Home >> Teach Yourself Piano >> Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course : Lesson Book, Level Two Review

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

Star Ratings: Teaching Effectiveness: Styles Covered: Formats of Supplied Materials: Overall Quality: Support: Ease of Use: Value for Money: Editor's Overall Rating: Average User Rating: None posted

Cost

• Book - $9.95 from Amazon.com
• CD - $9.95 from Amazon.com

Features:.

• Chapters dealing with the more advanced skills to build upon what you already know:
  • Review Section
  • The Key of E Minor
  • The Key of D Major
  • The Chromatic Scale
  • Inversions of Triads
  • Two-Part Writing
  • Seventh Chord Review
  • Inversions of Seventh Chords
  • Sixteenth Notes
  • Dotted Eighth Notes
  • The Key of Bb Major
  • The Key of G Minor
  • Diminished Triads
  • Augmented Triads
  • The Key of Eb Major
  • Reference Section
    
• Dozens fun and interesting pieces.
  
  
• (A CD of the pieces in the book, available with an additional purchase.)
  

Editor's Verdict:

Do not be put off by the name: Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course is one of the most highly respected lesson book series available.  There are three Lesson Books in the series, which progress in comfortable but challenging levels from absolute beginner to fairly advanced, and supplementary books to practice your theory, sight-reading, or to add more pieces to your repertoire in any category: Sacred Music, Christmas Songs, Jazz and Rock and Duets are amongst those available.

In this, the second book in the series, you begin by revising what you have already learned and strengthening these skills, before moving on to more complicated key signatures, rhythmic values and chords.  Just as in the first book, Level Two provides such a thorough explanation of the main musical concepts that you are never left playing in the dark.  Everything is laid out simply and logically and nothing is omitted or skipped through.  It is perhaps surprising how far the second book actually takes you: concepts such as augmented and diminished chords are usually not dealt with at this stage.  However, understanding them now will mean that you can recognize them when they appear and will make your playing more informed.

Because of its highly theoretical nature, this book is more geared towards the adult learner.  This is its intended audience, and so it has catered for the needs and wants of adults rather than children or teenagers.  Lacking are the colorful illustrations, fun games and exercises and light style that you might look for in a lesson book for children.  As a result of this it may at times seem dry, but this is only because you will actually be learning, and probably having to work quite hard in doing so.  Not having the benefits that you get from multimedia or software courses, Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course requires you to put in the effort yourself.  You will need to be disciplined, but if you prefer this style of learning, this series is likely to suit you well.

With a lesson book series you are never going to get all the benefits of a fully multimedia course, and if you want these, we suggest that you buy a software or DVD package.  However, if you think that you would rather learn from a book you can purchase the additional CD, which contains the music from this part of the course.  This way you will know that what you are playing is as intended, which is often difficult to judge without demonstrations.

Click the button below to check out Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course : Lesson Book, Level Two for yourself...

>> Click here to visit
Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level Two

or

<< Back to the rest of our Teach Yourself Piano Reviews

Top 10 Teach Yourself Piano Resources
No1Reviews.com | About Us | Privacy Policy | Spot a Mistake?
FAQ | Useful Links | Site Map | Terms & Conditions | Webmasters | Contact Us

Web site and all contents © Copyright No1Reviews.com , All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of No1Reviews.com is strictly prohibited. Plagiarism will be detected immediately by Copyscape. Copyright theft has been dealt with harshly in the past. Our policy is to immediately file DMCA complaints and federal copyright infringement lawsuits against any webmaster caught stealing content from No1Reviews.com and to press for statutory damages as high as $150,000 as set forth in Section 504(c)(2) under 17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq.

Review of Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course : Lesson Book, Level Two