|
I really wish this thread would receive more traffic.  What pieces/songs are you guys currently working on? I am slowly struggling thru learning to sight-read better, and I decided tonight to learn "Hard Hearted Hannah" which is a jazz piece from the 20s. My skill level is nowhere near what it should be to play this piece easily so I think it might be a few weeks before I have it down pat. Also, in regards to sheet music...if my sheet is in the key of Eb and somewhere in the third measure I get a Gb note, does that mean that any G note after that will always be Gb until another modifer(?) comes along? Hughmoris fucked around with this message at 02:28 on Dec 2, 2009 |
#
?
Dec 2, 2009 02:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 21, 2024 20:37 |
|
|
Just posting to say I am starting piano classes in January, and I cannot wait! I've really enjoyed reading through this thread. There's a lot of great information to be found. I'm going to be looking over the next 6 weeks or so for a keyboard to practice on since I had to leave my piano with my mother when I moved a few years ago. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. I definitely want something with 88 keys and weighted to feel more like a real piano. I'll budget myself to $1000, but I'd like to spend significantly less than that if possible. Thanks in advance.
|
|
#
?
Dec 2, 2009 10:10
|
|
|
Hughmoris posted:I really wish this thread would receive more traffic. Only in the remainder of that bar. Once you hit the next thick line it's reset back to the key signature.
|
|
#
?
Dec 2, 2009 12:05
|
|
|
Hughmoris posted:I really wish this thread would receive more traffic. I wish it got more traffic too! I wonder if piannists just natrually don't post on the internet much, I've been on other forums with a similar thread that got just as little attention (actually, less, but SA is so huge it probably works out about the same). Right now I'm working on a Mozart sonata which I'm to play for my teacher's other students (he has these sort of mini recitals for all his adult students every six months), the first Mendelssohn prelude and fugue, a Chopin etude, and a Ravel piece called "Sad Birds" which is pretty mind blowing though not technically difficult. Keep plugging away, the only way you ever improve is to take on pieces just a bit out of your range. 
|
|
#
?
Dec 2, 2009 15:35
|
|
|
Hughmoris posted:What pieces/songs are you guys currently working on? Chopin Nocturne in c minor opus 48 n 1 Mozart Sonata in c minor Scriabin Etude in c # minor op 2 n 1 I'll make a recording of the Nocturne when it's done in a month or two.
|
|
#
?
Dec 2, 2009 16:04
|
|
|
Elephunk posted:Looking for advice of turning an admittedly purist / square / nerd classical pianist of 6+ years into someone with a solid enough foundation to do improv, jam sessions, jazz solos etc. If you really want to understand jazz, try to find other people to play with. Often times the voicings that you end up using depend on the instrumentation. If you have a bassist, which you normally do, you won't be hitting the bass register as much, unless it's for an intended effect. If you've got any kind of instrument playing in the lower middle frequencies, you'll have to open up your chords to avoid muddiness and the like. I find improvising comes out best when you are truly just listening to the other musicians and going off their cues. It's hard to describe how it works exactly, but if you play and listen to other (good) musicians improvising, you will quickly get a good idea of what it is exactly you're supposed to do. Try listening to lots of recordings. Listen to Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, etc. If you want to make the fastest progress, trying transcribing their solos. That will give you a better idea of the mindset that goes on behind the improvising.
|
|
#
?
Dec 2, 2009 16:42
|
|
|
If you want some legit discussion on the piano I suggest heading over to the piano world forum.
|
|
#
?
