Learning Piano?

The piano is a beautiful instrument, and as long as you practice, practice, and practice some more you'll get to play some good stuff in some time

If you want to learn, start now ;)

Is it difficult to learn piano when your in your 20's? I've always enjoyed piano pieces and I thought I might try to learn myself. Anyone here have any experience in this?Morphic

How hard is it to teach oneself, I just want to be able to play a handful of songs so I don't want to have to go through the time consuming activities to gradually move up from really simple stuff and spend weeks learning to read sheet music?

Although learning sheet music is probably inevitable :?.

i learned at 24 so yea its nothing. it will help u with learning all other instruments as well.

ur gonna need to read music.
ur gonna need to know intermediate music theory.
ur gonna need to know the songs u want to play.

mix that with an hour or two of practice a day and youll play anthing within a year or two. i learned after guitar so i went the more difficult path.
incred_davis

What is intermediate music theory? (I am a music noob :( )

[QUOTE="incred_davis"]i learned at 24 so yea its nothing. it will help u with learning all other instruments as well.

ur gonna need to read music.
ur gonna need to know intermediate music theory.
ur gonna need to know the songs u want to play.

mix that with an hour or two of practice a day and youll play anthing within a year or two. i learned after guitar so i went the more difficult path.
rb2610

What is intermediate music theory? (I am a music noob :( )

Y'know... sort of... after easy, but before hard... :?

[QUOTE="rb2610"]

[QUOTE="incred_davis"]i learned at 24 so yea its nothing. it will help u with learning all other instruments as well.

ur gonna need to read music.
ur gonna need to know intermediate music theory.
ur gonna need to know the songs u want to play.

mix that with an hour or two of practice a day and youll play anthing within a year or two. i learned after guitar so i went the more difficult path.
Funky_Llama

What is intermediate music theory? (I am a music noob :( )

Y'know... sort of... after easy, but before hard... :?

I know that, that's obvious, I meant what sort of stuff do you need to know about music theory?

i learned at 24 so yea its nothing. it will help u with learning all other instruments as well.

ur gonna need to read music.
ur gonna need to know intermediate music theory.
ur gonna need to know the songs u want to play.

mix that with an hour or two of practice a day and youll play anthing within a year or two. i learned after guitar so i went the more difficult path.
incred_davis

Unless you have an INCREDIBLE natural gift that places you within the top concert artists in the entire world, there's no way that you're going to be able to 'play anything' within a year or two of two hours a day of practice. It just isn't going to happen. You can probably learn to hack your way through some easy music that only sounds difficult to those who can't play well (which actually describes a great deal of music, especially in the popular realm), but any repertoire that presents a real technical challenge is going to be far beyond your capabilities.

Other than that, I agree with your post. Learning to read music is essential, and having a basic understanding of theory is very helpful, as is memorizing works the works you learn. I would only add that no matter what age you start, you should do so with a competent instructor. It is all too easy to learn bad habits into your technique when you try to learn an instrument without qualified supervision, and it is much harder to unlearn those bad habits than it is to learn them in the first place. And if you start late, you should be aware that it will be more difficult to learn muscle coordination, but easier to learn the intellectual end of things. That's just a function of how our brains work. So be prepared to feel frustrated, because more often than not, you will understand what you want to do long before your body is capable of doing it.

I know that, that's obvious, I meant what sort of stuff do you need to know about music theory?

rb2610

Basic rudiments involves the theoretical knowledge required to proficiently read music. It also involves certain, simple musical patterns, like scales, triads, certain important chords, and cadences. And there will be some Italian and German words to learn, since you'll encounter those two languages frequently in music. None of it is challenging. In fact, I find that most of my basic rudiments students really enjoy learning this stuff. Then they get a reality check when they start harmony. :P

Im sure you can, i started a year ago and I'm still gradually improving. It depends on how much dedication you put in towards it.

