Anyone here play Piano and willing to help a noob out?

[Cappuccino]

Hi. Anyone here play the Piano and GOOD at sight reading? If yes would you care to help me out? I really want to be able to read notes and play without writing down ALL the notes on the sheets lol.

Are there any good up to date tutorials on YouTube? If possible I would like to Skype you and ask questions if you are willing to help me for free lol

I really appreciate it. ()

 

[Art&Science]

I mean, is this where I post a "let me google that for you" link?

 

[nakedfrog]

Are you looking for some kind of secret trick?
I realize it's more complex on piano, but when I used to sight-read melodies for guitar back in school, it was pretty much just a question of memorization and practice.

 

[Cappuccino]

I mean, is this where I post a "let me google that for you" link?

I want to 1v1 conv with someone on skype or any kind of instant message app. Sure I can google but I can't ask the questions hence why I created this thread

 

[Cappuccino]

Are you looking for some kind of secret trick?
I realize it's more complex on piano, but when I used to sight-read melodies for guitar back in school, it was pretty much just a question of memorization and practice.

Secret? Sure why not, faster the better I guess.

 

[zinfamous]

It's really all about practice. Best is to start with learning 2 or three major scales and the arpeggio for each.

Always read the sheet as you play, if sightreading is your goal. Muscle memory only comes with practice. There is no pill for this. If you train yourself to play while reading music, it will simply become like reading a book. No real trick to it.

I don't play piano (briefly was trying to teach myself recently, but it is a confounding instrument), but I started playing sax in the 3rd-4th grade, and played through high school. After the first year, it really was somewhat easy--the mechanics of it (playing well is an entirely different matter), but that seems to be what you are looking for here. But those are different instruments and the piano is vastly more complex than a woodwind or brass--but sightreading is the same skill, more or less.

 

[Cappuccino]

It's really all about practice. Best is to start with learning 2 or three major scales and the arpeggio for each.

Always read the sheet as you play, if sightreading is your goal. Muscle memory only comes with practice. There is no pill for this. If you train yourself to play while reading music, it will simply become like reading a book. No real trick to it.

I don't play piano (briefly was trying to teach myself recently, but it is a confounding instrument), but I started playing sax in the 3rd-4th grade, and played through high school. After the first year, it really was somewhat easy--the mechanics of it (playing well is an entirely different matter), but that seems to be what you are looking for here. But those are different instruments and the piano is vastly more complex than a woodwind or brass--but sightreading is the same skill, more or less.

True.

I have a question. How do people follow the notes on the sheet while looking down at your hands/keys? By the time you look back up you have no clue where you are. Do you know what I'm trying to say? I tried and my brain went to mush.

 

[repoman0]

True.

I have a question. How do people follow the notes on the sheet while looking down at your hands/keys? By the time you look back up you have no clue where you are. Do you know what I'm trying to say? I tried and my brain went to mush.

You shouldn't be looking at your hands/keys while sight reading except very briefly for big jumps. You need to learn what different intervals feel like so you can make the jump while looking at the music.

Start with easy music that all takes place within an octave or so, gradually play music that has more complex hand movements .. good luck!

PS. I've been playing piano for ... I guess almost 3 years and am still much much better at playing than I am at sight reading. It just takes time built into your practice routine.

 

[zinfamous]

True.

I have a question. How do people follow the notes on the sheet while looking down at your hands/keys? By the time you look back up you have no clue where you are. Do you know what I'm trying to say? I tried and my brain went to mush.

You don't. Just train your hands and fingers to respond to the note on the sheet. This is why it is so important to learn scales, first, because the notes of scales are essentially arranged in logical order of the keys on the keyboard. The benefit of just doing these over and over and over again is that you are training your ear, as well. It will start to feel and sound right eventually.

People have different-sized hands, so it's up to the individual to learn how their fingers move across the keys...though apparently one can develop bad habits that are difficult to break when it comes to hand control on piano, if they don't have some guidance early on. But I know nothing about that.

 

[Cappuccino]

You shouldn't be looking at your hands/keys while sight reading except very briefly for big jumps. You need to learn what different intervals feel like so you can make the jump while looking at the music.

Start with easy music that all takes place within an octave or so, gradually play music that has more complex hand movements .. good luck!

PS. I've been playing piano for ... I guess almost 3 years and am still much much better at playing than I am at sight reading. It just takes time built into your practice routine.

When you sight read are you suppose to memories the notes or are you suppose to play and read at the same time? I play by ear but I kinda hate it because it takes forever to learn a piece because you have to memorise so much, hence why I want to be able to read notes

 

[Bacstar]

Practice, practice, practice...

I've been playing piano for awhile. I can't really say when I got proficient enough where I don't have to look down at the keys to know I was playing the right note...listening also helps. You just have to practice... hours and hours for years and years. Don't be discouraged because it does take time, but once you get through that period, I can't go for a day or two without jumping on the piano, unwinding from a stressful day, and playing for the neighbors

 

[Cappuccino]

You don't. Just train your hands and fingers to respond to the note on the sheet. This is why it is so important to learn scales, first, because the notes of scales are essentially arranged in logical order of the keys on the keyboard. The benefit of just doing these over and over and over again is that you are training your ear, as well. It will start to feel and sound right eventually.

People have different-sized hands, so it's up to the individual to learn how their fingers move across the keys...though apparently one can develop bad habits that are difficult to break when it comes to hand control on piano, if they don't have some guidance early on. But I know nothing about that.

Scales? really? imo learning the scales is a waste of time. What do you mean logical order? it's not? it's on the sheet isn't it? wait I'm confused now.

 

[Cappuccino]

Practice, practice, practice...

