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SO, YOU GUYS WHO KNOW HOW TO PLAY PIANO...
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UPRC
5516
UPRC
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CloseI was given an electric keyboard for Christmas, which is awesome because I was thinking of buying one anyway.
Now, prior to owning one, all I knew how to do was play a tiny bit of Ode to Joy on the piano. I didn't know what keys were which notes, but I taught myself that last night. CDEFGAB all the way across the keyboard is so easy to remember, especially after I learned that C is always to the left of C# (I'm still trying to get used to what the flats and sharps are and haven't actually experimented with memorizing them just yet).
So here's what I am wondering. Do you guys know of any really nice online resources for teaching yourself how to play? Especially with sheet music and such, because I haven't used that since I was in elementary school, and we only used very basic ones then. I look at sheet music now and I just go, "oh, okay, so that makes absolutely no sense at all to me!"
Any help would be really awesome.
Now, prior to owning one, all I knew how to do was play a tiny bit of Ode to Joy on the piano. I didn't know what keys were which notes, but I taught myself that last night. CDEFGAB all the way across the keyboard is so easy to remember, especially after I learned that C is always to the left of C# (I'm still trying to get used to what the flats and sharps are and haven't actually experimented with memorizing them just yet).
So here's what I am wondering. Do you guys know of any really nice online resources for teaching yourself how to play? Especially with sheet music and such, because I haven't used that since I was in elementary school, and we only used very basic ones then. I look at sheet music now and I just go, "oh, okay, so that makes absolutely no sense at all to me!"
Any help would be really awesome.
ivoryjones
75
There's a reason why it's called 'Middle C' lol. To break it down to you, flat is the nearest key to your left and sharp to your right. Note that flats and sharps aren't necessarily the 'black keys'. Take E for example, if the music sheet told you to play an E sharp, it's basically asking you to press F (since there aren't any black keys right to the E.)
I don't know any online resources but I could teach you if you like. also because i have a lot of time in my hands
Take a look at this horrid edit:
See those symbols? The upper one's for the right hand, while the lower for the left.
Now look at this picture:
1,2,3 would be your right thumb, index and middle finger and 4,5,6 would be your LEFT one just the same (ofc this is just to show you how to place your fingers, you won't need to do this dumb numbering when you're more advanced and when your fingers know how to place themselves automatically.) Now look at the first pic again. Ignore the sharps first and just look at the notes of both hands - notice how both of them seems reversed in the music sheet? Just think of it as a mirror when you're playing.
Well, that's it.
...
And no, I am NOT gonna teach you the time signatures = ="
I could never read sheet music, but I used to teach myself songs with muscle memory. I got pretty good at playing with two hands, and a program that helped me a lot would be Anvil Studio. Import MIDI, shows you what keys to play.
That's not to say I advise avoiding to learn sheet music, because that is one thing I wish I'd done.
That's not to say I advise avoiding to learn sheet music, because that is one thing I wish I'd done.
TheNecromancer
3160
when I was learning bass, I found it easy to play anything(Rush tabs) to build up my muslce memory. then when it came time to deal with theory and more complicated stuff, it was real easy to make my fingers do what the theory demands. although, its 12 years later and I still don't know much theory because I could play anything from tabs or by ear heh
learn a part of a song and play it over and over, getting faster and faster. try variations like playing each note twice and eventually improvising stuff yourself.
learn a part of a song and play it over and over, getting faster and faster. try variations like playing each note twice and eventually improvising stuff yourself.
Piano is a beautiful instrument in that it requires both down-and-dirty mechanical muscle mastery as well as more academic learning.
For muscle mastery, scales scales scales. C major first. Start simple, 1 octave in the right hand. Middle C, up to the next C, back down to middle C. Strictly follow finger usage rules. Thumbs on C and F, use the rest sequentially. Then do 2 octaves.
Step it up to the circle of 5ths. C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, and so on. After a while, you should be able to slam through all the scales in multiple octaves with the right hand. Repeat with left hand. Then repeat with both hands. Once you can do all major scales with both hands, you're a boss.
For muscle mastery, scales scales scales. C major first. Start simple, 1 octave in the right hand. Middle C, up to the next C, back down to middle C. Strictly follow finger usage rules. Thumbs on C and F, use the rest sequentially. Then do 2 octaves.
Step it up to the circle of 5ths. C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, and so on. After a while, you should be able to slam through all the scales in multiple octaves with the right hand. Repeat with left hand. Then repeat with both hands. Once you can do all major scales with both hands, you're a boss.
Well, there is a lot to learn in many aspects.
You can read with sheets or with falling notes in synthesia.
You can practice your movements with exercises or by learning challenging songs for your level.
There is also theory that helps you more to analyze songs so it is more easy to learn other songs or to compose, such as how do scales work (pretty simple and they sure have help me always.)
