So, I'v always been interested in pianos. I love listening to almost anything on piano, and about a year ago I picked up a full-range keyboard for around $120, on sale from like $400. Unfortunately, I may quite possibly be the most tone deaf, rythymless bum on the face of the earth. (: But I still plan on learning. I am wondering how anyone whose played faired in learning, and what the hardest part was for you.

For me, I think it's going to be learning to read sheet music. I am, [censored]. Not kidding, I am absolutely [censored] when it comes to even looking at staffs. I blink and wonder "ok wtf". Fortunately, I do have the basic ability to read it (and then put underneath it in a nice, easy to read font, the letter for what note it is. (:

Also, I think learning two clefs, and being able to play them may prove difficult.

Does being able to play the intro to Starlight by Muse count as a pianist?

I guess I could define it by anyone who has either formal training, or self taught to the point of having the capabilities to play a song of easy--average difficulty. Or multiple songs.

Well.

Looks like i'm stealing a keyboard again. See if I can learn a new song before my drum kit arrives. Maybe Fiction by A7x

You can borrow mine. If you teach me how to play lmao. :yes:

I can't play anymore, but my dad is a professional pianist, and starting at the age of 4 he woke me up every single day at 6 AM and gave me an hour lesson until I was 10.

Sheet music comes with time. You'll eventually be able to sight read, even if you don't try that hard. The hardest thing for me was playing two different rhythms with different hands it can be difficult to concentrate on playing both correctly. Usually they're in the same timing, which is good, but when you have complex rhythms differing for each hand. I had to learn each hand separately for a long time, which I really wouldn't recommend. It might make you proficient at a song faster, but it doesn't help you in the long run with learning how to play with both hands at once, and eventually sight read both hands at once.

Ya, im definitely not looking forward to trying to play to two different times with seperate hands. I have really bad rhythms, so it's going to be really difficult for me. I assume i will be sticking to very simple songs for the next 10 years lol.

Yep. I have been playing since I was 6 (I stopped when I was like 8, and started again when I was about 10). For an idea of my skill level/the type of music which I play, I am currently learning the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Zi9R4a0C4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9hnEIZZKjM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujaqixTfYfY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAYIjt4kh2k

Just looking at those names makes me guess they'd be higher tier difficulty songs. Lol.

I cannot play piano. I cannot read the music for piano (I can read Trumpet music just fine though ), and am uncreative. That said I do scratch around on the piano from time to time, and over years and years have come up with some basic little tunes that sound like they might be music eventually.

One thing that I realized was that chords make everything sound better. If you want to just sit down and fiddle around, make chords by pressing three keys spaced apart with one hand and then using the other hand press some other note for the "melody". It's all very basic, but hold down the pedal that makes the keys sound all slow and echo-ey and act like you know what you're doing and it might sound good.

I just experimented to find out which three note combinations sound decent.

I had three years of private piano lessons as a child, including the recitals and such, but at this point all I could probably play from memory is Fur Elise, haha. :glare:

Learning to read the music takes a little time, but it isn't too hard. We all had to learn the alphabet and how to string them together to make words, and I think learning to read music is somewhat easier than that. It is a bit confusing at first, having to memorize what is what, but after a while it becomes 2nd nature. Until you stop playing music for years and forget half of it, of course. *whistle*

I'm supposed to get my mother's upright Yamaha piano when she no longer wants it...it's nothing grand or special, but I loved that thing/it sounded great, so I may pick up piano playing again then. Maybe.

I'm taking piano this year, I start lessons on Friday.

Sheet music is annoying, but I have some background in it. My main problem will be learning to use all of my fingers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDv4u0PsRW8

I was forced to play when I was younger, and quit the second I could after four or five years of torture. I suppose it may be different if you're playing of your own will, but that experience has actually discouraged me from trying other instruments. It was that bad.

I can't remember anything about it, other than hating the recitals, as I had horrible stage fright. And the daily practices weren't fun either.


So what if I'm bitter?

I absolutely LOVE the sound of pianos. Absolutely love it. Especially older pianos, they sound like they have so much history in them.


I don't think learning to use all my fingers will be an issue. Between WoW and using all my fingers to type, I figure it will be easy.


I was kind of the same. My dad tried to make me learn guitar when I was younger, then piano. I so so so so so wish I never stopped trying to learn. I really wish I could play piano. Lol.

Yeah I've been playing for 5 years...

I started when I was 4 then stopped at 11. It's been 4 years, but I'd like to take it up again.

That's interesting. I took piano lessons from age 9 to 15, but wasn't that motivated and didn't learn that well. But one thing I remember clearly was that my teachers always told me that I should practice each hand separately. Since I just decided to try and relearn it (borrowed a MIDI-piano from my much more musical friend. Just 4 octaves though *ugh*) it would be nice to know more. Do you recommend learning separately initially and then as I advance learn to play both hands from the start? Or just go directly for both hands?

I'm reading sheets so-and-so. Going above or below the "standard octave" (is there a real name for that? Pic: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a5/Perfect_octave_on_C.png) always complicates things, but I'll learn

Yup, you should be fine then.

I'll teach once I learn myself. :teehee:

I love music but I have the rhythm of lettuce which is having a stroke.