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

Welcome applejack!

Very nice upload, "What Can I Share?".

A couple of comments:
1) pay attention to the dynamic signs (first 8 measures are played mezzo forte, second eight measures are played piano)
2) don't rush through these songs, the tempo for this song is "moderately slow", suggested to be 90 bpm

When reviewing others on Youtube, sharing their Alfred pieces, most completely ignore the dynamics and the tempo is way too fast. If you have the Alfred book with the DVD, it will be very clear the differences between what is expected and what others are demonstrating.

Enjoy your piano, and the journey. I look forward to hearing more of your uploads! (and feel free to listen to my uploads at the link below)

Thanks for the welcome Scorpio!

I had noticed the differences in youtube videos versus the DVD. Should I be aiming for matching the DVD? I must have missed the dynamic signs, for my first recording I was just hoping to hit each note relatively cleanly.

Where did you find the suggestion that it be played at 90 bpm? That sort of info would be very helpful as I try to play along with a metronome when first learning a song.

Again, thanks for the welcome.

Johnny D went through and calculated bpm for the pieces in Level 1. It's the third post on the page:
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1070137/168.html

First I need to remind you that I am a beginner too; and I do not have a teacher, yet. So any comments I make are with that caveat, and I am only sharing my experience and not necessarily any expertise.

I do believe the DVD is the standard from which you should learn from and not the videos on youtube. I closely pay attention to how Gail plays each song.

After much reading, playing the piano is more than just pressing the right keys in the right order. I have really attempted to pay attention to everything on the sheet music, eg. tempo, dynamics, legato, etc. I have painstakingly worked on my touch. I know my touch of the keys is not right, and I really need help in this area. Sometimes the left hand is way too strong; it drowns out the melody in the right hand. In any case, my concern right now is building a solid foundation so that everything later will be easier and sound better. I have accepted that learning the piano is going to take time, so I am not trying to rush through the book. Also since this is a method book, each page is teaching a different skill, so its important to learn it as you go. Learn it now so you can use it later.

Oh, I forgot about the metronome. Others may have a different opinion on this, but I have read that a metronome should be used sparingly. I use a metronome to make sure I understand the tempo. I try not to practice with the metronome (although I have).

I am trying to develop my internal metronome. I have found that playing with a metronome takes the music out of the song, if that makes sense.

Hi Particle

I'm using Alfred's Greatest Hits and All Time Favorites both Level 1 - they really help bridge the gap from Book 1 to Book 2.
Greatest Hits seems more difficult for me and I'm about 1/4 into the Level 2 book.

They give added pieces to play and I find the extra practice very helpful.

Congrats on finishing Book One!

The metronome can be used to make sure that triplets are played as triplets and dotted rhythms or complex rhythms spread between the hands don't lose the beat. It's more likely to happen when rhythms change at the ends of phrases or where a piece goes from duple time to triple time or even goes from quavers/eighths to semi's/sixteenths.

The ability to play along with one means you have enough control to be able to keep time with an external source, be it a mechanical one or another performer. If you can keep time with a metronome you can keep time with another musician or your own internal clock.

Practising along with a metronome can be done at a slightly slower speed than normal recital speed as time needs to be given up to more concentrated listening and synchronising but it does confer control so that when playing without a metronome you can keep better time with your own pulse or the emotional effect of the music.

We tend, paradoxically, to speed up at the difficult sections, presumably to get to the end quicker or because it's easier to go faster using finger memory than actually controlling the tempo and having to remember the notes. The metronome helps prevent that.

Extended use of the metronome can lead to problems of focussing on the click, more likely to happen with mechanical metronomes than electronic ones or drum machines, and in some cases can lead to headaches or anger but there's nothing intrinsically wrong with extended use.
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Regarding the correct tempo for a song, it's best to feel the time. It can change with your mood, your location, the instrument and what you've just been doing or playing.

There's a point at which you have to concentrate on each note while you're learning a piece and a point at which you can just play without having to think too much about it or concentrate on it. You may be playing the right notes effortlessly but concentrating on expression or dynamics, for example. At this point, being able to play the notes semi-automatically, you're going fast enough that the exact tempo doesn't really matter.

If you're a beginning player it's likely to be slower than someone who's been playing for years but it's not an inability to play at speed that's slowing you down but that you've not yet developed enough velocity in your technique.

That kind of speed comes with time. Forcing the speed, by contrast, encourages mistakes and sloppiness in the playing and hinders overall progress.

Use the metronome to keep time. Use time and regular practise to increase your tempo.

I'd like to introduce myself proper on this thread.
I just started lessons this last weekend with a very good teacher. He usually works with much higher level players. He's very accomplished himself. He asked me what I had in books. Since he knew I had planned on teaching myself. He took one look at Alfred, smiled, and said: Yes, this is the one.
I imagine we'll go through this book pretty quick. Not that this is any contest of speed. I won't mention how fast I am going. That's just childish. He's just a good teacher. I realize many are teaching themselves. Like I had planned to do.
I did want to mention. Did you all know that Alfred has the...I think it's called; "Little Kitty" or "Soft Kitty" melody from The Big Bang Theory Show? I got a kick out of it. It's at the top of page 23. Titled: Lightly Row. I had fun singing the kitty song while playing this last night.