Dec 2, 2009 19:30
|
|
|
Pilot Jim posted:Just posting to say I am starting piano classes in January, and I cannot wait! I've really enjoyed reading through this thread. There's a lot of great information to be found. I'm going to be looking over the next 6 weeks or so for a keyboard to practice on since I had to leave my piano with my mother when I moved a few years ago. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. I definitely want something with 88 keys and weighted to feel more like a real piano. I'll budget myself to $1000, but I'd like to spend significantly less than that if possible. Thanks in advance. That said, I'd highly recommend truckin' down to your local music store to play the pianos yourself. You might like a different feel, and there's no real way to see how each piano feels unless you play it yourself.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2009 07:14
|
|
|
I've been following this thread for a while as I recently started taking Piano lessons, and I have a few questions regarding basically learning speed and content. I take lessons from a part of the music department at my university, and I'm taught by a student teacher. I started this September and have been enjoying it immensley, but it's surprisingly different than I would have expected I'd be taught. She tends to focus more or songs and I pick things up via learning the songs, that is to say, I don't really get a lot of drilling on chords or scales. Is this unusual? She's only officially had me learn a couple of major scales and chords, (though before I started lessons I learned most of the major scales and quite a few of the minors) which feels strange and I wonder if the lessons are set up under the assumption that as a casual learner she'd feel I'd be put off by more seemingly boring drills. Should I inquire about it or is it fairly common to spend a couple months just learning songs to get used to playing before moving onto stuff that's purely for exercise? As far as my progression, I have a recital tomorrow (On one hand I don't really want to go, on the other it's probably a good learning experience) and I'm playing a Minuet in G minor written by Christian Petzold, (it's bwv 115 for anyone caring to look it up) which seems to be a level 3 song judging by the book it's in. She's been fairly picky about dynamics (kind of funny considering it was originally a piece for the harpsichord) so I do a lot of crescendo/decrescendo in the song as well as pace dynamics such as ritardando. I feel like I've learned allot but as I have no reference I can't say whether this is slow or not. I'll probably have more questions later for those gracious enough to answer but this is already becoming kinda long so I'll hold off for now. ArbitraryC fucked around with this message at 21:10 on Dec 4, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2009 21:07
|
|
|
What songs can I learn to make beautiful women instinctively flock to me like the salmon of Capistrano?
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2009 21:18
|
|
|
Hughmoris posted:What songs can I learn to make beautiful women instinctively flock to me like the salmon of Capistrano? Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto always does it for me. Good luck. ArbitraryC posted:I've been following this thread for a while as I recently started taking Piano lessons, and I have a few questions regarding basically learning speed and content. I would not necessarily say it's unusual to focus on pieces and pick up technique from that. Most good pieces of music have all that technique in them. I can't say for sure of course, but it's probably that your teacher assumes that you would be bored with scales and/or maybe feel a little silly doing something like that as an adult beginner (I'm assuming you're an adult anyway, based on where you're getting lessons and the fact that you post here). I no longer play exercises or scales or anything like that myself, but each new piece I work on has some technique to work on like octaves or thirds or trills etc. etc. I did do exercise books/scales when I was a beginner but I also had a different and more traditional teacher then, plus I was 11. You could probably mention it to her if it bothers you or if you feel like you're missing out on something, any good teacher would want to know that you felt that way so he or she could tailor the program to you personally. Even though pieces written for harpsichord couldn't use dynamics, dynamics are very important to piano and in fact were the whole reason the piano was invented and where it gets its name, so it isn't surprising to focus on that. I'm not familiar with the piece so I can't say how quickly you're progressing but I'm sure you're fine if they're letting you play in a recital at all.
Bob Shadycharacter fucked around with this message at 23:31 on Dec 4, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2009 23:25
|
|
|
Oh god that was the most nerve-wracking experience I've had in quite some time, it's hard to play properly when your hands are shaking. It went pretty well though, I played a slightly wrong chord at the end but I didn't bungle any particular measure up enough to have to replay it. The only people around were the teachers and the students so there wasn't a lot of pressure. It's really hard to play at a slow tempo when you're nervous, I didn't go blazingly fast, but I went a bit faster than I like to play the piece at, and I think it sounded slightly worse in dynamics due to this, but it was my first time so eh. Experienced people have any tips to share on calming down? I play the best when I'm relaxed so I figure if I just keep attending then I'll eventually have better nerves for it, but any other suggestions would be welcome. As an aside, I got to play on a Fazioli, which to my knowledge, are pretty awesome pianos. It was way lighter than I was used to so it was kind of hard to control my volume like I wanted to, but it still felt really good to play.
