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Sfy03

Welcome aboard!

KaylaX,
Hey! Sry about the long response, but I have been a bit busy lol... But anyways, this book is pretty challenging and I am still working on "The Rainbow Connection" It seems as though were around the same level, which is pretty cool! Cafe Vienna and Lullaby were definitely the 2 hardest songs for me to "pass" (because I don't take lessons, I consider playing a song perfectly w/ the CD passing). Lullaby was the hardest, but I finally did it! As for the rainbow connection I have been using this YouTube Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yZUbIoFY44&feature=related) Hopefully it will help you like it has helped me. I just know that until I pass this song I am not going to allow myself to go any further in the AIO book. Just remember quality or quantity

Oh and btw Kayla, following up on my last post.. If I were you I wouldn't give up on Lullaby, because I really have faith that you can do it just keep working on it and don't stop! It took me a few days of constant practicing, but it was very rewarding once I ended up getting it.

Haftaway,

I know but its such a child-ish song.......And I can usually put up with allot of childrens songs seeing how I have two of them roaming around the house. But "Lullaby"!!!!!YUCH!!!!O, Geez i'll work on it tonite. That and "Its a small world", and then ill go to "Rainbow Connection". I think I tried that with my last teacher and she told me to skip it.

And im impressed with the fact that you work so hard on your pieces before moving on. I usually play them up to my speed and then move. At least up until now I have. I have a new teacher now that probably wont be so lenient. And I noticed that you mentioned that Cafe Vienna and Lullaby where your most difficult pieces, so how did BTMD treat you?????
And thanks for that you tube link. Ill take a look at it.

Keep up the awsome work!!! Sounds to me like you are cruising right along!!!!

How long have you been playing??? And did you have prior music experience???? Just curious.

KaylaX

"Lullaby" is one of my favorites, so far, from AIO. I have a soft-spot for it: I used to hum it to my daughter while I was putting her to bed.

It's the songs coming up I don't care for.

Im sorry hmhcho,

I didnt mean to bag on your song. It is cute!!! But im sooo tired of it. My daughter is just 5 and it seems like just yesturday when i was humming that to her and I think i burned out on it. So, im sorry if I stepped on any toes . On a happier note!!! Is anyone up for "joy to the world"???? Thats my next song . BUt I wont start that till next week sometime.

Ta Ta for now, time to go practice.....

KaylaX

Welcome Sfy03,

Glad to have you here...

KaylaX

No offence taken. To each his/her own.

My daughter is 5, too. And, yes, it does seem like it was yesterday I was humming her to sleep. But, "Lullaby" is a sweet, innocuous song. I can't imagine being tired of it.

"Joy to the World", on the other hand, I can do without. It's really easy, though. You should breeze through it.

Cafe Vienna - I am starting to like it. Took some liberties with the 3/4 rythm tonight. Pictured a couple on the floor with ebb and flow twist and turns... it was fun.

I too have decided to bag BTMD. Got it to where I could slowly bang it out, but I have such a dislike for the sound of the G7 chord that I don't feel motivated to proceed. Does anybody like that sound? who invented it and why I wonder. I better get over it though because I want to play the blues eventually and I think that is a basic chord in the blues.

I don't think you are supposed to "like" the G7 chord. It is supposed to build tension prior to resolving back to the C chord, according to basic chord progression.

Unfortunately for you, it will be encountered in almost all the pieces in the level 1 book, G7 is used in most pieces for the key of C.

But, like you, I find that I, too, tend to rush through pieces that I don't like, not bothering to polish them at all. I am stalled in AIO level 1 because the next half dozen pieces hold no appeal for me.

hmhcho,

your quote: (sorry, I have no idea how I'm supposed to properly do the bold quote thing everybody else does)
I don't think you are supposed to "like" the G7 chord. It is supposed to build tension prior to resolving back to the C chord, according to basic chord progression.

Unfortunately for you, it will be encountered in almost all the pieces in the level 1 book, G7 is used in most pieces for the key of C.

But, like you, I find that I, too, tend to rush through pieces that I don't like, not bothering to polish them at all. I am stalled in AIO level 1 because the next half dozen pieces hold no appeal for me.
--------------------

That's very interesting. Could you tell me/us how you learned that? Teacher?
In BTMD, G7 comprises half the music in the bass cleff and only is the last chord a C chord, so it really grates on me.

What are the next pieces that you don't care for?

dukeofhesse,

If you bone up on basic Music Theory, you will learn all about chord structures, and chord progressions. Basically, it comes down to the fact that most music follow predictable patterns in their chord changes.

If you learn to play piano by ear, there is more of a focus on this stuff. In classical piano, as is presented in the AIO books, this stuff is not really presented in detail until much later.

