Key Notes, I don’t have my music here with me right now but I think I know what you are referring to (or I might be completely off base). I think you have the right idea as far as how the notes are sounded. The fun part comes when you quickly alternate between the high and low notes with each hand. It’s more of a wrist action then a finger action. To start out with you could just play two notes with each hand (1st and 5th fingers) and just keep them going back and forth, then add the additional key to the right hand. Think of a “drum roll” sort of action.

Here’s one clip I found showing how to play a Tremolo with one hand (in a different song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEvBiwxpids Just do the same thing with both hands, add the extra note, and your all set.

Undone

Hey Keynotes,
Take a look at this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vO-FeKJtBs&feature=PlayList&p=4686052E0911DF9C&index=64

I've been following Alex's videos a guide for quite a while. He doesn't have 100% of the #2 videos done but I'd say he's got 90% of them

Enjoy....

Out of curiosity: is the final piece Canon in D a simplified version (beginner) or a "modified" version (changed but not necessarily easier) of the original?

Thank you so much Undone and TTigg for your quick replies and informations, I truly appreciate it. I'll have to check them out closely once I get home this evening.

Have a fabulous day!

Key Notes

Waltz, Pachelbel’s Canon in D was not written for piano, so all piano music that you find for it will be a “modified” version. As for whether it’s “simplified” or not, I don’t know how to answer that (maybe someone else does), it’s simpler then some transcriptions I’ve heard but not as simple as others.

Undone

Wow! Undone and TTigg, It's so much fun trying out this new technique. And I was so amused by my beginner's attempts and at the level of difficulties of these new wrists and fingers acrobatics that I was actually laughing at myself while trying it out.

I can get one hand or the other going just fine (the left is a bit better then the right for some strange reason eventhough I'm right handed), but as soon as I try to put them together, everything goes haywire. I know, it's the same story many of you have heard before. Coordination is definitely the key here as well. But by keeping in mind Undone's fabulous instructions on the "drum roll" effect, and that it's more of a wrist action rather than fingers made such a big difference.

I can see why Mrs. Wong would mentioned that it may requires years of practice to perfect, as well as recommended that if your wrists and fingers feels tired, that you should take a break or stop. Eventhough my hands can reach an octave just fine, albeit closer towards the tips of the white keys, my fingers got kind of cramped up. A lot more practice obviously are required before I can find the correct and comfortable hands positions in order for them to be able to relax.

Many thanks once again to you Undone and TTigg, as well as to Yoke Wong and PianoNoobAlexMan for the excellent examples.

Best regards,

Key Notes

Alex's videos are an invaluable reference and he is a talented player. However, the tempo in his performances tends to be fast. Of course, there are many valid ways of interpreting music but I would not feel obligated to consistently play at his speed. I just finished up Introduction and dance and I played the beginning portion (marked adagio) at a much slower pace than did he.

When I was on Light and Blue I also viewed his video as an example of tremolo; he does it well.

Finally got my "pass" on Battle Hym (phew) those switches between hands were challenging for sure!

Congrats TTig, you are very talented. When you say "pass" do you mean your intructor's or your own?

My teacher Elena

Hello everyone! This is my first post in this forum! Sorry my bad english, but this is not my primary language. I'm a very and very beginner starting in November 2008!! I study piano in 1993 but only for some months.

I'm using Leila Fletcher book 2 with my teatcher and other braziliam book from Mario Mascarenhas called "Duas maozinhas no teclado" (Two litle hands on the keyboard" - this title is hilarious, hehe). This is a two good books but, after reading some posts here I decide try Alfreds Book 2 and I order it on Amazon!!!!

I think this wonderfull study method! I upload the "Down The Valley" and apreciate your comments!!

http://www.youtube.com/rwvaldivia
tks a lot!

Hello rwvaldivia and welcome to the forum! When I read your post I was wondering why you decided to skip over Alfred’s Book 1 and go right to Book 2. Then I watched your youtube piece and understood why. Great job, and after only four months!

One small thing I picked up on (and I don’t have the music here in front of me right now); there are a few places where you are playing the same note with the right hand twice. I think these may be tied and the note should only be sounded once. It’s just in a few of measures, if you listen to the version of this piece that is posted on page one of this thread, I think you’ll hear what I’m talking about.

You’re making fantastic progress in a very short amount of time. I look forward to hearing more.

