Learning piano

[Kittyinpink]

I'm struggling to stay positive whilst learning piano. I am finding practicing anything out side of work difficult . But I love piano and want to learn more.

 

[Paddy2020]

I played piano for 4 years. It was tiring to practice after an 8 hour day. However, it was fun and I always felt that I had accomplished a goal just by practicing.

 

[dogboy]

Leaning a musical instrument or learning how to do almost anything takes a lot of patience. When I was in high school, I would get frustrated with a lesson that introduced something new. I remember learning one of the Beethoven sonatas that involved a lot of octave playing. I got so mad I broke a piano key.

After a while you learn to keep the goal in mind and you begin to understand that it takes consistency to play well. Yesterday I got in 3 hours on the piano but when I was a church organist at a 3200 member church, I would practice 8 hours a day. (I got paid to do that as that was my job) It all depends on what you want to accomplish.

Today I had a 3 hour praise band and regular band rehearsal. After dinner I got in an hour, so 4 hours of playing today.

But if you can get in an hour a day, you will grow and get better and better. Enjoy the sound of the piano and listen to recordings. It will grow on you assuming you really want to play.

 

[ChrisKrinkle]

I just started learning guitar this summer. My advice...take lessons. That's keeping me motivated

 

[Traemo]

Speaking from experience, there is a lower limit on the amount of regular practice to maintain your skill level. But everyone learns at different rates: I could get away with 15 to 45 minutes of practice a few times a week and still progress, my sisters both needed at least 30 every day.

One of the things that might help is setting some short-term, fun goals. For me, it was learning to play a particular piece that I liked, usually along side a few pieces designed to help my progress (still not a fan of Czerny, but it does help).

 

[Paddy2020]

I loved playing Chopin, Bach,and anything else Baroque. For some reason Baroque was easy for me to play and I understood the mechanics of it better than later music.

 

[srmousse]

I'm great at playing chords but sink at reading music. Currently though, I'm working on the peanuts theme. I've got both hand of the first portion down, now I'm working on getting them to play together... First song of this style for me, probably too ambitious of an into to jazz, lol! But it's fun anyway.

 

[Paddy2020]

I'm great at playing chords but sink at reading music. Currently though, I'm working on the peanuts theme. I've got both hand of the first portion down, now I'm working on getting them to play together... First song of this style for me, probably too ambitious of an into to jazz, lol! But it's fun anyway.

The syncopation drove me crazy!!! I still can't do Ragtime because of the syncopation. I was a Baroque piano player and got daring by playing Chopin who was not Baroque at all.

 

[Paddy2020]

Always wanted to play the harpsichord. But could never find one.

 

[dogboy]

Always wanted to play the harpsichord. But could never find one.

They make and sell harpsichord kits but they're expensive and you need a lot of building skills. You could buy a digital piano as they all have a sampled harpsichord sound. I have them on all of my keyboards but there's nothing like a real acoustic harpsichord.

When I was a kid I had a very good organ teacher who would teach me both classical pieces as well as pop pieces and that kept my interest. Eventually I was studying only classical because I could all the pop music on my own.

 

[Traemo]

I'm great at playing chords but sink at reading music. Currently though, I'm working on the peanuts theme. I've got both hand of the first portion down, now I'm working on getting them to play together... First song of this style for me, probably too ambitious of an into to jazz, lol! But it's fun anyway.

All I can say is practice, practice, practice. I didn't, and don't, practice enough so I almost always have to stop and figure out where I am on the lower part of the bass staff.

 

[amberp]

Hello. It's a complicated question. It takes a lot of practice. My youngest son has been practicing for a year and a half now. He can only play a few tunes, he doesn't seem to like it much anymore. The main thing is practice.

 

[dogboy]

Hello. It's a complicated question. It takes a lot of practice. My youngest son has been practicing for a year and a half now. He can only play a few tunes, he doesn't seem to like it much anymore. The main thing is practice.

Learning an instrument can be tough on kids. When I was young, I wanted to play all the great piano pieces that I'd listen to on the radio and records but I didn't have the technique to even come close. Instead I had to learn much lesser pieces as those pieces would slowly build my skills, but they weren't what I wanted to play. I also wanted to be outside playing with my friends.

Now I wish I was that kid who just wanted to practice for hours and hours but I wasn't. When I went to college: music conservatory, that's when I started to put in the many hours and I made it, but had I been more serious when I was young, everything would have been easier.

