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

Cobra, there are a few more songs in the All In One book but they are just basically supplemental material and are pieces from other books, mainly a few blues pieces from the Jazz Rock Course. If you're not into that style you won't miss much. I do like playing them because I like the blues but they aren't essential to learning to play from this method. The All In One book also includes the theory that is presented in the Adult Theory Book 1 that can be purchased separately.

Doug F -Thanks for that concise explanation of the differences between the regular Adult book and the AIO version. I bought my regular 1,2 & 3 Alfred books before I found this forum. Every once in a while, when I heard folks discussing "All Good People" or "The Stranger", I'd wonder what I was missing! I'm not a big jazz or blues fan at this point, but that may change with time. Good to know what I've missed!

Thanks Doug for explaining the difference...as luck woul dhave it, Blues is my primary interest once I can progress to that level. But, I DO have an Alfred's Blues book so I think I'll be OK.

Wow, I didn't realize there were two books either. I have been working my way through the basic book. Those that have the all-in-one....would you recommend the theory book?

Ann

Ann - I would think that if you have some prior musical experience ...playing another instrument for any length of time, that it might render the Theory book(s) unnecessary.

I do wish that Alfred's would have thought of combining the AIO volumes 1,2 and 3 into a single spiral-bound edition. I don't know how many times I've had to bend back the fairly thin regular Adult Book 1 so it wouldn't flip a page at an inappropriate time! My language on such occasions, is somewhat less than "musical".

Emissary, my Alfred AIO book is spiral bound.

asc, I agree with what Emissary said about Theory. I've played other instruments and the basic theory in the AIO book #1 is nothing more than that. (Actually I'd classify the theory in the AIO book as very minimal.)

However, I did buy Alfred's Theory book. Link Here It is in 3 sections and comes with 2 cd's. It has some ear training in it. I've just completed the 1st section and it was a good review. I had to learn the bass staff when I started playing the piano and it was some help by keeping me working on what note was what. In my opinion, the 1st section corresponded nicely with book #1.

I would recommend this book to anyone without prior musical knowledge. If you already know the basics, you'll fly through the first section, but it'll be a good review. Those that have played a string instrument probably have a much better grasp on theory than I did playing a woodwind instrument. I didn't know anything about chords and such...but then again you could say I wasn't the best woodwind player out there. LOL

I really believe that the Alfred's All In One book still needs to be supplemented with a theory workbook. If you are just wanting to play for yourself for fun, then you can do without it...

GracieCat - For those that might be interested in purchasing the Theory Book, is it set up like the Greatest Hits book, where it recommends starting a section if you are on page 51 of the Adult Book 1 and page 80 if you have the AIO version? I suspect that on this forum, that about 25 or 30% of our members have the Adult Book 1 rather than the AIO 1. I certainly hope it's relevant to both versions for those folks who would benefit from it!

BTW, I noticed about a week after I bought all 3 volumes of the Adult Books from Amazon, the AIO series and its spiral binding! Oh the pain of it all!!

Emissary, no the theory book isn't set up like the Greatest Hits is. Also, the book has an answer key in the back. The book would be relevant to either book.

If you're really wanting spiral binding you can take your book to an office supply store and they'll spiral bind it for you. I've seen other's mention it. Probably cost around $5-7...my guess.

I wish all music books had spiral bindings!! I did the same thing...purchased the 3 Alfred books and then found the All in One. Oh well.

Here is what I do for my books--I use two large binder clips on the pages. That holds the books open and then I stick the binder clips under the open area of my stand so they stay open.

Someone else told me to make a copy of the sheets I'm working on..since most of Alfred's are one or two pages, but I don't like to waste paper/ink resources...but it is an option.

This is some great information on the theory book. Thanks! I had some piano lessons as a kid, but I don't know how much theory I actually learned. I just wanted to play, not do the pencil and paper stuff.

I can always tell when my air comes on in the house - that's when the pages start to flutter. Does anyone else try to keep playing, realizing you're half out of your seat and your head is in some odd position to keep from stopping until the song is over??

Yes!!.. I'm nearly finished the book now

Amazing Grace is almost complete!

Looking forward to moving to the Book 2 thread!!

I ended up with this book after all the local music stores didn't have the other books recommended to me on this forum and all the employees tried to sell me this one.

I have gotten to the point where it says I'm ready for the Alfreds Greatest Hits book so I got that. Love Me Tender went off pretty easy. I think I might put some piano tunes on youtube.

Its been over a year since I posted on this thread .
I played in the May recital last year, after spending 3 months as a 'teach myself from books' adult beginner.

Then I had some poor health, then some family stuff, then my toddler was needing one on one play all day and didn't nap anymore. I had so much to do , that there was no time to play or practice. Sad but real life was just too busy and I had to organise my priorities so piano had to wait a while.

Toddler is now going to bed at a reasonable hour in the evening , so I have an hour for practice now.

I picked up Alfred last Friday and thank goodness could still play up to O Sole Mio, where I left off. I've learnt the Entertainer this weekend.I intend spending this week reviewing the book and will start Amazing Grace at the weekend.

I'm not sure whether to do the Greatest Hits level 1 book before starting book 2, or do it alongside the first review section of book 2.

My teacher has sent me to learn the Prelude on C major BWV 846 from Bach, so Alfred's is waiting until I get passed on this.

I hope wednesday will be the day as I am now able to play it thru wihtout mistakes, mostly...

Let's hope!

Ejay, you must have some good prior musical knowledge to move that fast. Good for you. If I were you, I'd just move on to book #2, and use the Greatest Hits book for supplemental practice.

Banjoman, I'd love to see some video's. I say put some up!

That's a lovely piece! I am just finishing that one up myself, I'm looking forward to letting my teacher her my progress on it tomorrow!

I think Amazing Grace may take a couple of weeks, then I will probably move on and alternate the greatest hits1 with the book2 pieces.

I learnt classical guitar to Grade5 level as a kid, and also play the hammered dulcimer, so I have a decent knowledge of music theory , scales and chord structure.

I was the kid who learnt guitar because the parents didn't want a piano in the house.. I waited a long time to get a piano (even though it is a digital) so didn't let this delay in learning frustrate me, it was just another year postponing, not giving up.

I was relieved though to find my fingers remembered most of what they had learnt. I spent my first 8 weeks last year learning scales, chords inversions and arpeggios, before starting book 1, and think it was a worthwhile exercise. So I will be starting afresh with scales , but playing a third and tenth apart instead of just unison.

I use two small clothes pegs on my music stand to hold books open. Although I much prefer scanning music or downloading PDFs into my music software on my laptop, and turning the page with a foot pedal, so much easier.

Congratulations Ejay on finding your way back to the piano! Life does have a way of setting roadblocks in the way of our passion. I hope you are able to stay the course for a while.
CarlMc

What software/pedal do you use for this?

I made a stand to set my compute on jus above where a music book would normally go on the piano...makes using the computer much easier.