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2009 20:34
|
|
|
ArbitraryC posted:Oh god that was the most nerve-wracking experience I've had in quite some time, it's hard to play properly when your hands are shaking. It went pretty well though, I played a slightly wrong chord at the end but I didn't bungle any particular measure up enough to have to replay it. The only people around were the teachers and the students so there wasn't a lot of pressure. I think the only cure for stage fright etc. is to just perform in front of people a LOT. My teacher frequently makes me play something for the student just before me and the student just after me (if there is one). I always find it MORE nerve wracking to be playing for other piannists - they know! They know! But then, they also know how it feels to be up there and nervous as hell. I've also heard that eating a banana right before can help. Never tried it. Maybe next Saturday I will.
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2009 20:46
|
|
|
ArbitraryC posted:Oh god that was the most nerve-wracking experience I've had in quite some time, it's hard to play properly when your hands are shaking. It went pretty well though, I played a slightly wrong chord at the end but I didn't bungle any particular measure up enough to have to replay it. The only people around were the teachers and the students so there wasn't a lot of pressure. Welcome to the world of performance my friend!
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2009 21:49
|
|
|
This might be mentioned plenty of times, and I have probably read so as well. Alas memory fails me. What do my fellow goons feel about the CASIO PX-330? I can get it, a bitchass stand and three pedals for probably 750, 800 straight. I've tried it out, and it's not offensive. I don't know how to play piano, so haha can't give much information there. Thx.
|
|
#
?
Dec 6, 2009 03:34
|
|
|
ArbitraryC posted:Oh god that was the most nerve-wracking experience I've had in quite some time, it's hard to play properly when your hands are shaking. It went pretty well though, I played a slightly wrong chord at the end but I didn't bungle any particular measure up enough to have to replay it. The only people around were the teachers and the students so there wasn't a lot of pressure. Yeah, that sums up performance. During my first one the five year old played better than I did. I made the mistake of memorizing the piece instead of actually reading the music. I suggest playing on every piano you see whether someone is listening or not. Even if it's not in tune or falling apart. No piano will be like your own piano anyways. For example, there's a piano in the lobby where I work so I tend to play when I'm waiting around and sometimes when I get more than a 15 minute lunch break. People seem to like it or ignore it. My issue with performing is when I make a mistake. I freak out and that cascades into more mistakes. Any advice on how to break this habit?
|
|
#
?
Dec 6, 2009 06:06
|
|
|
tortueperdue posted:Yeah, that sums up performance. During my first one the five year old played better than I did. I made the mistake of memorizing the piece instead of actually reading the music. I suggest playing on every piano you see whether someone is listening or not. Even if it's not in tune or falling apart. No piano will be like your own piano anyways. For example, there's a piano in the lobby where I work so I tend to play when I'm waiting around and sometimes when I get more than a 15 minute lunch break. People seem to like it or ignore it. Mistakes don't matter, don't look at performing as playing the right notes, but getting each emotion right. The emotion of a piece can stay in tact with wrong notes being played. So there's not much to worry about. Go more for overall, instead of micro-analyzing.
|
|
#
?
Dec 6, 2009 06:24
|
|
|
I'd really like to start learning piano again. Like a lot of people, I took a year of lessons when I was 10 and now really regret quitting. I only need a really entry level piano/keyboard, but from what I've read weighted keys are a must if I plan on keeping this as a hobby. Whats the cheapest piano that you guys recommend that has weighted keys and midi out? I would like to spend as little as possible. Is like $300 realistic at all?
HOG ILLUSTRATIONS fucked around with this message at 12:53 on Dec 6, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 6, 2009 06:31
|
|
|
ArbitraryC posted:As an aside, I got to play on a Fazioli Niicceeee, that poo poo costs like 100k+. Action is very good, and as you have experienced, very light as well, but I'm personally not fond of its brightness.
|
|
#
?
Dec 6, 2009 16:29
|
|
|
HOG ILLUSTRATIONS posted:I'd really like to start learning piano again. Like a lot of people, I took a year of lessons when I was 10 and now really regret quitting. I only need a really entry level piano/keyboard, but from what I've read weighted keys are a must if I plan on keeping this as a hobby. Whats the cheapest piano that you guys recommend that has weighted keys and midi out? I would like to spend as little as possible. Is like $300 realistic at all? I don't think it is, unless you can find something good second-hand. Otherwise it's at least double.
|
|
#
?
