Piano, hard to learn?

hunter164

Is the piano really hard to learn??

frecklier

I took lessons from age about 8 to 16, and all I could play at the end of it were the pieces I had to learn for the grade exams. So I would say yes. Of course, it depends on how musical you are naturally.

hunter164

Do you think it was worth it?

frecklier

If I was doing it again, I would scrape the grades and just concentrate on learning some good tunes. As it stands, I can play a very basic Greensleeves and one of my grade pieces with a lot of practice beforehand.
Then again, my only access to a piano is in my parent's house, and I haven't lived there in over 15 years, so maybe if I had a piano in my own place I would have kept it up.
So learning the basics is definitely worth it, so that eventually you'll be able to read the music and play stuff yourself, but I wouldn't bother with all the grades stuff.

hunter164

Was thinking I would love to learn, I wouldn't be mad about the grades or anything just something I'd like to say I can do.

hi_there

Definitely go for it, I've been learning for a few years now-I can't really play all that much but I am possible the most un-musical person I know so that probably won't be the same for everyone.
As your man said above-learn how to read sheet music and you can learn whatever you want after that.
And even just the learning can be enjoyable not only the end result-as the cheesey-but-true saying goes;
'Learning the piano is a journey not a destination'

Rigsby

hi_there wrote: »

'Learning the piano is a journey not a destination'

Very true, and I'd say the same goes for any musical instrument.

Gaspode

Why not ask DeVore? - see this Thread

DeVore

How hard is learning piano? Well... sometimes its like this >.< and sometimes its like this :^D

More seriously, its not as hard as I thought it would be but I have a good teacher in Arbour Hill area (happy to recommend by PM). Its also harder in places then I thought it would be, probably because I am

a. More impatient then your average 5 year old and may have had overly high expectations

b. Not practising as much as I should.


Its definitely worth it though, its a very pleasant experience to produce nice sounding music and its a real delight (considering that you probably mucked it up 50 times before getting it right) when you do.

If you do decide to learn it, I wouldnt bother with grades but DO bother with scales and music reading. You can bail on the structures created to "rate" people but dont bail on the basics of music and the instrument you are going to learn. Those things are important.


So, in conclusion, its frustrating at times and challenging too, it can be a pain to practise every day but its definitely worth it if you like piano music and want to create / recreate some of it...

DeV.

dublinario

I would strongly recommend going to a teacher who specialises in rock, blues, pop etc, and learning from a foundation of chords, rather than classical music...unless you're into classical music. That's my two cents.

DeVore

I cant speak to that point, I dont have the experience. But my teacher forced scales on me and also all the major and minor chords until I was literally sick to the back teeth of the and I could play them front back left right and even from the middle C in both directions which is akin to rubbing your tummy and patting your head. With your feet.

I'm going to video some more stuff and might do the scales exercises as part of that. I'm about to start a blog about a few things (piano being one) not because I'm some sort of prodigy but because I am struggling and hopefully people will see that just cos its hard is no reason to give up. Cos its hard is the reason to continue.

DeV.