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[John Mullins]

If so, when? (what age/stage in your life)

And how did you learn it? Tutor, books, online tutorials, interactive lessons etc.

I got a new keyboard and after years of mashing keys (and getting some ok results) I guessed I should learn what I am actually doing.

I have been searching and found a thing called Melodics. Looks like Rock Band or Guitar Hero type thing.

Anyone tickle the ivories?

 

[FreedomOfSpeech]

I tried. Got a bunch of lessons from a professional piano lady.

Then I gave up cause I sucked.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

yes. im self taught ever since i was a kid. just playing around on a little keyboard.

i did take some piano lessons eventually, and they were a lot of help with learning fingering and the chords. learned the scales and stuff.



mostly i learned by playing along to songs and learning them. we didn't have Youtube when i was a kid but it's a great resource for learning how to play. you can slow down videos to .75 or .5 and practice and practice until you can play them back at 1x.

my favorite way to learn is by learning video game music. there are a lot of great tutorials for how to play game tunes on piano. i recommend finding a song you really like and working through it slowly one step at a time.






retro video game music is nice to use how to learn piano. because of the limitations of game sound, most songs only allowing for 4 channels of monophonic notes, the music tends to be quite simple and memorable.

 

[M1chl]

Only to a degree where it's sufficient for EDM tracks, which is probably more arpeggios, not really fast switching for the chords and stuff like that, also left and right hand playing something different is tough as fuck. But I train a lot.

Everything is self taught by playing other songs, mainly by ear. So I train two things at once.

 

[Tesseract]

aye, i talked about it in Kadayi 's wonderful classical thread

Classical Music GAF

Well met friend you must be cold and weary after your long journey to GAF Castle. Come warm yourself by the fire, and let us raise a glass to your good health and perhaps enjoy some classical music to rouse the spirits or calm the mind, whilst you regale us with tales of your travels from fair...

www.neogaf.com

 

[Rien]

Started this year. I am picking it up pretty good.

 

[Clarissa]

Associate diploma in piano performance (ATCL)

Had a teacher since I was 5.

 

[foxGlove]

I did, when i was in primary school. There was a Yamaha Music School not far from my home, I went there For 7 years or so.

But not a piano or keyboard per se, it was an Electone.

It’s a keyboard on drugs lol. You can basically play an entire orchestra on your own, like :


And The score would look like this

It was kinda cool pretending you’re playing for an orchestra lol

 

[Happosai]

If so, when? (what age/stage in your life)

And how did you learn it? Tutor, books, online tutorials, interactive lessons etc.

I got a new keyboard and after years of mashing keys (and getting some ok results) I guessed I should learn what I am actually doing.

I have been searching and found a thing called Melodics. Looks like Rock Band or Guitar Hero type thing.

Anyone tickle the ivories?

I've been playing piano almost as long as any other instrument. For a starter, I recommend you play a full 88-keys weighted. Not some lightweight plastic keyboard with 60 odd keys.

Percussion helped me with my timing on piano. Don't start with scales, learn the basic notes and finger placement first. Then practice timing between bass and treble clef. When your hands get more familiar, learn triad chords so you can start with some basic songs. When you get that down, work on scales. It takes time and patiences. Another piece of advice...even if you have a cheap keyboard, don't write the notes on the keys with a marker. Use a piece of transparent tape and stick a small piece with the note on each key. That way if you decide to sell the keyboard later on...you won't have damaged the keys cosmetically.

 

[GAMETA]

When I was a kid I took piano lessons for maybe a year at my city's convent. I remember playing at a presentation for the parents, it was Blue Danube, lol... I forgot absolutely everything.

At 12 or something I started learning the guitar but never made much progress. I still mess around with it (I'm 31), but it's exactly that, messing around, not really playing anything. Same for the Ukulele.

 

[haxan7]

I had a keyboard I used to mess around on when I was a teen. Taught myself how to play a few Mozart songs by decoding what keys each note on the sheet music corresponded to. Never had lessons or learned how to properly read sheet music. Haven’t messed with it since then.

 

[Foamy]

I play with my organ all the time.
Dont know a thing about music though.

