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Despite already knowing quite a bit of piano theory, I was forced to go through the Alfred books (they aren't bad books, just frustrating when you can already do everything in them) as I had started at the age of eleven. A little less than three years later, I had only begun to learn Fur Elise and so on. I see many posts about students learning Fur Elise and songs of that level after about a month. I understand that my teacher felt it necessary to put me through Alfred but, had he only started the way I have heard others do, I believe I would be much further along. Much of the musc theory I knew at that time was already ground into my mind so the books didn't do much to reinforce it. I am glad that I am out of Alfred and am now playing "Minute Waltz" and "Moonlight Sonata" (Mvt. 1) Does anyone know whether I would be further along otherwise or not? I will check in on this topic tomorrow as I have to leave at the moment.

Alemor

What is the point of the Alfred books? To build a solid foundation for technique.

Perhaps other students learn Fur Elise after one month. But I would bet they really struggle through it. Maybe they learn the Moonlight Sonata 1st movement and the Minute Waltz after a year. But I'd bet they really struggle through it, because they're trying to learn all of the technique at the same time.

By the time they have been playing for three years, as you have been, how well can they play those pieces? How good is their resulting technique?

I haven't heard you play, but I wouldn't assume from your situation as you have described it that you are not "behind" at all. You may have just the same amount of technique or more than the hypothetical students we've discussed.

Time spent on a good foundation is always well-spent.

It is, however, hard to say whether or not the Alfred work helped your foundation or not. Much of it depends on how you approached the technical aspects.

I approached the technical aspects the same way I approach most tasks: repetition. Since I already knew much of the theory, I just repeated the techniques until they were in my hands. This didn't take long though, and I'd rather have at least started at a more advanced book. I think I'd just rather have been allowed to move at my own pace. The Alfred books probably helped to an extent on a little theory and foundation but I soon learned more from the internet. Unfortunately, I didn't know about sites like sheetmusicarchive.net and had to make do with the music I had. Oh well, it's in the past and the best I can do is move at my own pace now that I'm allowed to. Thanks for your comments.

I'm looking forward to further speculation on whether we are just treading water and whether we should be pushing ourselves harder!

I'm getting depressed hearing how so many people are playing advanced repertoire after only a few months of having touched the piano. Maybe there is merit in the idea of walking into the piano studio and saying to a teacher, "I want to learn piece X," and just learning that one, and then learning another famous piece you like, etc. I am going to start a topic thread on this because the concept is very interesting. How are those people managing it?!?! I mean . . . get real here, because after a hiatus of a couple of months, I have to play for a couple of days or even weeks before my fingers are back in shape and things "feel" good again. And I lose my repertoire if I don't play it occasionally and have to go back to looking at the score.