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Hi.
I just registered with the forum. I was so happy to see a Faber's group. I have been playing around on the piano with Alfred's Adult All-In-One for awhile now. But, heard that Faber's is better. I just picked up the Adult Piano Adventures and am really looking forward to playing with it. I already notice a difference in playing all over the keyboard instead of staying in one location. There is so much to learn and I do not have a teacher. I feel like I have already picked up a lot of valuable info from reading you posts. So, thanks everyone, keep it coming.

Welcome aboard Marie! Which Faber book are you working on?

Welcome Marie50! Does the Alfred book not move across the keyboard?

Well I'm doing good. Still perfecting jingle bells. It seems to get smoother everyday so that's a good thing. I have dropped the one Christmas song (We Wish You a Merry Christmas) due to the 8th notes. I'm just not far enough along to keep the rhythm going with those thrown in. So I'm leaving it for now and when I get to 8th notes in Faber, I will ressurect it then. I'm just happy I figured out what my issue was with that song. I was getting quite frustrated.

I hadn't realized how far along in the book I was. I'm on page 17 already! I work from page ten to where I'm at right now daily and I'm rather happy with my progress both on working from one end of my keyboard to the other and with my rhythm (which is getting easier to count and keep time every practice.)

I stop and move on when I'm also not being challenged. When my fingering, rhythm and overall smoothness leaves me with nothing to work towards then I move that song/piece into warm-up for the day and move the next item into "practice." LOL not that I've had much to move into that category yet!

I do find that there are things I wish I had a teacher for (such as when to move forward or how to move/not move to access keys on far end.) However I am happy with designing my own "lessons" and the fact that I really can't afford a teacher.

Marie50 and Becca, comparing Alfred and Faber adult books - there are things I like about Faber. The music sounds nicer. I like the way they ask you what fingers you are going to start on for each piece. And I like how they ask you to transpose to another key. But, honestly, as a self teacher, I found Alfred easier to follow. I think it's instructions are much clearer. But both methods are pretty good and will eventually teach you what you need to know.

Thank you all for the welcome.
In Alfred's I got as far as Michael Row Your Boat Ashore; almost 2/3 though the book.
I just started Faber's Book 1. It is relearnig some material, but there is also new things in there too, like transposing. I never knew what that was. Faber's is taking a bit more concentration, the approach is a little different.
Alfred's was pretty easy to follow.
I will probably go back and forth between the 2.
I may try to work with a teacher for a little while for some face to face guidance.

You should... Books can't teach one how to play with feeling and certain elements that need to be learnt from another person personally.

Ugh really sucky piano day. I think I'm just too distracted or busy. Way too much to do and was thrown off my routine by unexpected long distance calls. Practice was horrid. Cut it short at 20 mins and try again tomorrow.

Hi BeccaBb at least you got 20 minutes in! Today I got zero time and only about 15 minutes yesterday and zero all weekend! Yesterday I had my last lesson for the year and I was a bit sad cause I felt so disconnected from everything I was doing! As you say there are just too many Things to get Done before Santa comes!! And with two boys aged 5 and 7 we better be ready!!

I am hoping after the big day I can get in tons of
Time at the piano. It will be a welcome break from all the malls!

Wishing you the best through the holidays and tons of play time!

Thanks Zoe! I was feeling very very frustrated. Just one of those days where nothing goes right. A little nap with my boyfriend and reading your post I feel better.

Good lord ages 5 and 7 are a handful! I don't know how you get ANY time at the piano! lol... mine are now 19 and 16 so I have much more freedom and they both help critique and encourage me.

I hope you get lots of quiet time over the holidays too! Merry Christmas Zoe.

As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, I was not too happy with the 2A and 2B performance books for use as supplemental material to the Faber adult books because the songs were a bit too childish for my taste, (I'm a little ways into Adult Book 2 right now). So I ordered and just received last night the Faber Developing Artist Prep Piano Lit. and Piano Lit. Book 1.