Every child is different and there are those special kids who simply devour their instrument because that's who they are. For some of us like myself, we arrive at that point much later in life and of course, most don't arrive at all because they're really not enjoying the instrument. Then it's time to let them quit. They may go back to the instrument later in life. Nothing is every lost and the knowledge if music is gained forever.

 

[Aby]

I need to start back up, its been forever, I had software on my computer that helped but need to get a new program, it got too old and won't work on my working computer.

 

[amberp]

Learning an instrument can be tough on kids. When I was young, I wanted to play all the great piano pieces that I'd listen to on the radio and records but I didn't have the technique to even come close. Instead I had to learn much lesser pieces as those pieces would slowly build my skills, but they weren't what I wanted to play. I also wanted to be outside playing with my friends.

Now I wish I was that kid who just wanted to practice for hours and hours but I wasn't. When I went to college: music conservatory, that's when I started to put in the many hours and I made it, but had I been more serious when I was young, everything would have been easier.

Every child is different and there are those special kids who simply devour their instrument because that's who they are. For some of us like myself, we arrive at that point much later in life and of course, most don't arrive at all because they're really not enjoying the instrument. Then it's time to let them quit. They may go back to the instrument later in life. Nothing is every lost and the knowledge if music is gained forever.

I agree with you. I want my son to understand that's it's not easy, but it worth it if you want to do it.

 

[Kittyinpink]

Since I made that post I am practicing sensibly and achiving small increase to my playing. Thank you all sooo much for your comments and support!!

 

[willnotwill]

I've been playing keyboards since I tought myself long about when I was 12, starting with the "Lowery Organ" (remember those things). In college, I bought a Fender Rhodes 73 used. A few years later I got a Yamaha DX-7 and then TX-7 and KX-88. I eventually did one of my largest purchases ever when I bought a used Yamaha DC5A 6'7" grand piano. I've never regretted it.

 

[Kittyinpink]

I started about a year ago on keyboard. My aim was to learn classic piano. I got good enough on keyboard. Bought an electronic piano and Ahhh!! Found out how rubbish I was!! I'm a slow learner and have had to start over again ! Also my attention span is a bit rubbish! Although I am making good progress really , sometimes I am just so frustrated!!! I see children on you tube better than me!. Your support on this site has been awesome!!

 

[dogboy]

I agree with you. I want my son to understand that's it's not easy, but it worth it if you want to do it.

I was thinking about you and your son yesterday and I remembered when I was young that my teacher gave me both classical and pop pieces to learn. I of course enjoyed the pop pieces and suffered through the classical. I guess the pop pieces were the carrot leading my stubborn ass...(like horse or jack-ass...sigh). Anyway, when I was teaching piano to kids, I did the same depending on their ability level.

I liked the Alfred series of piano books and even now while learning Chopin and Liszt pieces, if I can get the Alfred editions I do because they contain some fingering and the print is bigger. Small print or small notes can be intimidating.

As I got older, I learned to appreciate classical music and I could learn popular pieces on my own, so then all my training was classical because that's where we can get ferocious technique. That technique now serves me when I play in our band and do rock and blues rifts.

Listening to music can help and hopefully your son will love music and want to play it. There's so much cool stuff out there. I was listening to Cai Thomas sing "Walking In the Air" from The Snowman on Youtube. You can hear and watch so many incredible musicians on Youtube. Cai Thomas is 12 years old and just sings.

There's also lots of people demonstrating and playing keyboards like Yamaha and your son can see and feel their passion. I hope he doesn't give up because you can't play football forever (I played and enjoyed sports) but you can play a musical instrument all your years.

 

[Traemo]

I hope he doesn't give up because you can't play football forever (I played and enjoyed sports) but you can play a musical instrument all your years.

Don't I know it; one the family friends is the music director/organist for our local Episcopal church. Great guy, very passionate about music as a whole, still learning new instruments, and going on 80.
I'll second the Alfred thing; though, I've also had decent luck with the Bastien series of books. Same with learning a "fun" piece along side things like Czern exercises (created specifically to teach/improve specific techniques) - when I did practice, most of my time ended up being spent on the things I wanted to be able to play. But practice is practice - the fun stuff might not make you better (after a certain point) but it can keep you from backsliding.