Advice for a self-teaching piano player

Maybe you don't need a teacher, but I'm convinced that a teacher is not only necessary for kids; I have been playing the piano for 10 years as well (8 years with a rather "loose" teacher, I didn't learn a lot, last 2 years with a great teacher), and I must say that having a good teacher truly improves your playing rapidly. Nobody without experience is able to figure out the most ideal fingerings in a specific situation. It isn't just a matter of playing the right notes, it's a matter of knowing how to play them and the why you play them in that specific manner. Sure, you'll be able to learn some scales and chords on your own, but you'll never be able to apply them as efficiently as you would if you had a teacher, and eventually you'll get stuck in one way of playing while it is preferable to build your musical vocabulary.

Please, do continue to play, even if it is on your own, but remember that you'll learn more in less time if you decide to take lessons. Also be aware that your motivation is the major key, even if you take lessons.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm still trying to learn, any material I should try learning on my own? I've been spending the last few days playing and learning all the major scales. 

Well, first of all become a doctor and discover a marvelous cure for something, and then, when the medical world really starts to take notice of you, you can jolly well tell them what to do and make sure they get everything right so there'll never be diseases any more. Oh wait that's how to rid the world of all known diseases.  From the Monty Python How To Do It Sketch.  They also tell you how to play the flute: Well you blow in one end and move your fingers up and down the outside.

Go and get a good piano teacher.  There is no substitute for learning from someone who already knows.  The keyboard players you are listening to are (mostly) classically trained.  If you think you can skip the hard work and drudgery of that step you are GREATLY mistaken.

If your main goal is two write, you need two basic parts to your study:

1.) Technique - you don't want any barriers between what you hear in your head and your fingers. There's nothing more frustrating than having something in your head, but your fingers can't do it. To get your technique going, get Hanon's Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises. The book is very inexpensive.

2.) Playing Music - This one is important, and too many players get discouraged too early if they don't do this. Pick melodies and songs that you like, and learn what you can form them. Get sheet music for a bunch of tunes that you like - could be Christmas songs, or the Moog melody in a popular prog tune - whatever floats your boat. This will get you acquainted with playing actual music, and you'll begin to notice patterns in common between different things that you play. This will help you to get a vocabulary of melodies and chords that you can connect with music you hear in your head.

Also get an easy classical piano book for beginners. Try a Bach minuet - you can search Youtube for examples of how the piece should sound (as you begin reading music, it's good to double-check a recording of the music so you can make sure you are reading the timing of notes correctly).

Proletariat wrote: StrengthandWisdom wrote: Would be productive if I decided to memorize all the basic chords and scales from charts on the internet? Or would it not be because I'm not learning any rythm or timing? I'm interested in playing my own music, or playing with a band. Not being able to read sheet music and play songs I like. Though I do want to play some video game tunes I like, because I possibly want to do covers of them or remix them. No, it would be better to learn what a scale is first and what its significance is in music theory. Same goes for chords, the sooner you can build a chord... or decipher a chord the better. with a basic understanding of chords and scales you can save yourself from having to memorize a ton of chords/scales/modes

So I should learn Music Theory first?

If there are any good classical method or technique books for beginners like me, then send them my way.  Keep in mind I dont have all the basics down.

You SHOULD learn classical technique, first and foremost. It will help you with any style, but metal  and prog in particular use a lot of classical flourishes. I am not too knowledgeable about different adult method books, but a music shop employee should be able to help you there.

How SHOULD I teach myself? I stopped using Alfred's Basic Piano Lessons method books because I wasn't learning anything I wanted to apply. I'm not interested in classic rock or pop songs. My main genres are metal, industrial/EBM, and prog.

SaltyJon wrote: Patience, young padowan.