 

[John Mullins]

I've been playing piano almost as long as any other instrument. For a starter, I recommend you play a full 88-keys weighted. Not some lightweight plastic keyboard with 60 odd keys.

Percussion helped me with my timing on piano. Don't start with scales, learn the basic notes and finger placement first. Then practice timing between bass and treble clef. When your hands get more familiar, learn triad chords so you can start with some basic songs. When you get that down, work on scales. It takes time and patiences. Another piece of advice...even if you have a cheap keyboard, don't write the notes on the keys with a marker. Use a piece of transparent tape and stick a small piece with the note on each key. That way if you decide to sell the keyboard later on...you won't have damaged the keys cosmetically.

I got a decent semi weighted keyboard/synth.

I don't want to play the piano per se, I do have piano sounds but I am mainly trying to learn music theory rather than becoming an accomplished pianist. I guess it all takes practice.

Orchestral stuff mixed in with electronic sounds is what I like. Strings, brass, woodwind, mallets, pianos, EPs, synth pads, leads, basses, plucked sounds and FX.

 

[Pidull]

I started taking professional lessons during this pandemic, so I'm learning.

Biggest challenge is just practicing between lessons, I've been somewhat consistent with it and the progress still feels slow.

 

[Scotty W]

I figured it out a couple years ago. If you can play guitar and have a bit of patience it is easy.

 

[Happosai]

I got a decent semi weighted keyboard/synth.

I don't want to play the piano per se, I do have piano sounds but I am mainly trying to learn music theory rather than becoming an accomplished pianist. I guess it all takes practice.

Orchestral stuff mixed in with electronic sounds is what I like. Strings, brass, woodwind, mallets, pianos, EPs, synth pads, leads, basses, plucked sounds and FX.

Have any particular keyboardist that you would like to play like? I started playing because I wanted to play the music I was listening too. I started out with an old out-of-tune Cable upright and a Korg Mini synth/vocoder. Brad Fiedel, Vangelis, and Tangerine Dream are keyboard wizards. You should check do their stuff out. It will inspire to say the least.

 

[Ar¢tos]

I bought a digital piano 4 days ago. I always wanted to learn and I was bored from being locked at home (covid lockdown).
And so far... I suck at it...
I've been spending my time learning how to read music and memorising notes (with a music learning app via MIDI connection) and practicing the C and F scales and a couple of chords.
I can't really play anything, and 2 hand stuff is a disaster.
I don't mind doing scales and note memorising endlessly (it's not much different from farming/grinding in games), I'm just not sure I'm going in the right direction.
I can't get lessons because of the lockdown and my internet sucks for online lessons with a tutor. In April/May I'll move to a place with 500mb fiber, I can try Internet lessons then.
YT lessons are bad (more of a stupid collection of tips and advices) and the best I found was a couple of book courses.
Shall I keep hammering scales/chords, and memorising keys/notes?
Or should I be doing something different / something more?

 

[NecrosaroIII]

I bought a digital piano 4 days ago. I always wanted to learn and I was bored from being locked at home (covid lockdown).
And so far... I suck at it...
I've been spending my time learning how to read music and memorising notes (with a music learning app via MIDI connection) and practicing the C and F scales and a couple of chords.
I can't really play anything, and 2 hand stuff is a disaster.
I don't mind doing scales and note memorising endlessly (it's not much different from farming/grinding in games), I'm just not sure I'm going in the right direction.
I can't get lessons because of the lockdown and my internet sucks for online lessons with a tutor. In April/May I'll move to a place with 500mb fiber, I can try Internet lessons then.
YT lessons are bad (more of a stupid collection of tips and advices) and the best I found was a couple of book courses.
Shall I keep hammering scales/chords, and memorising keys/notes?
Or should I be doing something different / something more?

Just go really slow at first. Really. Really REALLY slow. I'd also reccomend looking up exercises for finger independance

 

[triplestation]

no but i would love to

 

[Redneckerz]

I can play piano/keyboard mostly by improv, and so i can play a nice melody.

