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

Some people whip through it in 3-6 months, for others it takes a year or two or more. I've been working on it for about 1½ years and I'm near the end of the book.

It really depends. It depends on a person's past experience with piano or other instruments. It depends upon ability. It depends on whether or not someone has a teacher. It depends on how much time and practice someone puts into it.

I think the way you're doing it is okay by putting in 10 minutes here and there while you have time. The pieces in the second half of the book require more work and I think you would benefit in the future by practicing for longer intervals, but seriously I often do like you - I put in 10-15 minutes here and there instead of sitting down and playing straight for 45 minutes or an hour.

What is important is that we have fun and enjoy playing piano. It shouldn't feel like a chore, at least not for older beginners in my opinion. It's better to play a little and to keep playing and learning than it is to practice too much and risk burning out.

Thanks for that.

I often only get 10 or 15 minutes, but still thoroughly enjoy it. When I can, which tends to be once or twice a week, I'll get maybe an hour in a sitting.

As my skills improve, so I don't sound quite so bad, I've started to fit time in after the kids have gone to bed.

I like the book and I'm progressing better than I expected. I tried once before and got nothing frustration. This time it's great!

I was one of the slow ones. It took me two years to get through it, and I practiced every day. But I had never played an instrument before, am evidently not very musically talented, and started from scratch at 63. Now I've been on Book 2 for two years and I'm not even close to finishing. It's not easy, but I love it anyway.

I've been on Faber since January and started Alfred's, um one two months ago? At the rate I'm going I might be done by this time next year. Not really sure.

I don't really care how long it takes as long as I learn the basics solidly and have fun while doing it!

I'm currently taking piano lessons(had 2 so far) and work with The Piano Handbook in between, I'm close to finish learning the last piece in Unit 1, for now I'm doing fine, but I was wondering, given the fast pace this book progresses, is it possible to keep up with it for long?

If not, can you recommend a book that contains easy classical/jazz pieces(no children's songs, or anything as boring) with progressing difficulty?

Here are some books mentioned in this thread, as supplement to
the Alfred Basic Adult course or Alfred AIO Piano Adult Course

Alfred's Greatest Hits Book 1
Alfred's Pop Songbook Book 1
Alfred's Sacred Book 1
Alfred's Jazz, Blues and Rags
Piano Handbook by Humphries (I have this one, CD with nice sound, I did not start to play it yet)
My First Book of Classical Music
Alfred All Time Favorites (I have this one, only play the first two pieces)

Faber Adult Piano Adventures (Method Book, as Alfred)
Bastien Piano Basics Book 1 (Method Book, as Alfred)


The first two books are the most popular in this thread. Each piece has the piece number of Alfred Piano Book you should know to play it.

I did not have previous learning and I took almost two years to go to page 129 "The Stranger". I try to practice every day, about 1 hour, sometimes less.
See this thread
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/printthread/Board/30/main/116114/type/thread.html

Ok, just started using the damper/sustain pedal.

No problem I thought, wrong!
Adding something as simple as the pedal in has completely thrown my hands off, it is fun though.

I'm glad I read these posts. I was beginning to feel like something was wrong that I was taking so long to get through Alfred's first book.

I do like to play from the Faber Classical book, and when I need help I google 'supermangino' and the song name, he has a great way of explaining it.

I decided to go back to the beginning of the Alfred's book and start over, and my stuggles started at lullabye, but I am now onto Jericho.

Well I decided to back track and go to the beginning of Alfred and Faber to work on my rhythm and dynamics. Faber is going great (mind you I already worked through all these pages before!) but Alfred, well uck.

I'm on that King Welsucs or whatever you call him. And that stupid little two bar ditty has got my number. It sounds freaking terrible! I have it up to 72 ish on the metronome and am fighting to make the half notes sound decent. The two bar below it in p is okay, no problems there (I don't remember what it's called.)

How fast would you get that King W song going to? I'm wondering what even speed I should aim for here.

Which reminds me, why o why, do method books put in totally useless markings called lively or serious or flowing? Why can they not just use normal markings so the rest of the planet have a clue what they are actually aiming for? Is it alegro or adante?

Excuse the horrid spelling.

I'm on Alpine Melody, page 41. I did Wenceslas a few weeks ago. I hadn't even tried a metronome then so couldn't tell you what speed I played it. At a rough guess it was 1 second= a crotchet. I do play things rather fast me. Maybe try the metronome at 58-60 for the crotchets.
Just played the waltz on page 43 straight off- am pleased- used to take me ages to work out what the notes were. Got sore eczema hands as well but Piano keeps me going!

There's much to be gained from back-tracking, Becca, but you might try doing this while you're working on new stuff, too.

As a suggestion, you might do, say, two or three bars of two or three new pieces, two lines of pieces you're getting better at and two or three pieces you've already done but still need to get more comfortable with.

Get the speed to a point where it feels safe and reliable. The more you play it the faster that will be until you reach a point that feels right for the music or your own technique. Then stay there.

This is the same for pretty much everything you play. Don't try to play the pieces any faster than is comfortable and controllable. If they need to be faster you will get faster from familiarity. You don't ever have to force the speed.

After a couple of years on the instrument your fingers will get faster from regular practise alone. Once your velocity develops you'll be able to apply it to all your pieces. So don't worry about speed, it will come naturally in its own good time. Stay comfortable. Forcing the tempo is just an easy way of introducing errors that are exceptionally hard to correct.

