Playing piano

[TBman]

That's one of the instruments that I wished I never walked away from. I was about 9 years old and I started to learn to play the guitar. I should have done both, but being 9 and playing baseball, learning the guitar, pretending to be spider-man... Well, I was busy.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by patrickgm60

Not familiar with Sudnow, but can see how some new students may want to "play by dot," rather than learning how to read music. Of course, you are limited to the dots you have with you, at the time. For me, it would be an unsatisfying substitute, like paint-by-numbers or Guitar Hero.

Written music (notation, sheet music, whatever term) is not necessarily a "classical-oriented" tool. It is a universal system, shared by choirs, orchestras, jazz trios, rockers, church organists, kids on flute/violin/piano, etc. Although my sight-reading skills are rusty, I can bang out Beethoven, Gershwin, or Elton John, with that system.

Those considering to take up the piano "later in life" may want to begin by learning to read music. For those who find it too challenging, the dot system may be a good fit.

First, I can read standard notation on both piano and guitar, and have been able to for quite some time, so I would never argue against being able to read and write music. I have seen those arguments crop up here from time to time, and I believe such discussion is a complete waste of time because there is never a good reason to avoid learning anything about music that can only help become a better musician.

Being able to read and write standard notation has allowed me to play guitar professionally as well as in a number of semi-formal and informal situations that I may not otherwise have been able to participate in. I don't think anybody indicated that reading is tied only to classical music. That is just plain silly and that line of discussion should just stop right here.

Next, the "dots" are used by Sudnow only for the first two tunes, and the reason is to get a brand new student playing the full style right away and immersed in the method quickly. After those first two tunes you have some confidence that you can learn to play, and then you start voicing the chords under the melody yourself. To get the melody, you learn to read the treble clef so you can read a lead sheet. Sudnow created a simple "fraction" type of shorthand to quickly write your voicing in your fakebook where each chord voicing occurs. There isn't a limitation in this approach because after the first two tunes, you pick the tunes you want to play, and then arrange them yourself. You are no longer dependent on Sudnow providing anything. Where is the limitation in that?

Without describing the course content in detail, I suppose it would be difficult to get across what Sudnow is doing, and I could waste a lot of time trying to explain things over and over to those here who want to pick my descriptions apart.

I agree with Sudnow when he says that it is a good idea to learn to play, get your hands moving around the keyboard first, and then learn to read, just as we did growing up - we learned to speak the language first and then read later.

Sudnow does not claim that his course is the whole package for learning to play because there are so many directions a person can go after getting through his course - the learning never stops, and learning to read music can certainly be a part of that. His method provides a good way to get started learning on your own. There are many avenues through which to learn to read music.

Sudnow rightly (in my opinion) believed that once you are able to play tunes on the piano, you will have a sense of what else you want to do and will be able to determine how you want to learn to do that. he could read, and never in his course does he say not to learn to do so, just not right away. He felt that learning to read would be easier, once your hands are comfortable getting around the keyboard. I agree with that from my own experience, but others may well disagree.

Tony

[J.R. Rogers]

I've been playing piano (just for fun) since I was a kid and I have a new solo piano album coming out soon. (I don't have a real piano or anything but I did when I was a kid!) I did all the piano work on my "Real Nice Day" and "Still Nice Day" albums. To me, the piano is easier to understand than guitar but it's not nearly as "fun" and of course not very portable. I have a Korg SV-1 but really hate the action and terrible velocity curves which is probably why I don't play it more.

JR

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

I've been playing piano (just for fun) since I was a kid and I have a new solo piano album coming out soon. (I don't have a real piano or anything but I did when I was a kid!) I did all the piano work on my "Real Nice Day" and "Still Nice Day" albums. To me, the piano is easier to understand than guitar but it's not nearly as "fun" and of course not very portable. I have a Korg SV-1 but really hate the action and terrible velocity curves which is probably why I don't play it more.

JR

I would be interested in hearing your music.

Tony

[cotten]

Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar

...Will I ever be a concert pianist? No. Will I play enough to make me happy? Yes...

To me, this is the answer. Like most things, if you want to play piano as a native tongue, start young. If you just want to carry on a conversation enough to enjoy it, start whenever you like. As with guitar, you don't have to play well to enjoy playing piano immensely!

Looking forward to hearing your piano music, J.R.

cotten

[muscmp]

i've taught myself, somewhat, and i sure wish i had started out on piano. i would recommend that piano be the beginning of all music training as i believe that you can then apply to most all instruments. it sure opened up the guitar world for me with inversions.

play music!

[markallen]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

The absolute best methodology I ran across for self-teaching piano was that of David Sudnow.

Wow, I never expected to see David mentioned here. He was such a great guy and someone I considered a friend. For the ten or fifteen years prior to his passing, I owned the printing company which produced his class materials before it migrated to the web. I've used his system and can personally attest that it works.