No Bach.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

I took up the guitar instead but it's something I'll still try and get into at somepoint.

..I did used to be able to play the Robocod theme mind you.

 

[Ar¢tos]

Just go really slow at first. Really. Really REALLY slow. I'd also reccomend looking up exercises for finger independance

So I started doing finger and hand independence exercises and my brain was constantly brainfarting. I could almost hear it shouting :"STOP! What are you doing? Stop that! ".
After 30min of insistence I managed to have the left hand playing 4 keys in a loop while the right hand played other 4 in sequence and backwards (not perfectly, with some stutter).
It feels REALLY creepy! Like it is something that wasn't supposed to be happening.

 

[NeoGiffer]

 

[Rien]

Still busy here!

Play over a year now.
Nearly finished my second practice book and it’s getting really challenging now.
Besides that I have done quite a lot stuff besides it.
Just play!! Pick up note reading while your at it.

Also get a teacher. Not just for getting better but also to keep you practicing.

I love it. The feeling after finally be able to play the song... keeps you playing

 

[Rien]

This is the book I started with. It also has a Cd with it with the music in 2 tempo’s.
It starts very very easy. Like a song with just 2 notes. From there it gradually builds up.
Also it teaches you to read notes and stuff so that’s a plus.

Music can be kinda corny from times but it teaches you the basics pretty well.

I did this book in 2 or 3 months and the second one is a lot more challenging.

This is an example of what I am playing now in book 2. BPM is at 176 so it’s challenging. But it’s a nice piece.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

This is the book I started with. It also has a Cd with it with the music in 2 tempo’s.
It starts very very easy. Like a song with just 2 notes. From there it gradually builds up.
Also it teaches you to read notes and stuff so that’s a plus.

Music can be kinda corny from times but it teaches you the basics pretty well.

I did this book in 2 or 3 months and the second one is a lot more challenging.

This is an example of what I am playing now in book 2. BPM is at 176 so it’s challenging. But it’s a nice piece.

Cheers for the recomendation. I'll be looking into it.

 

[Happosai]

I put the other instruments into temporary retirement over the past 10-months. On the note of keys, that's about all I ever do work with as of lately. I can play more elaborate music on classical guitar and flutes but I understand the piano and organ better in terms of notes or theory. I have been playing on a regular upright acoustic piano and a digital grand in the bedroom likewise about twice a week. I recommend starting percussion and even learning notes on marimba or a glokenspiel before transitioning completely to piano. That timing and theory are important and will open doors for you to learn other instruments or to write and compose. That's why keyboards (piano style) are the standard for MIDI controllors as they will communicate everything that the other instruments do not. Keep in mind, most of the famous composers of the past would write everything out with piano and then adapt it to other instruments. I always say that the piano is the voice of everything musical as it directs the vocalist and can be the voice for a single violin or an full orchestra. If you're getting started with piano - stick with it and practice timing. No cheating and trying to memorize "patterns" or cheat sheets; it will bar your knowledge of progressing.

 

[Ballthyrm]

I tried. Got a bunch of lessons from a professional piano lady.

Then I gave up cause I sucked.

Everybody suck at one point.
one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration

 

[Happosai]

Everybody suck at one point.
one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration

Sweaty keyboard...nasty. I had to clean off some keyboards in chorus rooms when I was in college. They should have kept sanitizer in for the slobs who were busy touching their face greace before playing Coldplay triads on those pianos.

 

[FreedomOfSpeech]

Everybody suck at one point.
one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration

Fair enough.

Juice not worth the squeeze for me at least.

 

[Tesseract]

you just have to play, pick some tracks you like and learn the accompanying theory

i was playing around 40 hours a week in my twenties before injuries fucked my timeline

 

[Valonquar]

Any recommendations of brands of full keyboards to look at? I've been thinking of picking one up for a good while now. I want to learn to play well enough to play a few songs, like the theme to Robinson Crusoe, and maybe a few gaming songs to start. I've seen a lot of people on Youtube using a similar system of led lights on keys, kinda turning the whole thing into Beatmania but harderer.