Here is a repost of the bpm's of the songs in the Self-Teaching book's CD. Remember it's often a good idea to learn them at a much slower pace and then bring them up to speed.

100 - Ode to Joy
100 - Aura Lee
100 - Rock Along
132 - Mexican Hat Dance
100 - Au Claire de la Lune
120 - Tisket, a Tasket
116 - Rockin' Intervals
112 - Good King Wenceslas
100 - My Fifth
120 - Jingle Bells
124 - Brother John
116 - Here's a Happy Song
120 - Merrily We Roll Along
086 - Largo (Going Home)
132 - Mary Ann
120 - Rockets
090 - What Can I Share
160 - When the Saints Go Marching in
110 - Love Somebody!
096 - A Friend Like You
124 - The Donkey
125 - Money Can't Buy Ev'rything
130 - The Cuckoo
100 - Harp Song
114 - Beautiful Brown Eyes
100 - Alpine Melody
096 - Thumbs on C
104 - Waltz Time
100 - Good Morning to You
100 - Happy Birthday to You
102 - Standing in the Need of Prayer
086 - The Gift to be Simple
116 - Alouette
116 - Lavender's Blue
100 - Kum-Ba-Yah
128 - London Bridge
100 - Michael, Row the Boat Ashore
116 - Blow the Man Down
100 - Lone Star Waltz
106 - Café Vienna
124 - Rock it Away
122 - Joy To the World
096 - Cockles and Mussels
097 - Got Those Blues
104 - On Top of Old Smokey
162 - Can-Can
116 - Marines' Hymn
096 - Why am I Blue?
120 - Little Brown Jug
152 - Chiapanecas
088 - O Sole Mio!
124 - Jericho
103 - Greensleeves
094 - Go Down, Moses
102 - Scarborough Fair
100 - Raisins and Almonds
116 - He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
110 - The Entertainer
100 - Amazing Grace
090 - Over The Rainbow
062 - At Last
126 - Singin' in the Rain
100 - Laura
076 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Currently, I'm trying to learn the bridge part of At Last. I've also decided that I will temporarily skip the next to songs (Singing in the Rain and Laura) so as to try to get Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas learned by Christmas time. So that's up next.

BeccaBb, how does this version of the song sound? Loreena McKennit - Good King Wenceslas

My own copy of Alfred's came with a CD, but most of the songs have accompaniment besides the piano and it's really distracting. I sometimes like to listen to 'real' versions of the songs for a little bit of inspiration

Or the first post in this thread has a link to someone dutifully playing everything on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUklaqGw7Ss

Edward: 60 is about where I start (that's my good pace without mistakes.) Congrats on your waltz piece!

Richard: Thanks for the encouragement. I was kinda feeling silly backtracking but my rhythm went completely out the door and my touch was non-existent since I switched to my Roland. I tried everything but it was only getting worse. Figured the only way to correct myself and get back to where I was was start over. Faber's is flying by I believe because I did it before. Alfred's I didn't start at the beginning so it's all new.

So I am doing new material just easier than where I was. I injured my wrist so I don't want to tax it while I heal. Hence my focus on basics again.

Beginning of this summer, I could get songs up to 120bpm. Right now it's around 90 (except the King W song.) Would you recommend I work myself back up to the top speed I can do without mistakes?

Johnny: Bless your heart! That is exactly what I need! I don't have the cd, so thank you! And no worries, I start slow and make my way up depending on being able to keep it correct.

I'm also considering working on the few Christmas tunes for the next while and then going back after. I would like to play some songs for my family this year.

Allard: that song won't play in Canada (we don't have permission or some stupid thing. I forgot all about the youtube videos. Thanks!

Thanks Beccab!






How'd you injure it? I hope it is on the mend.






Aww bet they'll like that!






That's odd- us in Britain can watch it. Shame you can't see it Becca- I play it same speed as the you tube poster. I was talking to a Chinese student yesterday- she told me they can't get you tube in China. Apparently they have a you tube alternative. I couldn't do without you tube now- it's great for music and so many old dramas!

I have carpal tunnel and reinjure it in my sleep every once in awhile. I have a bad habit of folding my hand towards my arm then rolling on it in my sleep! LOL I usually sleep with the brace on but forget sometimes and I start the cycle all over. I can still function with it but have to take it easy to let it heal.

I've noticed that more and more keeps getting blocked. I think it has to do with copyright laws here but shudder at the stray thought that we are being censored. :| I wish I could have watched it, it's by one of my favorite musicians!

I would recommend, Becca, that you use daily drills like scales (when you get round to starting them - and there's no hurry) for building velocity and keep pieces at a pace that feels comfortable for the entirety of the first volume of Alfred's.

Music is music whatever the speed. Concentrate instead on your rhythm and dynamics. Keep the metronome at a speed you can follow. You'll find that you can play faster without the metronome than with it but, paradoxically, your playing will get better and faster more quickly by playing with it than without it!

I start at a speed that's too slow for a metronome. Until the thing is clicking at 60 or so it's too slow to know when the next click is coming. When there's a difficulty I sort it out mechanically without regard to time. Only when I'm comfortable with the movement will I start playing rhythmically and only when I'm up to a fluent tempo will I add metronome.

For me, metronome is most useful when:

a) just starting a piece with rhythms that are complicated and I need help keeping track of where beats really are
and
b) when I am playing the piece through but my tempo is wildly inconsistent. Rushing, dragging, losing track of downbeats, etc.