Best way to learn piano?

[fustercluck]

I got a nice electric piano for Xmas, and i'm wondering what's the best way to learn is, not including taking lessons. I guess there's no easy way to learn piano, i'm just looking for the easier way.

 

[amol]

just play around with it, you''ll get the hang of it sooner or later

 

[Wanescotting]

Originally posted by: Amol
just play around with it, you''ll get the hang of it sooner or later

So you are saying it is like fapping?

 

[xSauronx]

get some "learn to play piano books"

 

[amol]

Originally posted by: Wanescotting

Originally posted by: Amol
just play around with it, you''ll get the hang of it sooner or later

So you are saying it is like fapping?

Yes, you treat your hands as if they are your best friends, but you have to give them rest now and then. Never favor one hand . . . and sometimes, you gotta work fast

 

[Goosemaster]

Be careful and balance learning by ear with learning with sheet music. Learning by ear is quite rewarding by the consequences can be practically irreversable. It demands only mental and physical coordination. With sheet music you also add the art of reproduction and precision, not to mention hand-eye corrdination.

Begin for example by trying to play along with a piece you like (an mp3 etc) as the accompaniment and move up to playing the melody. Always balance it out with an equal amount of time playing sheet music and workign on proper technique. Truely there is almsot nothing short of a virtuoso that is as impressive as a quality musician who can play by ear and yet always demonstrates impecable technique.

I hope to be a master at both one day..haven;t played in years though

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Amol

Originally posted by: Wanescotting

Originally posted by: Amol
just play around with it, you''ll get the hang of it sooner or later

So you are saying it is like fapping?

Yes, you treat your hands as if they are your best friends, but you have to give them rest now and then. Never favor one hand . . . and sometimes, you gotta work fast

Sadly, "fapping" as you put it, is probably bad for a musician. It is a consistent movement that can somewhat introduce atrophe into your mobility and range of motion. At least with the violin, ones hand movements need to be dynamic and flexible. I am sure the demands of the pianist are at least similar.

Hell, even typing screws with ones abilities drastically.

 

[MacBaine]

If you aren't good at it right away, give up.

 

[Kishan]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Amol

Originally posted by: Wanescotting

Originally posted by: Amol
just play around with it, you''ll get the hang of it sooner or later

At least with the violin, ones hand movements need to be dynamic and flexible. I am sure the demands of the pianist are at least similar.

OH SH!T! DOUBLE ENTENDRE!!

 

[squirrel dog]

The best and quickest way is with a good teacher . Take lessons . Its not unlike playing golf , anyone can pick up clubs,a piano,guitar,ect . To get past the most basic beginner level,you need a good teacher to help you learn the ropes . Other wise MOST people are stuck at their own imposed level of playing.Where they got bored / disappointed with it and quit.

 

[funggorgor]

I think tutorial cd rom is what you need

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: KPSHAH316

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Amol

Originally posted by: Wanescotting

Originally posted by: Amol
just play around with it, you''ll get the hang of it sooner or later

At least with the violin, ones hand movements need to be dynamic and flexible. I am sure the demands of the pianist are at least similar.

OH SH!T! DOUBLE ENTENDRE!!

Ah..the beauty of the English language and its blind constituents...

 

[fustercluck]

I got a program called Teach Me Piano, which isn't too bad... a little bit on the cheesy side, but that's to be expected. It moves a little too fast though, like there was a quick jump from the basics to the hard stuff.

What i'm worried about is playing with both hands in the future, it seems unlikely that i'll be able to play something with my left hand, and another tune with my right had simultaneously. I can barely rub my belly and pat my head at the same time =x

 

[veggz]

I was trained in classical piano for 10 years and I feel it has helped a lot with my other musical interests. So if you had to take lessons in one instrument, I would recommend piano, but if you don't want lessons I would advise learning basic chord progressions and going from there. I'm sure there are books that teach chords, though I have never personally used them.

 

[asm0deus]

i learned by starting with the 3 note chords, start at hitting C, then skip a white key, and hit E then skip another white key, then hit F#. Then hit all 3 at the same time. Walla! Now take that formation, and play it all over the piano and try playing it with both hands, one plays low the other plays high. Some of them will be minor, but thats alright, you can work on the black keys later. sometimes its not even a chord at all but i've learned to play songs just using that formation. Find the ones that sound good together. Like C and G and a Am. Then get a chord chart and learn them all the real way they're played. Thats just how i got started and now I can play several basic songs, and have alot of the chord formations and patterns memorized.

 

[bigalt]

What kind of piano are you trying to learn?

Tori Amos or Mozart or Herbie Hancock?

Or Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater?

 

[fustercluck]

I don't know, anything pretty much.

Does anyone else have trouble playing with both hands? It's seems inconceivable to me that i could play 2 different things with both hands at the same time.

 

[randalee]

Can you WASD and use your mouse to aim and shoot simultaneously? Not inconceivable, but possible with work. We all had to work to learn how to play FPS games.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: jacktackle
I don't know, anything pretty much.

Does anyone else have trouble playing with both hands? It's seems inconceivable to me that i could play 2 different things with both hands at the same time.

Playing with both hands requires lots of coordination, and is something that I am very crappy at. There are exercises you can do to improve finger and hand independence, of course. I've found the ones in the Jordan Rudess Keyboard Wizardry helpful though still very challenging for me personally (yes, I am embarrassed). He also covers random things about chords (get a book because he skips the basics) and synthesizer performance techniques (cool, but not many of us can afford a Kurzweil K2600XS). You definitely need to know the basics of notes (where to find an A flat, C sharp, etc. on the keyboard) beforehand, however, or you'll be lost.