 

[Winter John]

Yamaha P45/Roland FP10 are both very good budget keyboards. The problem with keyboards is there are a lot of really shitty, cheap ones out there that probably put people off learning more than anything else. My first keyboard was an Alesis Recital, and it's decent enough. If you can't or don't want to spend money on the Yamaha/Roland then go for that one. It's definitely not up to the quality of those two but it's good enough to learn on

 

[Rien]

I use the Roland FP-30 and very content with it. Only headset volume isn’t that loud.

 

[Halo is Back]

I want to but I don't have the patience.

 

[Ionian]

Got a Yamaha from Santa when I was 4 or 5. Very quickly learned the Superman and Star Wars theme by ear.

Tiny me was sad when the batteries ran out though. They were expensive. (No 9v included)

Still have the keyboard, must be a collectors item at this stage.

 

[INC]

Im currently trying to learn circle of fiths and scales etc etc, I have no plans to play an instrument tho

 

[Rien]

Im currently trying to learn circle of fiths and scales etc etc, I have no plans to play an instrument tho

Then why not learning an instrument? You can put your knowledge to practice.. plus it’s much easier to learn the circle of fifths and scales by playing them.
I studied it before as well but once I started playing them it became much easier because I actually heared what I was doing

 

[INC]

Then why not learning an instrument? You can put your knowledge to practice.. plus it’s much easier to learn the circle of fifths and scales by playing them.
I studied it before as well but once I started playing them it became much easier because I actually heared what I was doing

No need for it, with the style music I need it for, obviously I'll be naturally playing the chords and scales anyway, so the basics of playing will come anyway
But the long term goal isn't to play the piano or another instrument, just the music theory to apply into my music

Got a semi weighted key midi keyboard, which is nice to play

 

[Ar¢tos]

Valonquar
I bought a Casio CDP S100 for 300€.
All reviews say it is great for beginners. The pedal quality being one of the less positive things, but pedals aren't expensive to replace (whenever I really need one...).
No recording (I don't need it) and few sounds (I only need one - Grand Piano).
USB Midi connection is a must have nowadays (I think all modern ones have it).

 

[Rien]

No need for it, with the style music I need it for, obviously I'll be naturally playing the chords and scales anyway, so the basics of playing will come anyway
But the long term goal isn't to play the piano or another instrument, just the music theory to apply into my music

Got a semi weighted key midi keyboard, which is nice to play

Cool!

What music do you make?

 

[INC]

Cool!

What music do you make?

Drum and bass mainly

But EDM in general, drum and bass tends to have epic film score intros and classical scores, hence why I'm learning, I've always had an interest in classical music tho, most modern music is just monophonic rhythms, and has no musical content overall, so I'd like to be able to translate some music theory into my music

 

[Rien]

Drum and bass mainly

But EDM in general, drum and bass tends to have epic film score intros and classical scores, hence why I'm learning, I've always had an interest in classical music tho, most modern music is just monophonic rhythms, and has no musical content overall, so I'd like to at be able to translate some music theory into my music

Drum & Bass is one of the very few EDM styles I can still appreciate..
Listened to it a lot when I was a bit younger..

If you have some stuff online I would like to hear it

 

[NecrosaroIII]

I miss playing, but I have carpal tunnel so it hurts to play. I've been playing for ten years. I miss it so bad.

 

[Ar¢tos]

This is the book I started with. It also has a Cd with it with the music in 2 tempo’s.
It starts very very easy. Like a song with just 2 notes. From there it gradually builds up.
Also it teaches you to read notes and stuff so that’s a plus.

Music can be kinda corny from times but it teaches you the basics pretty well.

I did this book in 2 or 3 months and the second one is a lot more challenging.

This is an example of what I am playing now in book 2. BPM is at 176 so it’s challenging. But it’s a nice piece.

