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Well, today was pretty much working on the same stuff as yesterday. I'll need another day or two for "Joy to the World." Hands together for the C major scale is coming along slowly. It was a short practice, so didn't a chance to start that new fake song. Maybe next time.

Alux, are you using the same fingering as in the Alfred's scale book?

Hi Linda,

Yes, I use the same fingering. Have a look around the internet & you'll see it's standard. I start learning new scales in contrary, that way I get use to the fingering and what keys to hit without getting confused as I tend to do in parallel. Just remember it's not a race so take your time and go at your own pace.

Thanks, Alux. I think I do a little too much looking around the internet, and get myself confused in the process.

My teacher signed off on O Sol Mio and Jericho today so the pages in book one are getting thin. Lots of work left but I've started thinking about book 2, which she uses. I okay with that but I'd also like a parallel classical book as I'd like to be playing a little more classical than Alfred teaches.

Does that make sense? Any suggestions on the book to use?

Mike

Mike,
I like Rachel Jimenez's Fundamental Keys. It's inexpensive, and it makes a great supplement to the alfred's method (though it can be used stand-alone too, that's what it is designed for). It starts out with very simple pieces, but with rare exceptions nothing is simplified. It is mostly pieces written by classical composers for their own students.

Thanks, fizikisto. I took a look today and ordered her book.

After a couple of days with short practice sessions I finally had a good chunk of time to work on "Joy to the World." I feel like I made a lot of progress on it today, however there's still room for improvement, plus I still need to add the pedal in. At the rate I'm learning this piece it'll probably be a few more days before I'm finished with it. That's okay, though. It's not like I have a deadline to meet.

You seems to be doing well Linda

I'm still going slow, maybe very slow! I'm not recording everything though as I planned. Too lazy for that. Recitals would be enough for recording I think.

About Alfred's book, I've just finished "Rockets" and "Marry Ann" before it. They are easy (easier than my other parallel learning resource, e-media Piano Tutorial, which I'm still in "La Donna e mobile" for more than one week!).

I feel I'm progressing especially since the preparation for the recital. now even my typing on this computer's keyboard is with a good timing and rhythm! :-D

I believe those who without a teacher, should really take it slow and try to absorb all the info and lessons, otherwise the whole learning process would be not that useful. At least this is what I'm keep doing :-)

It sounds like everyone is going ahead in leaps and bounds on here, well done everyone. I started on Cafe Vienna today and I'm up to Harp Song in my other Alfred's book (later beginner) which is exciting as it means I've nearly finished that book - Yay!

I'm going to have a look at that Fundamental Key book as I've seen it mentioned a few times now. Anything to help. I also think that at this level if I can get my foundations really strong it will help if I ever get to more advanced pieces.

EnGee are you doing this on your own without a teacher? If so how do you find doing it that way? It sounds like your doing it the way my teacher would like me to, slow and steady so you really learn it all thoroughly.

I've been working on my Stuckchen piece for the Schumann recital and I have to say that's been an interesting experience, but I had a break through yesterday so hopefully by March I can actually play it to tempo and not like I do now lol. I don't know about anyone else, but every single piece of music I am attempting to have a go at, I am learning so much from. A classic example is for instance the bottom staff isn't always a bass clef!

Hi Mandy. You are doing very well I guess

Yes, I'm without a teacher. This is not the first time that I learn/study something by myself, so that I learnt to take it slow. I agree with your teacher. You should slow down. You also should not spend a long time with the Piano. I'm spending maximum one hour daily. Half an hour with e-madia tutorial and half an hour with Alfred's book, then I go to the other desk (which has my desktop computer and 49 midi keyboard controller), and try to prepare for the next lessons by using a notation program ..etc. (also for my other hobby, electronic music )

I have enough tools includes the net to have answers to my questions. I usually read a lot here as well and I find it very useful if not my main resource indeed for learning or for the general direction of my learning. Although I have some background in Music Theory but I felt the need to really learn how to play Piano, so I understand everything I want to know including the Music Theory step by step. I put about 5 years as a first goal. We will see after that.

