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want to start playing piano again -advice needed!!

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  • 12-10-2010 11:43am
    #1
    sporina
    Registered Users Posts: 6,785 ✭✭✭


    so, i played the organ in the church when I was younger - learned on a keyboard and played by ear and regular notes. I know the basics of reading music but i have never used sheet music to play.
    I would like to start playing piano again - for my own enjoyment. But I would like to be able to play piano properly - and learn tunes I like.
    My question is, it is too late to start to learn how to play with sheet music as I have really only ever played by ear? I am 30 btw. I do not plan to buy a piano - just a decent keyboard. Thanks in advance. j


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    #2
    quicklickpaddy
    Registered Users Posts: 888 ✭✭✭quicklickpaddy


    What standard were you at?

    I did up to grade 4 in piano and 5 in theory before I gave it up (which was about 7 years ago now) but I kept up guitar so the theory I wanted to learn kept growing. I play the piano casually now though and would rarely go seek out sheet music. If I have the basic chord progression of anything I want to learn it, I have enough of a basis that comes fairly naturally. It's just my opinion - and I know a lot of people would disagree - but I'd say learning things by ear is much much better. It may not end up exactly like what you're trying to learn but you will enjoy learning it more and there's that sense of achievement figuring it out for yourself.

    What kind of songs are you looking to learn? If they're relatively difficult classical pieces you might be better off getting a few lessons or maybe even doing a few of the grades... For pop as long as you have decent melody and chord knowledge you should be alright!


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    #3
    sporina
    Registered Users Posts: 6,785 ✭✭✭sporina


    thanks for that..

    i have v v little chord ability - just three notes per chord - if you know what I mean. I do not even know how to articulate it. I really just wanna play for my own amusement - e.g. I would live to be able to play hoppiloppa by sigur ros.. but i would not be able to play that by ear as i do not know how to really use the left hand.

    If I started grades would i have to do all the theory stuff as well? Or should I just look for a piano teacher who would be willing to teach me what I want to know.

    Sorry if this is vague - thats what happens when you learn on your own..


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    #4
    quicklickpaddy
    Registered Users Posts: 888 ✭✭✭quicklickpaddy


    Ah right... Well by the sounds of it you're better off getting a teacher to start with anyways. You won't have to do the theory or the grades. I'd suggest learning some basic theory anyways as that'll give you the basis to improve yourself as opposed to becoming reliant on a teacher to learn simple songs


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