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Joined: Mar 2013
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If I may, I would suggest to book 1 (and 2) learners to supplement it from the very beginning with more classical-oriented material. Not because I don't like the tunes in Alfred's, but because I soon found out that my left hand was seriously under-trained. Alfred makes you play LH chords from the very beginning, but 1) chords are not easy and require good technique and flexibility to ensure that all notes sound simultaneously, with the right dynamics and maybe even with the right voicing, and 2) the left hand remains stiff and slow if you only do chords and double notes.
In most of the very basic classical pieces that I'm tackling right now I can see that the left hand drags behind and causes most of my coordination and speed problems. A good exercise is switching treble and bass and play the melody with the LH. Then, when I practice scales and arpeggios I try to work out the LH twice as much as the right hand, and practice it alone most of the time so its faults are not "covered up" by the RH. 
Last edited by earlofmar; 08/01/13 06:21 AM.
Surprisingly easy, barely an inconvenience. Kawai K8 & Kawai Novus NV10 13x ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/gallery/42/thumbs/7728.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/gallery/42/thumbs/5225.png)
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Has anyone else found and watched some of the movies where some of these songs were first featured in?
Songs like:
The Entertainer - The Sting (1973)
At Last - Orchestra Wives (1942)
Laura - Laura (1944)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
1978 Dittrich Acoustic Upright
Alfred's 1 Graduate
Currently on Alfred's 2
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Good Day,
My first post on this forum. Did I read that right, 7 million views to this thread? Wow. Alfred is a popular guy. I've read quite a few of the responses.
I'm working through Alfred's. Started on my own, now have a teacher that gives me other music too. I like the book. I changed the O Sole Mio so it sounded more like I know the song.
I started in Jan 2013 too. I think Scorpio did too. It was my New Year's resolution. I also agree with Scorpio that the first half of the book is easier and then it gets tougher. Maybe I'm not progressing along with the material as much as I should.
I think this forum will be fun.
I'm no Liberace, but I do live about a mile from the bar where he used to ride the bus to and play.
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Welcome Violette. ... I changed the O Sole Mio so it sounded more like I know the song. Beware when you do this. Alfred writes songs to get you to learn something. Pay attention and learn what it is he wants you to learn. Have fun changing the songs too.  ... I also agree with Scorpio that the first half of the book is easier and then it gets tougher. Maybe I'm not progressing along with the material as much as I should.
. You're doing fine. It is just that in the second half. We are learning or training our nervous system to do things it hasn't done before. That's why progress slows. People who go through it quickly.... either they already had the training, don't get the song's down right, or they are lying.
Ron Your brain is a sponge. Keep it wet. Mary Gae George The focus of your personal practice is discipline. Not numbers. Scott Sonnon ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/forumpicts/MOYD13/MOYD_3.gif) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/Joplinbadgesmall.jpg)
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Has anyone else found and watched some of the movies where some of these songs were first featured in?
Songs like:
The Entertainer - The Sting (1973)
At Last - Orchestra Wives (1942)
Laura - Laura (1944)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) Yes... If you're interested. I think Netflix might have them?
Ron Your brain is a sponge. Keep it wet. Mary Gae George The focus of your personal practice is discipline. Not numbers. Scott Sonnon
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,189
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You're doing fine. It is just that in the second half. We are learning or training our nervous system to do things it hasn't done before. That's why progress slows. People who go through it quickly.... either they already had the training, don't get the song's down right, or they are lying. I agree. Going slow now, building a strong foundation, and allowing the brain and muscles to develop proper synaptic connections for piano should make for great progress later.
Kawai MP11 : JBL LSR305 : Focusrite 2i4 : Pianoteq / Garritan CFX
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams. -Willy Wonka![[Linked Image]](https://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/medium/9353.png)
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Hello all; Once again thanks for the comments on the last video.. I have been struggling with the next piece, Laura, for close to 2 weeks and I had a long recording session tonight. (There is a wrong note at the end but I am hoping it's not very prominent or disturbing.. I was exhausted so I would have to record again tomorrow, instead I chose to just accept it and move on). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcjID4MYnqY At this point once again I am not even sure my recording or working method is very correct. I generally sit in front of the camera restarting again and again until I have a good recording. Sometimes it takes a few tries but sometimes, as was the case with Laura, 20 or so tries. So If I was in a recital or playing to somebody I would bomb it for sure. Yet I am not sure working on it till I can play it without mistakes most of the time was worth it.. Ahh dilemmas dilemmas..
