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Hi, my daughter has started her first lesson yesterday learning keys of C,D,E. I read thru the books and there are pictures for kids.

Can I know if it's ok for me to use these books for my children since I am also a very fresh beginner or should I get books specially meant for adults ?

Also when you first started, do you concentrate on your right fingers first or both at the same time ?

So far i've memorised all the notes in the treble clef and starting on the bass clef and I know where are all the keys. So where should I go on from here ?

maybe you can use a book for adults instead, which will have more information on piano playing from the start, while the books for children tend to be simplified and look easy for different purpose.

at the beginning, you might want to play notes hand separate first (alternating with each hand) before join hands together. the purpose of HS is to learn notes/touch/fingering with each hand (LH/RH), while HT will then make you learn how to coordinate both hands at the same time. they both are important steps in piano playing.

Right. The children's series will move excruciatingly slowly from an adult's perspective. You'd be much better off with an adult method series (not to mention an instructor who enjoys teaching adults).

I'm using the Alfreds series for adults, but there are others. I would recommend a general piano book for adults to get a good overview of the keyboard and then find a teacher who has a method preference where you can start.

My teacher has me in the children's books, but at an accelerated rate. First lesson we sightread through book 1 and 2, started working on 3 which is a challenge for me, so I think we're in the right place.

If you're starting from scratch the children's books may not be bad. I found it very frustrating to have fingering dots and not a music staff, I was glad to get past those parts. But I have a music background outside of piano.

It seems you're going to try to piggy back on the chilren's lessons, which may not be a bad strategy. Other parents have told me they couldn't keep up after a while, but I'm not sure if it was practice time and motivation or age.

Thanks but which book should I get from here ?

http://store.musicbasics.com/albaspianlib9.html

I asked from the shop and he told me that after completing book one is as good as attaining piano grade one, how true is it ? I've heard people telling me it takes 1-1.5 yr to reach each grade ???

This is the book I started with. I think it's pretty good for creating a good foundation to work from. I use it now for sightreading practice.
Jon
Adult Piano Adventures
by Nancy and Randall Faber
FJH Music Company, Inc., Publisher
[IMG]http://www.allegromusiconline.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/apa1.gif[\IMG]

Let's try this photo again.

I've bought the Alfred book one and start learning by myself and it doesnt look too easy. I got stuck after page 15 and anyone can give some advice. How long does you take (roughly) to finish the whole book ?

I've glance thru some songs in the middle till the end and there's a song "The Entertainer", how long does it takes you to learn this piece ?

[img]http://store1.yimg.com/I/music-basics_1806_1310404[/img]

Lucky,
That's the first book I started with as a matter of fact. It took about 5 or 6 months to get through it. I've just recently mastered 'The Entertainer'. My teachers have supplemented the pieces in it with some real stuff along the way - Bach from the Anna Magdalena handbook, some Mozart Minuets, and various other simple works. The stuff in the method book above will kind of get you stuck into the same patterns over and over, so mastering some other stuff at the same time is a good idea (at least my teachers think so). Bach blew me away, as its in a completely different realm than the bits in this book.

Do yourself a favor and find a teacher - it can't be expressed strongly enough how beneficial it will be (assuming you get a good one). I tried to learn on my own but figured I'd be developing bad habits right from the start (which I was) - a teacher will see to it that doesn't happen.

FWIW

HM

I completed the Adult Piano Adventures by Nancy and Randall Faber book, at the end it got a little slow.

Around November of last year I bought a nice song book with a load of seasonal songs. This was a great place to really cram a bunch of little songs that we all know, and they are really easy.

The second Faber book is more or less the same in different keys, but I wasn't too satisfied playing one pagers at that point so I began requesting original works (non-arranged).

I am begining to work on a repertoire of works that I really want to play (other than the primary one I need for lessons). I tend to play these after I finish practicing for my weekly lesson.

Thanks and can post the pic of the songbook you mentioned. By the way, anyone has the songsheet for "The sound of silence" ?

I do, but I can't legally give it to you.

You'll have to buy it since it's still copyrighted material. I think it takes something like 75 years before copyrighted material becomes public domain.

Yeah ok no problem I understand about the copyright. I am now working thru page by page and at the same time, supplement with my daughter's lesson books. Also trying hard to drill the notes in my mind especially the bass clef

Faber's Adult Piano Adventures. They have a web site.

Wow that's fast to complete this book in 5 months, isn't it ?? I am now only on page 18 learning the jingle bells (self learn) and I am thinking of asking my daughter's teacher to include me in her list. As far as the problem I face is that sometimes I am not sure where to place my fingerings and whether the beat is correct.

Talking about this, I somehow find it extremely not easy to differentitate a quarter against a minim. Do you really count in my mind 1,2,3,4 or simply base on rough judgement ?

What's a "minim"?

"Do you really count in my mind 1,2,3,4 or simply base on rough judgement?"

Yep, you have to learn to count in your mind. Start by playing a piece that you already know and start counting out the beats. If there are any 8th notes, then count 1 and 2 and 3 and etc.

You would not believe how much help having a teacher would be!!!

A minim is British-speak for a half note.

Luckychwee: Do you have a metronome yet? You should get one if you really want to work on correct rhythm. Have you decided to take lessons? I sure hope so, a good teacher can really speed up the process for you. IMHO
Jon