I played piano when I was younger, and I am just now restarting my lessons due to an interest (I play the flute, and I've been playing music since I was 7, so I have a great knowledge of music-- I'm not completely new).
What are some practice techniques to make my playing better?
Punch the keys, for gods sake!
If you really have a "great knowledge of music" I think you will know what to do -_-;;;
>>3
I do have a good knowledge of theory and music in general, but I am looking for some techniques or maybe some particular songs to work on.
Play every day for 1 hour (at least)! It's how we learned as kids ;;
Spread out your genres, I suggest, but remember they teach you classical for a reason. I got into a jazz thing, and now my classical is quite sloppy. Classical impresses people, jazz/rock/blues is for fun times. Buy the Royal Conservatory books and press onward throughout the examinations. It sucks, but it'll definitely make you stronger.
Play STEPMANIA on your keyboard.
It will train your moving abilities of your fingers and your coordination.
>>5
Thanks, I will be sure to follow this advice!
>>6
Funny you would say that, I have played stepmania for almost a year now, and I can top a lot of extremely hard songs. I can beat most songs except for ones that either have impossible steps or are just too fast (One More Lovely in the community pack 1).
What songs? Can you top the songs from Dragonforce?
If yes, then your fingers are already trained enough.
So the transition won't be too hard, since you are not a "fingermoving-retarded-guy" ;).
Train your ear so you can play what you hear. Train you mind to hear the music just by reading the score. After playing flute, retrain yourself to read multiple notes and bass clef. I myself was done in by playing the sax after taking piano.
Look for pieces of the songs that you actually like and toy around with it. That's how I got back to playing the piano after 9 years.
Rachmaninov
Hey, I just bought a keyboard, because I wanted to start playing the piano. I have quite a good ear, and already play guitar for some time now. I know the basics for reading scores and stuff, but I'm not really good at that (and years of reading tabs instead of scores didn't help at all).
To train myself, I started to learn chords, and I'm going to start learning scales in the days to come. With patience and dedication, it's going to flow quite easily even if I'm not a master.
So the idea is I would like some songs that aren't too hard to play, yet easy to enjoy, and that allow for some (minor) improvisation, and can be played for the most part by ear. Stuff I could sing on would be a plus but not mandatory. I started to work on John Lennon's imagine, and it's not perfect but I'm slowly getting it.
Oh, by the way, I love irish ballads.
tl;dr: please suggest songs that are easy to play for a total beginner on the keyboard, who knows a bit of music, and wants stuff that isn't too fast but isn't too sleepy, and that should be playable by ear.
Any suggestions?
Whatever you find yourself practicing, especially in reference to something that gives you a strong foundation in all manner of playing piano, make sure you begin slowly and surely.
If you practice something with the wrong fingering or in a sloppy manner (trying to play fast) you'll learn it as muscle memory, and your errors will be very hard to correct. This is what teachers are good for, showing you the right basic techniques.
I would seriously suggest useing google to find out about the proper hand posture (wrists arched, fingers arched - they bounce off of the keys - not hammer) before you get CTS from practicing wrong.
okay bye goodnight
Oooh I can't read sheet music or play the piano it's so difficult
but I can play the Entertainer, marche militaire and Fur Elise and wedding march with both hands.
I want to learn some songs like Zanarkand but my keyboard doesn't have the full keys.
Play Chocolate rain
Typing has NOTHING to to with piano. I've been playing piano for a while now. My best advice is to just KEEP PRACTICING. Just don't give up. Learn how to read sheet music--maybe take a chorus class or something. It really helps. As for learning the music itself, my advice, again, is to just keep pushing, even if on the same part for a long time. After a while, I personally found it easier to read, then memorize the sheet music, and use it as a guide to playing, not as a neseccity (sp?).
Play chocolate rain.
But seriously - I haven't had a piano lesson in my life and after a month of practice 'inventing' scales and working my fingers out you wouldn't know how n00b I really am.
>>17
Yes I would. If you have not had any professional direction I WILL find something wrong with your hands.
I've recently began learning the piano again, so my only suggestion is to practice and practice and practice a whole lot more. It will exercise your fingers, I think. Playing songs slowly then progressing and learning to play them faster is awesome.
>>11 I don't think he's Rachmanenough.
Can anyone recommend eBooks that've helped them with aspects of learning piano? Of any kind and purpose, I'm just curious.
Chim chim cher-ee is a nice one to practice. Tuneful with an easy descending bassline.