Teaching yourself piano

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AStar617

Diamond Member
Sep 29, 2002
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So I just scored an upright piano from Craigslist for free, only had to pay to move it. It's pretty cool, a Singer (Chicago) cabinet grand from circa 1893-1894! :) It's in decent enough condition to start learning (all keys sound, tuned 2yrs ago so its due for that, plus needs one ivory). However, I don't know if I currently have the money to sustain lessons right now.

Has anyone tried teaching themselves piano? What did you use, and did it work? I know it's probably no substitute for live instruction but $$ is a definite factor here.

Thx
 
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Vegitto

Diamond Member
May 3, 2005
5,234
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Maybe number the keys and learn to play by number? Afterwards, you can probably convert the numbers to real notes, easily.. :)
 
TecHNooB

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
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You can definitely teach yourself to play the piano. You just gotta know how the left hand works and where you set your hands initially. Some prior experience with other instruments will come in handy.
 
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Parrotheader

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 1999
3,434
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Congrats.

There's plenty of great musicians who are self-taught. I'm not one of them (then again I'm not great, or even good, for that matter.) I had lessons as a child.

If you already know how to read music some it'll make it a lot easier at first. Get yourself some books on scales and practice, practice, practice. You'll have to be patient of course. Unfortunately, there's not a lot Easy/Beginner books with more 'adult' music. It's mostly more kid-oriented music and old standards. I'm sure there's some good instructional tapes/DVDs as well.

I just recently bought myself a keyboard and hoped I would be able to roughly pickup where I left off after 5 years of lessons from when I was a kid. Sadly, that's not the case. :( It's been very frustrating and I haven't played near as much as I was planning as a result.
 
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jmcoreymv

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,264
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I've been trying to learn piano for the past few months. It's going okay, I don't practice too much (maybe 10 minutes a day). So far I've learned to read the staffs decently quickly, the different scales, inversions, etc. I can also play a few songs such as Jurassic Park and Schindler's List, and I am working on Moonlight Sonata.
 
CraKaJaX

CraKaJaX

Lifer
Dec 26, 2004
11,905
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Any pics? :p

I taught myself drums pretty quickly, been playing for a long time now. Still currently teaching myself guitar. Just keep at it and you can teach yourself anything. :)
 
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imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
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I've been trying to learn guitar for the past 2 years. Not good. I'm getting better, but it's the lack os discipline and commitment that really kills self-;earning (read: lazy). I took piano lessons and clarinet in school, both forced me to at least try. So it's doable, but I'd get afew lessons. Note, don't take lessons too long, then you get bored and the pressure kills the fun.
 
wheresmybacon

wheresmybacon

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2004
3,899
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You definitely can teach yourself piano. I did when I was in college. I'd been able to sight read for voice (choir) for years, but it wasn't until I had a piano in our dorm basement that I got after it.

I played by ear - I could read music but it honestly was easier for me to figure out the progression and just learn the rest by playing and making mistakes.

It really helps if you're musically inclined, but IMO the piano is one of the easier instruments to at least be able to get around on with limited instruction.

Grats on your free piano. =)
 
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