Hey,
I was wondering if there was any late learners of this beautiful instrument? I’ve been mingling around, considering starting on the piano, with no musical knowledge whatsoever, at the age of 18.
So how was your experiences with this? How “hard” did/do you feel it is to actually progress well? Personaly I would really like to be able to play classical music.
Also, if you got any recs on a good digital piano, I’d love to hear them.
[quote]asusvenus wrote:
Hey,
I was wondering if there was any late learners of this beautiful instrument? I’ve been mingling around, considering starting on the piano, with no musical knowledge whatsoever, at the age of 18.
So how was your experiences with this? How “hard” did/do you feel it is to actually progress well? Personaly I would really like to be able to play classical music.
Also, if you got any recs on a good digital piano, I’d love to hear them.[/quote]
I started playing the piano a couple months ago. I’ve been using Youtube tutorials to learn songs. Its definitely not as good as a legit teacher or anything, but it gets the job done.
It was pretty tough to progress, but thats just because I’m super ADD. Once I developed a wee bit of insomnia I had time to kill so I cranked up the practice alot.
I would recommend getting a good local teacher from the start, because otherwise you will pick up bad habits (this applies to all instruments, but especially classical piano). You need to develop good technique and form.
I’m in the same boat as you asusvenus, keep my updated on what your doing. I want to pick up this instrument very badly.
I’m actually joining my local music school, where I will be assigned a private teacher, so technique and form, probably won’t even get to the point of being a problem, as I have no preprogrammed “playing style”.
That’s cool Tommy, what kind of music do you play now?
That One Guy > Will do, as long as you do the same;)
It took me 14 years to become even somewhat proficient. It’s something that takes years of practice to be able to do what you’re hoping to do. I can play most anything by ear, and read most any music, but it took countless years of me kicking myself in the ass, making myself get better.
It is not worth it.
The only important thing is the music. Composers create it, musicians play it. Being a technician is worthless.
Learn how to read music, don’t just play by ear. I have played all my life, studied at the San Fransisco Conservatory of Music, and learning to read music was one of the most important things to be able to do. It might be a pain to start, but it’s far and away worth the time.
[quote]jasmincar wrote:
It is not worth it.
The only important thing is the music. Composers create it, musicians play it. Being a technician is worthless.[/quote]
This is a very ignorant post.
I would say enrolling in lessons with a professional pianist is an excellent idea. I tried learning it by myself for two years and got fairly comfortable with a small Casio keyboard. But there is so much that needs to be learned. So I am currently taking a piano class. It is a language in itself. Just like Engligh or SPanish, tHere are things that you need to know. Classical music is very complex, it’s not Green Day. Be prepared to spend alot of time in front of a Piano and you should be alright.
[quote]asusvenus wrote:
I’m actually joining my local music school, where I will be assigned a private teacher, so technique and form, probably won’t even get to the point of being a problem, as I have no preprogrammed “playing style”.
That’s cool Tommy, what kind of music do you play now?
That One Guy > Will do, as long as you do the same;)[/quote]
Thats a good idea. You’re very lucky to have the hookup with that school. I try to stick to mainly classical type music with a little ‘modern’ music thrown in there here and there.
Also, I second the learning how to read music post.
[quote]Stength4life wrote:
jasmincar wrote:
It is not worth it.
The only important thing is the music. Composers create it, musicians play it. Being a technician is worthless.
This is a very ignorant post. lol
I would say enrolling in lessons with a professional pianist is an excellent idea. I tried learning it by myself for two years and got fairly comfortable with a small Casio keyboard. But there is so much that needs to be learned. So I am currently taking a piano class. It is a language in itself. Just like Engligh or SPanish, tHere are things that you need to know. Classical music is very complex, it’s not Green Day. Be prepared to spend alot of time in front of a Piano and you should be alright. [/quote]
lol
You dont know who you are talking to. I have been studying music theory since I was 13 years old, no one pushed me to do it. I bet you dont even know what a circle of fifth is.
The thing is that playing the stuff other people write is worthless. I like music, moving your finger on a instrument is just a mean, not an end. If you don’t have any melody running around in your head, perfect stuff you never heard before that is coming out in orgasmic spurt, you don’t have the composer gift. I took me a while to understand that music was something you have in your head before your hand, a gift I didnt have. So I stopped.
And besides what is really enjoyable is improvising,and you need to be very very good in music to do, to the point that it is your career. Otherwise it sucks.
Green day? You are the kid listening to that. I am 100% sure that you listen to something I would find weak as fuck
Well at least we can agree that Green Day sucks ass.
[quote]asusvenus wrote:
I’m actually joining my local music school, where I will be assigned a private teacher, so technique and form, probably won’t even get to the point of being a problem, as I have no preprogrammed “playing style”.
That’s cool Tommy, what kind of music do you play now?
That One Guy > Will do, as long as you do the same;)[/quote]
Haha cool. I might look around for music classes next semester, if there’s a piano one here at UT maybe I’ll join it, or maybe I’ll wait till I head back home and take one at a community college, pretty expensive music class up here as opposed to back home, I’d imagine lol.
In the meantime, I think first I’ll try to pick up on how to read music, maybe checkout some youtube videos and see if i can pick up on some things like technique. My parents will damn sure not buy me a piano so I’ll probably try and purchase my own cheap little keyboard or something.
[quote]jasmincar wrote:
You dont know who you are talking to. I have been studying music theory since I was 13 years old, no one pushed me to do it. I bet you dont even know what a circle of fifth is.