pianist, on the subject of piano "endurance", and "stamina", is it true that piano playing requires control, not muscle power? i always thought that you need to gain some muscle in your hands.http://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.21

and this link says stuff about "mindless practicing" isn't usefull

i did listen to the link a bit, i'm practicing chopin's op 34 no 3, focused on being relaxed and not playing very loud, and within a few days was able to play quite fast without getting tired

oh, and, i'm the guy who really wanted to learn chopin's ballade no 1, i haven't tackled it yet (just the first page)

[QUOTE="incred_davis"]i learned at 24 so yea its nothing. it will help u with learning all other instruments as well.

ur gonna need to read music.
ur gonna need to know intermediate music theory.
ur gonna need to know the songs u want to play.

mix that with an hour or two of practice a day and youll play anthing within a year or two. i learned after guitar so i went the more difficult path.
pianist

Unless you have an INCREDIBLE natural gift that places you within the top concert artists in the entire world, there's no way that you're going to be able to 'play anything' within a year or two of two hours a day of practice. It just isn't going to happen. You can probably learn to hack your way through some easy music that only sounds difficult to those who can't play well (which actually describes a great deal of music, especially in the popular realm), but any repertoire that presents a real technical challenge is going to be far beyond your capabilities.

Other than that, I agree with your post. Learning to read music is essential, and having a basic understanding of theory is very helpful, as is memorizing works the works you learn. I would only add that no matter what age you start, you should do so with a competent instructor. It is all too easy to learn bad habits into your technique when you try to learn an instrument without qualified supervision, and it is much harder to unlearn those bad habits than it is to learn them in the first place. And if you start late, you should be aware that it will be more difficult to learn muscle coordination, but easier to learn the intellectual end of things. That's just a function of how our brains work. So be prepared to feel frustrated, because more often than not, you will understand what you want to do long before your body is capable of doing it.

Listen to this dude.

I started playing the piano when I was 14 or so by myself and my mom decided to take the liberty of giving me lessons (god bless her soul, says I with thick sarcasm).

After a month of lessons, it took the fun out of playing whatever I wanted and haven't touched it since.

i've been playing guitar for about 9 years now and i've always wanted to learn how to play the piano... the only thing that's stopping me is the price of an actual piano.. are there any inexpensive keyboards that can mimmic the sound of a piano? bminns

Most keyboards can mimic the sound of a piano, but none (even the most expensive) do it well. There's something about the instrument that makes it incredibly difficult to replicate, and it has eluded even the best efforts thus far. A lot of that has to do with the effect of the damper pedal on the sound.

Even worse than the sound is the touch. I've played a lot of keyboards, and not one of them even comes close to the feel of a real grand piano. That feel is incredibly important to tone control - and you don't have much of that on even an expensive keyboard either. So I would recommend that you stay away from keyboards. Instead, look for a used upright. It'll be alright to start off with, and when you're done with it, you can likely sell it for almost as much (or even as much) as you paid for it.

Most keyboards can mimic the sound of a piano, but none (even the most expensive) do it well. There's something about the instrument that makes it incredibly difficult to replicate, and it has eluded even the best efforts thus far. A lot of that has to do with the effect of the damper pedal on the sound.

Even worse than the sound is the touch. I've played a lot of keyboards, and not one of them even comes close to the feel of a real grand piano. That feel is incredibly important to tone control - and you don't have much of that on even an expensive keyboard either. So I would recommend that you stay away from keyboards. Instead, look for a used upright. It'll be alright to start off with, and when you're done with it, you can likely sell it for almost as much (or even as much) as you paid for it.pianist

pianist, on the subject of piano "endurance", and "stamina", is it true that piano playing requires control, not muscle power? i always thought that you need to gain some muscle in your hands.http://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.21

and this link says stuff about "mindless practicing" isn't usefull

i did listen to the link a bit, i'm practicing chopin's op 34 no 3, focused on being relaxed and not playing very loud, and within a few days was able to play quite fast without getting tired

oh, and, i'm the guy who really wanted to learn chopin's ballade no 1, i haven't tackled it yet (just the first page)

lonewolf604

It requires both. Stamina allows you to maintain control and accuracy for a longer period of time. And the stronger your muscles are, the more ability you will have to control your touch, which will result in improved sound production. The link is correct if it says that mindless practicing is not useful. If your mind is not engaged in what you're doing when you practice, you will accomplish little, and it will take you much longer to learn a passage than someone practices with a focused mind and approach.

