Anyone Play the Piano?

Do any T-Nation members play?

I’ve been playing for a little over a year now - trying to teach myself.
I mainly play - try to anyway :slight_smile: movie and game ost’s, new age/contemporary piano (Ludovico Einaudi, Rob Costlow) and metal (Sonata Arctica, Nightwish etc.)

Anyone new or interested in learning some piano check out Synthesia: There was a problem sort of like guitar hero but for piano.

I also have sheet music / midi’s if anyone is up for a trade etc.

I do not play. Forced eight years of classical lessons = resentment.

Sometimes I’ll chord out songs from guitar music for a sing along or such.

That was very enjoyable. Good job.

[quote]undecimber wrote:
Do any T-Nation members play?

I’ve been playing for a little over a year now - trying to teach myself.
I mainly play - try to anyway :slight_smile: movie and game ost’s, new age/contemporary piano (Ludovico Einaudi, Rob Costlow) and metal (Sonata Arctica, Nightwish etc.)

Anyone new or interested in learning some piano check out Synthesia: There was a problem sort of like guitar hero but for piano.

I also have sheet music / midi’s if anyone is up for a trade etc.

[/quote]

I used to play a bit. If you’re into movie and game OST’s, I’m very happy there are people like you. My friend has recently composed the music for the Total War games. It ain’t piano - its full live orchestra, but I was there in the room when he came up with the main theme on his piano. If you give me your email I can send you an example.

I have the forrest gump feather theme somewhere, if you want. Its a nice play. Though I can’t play it enough - you’ll probably be able to given your one year experience.

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
I do not play. Forced eight years of classical lessons = resentment.

Sometimes I’ll chord out songs from guitar music for a sing along or such.
[/quote]

x2. I hated the piano lessons

[quote]rugggby wrote:

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
I do not play. Forced eight years of classical lessons = resentment.

Sometimes I’ll chord out songs from guitar music for a sing along or such.
[/quote]

x2. I hated the piano lessons[/quote]

Did you have em at a really early age? I’ve hardly ever played the piano, but I believe I love it because I was attracted to it naturally in my teens. I guess when they’re shoved down your throat, it can for some people take all pleasure out of it.

Wow, impressive. How many hours a day do you practice?

[quote]Testy1 wrote:
Wow, impressive. How many hours a day do you practice?[/quote]

People who have access to an actual piano, I’m so envious of. I hardly play, but a friend of a friend at university who was a concert pianist and played in the university orchestra played 2-4 hours per day.

That’s incredible for a year of playing.

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:
Wow, impressive. How many hours a day do you practice?[/quote]

People who have access to an actual piano, I’m so envious of. I hardly play, but a friend of a friend at university who was a concert pianist and played in the university orchestra played 2-4 hours per day.[/quote]

You can find a spinet off craigslist for cheap as hell. If you don’t want anything special you can easily get something in decent shape for well under $200, though anything you buy used will likely need tuned so you can plan on adding another $75 to $100.

I’d spend a little more and go for a Baldwin Acrosonic. They usually show up between $500 and $700, but I’ve seen them go for under $300. It’s amazing how many people are moving and just want to get rid of a piano. I think they end up just like gym equipment for a lot of people, ie they make expensive clothes hangers.

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]rugggby wrote:

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
I do not play. Forced eight years of classical lessons = resentment.

Sometimes I’ll chord out songs from guitar music for a sing along or such.
[/quote]

x2. I hated the piano lessons[/quote]

Did you have em at a really early age? I’ve hardly ever played the piano, but I believe I love it because I was attracted to it naturally in my teens. I guess when they’re shoved down your throat, it can for some people take all pleasure out of it.[/quote]

I started having them at age 8 I think. Couldn’t stand it, I don’t think any of my brothers and sisters could. But we just did it cos my mum thought it would help us later on in life… but yeah always wanted to quit, but wasn’t allowed. I ended up just skipping the lessons and came to an agreement that it’ll finish after I completed grade 5.

I think I wouldve loved them if it was songs I knew and not the classical side of things. I HATED the grading as well.

[quote]tedro wrote:

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:
Wow, impressive. How many hours a day do you practice?[/quote]

People who have access to an actual piano, I’m so envious of. I hardly play, but a friend of a friend at university who was a concert pianist and played in the university orchestra played 2-4 hours per day.[/quote]

You can find a spinet off craigslist for cheap as hell. If you don’t want anything special you can easily get something in decent shape for well under $200, though anything you buy used will likely need tuned so you can plan on adding another $75 to $100.

I’d spend a little more and go for a Baldwin Acrosonic. They usually show up between $500 and $700, but I’ve seen them go for under $300. It’s amazing how many people are moving and just want to get rid of a piano. I think they end up just like gym equipment for a lot of people, ie they make expensive clothes hangers.[/quote]

That’s all mine has been for years now. Complete waste of space!

I did play a little bit, but I couldn’t continue due to real life stuff, I do want to get on the horse again. (I only got to play it for like 6 months), this vid is me after about two or three weeks of playing:

Not very good, but I just remember being ecstatic about actaully PLAYING music, something that I’d never been able to do, or atleast thought I wasn’t so I simply had to upload it, polished or not! :slight_smile:

Sigh, I miss it.