If you are interested, you can find a good piano by ear book, or just Google on "Music Theory". It will answer a lot of the "why's" you might have about music. Some people may find the subject dry; but it appeals to the geek in me.

My grasp of Music Theory far exceeds my actual playing ability. It's easy to "read ahead"; it's hard to acquire technical proficiency.

It would be far easier to list the ones I do care for. What I look for in a piece is something that is recognizable and has a nice arrangement. I want pieces that I would play for my own enjoyment. Otherwise, I see them only as exercises to be discarded once completed.

I like "Can Can", but don't like the arrangement in AIO. Same with "Amazing Grace". And stuff like "Joy to the World" and "Marine's Hymn" are just tired: I still remember playing them in band class over 30 years ago.

I liked BTMD because it is familiar, and because it is relatively difficult. "Lullaby" is a favorite for sentimental reasons. Also, my daughter likes them both. But, those are the only two out of AIO that I continue to play, just for enjoyment.

I am liking the Alfred's Greatest Hits book. It tends to have some nice arrangements of popular songs that are easy enough for me to play. There are probably almost a dozen pieces there that I would like to add to my repertoire.

I feel so pretentious using "repertoire". I get twinges of embarrassment when I consider that all I can play are kids' songs, compared to RCM students who are playing classical pieces. I always feel like quitting when I encounter 7 year-olds at the music store who can outplay me.

Guys, I just bought the Alfred's Basic Adult piano course (Not the all-in-one) and I wonder is it as useful as the all-in-one, and to add on, I bought a piano 1 year ago ( JAN 2008) which is a suzuki digital piano and I have been playing since. However, I am serving national service (stay-in) which restricts me from practising piano everyday. I only managed to master part of ''To zanarkand'' through watching of videos from youtube... I wonder the new book would be able help me as I would want to start afresh...please comment!!

Many here use Alfred's Basic Adult piano course including myself. It seems to work fine.

Welcome!!

Thanks for all the warm "Welcomes"

So..
After the few reviews people gave me, i went ahead and ordered the All-In-One book yesterday, and Amazon delivered it today to me (Next Day shipping -- no worries, i didnt pay out the butt to get it next day, i signed up for a promo with Amazon and all my books for 3 months come free with 2nd day air, or for $3.99 i can get them next day air -- pretty sweet huh??)

So needless to say, Tonight i will have my first practice with my new "Teacher" -- and i look forward to it.

Wish me luck!

Good luck to both ryudox and sfyo3. Nice to have two more newbies join our group.

Well I guess its time I join in here, since I received my All in One book today.

Just a little background, I'm 44 years old and have never played the piano before. 3 weeks ago we upgraded my dd's keyboard to an acoustic piano. Since it is now sitting in my living room I decide that I must learn how to play it, lol. And I have to admit it is quite inviting and addicting to me.

Although I have no piano experience, I did play the flute from 3rd-7th grade in school, and the guitar in 8th & 9th, and suprisingly still remember how to read music (treble cleff only) and most of the music theory I learned.

With the piano came a bunch of books and I worked through an Alfred's kids Level 1A book in about a week and decided to find a teacher.

After my first lesson we decided together that the Alfred's All in One would suit us both well, so she ordered it for me and in the meantime gave me a few things to be working on, which were the C & G Scales, C arpegio and C chords or cadences (I'm not sure what the difference is) with 2 individual pieces The Rainbow Song and Candy Corner that I got down pretty good, plus Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with chords.

Today she assigned me the first 40 pages of AIO which I got through the first 26 in about 15 minutes. I'm doing pretty good with the Bass clef having just learned it in the last 3 weeks, it seems to click for me to just read it as a Treble clef and add two, I can do that quickly in my head, and its becoming second nature. She added two more scales, I think its the D and something else, don't have my binder handy, and the G chords and arpegio, plus 4 additional songs that I don't know the names either at the moment. She plans to extensively supplement the Alfred's book, as she says there are some things its lacking, like she wants me to do the entire Hanons Hand Areobics(something like that) book rather just the 2 pieces that are in Alfreds when we get to it. And she wants to supplement with additional pieces that get me moving around the keyboard more sooner as she thinks its harder to learn to move around if you stay in the home positions too long. I like her philosophy and we'll see where it takes me.

Just wanted to give a little background as to where I'm jumping in at. I've been reading all of the old postings on this thread but still have several more pages to read through.

You are all an inspiration and I have already learned a lot from each of you just by catching up with this thread. So I thank you all and look forward to becoming a contributing member to this group.

Hi BarVA,
Sounds as if you are on the right track. Welcome aboard!