I'm curious - why are you trying to play that waltz fast? It's actually a very slow, melancholic waltz - or it's supposed to be! I think this is likely a more appropriate piece for you to work on than the ballade, though. As I mentioned before, I don't think you're ready for any of the ballades based on your description of yourself and your previous experience. But I certainly encourage you to fool around with the parts of the ballade that you do find playable, just so long as you don't go about trying to tackle the difficult passages and end up hurting yourself. I did a lot of that when I was growing up, and it helps keep piano fun. Just make sure you get your real practice in on more manageable pieces so you can continue to properly develop your technique. If you're patient and dedicated, you WILL eventually be able to play the Chopin g minor ballade. And competently to boot!

Remind me again - do you have a teacher? He or she really should be offering you some guidance in this regard.

[QUOTE="bminns"]i've been playing guitar for about 9 years now and i've always wanted to learn how to play the piano... the only thing that's stopping me is the price of an actual piano.. are there any inexpensive keyboards that can mimmic the sound of a piano? pianist

Most keyboards can mimic the sound of a piano, but none (even the most expensive) do it well. There's something about the instrument that makes it incredibly difficult to replicate, and it has eluded even the best efforts thus far. A lot of that has to do with the effect of the damper pedal on the sound.

Even worse than the sound is the touch. I've played a lot of keyboards, and not one of them even comes close to the feel of a real grand piano. That feel is incredibly important to tone control - and you don't have much of that on even an expensive keyboard either. So I would recommend that you stay away from keyboards. Instead, look for a used upright. It'll be alright to start off with, and when you're done with it, you can likely sell it for almost as much (or even as much) as you paid for it.

thanks for taking the time to respond to my question... do you think it would be a good idea if i bought a keyboard as a beginning player? would it be a good substitute for a piano? i wouldn't want to spend the money on a used upright if i'm going to suck at it or not enjoy playing it...

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"]

pianist, on the subject of piano "endurance", and "stamina", is it true that piano playing requires control, not muscle power? i always thought that you need to gain some muscle in your hands.http://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.21

and this link says stuff about "mindless practicing" isn't usefull

i did listen to the link a bit, i'm practicing chopin's op 34 no 3, focused on being relaxed and not playing very loud, and within a few days was able to play quite fast without getting tired

oh, and, i'm the guy who really wanted to learn chopin's ballade no 1, i haven't tackled it yet (just the first page)

pianist

It requires both. Stamina allows you to maintain control and accuracy for a longer period of time. And the stronger your muscles are, the more ability you will have to control your touch, which will result in improved sound production. The link is correct if it says that mindless practicing is not useful. If your mind is not engaged in what you're doing when you practice, you will accomplish little, and it will take you much longer to learn a passage than someone practices with a focused mind and approach.

I'm curious - why are you trying to play that waltz fast? It's actually a very slow, melancholic waltz - or it's supposed to be! I think this is likely a more appropriate piece for you to work on than the ballade, though. As I mentioned before, I don't think you're ready for any of the ballades based on your description of yourself and your previous experience. But I certainly encourage you to fool around with the parts of the ballade that you do find playable, just so long as you don't go about trying to tackle the difficult passages and end up hurting yourself. I did a lot of that when I was growing up, and it helps keep piano fun. Just make sure you get your real practice in on more manageable pieces so you can continue to properly develop your technique. If you're patient and dedicated, you WILL eventually be able to play the Chopin g minor ballade. And competently to boot!

Remind me again - do you have a teacher? He or she really should be offering you some guidance in this regard.

