Piano

**repartee** · 07-31-2010, 08:48 AM

I would like to learn to play the piano (classical mostly). However due to where I live piano tuition is not an option so I would be teaching myself. Has anyone done this? How difficult was it? Any advice would be appreciated.

**Mindfreak** · 07-31-2010, 10:59 AM

	Originally Posted by repartee To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I would like to learn to play the piano (classical mostly). However due to where I live piano tuition is not an option so I would be teaching myself. Has anyone done this? How difficult was it? Any advice would be appreciated.

Teaching oneself anything, can be very difficult; however, if one is dedicated, anything is possible!
Learning basic fundamentals of the piano, is imperative, in order to advance to the classics. One must become very familiar with the key signatures, major and minor, and this alone, can take several years, even with consistent practice. If you live near a college campus, there are usually piano students that teach others, in order to perfect their own teaching skills, and may not charge much, if anything at all.
Good luck to you !
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**GouldFan** · 07-31-2010, 04:00 PM

	Originally Posted by repartee To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I would like to learn to play the piano (classical mostly). However due to where I live piano tuition is not an option so I would be teaching myself. Has anyone done this? How difficult was it? Any advice would be appreciated.

It sounds like a challenge to me! I don't think it'll be impossible, as long as you keep it up. Good luck!
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**adastra** · 07-31-2010, 08:48 PM

I'm learning on my own. I have watched a few YouTube instructional videos and read a lesson book, but I already know how to read music so mostly I just need to practice. Do you know how to read music?

**Malkavia** · 08-01-2010, 12:26 AM

I have lessons for 4 years and it is extremely hard to teach myself. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it will be very hard. Good luck!

Youtube is good and so are some beginner piano books.

**K27** · 08-01-2010, 04:15 AM

Hard, and especially playing piano is akin to athletes: your posture, how you place your fingers and whether you are relax/flexible enough matter. The hard thing is that it's difficult to self-monitor whether you're in the right state when you're concentrating on the score and the notes. The feedback from a speculator is important.

But again, nothing is impossible. You can try to remind yourself about all these things and try to monitor these yourself when you are fluent with your music.

**Elfrun** · 08-01-2010, 05:34 AM

Piano is pretty involved but if you get lesson books and use online support (even something like youtube) it could be done. Can you read music or will this be your first exposure to anything musical?

**Malkavia** · 08-01-2010, 05:52 AM

	Originally Posted by Elfrun To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Piano is pretty involved but if you get lesson books and use online support (even something like youtube) it could be done. Can you read music or will this be your first exposure to anything musical?

My concern is whether they know how to read sheet music it not. I think it would be puzzling trying to read it without being taught. Maybe it just comes from exposure to sheet music from such a young age that I don't understand how one can just "learn" it by themselves.

**repartee** · 08-01-2010, 06:39 AM

No I do not know how to read sheet music. I'll have to make further attempts at trying to find a teacher. Thanks for all the advice
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**GouldFan** · 08-01-2010, 11:43 AM

Learning to read music is going to be one of the problems, but learning good posture and generating quality sounds would be the biggest challenge, because it would be hard to know if something is done wrongly without someone else pointing that out, so bad habits can persist.

I've met a couple of jazz piano improvisers who did not know how to read music. Regarding the posture, they got some pointers when they met other piano players and just went with the flow. Their postures and quality of sounds were great. I could see some bad habits in one of them, but it did not hinder him from playing enjoyable music. Learning to play classical music would be doing what the jazz piano players I met were doing plus learning to read the music.

**dontmesswithme** · 08-01-2010, 05:59 PM

	Originally Posted by repartee To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	No I do not know how to read sheet music. I'll have to make further attempts at trying to find a teacher. Thanks for all the advice To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

You might want to try going on the website pianoisfun.com. It sells piano software aimed at both children and beginner adults.

07-31-2010, 08:48 AM	#1
repartee Member [03%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 151	I would like to learn to play the piano (classical mostly). However due to where I live piano tuition is not an option so I would be teaching myself. Has anyone done this? How difficult was it? Any advice would be appreciated.
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07-31-2010, 08:48 PM	#4
adastra Member [04%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 174	I'm learning on my own. I have watched a few YouTube instructional videos and read a lesson book, but I already know how to read music so mostly I just need to practice. Do you know how to read music?
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08-01-2010, 12:26 AM	#5
Malkavia Core Member [235%] MBTI: ENXP Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 9,427	I have lessons for 4 years and it is extremely hard to teach myself. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it will be very hard. Good luck! Youtube is good and so are some beginner piano books.
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08-01-2010, 04:15 AM	#6
K27 Member [28%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 1,151	Hard, and especially playing piano is akin to athletes: your posture, how you place your fingers and whether you are relax/flexible enough matter. The hard thing is that it's difficult to self-monitor whether you're in the right state when you're concentrating on the score and the notes. The feedback from a speculator is important. But again, nothing is impossible. You can try to remind yourself about all these things and try to monitor these yourself when you are fluent with your music.
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08-01-2010, 05:34 AM	#7
Elfrun Core Member [268%] MBTI: entp Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 10,720	Piano is pretty involved but if you get lesson books and use online support (even something like youtube) it could be done. Can you read music or will this be your first exposure to anything musical?
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08-01-2010, 06:39 AM	#9
repartee Member [03%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 151	No I do not know how to read sheet music. I'll have to make further attempts at trying to find a teacher. Thanks for all the advice To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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08-01-2010, 11:43 AM	#10
GouldFan Veteran Member [99%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 3,967	Learning to read music is going to be one of the problems, but learning good posture and generating quality sounds would be the biggest challenge, because it would be hard to know if something is done wrongly without someone else pointing that out, so bad habits can persist. I've met a couple of jazz piano improvisers who did not know how to read music. Regarding the posture, they got some pointers when they met other piano players and just went with the flow. Their postures and quality of sounds were great. I could see some bad habits in one of them, but it did not hinder him from playing enjoyable music. Learning to play classical music would be doing what the jazz piano players I met were doing plus learning to read the music. Last edited by GouldFan; 08-01-2010 at 06:31 PM.
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