Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B: A Review
If you are looking for a piano book that will help you learn the basics of piano playing, you might want to consider Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B. This book is part of a series of piano books that are designed to teach you how to play the piano in a progressive and easy way. In this article, we will review the features, benefits, and drawbacks of this book, as well as compare it with some other similar products. We will also provide some customer reviews and a link to purchase the book online.
Features
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B is a paperback book that contains 48 pages of piano lessons. It is written by Willard A. Palmer, Morton Manus, and Amanda Vick Lethco, who are experienced piano teachers and authors. The book is intended for adult beginners or young students who have completed the previous book in the series, Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1A.
The book covers the following topics:
– Review of the concepts taught in Lesson Book 1A, such as note values, time signatures, intervals, and hand positions.
– Introduction of new concepts such as incomplete measures, tempo markings, eighth notes and rests, using the damper pedal, half steps and whole steps, and the major scale.
– Practice songs that reinforce the skills learned in each lesson. The songs include popular and classic pieces such as “Brother John”, “Carol in G Major”, “The Carousel”, “The Clown”, “Concert Time”, “A Cowboy’s Song”, “The Cuckoo”, “French Lullaby”, “Good King Wenceslas”, “Good Morning to You!”, “Good Sounds”, “Grandpa’s Clock”, “The Greatest Show on Earth!”, “G’s in the BAG”, “Hail to Thee, America!”, “Harp Song”, “Happy Birthday to You!”, “Indians”, “Join the Fun”, “The Magic Man”, “Money Can’t Buy Everything”, “Music Box Rock”, “Oom-Pa-Pa!”, “Ping Pong”, “The Planets”, “The Rainbow”, “Sonatina”, “Step Right Up!”, “Waltz Time”, “When Our Band Goes Marching By!”, “When the Saints Go Marching In”, “The Whirlwind”, and “The Windmill”.
– Explanations, illustrations, and exercises for technique development and music theory understanding.
– Online access to 20 video lessons that demonstrate how to play each song and explain each concept.
Benefits
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B has many benefits for piano learners, such as:
– It provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to learning the piano that builds on the previous knowledge and skills acquired in Lesson Book 1A.
– It introduces new concepts gradually and clearly, with plenty of examples and practice exercises.
– It offers a variety of songs that are suitable for different levels of difficulty and musical tastes. The songs are fun and engaging, and help the students develop their musical expression and confidence.
– It includes online video lessons that supplement the book content and provide visual and auditory guidance. The videos are high-quality and easy to follow, and can be accessed anytime and anywhere.
– It is affordable and widely available online and in physical stores.
Drawbacks
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B also has some drawbacks that potential buyers should be aware of, such as:
– It requires some prior knowledge of piano playing and music reading. It is not suitable for absolute beginners who have no experience with the piano or music notation. For those who need to start from scratch, Lesson Book 1A or another introductory book is recommended.
– It does not include a CD or audio tracks for the songs. The online video lessons only cover some of the songs in the book, not all of them. Some students might prefer to have audio accompaniment for all the songs to help them practice and check their accuracy.
– It does not cover all the aspects of piano playing or music theory. It focuses mainly on the basics of note reading, rhythm, intervals, scales, chords, and simple songs. Some students might want to explore more advanced topics such as harmony, improvisation, composition, or different styles of music.
Comparison
There are many other piano books for beginners available on the market. Here are some of them that can be compared with Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B:
| Product | Price | Pages | Features | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B | $8.70 | 48 | – Review of Lesson Book 1A concepts – New concepts such as incomplete measures, tempo markings, eighth notes and rests, using the damper pedal, half steps and whole steps, and the major scale – Practice songs that include popular and classic pieces – Online access to 20 video lessons |
– Comprehensive and systematic approach – Gradual and clear introduction of new concepts – Variety of songs for different levels and tastes – Online video lessons for guidance |
– Requires prior knowledge of piano playing and music reading – Does not include a CD or audio tracks for all the songs – Does not cover all the aspects of piano playing or music theory |
| Piano Book for Adult Beginners: Teach Yourself How to Play Famous Piano Songs, Read Music, Theory & Technique | $23.03 | 122 | – Step-by-step lessons and 20 online video lessons – Popular and classic pieces such as “Für Elise”, “The Entertainer”, and “House of the Rising Sun” – Basic music theory lessons such as chords and scales |
– Self-teaching tool for adults with no previous piano experience – RollingStone.com recommended as one of the best piano books for beginners – Popular and classic pieces for musical enjoyment |
– Might be too fast-paced or overwhelming for some beginners – Does not include a CD or audio tracks for all the songs – Does not cover all the aspects of piano playing or music theory |
| How To Play Keyboard: A Complete Guide for Absolute Beginners | $12.95 | 48 | – Introduction to the electronic keyboard for older children and adult beginners – Basic concepts such as notes, chords, rhythms, finger exercises, and simple songs – No prior musical knowledge required |
– Bestseller in the music category on Amazon – Thousands of positive ratings from customers – Simple and easy to follow instructions |
– Only suitable for electronic keyboards, not acoustic pianos – Does not include a CD or audio tracks for the songs – Does not cover all the aspects of keyboard playing or music theory |
Customer Reviews
Here are some representative customer reviews for Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B:
– “I love this book. It is easy to follow and has a lot of songs that I recognize. The online videos are very helpful too. I am learning a lot and having fun at the same time.”
– “This book is great for beginners who have some basic knowledge of piano playing. It reviews the concepts from Lesson Book 1A and introduces new ones in a clear way. The songs are enjoyable and challenging enough to keep me interested.”
– “This book is not for absolute beginners. It assumes that you already know how to read music and play some simple songs. If you are looking for a book that starts from scratch, this is not it. You need to get Lesson Book 1A first.”
– “This book is good but it does not come with a CD or audio tracks for the songs. The online videos only cover some of the songs, not all of them. I wish there was a way to listen to all the songs before playing them.”
Conclusion
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Bk 1B is a piano book that will help you learn the basics of piano playing in a progressive and easy way. It is suitable for adult beginners or young students who have completed Lesson Book 1A. It covers new concepts such as incomplete measures, tempo markings, eighth notes and rests, using the damper pedal, half steps and whole steps, and the major scale. It also offers a variety of songs that include popular and classic pieces. It includes online access to 20 video lessons that demonstrate how to play each song and explain each concept.
However, this book is not for absolute beginners who have no experience with the piano or music notation. It also does not include a CD or audio tracks for all the songs. It does not cover all the aspects of piano playing or music theory.
If you are interested in buying this book, you can click on this link to purchase it online. We hope this review has been helpful and informative for you. Happy piano playing!
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