[QUOTE="pianist"]

[QUOTE="bminns"]i've been playing guitar for about 9 years now and i've always wanted to learn how to play the piano... the only thing that's stopping me is the price of an actual piano.. are there any inexpensive keyboards that can mimmic the sound of a piano? bminns

Most keyboards can mimic the sound of a piano, but none (even the most expensive) do it well. There's something about the instrument that makes it incredibly difficult to replicate, and it has eluded even the best efforts thus far. A lot of that has to do with the effect of the damper pedal on the sound.

Even worse than the sound is the touch. I've played a lot of keyboards, and not one of them even comes close to the feel of a real grand piano. That feel is incredibly important to tone control - and you don't have much of that on even an expensive keyboard either. So I would recommend that you stay away from keyboards. Instead, look for a used upright. It'll be alright to start off with, and when you're done with it, you can likely sell it for almost as much (or even as much) as you paid for it.

thanks for taking the time to respond to my question... do you think it would be a good idea if i bought a keyboard as a beginning player? would it be a good substitute for a piano? i wouldn't want to spend the money on a used upright if i'm going to suck at it or not enjoy playing it...

also, have you heard the song from the mirror's edge trailer? it's songs like this that make me want to play the piano :) what are your thoughts on moog synthesizers? i always thought they sounded pretty cool

mirror's edge

This being the reason I hope to be able to afford a baby-grand for a room in the house I hope to own one day. Back when I took lessons, I started with a keyboard and almost immediately moved onto an upright... but I have little incentive to go back unless I can afford an actual piano.

foxhound_fox

Hmm... if you're going to buy a grand, don't settle for a 'baby grand.' Those things are not significantly better than a good studio upright with respect to quality of sound (which is hardly surprising, given that the strings on a good studio upright are nearly as long as those on a baby grand), and you can get a studio upright for less. Baby grands are good studio uprights with prettier cases...

If your heart is set on a grand, you should get something that is at least 5'8", as there will be a noticeable difference in sound quality. The Yamaha C2, for instance - a piano that I currently own and am pleased with, though it is not my primary instrument. For the record, I bought it used for 15 grand. That sounds like a lot of money, but I can assure you that it's well worth it if you really are interested in a better piano sound.

i quit because i just couldn't handle it, with school and all, mind you that i was doing theory/history and piano with the same teacher. and about the waltz, its just the beginning that's fast, cuz it says vivace :Dlonewolf604

:lol:

Yes it is. I got that one mixed up with the a minor in my head. So yes, no. 3 is indeed faster, and not melancholic at all. But technically, it's not even close to the difficult passages in the ballade. Sorry to hear you aren't still studying, though perhaps you can resume your work later. In the meantime, be awfully careful about how you practice, and go easy on the ballade. As I'm sure you're well aware, it's easy to make a bad habit feel 'right' to you when you attempt to learn something that is beyond your abilities, and when you practice the wrong way for an extended period of time, you really are running the risk of developing serious injuries that can make your life miserable.

As the old saying goes, you need to learn to walk before you run. Without hearing and seeing you play, it's not possible for me to say for sure whether or not you can handle a Chopin ballade at this point in your development, but I can say with reasonable certainty that it's unlikely based on what you've told me - especially in light of the fact that the majority of people who study piano NEVER reach the point where they're able to play one proficiently!

also, have you heard the song from the mirror's edge trailer? it's songs like this that make me want to play the piano :) what are your thoughts on moog synthesizers? i always thought they sounded pretty cool

mirror's edge

bminns

I hate synthesizers, so I'm probably not the best person to talk to about them. I've never met a synthesized sound I liked better than what it's attempting to duplicate. And even as special effects, I don't find them especially compelling in cIassical absolute music, which is my primary interest. They can work well in film scores and popular music, though.

I started playing the piano when I was 14 or so by myself and my mom decided to take the liberty of giving me lessons (god bless her soul, says I with thick sarcasm).

