Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Sick of method pieces

Ok, I just need to vent. I'm almost finished with Alfred's Adult Book 1. I am working on 'He's Got The Whole World In His Hands". After that is "The Entertainer" (which I am actually looking forward to), then "Amazing Grace", to finish the book.

I've been through 64 method pieces from "Aura Lee" to "Liza Jane" to "Raisins and Almonds".

This afternoon, I put the book aside, and took out some sheet music for Scarlatti's Sonata K32 in D minor, and Pachebel's Canon in D. I spent 2 hours practicing various passages, both LH and RH, and I LOVED IT!! I was making progress and listening to myself actually sound somewhat like a pianist. It was great!!

I can't wait to finish the Alfred's book, but after that comes books 2 and 3. I hope they have more classical pieces and less sappy stuff. I can't take another year of "Blow The Man Down" and "Michael, Row Your Boat". :b:

[EDIT] I know, I know...it's all those method pieces that have allowed me to develop the required technique to be able to play those other 2 pieces. I understand that. I fully intend to finish all 3 Alfred's books, since I'm self-taught (for now). I guess I'm just impatient to spread my wings a little bit.

I did the Alfred's Books for a while when I started piano. Not much classical stuff in the kids' books, but I dunno about the adult books. It wasn't until I switched to a more experienced teacher that he gave me some real music and I began to really grow musically.

Hi Jerry at least you are patient to learn all the songs on alfred book 1. I began learning bits of classical music a month ago where I am still at the oh saints marching in ...

Alfred has a series out called first favorite classics that will get you to the cool stuff faster...My teacher uses them in addition to the FABER & FABER books

Hi Jerry I just got this book and sad to say .... its not easy as I assume !

I am now trying to work on minuet in A minor on page 141 as it's the most easiest of all.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0486404072/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-0795990-8009503#reader-link

Thanks for the link, Lucky.

I was actually thinking about getting this book . Seems more my speed!

I would not recommend that book Jerry, because they've rearranged the pieces to be easier. They're not much better than your method book. :-/ I just don't see the point when there are so many original pieces that are easy enough for us to learn.

I've dropped the Alfreds for now. I finished book 1 except for the last two pieces in it and started book 2, but when I dug into Fur Elise, the Alfreds went by the wayside.

I finished Alfred's Adult book1 five months ago. My teacher supplemented classical piece by James Bastien along with the Alfred's book 2 that I'm currently using.

You will enjoy this book Classic Themes by the Masters , more for early intermediate. It has all the classical hits Beethoven's 5th, Fur Elise, Symphony #5, Air for the G String.

it's a good idea to start learning some easy original classical pieces. you would learn technique along with your repertoire.

ha ha. Jerry, i hear ya. i did the alfred book 1; book 2 is not much better but does provide a nice progressive level of difficulty.

you may also want to look at the thompson books (level 2 and level 3 especially). and as others posted above, there are several books with compilation of classical pieces that are not "dumbed down". most come with CDs as well which is helpful.

sounds like you are doing well with some of the supplmental sheet music. boredom can definitely slow progress. just buy buy buy. i have more music than i could ever possibly learn to play in a lifetime but i still visit the music store at least a couple times a month and buy something else. i have such big plans

good luck to you,
gw.

Jerry,

Don't buy the books with the simplified arrangements of classical 'themes'. Learn real pieces, simple because they are simpler pieces, not because somebody reinvented them by leaving out most of the notes. There are a lot of pieces/collections that you can play from at your current level. Since you're teaching yourself, I would encourage you to follow your method book for your theory and technique and pick pieces that are complementary to what you're studying to flesh out the dumb songs in the method book. If you hate the dumb song, don't bother with it...you're the teacher, assign yourself something else.

If it would help, you could post when you come up against a particularly heinous "method piece"...and one of us could suggest a more interesting alternative. Many of the greatest of our classical composers were also teachers who wrote pieces on many levels for their students to play. You've come far enough to reward yourself with good music. Alfred piano method books never taught anyone to play the piano. You're teaching you. Teachers teach. Don't be afraid to break away from the book, you can only broaden your horizons by branching out.

I agree with Bob, don't settle for simplified arrangements of classical "themes". There is plenty of *real* classical music you can play at your current level and from here on out.