But you can always practice playing by ear or by memory, (which is what I am best at) if you want only to play the melody, you can play 3 chords like C, F and G many times while trying to figure out a melody, and if you want to get boths is also an incredible exercise.
I guess there are a lot of many areas where you can learn. and for music, the internet has a lot of tutorials. My suggestion is: start simple, and learn how major scales work, with that you have thousand of possibilities.
I hope I had helped, I also didn't want to put an entire class of how to start since it's better for you to choose were do you want to start.
You can read with sheets or with falling notes in synthesia.
You can practice your movements with exercises or by learning challenging songs for your level.
There is also theory that helps you more to analyze songs so it is more easy to learn other songs or to compose, such as how do scales work (pretty simple and they sure have help me always.)
But you can always practice playing by ear or by memory, (which is what I am best at) if you want only to play the melody, you can play 3 chords like C, F and G many times while trying to figure out a melody, and if you want to get boths is also an incredible exercise.
I guess there are a lot of many areas where you can learn. and for music, the internet has a lot of tutorials. My suggestion is: start simple, and learn how major scales work, with that you have thousand of possibilities.
I hope I had helped, I also didn't want to put an entire class of how to start since it's better for you to choose were do you want to start.
UPRC
5516
Synthesia! I forgot all about that program. I downloaded it last night and had quite a lot of fun playing the stuff in the "easiest" category. I made Mexican Hat Dance my bitch.
I think that practicing with Synthesia handy can help me improve my fingering (or whatever you'd like to call it) and make it easier for me to remember precisely what certain notes sound like.
I printed out a few pages on Wednesday that explains how to read sheet music. It's been so many years that I forgot all about quarter notes, whole notes, etc. I haven't read sheet music since I was 12 or 13 years old, haha. I'll probably need to find a video that goes like "LISTEN UP STUPID, THIS IS HOW YOU READ SHEET MUSIC!" in order to actually memorize how to read the damn things though.
I think that practicing with Synthesia handy can help me improve my fingering (or whatever you'd like to call it) and make it easier for me to remember precisely what certain notes sound like.
I printed out a few pages on Wednesday that explains how to read sheet music. It's been so many years that I forgot all about quarter notes, whole notes, etc. I haven't read sheet music since I was 12 or 13 years old, haha. I'll probably need to find a video that goes like "LISTEN UP STUPID, THIS IS HOW YOU READ SHEET MUSIC!" in order to actually memorize how to read the damn things though.
m4uesviecr
200
Oh! As far as finding information on how to read piano, there are 8.9 trillion websites and blogs online that will teach you exactly that. Starting from numbering the fingers to correct posture and more, it should be impossible for you to not find a website that teaches you how to play piano as a beginner.
I mean seriously. I typed in "into to piano" in google, and was rewarded with a handful of easy to read and understandable websites. Here is one.
Piano Website Fo' Da Ween
As far as learning other songs, I would seriously start learning by ear. Being a trained musician, I know the pros and cons of being musically literate to the point that you are dependent. That being said, I hear great by ear, and it is an asset that comes in handy. Reading music is great because it gives you the opportunity to share and participate in music written in different centuries and places, but music is all about sound, so I'd make sure to hone that musical sensory.
Caz also had a terrific suggestion (one that I honestly never thought about). I would take her post into consideration. Though the interface can seem awkward at first, using Anvil Studio will allow you to take practically any midi song and see it written out. That opens up a lot of avenues for playing opportunities.
Now, as far as websites having free sheet music, I only know of one that I readily frequent:
8-notes
You'll find a good deal of free piano sheet music here, ranging from beginner to hard. It contains a lot of traditional folk songs that "most" people would know, so, it's nothing really fun. But, it will help tremendously with getting your reading chops up.
I mean seriously. I typed in "into to piano" in google, and was rewarded with a handful of easy to read and understandable websites. Here is one.
Piano Website Fo' Da Ween
As far as learning other songs, I would seriously start learning by ear. Being a trained musician, I know the pros and cons of being musically literate to the point that you are dependent. That being said, I hear great by ear, and it is an asset that comes in handy. Reading music is great because it gives you the opportunity to share and participate in music written in different centuries and places, but music is all about sound, so I'd make sure to hone that musical sensory.
Caz also had a terrific suggestion (one that I honestly never thought about). I would take her post into consideration. Though the interface can seem awkward at first, using Anvil Studio will allow you to take practically any midi song and see it written out. That opens up a lot of avenues for playing opportunities.
Now, as far as websites having free sheet music, I only know of one that I readily frequent:
8-notes
You'll find a good deal of free piano sheet music here, ranging from beginner to hard. It contains a lot of traditional folk songs that "most" people would know, so, it's nothing really fun. But, it will help tremendously with getting your reading chops up.
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