After a month of lessons, it took the fun out of playing whatever I wanted and haven't touched it since.

Vax45

And so you have identified that piano wasn't anything more than a hobby to you. So long as you're comfortable with the fact that you'll never really get very good, that's fine. But anyone who wants to become a good player will very quickly realize that music is a discipline, and that learning to do it well is not fun. That's why I'm always amused by people who feel I have an easy and fun job because I just 'sit around playing music.' Such people don't have clue as to what a professional performer's work entails.

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"]i quit because i just couldn't handle it, with school and all, mind you that i was doing theory/history and piano with the same teacher. and about the waltz, its just the beginning that's fast, cuz it says vivace :Dpianist

:lol:

Yes it is. I got that one mixed up with the a minor in my head. So yes, no. 3 is indeed faster, and not melancholic at all. But technically, it's not even close to the difficult passages in the ballade. Sorry to hear you aren't still studying, though perhaps you can resume your work later. In the meantime, be awfully careful about how you practice, and go easy on the ballade. As I'm sure you're well aware, it's easy to make a bad habit feel 'right' to you when you attempt to learn something that is beyond your abilities, and when you practice the wrong way for an extended period of time, you really are running the risk of developing serious injuries that can make your life miserable.

As the old saying goes, you need to learn to walk before you run. Without hearing and seeing you play, it's not possible for me to say for sure whether or not you can handle a Chopin ballade at this point in your development, but I can say with reasonable certainty that it's unlikely based on what you've told me - especially in light of the fact that the majority of people who study piano NEVER reach the point where they're able to play one proficiently!

[QUOTE="Vax45"]

I started playing the piano when I was 14 or so by myself and my mom decided to take the liberty of giving me lessons (god bless her soul, says I with thick sarcasm).

After a month of lessons, it took the fun out of playing whatever I wanted and haven't touched it since.

pianist

And so you have identified that piano wasn't anything more than a hobby to you. So long as you're comfortable with the fact that you'll never really get very good, that's fine. But anyone who wants to become a good player will very quickly realize that music is a discipline, and that learning to do it well is not fun. That's why I'm always amused by people who feel I have an easy and fun job because I just 'sit around playing music.' Such people don't have clue as to what a professional performer's work entails.

The fun part for me is seeing my self get better :D

Its never difficult, unless you have disabled fingers. I started learning piano at 7, my mother started at 49 (2 months ago), as far as I've remembered and observed, we both have the same learning curve, nothing has been particularly harder for her. Nerfit

It's not the same. Our brains are 'hard-wired' to learn new physical coordination more easily when we are young. This is a time in our lives when we learn all sorts of other physical coordinations as well. You will not start to notice this effect until your mother starts trying to push beyond beginner stuff. The further you go, the more pronounced the issue will be. As someone who has taught both commited youngsters and adults, I can say this with experience.

The fun part for me is seeing my self get better :D

Lonelynight

I don't really consider it fun - but absolutely worthwhile. And yes, there is a major sense of accomplishment and fulfillment to be found in music, despite how difficult it can be to maintain one's sense of discipline at times.

yeah..about those habits, i've already noticed one by me. its that i over-use the damper pedal, as soon as i stop using it i notice how sloppy my playing is :(, dang, i need a teacher againlonewolf604

You do. Over-using the damper pedal to cover for sloppy technique is a common (and totally ineffective) 'trick' that students use when they're trying to fast-forward their progress. Good ol' faking.:P

[QUOTE="bminns"]i've been playing guitar for about 9 years now and i've always wanted to learn how to play the piano... the only thing that's stopping me is the price of an actual piano.. are there any inexpensive keyboards that can mimmic the sound of a piano? pianist

Most keyboards can mimic the sound of a piano, but none (even the most expensive) do it well. There's something about the instrument that makes it incredibly difficult to replicate, and it has eluded even the best efforts thus far. A lot of that has to do with the effect of the damper pedal on the sound.

