Piano Playing Goals

[JD01]

How's Für Elise coming along?

Haha. I'm purposely avoiding it.

[Lt. Bob]

That's an interesting thought. Xylophones and similar instruments that are basically big keyboards, are percussion instruments. I don't know how it works in the orchestral world, but in the military drummers are required to play them as part of their job description. I only knew one drummer who was really good at it though.

actually the piano is also considered a percussion instrument

[JD01]

I think I'm gonna try and tackle moonlight Sonata soon.

[Armistice]

I think I'm gonna try and tackle moonlight Sonata soon.

I used to play that - or the first bit anyway - as a kid. Such a beautiful piece of music.

[paulman]

That's an interesting thought. Xylophones and similar instruments that are basically big keyboards, are percussion instruments. I don't know how it works in the orchestral world, but in the military drummers are required to play them as part of their job description. I only knew one drummer who was really good at it though.

actually the piano is also considered a percussion instrument

I know, but as far as I'm concerned that's a technicality. Pianos aren't part of percussion sections. The Army doesn't make drummers play piano, but they do make them play bells. Most often, though, they have piano players play bells (since they have to play percussion in concert band anyway) with the exception of the one ungodly amazing drummer we had at Fort Rucker who could play the shit out of the bells better than our pianist played piano.

[paulman]

I think I'm gonna try and tackle moonlight Sonata soon.

I used to play that - or the first bit anyway - as a kid. Such a beautiful piece of music.

Same here. I didn't have patience for or interest in classical music when I was a kid. I think I played maybe the first page. I've got a classical guitar arrangement somewhere that I've had for years, and I've never learned that either.

[JD01]

I used to play that - or the first bit anyway - as a kid. Such a beautiful piece of music.

Same here. I didn't have patience for or interest in classical music when I was a kid. I think I played maybe the first page. I've got a classical guitar arrangement somewhere that I've had for years, and I've never learned that either.

Yeah, I'm just learning how to read music properly so it'll take me a little while.

Annoyingly I've discovered that Elton is a pretty good pianist. May be out of my range for a while.

I had a piano lesson last night which was quite helpful.

[Mr Clean]

I've played Piano (in a fashion) for 20 odd years. Can't read music, even now. I know what the notes are, etc, but to read them fluently. Not a chance! I can barely read Guitar Tab. I've always been a hear it, find/learn it, play it kind of person. Left hand bassline and right hand chords with a little melody chucked in is all I'll ever muster but it's good enough for me.

My wife however, who has been playing as long as me, is a classically trainer pianist and can play any piece of music you put in front of her, which absolutely blows my mind. Something she's never heard before, she can play, just like that.

Hats off to those that learn to play properly. It's damn hard.

Good luck.

[JD01]

My wife however, who has been playing as long as me, is a classically trainer pianist and can play any piece of music you put in front of her, which absolutely blows my mind. Something she's never heard before, she can play, just like that.

I can't imagine I'll ever be able to do that... I think if you learn something when you're nearly 40 its never gonna quite take root in your brain like if you learn it as a kid. I'm getting there with moving a few chords around with my left hand while playing melodies with my right which I'm happy with.

Also, and I'm really happy about this, I've started writing a few more songs recently... while I haven't recorded any piano as yet I'm starting to hear piano parts in my head when I'm writing.

[CrowsofFritz]

I can play fur Elise because I had an electric piano as a kid that told me all the notes to play. I can’t really play anything else lol. As much as I’d love to play Chopin, I’m too old for that now.

[CrowsofFritz]

Strike that. I’m gonna learn Chopin Op. 9 No. 2. I might not be good at it, but it doesn’t sound hard enough that I can’t play all the notes. I already got the right hand down good enough. I just need to practice the left.

[JD01]

I've started to learn to read music.. and it's finally sinking in. When I've finished the beginner book I'm working my way through I'm gonna get some sheet music for Bach and take it from there.

I will learn some fucking Elton John one day though.

[CrowsofFritz]

Noiiiiice.

[JD01]

How's Für Elise coming along?

Haha. I'm purposely avoiding it.

Hey [mention]Armistice[/mention] I did eventually get a book of piano bits. Fur Elise is very fucking stretchy!

[vomitHatSteve]

Hey! I achieved a piano-playing goal yesterday.

That goal was get it on casters so I can make better use of space and clean behind it occasionaly and also to get it tuned.
Then I noodled around on it after I moved it out of the way for band practice.

[SweetDan]

Try this on for size, y'all:

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwf_m0p86KU[/BBvideo]


You should have time to get it down before christmas, right?

[Armistice]

Somwhere in a shopping mall in a couple of months time, a pianist will be doing about Day 10 and thinking they're clever...

[einstein magoo]

[mention]JD01[/mention] I truly admire your determination! I have had pianos, and organs, and keyboards collecting dust around me for years and just can't seem to break through. Every now and again I sit down with beginner's books and other learning tools, and just get frustrated with how slowly I am grasping it. I can read (slowly) the written notes and understand the other symbols on the page, time signatures, key signatures, tempo, crescendo, decrescendo, etc., but just keeping tripping over those damned simultaneous bass clef and treble clef notes!

I'm with [mention]Mr Clean[/mention] with my playing. Bass lines (usually octaves) and right hand chords, and a few melody lines or lead lines. Sometimes left hand chords and melodies on top. I've always been an ear player on guitar, bass and keys and can half-way hang as an accompanist (softly and slowly in the background), but that's it.

Good luck and stay persistent JD! You have the heart to see this through!

[vomitHatSteve]

Try this on for size, y'all:

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwf_m0p86KU[/BBvideo]


You should have time to get it down before christmas, right?

Taking one of the worst Christmas songs and somehow making it worse!