I’ll give you a brief overview on how to go through Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course if you’re a complete beginner, and then we’ll get into some of the finer details.

Alfred Basic Adult Piano Course (all-in-one, Level 1) Alfred Basic Adult Piano Course (all-in-one, Level 1)

Since the Alfred books tend to be chord-focused, they’re naturally more pop-focused as well. The majority of the selection contains standards like Happy Birthday, When the Saints Go Marching In, The Entertainer, Amazing Grace, and other pieces in that vein.One reality of books meant for beginners is that they tend to be kind of hokey. Learning “Mary Had a Little Lamb” is practically a rite of passage, but it can be a little dispiriting for the adult beginner who longs to play serious music.

ALFRED’S BASIC ADULT PIANO COURSE Le v e L 2 Adult All in One ALFRED’S BASIC ADULT PIANO COURSE Le v e L 2 Adult All in One

Alfred's Basic Adult All-in-One Course is designed for the beginner looking for a truly complete piano course that includes lesson, theory, technic and popular repertoire in one convenient, all-in-one book. This course has a number of features that make it particularly successful in achieving this goal, among them are smooth progression between concepts, the thorough explanation of chords and outstanding song material. At the completion of this course, the student will have learned to play some of the most popular music ever written and will have gained a thorough understanding of the basic concepts of music. no (dead) Whole Books Last activity 0:00 ago 8.56 MB (8,974,481 bytes) The difficulty of the first Adult book follows an interesting path. The first half is very simple and easy to get into. However, there tends to be a difficult hitch at the end of the “G position” chapter with the pieces “Beautiful Brown Eyes” and “Alpine Melody”. If you’re only used to playing chords with your left hand, it’ll be a rude awakening when you attempt your first Baroque or Classical dance piece, where the left hand makes big leaps and follows its own path (instead of being led along by the right-hand melody). Song selection of the Alfred Adult seriesThe first Alfred book for adults is one I’ve taught from dozens upon dozens of times. It’s the book I used exclusively when I first started teaching piano, so I have a soft spot in my heart for it. The downside of a chord-based approach is that your left hand won’t be as equipped to deal with Classical music if you’re headed that route. Classical music requires a more dexterous and independent left hand, which is initially more tedious to develop.

Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course [Method Guide + Review] Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course [Method Guide + Review]

I absolutely recommend this series to students. It’s stood the test of time, and I’ve personally seen it get results. The chord-based approach is appealing, especially for students who aren’t particularly interested in getting into Classical music, though there is some of that as well. By the third book, things tend to get easier again. Not because the material is easier (it isn’t), but because most students who haven’t given up are used to the constant new challenges, and the material is starting to sound like real piano music. This is handy especially if you’re working on your own without a teacher. It takes all the guesswork out of your learning experience. Chapters and pieces However, there are still plenty of easy wins and straightforward pieces, such as “You’re in My Heart”. The Alfred series has been around for a long time – I grew up using their regular lesson books for children, and I’ve taught with their books as an adult.

Alfred Publishing

The next adult series I’ll be talking about on this channel is the Piano Adventures one, so stay tuned for that. But once that natural motivation starts to fade, they hokeyness becomes a problem. At this point I like to introduce supplemental pieces (perhaps something from the RCM’s Preparatory books) – pieces that seem more professional, serious and fancy. Let me know in the comments if you use/have used the Alfred books – I’d love to know what you think!

Alfred Basic Adult Piano Course - Free Download PDF Alfred Basic Adult Piano Course - Free Download PDF

However, I tend to use the Piano Adventures adult series nowadays. I haven’t used it for as long, but I think it has a slight edge in that it’s more balanced in its pop/Classical approach, and it’s less hokey. Overall, it’s a great course – solid, effective, affordable, and most teachers are familiar with it. The second book has more diversity in selection and includes a healthy mix of contemporary, Classical and original pieces. You’ll find everything from “Brahms’ Lullaby” to “Canon in D” to “La Cucaracha”.

Focus of the Alfred series: Chords

At book two I’m often prompted to say things like “Hang in there! The pot of gold is around the bend!” There’s so much to overcome at this stage in your learning journey – I’d almost go so far as to say it’s one of the hardest points of your learning journey period.