Hello everyone,

So, I recently started working with the famous Alfred books and worked my way up quite quickly. I'm now starting with the dreaded "Blow The Man Down" piece. HS a pretty easy piece, but hands combined...wow! Tough!

I think polishing up "Beautiful Brown Eyes" should be benificial, because of the odd RH/LH in both songs (measures 3,4, 11 and 12 in BBE).

So far I'm really enjoying the book. I remember browsing through the book when I just bought it and thought: this is impossible! The feeling you get when you can actually read and play those "impossible" looking pieces, it's just indescribable. My younger brother watched me practice today and he was in total awe and he wants to learn the piano too now. It feels great to inspire someone.

I'm looking forward to "Amazing Grace", "The Entertainer" and "Can Can", so much gems to be explored yet.

You are doing very well and fast. You did an hard work in learning and do the recordings. Here are my comments:

059 The Cuckoo.mp3
Nice played. Left hand level lower than right hand as it should be.

065 Beautiful Brown Eyes.mp3
Nice played. I like this piece. The D(RH) and D7(LH), in measure 13, is a little louder then the other notes. I noticed because sometimes I do the same.
Left hand level could be a little lower.

069 Alpine Melody.mp3
Nice played. Legato and timing seems ok to me.

073 Waltz Time.mp3
Nice played. Legato is ok. Dynamics (the level increase and descrease in measures 6 to 7, 14 to 15 is noticed. Dynamics in your recording souds better than in my recording. Dynamics are difficult for me.
Measure 14 (LH) is not legato, I do not notice well in your recording.

075 Happy Birthday to You.mp3
Nice played. Eigths seems ok to me. I also noticed the fermata.

077 Standing in the Need of Prayer.mp3
I like this piece. Nice played. timing seems ok to me. Dynamics can be improved.

082 Alouette.mp3
Nice played. Timing and dynamics are ok to me. Also legato and non-legato.







Congratulations BecaBb!


Welcome to all new students in this thread.



I finished "Greensleeves" and I am working in "Go Down, Moses".
I liked "Greensleves, sounds nice to me. "Go Down Moses" played with both hands is challeging me.

Thank you fliper. I appreciate your comments.

I had a little set back. We recently had a blizzard and lost power for a few days. So I am working to get things back to normal. I did practice during the event!

Hey guys my Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Book 1 arrived today. My wife is so excited at the prospect of me taking up to learn piano that I thought I'd treat her with my first lesson lol screeech aaah ... but hey it went pretty well and I went up to page 16 even though I was so tired I was falling asleep when I started. Then I thought of looking up the tunes to compare on you tube and I found the thread someone's posted earlier by typing in 'Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Book' and then a 'p.' for page and then the page number and it all came forward. So I would play a page and then compare. The first few it took me to get the rhythm part right and then I was literally away finishing on Jingle bells on page 17. I played only looking at the notes, not at my hand. If I would forget after looking up, I would get right back in by looking at the notes on the page. I can't tell you how excited I am ... and of course my Mrs too ...

Hiya
Thanks for the welcome. I am very new to the forum and to learning piano. Can I also upload my exercises somewhere for someone to listen and comment on them like you did? That is very generous indeed.

Thinking of getting a Casio 150 or 350 to practice on by the way.

Hi Hawabaz!

Recording your songs is a good way for you to listen to yourself and improve your play. Sometimes it is difficult to really hear yourself while working at the keyboard. But listening back aids in picking out issues with rhythm and dynamics. Also, getting a feedback from forum members is helpful as it keeps you on the path. For me, I appreciate every comment I receive.

You can sign up for a free account at https://www.box.com/. That is where you can upload your tunes to share with others. I have my link to the Alfred songs listed below.

Just so I am clear, which book do you have? I am working out of the Alfred Adult All-in-One Course Book 1. If you are using a different book, my page numbers will be different. For instance, in my book "Jingle Bells" is on page 30.

Best of luck on your journey.

Hey Scorpio ... thanks for replying.

I got my Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Lesson Book Level 1
Jingle bells is on page 17. Should I get the all in one instead?

I am also using www.shawncheek.com lessons. Have looked at the first video ... but didn't do any exercises. but I am thinking of doing that too.

While using the book, the first note name would help me locate my first starting point today. Then I would be playing mostly by how the notes go up and down, sometimes reading/identifying them/their names. At this should I know every note by heart as I see it on the page instantly? eg if I see an 'A' on either clef and know it is that note as I play it everytime? Hope I make sense.

Thanks for the box link. Will check it out.
God help me when I start using my both hands together

Hawabaz, Practice everyday. Be patient. Enjoy!

I don't think you need to purchase another book. There are enough examples here on this forum and on youtube to guide you initially. With the book I have, there was an included DVD that has been helpful.

Sight reading will come with practice. I found that with each passing day I became more familiar with the notes and keys and their relationship. This thread talks about sight reading, and has a handy little chart: http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthrea...tml#Post2019101

As I have read, and now experienced, don't force your practices. Take breaks, your brain needs it to figure it all out. I try to practice in short intervals throughout the day. I am lucky, my piano is in the same room that I work in.

