Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #1

Obviously, a mistake in your book. Key of F major should be played with Bb.

I'm not sure how a mistake like this could have occurred. It is not in my book.

Carl, I have the Adult Self Teaching version. do you have the all in one or what I have?

I have the Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course as well as the "Adult All-In-One Course". Mine does not say- "Self Teaching"

Maybe they thought the people using the "Self Teaching" would not notice.

Being as I got Standing in the Need of Prayer and Lavender's Blue to a point that they just need a little more practice and polishing, I decided to see what was next around the corner.

Blow the Man Down, OMG!!!!!!!! I'm not sure my brain will let my hands do that one. I can do both hands separate no problem, but try putting them together, YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been practicing a lot lately. I just got through What a Wonderful World from the greatest hits book and Joy to the World from the lesson book. Tonight I went through the lesson book AGAIN from the beginning because I'm worried I'm progressing too fast (I guess that's a good problem to have). A friend called me in the middle and I played Blow the Man Down for her. I told her I'd probably mess up a lot, and then proceeded to play it probably the best I have yet. I'm very proud of myself.

Way to go Leon. I don't see anything wrong with progressing fast as long as you aren't leaving gaps anywhere and it seems like you are addressing that by going back through the book.

It seems like everybody's first mountain is at a different place. I've said OMG to a couple of pieces (like Blow the Man Down), but then after sitting down and working them for a little bit, I quickly see that they will be manageable with a little practice, so I think I'm just in the foothills of my first mountain to move, and you might still be in the valley.

I've also found for me, looking at the words when they are printed helps tremendously with some of my problems. I don't sing out loud, but I listen for certain words that clue my other hand in as to when to go. Thas has helped me a lot with Standing in the Need of Prayer and Blow the Man down.

And just so you all know I'm not completely breezing through this; usually what happens is, the first time I attempt a piece, I get very frustrated and have to take a break after a while. Most recently, this happened on Joy to the World. Then, when I came back to it, I played it as slowly as it took to get through it (I think it took me almost 5 minutes!!) It took maybe an hour after that to begin to play it close to normal speed.

So it's basically: 1) complete frustration 2) determined perseverance 3) shocked disbelief

I'm currently on "Auld Lang Syne." I was having trouble with previous pieces too...those mountain pieces!

An update to my post about a possible error in the Albert's Self Teaching Course:
On page 146 there is a comment that all F's should be played as F#. The music it refers to is in the key of F major. I contacted the publisher about this and their email response:

"It is a typographical error. The next printing will change that sentence to read: “And of course, all the B's will be played as B-flats."

For those of you with that particular Alfred's version, please take note.

Barbva
Congrats on getting through those. "Cafe Vienna" will be coming up soon... I enjoyed that one.

Angelojf
Looking forward to "Auld Lang Syne" I have tinkered with that one before- so hopefully it will be a valley for me.
I have almost got "Good People" done and will post when I do. It is one- that hearing will help the learning process - for those yet to come.

Hi Carl - I'm on page 89 in the All In One book (Blow the Man Down) and I agree with everyone I've read so far...WOW! What a difficult song!

I had about six months of piano 30 years ago, and just took it up again in January. While I breezed through most of the book to this point, I've definitely slowed down this week. In fact, I was supposed to do the next song after "Blow the Man Down", but haven't even LOOKED at it yet, and my lesson is tonight. I've worked so hard on "Blow" that's as far as I could get.

I also bought Alfred's Greatest Hits Level One and was going to try to attempt some of those, but they're WAY over my head at this point.

Hi all,

I've just bought a Yamaha P85 and the AIO book last Wednesday and am up to page 65 - currently stuck at Beautiful Brown Eyes. I've always wanted to play the piano since I was a boy but coming from a poor family, they only could afford to send my sister for lessons. Now, 20 years later at the almost "riped age" of 28, I'm trying to complete the dream I had when I was a boy.

The AIO book has been fabulous. I've actually tried learning last year but couldn't improve at all because I was only learning from downloaded scores. Alfred's AIO is a great tool for me as a adult beginner and I hope I can continue my learning journey in this thread at least for the next 6 months to a year.

P.S: Should I get a piano teacher soon? Or I can wait at least a couple of months more?

[quote=MariahB
I also bought Alfred's Greatest Hits Level One and was going to try to attempt some of those, but they're WAY over my head at this point. [/quote]

Make sure you look at the top right hand of the page on the Greatet hits, it tells you when you are ready for each song based on where you are in the Method Book. We're at the same place (Blow the Man Down) and the first 4 songs in the Greatest Hits are a breeze compared to that.

I also had lots of problems with Blow the Man Down. But now I have a new challenge, to put it mildly, and that's Little Brown Jug.

Trying to play the right hand while going down the scale with the left hand, which includes a Bb is not what my fingers want to do. I have tried to reason with them, but they are adamant - I ain't doin' that, period!

It's also really awkward with the RH trying to hit the Bb with my thumb and also trying to squeeze my fat middle finger between the black keys to play the D at the same time. It gets stuck in there after. Who writes this stuff?

I'm thinking of getting a player piano.

I'm with you... wonder how much it would cost to add one to my piano. I am so stuck on "Good People". I just cannot eliminate the mistakes! I think I may have to break the fingering down again. And of course "Little Brown Jug" is next in line.



Welcome bracket.
There are a lot of opinions on that topic. Ultimately, it will come down to you. But, if you are asking the question... I would say yes.

Hi dukeofhesse. Little brown jug is another rather hard piece. Go slow and practice hands seperate, eventually you'll get it.

wj3, thanks for the words of encouragement.

However, I am a Little Brown Jug expert when RH only and LH only. I could do it in my sleep. But when I try to put them together, there is rebellion. In order to play both hands together in that descending scale section I need to go one at a time.

But I will stop whining and just keep at it. Everybody else seems to have eventually gotten it.

Just as an aside, I have a good friend who has been playing piano all her life. I showed her Blow the Man Down and Brown Jug and she sat down and just played them, then looked at me as if to say, "and what was your question?" She's no longer allowed in my house.

Hey dukeofhesse... Don't you just hate it when an experienced pianist just sits there and plays something by sight. My teacher does that all the time and I am not talking Little brown jug but something like the goldberg variations by Bach.... It just goes to show how far we have to go. (He has only been playing for 50+ years). Anyhow we all have to start somewhere..... Its nice to have a good friend that plays.... You might want to let her back in the house.

Back to the problem....Go Slow and I mean S L O W.....Give the brain time to think about each hand... eventually you will be able to speed it up and then you'll wonder "What was the problem with that". Good Luck......

It's so hard to find a piano teacher that comes with good recommendations nowadays. I guess I'll just go for the next available one and try him/her out for a couple of months.

Right now, using the AIO book, I feel that most of the pieces that I've practised on can be mastered in time.. but what scares me is the eventual time when I have to play different rythmns with each hand.. that sounds impossible!

Well this took a little longer than anticipated. The walking base line gave me trouble as well as starting off with the 5-4 fingers (two weakest) on the right hand -skip a note (E) and pick up the D note with the 3rd finger. This really spotlighted a lack of strength/coordination on my part. Probably why this is in the book.

For those who will follow this path ...

"Good People"

http://www.box.net/shared/odgmohq72u