I've been playing piano for awhile. I can't really say when I got proficient enough where I don't have to look down at the keys to know I was playing the right note...listening also helps. You just have to practice... hours and hours for years and years. Don't be discouraged because it does take time, but once you get through that period, I can't go for a day or two without jumping on the piano, unwinding from a stressful day, and playing for the neighbors

FACE
Every good Boy Deserve Favour


ALL CHILDREN ENJOY GRAPES

GREEN BIRDS DONT FLY AWAY

then the ECA
The ECA is the confusing part. No guidance on that, if you know what I mean.

How long do you practice? when you practice what do you practice?

 

[repoman0]

When you sight read are you suppose to memories the notes or are you suppose to play and read at the same time? I play by ear but I kinda hate it because it takes forever to learn a piece because you have to memorise so much, hence why I want to be able to read notes

Memorizing and sight reading are different skills. Sight reading practice only really works for the first couple/few times you play a piece .. from then on, you're just working at memorizing it.

I'm very good at memorizing and can play every piece I've learned so far from memory without the music, but like you, it takes me longer to learn new music than I'd like. I can read and am getting faster all the time, but still ...

Get some music that you don't really care about actually learning just to sight read. Build up more and more advanced little pieces .. there's plenty of book series designed for this. I can recommend a good starting one when I get home and can take a look at it. Also, learn all your major/minor/harmonic/melodic minor scales, and major/minor/diminished arpeggios .. it does help a lot with quickly recognizing patterns in music!

 

[Bacstar]

Scales? really? imo learning the scales is a waste of time. What do you mean logical order? it's not? it's on the sheet isn't it? wait I'm confused now.

I took lessons for maybe 6 years. Doing the scales and exercises train your fingers, left & right hand coordination, etc... Also, you have to start off easy and work up. You should really take some lessons...some guidance from a teacher can really help.

 

[repoman0]

Scales? really? imo learning the scales is a waste of time.

You should rethink this ....

When you come across two handed similar motion or contrary motion parts in a piece of music and have to spend hours and hours teaching your hands to work in that way and it still sounds bad compared to somehow who refined it over the years, you'll wish you learned scales

edit: Also second the advice to get a teacher, at least for the first year or so! You don't want to learn bad habits from the start, it becomes a lot harder to undo.

 

[zinfamous]

Scales? really? imo learning the scales is a waste of time. What do you mean logical order? it's not? it's on the sheet isn't it? wait I'm confused now.

OK. Feel free to fail, then.

Do you actually want to play music or just piddle around? Scales are the central foundation of musical structure.

 

[Cappuccino]

OK. Feel free to fail, then.

Do you actually want to play music or just piddle around? Scales are the central foundation of musical structure.

I can play scales from Grade 1-5. There are 8 grades in total in ABRSM. I know this because I did them ageeeeeees ago.

 

[Cappuccino]

Memorizing and sight reading are different skills. Sight reading practice only really works for the first couple/few times you play a piece .. from then on, you're just working at memorizing it.

I'm very good at memorizing and can play every piece I've learned so far from memory without the music, but like you, it takes me longer to learn new music than I'd like. I can read and am getting faster all the time, but still ...

Get some music that you don't really care about actually learning just to sight read. Build up more and more advanced little pieces .. there's plenty of book series designed for this. I can recommend a good starting one when I get home and can take a look at it. Also, learn all your major/minor/harmonic/melodic minor scales, and major/minor/diminished arpeggios .. it does help a lot with quickly recognizing patterns in music!

That would be awesome!

major/minor/harmonic/melodic minor scales, and major/minor
I know how to play these already.

 

[Bacstar]

How long do you practice? when you practice what do you practice?

When I was taking lessons, I practiced every day for 30mins to an hour for 6 years. I was young enough though that my parents kinda forced me. It wasn't until high school that I really started to enjoy playing piano that I started practicing on my own. Nowadays, I play 3-4 times a week; anywhere from 1- 4 hours depending on my mood. I don't really consider it practicing anymore. I have stacks and stacks of books & sheet music I've collected over the years.

edit: I can read music better than English; memorization though is hopeless for me, not sure why...

 

[Bubbleawsome]

As someone who plays trumpet, but not piano, I would reccomend scales. Also, learning how to read music is very important. Learn what the dots on the page mean, and where they correspond to on the piano. Sight read generic, obscure music (look for stuff from state standard music competitions, they should have music for beginner through advanced) so you don't try to play what you think the music sounds like.

 

[Fritzo]

Site reading is literally a matter of practice.

 

[ImpulsE69]

It's not about learning scales, it's about learning them in relation to the piano so you can do it without thinking. What these people said, it may seem like wasted time, but it isn't.

There is no shortcut to being a good musician, even though it will come easier for some than others.

 

[zinfamous]

I can play scales from Grade 1-5. There are 8 grades in total in ABRSM. I know this because I did them ageeeeeees ago.

This makes no sense. You have trouble with fingering and reading music, but claim that you can play scales because you learned them ages ago and they are child's play?

I'm not sure you have the mental fortitude to handle this. Scales are a waste of your time? Do you even understand music?

You learned scales on a recorder, I take it, therefore you don't need to learn scales on piano? You aren't making any sense whatsoever.

What is your actual goal, here? You sound a bit like a pouty 8 year-old that wants assurance that this will all come together in a week's time with no effort expended.

 

[Cappuccino]

This makes no sense. You have trouble with fingering and reading music, but claim that you can play scales because you learned them ages ago and they are child's play?

I'm not sure you have the mental fortitude to handle this. Scales are a waste of your time? Do you even understand music?

You learned scales on a recorder, I take it, therefore you don't need to learn scales on piano? You aren't making any sense whatsoever.

What is your actual goal, here? You sound a bit like a pouty 8 year-old that wants assurance that this will all come together in a week's time with no effort expended.

I give up. Don't talk to me.