Dec 7, 2009 00:10
|
|
|
uXs posted:I don't think it is, unless you can find something good second-hand. Otherwise it's at least double. Hmm, alright. If you had $200-300 to spend and were learning piano for the first time, what would you buy? Would it be a waste of money to even bother with cheap(er) keyboard?
|
|
#
?
Dec 7, 2009 00:34
|
|
|
HOG ILLUSTRATIONS posted:I'd really like to start learning piano again. Like a lot of people, I took a year of lessons when I was 10 and now really regret quitting. I only need a really entry level piano/keyboard, but from what I've read weighted keys are a must if I plan on keeping this as a hobby. Whats the cheapest piano that you guys recommend that has weighted keys and midi out? I would like to spend as little as possible. Is like $300 realistic at all? If you plan on taking lessons there's little point on skimping on the start up cost. I'm taking dirt cheap lessons from the music department at my school (lessons taught by pedagogy students who need/want the practice teaching for reference on how cheap it is) and I still pay over 500$ for two semesters at a lesson a week. I'll probably be paying twice or three times that much when I have to start taking lessons elsewhere after I graduate. So I guess what I'm trying to say is even if you spend 500-1000$ (or more) on the piano itself, your lessons are going to end up being more expensive (by a large amount) in the long run. Unless you have stable income but never a large amount at once, it'd be detrimental to get a cheapy that's going to hinder your learning. I wouldn't really recommend anything less than 500 unless as mentioned you got a steal on a secondhand one somehow. I could be completely wrong though, just talking from personal experience and what I've seen in this thread. Edit: Typos typos everywhere ArbitraryC fucked around with this message at 00:45 on Dec 7, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 7, 2009 00:42
|
|
|
I'm flipping thru a fakebook and I see a couple of left-hand chords like G/D, A/C#, G7/B. How do I play these? *I've might've solved this using Google-fu. G/D would mean a G chord inversion with the D in the bass right? So if I was looking down at the piano I would play the notes D G B , right? Hughmoris fucked around with this message at 15:34 on Dec 9, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2009 10:54
|
|
|
ArbitraryC posted:If you plan on taking lessons there's little point on skimping on the start up cost. I'm taking dirt cheap lessons from the music department at my school (lessons taught by pedagogy students who need/want the practice teaching for reference on how cheap it is) and I still pay over 500$ for two semesters at a lesson a week. I'll probably be paying twice or three times that much when I have to start taking lessons elsewhere after I graduate. Lessons for me are way, way cheaper. I'm also taking classes at a school, and they cost 180€ for one year. This is the most expensive they get too, because I don't get any student discounts or whatever. However, there's a government program here where they pay half of whatever you are paying for basically any kind of classes (that aren't your regular, full time education), up to 500€ a year. So as long as I'm not too lazy to ask for money from that program, I'm really only paying 90€ a year. My digital piano was about 700€, which is probably what you pay for something that can get you through the first few years. It's ok, but I'm already saving for the next one. Because if I keep playing, I know I'll need something (a lot) better in a few years.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2009 21:41
|
|
|
I can personally reccomend having a mom who plays and therefore having a piano from birth onwards and then having your parents buy you a nice one because you're getting kinda good and later in life if you can arrange to get the money from the sale of your dead grandparents house and use 1/3 of it to buy a piano that's good too. That's how I did it. I'm good at advice.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2009 21:53
|
|
|
I would risk a suspension to call you out on your shenanigans. That's not good advice at all. Anyone who takes your advice would very likely turn out to be an a-class brat.
APimpNamedSlickback fucked around with this message at 06:29 on Dec 11, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2009 06:26
|
|
|
uXs posted:Lessons for me are way, way cheaper. I'm also taking classes at a school, and they cost 180€ for one year. This is the most expensive they get too, because I don't get any student discounts or whatever. Also I think my teacher must be reading this thread because you know how I posted some odd days ago that I was weary about how few scales and such I was learning? Yeah tonight she was just like "so here's a bunch of scales, practice them." Be careful what you wish for and all that.
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2009 09:13
|
|
|
APimpNamedSlickback posted:I would risk a suspension to call you out on your shenanigans. That's not good advice at all. Anyone who takes your advice would very likely turn out to be an a-class brat. But I was making fun of myself! Seriously I do sympathize, the start up costs for piano are immense. When I was younger I took cello and rented the instrument, you can't really do that with piano (well, you can, but even if you're renting it's expensive just...they're just big and expensive instruments!)