The thing is that playing the stuff other people write is worthless. I like music, moving your finger on a instrument is just a mean, not an end. If you don’t have any melody running around in your head, perfect stuff you never heard before that is coming out in orgasmic spurt, you don’t have the composer gift. I took me a while to understand that music was something you have in your head before your hand, a gift I didnt have. So I stopped.
And besides what is really enjoyable is improvising,and you need to be very very good in music to do, to the point that it is your career. Otherwise it sucks.
Green day? You are the kid listening to that. I am 100% sure that you listen to something I would find weak as fuck
[/quote]
This is one of the most exceptionally arrogant and foolish things I’ve read about music.
What makes you think that learning to play an instrument and learning musical theory are disjoint? And why would learning an instrument properly, with tuition, preclude someone from writing their own music?
If playing what other people have written is worthless, then why do people buy new recordings of classical music, or attend concerts? Why do bands perform covers? There is more to music than what is on the page, and interpreting the music is as important as playing it correctly.
The idea that people can only write music that is somehow fully conceived in their heads is nonsense, that might be how Mozart did it, but for most people it is something that must be worked at, and practised. If you have given up doing this because it is too hard, then fine, but please don’t discourage other people who are prepared to put in the work.
[quote]Rational Gaze wrote:
jasmincar wrote:
This is one of the most exceptionally arrogant and foolish things I’ve read about music.
noooo!
What makes you think that learning to play an instrument and learning musical theory are disjoint?
It is.Learning an instrument is learning how to move your finger and learning musical theory is learning how music works.
And why would learning an instrument properly, with tuition, preclude someone from writing their own music?
I never said you can’t play and write. It is 2 different things
If playing what other people have written is worthless, then why do people buy new recordings of classical music, or attend concerts? lol…Now we are talking about listening, not executing or creating. 1. Someone imagines the music, write little dots on paper (You don’t create music by agencing little dots), then someone is paid to play it for someone to listen to it
Why do bands perform covers? There is more to music than what is on the page, and interpreting the music is as important as playing it correctly.
The idea that people can only write music that is somehow fully conceived in their heads is nonsense, LOL sorry to burst your bubble that’s how it works buddy
that might be how Mozart did it, Mozart,Mozart that the only thing I ever hear. How about Varese, Stravinski, Penderecki, Bartok, Faure,…you don’t know those guys? Still you know how music work
but for most people it is something that must be worked at, and practised. If you have given up doing this because it is too hard, then fine, but please don’t discourage other people who are prepared to put in the work.
there is hard work and there is talent. But If you love what you do it is not just your work it’s your hobby and your relaxation
[/quote]
[quote]jasmincar wrote:
You dont know who you are talking to. I have been studying music theory since I was 13 years old, no one pushed me to do it. I bet you dont even know what a circle of fifth is.[/quote]
As you’re so superior to the person you’re replying to, why don’t you tell us what a comma is?
(Without doing some desperate Internet search to find out.)
You’re being a jackass trying to discourage someone who wants to learn to play an instrument.
[quote]jasmincar wrote:
that might be how Mozart did it, Mozart,Mozart that the only thing I ever hear. How about Varese, Stravinski, Penderecki, Bartok, Faure,…you don’t know those guys? Still you know how music work
there is hard work and there is talent. But If you love what you do it is not just your work it’s your hobby and your relaxation
[/quote]
I named the composer I assumed you were referring to when you talked about envisioning entire pieces of music. I suppose I should’ve named every composer I’ve ever listened to in order to convince you I know something about classical music. And I believe hard work and talent are not mutually exclusive.
Anyway, in the interests of not derailing this thread completely, I’ll leave it at that.
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
jasmincar wrote:
You dont know who you are talking to. I have been studying music theory since I was 13 years old, no one pushed me to do it. I bet you dont even know what a circle of fifth is.
As you’re so superior to the person you’re replying to, why don’t you tell us what a comma is?
(Without doing some desperate Internet search to find out.)
You’re being a jackass trying to discourage someone who wants to learn to play an instrument.
[/quote]
If something something like THAT would put me off playing the piano, I shouldn’t even learn it anyways. No one is going to “talk” me out of learning it, since I’m purely doing this for myself. I don’t care if I play someone elses music, in truth, what made me want to play piano, was in fact listening to a very nice piece on the piano; Making me think “What if I was the one to play such beautiful music, with my own hands?”, which to me, is bringing the enjoyment to another level.
To the OP: If you are thinking about buying a digital keyboard, and you are serious about playing, be sure to get one with 88 keys, full size, weighted keys. It will have the closest “feel” to a real piano. If you practice on one with smaller/lighter/fewer keys, and then go to play a real piano, it will feel completely different and very screwed up. I have a Yamaha that I bought to pack to gigs, and it has nice feel, good sound, and is light and transportable. Cost about $1000 new.
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
jasmincar wrote:
You dont know who you are talking to. I have been studying music theory since I was 13 years old, no one pushed me to do it. I bet you dont even know what a circle of fifth is.
As you’re so superior to the person you’re replying to, why don’t you tell us what a comma is?
a comma is one quart of a tone
(Without doing some desperate Internet search to find out.)
You’re being a jackass trying to discourage someone who wants to learn to play an instrument.
[/quote]
I am not trying to discourage anyone to play an instrument. Playing can be fun. I am only writing what I think