Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One

Description

A beginning course for adults who prefer a chord approach. It teaches chords for both hands so that the student can play more than single note melodies. It contains outstanding songs such as "The Entertainer," "Scarborough Fair," "Greensleeves" and "Amazing Grace."

Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-08-24
Summary: "Prefect starter to teach someone how to play."

This is a perfect book to start your friends/girlfriend on learning piano. It's by far not the most well-rounded material for it needs a few supplemental info in my humble opinion, but you will be able to teach anyone a few nice short pleasant pieces within a few hours.

Many well heeded in-depth reviews have been given, so I will just give a short pros-cons list of my own.

PROS:
- It concentrates quickly on useful scale/notes progression (C/G to G7, etc) and explains it in reasonable depth, enabling an absolute beginner to grasps the importance of those natural progression, backed up by a few exercises pieces to drill the concepts in.

- Many of the exercise pieces have strategically included sub notes in reminding correct fingerings, while progressively weeding out these notes and nudging the learner toward speedy scales reading.

- First beginner book I have run into that includes a detailed section on the importance of Hanon's fingering exercises! This section alone is worth the price of this 160 pages publishing. The 12 page Hanon exercise parchment I have cost more!

- Taken from the pages of grey's anatomy, many detailed illustrations are given that reminds the learner in the shortcoming of the human hands, with proven (but often HARD work) solutions of how to overcome them.


CONS:
- Some sections get skipped too quickly. For instance, G cord was introduced in great detail, but its natural progression in G7 was but one page with but a few sub notes thereafter. All three of my beginner students were stumped when they got to those pages, and I had to device my own mini lessons on supplementing that shortcoming in how to use the left hand picky and how to stretch the right thumb correctly for those cords (all three of my friends/students are left handed).

- This is in my books a big one - It fails to include some CRITICALLY IMPORTANT smart-tips for scales reading which should really be the emphasis on all beginners' book. For instance, F-A-C-E, All Cow Eat Grass, or Every Good Boy Deserves Football mnemonics should be included but was not.


Overall: I am extremely satisfied with this book! It is a great book for self learning, and an indispensable one to teaching off of.

---

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-06-13
Summary: "Excellent do it yourself piano course"

Although this series of books won't replace a talented teacher, if you have a hankering to finally be able to play that piano (or keyboard) that's been hanging around your house forever, this series will do the trick. You won't wind up playing something that threatens the position of the great piano maestros of our day, but you'll be able to pick up chords and a melody and make a song sound like you wish it to.

This series relies on baby steps to teach you a key, or a technique, or a set of chords. You play some simple exercises, then a song or two that emphasizes what you've just learned in the exercises. From time to time you reach a level where you are ready to take on a small song book. I recommend that you get the song books too and play thru them each time you reach one of those levels.

If you really want to learn to play the piano, make sure you can allot at least a half hour a day to practice, and an hour is better. At that rate in a very few weeks time you'll be able to impress family and friends, and maybe play the music for singing carols at a Christmas get together. :-) Comment | Permalink

---

Rating: 3 / 5
Date: 2010-05-02
Summary: "Happy, but..."

I am happy with this book, but am disappointed that - as a used book - it was not noted in the product description that the book had some writing in it.

---

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-03-29
Summary: "Fantastic companion"

As I am a first time piano player, this book has been invaluable. The book has taught me how easy it is to learn key placement and read music. I highly recommend this book for first timers.

---

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-01-22
Summary: "Easy to use and helpful"

I first used this when I took a beginning piano class in College. It is easy to use and extremely helpful. It takes you step by step through what you need to know. It is very easy to use if you are trying to teach yourself.