Well...I just recently bought a digital piano. I sure have a new-found respect for piano players--this is REALLY tough. I just had a couple questions I hoped you might help me with:

1. What are some of the better books/tools to help a beginner get started? (I'm also fairly new to music too, so something that addresses music theory would be beneficial for me).

2. What are some of the easier classical pieces? My piano came with sheet music for Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu, Etude Op.10-3, Traumerei, etc. I 'hope' these aren't entry level pieces. If they are, maybe I need to consider an easier instrument.

Thanks!

keysncords, i started out with alfreds all in one adult piano course level 1, from a 3 part series. there are also theory books that go along with this. it also has listings on when you are ready for other books. there is also faber and faber. also if you are fairly new to music in general, you might want to get a teacher at least in the beginning to guide you to the right path to take, as far as learning notes etc. sitting correctly etc. just my 2 cents. just dont give up before you even start:)

also welcome to the forum!! this is definitly a great place to be:)

I am assuming you want to teach yourself. If this is the case then it may end up being trial and error as far as materials go.

I have began using the theory books from Mark Harrison. I like them. They are more for pop/jazz.

If you are wanting to learn classical piano though, I am really not of much help. I will let someone else direct your path on that one.

Ask away and search around. I am sure you will start to find the answers you need.

welcome to piano world! to answer your questions:
1) i'd suggest you go to a bookstore like Barn's and Nobel, where you can find a section on music instrumental learning, and browse through all kinds of instruction/method books there. i recently checked out some books there, and found some books are very good. there's one "Teach yourself visually" on piano, which contains a lot of pictures of keyboard, hand positions and some music notation and theory instructions. for a beginner like you, such a more visual book might be a good one to begin with; there's another black covered book on basic theory and notations of piano playing (called something like 'The only basic things you need to know...") which would cover enough basic music notations and theory for you.

2) all those pieces you mentioned are advanced piano solo pieces and don't even think about them for now. if i were you, i would just go through a method/instruction book (such as you found in 1)) before trying to learn any original pieces. it perhaps would take you about 6 months to 1 year to get comfortable technically on piano, and by then you would probably finished the first instruction book. after that, choose some easy pieces to learn.

The first piano book I ever had was the Vocal Selections for The Phantom of the Opera. I taught myself how to play, while using almost a decade old Casio mini-keyboard :p so I taught myself backwards (beginning with not even knowing What a key was) but I experimented with the melody/vocal bar, then started to look at right hand (just adding another note or two) and now after I've practically got right hand down, i'm putting in the bass lines (for songs that have a simple one lol)

John Thompson's Adult Piano Courses are excellent for classical students.


John Thompson Adult


Mel

Clair de lune sounds really good to me, but trust me, you dont want the real version just yet. If you dont mind buying one that is watered down to your ability, buy the easier verison of clair de lune.

I imagine the music that came with your piano will be simplified versions. I have been working on the full version of the Chopin Etude 10,3 for over a year now, and I'm still only half-way

And the Fantasie Impromptu is my dream piece -- one day (if I live that long!) I will tackle it.

So put that music aside for now -- after you have mastered some of the easier stuff suggested by the other posters, it won't seem nearly so daunting

There must be a thread where everybody wrote down their first pieces. That might be helpful if somebody can actually find it.

I KNOW I saw a thread in just the past few weeks where people nominated books containing easy yet original versions of classical pieces. Does anybody remember off-hand what thread that was? It was either here or in the teacher's forum.

HERE are some good suggestions. Did you mean this?

- My First Book of Classical Music: 29 Themes by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and Other Great Composers in Easy Piano Arrangements, Bergerac $4.95

This is the book that Copper suggested in that thread.

Yes, that's the thread I was thinking of! Thanks, pian00b!

Thanks for all the info! I really appreciate everyone's help in getting me started.

cheers,

K&C