Easy Stuff Options

[lostchord]

Dear All - I'm currently having a break from lessons for three or four months and though I have pieces to practice for when I start back with my teacher I 'am looking at other pieces to play/practice. I passed Grade 4 last year and even though I got a distinction I was, and am still not happy with my general ability. Somebody plonked an 'It's East To Play' book in front of me at Christmas and of course I struggled to play anything with any degree of fluidity. I think it is the result of not enough sight reading, playing pieces that are too difficult, and spending too much time on exams. So I've decided to spend the next few months sight reading, and playing easy pieces which are no more than a couple of pages long and which I would aim to get through in a day or two at the most (i.e. two to three hours). The aim would not be for perfection but reasonable speed, good note accuracy and dynamics. I'm working through the Christopher Norton Microjazz Book 1 at the moment and 'am finding the rhythmn exercises opposite each piece of great value. I would welcome any other suggestions though of useful to help 'broaden the base'. And what do you think about reading and analysing music away from the piano, trying to get the rhythmn and sound in my head, help note recognition and generally develop the learning process. Adult learner 48. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Rosie91]

Try some Beethoven dances woO 8 and 13, available free here. I enjoyed sightreading them even though my sightreading is horrendous - the harmonies are nice and repetitive so at least the LH is quite easy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

From the same website there are also lots of fairly obscure children's albums which might suit, like Amy Beach's, as well as famous ones e.g. Schumann's - the first half of the album is meant for children, the second half is harder and meant for adults. You could also explore Kirchner, Burgmuller opus 100, and some Clementi sonatinas.

I don't really have recommendations for anything jazzy or more modern - I'm just a bit obsessed with IMSLP as I discovered it fairly recently and it's amazing, especially for solving my sightreading problem as I can just print loads and loads of stuff for free! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) The more recent stuff sadly isn't public domain, though.

Hope you find some things you like there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Solari]

Thanks for posting that, I'm going to have a go of those German Dances myself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I have a bad habit of memorising stuff so the more new stuff I get to try the better (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[DawnF]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/niceThread.gif) Hey, this applies to me too!!!! You may have seen my thread on sightreading/coordinating reading an playing. I've been working on some pieces that are around Grade 7 in standard and found them far too hard!!! I feel that the last pieces I could play with any kind of fluidity were the G4 ones (but I've not actually done exams) and some mof the grade 5 ones weren't too far off.

Being an adult learner myself with a first instrument (which I picked up as a child) of the clarinet. I totally empathise with you on this one and will be following this thread for more suggestions. Already downloaded those in the previous posts. Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif)

[lostchord]

Many thanks for the responses. The IMSLP site looks like a real treasure trove! I'm going to have a go with the Beethoven Dances first and try and sight read these. I'll then spend a bit more time on them and see how long it takes to get them reasonably fluid and at a speed that resembles a lively shuffle if not a dance! I find the learning process a fascinating subject and am convinced that by looking at a problem in the right way the creative/learning side can be unlocked. Finding the right way of loking is the tricky bit!!!! I'll let you know how I progress with concentrating on sight reading and short pieces for a while. I am optimistic!!!