EDIT: I did want to mention. With this teacher. Thank God I won't have to deal with recitals with a bunch of children. I imagine I'm his only beginner right now. We do lessons over Skype. I'm also rather glad he likes Alfred's series of books.

Hi rnaple!

Best of luck with your new teacher. I am contemplating the Skype lesson route. I am eager to hear about your experiences and how it progresses. Also, please share if your teacher recommends supplemental material. Thanks.

Lullaby
https://www.box.com/s/ikb3zy743gv1nsnepkrw

Rock It Away!
https://www.box.com/s/tbeuaid2i7m1rhwo46kb

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I am still working on the recording part. I am still not happy with the quality and the process. Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.

I've been working through Alfred's AIO-1 with my teacher, but she decided I needed some supplemental pieces. She looked through a few of the other books I had and thought both "Alfred's Country Piano Book" and Kenneth Baker's "The Complete Piano Player - Omnibus Edition" (ISBN 978-0825624391 for the full size version) had some worthwhile songs.

I agree, supplemental material is a really good idea. I currently spend half my time on Alfred's AIO1.

Here's my (current) supplemental list:

a. A Dozen a Day Book 1 by Edna Mae Burnam (for warmup)
b. GP451 - Essential Piano Repertoire of the 17th, 18th, & 19th Centuries Level 1 by Keith Snell
c. Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: All-Time Favorites and Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Greatest Hits, Level 1

My greatest issue is taking on too much; I enjoy practicing. I know that working on a single piece for too long, in one sitting, is not productive. So I move from piece to piece and it seems to work.

Also, I am working on something that is way over my head. I am not sure it's a good idea. Interestingly enough I find that working on a more difficult piece makes the Alfred stuff seem easier and more manageable.

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day (here in the US)! I have fond memories of this tune. My grandfather taught me this song many years ago.

Cockles and Mussels (page 105)
https://www.box.com/s/owiv1lqlid7qmny3wddy

Just finished my second lesson. 1/2 hour isn't long enough. He keeps running over. Probably 45 minutes. I need to start paying him for hour lessons.
Very comfortable at home and him at home. Getting used to him. I'm thinking that is a great benefit of Skype lessons.
He was very impressed that I got to page 30. Said I did great for one week. Of course, I had to invent new mistakes on Jingle Bells. Even though I shouldn't have needed any help on a couple of these parts. He gave it. I took that as learning fromm him ways to work on problems/mistakes. I learned. It went well again.
NOTE: On supplemental material. He wants me to just work though this book right now. But... I asked about exercises. He said to go for it. Do all I want. Whatever I can do. Whatever I want to do. They can't do me harm, for sure. He asked what I have. I had to confess that I have all the exercise books. I confessed that I thought: "Gee, exercises, that will do me good." He smiled. He likes Hannon. He was impressed that I have Mikrokosm. Liked that. I'm thinking that most adults don't like exercises. I like exercises because I can focus on disciplining my nervous system. Get my body to do what I want it to do.

Personally, I can't let myself get bored with something until I play it fast. At least once. Many of these are song's I really don't want to remember. At least remember in the simplicity they are at right now. I do want to play them up to speed. That usually takes away the boredom.

So anyway. My teacher is impressed. Says I'm doing great. Keep going for it.

Excellent rnaple! I am happy for you that your lessons have started off so positive. Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

Just found this thread, Im not familiar with this book and as a struggling learner of over 30 years inexperience I could do with the help!

I am taking roll call.

I am curious if anyone else is currently working on Alfred's All-in-One Level 1 book. So if you feel up to it, give a quick nod. And I hope your practices are progressing!

Still here! Up to Lavender's Blue on page 84. Today was my 1 month milestone in learning piano. I just posted a few more videos on youtube. I'm not recording every song like some have, just whatever I can on the weekends. Again, I welcome the critiques.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWQ8V1UG0OKBXASb5AfVPe4zhMqmDU4ju

I am here I am on Amazing Grace and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I have lesson tomorrow. I am hoping to move on to Singing in the Rain and At Last tomorrow.

Reporting in. Am currently on Got Those Blues. Will probably go back and record the pieces in the earlier sections of the book.

applejack Very nice playing. I have yet to make the jump to youtube; I think they are excellent videos. It is good to hear that you did not rush through the songs like so many others seem to do.

ShannanwL Good luck with your lesson. Seems like you are moving toward the end of the book, very nice.

DeMae Ramen I'm at the blues too. Since I'm not so crazy about them I have been working on some other stuff. But alas, I will need to tackle these three songs this week. Let me know how it goes.