I'm glad to hear that David Haines has kept the method alive. It's definitely worth checking out.

Cheers,

Mark

[BobbyBadd]

After seven years of intense guitar study, initially flat picking, blues, bluegrass, rock, country, etc.. then focused on finger style, I realized I'd learned everything I wanted on the guitar. It was either play in a band, (I do that already on mandolin) or move to jazz or classical.
With no interest there, i decided to start on piano. I did have one semester in college, some 40 years ago, but only remembered basic scales.

I primarily used www.piano-play-it.com

It is geared, to learning much like the guitar; start with chords, learn some songs, add some simple leads, etc...

I quickly moved on to popular songs in a piano solo style, similar to finger-style, where you play bass and melody. Top 50 song books are a great resource.

Assuming you some music basics and can read music, even if very slow, you can learn, if you devote consistent effort over time.

After one year, this past December, I did a cd with 14 solo songs and gave to family and friends.

I'm really having fun and having a drummer background, playing the piano lets me bang, on boogie, R&R, as well as play pretty and soft.

I believe my guitars are mad at me as I haven't hardly touched them in over a year. Still picking mandolin in the band though!

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by markallen

Wow, I never expected to see David mentioned here. He was such a great guy and someone I considered a friend. For the ten or fifteen years prior to his passing, I owned the printing company which produced his class materials before it migrated to the web. I've used his system and can personally attest that it works.

I'm glad to hear that David Haines has kept the method alive. It's definitely worth checking out.

Cheers,

Mark

Thanks Mark! I really enjoyed conversations with David, and obviously think highly of his method. The best part for me is that I got a much better handle on teaching myself anything else I choose to learn as a result of working with, and understanding his methodology, and not just for piano.

Tony

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by BobbyBadd

After seven years of intense guitar study, initially flat picking, blues, bluegrass, rock, country, etc.. then focused on finger style, I realized I'd learned everything I wanted on the guitar. It was either play in a band, (I do that already on mandolin) or move to jazz or classical.
With no interest there, i decided to start on piano. I did have one semester in college, some 40 years ago, but only remembered basic scales.

I primarily used www.piano-play-it.com

It is geared, to learning much like the guitar; start with chords, learn some songs, add some simple leads, etc...

I quickly moved on to popular songs in a piano solo style, similar to finger-style, where you play bass and melody. Top 50 song books are a great resource.

Assuming you some music basics and can read music, even if very slow, you can learn, if you devote consistent effort over time.

After one year, this past December, I did a cd with 14 solo songs and gave to family and friends.

I'm really having fun and having a drummer background, playing the piano lets me bang, on boogie, R&R, as well as play pretty and soft.

I believe my guitars are mad at me as I haven't hardly touched them in over a year. Still picking mandolin in the band though!

I have heard nothing but good things about this method too. I have not checked it out for myself, since I already have my own means, but suffice it to say that over at the piano forums, several folks have spoken highly of piano-play-it.

Tony

[J.R. Rogers]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

I would be interested in hearing your music.

Tony

Thanks, Tony. Here's a devout acoustic guitar player's take on piano.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...sUH9xSRLnGuj8X
Spotify...
https://open.spotify.com/album/0MQ55...R_ay8KkExV-1-A

JR

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

Thanks, Tony. Here's a devout acoustic guitar player's take on piano.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...sUH9xSRLnGuj8X
Spotify...
https://open.spotify.com/album/0MQ55...R_ay8KkExV-1-A

JR

Thanks JR! I am listening right now on YouTube and really like what I am hearing!

Oh, by the way, what tunings are you using on these pieces...and do you have TAB? JUST KIDDING!

Tony

[high]

Originally Posted by BobbyBadd

Assuming you know some music basics and can read music, even if very slow, you can learn...

I quickly moved on to popular songs in a piano solo style, similar to finger-style, where you play bass ...

... and melody.

After one year, this past December, I did a cd with 14 solo songs and gave to family and friends.

I'm really having fun ...

and having a drummer background, playing the piano lets me bang, on boogie, R&R, as well as play pretty and soft.

[harpspitfire]

i'll sum it up with 2 things-- 1- you will learn to read music, if not, you just be banging out chords and some simple melodies not knowing what your doing-- 2- its not like guitar, which is probably why the whole world plays one, you WILL have a daily routine of practicing

[cu4life7]

Piano is great, and for me it has been a fun journey learning to play. I learned piano the same way I learned guitar. I looked up chord shapes (for the right hand), and just played the root octave with the left. Doing this you can play a great deal of music as you would "strumming along" playing guitar. I primarily play to accompany vocals, so it works.

As a great side note, piano makes far more sense to my brain than guitar. The patterns are right in front of your eyes and apparent. It's all right there. I deeply enjoy playing piano and that is my primary instrument in the band that I play in.

Have fun.