Undone

Welcome rwvaldivia. Nice performance of Down in the Valley. I think Bridal Chorus is next; lovely piece .

Welcome to the dark side

Welcome rwvaldivia. I'm a beginner who have just recently started with book 2 myself. I enjoyed listening to your performance of "Down the Valley".

Best of luck to you.

Key Notes

:D

Hey!! Hello!! tks for your comments!

Undone: you are right! I'm playing some notes twice. Now I work to solve this! tks so much to your comment! But about my progress I think this is just a luck. Down the Valley have the same patterns what I study with my teacher, them it's was simple. Is true I'm very obstinate. I pratice every day 2 hours after my work. My wife say: "thus you go to have a tendinite soon" hehe... My answer is: "no pain, no gain"

Waltz: I don't know if Bridal Chorus is the next. I still did not receive my book. I'm studing with the samples (Amazon show the first pages to the some books, and I download them). But I'm studing it now, very slow. It's hard to me

TTig: tks! hei, nobody said that this is the dark side! hehehe

Key Notes: realy do you start the book 2 too? Cool... If you have a mp3 or video on-line I would like to see/listen

Brazilian hugs to all!

Welcome back.

Anyone know explain what diference in "Alfred's Basic and All in One Adult Piano Course Book #2 " and "Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course, All-In-One, Level 2" ?!?!?!

rwvaldivia,

I have never actually flipped through the Basic edition (I use the All-In-One) but I have read other's descriptions of it and from what I have surmised it is shorter in length with fewer pieces and lacks the theory aspect that makes the All-in-One a true All-In-One package. If I am wrong someone please correct me .

BTW. I am on "Calypso Carnival" now. After "Intro and Dance" there was a streak of easier pieces (mostly in G major/E minor). However, Calypso Carnival is not easy and is in D major (two accidentals).

Hey Waltz,

I listen "Calipso Carnival" in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djf7jwkTDRo. It's very quick piece! How you say, is not easy... good luck!!

As an update, I prematurely reacted to CC. It actually isn't so hard to play after a few hours of practice (although it certainly is at first). I nearly have it down but I have a quick question:

What is meant by the designation mf-p? Does this mean a decrescendo or to simply pick between mezzo forte and piano? Thanks,

Waltz.

Well,

mf-p it's mezzo forte but not piano!! How you say, "pick between mezzo forte and piano"

Huh?

Ooh, nice new visuals.



Hi rwvaldivia,

Thanks for asking but I'm not that good, or that brave yet so I don't have any mp3 or videos to show you, but I did uploaded and shared a piece from the Alfred's Adult AIO, level 1 book last month in January when I finished with that book via www.box.net, and here it is. I hope that you'll enjoy it.

Scarborough Fair

Cheers,

Key Notes

Walts, mf-p means to play it mezzo forte (mf) the first time through and piano (p) the second time through.

Undone

Hey gang,

I was finally able to give myself a “pass” on “Ballin’ the Jack”. It took me a long time to complete this one, but not for the reasons I would have thought. There were a few tricky spots in this piece that took some time to get down, but this didn’t take as long as I thought it might. Instead, what took all the time was simply trying to play through the entire piece, with the repeats, without making any major mistakes or having any long out of place pauses. It’s easy to hit a wrong note in this one – your hands are often performing quite different tasks at the same time. Anyway, here it is:

Ballin' the Jack

While working on this piece I also managed to complete “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” and “La Donna E Mobile” is well underway. I just started on “Frankie and Johnny” and was glad I spent the time to get the level 2 version of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” down since they both use the same rhythm and bass progression.

Undone

Checking in to say "Hello" and this week = La Donna E Mobile Rigoletto. I keep telling myself Sunday is my biggest day to practice and try to get a heads up for the week prior to Thursday's lesson.

Gotta step away from David N (Wonderland) and get going on the lesson stuff (lol)

Thanks Undone. I wish they'd give reminders. How long have you been on book 2?

Hi Undone,

Nice job on "Ballin the Jack". It sounded like it would be a very fun piece to learn to play with its upbeat rhythms and all. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it.

And just a bit of an update from my side. I'm now able to get the tremolo ending part of "Light and Blue" piece to sound a bit better now, as well as currently working on another supplimental piece from my Richard Clayderman Anthology book. Still having such a wonderful time whenever I do sit down at the piano.

Best,

Key Notes