If you keep at it, you will improve with each day (if you realize it or not). I am doing things after six weeks that I thought would take months.

One last thing, most of us on this thread are new players just like yourself. We can only share our experiences. By no means do I pretend to have the "right" answers. I have done a lot of research, that is just my nature. I am more than happy to share. pianoworld.com is a great resource, and appreciate it, with all its helpful members.

I totally agree about the breaks, it is like exercising and then returning next day with the muscle grown a bit. I have always experienced it with anything I have learned. Magically somehow it becomes part of consciousness.

Thanks for the link with the chart. Will definitely check it out.

The good part I discovered last night was that as I kept reading notes and playing by sight, I looooved it like a little kid.

See this threads about digital pianos before choose your piano
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthrea...20&%20.html

I have a Roland FP-7 with 2 Mackie MR-8 studio monitors and I am happy with them.

Thanks Fliper. Roland FP-7 is twice the price of Casio 350 though.

Hawabaz, see the threads about digital pianos before purchase.

Hi,

I've been playing for about a year now and have finished the book itself but am struggling with the main pieces at the end, notably "The Entertainer", "Somewhere over the Rainbow" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". I've also worked on Grade 1 scales and broken chords and the first "Dozen a day" book.

Should I move on to book 2 or keep flogging away at the pieces? I can play them but only at very slow tempos without mistakes but have to admit I'm getting a little bored.

Any other suggestions on what to play/study would also be gratefully received.

Cheers!

Hi Part1cle! Welcome to the forum.

I am a beginner myself and have not reached the point you are in the book so I don't have an answer for you. You may want to ask the same question in the Book #2 thread. Those guys have finished book one and would probably know better about where you should be and what direction you should take. They are just more experienced.

Good luck to you!

(I was in Watford years ago to see a football match, but unfortunately they were not playing the day I visited. I enjoyed my brief time that I was in town.)

Hi Scorpio,

Thanks for the welcome and the reply. I'll give that a try, its a good idea. I should probably add myself to the list of Alfred's book 1 alumni too!

Spookily enough given your comment about Watford, I'm going to be out in Danbury in a weeks time so I'll be in your neighbourhood (well, state at least).

I skipped The Entertainer as soon as my teacher declared me finished with book one. Would have probably done my best on it a bit more if self-taught, but even then, you shouldn't really get stuck forever on these pieces. You may just want to move on to book two. Perhaps after a while you can look back at the pieces you found hard and find you can play them with far less effort.

Allard, good point you make. I believe I over-labor on some of these songs. I don't pass myself until I get an acceptable recording. I'm not sure it's good for my development. I can be a bit hard on myself. Again, a teacher would do wonders for me.

London Bridge
https://www.box.com/s/dsckqrv51279kucbkd42

Blow the Man Down
https://www.box.com/s/rptpjlbyzu2htlcinuv0

Lone Star Waltz
https://www.box.com/s/j3y2zfoimvyhof87qqto

Cafe Vienna
https://www.box.com/s/v1dhyr8dpdmnb56up9vj

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I had the most difficult time getting a decent recording of Cafe Vienna. Of course all of the songs have their issues. I am trying to be a bit too perfect, and that is just making me more frustrated. At this point, I think I am doing fine and I need to accept that.

I took on too much in February which really slowed me down. I need to narrow my focus and just keep plugging along.

If you are bored with them move on to book two. Some is review. While you're moving along you'll develop skills that will help you with those book one songs. I have found that easy pieces that I am bored with are sometimes harder for me to grasp than are more difficult pieces that I enjoy. Boredom can only slow down your progress. Of course this is only my opinion.

After years of talking about it, I decided that after starting a new job and having our first baby, now was the perfect time to learn how to play the piano!

Last week I received Alfred's All in One Book 1 and just got to changing to the G position. I haven't hired a teacher yet, but plan to in the next couple of weeks. I hope by uploading videos to youtube I'll be forced to keep practicing and improving. I know its not perfect, but I would love to hear any critiques or pointers. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv-H1jWPuXM

Welcome applejack!

Very nice upload, "What Can I Share?".

A couple of comments:
1) pay attention to the dynamic signs (first 8 measures are played mezzo forte, second eight measures are played piano)
2) don't rush through these songs, the tempo for this song is "moderately slow", suggested to be 90 bpm

When reviewing others on Youtube, sharing their Alfred pieces, most completely ignore the dynamics and the tempo is way too fast. If you have the Alfred book with the DVD, it will be very clear the differences between what is expected and what others are demonstrating.

Enjoy your piano, and the journey. I look forward to hearing more of your uploads! (and feel free to listen to my uploads at the link below)

Thanks for the welcome Scorpio!

I had noticed the differences in youtube videos versus the DVD. Should I be aiming for matching the DVD? I must have missed the dynamic signs, for my first recording I was just hoping to hit each note relatively cleanly.

Where did you find the suggestion that it be played at 90 bpm? That sort of info would be very helpful as I try to play along with a metronome when first learning a song.

Again, thanks for the welcome.