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2009 14:35
|
|
|
ArbitraryC posted:How often do you have lessons? Because if it's about once a week then that's like 3.5€ per lesson which according to google is a bit over 5 USD. From what I've seen, most private lessons will run you over 30$ and even via my school I pay something like 15$, I can't imagine how you could get away with lessons for less than minimum wage. * One 2.5 hour lesson a week, learning to read/sing notes, time signatures, ... and to recognize them when played. * One hour a week piano lessons, but that hour is shared with (on average) 2 other people. As I'm only a beginner, I don't really need more than 20 mins/half an hour a week. (And I've been kinda lucky because about half the time someone doesn't show up so I get a bit more time.) It's all heavily subsidized. Socialist countries, you know. 
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2009 01:57
|
|
|
Bob Shadycharacter posted:But I was making fun of myself! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPxY8lpYAUM ;o) So today, I went to Guitar Center and got a Casio PX-330, CS67 bitching piano stand and SP32 3-pedal unit that goes right in the stand, out the door for 696.22. Or well, free shipping but it'll take about a week or so to arrive in-store. They will beat any competitors price, even if that price quote happens to be fictitious. Helps if you have a chill salesman. Told me that's basically cost, however Guitar Center having the largest buying power in the country will lose money on a sale just to gently caress over another store. APimpNamedSlickback fucked around with this message at 22:40 on Dec 13, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2009 22:37
|
|
|
5 hour practice session today.  Hey guys, wanna be a Man I am so envious of other instrument majors. "Ya I can normally play through an entire piece after the first look through" Curse you, you drat single note instrument players!!!!! Play through this after the first look through you fucks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MzrAGZHDvo Alizee fucked around with this message at 02:07 on Dec 21, 2009 |
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 02:04
|
|
|
Alizee posted:5 hour practice session today. I'll have to listen to it when I get home, work blocks it.  Would anyone be up for playing a short segment of a relatively simple piece? I'm trying to learn Time In A Bottle by Jim Croce from a sheet I found online but I can't seem to get the timing/rhythm quite right. I was hoping one of you talented piano studs could tackle the first page and post it so I can get a gist of it. Time In A Bottle http://www.scribd.com/doc/2362548/Time-In-a-Bottle Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 02:27
|
|
|
Alizee posted:5 hour practice session today.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 03:05
|
|
|
Alizee posted:5 hour practice session today. Oh I love that one. I especially like how every single time I've ever heard it in a movie or on TV they only play the first (easy) part and cut out right when it gets crazy. The first part does make you sort of wish you had two or three extra fingers, eh?
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 03:09
|
|
|
Bob Shadycharacter posted:Oh I love that one. I especially like how every single time I've ever heard it in a movie or on TV they only play the first (easy) part and cut out right when it gets crazy. Are you talking about the A section? Why would that make me want extra fingers?
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 03:16
|
|
|
Alizee posted:Are you talking about the A section? Why would that make me want extra fingers? I always felt like it had these huge chords that were hard to reach, but maybe I just have small fingers.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 03:43
|
|
|
You mean section B? The C Major part?
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 09:11
|
|
|
Oh, yes - it is the beginning of the B section I'm talking about, mm 25-35 or so, with some really big chords. Sorry, it's been a long rear end time since I learned this one, ten years or so. I guess I associate the B section with all those octaves and forgot the beginning of it.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2009 14:32
|
|
|
Since the OP's a little old, is it possible to get an update with good brands of keyboards for beginners, as well as maybe where to find decent deals at? I'm looking around at a Yamaha P85 or a Casio PX120. The amazon reviews seem decent on them, but I'm a little more interested in goon opinions. There seems to be a consensus that both of these keyboards fail at the built in speakers, but I would imagine that I should be okay with headphones.
|
|
#
?
Dec 22, 2009 06:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 21, 2024 20:37 |
|
|
If some people want to write up about good starter keyboards or w.e go for it. I have no clue about them. I'll edit the OP with quotes if people write stuff.
|
|
#
?
Dec 22, 2009 07:52
|
|