Even worse than the sound is the touch. I've played a lot of keyboards, and not one of them even comes close to the feel of a real grand piano. That feel is incredibly important to tone control - and you don't have much of that on even an expensive keyboard either. So I would recommend that you stay away from keyboards. Instead, look for a used upright. It'll be alright to start off with, and when you're done with it, you can likely sell it for almost as much (or even as much) as you paid for it.

Hmm... in my experience, a good digital piano can be better than a really cheap proper piano. As long as it has properly weighted keys, and a full piano keyboard, and the pedals, it's a pretty good way to practice.

oh, and, i'm the guy who really wanted to learn chopin's ballade no 1, i haven't tackled it yet (just the first page)

lonewolf604

I tried that a few weeks back... the second to last page is horrendous. :cry:

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"]yeah..about those habits, i've already noticed one by me. its that i over-use the damper pedal, as soon as i stop using it i notice how sloppy my playing is :(, dang, i need a teacher againpianist

You do. Over-using the damper pedal to cover for sloppy technique is a common (and totally ineffective) 'trick' that students use when they're trying to fast-forward their progress. Good ol' faking.:P

Yeah, that's me, I think. :P

EDIT: Urk... sorry for the triple post...

Hmm... in my experience, a good digital piano can be better than a really cheap proper piano. As long as it has properly weighted keys, and a full piano keyboard, and the pedals, it's a pretty good way to practice.

Funky_Llama

Maybe better than a piece of crap piano... but if you're serious about music, why would you have a piece of crap piano? When it comes to music, you tend to get what you pay for. If you're not willing to spend more than a few hundred dollars on an instrument, then yes - no matter what you get, it will be inadequate. However, it really does say something important about digital pianos when a GOOD digital piano is little better than a poor acoustic piano. And good or not, a digital piano still can not capture the sound or the feel of an acoustic piano. Not yet, anyways. Maybe some day in the future, which would actually be a really good thing, because one of the most irritating things about excellent acoustic pianos - the high maintenance requirements - would be eliminated. No more tuning! Hurray!

Yeah, that's me, I think. :P

EDIT: Urk... sorry for the triple post...

Funky_Llama

It's lots of people. What can I say? It's hard to be patient and disciplined. You can fully understand that it's NOT in your best interests to fake music that's beyond your capabilities, but you'll want to do it anyways. And unless you do too much work on repertoire that is beyond you (which can lead to health issues at worst, or just a really sloppy performance at best) or you allow your fun playing to compromise your productive work, there's nothing wrong with fooling around with pieces that are beyond you. I did that plenty when I was younger. It helps maintain your motivation, because that piece that is beyond you becomes your carrot to encourage you to develop the skill to play it properly.

[QUOTE="Funky_Llama"]

Hmm... in my experience, a good digital piano can be better than a really cheap proper piano. As long as it has properly weighted keys, and a full piano keyboard, and the pedals, it's a pretty good way to practice.

pianist

Maybe better than a piece of crap piano... but if you're serious about music, why would you have a piece of crap piano? When it comes to music, you tend to get what you pay for. If you're not willing to spend more than a few hundred dollars on an instrument, then yes - no matter what you get, it will be inadequate. However, it really does say something important about digital pianos when a GOOD digital piano is little better than a poor acoustic piano. And good or not, a digital piano still can not capture the sound or the feel of an acoustic piano. Not yet, anyways. Maybe some day in the future, which would actually be a really good thing, because one of the most irritating things about excellent acoustic pianos - the high maintenance requirements - would be eliminated. No more tuning! Hurray!

Yeah, I know... but I'm 16; I can't afford a proper piano. At my price point, a digital piano is the best I can afford. And I get to play on an acoustic piano when I'm at my music lessons, so I'm not completely cut off from proper pianos.