Johnny D went through and calculated bpm for the pieces in Level 1. It's the third post on the page:
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1070137/168.html

First I need to remind you that I am a beginner too; and I do not have a teacher, yet. So any comments I make are with that caveat, and I am only sharing my experience and not necessarily any expertise.

I do believe the DVD is the standard from which you should learn from and not the videos on youtube. I closely pay attention to how Gail plays each song.

After much reading, playing the piano is more than just pressing the right keys in the right order. I have really attempted to pay attention to everything on the sheet music, eg. tempo, dynamics, legato, etc. I have painstakingly worked on my touch. I know my touch of the keys is not right, and I really need help in this area. Sometimes the left hand is way too strong; it drowns out the melody in the right hand. In any case, my concern right now is building a solid foundation so that everything later will be easier and sound better. I have accepted that learning the piano is going to take time, so I am not trying to rush through the book. Also since this is a method book, each page is teaching a different skill, so its important to learn it as you go. Learn it now so you can use it later.

Oh, I forgot about the metronome. Others may have a different opinion on this, but I have read that a metronome should be used sparingly. I use a metronome to make sure I understand the tempo. I try not to practice with the metronome (although I have).

I am trying to develop my internal metronome. I have found that playing with a metronome takes the music out of the song, if that makes sense.

Hi Particle

I'm using Alfred's Greatest Hits and All Time Favorites both Level 1 - they really help bridge the gap from Book 1 to Book 2.
Greatest Hits seems more difficult for me and I'm about 1/4 into the Level 2 book.

They give added pieces to play and I find the extra practice very helpful.

Congrats on finishing Book One!

The metronome can be used to make sure that triplets are played as triplets and dotted rhythms or complex rhythms spread between the hands don't lose the beat. It's more likely to happen when rhythms change at the ends of phrases or where a piece goes from duple time to triple time or even goes from quavers/eighths to semi's/sixteenths.

The ability to play along with one means you have enough control to be able to keep time with an external source, be it a mechanical one or another performer. If you can keep time with a metronome you can keep time with another musician or your own internal clock.

Practising along with a metronome can be done at a slightly slower speed than normal recital speed as time needs to be given up to more concentrated listening and synchronising but it does confer control so that when playing without a metronome you can keep better time with your own pulse or the emotional effect of the music.

We tend, paradoxically, to speed up at the difficult sections, presumably to get to the end quicker or because it's easier to go faster using finger memory than actually controlling the tempo and having to remember the notes. The metronome helps prevent that.

Extended use of the metronome can lead to problems of focussing on the click, more likely to happen with mechanical metronomes than electronic ones or drum machines, and in some cases can lead to headaches or anger but there's nothing intrinsically wrong with extended use.
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Regarding the correct tempo for a song, it's best to feel the time. It can change with your mood, your location, the instrument and what you've just been doing or playing.

There's a point at which you have to concentrate on each note while you're learning a piece and a point at which you can just play without having to think too much about it or concentrate on it. You may be playing the right notes effortlessly but concentrating on expression or dynamics, for example. At this point, being able to play the notes semi-automatically, you're going fast enough that the exact tempo doesn't really matter.

If you're a beginning player it's likely to be slower than someone who's been playing for years but it's not an inability to play at speed that's slowing you down but that you've not yet developed enough velocity in your technique.

That kind of speed comes with time. Forcing the speed, by contrast, encourages mistakes and sloppiness in the playing and hinders overall progress.

Use the metronome to keep time. Use time and regular practise to increase your tempo.

I'd like to introduce myself proper on this thread.
I just started lessons this last weekend with a very good teacher. He usually works with much higher level players. He's very accomplished himself. He asked me what I had in books. Since he knew I had planned on teaching myself. He took one look at Alfred, smiled, and said: Yes, this is the one.
I imagine we'll go through this book pretty quick. Not that this is any contest of speed. I won't mention how fast I am going. That's just childish. He's just a good teacher. I realize many are teaching themselves. Like I had planned to do.
I did want to mention. Did you all know that Alfred has the...I think it's called; "Little Kitty" or "Soft Kitty" melody from The Big Bang Theory Show? I got a kick out of it. It's at the top of page 23. Titled: Lightly Row. I had fun singing the kitty song while playing this last night.

EDIT: I did want to mention. With this teacher. Thank God I won't have to deal with recitals with a bunch of children. I imagine I'm his only beginner right now. We do lessons over Skype. I'm also rather glad he likes Alfred's series of books.

Hi rnaple!

Best of luck with your new teacher. I am contemplating the Skype lesson route. I am eager to hear about your experiences and how it progresses. Also, please share if your teacher recommends supplemental material. Thanks.

Lullaby
https://www.box.com/s/ikb3zy743gv1nsnepkrw

Rock It Away!
https://www.box.com/s/tbeuaid2i7m1rhwo46kb

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I am still working on the recording part. I am still not happy with the quality and the process. Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.

I've been working through Alfred's AIO-1 with my teacher, but she decided I needed some supplemental pieces. She looked through a few of the other books I had and thought both "Alfred's Country Piano Book" and Kenneth Baker's "The Complete Piano Player - Omnibus Edition" (ISBN 978-0825624391 for the full size version) had some worthwhile songs.