When I first looked at the music in the Prep Lit. book I thought it would be too easy, and playing the LH and RH parts separately was easy. But putting them together was a real challenge! After playing the first few songs and listening to the CDs for both, I think I'm going to be really happy with them.

Most of the songs are probably available in the public domain, but coming from Faber these have the formatting I'm used to along with finger numbering on tricky areas, and the CD will be a huge help in hearing what the song is supposed to sound like.

A student would probably be able to tackle the Preparatory Literature book after getting half-way through the Adult Book 1, but like I said, putting the left and right parts together is the challenge.

Dio666, I'm glad the Developing Artist books are meeting your needs. An additional nice thing about getting books is that all the music has been selected already; no need to hunt around trying to find pieces at the right level.

That is good news Dio. I know I have some performance books headed my way but I'm not nearly as advanced as the rest of you guys on here. LOL Can't wait for Christmas this year.

I'm up to page 19 already. Man it's wizzing by. I don't have a pedal yet for my keyboard though.. so I had to skip the pedaling part of the lessons and will have to return to that when I get a pedal. (It had to be ordered.) I also asked a question about why I'm using particular fingering in the teachers corner.

How is everyone else holding up so far?

Hi, everyone. I am meeting with a teacher for my first piano lesson on Monday, 12/26. I am excited, but a little nervous too. I haven't played in front of anyone before. Any suggestions? What should I be prepared to play? Not sure what to expect.

Marie....good luck with your teacher. I believe that having a good teacher will add structure to your practice and improve your technique. I recommend that you bring the material that you have been using. Don't be surprise if your teacher has you take a few steps backward.

I am still learning a few Christmas pieces. I have Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer at a playable level. I have already started making a few "tweaks." I started playing Jesu, Joy of Mans Desire tonight......it's not performance ready yet!

Merry Christmas!

I have both Alfred Adult books (didn't finish book 1) and Farber Adult Piano Adventure books (finished both), and I prefer Farber. The songs are much prettier, and I personally find the instructions and explanations in Farber much clearer. I enjoyed almost all the songs in Farber, but only a few in Alfred. I wanted to pick up other books in the Farber series, but my teacher said that the pieces are too watered down and prefer that I start playing "original songs." He recommended the Bastien Piano Literature. I am at vol. 1, and some songs are much more difficult than others. Good luck -- you will enjoy the Farber books!

I am really looking forward to the lessons, but also fighting the insecure feelings of being such an total beginner. Never too late, never too late, never too late.

Michael...
I love the song Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire. It is such a beautiful piece. The best of luck with it!!! Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone.

I love "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire" also. I played a really easy version when I first started, and would like to learn an intermediate version now.

Yesterday I finally nailed "Carol of the Bells" from the Faber Christmas for All Times - that's the good part. The bad part is that by the time I could play it and get the LH and the pedalling down perfectly, I was really, really sick of it. LOL I may not ever want to play it again. Next year "O, Holy Night" will be at the top of my Christmas music list.

Merry Christmas everybody! I have really come to love the Faber arrangements. When I first started with my teacher she recommended them to me and I'm so glad. I have several of the level 2,3, and 4 Big Time series. My favorite of all is the Christmas book. I worked on 5 of them this last few weeks and finally posted the last of them last night in the holiday performances thread.

I didn't get sick of any of them but was challenged by the pedal in the First Noel so recorded it without pedal. The hardest to get a clean recording of was Carol of the Bells. I had to slow it down quite a bit. And Jesu, Joy of Mans Desiring I think I overplayed it. I just recorded it 2 days ago but think I was playing it nicer a week or so ago. My teacher says to be careful of over playing things as they may become messy/sloppy. Oh well I know better now. What I really like about this series is that each song taught me something new and was fun to play.

I use the level 2 books for site reading practice as they are more fun to do. And I'm finding I didn't need much time to bring these up to speed. The level 4 took a bit longer. I wish there was a level 5 Big Time series!

Merry Christmas to all Piano Adventurers!

@zoe.....I think there is a level 5.

Merry Christmas!