental block involved. I know, I know, no excuses. I'll keep trying.

My piano teacher from way back when- would take a pencil and draw a line from the notes on the treble clef to the notes on the bass clef that were to be played at the same time. Seem to help getting the two hands working together.

I'm now playing the Marine's Hymn all the way through, slowly, not at tempo, but most of the time with correct notes. I can't do that 1-2-3-4-5 on the D very fast yet. I usually wait until I'm a little better than that before starting something new, but today I started with the first line of Why Am I Blue. I'm just working on the first line for now, trying to get the timing right in the right hand, and then adding the chords in the left. I'm not pushing to move on any farther than that yet. I also started Love Makes the World Go Round in the Alfred Pop Songbook. I hope I haven't started too many new things at once.

I see a lot of people starting, struggling, or just finishing BTMD and I'm smiling remembering my struggles with it. I really enjoy playing it now, and I'm sure the rest of you will too.

I went back to work on Cafe Vienna for a while after a few people mentioned it. I had trouble with that one back when, and I still don't really like it. It's those D7 chords in the right hand.. I have no problem playing them anymore, I just don't like the way they sound. I never did get this one to sound "polished".

Mom3gram,

I will have to get a copy of that Pop songbook that you have. That song "You are my sunshine" is my daughters favorite song. She always wants me to sing it to her.

And im glad to know that im not the only one that has problem with that song BTMD!!!! I still dont think I have it down all the way. But I still go back to it from time to time.

Carl MC,

Your idea with connecting the bass line with the treble line is very helpfull. Thank You!!!

Dukeofhesse,

I second you on those G7 chords. They throw me way off, and they sound way off too!!! I thought it was just my piano, but I had it tuned a couple weeks ago. Im glad im not the only one.!!!

KaylaX

wj3,

I had fun with "Its a small world" too, but the end(last 8 measures) just threw me for a loop. I just could not get it. Maybe ill take it out again and givie it a second try. I really like the "Greatest hits" book but it also frustrated me. Whats the next piece that you will work on out of the book????

KaylaX

Don't feel discouraged, it is a step up in the course you will have a great deal of satisfaction when you have it under your belt and you will

Gave up on BTMD. The idea of hand independence is what it's about. Mozart's Duet will do the same lesson and far more fun.
There is this muzette piece that has some tricky stuff. Took me over a month to get it and I still have to concentrate REAL hard on 1 measure. It's only 16 freaking bars... Still took a month.
Drove me nuts. ( yah it's a short drive but still.)

hmhcho
maybe a teacher will pipe in- as to the technical response... but for me what works best is to have a clear picture in my head as to what it is suppose to sound like. That may require listening to the phrase a dozen times... but if it is clear- I can usually translate it to the keyboard. If the problem is in the mechanics of the finger then I would think that will need to come with practice and scales.

Can you give the titles of those two pieces, I'd like to have a crack at them!

Ahhhh, Book two has just dropped through my letter box! Looks good with more interesting tunes than Book 1. A little too much latin stuff for my taste but what the heck!

KalyaX... I am thinking about "Beauty and the Beast" as my next song out of the "Greatest Hits". It a lovely song. Or maybe "Its a Wonderful World". I had a little trouble with those last 8 measures. I had to go slow and count out loud until I got it rignt. Try it again, its fun.

Hello All -

A true Newbie here:
Im not going to go into a long story about myself, but would rather get straight to the point.

Last night I stumbled across this website while searching "Alfred's Basic All-In-One Course" on google...i read through as much of the 67+ pages i could before my allotted "computer time" was up (wife said i was on here too long..lol). So i registered to the website last night, and this morning, got accepted and wanted to introduce myself this morning and hopefully get a quick question in..

I am about to pursue my desire of learning to play the piano on my own -- I want nothing more than the pride and joy to be able to step up to any piano i see and play a few beautiful tunes on it -- and maybe help out the church worship team on sunday mornings.

With that said, Ive read and read and read, and have found that maybe the "Alfred Series/Library Collection" Is what i need to pursue. And with that comes my question:

I originally though the "Adult All in One course" was the one i was going to go for, but after searching Amazon, i came across the new book: "Alfred's Self Teaching Piano Course: The New, Fun, Easy way to teach yourself to play" --- i was wondering if anyone had insight into which book i should pursue???
Thanks for the help, I look forward to purchasing the book/books ASAP and look forward to the new challenge. Thanks for your help.

Sincerely and Respectfully,
Sfy03

I don't know about the Alfreds Self teaching course but after looking at the write up on amazon. Its looks alot like the Alfreds Adult All in one course that most of the people here on the thread are using. Quite a few members here are self teaching using the AIO book so you will be able to get alot of help from us as we have taken that path. Either way welcome to the forum and we look forward to watch your progress.

Bye the way I like your Avatar......

Sfy03,
Welcome, it's a great forum with nice people who are really helpful.

I guess I'm the odd man out here because I am using the Self Teaching book but I have found it to be great. Each new area is introduced by the 'teacher' who comments on it as though you had an instructor sitting with you. I don't know about the other books, but as a brand new student myself, I am amazed at how logical it is and how much progress I've made. In two months I am up to page 107. My wife too keeps telling me that I am really progressing. But that's one person's experience and opinion.

Regarding the fact that most others are using the all in one book, I just would like to add that the musical selections seem to be identical in the two books, at least this far along.

they are out of a Leen't Hart book. One is literally titled Duet the other Gavotte. The Gavotte is a Bach piece. It's a dance I play painfully slow 50bpm.

I've just started working on "It's a Small World". I don't have it in front of me, but isn't the last third almost identical to the first third, except for an octave shift in the left hand?

The challenge I am finding is playing black notes with fingers 1 and 5. I am trying to train myself to start reaching in towards to fallboard when necessary. I am also finding I need to think/read ahead so I can reach in time.

I just finished "Lullaby", and am finding it hard to motivate myself to move on. The next few pieces coming up aren't very interesting to me. So, I've been dawdling, working more out of the Greatest Hits book.

hmhcho Its almost the same except for the last four measures, thats a little tricky.

hmhcho and Wj3 and whoever else reads my post ,

Hey I never thought of the last part of "Its a small world" like that. When I get back from work I think I will drag it out and try again. But those last 4 measures are a bit tricky!!!!!

as far as reaching towards the fallboard, I dont mind it. It is awkward though. And, yes definitely thinking ahead is a plus. I dont know about you but its getting CRAZY!!!!

I played a little bit of "Lullaby", I wasnt really enthused about it. Im hoping my teacher will let me skip it. I finished "Rock it away" in one day so im now on to a few pages of theory in my book. So this is a great time to give "Greatest hits" another go. I am also trying to learn Tchaikofsky's Piano Concerto No1 1st movement. Thats my long term piece.

We shall see how it goes this afternoon.

KaylaX

Thanks, I'll look out for the book.