The only thing that really puzzles me is that: What is the line between a beginner and intermediate levels? Are the three levels of Alfred's books only for the beginner's level? Who is a beginner in the Recital? I really can't believe that all in the Recital are beginners!! I think then I will find out with time if no one answer me ;-)

I'll take a stab at some of this: I don't know if there are proper definitions but I would say a beginner is someone who can play pieces between grade 1-4 and an intermediate player is 5 and onwards until you get to advanced repertoire.

The Alfred book 2 in my opinion varies between grade 1 & 2, while Alfred book 3 varies between grade 2 & 3. The advanced section of book 3 with Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, etc varies in difficulty right up to grade 6 or even 7. No idea why it was ever included in the book.

I think historically the ABF was formed for beginners but it has been going for years and many have joined and just stayed on. Maybe because it is such a nice forum to be involved with or partly because they still feel like beginners.

...

Earlofmar
I don't think there are any official definitions either, so yours seems reasonable to me. Even the grading of pieces is somewhat arbitrary, because there's so much more to playing piano than just hitting the right notes. A professional playing a grade 4 or grade 5 piece is going to play it with much more musicality (and at a much higher standard) than someone who is just now playing at that level and learning those pieces.

And yes, based on how it's evolved, I think this forum is probably a bit misnamed now. It might be better to change its name to the "Adult Students" forum. I suspect that even some of the advanced players and teachers that hang out here would tell you that in many ways they still consider themselves students. There's always something new to learn. If piano world were a democracy, I'd vote for changing the name, but maybe that's just me being a bit pedantic -- if it ain't broke....etc...

Warm Regards

When I joined the forum I started this thread which kind of asks the same basic questions:

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2284754/1.html

200 pages thread, wow, What a Way to Go!

I can see the rationale for that, or the alternative suggested elsewhere of Adult Learners Forum. I was drawn to this forum by its name, because it describes me perfectly. Until I got here, I'd tacitly assumed that beginners almost invariably started when they were two and a half (OK, that's poetic licence, I know, but it can seem that way if you spend too long perusing YouTube to see how others tackle the pieces you're struggling with, and find a five-year-old in pigtails dashing it off with poise and ease), and finding adults who'd started in middle age or older was such a blessed relief. I didn't feel so isolated, or like a fish out of water.

One thing that's hard for someone like me to overstate, is how useful it has been to find an environment where there are people at my stage, which is very early beginner. It's incredibly encouraging to find that there are people who are tackling the same level of pieces I am, the same kinds of exercises, and moreover encountering the same kinds of problems, and blockages, and frustrations, and hurdles, and joys, as I am. What makes it a better forum still, is that there's a range of levels of experience, evident both from how people speak and the indicators of which new pieces they are tackling ; they always seem willing to give the benefit of their experience to novices and tyros, without talking down. And the icing on the cake, for me, is the contributions from people who are also teachers, who give advice so feeely. The mix is pretty well perfect from my perspective.

Yep. And you will still find the same to be true three years from now when you are playing a different level of repertoire. Bottom line, it is nice to have fellow-travelers on this journey....always.

Ditto from me, Purkoy.

and me too Purkoy.

I do have to say if it was called the Adult Students I might not have even looked at this forum. It was the word "Beginner" that drew me to it, and I am so grateful I joined up as I have learnt so much more, so much quicker than I would have with just my weekly lesson. I love that there are people at my level that I can relate to and struggle with, but I also very much love that there are more experienced pianists of all levels that participate, and that they are so willing to share their knowledge and experience with us newbies. Also apart from my piano teacher I have no-one else (apart from my 8yo daughter who is too young to count here) who shares my love and what has become a passion for the piano, so it is so good to be amongst others who do and are so encouraging at the same time.

Well hello everyone! I stepped away for a moment and missed the party.

Adult student doesn't sound right to me since, well, I don't have a teacher. Adult learner, maybe. But I'm good with adult beginner in the sense that I started as an adult.

I read in another forum that it's recommended to learn a piece hands together. I think I'll give that a try on the next one I come to in the Alfred's book, which will be "Cockles and Mussels." I don't want to start on it, though, until I'm satisfied with "Joy to the World."

EnGee, it sounds like you're doing really well, especially since you're using multiple methods at once. I liked "Mary Ann," thought it was a catchy little tune. Once in a while I video record myself, just for me to see. It's quite an eye-opener, and not usually in a good way.