I’m one of those dorks who never had a lesson but I’d sit at my grandma’s stand up and mess around until I picked out melodies from songs I heard on the radio and whatnot.

Never went much further than that. Kind of regret not learning chords and playing more often.

I have the virtuoso pro app on my phone, and I’m often playing songs from itunes and trying to find the melodies and harmonies with that, but it’s just not the same as sitting at a piano.

Well done to the guys who posted vids. It’s a hard damn instrument to play and master, and beautiful to listen to when it’s done well.

[quote]tedro wrote:

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:
Wow, impressive. How many hours a day do you practice?[/quote]

People who have access to an actual piano, I’m so envious of. I hardly play, but a friend of a friend at university who was a concert pianist and played in the university orchestra played 2-4 hours per day.[/quote]

You can find a spinet off craigslist for cheap as hell. If you don’t want anything special you can easily get something in decent shape for well under $200, though anything you buy used will likely need tuned so you can plan on adding another $75 to $100.

I’d spend a little more and go for a Baldwin Acrosonic. They usually show up between $500 and $700, but I’ve seen them go for under $300. It’s amazing how many people are moving and just want to get rid of a piano. I think they end up just like gym equipment for a lot of people, ie they make expensive clothes hangers.[/quote]

Cheers for the heads up. I’m in the UK - don’t know if there’s a thriving craigslist here. However, I’ll look it up. I can bear a keyboard, but am really keen on weighted keys really. I had a crappy keyboard where the keys weren’t weighted, and there was no pressure sensitivity - really took the fun out of playing and writing any music.

[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
I’m one of those dorks who never had a lesson but I’d sit at my grandma’s stand up and mess around until I picked out melodies from songs I heard on the radio and whatnot.

Never went much further than that. Kind of regret not learning chords and playing more often.

I have the virtuoso pro app on my phone, and I’m often playing songs from itunes and trying to find the melodies and harmonies with that, but it’s just not the same as sitting at a piano.

Well done to the guys who posted vids. It’s a hard damn instrument to play and master, and beautiful to listen to when it’s done well.
[/quote]

What I find amazing about pianists is, that when they sight read well, they’re reading multiple lines. I mean, that’s determination and skill to admire.

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:
Cheers for the heads up. I’m in the UK - don’t know if there’s a thriving craigslist here. However, I’ll look it up. I can bear a keyboard, but am really keen on weighted keys really. I had a crappy keyboard where the keys weren’t weighted, and there was no pressure sensitivity - really took the fun out of playing and writing any music.[/quote]

Agreed. That is far and away the biggest problem with keyboards. I can’t stand playing them. Even the better ones with weighted keys will never have the same action as a real piano with hammers and strings.

[quote]Magicpunch wrote:

[quote]undecimber wrote:
Do any T-Nation members play?

I’ve been playing for a little over a year now - trying to teach myself.
I mainly play - try to anyway :slight_smile: movie and game ost’s, new age/contemporary piano (Ludovico Einaudi, Rob Costlow) and metal (Sonata Arctica, Nightwish etc.)

Anyone new or interested in learning some piano check out Synthesia: There was a problem sort of like guitar hero but for piano.

I also have sheet music / midi’s if anyone is up for a trade etc.

[/quote]

I used to play a bit. If you’re into movie and game OST’s, I’m very happy there are people like you. My friend has recently composed the music for the Total War games. It ain’t piano - its full live orchestra, but I was there in the room when he came up with the main theme on his piano. If you give me your email I can send you an example.

I have the forrest gump feather theme somewhere, if you want. Its a nice play. Though I can’t play it enough - you’ll probably be able to given your one year experience.
[/quote]

Your friend composed the music for the Total War games i.e. Total War Shogun 2 that’s aboot to be released - that’s unreal, did he do the music for the rest of the series as well?

Thanks for the Feather Theme offer, I’ve already got it though - my sister plays it consistently. You might like this channel on youtube:

I’ll shoot you a PM with my email, that sample sounds great - thank you.

I noticed some of you thought that the video I posted was performed by me - it wasn’t.

I own a digital piano from the Sony Privia series, it’s not too bad regarding the keys etc. they’re weighted quite well - even has a slight hammer action.

I bought this after my old piano died. It was a sad day indeed - couldn’t afford an actual piano at the time and I wanted to get something portable; plug into computer etc.

Recently went in for a lesson, didn’t like it. The lady was nice and was amazed that someone in there 20’s was interested in learning (she was seriously suprised) but she was too old school and restricting - it wasn’t fun, I like to play purely out of enjoyment and relaxation, zone out for a little bit etc.

I’m considering trying out the cello, I’m definetly going to need lessons for this one though.

Yea man i played almost every day for about 10 years or so and I’ve played some pretty difficult pieces along with a lot of popular stuff. I have a Yamaha grand piano at my house, but I don’t play as much now that at I’m college. If your looking to just play popular type music, just learn some chords and search for music on the web. But if you really want to be halfway decent, I would strongly recommend buying some “beginnner” type lesson books. There is books available for older people learning to play for the first time, as opposed to the “kindergarten” type learning books. Definitely go this route if you want to be a good player.