Casio Privia PX-350
Alfred's Adult All-in-One Book 1 Graduate
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Well done sydnal another quality performance, if it only took two weeks to learn then that is excellent. The more difficult the piece the longer one has to work on them, so patience is the key.
As to recording I have done four so far and all but the third were nightmares. The last one for the recital was done over days of attempts. There must have been at least 100 attempts before I got two to pick from and both are not to standard. I can only hope it gets easier in the future. This is a very common problem in the forum.
However the key to mistake free pieces is slow....very slow playing while learning. This gets the accuracy but I must admit to being a little impatient with this. For my latest pieces they are all faster in tempo so I am forced to keep them really slow. I hope this will make a difference in the longer term.
Surprisingly easy, barely an inconvenience. Kawai K8 & Kawai Novus NV10 13x
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Hello, I just managed to get through Greensleeves this evening, it's so lovely but my version slow and choppy. I have been excited to get to this song as it is one of my favourites and although I practised it very slowly, I don't seem to be able to speed up yet and get it to sound really nice. Just done about an hour on it, so maybe after some more practise I will be able to play it so it sounds lovely, well, hopefully.
I am trying not to beat myself up, but I feel my progress at returning to piano is sooooo slow. But, when I achieve some small success it feels so good.
Getting there, but slowly is my mantra, for now.
Adult returner
Practising Mindfulness Piano
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Sydnal... That was good. I can understand accepting good enough and moving on. We all face that. We're learning to play musically. Laura isn't an easy piece. Congrats.
Shey... Yup... Greensleeves is a special song. Just something about it. Keep at it.
Ron Your brain is a sponge. Keep it wet. Mary Gae George The focus of your personal practice is discipline. Not numbers. Scott Sonnon
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Earlofmar, you suggested people on book 1 and 2, work with some classicle pieces to aid left hand as Alfred's uses lots of chords.
Please can anyone suggest some pieces which are easy enough for someone nearing the end of book one.
I am intensively working on theory just now, but enjoy playing lovely music.
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Practising Mindfulness Piano
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Current Work:
- Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Level 1
- Methode Rose
- Suzuki Piano School Volume 1 & 2
Start Date: 11/01/2013
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Posts: 357
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Shey - 3 suggestions Festival Collection, Classics to Modern book 1, Masterworks Classics Book 1/2, which should be well within your reach. I've not tried Masterworks but I find publications with CD's most helpful.
All are unmodified pieces. The Festival Collection/Succeeding with the Masters series has expanded since I first came across it and I am enjoying the Etudes. I abandoned Alfred part way through Book 2 without regrets.
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Dat was nice. Thank you. Hope you're having fun learning.
Ron Your brain is a sponge. Keep it wet. Mary Gae George The focus of your personal practice is discipline. Not numbers. Scott Sonnon
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Laura is in my opinion the most challenging piece in this book. Your recording sounded pretty good, impressive for only 2 weeks working on it, however that little bass run up in the 2nd to last measure seemed a little quick to me. Remember those are quarter notes.
1978 Dittrich Acoustic Upright
Alfred's 1 Graduate
Currently on Alfred's 2
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mattroilanh_tt I love this piece for so many reasons. Your playing was just great, nice steady rhythm and balance.
Surprisingly easy, barely an inconvenience. Kawai K8 & Kawai Novus NV10 13x
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Thanks earlofmar and rnaple. The final pieces of the book are really challenging. I am thinking of just skip it then go ahead to book 2 or play around some time with those pieces >"<
Current Work:
- Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Level 1
- Methode Rose
- Suzuki Piano School Volume 1 & 2
Start Date: 11/01/2013
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I don'have Laura in my All In One book 1, I'm glad because it sounds difficult.
Johnny D, love the Bob Dylan avatar, can you play anything of his? I would love to learn "To Make Yo Feel my Love", my kids think it's Adele's song, ha ha.
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Practising Mindfulness Piano
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@ Shey
Bach is the man for supplementals, in my opinion. Many pieces are quite easy and beautiful
BWV 846
BWV 924 (without the mordants)
BWV 939
BWV 999 (this is perhaps a little harder)
Those are within the level of end of book one (that's when I learned those)
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Thanks for the intro to those Bach pieces. Can you tell me where to find them? I am liking the songs at the end of Alfred's, and getting lots of help with my theory from this forum.
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Practising Mindfulness Piano
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