Jerry, do not buy this book, too fake, and most pieces there are not only just easy arrangement of the original ones but also not even in the original key signature. it's a bad choice. divadeb is right, and you need to find some original pieces which are easy enough for you. if you can play Scarlatti's K32, then you'd find a lot of similar level original pieces like that.

Jerry, Alfred has a series of books called "Masterworks Classics" that are geared for each level of accomplishment. They are, for the most part, the original score (with a few simpler arrangements of more advanced pieces). I think this might make you happy.

Also, Bach's Anna Magdalena Notebook would be fun.

You may be ready for the "Celebration Series" from Frederick Harris. It is a graded series that is the real deal. I am placing the link below. I would suggest you get the CD that goes with each set of books as it helps to be able to listen to the piece.

http://www.frederickharrismusic.com/fhmcUS/Frederick.jsp

Have fun,
Steve

Hi everyone

This is my first post on this forum. Actually on any forum ever.

I've been learning for about six months - started with the Alfred Book one but got sick of it much faster than Jerry Luke.

My daughter is doing Suzuki piano and I've been learning her pieces. I'm on Book Two and the pieces are solidly classical - eg Schumann the happy farmer, Bach minuets etc. Each piece seems to introduce something new.They don't seem to be dumbed down although some seem to be heavily edited. I'm really enjoying them although I'm not sure I could learn some of them without a teacher.

Natalie

I am just about finished with book 2 of Alfred's. This music isn't what I really want to be playing. However, it's all basic stuff that I need to learn. I'll be starting my 3rd year in January and Alfred's book three is what I'll be working from. After that everything will be original classical music. I am being very patient and not trying to play a lot of music that is too hard for me. The progression of the Alfred books is making a lot of sense to me and I am happy with my progress. I can sure understand how anyone could go crazy with some of it though, especially adults, we tend to see what we want to be playing and all the possibilities. The problem at least for me is if I try the harder stuff that I'm not ready for I tend to neglect the stuff that I should be learning and my progress slows. I just keep telling myself :rolleyes: ENJOY THE PROCESS. Hopefully this plan will pay off.

I think the thing that really is keeping me going is the fake book work and voicing that we are doing. It is so different from the method books that it's almost like playing a different instrument, if that makes any sense. Not easy stuff at all but the learning curve on it is great because I can see that within a couple of years I will be able to sight read hundreds of songs. VERY COOL !!!!

another one you may enjoy:

Essential Keyboard Repertoire (volume 1) with CD

contains about 100 pieces from baroque to modern in their ORIGINAL form. the vol 1 should not be a problem once you finish the alfred book 1. nice pieces and not watered down.

gw

Jerry,

I love the Suzuki Piano Method repertoire, through book 5 (where I stopped). After the first book (folk songs), great classical, well chosen, not watered down at all.

And I've just started working through Essential Keyboard Repertoire I for reading fun. I've decided that this year, I am going to get serious about reading. I lose so much harder repertoire by not keeping it up, but I think if I improve my reading and theory, that will go a long way to fill in gaps. I hate when I've been too busy to keep up repertoire and end up having only three things I can play!

Best of luck to you. Go for the real stuff; you won't regret it.

Michele

Jerry another good book compiled and edited by Helen Marlais, FJH Music Company is "Succeeding with the Masters" works by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, complete and unabridged. There is a CD and some very excellent instructions on dynamics and technique included, highly recommended. The works are early Intermediate/Intermediate level.

Another good one is "The Joy of First Classics" compiled and edited by Denes Agay, Yorktown Music Press. Early Intermediate original pieces, some quite nice. My only objection, being an adult, is the illustration on the front cover of a pre-pubescent boy and girl, one playing and the girl gazing. The illustration is decidely '50's. No problem, I just keep it covered when adults are around.

Hi Jerry, I am sorry if I may have misleaded you into buying this book but it's definitely never my intention to do so because I was ignorant until Bob, Signa and the rest talked about the originality.

But what I am confused is that some of you claims that the pieces are simplified and easy but it seems so difficult as I see now even when they ranked it as "Early Beginners" I showed this book to my teacher and he told me that it's more for people playing piano for 2-3 years ???!!! So ??? Please enlighten me more ......