[zedius]

It's a long shot, but does anyone here play piano? Did anyone here pick it up late?

I don't want to post this in a more appropriate forum because I don't think I'll get the answer I'm looking for.

I want to play piano fairly well, fairly soon. Has anyone taught themself? Got any good techniques? I'm currently practicing Journey's Midnight Train intro, Moonlight Sonata, and the synth solo for Zeppelin's All of my love.

I just got a Roland SH-201 synthesizer, and I'd like to put it to good use.

[Prisstina]

i've been playing piano for almost nine years, since age 7. private lessons with a nun (figures). lessons aren't really necessary unless you want an in-depth understanding of theory and advice on tempo, emphasis, etc.

if you can read music, then you definitely can teach yourself to play. when you take lessons, you're essentially teaching yourself to play...just in the company of an instructor. practice often and you'll get the music down.

i'm currently teaching myself vanessa carlton's "thousand miles", and i've taught myself dozens of other songs. it can be done, dude.

[Glice]

A mate of mine, 23, went from grade nothing to grade 7 in 8 months or so. You'll be fine, I'm sure.

[Prisstina]

oh, and a "technique"--

make sure you can play the melody (right hand notes, usually) before even trying to play the left hand. sux to have to juggle both at the same time when you're first learning.

[atsonicpark]

piano is relentlessly frustrating to play in a classical sense. though on a synthesizer, i can make endless amounts of catchy, good melodies (as anyone probably can), attempting to actually be good at piano is very difficult. unless you just want to play the soundtrack to "halloween". then, it's a party-time tool!!!

go listen to that conlan guy i reccomended the other day, his album "for player piano" and try to play that stuff. try to play stuff that is either impossible to play or just really really challenging. that's how you really get better. dillinger escape plan once said that they write songs too difficult for even them to play. but they always learn to play them, which is what makes them such a good band (well, i hate them now, but they were good until that last album )...

[zedius]

Yeah thanks hey that's the sort of stuff I want to know. Most of it comes naturally, what is comfortable, but I know with guitar I can teach myself lots of bad comfortable habits and I imagine the same thing happens with piano.

I can't read music, but I'm getting there. That's kind of the first hurdle I think. I'm learning moonlight sonata via sheet music. I'm writing the notes above as I go along, but I don't know if that's a good idea.

[zedius]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

piano is relentlessly frustrating to play in a classical sense. though on a synthesizer, i can make endless amounts of catchy, good melodies (as anyone probably can), attempting to actually be good at piano is very difficult. unless you just want to play the soundtrack to "halloween". then, it's a party-time tool!!!

go listen to that conlan guy i reccomended the other day, his album "for player piano" and try to play that stuff. try to play stuff that is either impossible to play or just really really challenging. that's how you really get better. dillinger escape plan once said that they write songs too difficult for even them to play. but they always learn to play them, which is what makes them such a good band (well, i hate them now, but they were good until that last album )...

Also very good advice. It's just that what is really really challenging for me right now is embarrassing

[atsonicpark]

Yeah, I mean, basically and obviously it's what you want to do with piano that will determine what advice we can give you.. do you want to play classical-type piano? Or "experimental" piano (John Cage and shit)? Or just learn to make beautiful melodies? Etc. I have no idea how to read sheet music, so I guess we all should learn that at some point in our lives

[zedius]

Well, I want to be able to play some classical and jazz. I don't want to be really good, but I want to be alright. I'd also like to improve my scales and stuff for soloing. I think I'd like to try to get good classically, because that'll leave most of my options open for other things. I'm fairly good at plinking around already and making melodies and I find I'm mostly limited when I want to play anything arythmic with my left hand while my right hand is doing stuff. I'd like to not be limited in that respect.

[nomadicfollower]

As with any instruments, learn first the notes, then some scales, the some chords.
But only if you want to be good.
You could just noodle around hoping for something worthwhile, but you'll eventually quit.
And of course practice.

[Prisstina]

ugggggh yeah scales, definitely get to be good at those. you'll need the skill.

[Everyneurotic]

Originally Posted by Prisstina

...
i'm currently teaching myself vanessa carlton's "thousand miles"...

ace song.

[total-trash]

i took lessons for maybe twow years when i was little and stopped for a long time. lately i started again and basically taught myself. it really helps to be able to read music easily, and know which notes are which keys on the piano.

it's easier if you start with pieces that don't have any sharps or flats.

you should also look into prelude and fugue no. 1 in c major from bach's "well tempered clavier" here's a link http://www.free-scores.com/download-...ic.php?pdf=465. it's really good to practice sight reading

[zedius]

Oh thank you all so much. I will check out those songs total-trash, I think starting without sharps and flats is a good bet. Moonlight Sonata has four sharps labelled at the beginning of the peice and not throughout, so it's just one more layer of crap to remember.

[total-trash]

no problem. but really that bach piece is fantastic and easy. it's also a beautiful song.

[zedius]

Do you know where I could hear a version of it that isn't played blisteringly fast? I don't know if I'm listening to the right song.

I just printed the sheet music and gave it a shot, but I'd like to make sure I know what it's supposed to sound like.

[zedius]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-wHXNoFKBY

Got it. Yeah I know this Beautiful.

[total-trash]

yeah i remember hearing it on that website and it being really fast. glad you got to hear the right version though. i love it it's great.

[Glice]

Something to aspire to. Is it cruel of me to post this?

[Torn Curtain]

I'd love to be able to play Beethoven's piano sonatas or Mozart's piano concertos but strictly respecting finger positions and music theory pisses me off (that's what is great with guitar, you can have a certain liberty regarding technique - when it's not classical guitar off course).