After days of scouring online shops all over Europe I finally found that book at a price that doesn't require me to sell any body parts. in Portugal musical education is like the lowest priority possible so finding anything decent translated is impossible, and getting it from other countries is from 25€ upwards.
Found one on eBay uk for 16€ with shipping.
Now I'm on a deadline to find volume 2 before the end of March because of Brexit (until then anything under 22€ has no custom fees, after that everything is charged fees)
I would prefer English, but French or Spanish or even German will do (German is really last resort, my German isn't great), and I wouldn't be stressing with getting it before March ends.
Does anyone know any online book store that sells books internationally (used or new), that doesn't charge 15€+ (like amazon...) for shipping in Europe?

 

[INC]

After days of scouring online shops all over Europe I finally found that book at a price that doesn't require me to sell any body parts. in Portugal musical education is like the lowest priority possible so finding anything decent translated is impossible, and getting it from other countries is from 25€ upwards.
Found one on eBay uk for 16€ with shipping.
Now I'm on a deadline to find volume 2 before the end of March because of Brexit (until then anything under 22€ has no custom fees, after that everything is charged fees)
I would prefer English, but French or Spanish or even German will do (German is really last resort, my German isn't great), and I wouldn't be stressing with getting it before March ends.
Does anyone know any online book store that sells books internationally (used or new), that doesn't charge 15€+ (like amazon...) for shipping in Europe?

Could u not get the pdf, and print it out?

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://faucherdake.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/adult-piano-method-book-2-lessons-solos-technique-theory-bkonline-audio-hal-leonard-student-piano-library.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjXza--9pjvAhUHURUIHXPmDtkQFjACegQIARAC&usg=AOvVaw1xARmJY2BCbOtXD9Z5nA21&cshid=1614939538280

 

[Rien]

After days of scouring online shops all over Europe I finally found that book at a price that doesn't require me to sell any body parts. in Portugal musical education is like the lowest priority possible so finding anything decent translated is impossible, and getting it from other countries is from 25€ upwards.
Found one on eBay uk for 16€ with shipping.
Now I'm on a deadline to find volume 2 before the end of March because of Brexit (until then anything under 22€ has no custom fees, after that everything is charged fees)
I would prefer English, but French or Spanish or even German will do (German is really last resort, my German isn't great), and I wouldn't be stressing with getting it before March ends.
Does anyone know any online book store that sells books internationally (used or new), that doesn't charge 15€+ (like amazon...) for shipping in Europe?

I have checked for you at here but the prices to ship outside NL are quiet expensive as well.
If I finish the book I will let you know. If your still interested by then perhaps we can make a deal.
Book 2 I have is in English as well. Only book 1 is in Dutch.

Hope book 1 is as a great help for you as it was for me. But beware of some cornyness

Could u not get the pdf, and print it out?

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://faucherdake.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/adult-piano-method-book-2-lessons-solos-technique-theory-bkonline-audio-hal-leonard-student-piano-library.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjXza--9pjvAhUHURUIHXPmDtkQFjACegQIARAC&usg=AOvVaw1xARmJY2BCbOtXD9Z5nA21&cshid=1614939538280

This is even better I think. I can help you with the back tracks.

 

[Ar¢tos]

Thanks INC & Rien . I downloaded all piano courses books I could from some PDF storage site, but neither this one or adult piano adventures were there. My issues with PDF is that I hate reading from a screen, I prefer real paper.
I'm going to try book 1 when it arrives and meanwhile I'm doing reading practice and scales/Hanon. I'll decide later if I'll get book 2...by then my wallet might be more agreable with spending 30€+ on a book.

 

[Paasei]

Been playing/learning since the age of 5 (I am 29 now). Learned it from my mom and grandma when I was still a kid.

After that I just taught myself by simply playing a lot.

Swapped to guitar roughly 5 years ago or something, as I had an interest in anything metal for a veeeeeeery long time. Which is a little easier to play on a guitar than on a piano. I still play the latter, though cause of the experience I have.

 

[Ar¢tos]

Been playing/learning since the age of 5 (I am 29 now). Learned it from my mom and grandma when I was still a kid.

After that I just taught myself by simply playing a lot.

Swapped to guitar roughly 5 years ago or something, as I had an interest in anything metal for a veeeeeeery long time. Which is a little easier to play on a guitar than on a piano. I still play the latter, though cause of the experience I have.

With a little imagination you can play anything on anything!