Customer Reviews

Adult All-In-One Course: Lesson-Theory-Technic: Level 1

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I used to play the clarinet in middle school. Now I'm 18 and it's been quite some time since I've read sheet music. Playing guitar for six years literally ruined my ability to read the stuff, because I would always use tabs instead. But eventually I grew jaded with the guitar, and I decided to choose a new and fresh direction -- the piano!

This book is very well-written, and leaves no gaps. Within just a few days I found myself relearning all that I had forgotten from band class years before, and I've now reached the point where I know more than I did! And I haven't even finished the book yet!

Plus, it tests you on theory and technique. You get to fill in parts of the book, which really helps you get involved with what your learning.

One reviewer downrated this book because of the song choices, and its accompanying CD. I feel that this is in err. I believe the song choices are just as good as any. If the tunes were familiar, then they wouldn't be as challenging to learn. And as for the CD...I did notice that the piano parts are rather quiet, but I always thought this was because it was a play-along CD (which is what I use it as). It's as good as it needs to be.

Besides, the pieces get more interesting as you progress, some of the final pieces being "Greensleeves", "Scarborough Fair", "The Entertainer" and "Amazing Grace" (and written in a way so that each hand will be dually occupied). And by the end of the third book in the series, you'll be playing some of Beethoven's most popular pieces, like "Fur Elise" and "Moonlight Sonata"!

Also -- something that concerned me when I bought this book: do you need a full-fledged piano? The answer is...no!! A sizable keyboard will do you just fine. But, you just might find yourself looking to buy a real piano once you delve deeper into these lessons...because this series really does inspire and nurture a great love for this amazing instrument.

If you're looking to learn the piano and can't afford a teacher, don't have time for one, or you just learn better on your own -- this is a must-have aid to your learning.

Good luck, and I wish you well in your learning!! :)

I am using this book for piano lessons I started taking in early January. I've wanted to learn how to play the piano my whole life and now at 40 I decided to do it. This book makes it very easy, so far anyway! The pace is steady, I look back now at the songs in the beginning that I struggled with and they are so easy! The combination of warm-ups and songs are just right. I highly recommend this book!

Okay, I am a "middle-aged" adult, and for years wanted to learn to play an instrument and be able to read music. I first started out with the violin because I really liked the instrument, but didn't continue because it was too much at once (violin + reading music).

Anyhow, I recently picked up the Alfred's Piano course, in conjunction with a keyboard purchase, mainly to teach me how to read music. The piano was a learning tool more than anything. But this book has sparked my interest in the piano! I'm actually having a lot of fun "playing" the lessons (the keyboard helps too).

Overall, this is a great book that combines lessons, theory, and technique.. It's exactly what I was looking for. If you order the book, I'd recommend getting the book/CD combo.

This book is good for adult beginners in that it starts them playing songs right away. It uses a Middle C approach, however, which I do not care for as I think it makes it more difficult to play later on. I teach piano for all ages and I've found that when I use the Music Tree series (for adults and children) my students have an easy time reading music. When they use a Middle C approach, they associate the fingering with note names and have a hard time telling me that the 2nd space in treble clef is an A (and so on). Re-learning to read music is always frustrating. That being said, I do think adults have an easier time breaking this habit, so I would not say not to purchase this book. There is also theory in it, which is a plus. I would say it is good, not great.

About a month ago, I decided I wanted to learn to play the piano. I have been playing guitar for almost 5 years but had no experience with reading music or any professional training, and since I want to start recording some songs soon, I thought it would be nice to have some piano skills.

I chose this book based on other reviews, and they had me convinced. Well I've been using this book for about two weeks now and I cannot be happier! It's ultra-comprehensive, and starts simply but moves quickly. I love the exercises included in the book; they have helped very much with reading notes (which I am finally learning!) I'm almost on page 40 (out of more than 150, I believe.) The songs to practice are fun, and I can't even believe how much I've learned in the small span of time I've been practicing.

If you want to learn how to play the piano, buy this book! I can't say whether it's a substitute for a good teacher, since I've never had one, but if you are self-motivated and prefer to work at your own pace (and thus enjoy learning even more!) I would recommend this book 100%!

Hope this helped!

Some reviews here say the CD is flawed because the recordings are not solo piano demonstrations and can be confusing for the learner. I do not agree with those reviews. Here is why;
On each piece, the background accompaniment instruments are heard on the left channel of the recording. The piano part is demonstrated on the right channel. On many sound systems, balance between the left and right channels may be changed, either by adjusting a single "left/right balance control", or by adjusting the volume of the left and right speakers individually. These adjustments allow isolation of either the accompaniment instruments or the demonstration piano part, or modification of the blend between the two.
Alternatively you can convert the each recording to MP3 (or other) formats and get a good media player where you can have a control over left/right volume channels.

I purchased 10 copies of the "Adult All-In-One Course: Lesson-Theory-Technic: Level 1" piano book to teach in a junior high after school program. I love it. The students are learning to read and write music. Playing even the simplest pieces with the CD accompaniment has kept them
motivated, practicing, and improving, weekly.

Great book! Great service, Amazon!

Thanks,
Diane
Grateful teacher in California

I started piano later in life. Oh well, I took about six months worth in the 3rd grade. But, I love music and I sing. No, I mean I really sing, like classical!! So, I read music. Of course, you still have to get it from your brain to your fingers so it was like starting from scratch. I am in the last book of this series and play rather well for a late bloomer. I began and went through the first book by myself----would have been much faster to have a teacher. Then I got smart and got a teacher, who also uses these books for ALL his adult students. I feel completely the opposite of the negative review. If you recognize all the tunes in the book, you will NEVER learn to count. Some recognizable pieces are fine, but most are not. This series gives you everything you need, including easy to learn theory. It advances through each book the way that it should. Just like I had to do to learn to read music for vocalizing. Stick with these books--find a teacher who will work with you and go for it. In a couple of years you will be amazed. And if you don't do that, in a couple of years you will be two years older and still not know how to play piano. Good luck!

I love this series for teaching piano. It is very methodical and logical. And I love that it incorporates the Hanon exercises. I see students grow leaps and bounds using those!

If you use the correlated 'Greatest Hits' book, you've got a teaching/learning package that can't be beat.

By the way, the series is labeled 'Adult' but I would recommend it for any student who is past the age of brightly colored pictures and kiddie lyrics. I guess I'd recommend it for anyone over the age of 13.

I am a new piano player and have found this to be an excellent book for teaching the basics of music theory and getting me to the point where I could play pieces such as Greensleeves and Scarborough Fair that actually sound quite good. The down side is the CD - as others have said the CD is a big disappointment and a waste of money. I expected to hear a single piano instrument but the piano is accompanied by other instruments and, having an untrained ear, I can not pick out the piano form the rest and therefore found the CD useless.