I have big hands. Need some help with fingerings.

[pianachu]

Maybe I'm just being a little too pessimistic because I'm sure I can do things the way my book is asking me to. Firstly, I'm a beginner pianist, accelerating quite quickly. I'm almost about 3 months into practicing steadily. I'm using Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Level 1 book. So, if anyone has that, please refer to it. I'm on page 140, "The Entertainer". The left hand requires me to play a C, E&F, C, and then an E&Bb. (By the way, I don't know what to call those double notes, because they aren't chords. So if anyone has an answer to that, thank you.) The book is calling for me to play both Cs with my 5th finger (pinky). The E&F is played with 1 and 3. The E&Bb is also supposed to be played with 1 and 3.

So, I know people move their hands up on the piano to allow more access to the black keys and if it's necessary to play specific chords easier. And it seems necessary here. I have to move my 3rd finger up to the more narrow part of the white key (E). This seems hard because my middle finger is just about the width of that narrow section of the white key. It makes it kind of difficult to play the song this way. I feel as if it's easier to use my index (finger 2) instead of my middle finger at this part. Again, these fingerings are for left hand (bass). Please help!

And I might as well just ask another question. I was browsing this forum a few days ago before I registered. Came across a comment from someone that said if they're serious about learning piano, they should switch books and not even bother with Alfred's basic course for Book 2 and 3. Any opinions on that? Should I just keep going? I already own Book 2. Is it worth switching to something else or should I just play Book 2 seeing as how I already have it anyway?

[coda_colossale]

Two notes are dyads. They may be smaller parts of chords.
Fingerings are only suggestions. They are only important in some specific cases (Bach's own fingerings, Liszt's fingerings etc.)

[jtfields]

Ah! The Alfred's book. I know what you mean about the fingerings for the arrangement- I found them to be horrendous and my teacher told me to come up with my own. As coda_colossale said, fingerings are just guides. Eventually there won't be suggested fingerings and you'll have to come up with your own. Sometimes the editors' picks will work, sometimes they won't. If they've got your hands twisted and contorted trying to play their suggestions, cross them out, find a mix that'll work for you, and go with it. If you're studying with a teacher, then they'll correct you if they see fit.

In regard to the second and third book, my first piano teacher felt the same way in that they were a waste of my time- but that's likely because I was also taking music theory in conjunction with class piano. I imagine it wouldn't hurt to see if you take to them? What works for one person may or may not always work for someone else.

[pianachu]

Yeah, I don't have a teacher...but I would like to study music theory too. Anyone know any good books? Something with pictures, something that's just a long chapter book, any of it, thx.

[coda_colossale]

If you mean harmony, counterpoint etc. by music theory, I'd say the best you can get are Tonal Harmony by Kostka&Payne and Counterpoint by Piston, or by Kennan.
I don't know about the beginner-friendly books though.