[raymondlin]

I have just bought a Yamaha and started to learn, not found a teacher yet but just watching some youtube videos and learning to play the scales at the moment. Learned so far Flat, Sharp, octave, inversions...etc

I am going to try to get the basics down before moving onto songs that i like.

So, who else is learning (or can play) and do you have any tips ? What i should or should not be doing? Besides getting a teacher (which i would do in the coming weeks)

 

[Dzjudz]

I've been playing for 15 years, but I'm still learning

. I would certainly recommend a teacher, I had one for the first 12 years. Having someone point out what you're doing wrong with your hands/fingers/wrists and to really teach you how to play properly is invaluable. And a teacher is of course a good source for your first music, and scaling up the level with your personal progress. Good luck learning to play this wonderful instrument! Stick with it, the first couple of years are probably a bit boring (scales, easy pieces), but it's definitely worth it! I got Clair de Lune on sheet music a couple of weeks ago and learning to play it at the moment. Being able to play such pieces is a skill I wouldn't trade for anything.

 

[smrtby123]

Make sure you stick with it, the piano can be a great stepping stone to other instruments and helps you with music theory immensely. The biggest thing about having a teacher is it forces you to play and practice what you should be practicing. I was taking jazz guitar lessons for a while and having the teacher to kick you in the butt every week and make you play all your scales and go through the lessons is a good thing. Kudos to you, I have tried to go back and learn piano but being an engineering student leaves me with little time as it is.

 

[That dude]

I've been learning for quite some time and it really helps with all my other musical endeavors. The only annoying part "after you get pass the sight reading hump
, which I have yet to do so" is the amount of practicing you'll have to do to get a piece right. You'll definitely get frustrated, but don't give it up. It will be the greatest weapon in your musical arsenal.

Edit: It's also good to get a real acoustic piano once you get to higher levels, electronic pianos just don't have the same feel, let alone adequate sound/dynamics.

 

[chesebert]

I am working on Chopin's Nocturne Op48 right now. The piece is coming along very slowly, particular the 3rd part where you have to carry a top voice like there is no tomorrow. .... would appreciate if someone can give me some good practicing technique advice.

Thanks in advance!

Atten: an important advice I have picked up over the years is the slower you can go the fast you can get done....counter-intuitive, but damn if it works!

 

[Nocturnal310]

i bought this last month mainly to accompany the DAW's. ..

it has sequencer also to compose tracks.

.....but then i started learning piano also..loving it...also learning from youtube...this guy is quite popular for teaching piano: YouTube - Lypur's Channel

here are some pics of my Yamaha PSR E413:

room in a mess:

 

[raymondlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by That dude /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been learning for quite some time and it really helps with all my other musical endeavors. The only annoying part "after you get pass the sight reading hump , which I have yet to do so" is the amount of practicing you'll have to do to get a piece right. You'll definitely get frustrated, but don't give it up. It will be the greatest weapon in your musical arsenal. Edit: It's also good to get a real acoustic piano once you get to higher levels, electronic pianos just don't have the same feel, let alone adequate sound/dynamics.

i simply don't have the room for a real piano, this one has a hammer action keys, it feels really close to a real piano but minus the need of tuning. I mean if i have a bigger place and when i am REALLY good then i'll think about getting a real piano, until then, a electronic one that feels close to it will suffice.

In my search of the P70 i only wanted a few things from it, 88 keys and Hammer action. those LCD or synth wasn't on the list and I purely wanted to learn how to play the piano so the P70 was perfect really.

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymondlin /img/forum/go_quote.gif i simply don't have the room for a real piano, this one has a hammer action keys, it feels really close to a real piano but minus the need of tuning. I mean if i have a bigger place and when i am REALLY good then i'll think about getting a real piano, until then, a electronic one that feels close to it will suffice. In my search of the P70 i only wanted a few things from it, 88 keys and Hammer action. those LCD or synth wasn't on the list and I purely wanted to learn how to play the piano so the P70 was perfect really.

if you really want to learn, you will get a real piano. A friend of mine said his classmates at Julliard who were piano majors had either 7 or 9ft grand hulled up to their tiny apartment (in NYC) so that they can practice 6hrs a day.

If there is a will there is a way.

 

[raymondlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you really want to learn, you will get a real piano. A friend of mine said his classmates at Julliard who were piano majors had either 7 or 9ft grand hulled up to their tiny apartment (in NYC) so that they can practice 6hrs a day. If there is a will there is a way.

i want to learn but not 6 hours a day ! I am out of the house at work 12 hours out of that, i want a life too you know

I'd love a Grand Piano but honestly, i can't see how that would benefit me now, REALLY early days yet.

 

[Nocturnal310]

ya... its too early... grand piano is for other level of playing..and it mite only slow down your learning progress because u ll be focussing on other issues such as tuning and hammering etc.

the yamaha has touch response feature which can be enabled for realistic feel.

 

[analogbox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nocturnal310 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ya... its too early... grand piano is for other level of playing..and it mite only slow down your learning progress because u ll be focussing on other issues such as tuning and hammering etc.

Not to mention it's behemoth price.

 

[raymondlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by analogbox /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not to mention it's behemoth price.

LOL, i wasn't even thinking about that, funnily enough the size worries me more, but yeah....grand piano for a beginner?

 

[Deathsnapper]

I started trying to teach myself also. Though I haven't been bothered to look up videos/lessons yet. A friend gave me his old keyboard when I expressed interest one day trying to play his piano. He was surprised that I could any notes/octaves on the piano by looking at the patterns, having not taken any music courses throught school; which is why I think he wanted me to try to learn.

I haven't put nearly as much time into it as I should have, in fact I outright haven't played it in about a month. It's probably because I feel more natural and talented playing the guitar. Or because I can generally do a much better job playing what I hear in my head (also my problem, 99% of when I play I play what's on my mind, like improv. I don't really play written songs too often. I'm not as adept at improvising on keyboard yet). But both of these are mostly because of practice, so it's really a short-sighted issue.

I think I'll start playing it a lot more and try to learn again because of this thread

Thanks.

 

[nsx_23]

Finished Grade 8 piano, and got really sick of grades so decided to stop for a few years. Started playing again though; Very good for stress relieve.

 

[analogbox]

Give me a grand piano and I'll play like Horowitz in a month!!!