Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?

Subject: BS: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 12:52 PM

Late in life I don't know how to achieve independence of both hands.
Will endless scales and progression of 5ths help or should try to master a Bach invention.

Even chords in the left hand and melody with the right is a challenge at this point.

I know strings but never got the hang of keyboard. I learn most things on my own and wonder if there are any good people with suggestions for effective piano methods for dummies.

Subject: RE: BS: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 01:03 PM

Start small, and start slow, and let the muscles get accustomed to the movement. There are piano music books for adult learners. Practice those pieces you like so you can stand to play them multiple times and listen to them that often.

Scales are good for warm-up, but they get boring if you play them long. Do you consider yourself knowledgeable regarding music theory? Do you read music? These things will influence how quickly you learn the instrument.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: CarolC
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 01:10 PM

Have you taken any piano lessons, Donuel? If not, that would be my first suggestion. Piano teachers have all kinds of tricks to help you develop your muscle memory.

Subject: RE: BS: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: gnu
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 01:24 PM

Post to the threads above the line as well as here. Have you searched for similar threads ?

Subject: RE: BS: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: open mike
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 02:46 PM

tips? finger tips.
seriously, though,
i saw a piano teacher who
started off with arpeggios
where the left hand leaves
it's position to continue
with the notes above the
right hand...this helped
to allow the beginner to
access much of the keyboard
rather than the middle two
octaves.
good luck and have fun!
chopsticks and heart and soul

Subject: RE: BS: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Jeanie
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 03:11 PM

I've been resurrecting my long-lost piano-playing by working through this (extremely thick and weighty) workbook of tunes and exercises: "Improvising Blues Piano" by Tim Richards, publ. Schott (www.timrichards.ndo.co.uk) ISBN 0-946535-97-3, which comes with an accompanying CD to play along to. I've found that the regular left-hand patterns and bass lines for blues and boogie have been a big help in getting to grips with left/right hand independence when I attempt different styles of music. That and keeping at it !

All the best,
- jeanie

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 03:54 PM

Where do you live? I can recommend a very patient piano teacher in Retford.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Helen
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 04:02 PM

Hi Donuel,

I started learning piano in January last year and had to stop in June for a couple of reasons but I am definitely starting again this year. I had a great teacher - he had a sense of humour, and wasn't patronising to me as an adult learner. He gave me a tip near the end of my classes with him which helped me to start breaking through the left & right hand together barrier: play the left hand about 10 times more often than the right. The right hand is usually the melody so you probably know that in your head, even if your fingers don't automatically find the notes, but you need to get to know the "melody" of the left hand as well as you know the right.

He also said to put them together after practising the 10 times or so, then practise separate hands again, and don't rush it on trying to get the two to work toegether. Just practise the two separate parts until you have them worked out and then putting them together will be easier.

I learned the flute - taught myself, and had only a few lessons - so the left hand accompaniment on harp or piano always had me beaten.

I then went on to playing the Celtic lever harp with only about a year of lessons. I went to a folk music session once a week for 10 years and learned to play chords while other people played melodies or melodies & chords, or whatever. But I am very slow at putting melodies with accompaniment. Playing chords for 10 years, though, has made that a fairly unconscious process on the harp - I don't have to think about it. I just have to translate that to the piano - with the different physical method of playing. Then back to the harp, which is my main aim for learning piano. There are no folk harp teachers around here at present.

Do you know about music theory. There is a really good site for that where you can work your way through the theory lessons online.

Gary Ewer's Easy Music Theory

Good luck!

Helen

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 06:31 PM

These are all supertips. Thanks so much.
I was a music major at one point so I have the concepts.
I can still recall college "piano lab". I can even remember the dream of being on stage and suddenly realizing I couldn't play piano :0
Perhaps a touch of dyslexia always made sight reading tough. Having the ability to play what I heard ,sometimes almost ;) instaneously, filled in the gaps.

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: greg stephens
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 06:38 PM

In the Guardian today, there is an article about autism/idiot savants. It mentions some guy who heard Tchaikowsky's(sp?) 1st Piano Concerto for the first time and played it all back from memory on the piano, even though he'd never had a lesson in his life. There's hope for us all.

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 08:30 PM

Practice














practice














Practice














most especially the bits you are having difficulty with...

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 09:15 PM

There is this guy that I've seen on television a couple of times who claims that playing piano is a LOT easier than most people think. I can't verify his plan's effectiveness but I can vouch that he's inspiring to watch and listen to. A couple of times I've almost ordered his book, even though I'm not planning to learn piano. he shows you right there, for instance, the chords he uses in any key that make one sound relaxed and professional.

FWIW:

"Play Piano In a Flash
"Lessons from Scott "The Piano Guy" Houston
Here you will find information on television personality, professional speaker, piano trainer, and educator Scott Houston. Scott's Play Piano in a Flash! and The Piano Guy with Scott Houston television shows continue to delight and entertain people that have always wanted to learn how to play piano or keyboard, but for whatever reason have been unable to accomplish their goal.

"Information about his best-selling book "Play Piano in a Flash!", videos, DVD's and other instructional materials can be found here as well. Also, information and schedules for Scott's live workshops and other personal appearances are available.

A Fun Read

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: open mike
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 09:47 PM

IN beginning violin -- the Suzuki Method -- the first order of business is to listen, listen, listen. your brain can then have an image of what you want to sound like and and help make the moves to make that happen.

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: Kaleea
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 12:53 AM

Do you want to be a serious classical Pianist? Do you want to play solos or as an accompanist, or not in front of anybody? Do you want to play by ear? Is your goal to read printed Music well? Do you have a preferred style you want to learn, like Gospel, or Jazz? Do you just want to play for the fun of it & not worry about sounding like a pro or a kid messing around at the piano? After you decide what you want to do with Piano, they you can decide whether to seek out a teacher--& what to look for in a teacher, or just get one of those really fun keyboards with lighted keys that plays the rhythm & accompaniment & you just play the melody with one finger.

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 06:48 PM

So many people start an instrument and get discouraged because their hands don't work well together. Well, that's only natural. Our hands are not well connected to one another. Look at a chart of anatomy - in most people, the nerves from one hand go to one side of the brain, and the nerves from the other hand go to the other side of the brain. (It's usually left hand to right side of brain, and vice versa.)

Hands may have to "talk" to each other by going through the corpus callosum, the big rope of nerves that connects the two halves of the brain. Messages to and from the spine may also play a role. Whenever we do an activity that takes two hands, we have to practice it until the nerve pathways are set up and the messages are flowing smoothly.

So be patient with your body. Don't get discouraged or frustrated.   Just give your hands and nerves time to get it together.

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: GUEST,donuel
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 10:25 AM

I hope everyones corpus callosum feels good today. ;)

I saw that piano in a flash guy and if nothing else he is a confidence booster. My intention is just to be able to get some of my ideas into the computer for composition purposes.

My savant powers are limited to the visual but my son has some language savant talents. He can recite movie dialog verbatum.
He did't start speaking until he was almost 5 however.

I will set up a AM practice schedule and consult these tips continually.

Subject: RE: Trying to learn to play piano, any tips?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 01:02 PM

I'm pullling an orange into segments using both hands. I'm sure my corpus callosum is simply thrumming with neurotransmitters.

When I try to enter music that's in my head into the computer, the challenge is not the notes, the challenge is the timing. It's amazing the way the timing of a piece can elude a person. Maybe you will be better than I at that.