[QUOTE="Funky_Llama"]

Yeah, that's me, I think. :P

EDIT: Urk... sorry for the triple post...

pianist

It's lots of people. What can I say? It's hard to be patient and disciplined. You can fully understand that it's NOT in your best interests to fake music that's beyond your capabilities, but you'll want to do it anyways. And unless you do too much work on repertoire that is beyond you (which can lead to health issues at worst, or just a really sloppy performance at best) or you allow your fun playing to compromise your productive work, there's nothing wrong with fooling around with pieces that are beyond you. I did that plenty when I was younger. It helps maintain your motivation, because that piece that is beyond you becomes your carrot to encourage you to develop the skill to play it properly.

Yeah... it's not deliberate; I just end up, try as I might to the contrary, keeping the pedal down too much.

Playing stuff that's too hard for me is useful, I think... not so hard that I can't play it properly, but sort of... one grade upwards of my skill gives me something to work towards. And then 6 months later I'll come back to the piece and find I can play it perfectly, and I'll feel like I've made progress. :P

Yeah, I know... but I'm 16; I can't afford a proper piano. At my price point, a digital piano is the best I can afford. And I get to play on an acoustic piano when I'm at my music lessons, so I'm not completely cut off from proper pianos.

Funky_Llama

Yeah, there are a lot of people in your situation. I just hope that you can get yourself onto an upright sooner than later. I too started on an electric keyboard, and the moment my parents bought me my first real piano (which wasn't even a very good instrument), there was a significant improvement in my ability to progress, because the concepts I learned for an acoustic instrument could then be practiced on an acoustic instrument.

Do the best you can with what you have. Nothing more you can ask of yourself, and you can still develop coordination and accuracy on a keyboard. It's the refinement of control and listening that isn't really possible to work on, because keyboards don't sound or feel like the real thing, and even the best ones I have played offer very little in the way of subtle control, because they are incapable of producing the variety of tone you can achieve with a hammer physically striking a string!

[QUOTE="Funky_Llama"]

Yeah, I know... but I'm 16; I can't afford a proper piano. At my price point, a digital piano is the best I can afford. And I get to play on an acoustic piano when I'm at my music lessons, so I'm not completely cut off from proper pianos.

pianist

Yeah, there are a lot of people in your situation. I just hope that you can get yourself onto an upright sooner than later. I too started on an electric keyboard, and the moment my parents bought me my first real piano (which wasn't even a very good instrument), there was a significant improvement in my ability to progress, because the concepts I learned for an acoustic instrument could then be practiced on an acoustic instrument.

Do the best you can with what you have. Nothing more you can ask of yourself, and you can still develop coordination and accuracy on a keyboard. It's the refinement of control and listening that isn't really possible to work on, because keyboards don't sound or feel like the real thing, and even the best ones I have played offer very little in the way of subtle control, because they are incapable of producing the variety of tone you can achieve with a hammer physically striking a string!

I used to play on a rubbishy little keyboard; when I got the digital piano I also noticed an improvement in my playing. I intend to get my hands on a proper piano as soon as I can. Yes... intonation is the biggest problem of playing a digital piano.

I used to play on a rubbishy little keyboard; when I got the digital piano I also noticed an improvement in my playing. I intend to get my hands on a proper piano as soon as I can. Yes... intonation is the biggest problem of playing a digital piano.

Funky_Llama

Intonation? No, it's the other way around; the BIG benefit of electric pianos is that they don't go out of tune. I have a feeling you meant "tone control," not "intonation." Am I right? :P

[QUOTE="Funky_Llama"]

I used to play on a rubbishy little keyboard; when I got the digital piano I also noticed an improvement in my playing. I intend to get my hands on a proper piano as soon as I can. Yes... intonation is the biggest problem of playing a digital piano.

pianist

Intonation? No, it's the other way around; the BIG benefit of electric pianos is that they don't go out of tune. I have a feeling you meant "tone control," not "intonation." Am I right? :P

Oops... yes, I did indeed. :P

Try this out- Learn to play Piano/Keyboard I'm 21 and have started to learn piano through this method, it works great and you can move at your own pace.crazygamer1

I'm not sure that tiny keyboard is a good way to learn piano at all. :?