Does anyone have a recommendation for a song book to go along with the Alfred AIO course book?
jules
Here are some comments I collected from this thread regarding additional books(sorry I can not tell you the pages I took this):
Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1 - 10/08/08 11:49
... At the moment I'm also delving into another piano method I bought a while ago. It's the Piano
Handbook by Humphries. The layout and design of this books are really superb. I'm liking it more
and more. All the material, even the beginning pieces, sound really beautiful and (again) extremely
musical on the accompanying CD (it must be a Steinway grand or something similar, the sound of
that piano is fantastic, not to mention a real pro is playing it). That is an advantage over the Alfred
method, I think. The book also puts more emphasis on classical pieces and a classical sound which I
really like. So, I will start using this method in parallel to the Alfred book to get more of that
classical piano feel even at an easy level. I would recommend this book as a supplement to Alfred's."
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1 - 04/29/09 11:05 AM
... Thre are great books out there for beginners
- one that I love is "My First Book of Classical Music" - it's not too difficult but also not too easy.
I can play 3 pieces from it so far..."
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Cour - 05/14/09 09:57 PM
...I highly recommend the Greatest Hits book. It is a great supplement to
the Alfred Basic Adult course. The Greatest Hits songs take me much longer to learn than the Basic
Adult Course pieces, but they are fun to play."
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Cour - 05/21/09 12:52 PM
I have just started the Alfred's Sacred Book 1.
The first pieces are very easy, but the music and the words are so inspiring that I do love them.
I think I am going to have a great time with this little precious book!"
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Cour - 06/15/09 02:26 PM
... So along with my Alfred Book 1, I occasionally play from:
Faber Adult Piano Adventures (haven't actually touched this one in quite a while)
Alfred's Greatest Hits Book 1
Alfred's Pop Songbook Book 1
Bastien Piano Basics Book 1
and some sheet music from the free sheet music sites
Perhaps I would advance in Alfred's a little faster if I concentrated on it exclusively, but I enjoy the
variety and I think it helps me learn better in the long run."
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1 - 04/30/10 09:42
PM
Greensleeves was probably my favorite piece in Book 1.
The "Greatest Hits" book is more difficult than the lesson book, the pieces are more fun to play, but
they are still very simplified versions and not the complete versions. I'm just working my way
through it now, as I found them too difficult before. However, many people work in it
simultaneously with their AIO book, so it is doable. I'm also working through the "Pop Songbook".
Another supplementary one you might enjoy is "Alltime Favorites". It has a combination of
classical, popular and folk tunes. I sometimes wish that I had purchased that one instead of the
other two."
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1 - 05/04/10
09:01 AM
Originally Posted By: JimF
... In that vein, I've also got hold of another book of simple beginners' pieces (The Big Book of
Beginner's Piano Classics) which looks pretty good to me. Hopefully learning a couple of pieces
from it, plus the Greatest Hits book in addition to the main Alfred's book can't but help.
I've started working on the first piece (a very simplified arrangement of a Bach minuet) which is
sounding pretty good so far. I'm also learning Eidelweiss from the Greatest Hits book, and I'm
finally up to BTMD in the main book, which I attempted last night for the first time. I didn't manage
it straight off, but it wasn't anywhere near as scary as I was reckoning it to be, thanks to its
fearsome reputation in this thread..."
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1 - 05/06/10 09:00 PM
I have the Jazz/Blues book and its very good. Book one users can use it. Some are nice and easy
with some nice sounds."
"Re: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1 - 04/09/10 01:07
PM
"... For supplemental I chose Alfred's Jazz, Blues and Rags by Martha Meir. Most people go with the
Allred's Greatest Hits. I have not heard anyone mention the JBR Series? Anyone tried that series
out? I am doing all the first 3 pieces in Book 1 and enjoy them all. It is set up to present one piece
with a Jazz theme or influence, then next is Blues and the next is a Rag. So there is some variety
and interest turning every page.
I only took on Jericho from AIO this week so that I could spend more time with the supplemental
book. I am doing well with those side pieces and it does not seem to affect my progress with AIO.
Except of course finding the time."
"In adition I use 2 free piano sites:
additional play (I am in "Bridal March" - learning to count 8ths)
http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Freebies/freebies.html (Link:
http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Freebies/freebies.html)
as reference
http://www.piano-play-it.com/ (Link:
http://www.piano-play-it.com/)
Regards to all
Pedro"