Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Choosing pieces to work on

I was just watching some of the videos posted in the March piano bar thread and they're quite lovely. I am working my way through the Faber Piano Adventures 3A. Book right now and enjoying it. I'd also like to pick out some pieces to work on, but I'm not sure how to pick the right ones. Although I love classical music, I'm thinking more popular music, but older, not current. Or perhaps jazz. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. I'd like to order some music, or print some from Piano Street or the like. I want to choose something I like, but that's not too easy. Someone challenging, but not above my abilities so as to be discouraging. Am I overanalyzing this? probably ... It's a bad habit of mine

Some Scott Joplin or Otis Spann perhaps?

If you want classical, here's the big list of graded classical music to help you choose something that's on your level: https://www.box.com/shared/3dhioamzna

Thanks!! That is very helpful for classical - I appreciate it

I'll look at their stuff. Sometimes I like Scott Joplin and sometimes I don't

Have you checked out the Faber "Funtime" series? They correspond with levels 3a and 3b of the method books. There is Jazz and Blues, Rock and Roll, Ragtime and Marches, and several others. They would be good picks if you want something to reinforce what you are learning in your lesson book.

Also take a look at: http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/Graded_Pieces_Sorted_By_Difficulty.PDF

Make a list of easy pieces by composers that you like (and maybe even some you don't or haven't heard of!) and work down the list, trying to work each to perfection (compare to recordings if you don't have others to listen to it for constructive advice).

I play what speaks to me. It doesn't have to be any specific genre of music but rather just contain the beautiful dramatic melodies that I love to play.

These melodies can be found in just about anything from Karen Carpenter, to Ludovico Einaudi or even Metallica.

Try listening to Pandora radio in the background when you are on the computer. Once in a while you will hear an incredibly beautiful melody that grabs your attention. Those are the tunes you want to play because it appealed to you without even actively listening to it.

You can take suggestions from others but remember these are suggestions of tunes that they like. The best match is a tune that speaks to you directly. When it does, you will know it because it will be so crystal clear.

Very helpful, thanks.Helps me see where I'm at.

Heather - I'm with Mr. Super-hunky on this one. I'm a sucker for a good melody that "speaks" to me. Like, you though, I'm not that "advanced" that I can play any piece I want, and have to make careful choices regarding the length and difficulty of what might be "appealing" music.

But the good thing about selecting a piece you love, is that you're usually willing to put more "effort" into mastering it, than some of the things you have to learn in a method book like Faber or Alfred's and by simply doing that, it helps to increase your technical ability for the "method pieces". So I say "Go for it!"