Hello!

I have started using the Alfred's Basic Piano Course with one of my adult pupils. She is really keen to learn, but has hit a sticking point early on with learning the Bass clef. I do think the Alfred introduces the Bass clef a bit too quickly; the problem is, she has only just understood the Treble clef and has got completely flummoxed now she is playing the Bass as well!

Ar there any other books or resources that you use that would be of particular help in this situation, particularly if you have ever used the Alfred?

Thanks!

I'd probably stick to playing hands separately until she's confident with both clefs. Some of those books of older beginners do tend to rush a bit when it comes to putting both hands together, and often the bass clef only consists of a 5th of c and g or something, so not much proper bass clef reading is explored.

If you do a search for free sheet music there are loads of places you can print out simple tunes for separate hands, so she could get used to reading one clef at a time first.

edit : Just fixing my spelling of separate for the 100th time... What is it with that word and me? Just doubled checked there and according to a website it's the 2nd most misspelled word on the internet

what was the first?

At first I usualy find that recognising the starting note and reading by interval is fine. In the eary stages it's normally only intervals up to a 5th.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'understanding'.
Both clefs work the same way.... notes move up the 'ladder' by step from line to space so if you understand how one clef works and know one or 2 anchor points (the note indicated by the clef itself being one) there isn't a lot else to understand.
I've used the Alfred but not had this problem before as I usually find that adults and teenagers pick the basics quite quickly and can see how the notes go up by step. They usually cope quite well with 5 notes in each hand from the start. I do tend to run through a quick explanation of the stave working as a ladder right from the start with older beginners and fill in the details as needed.
Sometimes I find it helps to explain that bass and treble clef together form one continuous ladder with an imaginary line in the middle where middle C 'lives'.
Incidentally I've also found that this approach can help with and understanding of the C clefs.

Your/You're apparently.

Yes indeed! That one bugs me...but then me spelling separate wrong probably bugs other people

This sounds pretty much like how I do things too. The Trinity Guildhall Initial book has a few good little pieces that focus on the bass clef - either the melody's there, with an easy RH accompaniment, or both hands are using the same intervals in reverse - as in, using the same fingers, mirror-like. (Robin Hood.) People don't like using exam material as teaching material, but the book is cheap and need not necessarilly be used with the intention of doing the exam. The music is nice and can stand on its own.