# Beginner Question



## Dalinar

Hi,

I started taking piano lessons in about 9 days ago (had two so far), and I also worked between lessons with The Piano Handbook by Humphries, which has an amazing selection of pieces in my opinion, today I finished playing the last piece in unit 1 competently, and currently working on Greensleeves from Unit 2.

The problem is that the pace is very quick and there aren't many pieces of the same difficulty to work with, I'm aware that the are books that progress in a much slower pace, but they contain really boring pieces, so basically I'm looking for books that contain sheet music of interesting pieces in progressing difficulty, can anyone refer me to such books?

Thanks.


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## Jaws

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Dalinar said:


> Hi,
> 
> I started taking piano lessons in about 9 days ago (had two so far), and I also worked between lessons with The Piano Handbook by Humphries, which has an amazing selection of pieces in my opinion, today I finished playing the last piece in unit 1 competently, and currently working on Greensleeves from Unit 2.
> 
> The problem is that the pace is very quick and there aren't many pieces of the same difficulty to work with, I'm aware that the are books that progress in a much slower pace, but they contain really boring pieces, so basically I'm looking for books that contain sheet music of interesting pieces in progressing difficulty, can anyone refer me to such books?
> 
> Thanks.


I would suggest that you ask your teacher to either give you more pieces to learn between lessons, or if that isn't possible to suggest some music that will help reinforce what you need to be secure doing at the level that are now at.

I don't know how old you are, but sometimes adult late beginners try to move onto more difficult repertoire before they have properly absorbed everything that they need to know about the level they are on. What you do at the beginning of learning an instrument forms the foundations of everything that follows. Just like a building if the foundations are not very secure you could find that get to a stage where you can't move forward, without going backwards and repairing what you didn't finish when you started.


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## Dalinar

Well she did give me 3 pieces she thought were adequate to work on before I played the last piece in Unit 1, but they were extremely easy, actually most of what she gave me so far took minutes to master.

Maybe I'll tell her that in the next lesson, I do practice A LOT between lessons, so there's no reason not to give me much more pieces/harder pieces to work with for each lesson.

I'm 27, and I was already warned about the importance of the foundations, that's why I already ordered a metronome to acquire good habits.

P.s. I managed to play Greensleeves competently, it actually sounds like a song, though I still need to work a little on getting the timing.


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## Jaws

Dalinar said:


> Well she did give me 3 pieces she thought were adequate to work on before I played the last piece in Unit 1, but they were extremely easy, actually most of what she gave me so far took minutes to master.
> 
> Maybe I'll tell her that in the next lesson, I do practice A LOT between lessons, so there's no reason not to give me much more pieces/harder pieces to work with for each lesson.
> 
> I'm 27, and I was already warned about the importance of the foundations, that's why I already ordered a metronome to acquire good habits.
> 
> P.s. I managed to play Greensleeves competently, it actually sounds like a song, though I still need to work a little on getting the timing.


Actually you have just told me that you can't play Greensleeves accurately as you mentioned that the timing needs work.

Timing is more important than playing the right notes. A right note in the wrong place is a wrong note. When you are sight reading being able to play in time is more important than being able to play all the right notes.

Have you mastered the timing in your other pieces? If not you don't need anymore music yet, as you haven't completed your foundations.


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## Dalinar

The pieces I said I mastered were done correctly, timing and everything, my teacher said I did them correctly, so no problem there.

About the harder pieces from the handbook, even if I start practicing on a new piece, I still keep playing the older ones I haven't perfected over and over, I feel its easier this way, than only focusing on one piece at a time, but if you say it's the wrong way then I won't make one step further before everything I play is accurate.

Thanks for the advice!


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## Jaws

Dalinar said:


> The pieces I said I mastered were done correctly, timing and everything, my teacher said I did them correctly, so no problem there.
> 
> About the harder pieces from the handbook, even if I start practicing on a new piece, I still keep playing the older ones I haven't perfected over and over, I feel its easier this way, than only focusing on one piece at a time, but if you say it's the wrong way then I won't make one step further before everything I play is accurate.
> 
> Thanks for the advice!


Here is another thing that you can try. When you find a bit of a piece that isn't as good as the rest. Don't start again from the beginning of that piece of music, only practice the bars or part of a bar that you find difficult.

In the long run it is better not to move on until everything that you play is accurate.


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## Dalinar

I'll do that.

And I will try to advance only when I'm certain things are done accurately.


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## Ravndal

A little advice: Be careful with the metronome. Music is ment to be played organically


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## Jaws

Ravndal said:


> A little advice: Be careful with the metronome. Music is ment to be played organically


It is easier to play organically if you first know how to play completely in time. Beginners need a metronome so that they play in time rather than more randomly.


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## Nariette

Minimalistic, the newest (21st century) "classical" style is like its name, minimalistic. Overall, the pieces are not very difficult, fun to play, and because of their minimalism nice to hear. It's nothing like the baroque, or romantic style but worth to try. A few wellknown minimalistic composers are Yann Tiersen(France), Ludovico Einaudi(Italy), and Yiruma(South Korea). Dernière by Tiersen isn't very hard to play, but good fun. I'd certainly recommend it.


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