Resources for a self-teaching piano player
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Topic: Resources for a self-teaching piano player
Posted By: stonebeard
Subject: Resources for a self-teaching piano player
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 21:46
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Hey all. This isn't related to progressive rock at all, by the way. I'm now beginning to get serious about making music, or at least motivating myself to get serious. I have a decent grounding in guitar, though I'm not playing as much of it now and was never technically impressive. I'm trying to get better at drums and piano concurrently, as they interest me the most. What I'm asking for here is two things, online and offline: 1) Anything freely available, as online or whatever, that will help me with technique. I have a pretty solid ground and will continue to reinforce my knowledge of theory, but what I really need that I'm not getting now is introductory sheet music to play with fingerings. I can't stress that part enough. What is holding me back now is that I can look at a piece, but have trouble with what motions my fingers are literally supposed to make. This is very important, and also rudimentary, I would assume. I imagine many people look 2) Introductory piano lesson/technique books. This one assumes that I won't be able to get the full package for the best piano education through things scraped together from the web. But hey, if that's not true then never mind. But I'm sure it is. There are tons of method and lesson books, but is there any idea of which are the best? To get perspective on my situation, I've been going through these videos: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=253192EED47525A8&annotation_id=annotation_540734&feature=iv - http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=253192EED47525A8&annotation_id=annotation_540734&feature=iv This guy is a good teacher and I've learned a lot, especially about the piano, clefs, key signatures, the circle of fifths (I had learned scales a different way before) and I'm currently on lesson 20 out of 40. The problem here is that he says I should practice an hour a day at least, as it is better than three hours every few days. Makes sense, but I don't have a lot to practice. He's offered the chromatic scale and a few related exercises, and I suppose I could map out all the scales and get used to them, but I need to start playing songs. Any help here would be immensely appreciated, buds.  ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Replies:
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 21:54
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I teach piano to kids for a living. The best thing you can do if you want to teach yourself is run up to your local music store and grab a method book for adults. As I teach kids, I don't have any specific recommendations on that, but the people at the store usually have good advice. Method books are a good way to go because they instill correct fingering early on, and when you get to more advanced pieces it will come naturally to you.Depending on your level, you may also want to get some easy music from the classical repertory. G. Schirmer puts out a book called the Sonatina album that is a collection of relatively easy works by major composers of the classical period. http://www.amazon.com/Sonatina-Album-Schirmers-Library-Classics/dp/0793525535/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268967144&sr=1-2 - http://www.amazon.com/Sonatina-Album-Schirmers-Library-Classics/dp/0793525535/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268967144&sr=1-2 It is great for intermediate players, but if you are still a beginner you may want to wait on it. It's also never a bad idea to seek out a teacher. Even if you can't afford one, a single practice lesson (sometimes offered free, to see if you're interested) can be immensely valuable. Just having another person there to tell you what you're doing wrong can help you avoid many pitfalls that could be crippling later. Hope this is helpful. ------------- 
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Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 21:57
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I'm on my way to bed, so I won't be of that much help (kids are sick, and I've got to be up in about seven hours). But what I want to tell you- and I know this isn't what you're looking for- is that you find others to play music with. I've had my nose in so many books learning how to play, but I didn't really apply anything until I began playing with other people, sucking for a while, but pushing through it and getting a little better here and there. Not what you asked, I know, but just something to bear in mind, that's all. Now good night.  ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 22:00
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Fingering is extremely important, it's the essence of being able to play with any quickness or fluidity.
If you don't have any friends that play piano who can help, I would highly recommend getting a few lessons from a real teacher. You don't have to continue the lessons forever, but getting some kind of lessons would probably get you enough info to continue on your own. I'm mostly self-taught, but what lessons I have taken were very helpful as long as it was with the right teacher. Once I had one lesson with the great Latin jazz pianist Rebecca Mauleon. I had specific questions about interpretating jazz chord charts. She gave me enough info in that one lesson to last me for years. |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: March 19 2010 at 22:51
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Go here:
http://www.sudnow.com/ - http://www.sudnow.com/
If you are really committed to learning to play, this is an excellent resource. He won't teach you much about fingerings, but he will teach you about the keyboard, voicings, and much else. I bought his course many years ago -- and I'd played for many years -- and it absolutely was a revelation.
It will set you back $100, but in terms of lessons I've never spent better. And no, he doesn't give me any kickbacks and I am in no way affiliated with him, other than being on of his many satisfied students. ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: paganinio
Date Posted: May 04 2010 at 02:28
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i always play the piano with my left hand. not that I'm left-handed. It just feels good, like part of my brain is opened.
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Posted By: StrengthandWisdom
Date Posted: May 05 2010 at 14:31
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http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Fundamentals/workbooks.html This is very good, amazing content. Everyone should look at this. |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: May 21 2010 at 00:40
Surely playing the piano with both hands is the preferred method. -------------
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paganinio wrote:Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: May 21 2010 at 08:11
I play the piano with my left hand, and the synthesizer lead with my right.  ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: May 21 2010 at 08:42
You should try plucking a guitar with your nose while you do that.   ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: June 16 2010 at 10:00
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Jimi Hendrix was used to do it with teeths. The nose can be used to inflate a kazoo, instead. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: mono
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 08:21
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^ excellent! this will be my next stage scene :) As a piano player and improvised teacher, I can recommend CZERNY. Many opuses for many different levels. Try Op. 261, and then go up if it's too easy. It's very progressive in difficulty, so this might be just what you need. For the left hand, Op. 718 (still Czerny) is very interesting. I still think classical technique is the most general and will allow you to play anything. But it takes time.... If you can't find them at any local music store (I don't know how it is in Indiana, but in Paris those are quite easy to find), I'll PM them to you as pdf. ------------- https://soundcloud.com/why-music Prog trio, from ambiant to violence https://soundcloud.com/m0n0-film Film music and production projects https://soundcloud.com/fadisaliba (almost) everything else |